Can you believe it’s already November?! It’s practically Christmas. Alexa, play Jingle Bell Rock.
Sadly, it may not be December just yet but this month is American Diabetes Month. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) promotes November to raise awareness about diabetes, and this year’s campaign is “Today’s Diabetes Hits Differently!”
So what is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic medical condition that has an impact on how your body converts food into energy.
Your body converts the food you eat into sugar (glucose), then releases it into your bloodstream. Your pancreas releases insulin when your blood sugar levels rise. Insulin is key to letting the blood sugar into your body’s cells for use as energy. When you have diabetes, your body produces insufficient insulin or misuses it. Too much blood sugar remains in your bloodstream when low insulin or cells cease reacting to insulin. That can eventually lead to significant health issues like renal disease, eyesight loss, and heart disease. (1)
There are 3 main types of diabetes:
Today, approximately 11.2% of the adult population in Hawaii has been diagnosed with diabetes (3). Although there’s no cure, there are ways to manage diabetes as well as prevent or delay getting it.
What are some ways to prevent/manage diabetes?
If you are at risk for Type 2 diabetes, you may be able to prevent or delay getting it. Most things involve having a healthier lifestyle so once you make the changes, you will not only lower your risk for other diseases but you will also get other health benefits. Here are some changes you can start with: (4)
If you have diabetes, you can manage it and live a long and healthy life by taking care of yourself each day. Here are some ways to manage diabetes: (5)
Check out our Consumer Health Resources Guide for resources about diabetes.
Resources:
(1) https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/diabetes.html
(3) https://diabetes.org/get-involved/community/local-offices/hawaii
(4) https://medlineplus.gov/howtopreventdiabetes.html
(5) https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/managing-diabetes
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