November is Diabetes Awareness Month. It’s a time to call attention to a diagnosis that affects approximately 11% of Americans and encourage action to prevent health problems associated with it. The theme of the month is Take Charge of Tomorrow: Preventing Diabetes Health Problems. You can take charge of your future, if you know what to look out for.
Diabetes happens when the body doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use it correctly, leading to high blood sugar. There are two types of diabetics, some who have it as a lifelong condition and others who develop the disease as adults. Symptoms of diabetes include frequent urination, increased thirst, increased hunger, fatigue, blurry vision, slow-healing cuts and bruises, and tingling or pain in the hands or feet. If left untreated, diabetes over time can cause serious health problems including heart disease, stroke, vision loss, nerve damage, and kidney disease.
If you have any of the symptoms listed above, see your doctor. If you want to calculate your risk for diabetes, you can take a free, online 60-second risk test from the American Diabetes Association.
Most of us know that living an active lifestyle is important for many reasons. According to the ADA, regular exercise can also help prevent type 2 diabetes in several ways:
· It can improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar levels.
· It can help with weight management, a key factor in preventing type 2 diabetes.
· It can reduce risk according to studies that found the chance of developing type 2 diabetes dropped an average of 42% for those who lived an active lifestyle compared to those who did not.
· Exercise can also help those who already have diabetes by managing their condition more effectively by controlling blood sugar, lowering blood pressure, and reducing cholesterol levels.
The American Diabetes Associations recommends getting at least 30 minutes of activity per day to prevent diabetes. The Alaska Club offers so many ways to help you meet this goal. Walk or run on a treadmill, join one of our dozens of group fitness classes, go for a swim, try an Expressway 30-minute workout, shoot hoops or play a round of pickleball. If you have a friend struggling with diabetes or is at risk of developing the disease, invite them to join you at the club to introduce them to a more active, healthier lifestyle.
Sources: https://diabetes.org/
https://health.alaska.gov/dph/Chronic/Pages/Diabetes/prevention.aspx