Who should be tested for diabetes? Everyone age 45 or older should be tested for diabetes every three years. You should also be tested if you are younger than 45, overweight, and can answer yes to one or more of the following risk factors:
Family member with diabetes;
Family background is African American, American Indian, Asian American, Pacific Islander, or Hispanic American/Latino;
Have had gestational diabetes or given birth to at least one baby weighing more than nine pounds;
Blood pressure is 140/90 or higher, or been told you have high blood pressure;
Cholesterol levels are not normal;
LDL (bad) cholesterol is 100 or higher;
HDL (good) cholesterol is 35 or lower;
Triglyceride level is 250 or higher;
Active fewer than three times a week.
Warning signs of diabetes are increased thirst, unexplained weight loss, increased hunger, blurred vision, fatigue, sores that do not heal, and increased urination, especially at night.
You can reduce your risk of developing diabetes by following a few simple suggestions.
Move more, with a goal of 30 minutes a day, five or more days a week. If you are not very active, start slowly and talk with your doctor about what kinds of activities would be safe for you.
Eat healthier. Increase the amounts of fruits and vegetables eaten (strive for five a day). Reduce your portions and calorie intake. Reducing 100 calories a day for a year can lead to a 12-pound weight loss. Increase the amount of whole grains in your diet. Choose breads and grains with whole-wheat flour as the first ingredient and at least 2g fiber per serving. Choose cereals with 5g fiber or more per serving. Limit your daily total fat intake to 25 percent of your total calories. For example: 42g fat for 1,500 calories; 56g fat for 2,000 calories; and, 69g fat for 2,500 calories.
Diabetes is a serious disease that can lead to blindness, heart disease, strokes, kidney failure, and amputations. It kills almost 210,000 people each year. For more information on diabetes, contact the UP Diabetes Outreach Network at 906-228-9203.
Nicole Lothrop works with Bay Mills Community Health Department.
Diabetes can rob sight
Diabetes now affects more than 18 million people in the United States, with more than 1 million new cases diagnosed every year. There is a long list of damage it creates to the human body, but some patients may not be aware that the disease could rob them of their sight. And, once the sight is gone, it cannot be restored.
According to Prevent Blindness America, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving sight, there are more than 5.3 million Americans over the age of 18 with diabetic retinopathy and 40 to 45 percent of all diabetics have some degree of the disease. Diabetic retinopathy weakens the small blood vessels in the retina. Retinal blood vessels can break down, leak, or become blocked, impairing vision over time.
PBA recommends that everyone take the following steps to protect their eyesight: see an eye doctor at least once a year if you have diabetes or are at high risk; maintain a healthy weight - if you are overweight even a modest weight loss can help prevent Type 2 diabetes; increase your physical activity - exercising 30 minutes a day, five days a week can cut your risk of Type 2 diabetes by more than half.; watch and control your blood sugar levels and blood pressure; quit smoking as that lifestyle change can help reduce your risk of developing diabetic retinopathy, , glaucoma, and cataracts.
For more information, visit www.diabetes-sight.org or call 1-800-331-2020.
