Your Health: November is Diabetes Awareness Month

Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. It can lead to health problems related to your eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart. Diabetes is also linked to some types of cancer.

The person diagnosed with diabetes is the most important participant in taking care of diabetes. Here are some tips to manage your diabetes:

1. Manage your A1C, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

2. Prepare for visit with your team. Before your appointment, write down a list of questions, review your selfcare plan, and record your blood glucose results.

3. Seek support for your specific needs. Build a team of professionals – such as an eye doctor or pharmacist – to help you with your specific diabetes self-care routine.

4. Make physical activity part of your routine.

5. Follow a diabetes meal plan. Choose fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, nuts or seeds, and non-fat or low-fat milk and cheese.

If you would like to explore these topics further, local clinics offer Diabetes Self-Management Programs. Education provided by these programs is eligible for reimbursement by private insurance, Medicare and Medicaid. Ask your physician for more information.

Individuals can lower your risk of Type 2 Diabetes by eating healthy, being more active and losing weight. Individuals can lower their risk of Type 2 Diabetes by 58% by reducing their weight by only 5 to 7 percent. For a person weighing 200 pounds, 5 percent is only ten pounds and yet the reduction in risk is 58%.

One in 3 adults have prediabetes.

The majority with prediabetes don’t realize they have it because they feel fine. Talk to your doctor about getting your blood sugar tested if you have any of the risk factors for prediabetes, including:

- Being overweight

- Being 45 years or older

- Having a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes

- Being physically active less than 3 times a week

- Ever having gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or giving birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds

- Race and ethnicity are also a factor. African Americans, Hispanic/ Latino Americans, American Indians, Pacific Islanders, and some Asian Americans are at higher risk.

City-County Health District, NDSU Extension-Barnes County and Essentia Health are partnering to offer Diabetes

Prevention Program in 2023. One in 3 adults have prediabetes. Without taking action, many people with prediabetes could develop type 2 diabetes within 5 years.

The Diabetes Prevention Program group will meet throughout 2023. We will meet once a week for 16 weeks, and then once a month for 6 months to maintain healthy lifestyle changes. During each session, your lifestyle coaches will teach a lesson and lead a group discussion.

You will learn to eat healthy, add physical activity to your life, manage stress and stay on track when eating out. To learn more, call City-County Health District at 845-8518 or visit www.citycountyhealth.org/dpp