November is National Diabetes Month. This annual month-long recognition is held to reflect on the diabetes epidemic and bring attention to it across the country. This year’s focus is “taking action to prevent diabetes-related health problems.”
Diabetes is a prevalent issue in the United States, with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) estimating 38.4 million Americans of all ages are living with diabetes. Approximately 29.7 million of those cases have been diagnosed by a doctor.
Diabetes was the 8th leading cause of death in the United States in 2021, so educating yourself on how to prevent diabetes-related health issues is important.
What is diabetes and what causes it?
Put simply, diabetes is a disease that occurs when a person's body does not produce enough insulin or can't use the insulin properly, leading to elevated blood sugar levels.
According to Michelle Cole, RDN, the program manager for the Outpatient Diabetes & Nutrition Education Center at FirstHealth, many factors are at play in causing diabetes.
"Diabetes can be caused by an autoimmune condition or by having too much glucose (or sugar) circulating in your bloodstream," she said. "Too much glucose in your bloodstream can be caused by many factors, including insulin resistance, obesity, lack of physical activity, diet, hormonal imbalances and genetics."
When an autoimmune condition causes diabetes, it is classified as Type 1 diabetes. When diabetes is caused by factors surrounding one’s lifestyle and genetics, it is classified as type 2. The latter is typically diagnosed later in life.
Diabetes risk factors
It is imperative to know your risk-level for developing diabetes.
“Anyone at any point in their life can develop diabetes, but there are some individuals who are at higher risk than others,” says Cole.
People with an elevated risk of developing diabetes include: people who are age 45 and older, overweight or obese, inactive, have a family history, have elevated blood fats such as high cholesterol, have elevated blood pressure, a diagnosis of prediabetes and people of African American, Hispanic, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Asian American or Pacific Islander descent.
Can you prevent or manage diabetes?
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Luckily, there are a few ways to help prevent and manage diabetes. Cole stresses the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle.
“Eating a healthy diet that includes mostly whole foods, with limited processed and fried foods is important. You should aim to be physically active for 30-60 minutes a day most days of the week and if you are overweight or obese, try to lose body fat," she said.
"Some other ways to prevent diabetes include: managing stress levels, limiting alcohol intake, quitting smoking and getting adequate sleep.”
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes and have been prescribed medication, taking your medicine and monitoring your condition should be key components of your lifestyle.
How do you diagnose type 1 and type 2 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is often diagnosed in childhood. The symptoms – feeling very thirsty, weight gain or loss, fatigue, tingling or numbness in your hands and feet – come on suddenly, prompting for a blood sugar test.
For diabetes symptoms that come on gradually, the ADA recommends screening for anyone who has a BMI higher than 25 (23 for Asian Americans), anyone older than the age of 35, women who have had gestational diabetes, anyone who has been diagnosed with prediabetes and anyone who has HIV.
The most common blood test to test for diabetes is the A1C test. The A1C test measures the percentage of blood sugar attached to hemoglobin, showing the average blood sugar level for the past 2-3 months. An A1C level of 6.5% or higher on two separate tests means that you have diabetes. An A1C between 5.7% and 6.4% means that you have prediabetes.
Whether you are trying to prevent diabetes or manage it, there are resources out there to help you.
FirstHealth offers diabetes and nutritional counseling
At FirstHealth, our Diabetes and Nutrition Education Center offers counseling for people with specific medical needs as well as those who just wish to maintain optimal health. The center offers metabolic testing, nutrition services and diabetes education. We also offer PreventT2 classes which can help educate and inspire you to make lifestyle changes.
Managing your diabetes can seem like a daunting task, but accessing resources like these, living a healthy lifestyle, taking medication and monitoring your condition are all key in conquering diabetes-related health issues.
