10 Nov American Diabetes Month
November is American Diabetes Month. Diabetes is a disease that affects almost 30 million Americans. 1 in 10 Americans have diabetes whether it’s diagnosed or undiagnosed, diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States. That is only deaths directly associated with diabetes, other diseases such as kidney disease and cardiac arrest which is linked to diabetes is not classified in this statistic.
It is important we take the time to focus on prevention and treatment research of diabetes as there is a high prevalence and death rate for the disease in this country.
Although there are strong genetic links for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, the latter can in many cases be prevented. Lifestyle is one of the biggest factors in the likelihood of developing diabetes.
Keeping your weight in a healthy range is a big factor in preventing diabetes as more fat on your body means you become more insulin resistant. Your cells react to an increased level of fat hormones in the body which overtime make it difficult for your pancreas to secrete enough insulin. In time, the blood sugar levels will not be able to be controlled and will cause harm to the body without proper medical intervention. Not only does the amount of fat on your body affect this but the location of the fat. If you carry more weight in the abdominal area, your organs, and in particular your liver and pancreas, cannot function properly when reacting to inflammation and increased blood sugar levels, increasing your likelihood of developing diabetes.
Although weight is a large contributing factor towards developing diabetes, diet and exercise is extremely important. A diet high in fiber and whole unprocessed foods puts your body in optimal condition. Regularly consuming food or alcohol high in sugar over time will make you insulin resistant. Exercise is also an activity that contributes to glucose control can also lead to diabetes.
These important lifestyle factors can have a profound effect on your future well-being. Diabetes is linked to heart disease, kidney disease, blindness, the need for amputation, and more! Take the steps now to protect yourself from this life altering condition.