November is diabetes month. I wonder how many people know this. Diabetes and Prediabetes deserves more attention than they get. Today I will tell you why and what you can do to help.
Have you seen this blue circle? Do you know what it stands for?
It is the universal symbol for diabetes. Now you know.
World Diabetes Day was created by the International Diabetes Federation in 1991. It is celebrated every year on November 14, the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting. Banting, along with Charles Best, discovered insulin in 1922.
Before insulin, diabetes was fatal. What a gift it is to have this life-saving medication! The 100 year anniversary of the first human to successfully receive an insulin injection will be January 11 of next year. Since that day in 1922 we have made huge advances in both insulin manufacture and diabetes care. Unfortunately, not everyone has access to insulin and reasonable diabetes care. Recognized by the United Nations as an International Awareness Day, the World Diabetes Day theme this year is “Access to Diabetes Care”.
People with diabetes need access to:
- Insulin
- Medication that can be taken orally
- Devices to self-monitor glucose level
- Education and psychological support
- Access to healthy food and a safe place to exercise
The world-wide numbers concerning diabetes are staggering.
463 million adults (1 in 11) were living with diabetes (in 2019).
More than 3 out of every 4 people with diabetes live in low and middle income countries. Many do not have access to reliable and affordable insulin.
The statistics in the United States also paint a grim picture.
1 in 10 Americans have diabetes. That’s approximately 34 million people in our country!
An estimated 7.3 million adults are living with diabetes but have not been diagnosed.These people are especially vulnerable to the collateral consequences of diabetes.
Why do you need to care?
Diabetes is expensive.
On average, health care costs are twice as high for people with diabetes than people without diabetes.
As stated above, without treatment and sufficient support, people with diabetes often develop serious complications, to include:
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Kidney failure
- Blindness
- Amputation
BUT, what if there was a way to prevent Diabetes?
THERE IS, at least for those facing Type 2 diabetes, the type 90% of people with diabetes have.
Type 2 diabetes can often be delayed or prevented with the proper intervention (and treated to prevent complications if you already have it).
To understand how you can prevent Type 2 diabetes, we need to look at Prediabetes.
This is HUGE. Making healthy changes have been proven to delay or prevent diabetes! They are doable!
Let’s look at the statistics for prediabetes in the US:
1 in 3 adults have prediabetes.That is 88 million people!
1 in 9 know they have it! Most have no idea.
1 in 6 teenagers (12 to 18) have pre-diabetes.
If prediabetes is left undetected and no lifestyle changes are made, you have a significant risk of getting diabetes.
And remember the 7+ million with undiagnosed diabetes? They are definitely not being treated and likely not making the lifestyle changes needed to avoid dire consequences.
Many times I’ve heard people tell me they were diagnosed with diabetes when they had a heart attack or other complication of the disease.
I know many of you may be on top of your game and are getting the help you need. I still need your help.
There’s a Diabetes Risk Test that people can take to see if they are at risk for the disease.
If you don’t have diabetes, take the test yourself. If you find out you are at risk for diabetes, follow up with your health care provider.
Knowledge is power.Take the step to learn whether you have or are at risk for diabetes so you can get the care you need. Encourage your loved ones to do the same. You owe it to yourself and those you love. Please help spread the word about taking the risk test and that preventing diabetes is possible.
One last note—if you have diabetes, please don’t beat yourself up that you didn’t prevent it. It is a complex disease that has genetic and other complex factors. It is never your fault. The good news is that it can be managed which is a great place to focus your efforts.
This is pretty similar to the way I make my alfredo, and it’s probably my favorite dinner that I have ever posted! I haven’t done it without scraping the cooked squash though–I will definitely have to give it a try!