March into Good Control of Diabetes
March 22 is recognized by the American Diabetes Association as Diabetes Alert Day to create awareness that diabetes is a disease that needs to be prevented if possible, and treated early when diagnosed. Diabetes is a primary cause of serious health complications and is linked to heart disease and strokes. Diabetes is not just a U.S problem; one in 10 adults worldwide have diabetes, with a global diabetes health expenditure of $996 billion dollars in 2021.
These are the three most typical symptoms of diabetes:
- Unintentional weight loss
- Frequent urination
- Thirsty all the time
It is important to have blood work completely regularly especially if you have a family history of diabetes. Your doctor will check your A1C reading; it reflects the average blood glucose for the past two to three months.
A1C Reading
- Normal 5.6% and less
- Pre-Diabetes 5.7-6.4%
- Diabetes 6.5% and higher
There are ways to reduce your risk for developing diabetes, or for controlling your blood sugar levels if you have pre-diabetes or diabetes:
- Switch to whole grains, to reduce processed grain foods and avoid blood sugar spikes
- Lose a modest amount of weight, such as 15-20 pounds, if needed
- Incorporate regular exercise into your daily routine
Currently 10.5% of the U.S. population has diabetes, and over 86 million have pre-diabetes. It is important to prevent diabetes in the first place, if we can, and then manage our diet and exercise habits so that we have excellent control of our diabetes if diagnosed. This reduces health consequences down the road like early heart disease, neuropathy, eye and feet problems, as well as chronic kidney disease.
It is important to keep those yearly doctor appointments because the lab work can pick up a trend with your glucose levels which might indicate a change is needed in your diet, medications or exercise routine. You will have a better chance of getting your readings back to normal if they are just slightly elevated at diagnosis vs very high.
Diet-wise it can help to eat your three meals at regular times during the day, have a consistent and modest amount of the carbohydrate foods, and select wholesome foods that are an excellent source of fiber, such as fruits, vegetables and whole-grains, as well as lean protein. The American Diabetes Association has good resources online at www.diabetes.org.
About the Author
Rita Smith is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator. She's been working in the field of nutrition and disease prevention for more than 35 years and currently works at Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville, Va. Each week, Rita provides nutrition counseling to clients who have a variety of disorders or diseases including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, gastroparesis and weight management. For these clients, food choices can help them manage their health problems.