Category Archives: Diabetes

Earlier this week I was told I was diabetic. When sharing it with people, some felt maybe this was not the type of news the founder of Less Cancer should broadcast.

I am sure that it is exactly the kind of thing to share. Since founding the organization in 2004, I have always been open about some of the lifestyle challenges and risks I have engaged in; from being a chain smoker as a child to having a diet so poor that as a college student at 661/2 and 168 lbs, I was diagnosed with malnutrition.

Since that time I have been far from saved. I did quit smoking twenty-one years ago when my son was born, as he had a respiratory issue that would have prevented me from ever holding him. Fortunately, the doctor that was treating him at the time used his agency to say that I would have to leave my clothes outdoors and take a shower before picking him up. With the help of the patch, I quit right away.

Pancreatic cancer and diabetes have been linked in patients who have had diabetes for less than five years, yet it is unclear if diabetes contributed to the cancer or if the pre-cancerous cells caused the diabetes. Also, research suggests that new-onset diabetes in people over 50 may be an early symptom of pancreatic cancer. (Pancan.org) My sister died of pancreatic cancer at a young age.

Type 2 diabetes has a stronger link to family history and lineage than type 1, although it too depends on environmental factors. If there is a family history of type 2 diabetes, it may be difficult to figure out whether it is due to lifestyle factors or genetic susceptibility. I only know of a few family members with type 2 diabetes, and they were all at an enviably healthy weight.(Diabetes.org)

However, for over twenty years I have been vigilant about eating and serving certified organic foods to my family. For me, sugar is the head-spinning devil. And no matter how healthily I eat around it, its just too tough to burn off a slice of cake. I walk at least a few times a week, and I have started running on the treadmill with a trainer when I am back home in Virginia.

When I heard the news of my diagnosis, I felt ashamed as to how I could not know better. Certainly, I had been warned. I was most angry with myself because, with my very non-profit salary, I understood that I would never really be able to afford the meds for a diabetic. My doctor has given me three months to turn things around.

However there is something even more insidious, and that is isolation.

In my work, without intention or awareness, I seem to have systematically built a wall around myself to the outside world and my own personal needs.

I am immensely grateful for the handful of amazing friends and my immediate family, with whom I am in touch daily. But something strange began happening as I heard from more and more people that I did not know and started connecting with on social media, and then through blogs. In the course of the day, I often speak to more strangers than people I know. I am on the road so much that I often eat alone and have little social contact.

After the United States Congressional Caucus and the Cancer Prevention Workshop this past February, on the only free day I had I met with a few of the cyclists for the bike ride to raise money for Less Cancer. The day of my birthday in Detroitmy big nightwas spent on my laptop, in my hotel. I took a moment to check Facebook and email only to notice an embarrassing amount of birthday wishesbetween social media and email it was well into the hundreds.

As I drove out of town the next day, hurrying to my next stop, I could not help but think how strange it felt to look at all these communications from so many people I did not know-despite being very appreciated. I meet kind and wonderful people each day and I am one of those people that love others more than myself.

As more people get to know me and the work of Less Cancer, I receive accolades but not always from people I know. I feel a need to protect myself by establishing boundaries, thus creating even greater distance between me and the world.

Somehow the more I connect and work with the masses my wall, unseen by the outside seemingly inches higher, insidiously moving further away from filling my metaphoric bucket or addressing some very basic needs.

With a focus outwards on the rest of the world, I move further and further away from my needs.

In trying to understand my diabetes diagnosis, I find myself asking what isolation means to human healthworking alone, traveling alone, and frequently not having any connections beyond people who want to talk to me about my work.

In a report by Soledad OBrien, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said the greatest public health crisis (according to the surgeon general) isnt cancer or heart disease. Its isolationisolation and the affects of being socially disconnected.

I may never know if my diagnosis is hereditary or lifestyle, stress or isolation. You can count on me turning my sights inward as a matter of health. Watching diet and exercise, connecting with friends and asking for help with the work for Less Cancer.

I will be exploring more about isolation as it impacts human health, including diabetes. Diabetes can, in fact, be a cancer risk. Now more than ever, we need to get a handle on these preventable diseases, and it needs to start with me.

Is this my legacy to my children? Is this what I leave thema future knowing that the idea of Less Cancer will be a missed opportunity to turn the steadily increasing incidences of cancer around. A future with a cancer economy?

I am not giving up-if you want to help, please help the work of Less Cancer not because of me but rather because we are doing life-saving work that is making change.

First published in Thrive Global

Originally posted here:
Is Diabetes the Disease or the Symptom - Huffington Post

MANSFIELD -- Students at Discovery School are learning about Type 1 diabetes and the differences it has with Type 2.

Not only are the students talking the talk -- they are walking the walk. Discovery School's student body will hold a Kids Walk for Type 1 Diabetes March 29 at 11:40 a.m.

The event was sparked when student Jager Thornton, 4, was diagnosed with the disease.

Jarger's mother, Ashley Thornton said she wants to make sure people are aware of the differences between the two types, not "lumped together as one disease."

Type 1, or insulin-dependent diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body no longer creates its own insulin. Insulin is a hormone necessary for blood cells to create energy from consumed sugar.

Type 2 diabetes, a much more commonly-known version of diabetes, occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or doesn't make enough insulin, according to the Mayo Clinic.

"We've adjusted pretty well," Thornton said of her son's condition. "It's a lot of routine, finger pokes, loss of sleep. It was life altering. My son's life is now in the hands of his caretakers. If he get's too little insulin he could die."

Third grade teacher, Lindsay Wicker said allowing students to have an opportunity to take action is a emphasized mantra for students at Discovery School.

"I tell my students that all the time," Wicker said. "And when (Ashley) said she was wanting help raising awareness, I thought this would be a great opportunity to have my third-grade students to be able to take action for something important."

Wicker's students are reading facts about the disease during morning announcements, stuffed information about the disease into envelopes to spread to their peers and are helped organize the walk.

"It's a great opportunity to make a difference even though they are only in third grade," she said.

Discovery School has raised $500 for the JDRF, the leading global organization for Type 1 diabetes research, in the first week.

Students also were given three paper shoes to sell for any amount of money. The money will be donated to the JDRF Organization.

"It's impressive. They don't have to sell the shoes," Thornton said. "They have one more week (to raise money); they are on Spring Break right now."

Thornton said she is gratefulto Discovery School for its cooperation and willingness to teach students about the disease. She hopes the education will provide her son with the ability to fit in and feel like his classmates.

"One thing I want for Jager is more people to be aware of Type 1 of this disease," Thornton said. "I just wish people would learn there is more than (the Type 2 version), that it's not the same."

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Discovery School walks the walk in Type 1 diabetes awareness ... - Richland Source

People with diabetes have a significantly higher risk for heart attack. Now, new research suggests that diabetes damages the small blood vessels around the heart, and this might explain the link to heart attack. In a study reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the researchers also propose a solution may lie in gene therapy.

Diabetes is a chronic disease that arises either because the body does not produce enough insulin (typical of type 1 diabetes) or because it cannot effectively use the insulin it produces (typical of type 2 diabetes). Around 90 percent of people with diabetes have type 2.

Insulin is a hormone that helps keep blood sugar (glucose) under control. Uncontrolled diabetes results in high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, which, over time, damages many parts of the body, including nerves and blood vessels.

The number of people with diabetes worldwide was estimated to be 422 million in 2014, up from 108 million in 1980. The disease is a major cause of blindness, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, and lower limb amputation

In the United States, there are now more than 29 million people with diabetes, up from 26 million in 2010.

Another 86 million people have prediabetes, a condition in which blood sugar is higher than normal but not yet in the range for type 2 diabetes.

Fast facts about diabetes

Learn more about diabetes

The new study - led by researchers at Technical University of Munich (TUM) in Germany - investigates the effect of diabetes on the small blood vessels, or capillaries, that surround the heart. Damage to these can affect the whole of the heart muscle.

The heart's network of veins and arteries and small offshoots into capillaries can be compared to a road traffic network. If one small minor road is blocked, it has little effect on the whole network.

However, if more and more small side roads come to a halt, the traffic on the main roads and highways becomes denser and denser, and eventually the whole system seizes up and a heart attack ensues.

The researchers suggest their findings show how diabetes can have this effect.

They compared samples of heart tissue taken from patients with and without diabetes who underwent heart transplants. The samples from patients with diabetes showed that their hearts had significantly fewer small blood vessels around them.

After running tests in the laboratory, the team also found high levels of blood sugar are linked to loss of pericytes - a type of cell that forms a protective layer around small blood vessels.

The team believes this layer stabilizes the blood vessel and causes the blood vessels to break up when damaged.

The researchers also studied the effect of blood vessel loss in pigs genetically engineered to develop type 1 diabetes that is like the human form. They found the same damage occurred in their hearts.

However, with the help of gene therapy, the team was able to increase production of a protein that stimulates growth of pericytes. This led to new growth of lasting and functioning small blood vessels.

It will be some time before such a treatment is available for use in humans, note the researchers, who also point out how the findings reinforce the importance of diagnosing diabetes early.

One in four people with diabetes do not know they have the disease. First author Dr. Rabea Hinkel, a cardiologist at TUM's university hospital, concludes:

"Diabetes often remains undetected in patients for years or even decades. Over that long period, massive damage can occur."

Learn how taking statins is linked to higher risk of diabetes in older women.

Read the rest here:
Diabetes: Heart attack risk due to loss of small blood vessels around the heart - Medical News Today

CHICAGO (CBS) On the health watch: Diabetes. It is a growing problem in our country, and you may be surprised to know your pet can suffer from diabetes just like you.

CBS 2s Roseanne Tellez has more on the growing incidence of diabetes in pets.

First a kiss, then a tiny pin prick in the ear a pet owner uses a meter specially calibrated for pets to test blood glucose levels.

Chelsea the cat was diagnosed with diabetes.

Cat owner, Eric Ravenstein was surprised to find out his cat, Chelsea, has diabetes.

We were a little shocked as well, and were a little scared because we did not know what it entailed, he said.

Dr. Ruth MacPete said Chelsea is one of a growing number of cats and dogs with diabetes.

Why the increase? Just like with humans, genetics, age and weight all play a role.

We are seeing much more obesity, not just with people, but with pets and with the rise in obesity were seeing an increase in diabetes, said Veterinarian, Dr. Ruth MacPete.

Left untreated, it can be dangerous.

It can lead to nerve damage, kidney disease and also death, Dr. MacPete said.

What are the signs? -increased thirst -increased urination including accidents in the house -increase in appetite even as they lose weight -lethargy

Dr. MacPete said the earlier the diagnosis, the easier it is to treat. Your veterinarian will give you instructions about giving insulin at home.

Diabetes is a manageable condition in dogs and cats just like it is in people, Dr. MacPete said. Pets can live a long happy healthy life. Chelsea is an example of that.

Diet is also very important keeping your pet trim and healthy. You will want to talk to your vet about that and all aspects of dealing with diabetes.

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HealthWatch: Diabetes Is A Growing Problem In Pets - CBS Chicago

POMONA >> Healthy eating and healthy living in Pomona will be topics of a forum taking place Saturday morning at Western University of Health Sciences.

The program, organized by Pomonas Health Promoters, will include topics such as diabetes prevention, obesity and the effects of drinking beverages with high sugar content, said Alejandra Martinez, program director of Pomonas Health Promoters.

Pomonas Health Promoters is a group of volunteers who have trained to assist fellow Pomona residents with a variety of issues, particularly health questions.

There are people in the community who are worried about diabetes, Martinez said. But we should be talking about the prevention of diabetes.

Promoters have brought together a group that includes health care professionals, representatives of health policy groups and others to talk about steps to a healthier life. Among the participants are representatives of the Universitys Western Diabetes Institute, City of Hope, Day One and Mt. San Antonio College.

Promoters have heard people talk about exercise and safety. People are interested in getting out of their houses, being more active and engaging in physical activity at local parks, Martinez said.

Some people say, Were going to go the park, but we dont feel safe there, she said. Local officials will be on hand Saturday to hear such concerns.

One of the panelists participating in the program will be Alfredo Camacho-Gonzalez, a healthy communities initiative project coordinator with Day One. The nonprofit works on quality, culturally sensitive public health education, intervention and policy development, according to the organizations website. Specifically, it seeks to increase access to healthy foods, make it easier for people to exercise and offer nutrition education, he said.

Such work is positive but cant end there, he said.

We back it up with policy change, Camacho-Gonzalez said.

The more people take part in activities that are healthy, the more it leads to policy that supports and continues to foster healthy behavior, he said.

Were trying to make healthy behavior the norm through policies and environmental changes, he said.

Pomona is a city where many people grow fruits and vegetables in their gardens, Martinez said. Rather than allowing the fruits and vegetables to go to waste, people can exchange produce, giving people greater access to healthy foods, she said.

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Its about sharing ideas and creating new pathways to healthier eating practices, Martinez said.

Program registration begins at 8 a.m., with a healthy breakfast served at 8:30. The program will begin at 9 a.m. and conclude at noon.

Translation services will be available at the event.

The free event will take place at Western Universitys Veterinary Care Center, 611 E. Second St. Parking is available in Lot E on First and Palomares streets.

For information, call Martinez at 909-927-2345.

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Learn how to fight diabetes and obesity in Pomona Saturday - Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

Citing a brisk demand for products and a full pipeline of potential new medicines, Eli Lilly and Co. plans to pour $850 million this year into its U.S. research labs, manufacturing plants and other operations, an increase of about $100 million from last year.

About $85 million of that will go to expand a manufacturing operation at the Lilly Technology Center southwest of downtown that assembles Trulicity injection pens for diabetes patients, the company said Friday.

Lilly CEO Dave Ricks said the total investment will fund projects that are already underway, as well as new projects.

As we have for our entire 140-year history, we continue to see Indiana and the United States as attractive places to research and make the medicines that we sell around the world, Ricks said.

The investment is the latest sign that Lilly, one of the largest employers in Indianapolis with about 11,500 jobs, remains bullish on its ability to roll out new products. In the past two years, the drugmaker has launched medicines for cancer, diabetes, psoriasis and other maladies. Company leaders have announced ambitious goals to launch 20 products in 10 years.

The company said the expanded Trulicity plant will be operating using current Lilly manufacturing employees, some of whom might come from elsewhere in the organization. Over the past five years, the company has added about 400 jobs in the city in U.S. diabetes manufacturing.

Ricks said Lilly plans to continue investing in its U.S. facilities, especially if the federal government adopts a more favorable tax environment. That would include lowering the U.S. corporate tax rate, adding certain innovation incentives, and an equitable treatment of foreign earnings, the company said.

Lilly had $28 billion of unremitted foreign earnings stashed overseas as of Dec. 31.

We consider these unremitted earnings to be indefinitely invested for continued use in our foreign operations, the company said in a footnote in its annual report. Additional tax provisions will be required if these earnings are repatriated in the future to the U.S.

Ricks made his comments at a press conference in front of the technology center, where a bright red banner draped across the building at least 30 feet high proclaimed Lilly invested in America.

For more than 140 years, Lilly has believed that investing in the U.S. and hiring U.S. workersincluding right here in our hometownmakes good business sense, Ricks said. Its no different now. What wed really love, however, is to do even more. And with a little help from Congress, I know we can.

Republicans in Congress have proposed a tax overhaul that would give companies more incentives to keep jobs in the United States, lowering the top corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 20 percent, and to stop taxing the income that U.S. companies make in other countries. The debate over the proposal is expected later this year.

Last year, Lilly paid $636.4 million in income taxes, at a tax rate of 18.9 percent, according to its annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. That was up from $381.6 million a year earlier, at a tax rate of 13.7 percent.

Ricks called the current corporate tax system antiquated, saying the U.S. is the only country that double-taxes the sales of products made here and exported to other countries. He said the system has encouraged companies to expand production overseas.

Mayor Joe Hogsett, a Democrat, applauded Lillys investment but, in an interview afterward, declined to say whether he shared Ricks support of Republican tax reform.

Im staying away from the Washington partisan divide, he said.

Gov. Eric Holcomb called Lillys investment the latest sign that Indianas low-tax, low-regulation business environment is working.

Companies like Eli Lilly can go anywhere in the world, he said. We are a low-tax state and we are benefiting from it.

Lillys expansion is part of a five-year, $1.1 billion investment to expand diabetes products manufacturing in the United States. The company announced in 2012 it would build a $140 million facility for insulin cartridge production in Indianapolis. A year later, it announced it would spend another $180 million to more than double the size of the facility.

More than 400 million people around the world have diabetes, including about 30 million Americans.

Continue reading here:
UPDATE: Lilly to invest $85M in Indy as part of diabetes expansion - Indianapolis Business Journal

WACO, Texas -- Trying to please the demanding Kim Mulkey and adjusting from high school to elite college basketball at Baylor could lead to a breakdown for any freshman. But Lauren Cox's major freshman issue had nothing to do with any of that. Her misery before Baylor faced Tennessee on Dec. 4 was all because the biggest challenge of her life -- Type 1 diabetes -- threatened to keep her from playing in the game. Her blood sugar levels were dangerously high.

Cox ended up taking the floor in the Baylor win. Her blood sugar returned to the necessary level to allow her to play. Still, she admits it's been incredibly challenging -- dealing with her condition, working to succeed on the court for a top program and trying to be a freshman in college all at the same time.

"It's been pretty tough," Cox said this week, before Baylor faces Louisville in the Sweet 16 on Friday night (ESPN2/WatchESPN, 9 p.m. ET). "Not having my parents there (at Baylor) is definitely a big challenge. Just managing my levels has been pretty tough but I've had a pretty good handle on it."

As Louisville and Baylor prepare to clash again in the Sweet 16, you can't help but look back at the Cardinals' epic upset in 2013. So much has changed, but the Lady Bears remain the favorite.

Natalie Chou can't help the comparisons to Linsanity as she attempts to shatter stereotypes. From pro-style workouts with Jason Terry to navigating her first year at Baylor, this is her story.

1 Related

On the court, Cox has flashed the potential that made her the top recruit in the country. She has been a key reserve for Mulkey, earning the Big 12 Sixth Man Award while being named to the All-Freshman team after averaging 8.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.

That is even more impressive considering Cox has to watch and count every carb she eats. The 6-foot-4 power forward, who has dealt with her condition since she was 7, pricks her finger up to 12 times a day to watch her blood sugar. She takes insulin before she eats and has to test her levels before, during and after practices and games. She will check her levels every hour in practice, with the Baylor trainers keeping an eye on her.

Otherwise, the consequences of playing with high blood sugar levels can be devastating.

"It is really bad on my body," Cox said. "In the long term, I can lose limbs, lose my eyesight -- that kind of stuff; if it gets really bad, it can take years off of my life, and I have to make sure I have a good handle on it."

That is why Mulkey vowed to Cox's parents that she wouldn't play their daughter with high blood sugar and risk her health. Before that Tennessee game, Mulkey was prepared not to play Cox in Baylor's first game on ESPN2 this season.

"Initially when I found out that it was too high, she was a basket case," Mulkey said. "She had a meltdown and wanted to play and I had to be stern with her and tell her, 'While you may have played like this throughout your career, I made a commitment to your parents that your health is most important. And you are not going to play until [your numbers] get to a reasonable level.'"

Cox played a total of seven minutes while battling foul trouble in Baylor's 88-66 win over Tennessee.

"I can get really frustrated just with myself, and it is really hard not being able to play and not being able to contribute," Cox said. "And if my team needs me, just not being able to be out there."

So far in her first NCAA tournament, Cox has posted a total of 24 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocks in 41 combined minutes through Baylor's first two wins.

Entering the season, Cox said she hoped to use the visibility that comes with playing for a premier women's program such as Baylor to help educate and inspire others who live with Type 1 diabetes.

Baylor hosted a Type 1 Diabetes Awareness Night earlier this season, and Cox hopes to be a role model as her career goes on in college and beyond.

"That's a big thing," Cox said. "I feel like doctors may say, 'Oh, you have to cut down on this sport' or something like that -- 'just because you have diabetes.' I just want to show them that you can do anything that you set your mind to."

Mulkey has had to learn how to handle her coveted freshman's emotions when it comes to dealing with daily ups and downs that can come with Type 1 diabetes.

"I realize she is tender when it comes to her diabetes and yet she is tough because it is something she has had to cope with since she was 7 years old," Mulkey said. "It has not affected her ability; it has not affected how great of a player she is and will continue to be.

"It's kind of, in her words, a nuisance. It's our job as leaders of this program to make sure that she understands: Your health and safety come first, and make sure your levels are where they are supposed to be when you play."

View original post here:
Lauren Cox juggles Type 1 diabetes in first season at Baylor - ESPN

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The media is touting a new study claiming global warming could be, at least in part, to blame for the diabetes epidemic sweeping the globe.

When it gets warmer, there is higher incidence of diabetes, Lisanne Blauw, a Ph.D. candidate at the Netherlands-based Einthoven Laboratory and the studys lead author, told The Huffington Post Tuesday.

Its important to realize global warming has further effects on our health, not only on the climate, Blauw said.

Blauw and her colleagues wrote the diabetes incidence rate in the USA and prevalence of glucose intolerance worldwide increase with higher outdoor temperature based on a meta-analysis of 14 years of data on diabetes and temperature in U.S. states.

Researchers hypothesize the global increase in temperature contributes to the current type 2 diabetes epidemic since warmer weather could inhibit brown adipose tissue (BAT) that turns food into energy for the body.

That could reduce the bodys ability to metabolize glucose, making Type 2 diabetes more likely.

Hot weather can be more difficult for people with diabetes, Mona Sarfaty, director of the Consortium on Climate Change and Health, told Popular Science.

The heat keeps people from being active, which means they expend less calories, which can lead to more weight gain, Sarfaty said. Also, people with diabetes often have kidney problems. Dehydrationwhich comes with heatcan worsen kidney problems when people are dehydrated.

HuffPo, of course, mentioned climate scientists declared 2016 the hottest year on record.

On the basis of our results, a 1C rise in environmental temperature would account for over 100000 new diabetes cases per year in the USA alone, given a population of nearly 322 million people in 2015, Blauw and her colleagues wrote.

Sounds terrifying, until you get into the data. Blauw and her colleagues even state that causality between temperature and diabetes cant be drawn from their meta-analysis.

The associative design of our study does not allow us to draw conclusions on causality, the researchers wrote.

Also, the way the study measured diabetes prevalence is based on self-reported surveys collected by the U.S. government. That survey asks people if a doctor told them they had diabetes in the last year it does not get actual diagnosis data from medical professionals.

Blauws study examines self-reported diabetes in the U.S.from 1996 to 2009, but right at the beginning of the study period medical professionals relaxed the definition of what constitutes diabetes.

The National Institutes of Health noted in 1998 that these changes are likely to lead to an increase in the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes as it would become practically much easier to detect the large number of people whose disease is currently undiagnosed.

On a more basic level, though, Blauws meta-analysis masks a confounding phenomenon. Many states actually showed a decrease in diabetes incidence rate as temperatures rose.

How can warm weather cause more incidents diabetes in South Carolina, but fewer in Louisiana? Not all researchers agreed with the studys findings.

I think calorie consumption and weight are probably the biggest by a country mile, Adrian Vella, an endocrinologist who was not involved in the new study, told CNN.

I think the general message always should be that association studies do not actually imply causation, Vella said.

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Media Touts A New Study Blaming Diabetes Epidemic On Global Warming - Daily Caller

Sixty seconds can make a difference in your health.

The Diabetes Risk Test takes only 60 seconds and can reveal your risk for developing Type 2 diabetes, the most common form. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 25 percent of the people in the U.S. who have Type 2 diabetes do not know it. Men are more likely to have undiagnosed diabetes, simply because they usually do not have routine check-ups with their doctor.

The American Diabetes Association sponsors Diabetes Alert Day every year on the fourth Tuesday in March to raise public awareness of the seriousness of diabetes, especially when it is undiagnosed or untreated. The anonymous test can be taken online or download a paper version at http://www.diabetes.org/alertday.

The questions will relate to the risk factors for Type 2 diabetes. Some of these risk factors you cannot change such as age, family history and gender. Women who had diabetes during their pregnancy (gestational diabetes) are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes later in life. If you had a parent, brother or sister who had diabetes, your risk increases. As you get older, your risk for diabetes increases, actually 1 in 4 people who are 60 and older have diabetes. Certain racial and ethnic groups, such as African Americans, Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans are more likely to develop it as well.

There are other risk factors where you can make lifestyle changes to decrease your risk. People who are inactive and/or overweight are an increased risk for diabetes. Having high-blood pressure also contributes to your risk. Staying at a healthy weight, through diet and daily physical activity can help you prevent and manage not only Type 2 diabetes, but also heart disease, high-blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels. In fact, eating healthy is one of the most important things you can do to lower your risk for Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Making a few small changes can have a big impact on your weight and your health.

Being aware of your risk for Type 2 diabetes is the first step to taking control of your health. Take the Diabetes Risk test. If there are lifestyle changes to lower your risk, start today. If your risk level is high, follow up with your health care provider. The good news is that diabetes is controllable. The earlier you take control of diabetes; you can prevent or delay some of the complications. Over time, it can affect many parts of the body and lead to other health problems like heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, nerve damage, and circulation problems that may lead to amputation. New evidence shows that people with Type 2 diabetes are also at a greater risk for Alzheimers disease.

Know your diabetes risk so you can take action today.

Lisa McCoy is a family and consumer-sciences educator with University of Maryland Extension in Washington County.

Read more from the original source:
Diabetes Alert Day: Know your risk - Herald-Mail Media

Photo: Donald Iain Smith, Getty Images/Flickr RF

Click ahead to view the healthiest cities in Texas, according to WalletHub.

Click ahead to view the healthiest cities in Texas, according to WalletHub.

Texas is home to four of the least healthy cities in the U.S., according to a new list from WalletHub.

Click through the slideshow to see how 16 Texas cities stacked up against one another.

Texas is home to four of the least healthy cities in the U.S., according to a new list from WalletHub.

Click through the slideshow to see how 16 Texas cities stacked up against one another.

Health Care Rank: 117 Food Rank: 150 Fitness Rank: 143 Green Space Rank: 145

Health Care Rank: 117 Food Rank: 150 Fitness Rank: 143 Green Space Rank: 145

Health Care Rank: 43 Food Rank: 146 Fitness Rank: 149 Green Space Rank: 127

Health Care Rank: 43 Food Rank: 146 Fitness Rank: 149 Green Space Rank: 127

Health Care Rank: 130 Food Rank: 143 Fitness Rank: 133 Green Space Rank: 132

Health Care Rank: 130 Food Rank: 143 Fitness Rank: 133 Green Space Rank: 132

13. El Paso (139 overall)Health Care Rank: 116 Food Rank: 137 Fitness Rank: 117 Green Space Rank: 124

13. El Paso (139 overall)Health Care Rank: 116 Food Rank: 137 Fitness Rank: 117 Green Space Rank: 124

Health Care Rank: 84 Food Rank: 112 Fitness Rank: 115 Green Space Rank: 142

Health Care Rank: 84 Food Rank: 112 Fitness Rank: 115 Green Space Rank: 142

Health Care Rank: 106 Food Rank: 91 Fitness Rank: 108 Green Space Rank: 146

Health Care Rank: 106 Food Rank: 91 Fitness Rank: 108 Green Space Rank: 146

Health Care Rank: 88 Food Rank: 138 Fitness Rank: 121 Green Space Rank: 82

Health Care Rank: 88 Food Rank: 138 Fitness Rank: 121 Green Space Rank: 82

Health Care Rank: 87 Food Rank: 103 Fitness Rank: 114 Green Space Rank: 138

Health Care Rank: 87 Food Rank: 103 Fitness Rank: 114 Green Space Rank: 138

Health Care Rank: 86 Food Rank: 97 Fitness Rank: 100 Green Space Rank: 129

Health Care Rank: 86 Food Rank: 97 Fitness Rank: 100 Green Space Rank: 129

Health Care Rank: 104 Food Rank: 67 Fitness Rank: 118 Green Space Rank: 134

Health Care Rank: 104 Food Rank: 67 Fitness Rank: 118 Green Space Rank: 134

Health Care Rank: 90 Food Rank: 83 Fitness Rank: 144 Green Space Rank: 105

Health Care Rank: 90 Food Rank: 83 Fitness Rank: 144 Green Space Rank: 105

Health Care Rank: 63 Food Rank: 130 Fitness Rank: 58 Green Space Rank: 113

Health Care Rank: 63 Food Rank: 130 Fitness Rank: 58 Green Space Rank: 113

Health Care Rank: 81 Food Rank: 62 Fitness Rank: 106 Green Space Rank: 114

Health Care Rank: 81 Food Rank: 62 Fitness Rank: 106 Green Space Rank: 114

Health Care Rank: 103 Food Rank: 72 Fitness Rank: 111 Green Space Rank: 99

Health Care Rank: 103 Food Rank: 72 Fitness Rank: 111 Green Space Rank: 99

Health Care Rank: 30 Food Rank: 21 Fitness Rank: 56 Green Space Rank: 33

Health Care Rank: 30 Food Rank: 21 Fitness Rank: 56 Green Space Rank: 33

Health Care Rank: 9 Food Rank: 37 Fitness Rank: 24 Green Space Rank: 42

Health Care Rank: 9 Food Rank: 37 Fitness Rank: 24 Green Space Rank: 42

San Antonio launches new campaign to fight diabetes and obesity

In the battle against diabetes and obesity two health scourges that are rampant in Bexar County the citys health department just started a new campaign centered on healthy eating.

The San Antonio Metropolitan Health Districts Viva Health! nutrition education drive aims to blanket the city with information on what constitutes a nourishing diet, and how individuals and families can go about replacing bad meals with good ones, in the easiest, most cost-effective ways possible.

It is based on three simple messages:

Fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables, every meal, every day

For portion control, use a smaller plate think salad plate

Drink water, not sugary drinks

The education push aims to reverse statistics that show nearly 11 percent of Bexar County adults were diagnosed with diabetes in 2015. That data includes only those whove been told by a doctor they had the disease, so the actual number is likely much higher, said Metro Health officials. More than one-third of adults in Bexar County were classified as obese in 2015. Obesity, unhealthy on its own, is also a risk factor for diabetes, which carries a host of serious health complications, including kidney failure, blindness and stroke.

At a news conference announcing the new campaign, Mayor Ivy Taylor said the program fits in perfectly with the Mayors Fitness Council, which aims to make San Antonio one of the healthiest and most active cities in the nation. Taylor told of her own struggle in convincing her 13 year-old daughter and husband both meat and potatoes fans to choose healthier foods.

Sometimes I get home late after dinner and I find the remnants of fast-food meals in the kitchen, she said. Its a common refrain for me at home, Eat some fruit with that! Get some apple sauce or mandarin oranges!

Many neighborhoods in San Antonio continue to struggle with access to nourishing food, Taylor said, especially high-poverty areas. The new campaign the tag line is eat well, to feel great should help with that, she said.

Metro Health, in partnership with the San Antonio Food Bank, the Culinary Education for Families (CHEF) program and other community groups, plans to conduct a marketing campaign using the visual image of a plate with the right proportion of fruits, vegetables, grains and protein. Metro Healths WIC and Healthy Neighborhoods program will provide nutrition classes and community outreach using the image and the three core messages.

The Mayors Fitness Council plans to promote the message within its programs, such as including it within material provided to physicians offices in underserved areas and in tool kits to faith-based organizations. The CHEF program, an innovative cooking school founded by the Goldsbury Foundation and the Childrens Hospital of San Antonio, is co-developing a web-based and hard-copy interactive meal planning tool that uses the image and the core messages. The online tool will link users to simple and affordable recipes on the CHEF website.

The food banks Mobile Mercado is going to help food-insecure residents meet the daily goal of healthy eating proportions, by providing education campaign materials during their community nutrition and cooking classes across the county, said Michael Guerra, spokesman for the organization.

Colleen Bridger, in her third week as the new director of Metro Health, said shes starting to understand the challenges San Antonio faces in terms of chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes.

There are many contributing factors, but how we eat is a key issue, she said. There are challenging circumstances and environments that make the healthy choice not an easy choice. This campaign gives us the tools we need to really address the problem.

mstoeltje@express-news.net

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