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Take action on diabetes now

To the editor:

Could you be on the path to developing Type 2 diabetes and not even know it? That is the case for about 1 out of 3 adults and half of the senior population across the U.P. Those are the numbers of people living with pre-diabetes, a condition that often leads to Type 2 diabetes. In addition, only 10 percent actually know they have pre-diabetes and that Type 2 diabetes is knocking on their doors.

November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and we are encouraging all adults to know their fasting blood glucose (sugar) level.  This is a test that is done at a lab; it is not a finger stick test. If your fasting blood glucose is between 99 and 126 mg/dL on two or more occasions, you probably have pre-diabetes.  It is especially important to get your blood glucose checked if you are overweight, not very active or have close family members with diabetes.

To prevent Type 2 diabetes and help support weight loss efforts, a nationally recognized program, the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is available in some communities. This program is designed to help you lose 5 to 10 percent of your body weight and get physically active for 30 minutes, most days of the week. Doing those two things have been shown to prevent type 2 diabetes and lower your risk of having a stroke of heart attack, losing your eye sight, having kidney problems and needing a foot or lower leg amputation.  If the DPP is not available, consider joining a weight-loss program or meeting with a registered dietitian nutritionist to help you lose weight and prevent Type 2 diabetes.

I recently met two women who knew they were at high risk for developing diabetes — they were overweight, not very active and had family members with diabetes.  They did not take action to prevent Type 2 diabetes, and now they have diabetes. Both regret they did not get serious about making changes earlier.  Don’t stand by and wait for diabetes to hit you, take action now. Get your blood glucose tested and call 211 for information about the diabetes prevention programs in your area.

Ann Constance

Marquette

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