Employee Health & Wellness: National Diabetes Awareness Month

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month (NDAM). Beginning in 1975, National Diabetes Awareness Month was established to bring awareness to the chronic condition. Diabetes is a condition in which the pancreas is unable to process sugar properly, leading to increased levels of glucose in the bloodstream. Diabetes is deemed the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. About 30.3 million Americans (1 in 10 people) have diabetes. The two most common types of diabetes are diabetes Type 1 and diabetes Type 2. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune process that doesn’t allow your pancreas to make insulin or very little. Type 1 diabetes is less common than Type 2 and usually develops in adolescent years, but can happen at any age.

Type 2 diabetes is caused by your body’s cells not responding normally to insulin, better known as insulin resistance. This causes your pancreas to make more insulin as an attempt to get your cells to respond, causing your pancreas to not be able to keep up. As a result, your blood sugar rises. Consistent elevated levels of your blood sugar can be extremely damaging to the body potentially causing other health issues such as heart disease, vision loss, kidney disease and more. Some symptoms can include weight loss, blurry vision or extreme tiredness. Although these symptoms are indicators in some cases, it is best to check with your doctor and get your blood sugar tested during annual visits.

Managing or preventing diabetes is possible. A healthy diet and exercise routine can help put you on the right track. Moderating the amounts of sugar, starch and carbs can help manage diabetes and reduce the risk of getting it. Drinking a lot of water and aiming for at least 30 minutes of exercise three to four times a week is also important. Exercising regularly can help lower stress levels, which is another key component in living with or preventing diabetes.