National Diabetes Month

November is National Diabetes Month. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is encouraging people to take action and make simple but important lifestyle changes to achieve their health goals, whether they have diabetes or not.
In American today, about 26 million people have diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the body does not make insulin, so patients must take daily insulin in order to live. In type 2 diabetes, which is the most common type and cases have risen alongside with obesity, the body does not make or insulin correctly. These patients may use pills or insulin to regulate this. The third type is known as gestational diabetes which can occur in some women during pregnancy and usually goes away after birth. These children have a much greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes. It is estimated that 79 million adults have pre-diabetes, which is a condition which causes them to have an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

When diabetes is left untreated, serious health effects can follow. Some of which include heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease and even amputation. Weight loss, a moderate diet, and exercising can help prevent or delay diabetes and its implications. If you have diabetes, or diabetes runs in your family, consulting a Registered Dietitian can aid in managing diabetes, creating a revised eating plan, or making a few simple lifestyle changes.