Diabetes affects millions of Americans around the country. However, as prevalent as this health issue is, do you really know what it is? November is National Diabetes Awareness Month with one of the goals this year is to educate for awareness. Like many other national awareness months for various issues, awareness is key to knowing and understanding the facts for some kind of prevention or bettering. Throughout all of November, especially Nov. 14 World Diabetes Day, you can join the campaign to raise awareness.

So, what is diabetes? There are three common types which are Type 2, Type 1 and gestational diabetes. Simply put, type 2 diabetes is the result of the body resisting insulin or producing an insufficient amount in the body. Type 1 occurs when the body completely loses its ability to produce insulin, while gestational is typically a common complication of pregnancy. Insulin is a vital hormone produced in the body through the pancreas to maintain healthy glucose levels, also known as blood sugar. Glucose is necessary to power, or fuel, many internal pieces of the body from muscles to the liver and most other cells. In other words, highly important for a fully functional body.

What else should you know about diabetes? Glad you asked. About 29 million Americans are living with diabetes while another 84 million are potentially at risk. To break that down into smaller numbers, 1 in 11 Americans have diabetes today, and every 23 seconds someone new is diagnosed in the United States. Diabetes even ranks at number seven on the list of leading causes of death. This year’s goal for national diabetes awareness month is to create a sense of urgency as well as awareness about this ever growing health crisis.

As negative as all this information sounds, there is a positive side too. This year’s campaign invites anyone living with diabetes to submit their own stories to create a sense of authenticity. These first hand stories will help those who are at risk, healthy or even newly diagnosed to understand this disease from those who know it best. Education, awareness, empowerment and support are the steps to take control away from the disease and put it back in the hands of the people living with it every single day.

The final theme of this year’s campaign for awareness is managing diabetes – it’s not easy, but it’s worth it. Just like managing anything in life, it takes work and commitment. Every day a person must be motivated to take the necessary steps to stay ahead of whatever it is being managed. Here are some simply steps to managing or preventing diabetes.

1. Say “Om” – Meditation is a great way to reduce stress and improve blood sugar levels
2. Step Out – Exercise can help control weight and blood sugar, even with just a brisk walk every day
3. Eat Right – Following a food plan can keep your diabetes in check
4. Jet Set – Be prepared before traveling by getting a checkup, packing extra meds and planning doses around any time zone changes
5. Hang 10 – Lose 10 percent of your body weight through diet and exercise
6. Trade Up – Switch saturated fats and reduced sugars for healthy fats from nuts and whole fruit
7. See Clearly – Complications from diabetes can include vision loss or blindness, so be sure to schedule a full eye exam at least once a year
8. Stand Up – be sure to check both feet daily for blisters, cuts and sores. You may not feel any foot injuries, but they could be there
9. Show Color – Make sure your plate has many colors on it including greens, yellows and reds. Think spinach, squash and tomatoes or anything like these
10. Learn more – visit sites for more news tips and trackers to stay on top of your diabetes

For more information, visit anyone of these sites:

• http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/features/november-diabetes-awareness-month
• https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-communication-programs/ndep/partnership-community-outreach/national-diabetes-month/Pages/default.aspx
• http://www.diabetes.org/in-my-community/american-diabetes-month.html
• https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/diabetes?topicid=8&_ga=1.2680624.1461450140.1478403088