Information For Your Health

1. Information For Your Health What You Should Know About Diabetes

2. What Is Diabetes? • A chronic disease that has no cure, but can be treated effectively • Marked by high levels of blood glucose resulting from defects in insulin production, insulin action or both • The cause continues to be a mystery although genetics and, obesity, and lack of exercise play important roles

3. Major Types of Diabetes • Type I diabetes: This results from the body's failure to produce insulin. 5-10% of American have this type of diabetes • Type 2 diabetes: This results from insulin resistance in that the body fails to use insulin properly. 90-95% of Americans have this type of diabetes • Gestational diabetes: This occurs with pregnancy, but resolves after delivery. This requires monitoring due to a future risk of developing Type 2 diabetes • Pre-diabetes: This is a condition in which a person's blood sugar is higher than normal, but not high enough to diagnose type 2 diabetes

4. Facts and Figures • About 23.6 million people in the United States have diabetes • 5.7 million of these people have diabetes, but do not know it • 57million Americans have pre-diabetes (This is a condition that in general is without symptoms) • Given present trends, for those born in 2000, one in three Americans, and 1 in 2 minorities will develop diabetes in their lifetime

5. Health Disparities and Diabetes • Type 2 diabetes is more common in African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, as well as the aged population • African Americans are 1.6 times more likely than whites to have diabetes. • African Americans have a greater burden of complications such as blindness, kidney disease and amputations

6. Risk Factors For Getting Diabetes • A family history of diabetes • Being a member of a minority ethnic group as noted before • Being overweight or obese • Childhood obesity • History of having diabetes during pregnancy • Lack of exercise Diabetes can be prevented by adopting a healthy lifestyle including weight control, exercise and a healthy diet

7. Signs and Symptoms • There may be no symptoms • Unexplained weight loss • Excessive thirst and excessive urination • Blurred vision • Repeated and persistent infections

8. Complications of Diabetes • Heart disease and Stroke • Hypertension • Visual Loss • Kidney disease • Nervous system disease (neuropathy-loss of sensation, and at times foot pain) • Amputations • Dental disease • Pregnancy complications Remember these complications are largely preventable!

9. All About Pre-diabetes • A condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be called diabetes • Fasting blood sugar 100-125. (fasting blood sugar 126 or greater is diabetes, and a blood sugar 200 or greater after eating is consistent with diabetes) • Helped by 30 minutes of moderate activity daily and 5-10% weight reduction

10. Thriving With Diabetes • Eat well as instructed by a dietician • Be active every day. Exercise 30-60 minutes daily • See your health care team regularly at agreed on times. Call them for any problems • Take charge of your health, you are responsible for controlling your blood sugar • Check your blood sugar regularly at home (fasting and after supper, and other times as needed) • Take your medication as prescribed, even if you have no symptoms of diabetes.

11. Thriving With Diabetes (Cont.) • Take care of your heart: watch your blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides • Take care of your eyes: have a dilated eye exam each year • Take care of your feet: inspect your feet, and have them looked at during appointments • Take care of your kidneys: get needed blood and urine tests • Get your Hemoglobin A1c (HGBA1c) checked every 3-6 months. This tells how well your diabetes is controlled

12. Some Important Goals

13. A Healthy Diet • Rich in vegetables and fruits • Use of whole grain, high fiber food: oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat baked goods • Consume fish, especially fish such as salmon and tuna twice weekly • Limit intake of saturated fats, and trans fat (partially hydrogenated fats) • Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt • Use lean meat and low fat dairy products • People with diabetes can eat the same food the family eats, with attention to food choices

14. Some important medications you might need to take • Aspirin (in general 81 mg daily) • Lisinopril, Cozaar and other such drugs to protect your kidneys • Statins: To control your cholesterol e.g. Lovastatin, Zocor, Lipitor • Oral medications for glucose control: glyburide, glipizide, metformin • Insulin: examples: NPH, Regular, 70/30 You should discuss these with your doctor

15. Remember: You can thrive with diabetes, and possibly prevent pre-diabetes and diabetes by living a healthy lifestyle

16. Some Helpful Web Sites 1)American Diabetes Association Home Page 2) WHO | Diabetes 3) CDC's Diabetes Program - Publications & Products - National Diabetes Fact Sheet 4) FCIC: Diabetes -- Fact Sheet Please click on underlined item while in slide show mode (press F5 for slide show mode)

17. A Ministry of the Park Hill Seventh-Day Adventist Church Health Ministry Department 3385 Albion Street Denver, Colorado 80207 Phone: 303-333-5089 E-mail: parkhill@denverparkhillsda.org