Take Charge of Tomorrow: Nov. is Diabetes Awareness Month

November provides many opportunities to have gratitude for the wonderful things in our lives. It provides lots of opportunities to overindulge in things like pie, for which I am eternally grateful. November is also Diabetes Awareness Month.

Diabetes is a disease that happens when your blood sugar gets too high. Diabetes happens when your body cannot turn sugar into energy for your body to use. Instead that sugar or glucose, gathers up in your blood. The symptoms of diabetes are sneaky. They build so slowly over time you might not notice them. Sometimes you can be very thirsty or exhausted. Sometimes you pee a lot. Sometimes your vision gets blurry, or you have tingles in your toes or fingers. The only way to know if you have diabetes is for your health care provider to do blood tests.

Over 13 percent of Whitley County adults have diabetes. If you don’t manage diabetes, it can cause damage to your body, including your eyes, kidneys, nerves, vessels and heart. It is a leading cause of death and disability in the United States.

However, you can take charge of your health and manage your diabetes. You may even prevent it if you have been told you have pre-diabetes. Insurance plans are required to cover diabetes screening for adults ages 35 to 70 years old who are overweight or have obesity. Insurance must also cover diet counseling for adults at higher risk for chronic disease, like diabetes.

Managing your diabetes means having to manage your blood glucose. This is the test you can do with a finger poke or a wearable device. Your health care provider will tell you how often to measure your blood glucose and what number to aim for. A1C is a blood test ordered by a health care provider that tells you how well you have managed blood glucose over the last few months. Other important numbers to manage when you have diabetes are blood pressure and cholesterol.

All the important well-being scores can be improved through lifestyle habits. If you need to upgrade your health, start by setting small, realistic goals. Eating a healthy diet with sensible portions can moderate weight, which helps control diabetes. Choose foods that are low in sodium, added sugar and saturated fat.

Try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week. This could include walking fast or biking. Keep a diary of your food and activities.

Take your medicine. Diabetes is tricky. You don’t always feel bad, so sometimes it’s easy to ignore. If your health care provider has you taking medicines, you need to take them on schedule, even when you feel good. If you have trouble paying for your medicines, contact the Kentucky Prescription Assistance Program at 1-800-633-8100.

Get good sleep. Good sleep helps you make better choices, gives you more energy and reduces your stress. Not getting enough good sleep can make your diabetes harder to manage.

Tobacco use adds to complications from diabetes. If you use tobacco, reach out to the free Quit Line for free help to quit. You can visit www.quitnowkentucky.org or call 1-800-784-8669.

Take care of your mental health. Poor mental health can make diabetes worse. Not managing your diabetes can make mental health conditions worse too. You can visit whitley.crediblemind.com/topics/living-with-diabetes for resources to help with mental health.

Work with your primary care provider to set goals and help problem-solve if you are having trouble. Take a free diabetes self-management class from the Health Department. The classes are offered monthly and can be completed online from the comfort of your own home. Email diabeteshealthyliving2021@gmail.com for more information or to sign up.

Take charge of tomorrow by taking control of your diabetes. Avoid health complications and live a long, happy life. With pie.

For more information about diabetes, visit health.gov/myhealthfinder/health-conditions/diabetes