| Diabetes is an epidemic in our country. There is plenty of
current information available but many people have the attitude that Diabetes is
no big deal.
In
fact, there are too many people who upon being asked if they might get Diabetes
in the future, generally answer no. How could someone be so sure? The numbers of
newly diagnosed certainly show otherwise. Even people who have it in their
family background deny that they could get Diabetes. Yet if these same people
are asked when was the last time their blood sugar was checked, are not sure.
For those that admit to having their blood sugar checked sometime in the past,
the vast majority have no idea what the result was or what the number should be
for a normal blood sugar. Unfortunately, again too many people “leave it up to
the doctor” and do not ask what the results showed.
|
If you
don’t have Diabetes, you can develop a more concerned attitude about it. Ask
your doctor when the last time your blood sugar was checked. If the blood sugar
is tested after you have fasted for 8 or 10 hours, the normal result should be
less than 100. If the result is between 100 and 125, you may have prediabetes
and need to make every effort to begin to lose weight and get more exercise in
order to prevent or delay Diabetes.
If you have questions you would like addressed in
“Diabetes Wake-Up Call,” call the Erie County Diabetes Association at 454-0715 or email your question to diabetes@surferie.net.
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