November is National Diabetes Awareness Month!

Getting to Know Diabetes
By Leah Ballamy MS, RD, CSP

Did you know that every 17 seconds someone is diagnosed with Diabetes? Diabetes is a condition which affects the body’s ability to utilize blood glucose for energy.  There are several types of Diabetes, but the most common are Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes.  

Type 1 Diabetes inhibits the body’s ability to produce insulin, and can be managed with insulin injections, diet and exercise. It’s anticipated that Type 1 Diabetes will increase by 70% by 2020.  Research suggests that unlike Type 1 Diabetes, it may be possible to prevent or delay Type 2 Diabetes, which is impaired utilization of insulin. The prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes is expected to exceed Type 1 Diabetes within 10 years and currently accounts for 90% of Diabetes cases. Studies show that just 30 minutes of moderate physical activity daily and a 5-10% reduction in body weight can reduce the risk of Type 2 Diabetes by 58%.

Know the signs and symptoms of Diabetes. Early diagnosis saves lives!

• Excessive thirst
• Frequent and excessive urination
• Fatigue
• Dehydration
• Weight loss
• Nausea/vomiting

Treatment and prevention includes:

• Avoid concentrated sweets and sugary beverages such a regular soda, juice and sport drinks.
• Consume an average of 45-60g carbohydrates per meal and 5-15g carbohydrates per snacks (50-60% total calories).
• Eat every 3-4 hours. Avoid skipping meals and eating late at night.
• Eat more fiber from whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes.
• Decrease saturated fat (7-10% total calories) and total fat (25-30% total calories). Choose lean meats, low-fat dairy products and low-fat snack foods.
• Exercise 60 minutes daily
• Moderately reduce usual food intake by 250-500 calories, which should promote weight management/slow weight loss
• Check blood glucose and take medication as instructed

Where to find more information about Diabetes:

www.padrefoundation.org  (Pediatric Adolescent Diabetes Research Education)
www.jdrf.org (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation)
www.Diabetes.org (American D iabetes Association)
www.childrenwithdiabetes.com  (family  support network)