November is American Diabetes Month
In honor of National Diabetes Awareness Month, we wanted to highlight that today, there are more and more individuals with diabetes. In fact, according to the CDC, we now have about 37.3 million people in the United States that have diabetes. That’s ~11.3 percent of the population.
And sadly, about 23 percent of them don’t even know that they have diabetes. The good news is that patients can take control of their health early. For example, if you have a family history of diabetes, you definitely want to start checking for it from age 35 onwards for sure with an A1C or a fasting glucose test.
An A1C test will give you an average of your blood sugar levels over the last 2 to 3 months and can be done in a clinic with a simple fingerstick. We also encourage individuals to maintain a physically active lifestyle, even if that simply means adding in a 15 minute walk to your daily routine.
If you’re based in CA and are diagnosed with diabetes, our diabetes program at Carbon Health can treat the whole you. You or your loved one can get access to a full diabetes care team that’s dedicated to you. They’ll work alongside your primary care doctor to provide specialized support, including clinical guidance from an endocrinologist, nutrition coaching, and more. See if you or a family member is eligible today.
–Dr. Sushma Reddy, Endocrinologist,Carbon Health, Virtual Diabetes Care
There is a critical need to foster awareness and education while breaking down stereotypes, myths and misunderstandings about this growing public health crisis that affects so many of us.
This is exactly why the American Diabetes Association marks each November as American Diabetes Month: to bring extra attention to the disease and the tens of millions of people affected by it.
Every year, the organization shares information and resources to showcase real-life stories of friends, families and neighbors managing the day-to-day triumphs and challenges of diabetes. The 2022 campaign invites us to see that “Today’s diabetes hits different.” They are sharing how in 2022, there are different ways to hit back with new technologies to manage diabetes, better resources to educate yourself, and a community that’s stronger than ever.
Diabetes is more than the medications and devices used to manage it. For many, diabetes dictates how they organize their day, what they eat at every meal, how they choose to be physically active and how they spend their money. People with diabetes can have health care costs that are 2.3 times higher than someone without diabetes, as type 1 and type 2 require very specific forms of treatment.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and there is no known way to prevent it. Approximately 5 percent of people with diabetes have type 1, which means their body does not produce any insulin. Insulin is critical in order for the body to transport glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream into cells for energy. People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin every day to live.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, accounting for 90 to 95 percent of cases in the United States, and is caused when the body does not produce or use insulin properly. Risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes include being overweight, having a family history of diabetes and having diabetes while pregnant (gestational diabetes). Some people with type 2 diabetes can control their blood glucose (sugar) with healthy eating and being active; other may require oral medications or insulin, especially as the disease progresses. Type 2 diabetes is more common in African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, as well as older adults.
Some women develop gestational diabetes, high blood glucose (sugar) levels during pregnancy, which requires treatment to protect the health of the mother and the baby. Gestational diabetes affects approximately 9.2 percent of pregnant women.
There’s a way for everybody to participate during American Diabetes Month in November. Share your story, or encourage a friend or family member to share theirs. Be sure to also follow the American Diabetes Association on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
You can also update your Facebook profile picture to help raise awareness, sign up to become an advocate and donate to help the American Diabetes Association continue their critical work. To learn more and view stories from around the country, check out www.diabetes.org/hitsdifferent.