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American Diabetes Alert Day

March 24, 2012 by · Comments Off on American Diabetes Alert Day 

American Diabetes Alert Day, American Diabetes Alert Day is Tuesday, March 27. This one-day call-to-action is held on the fourth Tuesday of March for people to find out if they are at risk for diabetes. The Alert’s goal is to raise awareness that diabetes is serious, you can have diabetes and not even know it.

Diabetes means that blood glucose (sugar) is too high. Blood always has some glucose in it because the body needs glucose for energy to keep you going. Too much glucose in the blood is not good for your health.

Diabetes is a silent disease. You could have it for years and never know it. During this time, your eyes, nerves, and kidneys may have been harmed by too much sugar in your blood.

The risk for diabetes increases with age, gain too much weight, or inactivity. Diabetes is more common in African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Risk for diabetes include:

* Having high blood pressure (at or above 130/80)

* Having a family history of diabetes

* Having diabetes during pregnancy or having a baby weighing more than nine pounds at birth. Don’t wait for the signs. Most people with diabetes do not notice any symptoms.

However if you should have any of these symptoms, call your health care provider right away, very thirsty, frequent urination, losing weight without trying.

To lower your risk for diabetes keep weight in control, eat low fat meals that are high in fruits, vegetables and whole grain foods, stay active most days of the week.

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