By GWEN ROGERSON
November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. Every year, our community comes together to ring the alarm on the diabetes epidemic. Over 30 million people in the U.S. have some form of diabetes, one in five people don’t even realize they’re walking around with the disease.
During National Diabetes Month take some time to learn the risk factors, symptoms, and types of diabetes. If you’ve been recently diagnosed with either Type 1 or Type 2, or if you are considered pre-diabetic, make sure to check out the latest research, and connect with others who can help you on your journey to live a healthier life.
Attending a diabetes support group is a proactive way to find support, help, tips, tools and can be part of an integrated approach to diabetes management. Lakeland Regional Health offers a Diabetes Support Group once a month – more information can be found by visiting http://www.mylrh.org/support-groups/.
Diabetes Facts
- 2,509,689 Floridians (11.8% of population) have diabetes
- 101,249 people in Polk County (14.7% of residents) have diabetes
- 88 million Americans (1 in 3 people) have prediabetes
Symptoms of Diabetes
You may be predisposed to Type 2 diabetes if you are overweight, older than 45, your parent had Type 2 diabetes, you barely exercise each week, and you have been diagnosed with prediabetes.
Other symptoms of diabetes include:
- Increased thirst
- Increased urination
- Feeling tired all the time
- Blurred vision
- Hungry or nauseated
- Sudden weight loss
It is important to recognize that someone can take up to 9 years to develop symptoms of diabetes once they have it. If there is a family history of type 2 diabetes, an individual should get tested regularly even if they have no symptoms.
What are normal blood glucose values for a person without prediabetes or diabetes?
Fasting (before breakfast) Less than 100 mg/dL
Any other time of the day Less than 140 mg/dL
A1C 4-5.6
For more information on Lakeland Regional Health diabetes classes or the diabetes prevention program for those who have been diagnosed with prediabetes, please call 863.284.1604.
Statistics retrieved from American Diabetes Association,
Florida charts and CDC websites 10/12/2020.
Upcoming online Diabetes events:
- Living Better With Diabetes, 6 p.m. Tuesday, November 10. Register here.
- Diabetes Support Group: The Ups and Downs of Diabetes Medication, 10 a.m. Thursday, November 12. Register here.
- Diabetes Support Group: Effective Ways to Manage Stress, 10 a.m. Tuesday, December 1. Register here.
About the Author
Gwen Rogerson is a Certified Diabetes Educator at Lakeland Regional Health.