Diabetes: Do You Know the U.S. Numbers?

30.3 million: The number of adults who have diabetes.

2x: In the last 20 years, the number of adults diagnosed with diabetes has more than doubled.

7^th: Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death.

No. 1: Diabetes is the number one cause of kidney failure, lower-limb amputations and adult blindness.

Diabetes affects millions of people in the U.S. and not only does it alter an individual’s health, but it touches the lives of friends and families, and also creates financial pressure on many households. Having diabetes means having multiple challenges when it comes to living with the disease and one key challenge is this: if you have diabetes, you have a higher chance—sometimes twice as high—of having cardiovascular disease, stroke and even depression.

November is National Diabetes Month and that means there are new and updated resources available to anyone who wants to learn more and improve their health. Visit these websites: American Diabetes Association, National Diabetes Program, and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.

Take Steps to Prevent Pre-Diabetes and Lower Your Chances for Heart Disease and Stroke

Prediabetes is when your blood sugar levels are higher than normal—you don’t have type 2 diabetes, but you’re getting close. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 84 million American adults have pre-diabetes and 90 percent don’t know they have it. Studies have shown that you can prevent or delay pre-diabetes:

• Know your baseline and take a pre-diabetes test.
• Loose 5 to 7 percent of your body weight. A 5 percent weight loss for a 200-pound person is only 10 pounds!
• Move more: start with 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
• Stop smoking or using tobacco products.
• Drink more water.
• Eat healthy meals and pay attention to the amount of food you eat.
• Manage your stress.
• Improve your sleeping habits.

Take that Extra Step This Thanksgiving: Try These Recipes

Preventing diabetes and living well with diabetes means taking care of yourself for a longer, healthier life. The choices of regular exercise and healthier food that are good for preventing and managing diabetes, are really healthier choices that work for everyone, every day. So don’t pause your good choices for the holidays—there are healthier recipes for roasted turkey, mashed potatoes and even pumpkin pie! Download these diabetes-friendly recipes chosen by Florida Department of Health’s educators and nutritionists.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.