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With each month comes a new designated awareness, as advocates seize the opportunity to inform people in new and creative ways. Though it can be hard to keep track, the tactic is a good one. If, for example, there is an uptick in those seeking the various means of screening for cancers after October, the effort is well worth it.
Important, too -- particularly for area residents -- is November's Diabetes Awareness Month. According to the American Diabetes Association, 12.6% of Ohioans are diabetic.
But those are just the patients who are aware of their condition. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says approximately 38 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, but one in five of those people do not know they have it.
Diabetes happens when your body doesn't make enough insulin or can't use it as it should. When there isn't enough insulin or your body stops responding to the insulin, too much blood sugar stays in your blood and over time can cause serious health issues like heart disease, kidney disease and vision loss
There are two different kinds of diabetes: Type 1, in which a person's body does not produce insulin, perhaps because of an autoimmune reaction; and Type 2, in which a body doesn't use insulin well and cannot properly control blood sugar levels. All the overeating many of us will do during the holidays -- much of it sugarary, junk food -- doesn't help.
Understanding the symptoms and risk factors is essential, as is getting screened. Find out more here: www.cdc.gov/diabetes/ Or talk to your physician or make a call or stop in at your respective county health department. Your good health is a big reason for why they are there.
While lifestyle changes such as eating healthy, exercising and losing weight can make a difference, there is no substitute for coming up with a plan with your doctor. Whether that be a plan for prevention, assessing symptoms and risks, screening or a plan for living with diabetes, start the conversation.