What you don’t know can hurt you.
More than six million Americans may be living with diabetes and not know it. For the 11.1 million that have been diagnosed treatment can seem daunting.
There are meals to plan, often medicine to keep track of and exercise becomes a lifeline.
Katie Phillips with the county extension service along with other health care providers is offering a four-week class for diabetics to help them better understand the condition and how to manage it.
Classes begin today, March 6, at 6 p.m. in the Kaufman County Library, 3790 S. Houston St. in Kaufman.
Ms. Phillips will help people with Type 2 diabetes, the most common type, learn the skills needed to reduce the risk of complications and reach their best level of wellness.
While sugar or carbohydrates are sometimes seen as the enemy, sugar is necessary to help nourish cells. Insulin, produced by the pancreas, helps the sugar or glucose enter the cells.
Type 2 diabetics don’t produce enough high quality insulin to help the body properly use the glucose. The glucose can build up in the blood causing sometimes severe complications.
Early diagnosis and treatment, and good management practices are the keys to a long and healthy life for those with diabetes.
A simple blood test by a health care provider is required for a diabetes diagnosis. However, being aware of the symptoms can lead to an earlier diagnosis and a better quality of life.
The American Diabetes Association lists some of the symptoms to look for:
frequent urination,
excessive thirst and extreme hunger,
blurry vision,
increased fatigue,
irritability
and unusual and unexplained weight loss.
Once the medical diagnosis has been made, proper treatment and management can make life healthier for those with diabetes. A combination of exercise, weight control, proper diet and sometimes medications can keep the person – not the disease – in charge.
For more information about the classes, call 972-932-9069.
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