According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), ʺNearly 26 million Americans have diabetes, and more than one-quarter of them do not know it. Also, an estimated 79 million adults have pre-diabetes, a condition that places them at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.ʺ
Unfortunately, diabetes can lead to other debilitating diseases and cause other serious health complications. Some of those include: amputation, blindness, kidney disease, heart disease and stroke.
Griffin P. Rodgers, Director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) urges those who are at risk to develop a plan to prevent diabetes.
As part of World Diabetes Day and National Diabetes Month education campaign, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and NIH are offering a variety of resources to assist the community in preventing diabetes.
For example, the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) website offers a plethora of FREE education materials and publications. These publications are also available in more than 17 languages.
Some of those publications include:
• 4 Steps to Control Your Diabetes. For Life
• Small Steps. Big Rewards. Your GAME PLAN to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes: Information for Patients
• Guiding Principles for Diabetes Care
• Working Together to Manage Diabetes: A Guide for Pharmacists, Podiatrists, Optometrists, and Dental Professionals
In addition, NDEP offers some tasty recipes for those with diabetes. A 31-page publication titled, also available in Spanish, "Tasty Recipes for People with Diabetes and Their Families" (Spanish version: Ricas recetas para personas con diabetes y sus familiares) offers recipes and a variety of health tips for those with diabetes.
The free publication is available at the following link: http://ndep.nih.gov/media/tasty-recipes-508.pdf
Here is a sampling of some of the recipes available:
• Rice with Chicken Recipe Card
• Avocado Tacos Recipe Card
• Spanish Omelet Recipe Card
• Tropical Fruit Fantasia Recipe Card
Also, the NDEP recommends the following diabetes prevention tips:
• Develop an easy to follow health plan
• Take small important steps to help you reach your health goal
• Think about what is important to you and your health.
• Ask yourself, "What changes am I willing and able to make?"
• Decide what steps will help you reach your health goals
• Choose one goal to work on first
• Start this week
• Pick one change you can start to make immediately
• Don't give up!
• It's common to run into some problems along the way
• If things don’t go as planned, think about other ways to reach your goal
Additional NDEP resources are available by phoning the toll-free number 1.888.693.NDEP or 1.888.693.6337 or by visiting the NDEP website at www.YourDiabetesInfo.org.
References:
NIH urges you to make a plan to prevent diabetes, complications. NIH News. Retrieved November 7, 2011, from
http://www.nih.gov/news/health/nov2011/niddk-02.htm
National Diabetes Month. National Diabetes Education Program. Retrieved November 7, 2011, from
http://ndep.nih.gov/resources/diabetes-healthsense/make-a-plan.aspx
Pre-diabetes. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. Retrieved November 7, 2011, from
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/riskfortype2/index.aspx
Reviewed November 7, 2011
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith