We are six days away from the annual holiday that, above all others, is synonymous with food and eating. The mere mention of Thanksgiving conjures up visions of turkey, stuffing, cranberries, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie. The menu is limited only by your imagination and your grocery budget.
By all means, people are encouraged to participate in this day of gastronomical gratification.
But today we are discussing the other 364 days in the year.
We are two days removed from World Diabetes Day. The health-care community designated Nov. 14 as the day to draw attention to this widening public-health crisis across the nation and around the world.
Diabetes has grown to become the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States. It touches 340 million people around the world, including nearly 26 million Americans. Some 79 million people have been diagnosed as prediabetic, placing them at risk for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
Diabetes can result in such medical problems as kidney failure, lower-limb amputations and new cases of blindness.
Research indicates that some simple measures can help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes, starting with weight loss. Adding fruits and vegetables to your diet, combined with 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily, can help turn the tide in this war.
Organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health have programs to help educate and inspire Americans to take action now before it’s too late.
If you would like to help raise funds for diabetes research and education, the American Diabetes Association has launched Tour de Cure. In North Carolina, some 329 people on 49 teams have registered for the bicycle rides of varying distances scheduled for May 18-19, 2013, outside Raleigh.
November is National Diabetes Month, a time to learn if you are at risk and what can be done to prevent diabetes. As with most health concerns, the universal truth is that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
To learn more about diabetes control and prevention, visit www.YourDiabetesInfo.org or www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention.