Pre-Diabetes Is a Growing Concern

Diabetes isn’t the only health concern that’s skyrocketing in the United States. More and more Americans are developing pre-diabetes, a condition that often occurs before type 2 diabetes and increases the risk for this serious disease.

“People with pre-diabetes have blood sugar levels that are higher than normal but aren’t elevated enough to be classified as diabetes,” says Joyce Malaskovitz, Director of the Diabetes Treatment Center at Desert Springs Hospital Medical Center. “Unfortunately, many people don’t realize they have pre-diabetes, so they don’t take steps to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.”

The best way to improve your health and reduce your risk for pre-diabetes and diabetes is to increase your level of physical activity, eat more nutritious foods and aim for a healthy weight. Even small improvements can make a big difference in your health and can lower your risk for diabetes.

For more information about pre-diabetes and the Diabetes Treatment Center at Desert Springs Hospital, call (702) 369-7560.

Managing Your Diabetes

More than 18 million Americans have diabetes today-and a third of them don't even know it, according to the American Diabetes Association.

The cause of diabetes, a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, continues to be a mystery. Both genetics and environmental factors, such as obesity and lack of exercise, appear to play a role in its development, and are therefore preventable risk factors.

Some common symptoms associated with diabetes are:

Frequent urination
Excessive thirst
Extreme hunger
Unusual weight loss
Increased fatigue
Irritability
Blurry vision

Contact your doctor if you have one or more of these symptoms. Visit www.diabetes.org for more information and take an on-line risk assessment.

Nutrition

A recent study by the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) concluded that people with pre-diabetes can prevent the development of type 1 and 2 diabetes by making changes in their diet.

It is important to eat the right foods from all of the food groups:

Meat: poultry, and fish-the leaner the better
Dairy: low-fat milk and cheese
Fruits and vegetables
Whole grains: high fiber, nuts, beans

Although fat is a nutrient and you need some in your diet, too much fat is not good for anyone. Here are a few tips to lower your fat intake:

Choose lean cuts of meat
Eat more fish and skinless poultry
Use non-trans fat margarine or olive oil instead of butter
Drink low-fat or skim milk
Limit the number of eggs you eat to three or four a week and choose liver only now and then

Reduce your intake of salt! Too much salt can worsen high blood pressure. Be careful as there is hidden sodium in many foods, such as cheese, salad dressing, and canned soup.

People with diabetes should eat less sugar. Besides the obvious culprits like cake and ice cream, sugar is hidden in things like ketchup and soft drinks. It's always wise to read your food labels before buying.

Finally, it’s a good idea to stay away from alcohol. If you like an alcoholic drink now and then, ask your dietitian for advice.

Exercise

While the DPP showed that some medications may delay the development of diabetes, diet and exercise worked better. Just 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity, coupled with a 5-10% reduction in body weight, produced a 58% reduction in diabetes.

You don't necessarily have to go to the gym, use fancy equipment, or play intense sports to benefit from exercise. Any physical activity that gets you moving, such as walking, dancing, or working in the yard, will improve your health and help prevent diabetes.

Complications

Due to nerve damage caused by diabetes, foot ulcers are a common and hard-to-cure side effect of the disease. Ulcers occur most often on the ball of the foot or on the bottom of the big toe. Poorly fitting shoes can also cause ulcers on the sides of the feet. Remember, even though some ulcers do not hurt, every ulcer should be seen by your health care provider right away. Neglecting ulcers can result in infections, which in turn can lead to loss of a limb.

If your ulcer is not healing and your circulation is poor, you may need to visit a wound healing center. The Wound Healing Center at St. Rose Dominican Hospitals specializes in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers and many other complicated, hard-to-heal wounds.

There’s no longer any reason to live with an open ulcer.

The Wound Healing Center at St. Rose Dominican Hospitals is staffed with a unique team of doctors, nurses, and therapists all dedicated to healing chronic wounds. The causes of ulcers are complex, and our group represents expertise in all of the major areas necessary to handle their varied circumstances and challenges. It could be as simple as changing a medication, or more complex. Whatever it takes for healing to occur, we’re equipped and staffed to make it happen.

Most treatments are covered by Medicare/Medicaid, HMOs, and other private insurance plans. We are expert at caring for people whose ulcers have resisted traditional treatment with a success rate of over 80% healed in 12-16 weeks. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, please call The Wound Healing Center at St. Rose Dominican Hospitals at (702) 616-4870.

Taking Simple Steps to Control Diabetes

Exercise and physical activity can make a major difference in your health, especially if you have diabetes. But you don’t have to join an expensive health club or spend hours a day exercising to reap the rewards of physical activity.

The Diabetes Treatment Center at Desert Springs Hospital Medical Center offers the “Step Beyond Program”, a new educational class that encourages people with diabetes to approach activity in a new way.

“We recommend that people use a pedometer to determine how much they exercise each day and then look for simple ways to add activity to their day,” says Margaret Riedl, RD, a certified diabetes educator at the Diabetes Treatment Center at Desert Springs Hospital. “People don’t have to start with an ambitious exercise program. They can begin a walking program and look for other ways to gradually and safely increase their level of activity over time.”

The class, which is part of the Diabetes Treatment Center’s comprehensive diabetes education program, lasts about an hour and is held once a month.

For more information about the Step Beyond Program, call the Diabetes Treatment Center at Desert Springs Hospital at (702) 369-7560.