Mountain Hearts offers tips on diabetes

"Why Should You Care About Diabetes?" It is the leading cause of kidney disease, blindness and amputation, yet nearly 25 percent of people who have it don't even know it. This November, during American Diabetes Month, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and Mountain Hearts Center for Prevention and Wellness is asking, "Why should you care about diabetes?"

Chances are, you or someone you love have been affected by diabetes in some way. But even if you haven't been affected by diabetes, you need to know that diabetes is the biggest public health crisis of the twenty first century, and it continues to grow to epidemic proportions, according to the American Diabetes Association. Nearly 24 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes. The death rate for diabetes has continued to grow since 1987, while the death rates due to heart disease, stroke and cancer have declined.

Having diabetes places a person at increased risk for a number of serious, even life-threatening complications, including: Heart Disease and Stroke - Adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates about two to four times higher than adults without diabetes. Blindness - Diabetic retinopathy causes 12,000 to 24,000 new cases of blindness each year making diabetes the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults 20 to 74 years of age. Kidney disease - Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, accounting for 44 percent of new cases in 2002. Amputations - More than 60 percent of non-traumatic lower limb amputations occur in people with diabetes.

Signs and symptoms of diabetes include frequent urination, frequently tired or sleepy, often very thirsty or hungry, sudden weight loss, blurred vision, slow healing wounds, frequent vaginal infections, numb or tingling hands or feet and problems having sex.

Remembering the ABCs of diabetes can help to prevent or delay the onset of these serious diabetes complications: A - For most people with diabetes, it is important to keep their A1C (average blood glucose level over two or three months) less than seven percent. B - People with diabetes should have a target blood pressure of less than 130/80 mmHg. C - LDL (bad) cholesterol should be below 100 mg/dl; HDL (healthy) cholesterol should be above 40 mg/dl for men and 50 mg/dl for women; triglycerides should be below 150 mg/dl.

For more information about American Diabetes Month, call Mountain Hearts Center for Prevention and Wellness at Ashe Memorial Hospital at (336) 846-0744.