It is American Diabetes Month

Amazing but true: approximately 84 million American adults—more than 1 out of 3—have prediabetes. What’s more, 90% of people with prediabetes don’t know they have it.

Prediabetes is a serious health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough yet to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes puts you at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

The good news is that making healthy changes can greatly lower your risk. To help prevent type 2 diabetes:

• Lose weight and keep it off. You may be able to prevent or delay diabetes by losing 5 to 7 percent of your starting weight.
• Move more. Get at least 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days a week.
• Eat healthy foods most of the time. Eat smaller portions to reduce the amount of calories you eat each day. Drink water instead of sweetened beverages.

Ready to find out your risk? Take the quiz at DoIHavePrediabetes.org and be sure to share the results with your doctor.

For more information, visit www.diabetes.org or contact our certified diabetes educators by calling 419-354-8863.