November is American Diabetes Month! Approximately 34.2 million Americans have diabetes (including 8.1 million who are not diagnosed) and another 88 million have prediabetes.
According to the American Diabetes Association, the cost of diabetes has gone up 25% over the past five years and most recently sat at $327 billion, with $237 billion annually in direct medical costs and $90 billion in lost productivity at work.
For this month’s #OrthusHealthChallenge, choose one or more items from the list below to Take Action and Inspire Change this American Diabetes Month. Even if you don’t have diabetes – get involved in the community! Be an advocate and support your friends and family with diabetes by educating yourself and those around you.
Drink more water Unlike other drinks that may contain sugar or caffeine, water has absolutely no carbohydrates or calories, making it the perfect drink for people watching their blood sugar levels. Water will never raise blood sugar and can help to stabilize your levels.
Schedule a comprehensive eye exam Poor diabetes care can lead to eye-related complications, specifically involving the retina. Aside from identifying eye disease, comprehensive eye exams can identify over 270 conditions, including diabetes, that people do not even know they have.
Get involved in the diabetes community Every year, especially in November, there are community walks to raise awareness for diabetes. This is also a great way to meet others that deal with diabetes care every day. Many events are going virtual this year, making it even easier to participate!
Know your levels Never skip your yearly biometric screening or annual physical. Just a simple blood sugar test or A1C value can help determine if you are at risk for diabetes.
Start a daily journal of your blood sugar readings Knowing your blood sugar levels is important, but it is more important to know how to use that data. When are your blood sugars running high and when are they in your target range? Multiple factors affect blood glucose and recognizing these patterns can help you better manage your diabetes.
Wear blue on all four Fridays of November (and Saturday, November 14, World Diabetes Day) Advocate for individuals living with diabetes by bringing awareness to the cause. Follow us on LinkedIn and share a photo of you and your crew wearing your best blue! Don't forget to tag #OrthusHealthChallenge.
For people with diabetes, clinically informed interactions with diabetes care and education specialists between their routine physician visits can help them stay on track with their care plan. Orthus Health for Diabetes extends our singular wellness platform with unique tools to support, empower, and advise individuals living with diabetes, making disease management more effective and accessible than ever.