Small Steps, Big Difference: Preventing Diabetes is Within Your Reach
As we prepare to close out Diabetes Awareness Month, the focus at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center is on the theme for this year’s awareness campaign: Small Steps, Big Difference. The campaign targets people with prediabetes.
Who has prediabetes?
It turns out there are 88 million with prediabetes in this country alone. Many have no symptoms at all, so they’re not even aware they have higher blood sugar than it should be. It’s not high enough to be called diabetes, but without treatment, there’s an excellent chance prediabetes will become diabetes within 5-10 years.
The people most at risk for prediabetes include those who:
- are aged 45 and up
- are overweight
- don’t exercise regularly
- have a parent or sibling with Type 2 diabetes
- have had gestational diabetes in the past
Small steps that make a big difference
Even small lifestyle changes can lower your blood sugar, reverse prediabetes, and eliminate the risk of diabetes:
- Exercise for 30 minutes, 5 days per week. For example, take a walk and gradually increase your speed and distance.
- Lose weight. As little as 5-7% will reduce your diabetes risk. That’s just 10-14 pounds for a 200-pound person.
- Better your diet. Eat more foods that are high in fiber, like fresh fruits and vegetables. Increase your protein consumption to help you feel full longer. Indulge in high-sugar foods sparingly.
- Speak with your doctors about ways you can improve your overall health.
Take prediabetes seriously. If it develops into diabetes, you’re at risk for nerve and blood vessel damage that threatens your foot health. Take small steps today to prevent big problems later on. Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm, our board-certified podiatrist, cares for patients with diabetes at our office in northern Virginia (Fairfax County). Make an appointment today for a diabetic foot check-up to catch foot problems early. Call our Centreville office at (703) 996-3000 or contact us online.
“Hispanics are twice as likely as non-Hispanic whites to be diagnosed with diabetes,” said APMA President Jeffrey R. DeSantis, DPM, FACFAS. “Combine that with greater barriers to care, and this is a population at very high risk for serious complications from diabetes.”
