IT TAKES A TEAM
by Ngozi Osuagwu, MD | November 14th, 2022
Most of you who have read my blog over the years know diabetes is personal to me. It has been 36 years since my father passed away due to complications related to diabetes. My father was 53 years old. Because of the family history, my siblings and I have been mindful of what we need to do to prevent diabetes. For us, diabetes is an actual disease with severe consequences. November is National Diabetes Month. The theme this year is Diabetes Management: It Takes a Team.
If you have diabetes, you cannot manage it alone. It would help if you had a team. The focus this year is on those who have been diagnosed with diabetes. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases asks those with diabetes to remember the following:
You are the center of your care – Learn as much as possible about your diabetes. You must set goals with your primary care physician. Ask your primary care physician to assist you in finding support to help you achieve your goals.
Manage diabetes as early as possible – The goal of managing diabetes is to prevent diabetes-related health problems like kidney disease, vision loss, heart disease, and stroke. Managing your diabetes does not only mean controlling your sugar but also your blood pressure and cholesterol.
Build your diabetes health care team- Your team should include your primary care physician, a nutritionist, certified diabetes educators, and a podiatrist, to name a few.
Prepare for visits with your providers – you will be asked to monitor your blood sugar. Have your results available for your provider.
Take notes at your appointment, ask for a summary of your visit and check your online patient portal – It is so important to have access to your chart through the portal, so you know what is happening.
Start with small changes to create healthy habits.
Make physical activity and healthy eating part of your daily routine – the nutritionist, will assist you with a diabetic meal plan.
37.3 million people in the United States have diabetes. If you have diabetes, you are not alone. The key to management is to create a team where the team is committed to having you at the center.
For more information, visit:
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease
It’s concerning to me that more and more people are being diagnosed with diabetes, at a younger and younger age. I know that we’re all responsible for our own food choices, but I also wonder how much food production/changes, over the years, is a contributing factor (processing of foods, saturated fats, etc.). I’ve also read how many new immigrants to this country arrive without many of the diseases that plague Americans, and 2-3 years after their arrival here, they have many of the same ailments, diabetes being one.
You are correct. The standard American diet is not great for our health and puts us at risk. If we start by eating real food, that is, food that looks like food on our plate where we can trace the origin, it can be helpful. You cannot go wrong with fruits and vegetables.