Aging Puts You At Risk
If you are over 45, overweight and inactive, you should seriously think about whether you might have diabetes. As we age, pre-diabetes is something we need to be on the alert for. Diabetes is on the rise worldwide and about to get even higher as a large segment of the population becomes senior citizens. Knowing if you have an elevated blood sugar level which is still in the range of normal, in other words, pre-diabetic, can help you to stave off this latest scourge in Bergen County.
Complications of Diabetes
Common complications of diabetes include heart disease, stroke, kidney damage, nerve damage, hearing loss and eye disease including blindness. Some even link it to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The concerning thing is about 28% of adults with full blown diabetes and those with pre-diabetes don’t have symptoms.
As we age, the risk of diabetes increases. Insulin is a pancreatic hormone that regulates blood sugar and your body uses the insulin in order to use glucose for energy. Aging causes these cells to wear out in certain individuals triggering diabetes or pre-diabetes.
Steps To Lower Risk
In a pre-diabetic stage, you can take the following steps to try to reduce your risk of developing the full blown disease:
- Diet: Watch your diet for refined sugars and carbohydrates so there aren’t any spikes in your blood sugar and insulin levels.
- Exercise: Even moderate exercise for for 150 minutes a week or 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week can make a difference, especially those aimed at reducing belly fat (apple shaped body) since that appears to be a risk factor for developing the disease.
- Weight Loss: Losing 7-10% of your starting weight can have an unexpected positive effect.
- Smoking: Quit now. In addition to other known ills, smokers have a 50% higher risk of developing diabetes.
More serious measures include:
- Daily monitoring of your glucose levels.
- Taking medication such as Metformin to keep the blood sugar down.
- Having the doctor check the blood level of hemoglobin A1C to make sure it hasn’t risen.
- Bariatric surgery for weight loss.
It might be prudent for us all to consider ourselves either pre-diabetic or at risk for it. Watching your weight, diet, exercise regimen and not smoking are good steps for any of us to take.
David York Agency Home Healthcare Helps Seniors in Bergen County
At David York Agency, we understand the many challenges and risks faced by the aging and elderly and are dedicated to providing care to support them through all of those ups and down. At David York Home Healthcare Agency, extraordinary service is what sets us apart from other companies in Bergen County that provide in home health care services.
DYA we could provide direction as to how to manage the total care of your senior loved one. Whatever your care needs, we are there for you, always striving to exceed your expectations. For more information about David York Agency’s qualified, compassionate caregivers, contact us at (908) 373-5300. A free phone consultation can help you determine what services would meet your needs. We aim to provide you and your loved one with the assistance they need. If you’d like to hear more from us, please like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn.
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