Diabetes, Risk and Eating Healthy

What is diabetes and are you at risk?

Diabetes is a disease that results in too much sugar (glucose)
in the blood. Your body does not have enough insulin available
to turn food into energy. High levels of glucose slowly damage
your eyes, heart, kidneys, nerves, legs, and feet. Diabetes
is a serious disease affecting 16 million people in this country,
and you may be at risk if you are Hispanic, overweight, or
do not exercise regularly. Hispanics are nearly twice as likely
as non-Hispanic whites to develop this disease.

Steps to healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle to control and manage
diabetes:

• Begin with a healthy eating plan. Healthy
  eating means eating more grains, fruits, and vegetables,
  and less meat, sweets, and fats every day. “Let the
  Food be the Medicine and Medicine be the Food” (Hippocrates).
• Be physically active every day to help
  prevent weight gain and improve blood sugar control.
• Check the sugar in your blood and take
  your medication every day if needed.