Learn Your Risk for Diabetes March 23
An estimated 86 million people in the U.S. are at high risk with pre-diabetes and another 8 million have diabetes but don’t know it, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Unmanaged type 2 diabetes can adversely affect the heart, eyes, kidneys, nerves, and other parts of the body, so knowing whether you have pre-diabetes or diabetes is essential in maintaining your overall health.
The good news is diabetes can be managed, and health risks associated with diabetes can be decreased – the first step is being assessed. On Monday, March 23, Diabetes Alert Day, stop by the Lexington Park Library from 9 to 11 a.m. and get a free risk assessment. MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital Health Connections’ clinically-licensed professionals will provide free blood glucose screenings, blood pressure checks and a diabetes risk assessment. Appointments are not necessary.
Tina Leap, RN, diabetes educator, said “getting an assessment and knowing your risk is critical in delaying or preventing a host of medical conditions associated with diabetes. Diabetes can be managed and good blood sugar levels can delay or prevent life-threatening complications.”
Health Connections is offering two free diabetes workshops this spring. A Prevent Diabetes Workshop will be held on April 17, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Lexington Park Library, and on May 2, from 10 a.m. to noon at Health Connections in the Outpatient Pavilion.
If you have any risk factors for diabetes (family history, overweight, sedentary lifestyle) or if you have been told you have pre-diabetes or “borderline” diabetes, attendance is encouraged. The two-hour workshops are taught by a certified diabetes educator who will teach how small changes can help you prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. Call 301-475-6019 for more information and to sign up for a workshop.
