diabetes – Page 2 – watercress words by Dr Aletha

Diabetes was a significant health issue when I entered medical school in 1974, and still is. The cause of diabetes was not as well understood then and the treatment options were limited.

In 2024, we understand the disease better and have a greater range of medications that effectively control blood glucose. Unfortunately, the number of people with diabetes keeps increasing as well as the complication rate.

Be Aware of Diabetes

November is National Diabetes Month when communities nationwide call attention to diabetes. This year’s focus is on taking action to prevent diabetes health problems.

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease that causes blood glucose, or blood sugar, to accumulate in the bloodstream at an elevated level. Glucose is your body’s main source of energy. Your body can make glucose, but glucose also comes from the food you eat.

Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps glucose get into your cells to be used for energy. If you have diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough insulin or doesn’t use insulin properly. Glucose then stays in your blood and doesn’t reach your cells.

What makes Diabetes important?

Diabetes can damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart. Diabetes is also linked to some types of cancer. Taking steps to prevent or manage diabetes may lower your risk of developing diabetes health problems.

Common complications of diabetes include kidney disease, heart disease, and numbness in the feet due to nerve disease.

How common is Diabetes?

As of 2019, 37.3 million people—or 11.3% of the U.S. population—had diabetes.
More than 1 in 4 people over the age of 65 had diabetes.
Nearly 1 in 4 adults with diabetes didn’t know they had the disease.
About 90% to 95% of diabetes cases are type 2 diabetes.
In 2019, 96 million adults—38% of U.S. adults—had prediabetes.

Diabetes around the World

Diabetes is a worldwide problem. According to the International Diabetes Federation 540 million people have diabetes.

10.5% of the world’s adult population (20-79 years) has diabetes, with almost half unaware that they are living with the condition.

The total number of people living with diabetes is projected to rise to 643 million by 2030 and 783 million by 2045.

Most of the world’s adults with diabetes live in low- and middle-income countries.

How Can You Prevent Diabetes?

Taking charge of your health can help you prevent diabetes and complications for those who already have diabetes. While a healthy lifestyle is important for everyone, it is critical for those at higher risk of diabetes and who already have been diagnosed.

Know your risk for developing diabetes.

You are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you are overweight; are age 35 or older; have a family history of diabetes; are African American, American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic or Latino, or Pacific Islander; are not physically active; or have prediabetes.

Use this link from the American Diabetes Association to assess your risk.

Our 60-Second Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test

Know and manage your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.

The first step in diabetes management is diagnosis. Appropriate blood tests can easily diagnose diabetes, and establish the type of diabetes.

Preventing diabetes or managing diabetes as soon as possible after diagnosis may help prevent diabetes health problems.

You can start by managing your diabetes ABCs.

A is for the A1C test that measures your average blood glucose levels.

B is for blood pressure.

C is for cholesterol.(also called lipids)

Ask your health care professional what your ABCs goals should be.

Cultivate Healthy Eating and Activity Habits.

Lifestyle habits such as planning healthy meals, being physically active, getting enough sleep, and not smoking may help you prevent diabetes or manage your diabetes ABCs. You don’t have to do it all at once. Start slow and build healthier habits from there.

Here are tips on moving from Contemplation to Action.

Use your medications correctly and regularly

Remember to take your medicines even if you feel healthy. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have trouble taking your medicines on time or at the correct dose. If you have trouble paying for medication, your doctor may suggest less costly alternatives.

Insulin, Medicines, & Other Diabetes Treatments

Aim for a Healthy weight

Reach or maintain a healthy weight. A healthy weight may not be perfect, or a specific BMI (body mass index).

If you have overweight or obesity, ask your primary care provider if healthy eating, physical activity, or other weight-loss treatments may help you manage your weight. Sometimes even a modest weight loss will improve glucose control.

people in a gym exercising — photo courtesy Amanda Mills, CDC.gov, Public Health Image Library

Guard your Mental Health

Managing diabetes can be hard. If you feel down, sad, or overwhelmed, learn about healthy ways to cope with stress. Consider talking to a mental health counselor or joining a support group.

This post was adapted from content provided as a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health. NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public. Content produced by NIDDK is carefully reviewed by NIDDK scientists and other experts.

Other information and graphics were developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are in the public domain, and are freely available on their website.

Exploring the HEART of Health

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Dr. Aletha

This is a post about diabetes I wrote my first year of blogging. It is still relevant.

10 Silent Signs of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus type 2, often linked to obesity, complicates blood glucose control for overweight individuals. It contributes to serious complications such as heart disease, kidney failure, and neuropathy. Early diagnosis and effective management through lifestyle changes and medication are crucial. Everyone should be aware of symptoms and high-risk factors for diabetes.

Keep reading

by Aletha Cress Oglesby, M.D. August 6, 2015November 11, 2025

I notice more television commercials for dental care products and services, and most of them follow a theme. In the past most advertisements were for toothpaste for preventing cavities. Now they focus on whitening, stain removal, straightening, dentures and dental implants.

There is a series of ads for dental clinics that promise “not to rob you” featuring skits portraying people afraid that dentists will demand huge amounts of money for dental care.

Myths about dental care

I think these ads reflect myths about dental care that many of us believe and unfortunately base our behavior on. We need to dispel these myths with some truths about oral health, which includes our teeth and mouth.

These myths include

Care of our teeth is mainly a cosmetic concern, affecting our appearance only.
Dental care is a luxury, nice but optional, not a necessity, it can be ignored.
Dental care is expensive and out of reach without insurance or a high income.
Tooth disease and loss is inevitable, so we might as well just accept it.
Dental care is low priority, behind food, housing, and medical care in importance.

Truths about dental care

But the truth, based on recommendations from experts in oral and dental health, tells us differently.

Care of our teeth is functional- we need a healthy mouth for eating, drinking, breathing, and talking. Our mouths also help us interact with other people emotionally- frowning, smiling, kissing, singing.
Oral care is a basic component of health care, vitally important to overall health. I’ll say more about this later.
Dental care can be affordable; it’s probably more costly if neglected.
Loss or disease of teeth and other mouth disorders are preventable and treatable.
Dental and oral care is vital to overall good health, and ultimately can be cost effective.

Family of 4 sitting at a dining table. — Our mouth- eating, talking, smiling-connects us with our family and friends.

Our teeth and oral cavity, the “window to general health”

The oral cavity, or simply called the mouth ,includes the teeth and gums, as well as the lips, the tongue, the palate (roof of the mouth), and the mucosa (sides of the mouth).

diagram of the mouth from the National Cancer Institute — The underside of the tongue and nearby structures (lip, tongue, salivary glands, and floor of the mouth) are identified. Alan Hoofring (Illustrator) public domain

Why dental care improves our overall health.

Over 100 diseases and at least 500 medications can affect our teeth and mouths. Regular dental care can monitor for these effects and prevent them from progressing into tooth disease.

Our mouths contain over 500 species of bacteria and other organisms, some of which are protective and some destructive to our teeth. Good oral care can keep these in proper balance to prevent tooth and gum disease.

People with poor dental health have a higher incidence of heart attacks and stroke. Experts have not determined if this is direct cause and effect or coincidence, but believe it may be due to increased atherosclerosis (hardened arteries from cholesterol) due to the chronic inflammation of gingivitis.

Bacteria from the mouth can lead to pneumonia in susceptible persons, like those with emphysema or those hospitalized with critical illnesses or injuries.

Diabetes, when the blood sugar is not controlled, negatively impacts periodontal health, and periodontitis makes glucose control more difficult. Periodontitis is inflammation and infection of the ligaments and bones that support the teeth.

Poor oral health during pregnancy increases the risk for miscarriage, low birth weight, preeclampsia, and stillbirth.

Resources for understanding different types of dental and oral disease.

Gum Disease-Also called: Periodontal disease

Tooth disorders

Oral Cancer from the American Dental Association

Paying for dental care

Dental care should not be a luxury, and can be within financial reach with some research into available options. These sites can help you discover what you may quality for.

When You Don’t Have Dental Insurance

Free/Low-Cost/Sliding Scale Dental Clinics

The importance of dental care for children

Health teeth in adults ideally starts with dental care in childhood. Jenny Silverstone, blogger at Mom Loves Best, has created this infographic about caring for children’s teeth. I suggest you also read her in depth article about helping children have healthy teeth.

Don’t neglect adult dental care

Continuing good mouth and tooth care as an adult can help you avoid tooth loss, painful gums, or other problems. If you have any problems with your teeth or concerns about your mouth, see your doctor or dentist right away.

a doctor looking into a patient's mouth — Michael Munger, M.D., examines a patient at his medical office in Overland Park, Kan. courtesy American Academy of Family Physicians

Here are some helpful things you can do:

Brush your teeth at least twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.
Floss your teeth at least once a day.
Don’t smoke or chew tobacco.
Ask your doctor if your medicines have side effects that might damage your teeth.
Look inside your mouth regularly for sores that don’t heal, irritated gums, or other changes.
See your dentist every 6 months for regular check-ups and cleanings.

(source: familydoctor.org)

Using a power toothbrush may keep your teeth healthier, especially if you have any difficulty using a manual brush.I use an Oral-B Rechargeable Toothbrush by Braun.

(This is an affiliate link. )

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Tag: diabetes

Keys to Understanding and Preventing Diabetes

Be Aware of Diabetes