healthy lifestyle – 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

I hope you have learned something helpful in this post and ask that you share it on your feeds. Please follow the hyperlinks to learn more about diabetes.

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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

updated February 8, 2024

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Reverend Dr. King led the Civil Rights Movement in the United States from the mid-1950s until his death by assassination in 1968.

“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.” — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“In 1963, Dr. King helped lead the March for Jobs and Freedom, more commonly known as the “March on Washington,” which drew over a quarter-million people to the National Mall. It was here that he delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, which cemented his status as a social change leader and helped inspire the nation to act on civil rights.” from The King Center

Barack Obama-44th U.S. President

In 2008, Democratic candidate Barack Obama ran for President of the United States and won, becoming the 44th President and the first African-American to win the office.

Former President Obama running with his dog — President Obama kept fit exercising with his dog- photo compliments Pixabay

Obama’s Healthcare Achievement

As a candidate for president, Obama pledged to enact universal health care coverage for the country, a promise he fulfilled with the support of a Democratic Congress.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, often shortened to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), nicknamed ObamaCare, is a United States federal statute enacted by the 111th United States Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010.

Universal Healthcare Coverage -“Obamacare”

The term “Obamacare” was first used by opponents, then embraced by supporters, and eventually used by President Obama himself. Together with the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 amendment, it represents the U.S. healthcare system’s most significant overhaul and expansion of coverage since Medicare and Medicaid in 1965.

African-American Health

To commemorate and celebrate the contributions to our nation made by people of African descent, American historian Carter G. Woodson established Black History Week. First celebrated in 1926, the week was expanded into Black History Month in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial.

Each year, the U.S. President proclaims February as National African American History Month. Heart disease, cancer, and stroke are the leading causes of death for African Americans.

The leading causes of death for African Americans have decreased from 1999-2015. — CDC Vitalsigns

High blood pressure causes most heart attacks and strokes in the United States. About 2 out of every 5 African American adults have high blood pressure, and less than half of them have it under control. African American adults are much more likely to suffer from high blood pressure (hypertension), heart attacks, and stroke deaths than white adults.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death among black people in the United States. Black men get and die from cancer at higher rates than men of other races and ethnicities. White women have the highest rates of getting cancer, but black women have the highest rates of dying from cancer.

Steps to Improving Health

People of any ethnic background can prevent heart disease, cancer, stroke, and other serious or chronic diseases by living a healthy lifestyle. Here’s how

Eat a healthy diet with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products. Choose foods low in saturated fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
Exercise regularly. Adults aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes (or 150 minutes total) of exercise, spread out during the week, and broken up into smaller times during the day.
Be smokefree. call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or 1-855-DÉJELO-YA (1-855-335-3569 for Spanish speakers) for free resources, including free quit coaching, a free quit plan, free educational materials, and referrals to other resources where you live.
Limit alcohol use, which can lead to long-term health problems, including heart disease and cancer. If you drink, do so in moderation, which is one drink a day for women and two for men.
Know your family history . There may be factors that could increase your risk for heart disease and stroke.
Manage any medical condition you might have by collaborating with healthcare professionals for best practices to control and monitor your status.

I learned the quote on health attributed to Dr. King was never in written form, but was in an unrecorded speech. Many people verify the gist of the statement, but with some changes; he may have said “inhuman” rather than “inhumane, for example. For a discussion of this controversy, see this article by Amanda Moore.

exploring and sharing the HEART of health

I’d be honored for you to follow Watercress Words.

I’d love for you to follow this blog. I share information and inspiration to help you turn health challenges into health opportunities.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Tag: healthy lifestyle

Keys to Understanding and Preventing Diabetes

Be Aware of Diabetes