Are you one of the approximately 5.4 million Americans who are living with diabetes and don’t know it? Diabetes is often a silent disease, one you may live with for years without any noticeable symptoms.
The one thing a person living with diabetes should never do is give up. If diabetes is not properly managed, it can lead to very serious complications such as heart disease, stroke and blindness. In fact, statistics show 80 percent of all people with diabetes die from cardiovascular disease. However, too few people living with diabetes take an active, aggressive approach to managing the disease.
At LCHC, we are committed to provide support and education to the people of our county who are living with diabetes. Our goal is to help in understanding that with proper care or perseverance, people living with diabetes can live normal, fulfilling lives. Feel free to contact our Diabetes Educator Anita Perry at 646-5506.
Livingston County Health Center is excited to announce a new opportunity for people living with diabetes to learn about their condition in order to have better success in their treatment.Beginning in January of 2012, the health center will offer basic diabetes education through monthly classes.
People with diabetes, unlike those with many other medical problems, can't just take pills or insulin in the morning, and then forget about their health the rest of the day. Differences in diet, exercise levels, stress and other factors may all affect blood sugar levels. The more people with diabetes learn how these factors affect them, the better control they will be able to achieve.Therefore, as the experts know and will tell you, despite all the advances in diabetes treatment, education remains the cornerstone of diabetes management.
A two hour educational class will be offered on the third Thursday of every month from 1-3 p.m. on a rotating quarterly basis. The sessions will include information about nutrition, medications, home glucose monitoring, exercise and avoiding long and short term complications. Content is based on self-care lifestyle changes that may need to be made to improve or control diabetes.
Classes will be taught by Anita Perry, Registered Nurse, Certified Diabetes Educator and coordinator of the health center’s diabetes services.Classes are intended for the newly diagnosed person with diabetes, or the person who has been dealing with diabetes but may need a review of basic management.Those who have not been diagnosed, but have been alerted by their doctor to the possibility of developing diabetes are also welcome. There is no charge to attend classes, and individuals can attend any or all classes, and even repeat the same classes to stay on track, if they desire.
The first class, “What is Diabetes?” will be held on Thursday, January 19th from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.Other classes include, “Meal Planning,” “Diabetes Medications and Home Glucose Monitoring,” and “Staying Healthy With Diabetes.”For more information about classes including scheduled dates contact the Livingston County Health Center at 646-5506.