American Diabetes Month

November is American Diabetes month. Education and awareness of diabetes is important not just for this month, but all year round. Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder and can lead to kidney failure, heart disease, stroke, blindness, and limb amputations, as well as high-risk pregnancies.

There are two types of diabetes.

In type 1 diabetes the pancreas cannot make insulin, ahormone that the body needs to get glucose into the cells.Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and youngadults.

In type 2 diabetes the pancreas cannot use insulin properly. The pancreas makes extra insulin to make up for its improper use. However, over time, it cannot make enough to keep your blood glucose levels normal. Type 2 diabetes is much more common compared to type 1 diabetes. Diet and exercise are key factors to living a healthier lifestyle for people with diabetes and everyone alike. Following a low-fat plant-based diet can help with many things such as weight loss, regulating blood glucose levels, and overall good health and well-being.

As always, consult a physician before starting any diet plan.

For Deirdre’s healthy diabetes-friendly recipes click here

Source: American Diabetes Association

By Gabriel Gonzalez
Gabriel Gonzalez interns at The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center®. He is focused on continuing education in nutrition and promoting healthy behaviors with many projects at the center, including writing and designing recipes and educational materials.

He is currently in his third year at Montclair State University. Gabriel is a Nutrition and Food Science major with a concentration in Applied Nutrition and also a Public Health minor. In his spare time he works as a cardio kickboxing trainer at CKO Kickboxing in Clifton.