Martha Jefferson Hospital
General Information: (434) 654-7000 OR 1-800-633-6353
Martha Jefferson Neuroscience Center now open!
Health Tips
Check for Diabetes
Did you know there are 25.8 million children and adults in the U.S. with diabetes? And another 79 million have pre-diabetes! At your doctor’s recommendation on frequency, be sure to have your glucose tested. The earlier that diabetes is diagnosed, the better.
Common symptoms for type 2 diabetes:
- frequent urination
- unusual thirst
- blurry vision
- fatigue
- irritability
- cuts and bruises that are slow to heal
- recurring infections of the skin, gums or bladder
Many people can successfully treat (or prevent!) type 2 diabetes without medications. Simple lifestyle changes can make a huge difference –
- healthy diet with a variety of foods
- moderate carbohydrate intake
- daily physical activity
- reaching/maintaining a healthy weight (no tummy)
To see if you are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes, go to www.diabetesrisktest.com.
The American Diabetes Association has many excellent resources at their website – www.diabetes.org. You will also find many delicious recipes.
This navy bean salad or dip is made with fresh red bell peppers and capers! The light dressing is fresh lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. YUM!
Know Your Glucose Levels
After eating a meal or snack your blood glucose levels will rise. And depending upon how high or how sharply they rise, will determine how much insulin your pancreas will need to make. The insulin will help transport the glucose into your cells to be used as energy. No insulin – glucose levels continue to rise. This is very important for people who have diabetes.
If you have diabetes, check glucose: Before a meal AND after a meal.
How will meals raise your glucose? The goal: a 40-50 mg/dl rise.
Blood glucose goals from
- The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (diabetes docs):
Pre-meal: <110 mg/dl; 2 hours after a meal: <140 mg/dl.
- The American Diabetes Association:
Pre-meal: 70-130 mg/dl; 1-2 hours after the start of the meal: <180 mg/dl.
The stress to your pancreas comes with the blood glucose increases after meals. Your goal is to figure out which foods and portions of those foods result in a nice gradual increase in glucose, so that there is not a big demand on the pancreas. The feedback helps you adjust the type of food, or the portions. If your readings after a meal are too high, you can easily bring them down with a gentle walk or after-meal activity, like vacuuming the house.
This pasta dish features a new pasta product from Ronzoni – it is made with dehydrated spinach, tomatoes and carrots. Ground turkey and frozen veggies are healthy ingredients in this dish.
Diabetes Awareness Month
November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, and we need this month to remind us all that diabetes is on the rise. There are 24 million known cases in the U.S. and an estimated 220 million cases worldwide and growing!
Research continues to show that with a healthy diet and regular exercise, even if diabetes runs in the family, you can hold it off for years.
In a 4-year Spanish study of non-diabetics at risk for heart disease, there were two groups who ate a Mediterranean-style diet. In addition, one group had lots of olive oil daily and the other group had ¼ cup mixed nuts daily. A third group ate a low-fat diet. The two Mediterranean groups also ate:
- lots of fruits & veggies
- legumes frequently
- primarily fish and white meat (poultry)
- homemade sauces with olive oil, tomatoes, garlic and onions
Study participants were encouraged to AVOID butter, cream, fast food, pastries, sweets & sugar-containing beverages.
The two Mediterranean-style diet groups cut their diabetes risk in HALF!! The monounsaturated fats that they ate – olive oil & mixed nuts – may help fight insulin resistance. The high intake of fruits & veggies mean lots of antioxidants, which protect against inflammation, and may lower diabetes risk.
Further information on this study from Spain in the October 2010 issue of Diabetes Care.
The Scoop on Neuropathy
We have 100s of nerves that carry electrical messages throughout the body. Our overall health depends upon a healthy nerve system. In people with longstanding diabetes, up to 70% will develop a condition called neuropathy, a disease of the nerves. This is a troublesome problem that has many health consequences.
There are three types of neuropathy:
Peripheral Neuropathy: Pain, tingling, weakness, and/or no feeling in the legs, feet, toes, arms, hands or fingers.
Focal Neuropathy: Comes on rapidly. There is damage to a grouping of nerves, for example, to the eyes, ultimately affecting the vision.
Autonomic Neuropathy: These nerves control automatic body processes such as digestion, sexual function and bladder control. A problem might be gastroparesis or paralysis of the stomach.
People who are older or who have had diabetes for many years are at the greatest risk for developing neuropathy. But young people who don’t have good control of their diabetes are at risk also.
If you have diabetes, it is so important to maintain excellent blood glucose levels every day:
- Eat a healthy diet with moderate portions of carbohydrate foods.
- Get in daily exercise.
- Check blood glucose daily.
- Keep your doctor appointments. If you are developing neuropathy it can be picked up really early.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes, or diabetes during pregnancy, affects about 4% of all pregnant women or 135,000 cases each year in the U.S. This is most often caused by insulin resistance -the body becomes unable to adequately use insulin. So blood glucose levels creep up. Read the rest of this entry…
Type 2 Diabetes Factoids
One in three. That’s the number of kids born after the year 2000 who will develop type 2 diabetes in their lifetime. The reason? Obesity among our youth. Tip to parents: Grow them lean and active. Read the rest of this entry…
Get Checked!
YES, diabetes is a killer – the #7 cause of death in this country. YES, it is preventable. So for the 57 million who have pre-diabetes, many can prevent diabetes from occurring in their lifetime. Read the rest of this entry…
Grow Healthy Kids
The American Academy of Pediatrics is concerned about unhealthy kids and overweight kids and kids with adult diseases, like type 2 diabetes. New healthy living guidelines have been issued from this organization. Here are their tips to parents: Read the rest of this entry…
