November is National Diabetes Month

November is National Diabetes Month
Sheila Kemper Dietrich
11/17/2013
Updated:
4/24/2016

November is National Diabetes Month. There is a reason why a month has been dedicated to raising our awareness about diabetes. It is a killer disease. According to the World Health Organization over 1.1 million people die from the disease each year. In reality many more die from diabetes but it is recorded as kidney failure or heart disease.  Deaths from diabetes are projected to rise more than 50% in the next 10 years and, not too surprisingly, to 80% in middle to upper income countries.

Diabetes has now been labeled an emerging global epidemic, which can be traced back to the rapid increase in obesity. According to the American Recall Center, diabetes affects over 25 million people in the United States, or 8.3% of the entire population. Within those 25 million people, over 8 million are undiagnosed, or do not know they are living with diabetes.

What are the symptoms of diabetes? According to the American Diabetes Association common symptoms of diabetes are:

  • Urinating often
  • Feeling very thirsty
  • Feeling very hungry - even though you are eating
  • Extreme fatigue
  • Blurry vision
  • Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
  • Weight loss - even though you are eating more (type 1)
  • Tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands/feet (type 2)

The good news is diabetes can be prevented. Just like with obesity it is all about diet and exercise. Research shows we can dramatically reduce the risk of developing the disease if we engage in moderate physical activity for 30 minutes each day and eat a healthy diet. For inspiration please check out my blog for healthy recipes and other resources.

Please spread the word and help raise the awareness about diabetes. It can be as easy as sharing this blog. You could be saving a life,  including your own.

Live Vibrant! 

Sheila is the Founder and CEO of Livliga. Sheila created Livliga and the VisualQs philosophy out of her years of personal experience in waging the war against obesity and longing to embrace a healthier lifestyle. Personally benefitting from the concepts integrated into Livliga, she has become a great advocate for its efficacy in living a healthy lifestyle. Sheila now enjoys sharing what she has learned through her blog, tweeting and public conversations. Nothing better than sharing and learning!
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