6 TexasHealthHuguley.org You have what it takes to reduce your risk of diabetes or to live your best after a diagnosis. Often, knowledge is the key to protecting your health. Know where you stand. You can have type 2 diabetes or its precursor, prediabetes, and not even know it. Prediabetes nudges you toward diabetes. The good news: This course may be reversed with healthy lifestyle changes, like losing weight if you are overweight. “You can start putting your plan in action to reduce your risk,” says Diabetes Center of Excellence Manager Angela Hodges, PharmD, LSSBB, BC-ADM. “That is a wonderful thing to know.” Get tested if you’re in your 40s or younger and have risk factors, such as obesity or a family history of diabetes. (One option, an A1C test, can provide your average blood sugar for the past three months.) Angela notes that you should also know your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Know the signs. When diabetes does cause symptoms, they may include urinating often, feeling very hungry or thirsty, and having tingling hands or feet. Other surprising warning signs include frequent skin, eye or urinary tract infections and the presence of Be empowered at the diabetes center Find knowledge and support to stay on track dark patches in skin folds, like on the back of your neck. You’ve got this! If you have prediabetes or diabetes of any kind, a Diabetes Care and Education Specialist at the Texas Health Huguley Hospital Outpatient Diabetes and Nutrition Center can help. For instance, they can help you learn how to manage diabetes— including how to fit in some of your favorite foods, along with delicious new options. And the advice is tailored to you, Angela notes. There’s even a monthly support group where expert speakers share knowledge, like nutrition tips. “We want you to know we’re here for you,” Angela says. “We want you to know we care about you. We believe in your ability to make changes. We want to remove the dread out of the diagnosis. We want you to feel empowered and hopeful so that you can bring hope to your community.” Discover diabetes care Scan the QR code or call 817.551.2706.
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