Diabetes Is On The Rise; Get ‘Pricked’ For Free
PALM SPRINGS – Cases of diabetes are on the rise.
Experts say it’s at epidemic levels. Many people who have diabtes do not know they do.
The problem is that many Americans are getting fatter while they eat worse and worse kinds of food.
It’s that combination that’s leading to a rise in Type 2 diabetes.
“Most people walk around three to five years before they find out they have diabetes,” said Bobbie Anderson, a registered nurse at Desert Regional Medical Center.
Andersonspecializes in diabetes and says helping others with the disease is important to her. She has a son who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was young.
Anderson, too, was recently diagnosed with Type 2. It’s the type of diabtes that comes later in life, usually stemming from weight gain and a poor diet.
“They will have a heart attack and then [they’ll be told], ‘oh, you have diabetes, too. How long have you had that?'”
Anderson says diabtes wears down the cardiovascular and circulatory systems. It also affects a persons eyesight and nerve endings.
Desert Regional Medical Center is giving free diabetes tests starting Monday, April 6.
So, I decided to get myself checked.
With the prick of a finger – “It’s 84, you’re perfect.”
My blood sugar after fasting for 12 hours was well within the diabetes-free range of 70 to 99.
With this free test the hospital will also check your blood pressure and your weight.
It’s good information to know, to make sure you’re in good health, and on the risk-free road for diabetes.