Follow These 4 Steps to Prevent Diabetes

Diabetes is a scary disease that afflicts 1.4 million Americans every year. Did you know that this one disease is also associated with nerve damage, heart disease, strokes, kidney failure, blindness, high blood pressure, and poor circulation? Diabetes is a disease that you definitely want to avoid if you can. November is National Diabetes Month, so here at Westfield Foot and Ankle, LLC, we put together some steps to prevent diabetes.

4 Steps for Diabetes Prevention:

1.       Ask your doctor about your blood sugar levels. Each year at your annual checkup, your primary care physician likely tests your blood sugar in a series of complete blood counts. Check over those numbers with your doctor and ask about your risk for developing diabetes. Nearly 90 million people have a condition called prediabetes, which means their blood sugar is somewhat high, but not at the diabetic level. There are no symptoms related to prediabetes, but it does put you at a high risk of getting Type 2 diabetes, so it’s important to have these conversations with your doctor.

2.       Eat a well-rounded healthy diet. A healthy diet is key to diabetes prevention. Eat plenty of nutrient-rich vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins. Typically, white foods such as refined bleached flours, white rice, crackers, etc. are things you want to avoid or eat only in moderation. Processed foods and foods loaded with high-fructose corn syrup are things you definitely want to avoid!

3.       Lose weight. If you lost even 5 to 10% of your total body weight, it puts you at a lower risk for getting Type 2 diabetes.

4.       Exercise regularly. Regular exercise improves your circulation and puts you on a path to losing excess weight.

Following these four steps benefits your whole body! Our podiatrist, Dr. David R. Sullivan knows how much your feet will appreciate you doing everything you can to prevent diabetes. Diabetes often leads to a tough battle fought in the feet. Often poor circulation and loss of feeling can lead to wounds that don’t heal, which can eventually lead to infections and amputation.

The risks of diabetes to your feet and your whole body are real. If you’re looking for diabetes resources, call our office today. Dr. David R. Sullivan at Westfield Foot and Ankle, LLC, has extensive training to diagnose and treat your foot or ankle issues. You can reach our conveniently located Westfield, IN office at 317-896-6655.