March is National Nutrition Month
Healthy eating, physical activity, good sleep and reducing risks are all very important parts of achieving good health, but it can be overwhelming! Artesia General Hospital’s registered dietitian helps patients translate the science of nutrition into personalized, practical solutions for healthy living and the management of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver, obesity, celiac disease and more.
Susan Dade, RD, LD, CDCES has served patients for eight years, with 10 years of experience as a diabetes educator and 40 years of practice. One of the most common diseases that Susan helps treat is diabetes, and she is an insulin pump trainer for the three major pump companies.
In honor of National Nutrition Month in March, Susan shares her expert tips on lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of diabetes.
About Diabetes
Diabetes affects 37.3 million people—which is 11.3% of the US population—and that number is growing rapidly.
Prediabetes affects 96 million people aged 18 years and older, which is 38% of the population.
Surprisingly, 8.5 million (23%) of the population do not even know they have diabetes. They may go undiagnosed while complications occur, including loss of vision, kidney failure, nerve damage, poor circulation and gum disease. The leading causes of death among people with diabetes is a heart attack or a stroke.
Susan’s goal is to help patients develop a personalized plan and prevent complications from occurring.
Lifestyle Factors to Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes
There are a number of lifestyle factors that you can control to reduce your risk of diabetes. These include:
- 30+ minutes of activity five or more days a week
- 10-15 minutes of strength training three or four times a week
- Increase water intake and stop consuming liquid sugars like Kool-Aid, Gatorade, PowerAde, juices, sweet tea, lemonade, Monster drinks, Starbucks, etc.
- Lose 5-10% of body weight if overweight, and then keep it off
- Get at least seven or eight hours of sleep each night
- Reduce stress to avoid spikes in your blood sugar
- Eat a healthy, high-fiber controlled carbohydrate diet
Request An Appointment
Learn how to better manage diabetes and other health conditions to live as healthy as possible. If you would like help, ask your primary care provider to refer you to our Diabetes Clinic. To schedule an appointment, call 575.736.8520.