Posted: 10/29/2018
National Diabetes Awareness Month stresses prevention, education
Diabetes can affect anyone, at any age. When Dallasite Michael House, a professional truck driver for more than 35 years, was diagnosed with the condition, at first he said he “was in denial.”
Even though his grandmother had lost a leg to the disease, House was shocked. “It was hard to accept that fact that I was sick enough to have to take medication every day.”
Despite his family history of diabetes, House had not paid close attention to lifestyle habits that were affecting his health. He didn’t get much exercise due to his sedentary job. And he had a soft spot for sugary soda pop. “Soda was one of my worst enemies but it was also my best friend. I was drinking 3 or 4 liters of soda every day because it kept me awake on the road,” he said.
When House enrolled in a diabetes education class led by registered dietitian Sharon Cox at Parkland Health & Hospital System’s Bluitt-Flowers Health Center, he learned just how toxic those daily sugar-hits of soda can be.
“One of the first things I tell patients with diabetes is to stop drinking sugary soft drinks, sweet teas and other sweet beverages and start drinking more water instead,” Cox said. “Most people don’t realize how much sugar is in each sugary beverage and how the drinks can contribute to developing diabetes.”
Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. and is associated with serious health complications like heart and kidney disease, blindness and amputations. According to Kellie Rodriguez, CDE, Director, Global Diabetes Program at Parkland, more than 660,000 people in Texas don’t know they have diabetes; 37 percent of Texans have prediabetes; 11 percent of Dallas County residents have diabetes; and more than 30,000 patients with the condition currently receive care at Parkland.
“Education and screening are vital,” Rodriguez stated. “Millions of Americans have prediabetes, a condition in which blood sugar levels are not high enough to be classified as diabetes, but are elevated above normal levels and many of them don’t know it.”
Persons with prediabetes have a 50 percent chance of developing type 2 diabetes if they don’t make significant lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthier diet and getting more physical activity, Rodriguez said.
During November, Parkland is offering three free diabetes awareness events to the public presenting information on medications for diabetes, insulin and glucose monitoring, foot care, eye care, nutrition and cooking demonstrations, along with free giveaways and healthy snacks.
Parkland Diabetes Awareness Day event times and locations are:
Friday, Nov. 9, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Southeast Dallas Health Center Atrium (1st floor)
9202 Elam Road, Dallas, TX 75217
Monday, Nov. 12, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Bluitt-Flowers Health Center
303 E. Overton Road, Dallas, TX 75216
Friday, Nov. 16, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Irving Health Center
1800 N. Britain Road, Dallas, TX 75061
In addition, Parkland, in collaboration with the UT Southwestern CME office, is hosting the 11th annual Diabetes Management Conference, attended each year by hundreds of multidisciplinary health professionals, on Friday, Nov. 2 from 7:45 a.m. – 4:45 p.m. at Fellowship Dallas. CME and CE credits will be offered. The conference features general sessions and workshops on a variety of diabetes-related topics, including diabetes foot care, meal planning for diverse families, the obesity epidemic, atypical diabetes mellitus, management of distress and depression in diabetes, and more. For more information and to register, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/11th-annual-diabetes-management-conference-tickets-48801708223
The Global Diabetes Program is part of Parkland’s continuing efforts to combat diabetes. The program is patient-centered and multidisciplinary, involving physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, behavioral health experts, social workers and financial experts. To learn more about Parkland’s Global Diabetes Program, visit www.parklandhospital.com or call 214-590-7219. To learn more about Parkland services, visit www.parklandhospital.com. And for more information about living with diabetes, visit www.parklanddiabetes.com