5 “Must-Know” Facts About Diabetes and Heart Disease

  1. HEART DISEASE IS A KILLER: Did you know it’s the #1 cause of death among women, responsible for more female deaths than the next 16 causes of death combined? In fact, it claims the lives of 1 out of every 2 women.

  2. DIABETES DANGERS: A total of 18.2 million people have diabetes — that’s 6.3% of the population! Over 13 million people have been diagnosed, while at least 5 million remain undiagnosed. 8.7% of all men and women over age 20 have diabetes. Approximately 1 in every 400 to 500 children and adolescents has type 1 diabetes. Diabetes was the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2000. To make matters worse, new information, just released by the U.S. government, says that 41 million Americans have “pre-diabetes” — blood sugar high enough to dramatically increase their risk of getting the full-blown disease! Learn more at the American Diabetes Associations website: diabetes.org

  3. MANAGE YOUR MINDSET: Women especially, have a high rate of depression associated with both diabetes and heart disease. It’s a vicious cycle! Depression may lead to unhealthy behaviors that can help cause the diseases, and the disease, in turn, may cause depression. Talk to your family about how you’re feeling and seek counseling if you need help.

  4. KNOW THE RISKS: There are many contributing factors to heart disease and diabetes. Eat a well balanced, low-sodium and low saturated-fat diet with plenty of fresh vegetables and whole grains… stay physically active… and don’t smoke. If your family has a history of either disease you may be at an increased risk.

  5. KNOW THE SYMPTOMS: Excessive thirst or urination, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, blurred vision, tingling or numbness in the feet, or slow-healing infections may all be signs of diabetes. Women may have different symptoms than men when having a heart attack, and the primary symptoms may be anxiety, nausea, and dizziness rather than chest pain. Don’t wait… seek medical attention at once.


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