November is “National Diabetes Awareness Month” – and Jerry Baker recently interviewed Dan Bevels, the Public Relations Manager with Floyd Medical Center, and certified Diabetes Educator Melissa Ward, who shared some surprising statistics:
Ms Ward also talked about common risk factors:
She likewise shared important information regarding serious signs, indicating that you may need to see your doctor:
During the course of the discussion Ward pointed out a number of things that you can do to lessen your chances of diabetes, and what you can do to live healthy with the condition; she also discussed the many ways the pre-diabetes program at Floyd Medical Center can help.
Floyd Medical Center would like to encourage everyone to take preventive measures in the fight against diabetes.
You can hear that interview in its entirety, by clicking the link provided below:
Diabetes Prevention Program
The Diabetes Prevention Program at Floyd Medical Center teaches people diagnosed with prediabetes how to lessen their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. An estimated one out of every three Americans has prediabetes and is in danger of serious health risks.
Left untreated, Type 2 diabetes can result in a number of complications, including blindness, limb loss, kidney failure, nerve damage, loss of sexual function and the inability to fight off infection.
Take a quick online test to determine your risk of developing prediabetes.
Program Details
During the yearlong program, our Lifestyle Coaches can show you ways to:
- increase your daily exercise routine
- eat healthier
- reduce daily stress through problem-solving and coping skills
Floyd’s program is based on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Diabetes Prevention Program that shows the risk of developing diabetes can be reduced by more that 50 percent by making lifestyle changes.
Who Qualifies
Individuals are eligible for this program if they are at least 18 years old, have a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or more and any one of the following:
- A1C measurement between 5.7 – 6.4
- Fasting glucose level between 100 – 125 mg/dL
- Diagnosed with prediabetes
Get Started
If you are interested in taking the prevention course but want to learn more before making the commitment, you can register to attend a one-hour information session — either virtually or in person — at your convenience:
Success Stories
Floyd employees who qualified were the first ones to go through the program. Those who participated for all 12 months:
- lost between 5 to 7 percent of their body weight
- increased their activity level to at least two and a half hours a week
- Many of them brought their fasting blood glucose levels into the normal range.
The program is so successful it received a $10,000 grant from the Georgia Department of Public Health, and Floyd is only the second hospital in the state to receive recognition from the CDC for its efforts in preventing Type 2 diabetes.
Contact
We are here to answer your questions. Contact our diabetes experts at 706.509.5184 or email diabetes@floyd.org for details.