MIDLAND, Texas — Tuesday, March 28, was National "Diabetes Alert Day"- a time to educate the public on the severity of diabetes and the importance of understanding one's risk.
11.1% of Texans are diagnosed with diabetes and that is higher than the national average of 9.7%. In light of this information, Midland Memorial Hospital staff members shared details about what it can be like for a person living with diabetes.
“Really and truly, diabetes can be considered a lifestyle disease," said Hillary Chase, certified education and care specialist.
Type 2 diabetes is a condition that does not allow your body to regulate its blood sugar. It can be prevented or even delayed, but only if the correct steps are taken. Lifestyle habits play a major role in how likely a person is to develop the disease.
“A lack of inactivity and that can be defined as someone who is not active at least three times a week," Chase said. "Poor diet, a diet that is going to be high in fats, high in calories, high in carbohydrates. And then being overweight and obese is a significant contributor to going on to developing diabetes.”
While how much you eat and workout can make a difference, they are not the only factors impacting your health.
“Texas remains high for uninsured Americans, and so that's going to contribute to lower access to primary healthcare, preventative healthcare," said Chase.
When it comes to treatment options, Texas also struggles with the high cost of insulin, a necessary medication for diabetics.
“They do not follow the doctor's recommendation to fill that insulin prescription because of the cost and so they will either just not take a medication at all, they won't communicate with their providers that they cannot afford the medication, and so they'll, they'll continue to go untreated," said Chase.
Midland Health encourages patients to ask for help instead of not getting the treatment they truly need.
“Have regular follow up with your primary care provider," Chase said. "Not neglecting or missing your healthcare appointments is very important to notice changes in the status of your healthcare and your diabetes management."
Another great resource is the Lifestyle Medicine Center at Midland Memorial Hospital, which provides a wealth of knowledge about disease prevention and management. Utilizing tools like these can be pivotal for patients to improve their health and successfully manage a diabetes diagnosis.