Just in time for Thanksgiving, it is my rather somber duty to inform everyone that this month is American Diabetes Month. It is a time when we all should pay attention to the rather disturbing trend in this country that some are calling the Diabetes epidemic. This epidemic is especially important to me because, as an African American with a history of diabetes in my family, I have a higher probability of contracting diabetes in my lifetime. That probability became significantly higher recently when I took a blood test in late October and the results came back indicating that I had a 6.6 A1C reading. Based on the charts, that meant that I was in the diabetic range. Please see the following:
I was dismayed when my doctor informed me of this reading. I knew that I had been in the pre-diabetic range for years, but my last three tests had indicated that my blood sugar had gone done. Indeed, in August, my reading was 5.8. Nevertheless, my doctor prescribed a blood sugar monitoring device for me and for the past two weeks, I have been monitoring my blood sugar levels. So far, so good, my blood sugar levels have ranged from 85 to 106 and as the following chart indicates, that is normal.
Nevertheless, the 6.6 reading has been a wake up call for me. I have made a commitment to increasing my exercise routines and decreasing my sugar intake. But folks, based on the statistics, I should not be alone. Accordingly, I encourage you all to get tested and to get informed. Diabetes is a killer and, by getting tested, the life you save may be your own.
Peace.
P.S. Please see these other websites for additional information:
