Inc - Aging Well with Diabetes

Copyright 2017 by Bottom Line Inc.

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This edition issued based on the hardcover of Beat Diabetes Now! , published in 2016 in the United States by Bottom Line Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Bottom Line Books (Firm)

Title: Aging well with diabetes : 146 eye-opening (and scientifically proven) secrets that prevent and control diabetes.

Description: Naperville, Illinois : Bottom Line, Inc., Sourcebooks, Inc., [2017]

Identifiers: LCCN 2017002595 | (pbk. : alk. paper)

Subjects: LCSH: Diabetes in old age--Popular works. | Older diabetics--Health and hygiene--Popular works.

Classification: LCC RC660.75 .A35 2017 | DDC 618.97/462--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017002595

Table of Contents

Preface

More Americans than ever before are living with diabetes. In fact, 1.4 million people in the United States are diagnosed every year. Diabetes is a particular worry to people over the age of fifty, whose changing lifestyle and health concerns present different problems than those of younger men and women. Less activity, lower immunity, and the natural aging of the body increase risk enormously as adults mature. According to the American Diabetes Association, the percentage of American aged sixty-five and older with diabetes (or who remain undiagnosed) is estimated to be at over one-fourth of this population. This number is staggering! Yet, the resources for mature, health-conscious readers are scarce and scattered.

The editors at Bottom Line are proud to bring you The Bottom Line Handbook for Aging Well with Diabetes , the first book published to gather trustworthy and actionable life-saving information specifically for mature readers and their families and based on our bestselling book Beat Diabetes Now! In the pages of this collection, youll find what you need to prevent type 2 diabetes from developing in the first place as well as easily actionable ways to keep your type 2 diabetes under control in your later years of lifewhether its natural foods and supplements or other nondrug approaches, breakthrough treatments for obesity, or solutions for the complications brought on by diabetes such as loss of eyesight, foot complications, or kidney disease.

How do we find all these top-notch medical professionals? Over the past four decades, we at Bottom Line have built a network of literally thousands of leading physicians in both alternative and conventional medicine. They are affiliated with the premier medical institutions and the best universities throughout the world. We read the important medical journals and follow the latest research that is reported at health conferences worldwide. And we regularly talk to our advisors in major teaching hospitals, private practices, and government health agencies for their insider perspectives.

The Bottom Line Handbook for Aging Well with Diabetes is a result of our ongoing research and connection with these experts, and is a distillation of their latest findings and most important advice. We have worked with experts from the top diabetes clinics and research centers, such as Harvards Joslin Diabetes Center and the Cleveland Clinic, to compile the information you need to know. We trust that you will glean new, helpful, and affordable information about living a healthy, diabetes-free life!

As a reader, please be assured that you are receiving well-researched information from a trusted source. But please use prudence in health matters. Always speak to your physician before taking vitamins, supplements, or over-the-counter medication; stopping a prescribed medication, changing your diet; or beginning an exercise program. If you experience side effects from any regimen, contact your doctor immediately.

Be well,

The Editors, Bottom Line Inc., Stamford, Connecticut

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Risks and Prevention

Perhaps youve only just been diagnosed with diabetes, or youre a friend or family member who is hoping to better care for somebody else. There is so much information to contend with, even in simply understanding the concept of such a disease. The complications and details become even more varied when youre past the age of fifty.

In these articles, well provide a broad base of knowledge. This section explores the details of diagnosisincluding risks like sugar, the APOE gene (which is also associated with Alzheimers disease), and weight gainalong with ways to help prevent and improve control of diabetes through healthy daily habits and awareness.

The first step to wellness is through education and understanding, and its never too late in your life to take the first step.

The Dangers of Diabetes

More Americans than ever before have diabetes mellitus, a disorder characterized by elevated levels of blood sugar (glucose). About twenty-nine million Americans (approximately 9.3 percent of the U.S. population) are afflicted with the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than eight million of these people dont even realize that they have it.

But thats not all. A staggering eighty-six million Americans show early signs of diabetes (prediabetes) but dont know that they are at risk of developing the full-blown disease. This alarming trend is due, in part, to the ever-increasing number of Americans who are overweight, which sharply increases diabetes risk.

If you have been gaining weight, eating a lot of high-fat and high-sugar foods, and/or not getting much exercise, Im afraid that youre already in danger of getting diabetes.

Even though this is a frightening scenario, there is some good news. If you identify the warning signs early enough, you can prevent diabetes from developing. If you already have diabetes, proper monitoring and healthful eating can help you control your glucose levels and avoid many of the diseases serious complications, such as heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, eye disease, nerve damage, and/or amputation.