Do you know your ABCs of diabetes?

Editor’s note: This column is part of a monthly submission from the Leamington Area Family Health Team. This week’s topic is diabetes.

Today there are 11 million Canadians living with diabetes. One Canadian is newly diagnosed with diabetes every three minutes. Chances are, diabetes affects you or someone you know.

If you have diabetes, you are at an increased risk for complications including heart disease, eye and kidney disease, nerve damage, and foot problems.

Keeping your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol in a healthy range can help reduce your risk of complications. It is important to learn your diabetes ABCs to know which targets are healthy for you:

“A” stands for “A1c” – A1c is a blood test that shows what your average blood sugar has been for the last 3 months (target is 7.0% or less for most people)

“B” stands for “Blood Pressure” – High blood pressure puts you at risk for heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease (target is less than 130/80 for most people)

“C” stands for “Cholesterol” – High cholesterol can also increase your risk for heart attack, stroke, and other serious problems (target for LDL is 2.0 or less)

“D” stands for “Drugs to Protect your Heart” - Speak with your health care team about medication to protect against heart attack and stroke

“E” stands for “Exercise and Healthy Eating” – Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity aerobic exercise each week and follow a healthy, well balanced diet

“S” stands for “Self Management Support” – Work with your health care team to set SMART goals: Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely

“S” stands for “Screening for Complications” – Regular screening can help detect complications earlier and apply interventions and/or medications to reduce risk of progression

“S” stands for “Smoking Cessation” – Smoking and diabetes increase your risk of damage to blood vessels, which can lead to heart attack and stroke

Why are your ABCs so important? Diabetes accounts for 30% of strokes, 40% of heart attacks, 50% of kidney failure requiring dialysis, and is the leading cause of blindness and non-traumatic lower limb amputations in Canada.

By keeping your diabetes ABCs under control, you can greatly lower your risk for these complications.

Work together with your diabetes team to create a plan to manage your ABCs through medications and lifestyle changes.

Remember: Keep Calm and ask about Diabetes.