Taking steps toward better health is key to a better life. Attending Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center’s Live Well Lunch & Learn seminars in 2009 is a smart step in the right direction. Saint Mary’s is partnering with several area physicians this year to provide this series of community wellness fairs, offering health screenings and information on current health topics.
Saint Mary’s looks forward to providing the River Valley these educational opportunities to learn more about maintaining good health and living well. Other upcoming 2009 Live Well Lunch & Learn topics will include high blood pressure, peripheral vascular disease (PVD), bone density, mammography, colonoscopy and prostate health.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Diabetes Live Well Seminar
The first of the series took place Wednesday, February 25 in the Saint Mary’s annex. Blood glucose screenings were offered, along with nutritional information and consultation with clinicians from Saint Mary’s Outpatient Therapy Center. Dr. Finley Turner, a family practice physician with Millard Henry Clinic and Saint Mary’s, presented on Metabolic Syndrome & Diabetes.See his presentation here.
Facts About Diabetes
According to the American Diabetes Association, there are 23.6 million children and adults in the United States, or 7.8% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 17.9 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately, 5.7 million people (or nearly one quarter) are unaware that they have the disease.
In Arkansas, diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death. Eight to ten percent of the population in each of Pope, Conway and Yell counties lives with the disease.
The term "metabolic syndrome" has been widely used in research to refer to a combination of related health factors that, when they appear together, create a higher risk for type 2 diabetes, stroke and cardiovascular disease. The value of the term is that it alerts both patient and physician that heart disease and diabetes, two seemingly disparate ailments, actually share common triggers.
“If you have metabolic syndrome or any of the components of metabolic syndrome, you have the opportunity to make aggressive lifestyle changes,” said Dr. Turner. “Making these changes can delay or derail the development of serious diseases.”
Most people with diabetes have health problems - or risk factors - such as high blood pressure and cholesterol that increase one's risk for heart disease and stroke. When combined with diabetes, these risk factors add up to big trouble. With diabetes, you are two to four times more likely to die of a heart attack. In fact, more than 65% of people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke. In the U.S., diabetes is also the leading cause of blindness in people ages 20 – 74, kidney failure and limb amputation. It is easy to become overwhelmed by diabetes and all that comes along with it, but it is possible to break that mind set and realize that preventing diabetes, or living successfully with the disease is achievable.
In Arkansas, diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death. Eight to ten percent of the population in each of Pope, Conway and Yell counties lives with the disease.
The term "metabolic syndrome" has been widely used in research to refer to a combination of related health factors that, when they appear together, create a higher risk for type 2 diabetes, stroke and cardiovascular disease. The value of the term is that it alerts both patient and physician that heart disease and diabetes, two seemingly disparate ailments, actually share common triggers.
“If you have metabolic syndrome or any of the components of metabolic syndrome, you have the opportunity to make aggressive lifestyle changes,” said Dr. Turner. “Making these changes can delay or derail the development of serious diseases.”
Most people with diabetes have health problems - or risk factors - such as high blood pressure and cholesterol that increase one's risk for heart disease and stroke. When combined with diabetes, these risk factors add up to big trouble. With diabetes, you are two to four times more likely to die of a heart attack. In fact, more than 65% of people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke. In the U.S., diabetes is also the leading cause of blindness in people ages 20 – 74, kidney failure and limb amputation. It is easy to become overwhelmed by diabetes and all that comes along with it, but it is possible to break that mind set and realize that preventing diabetes, or living successfully with the disease is achievable.
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