Diabetes: A rampant and devastating disease

Diabetes is a lifelong disease marked by high levels of sugar in the blood. It can affect your heart, kidneys and eyes, and is the number one cause for amputation and blindness. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in every 10 Americans now suffers from diabetes, and as many as one in every three Americans could have diabetes by midcentury. Many Americans are not even aware they have diabetes.

November is National Diabetes month, a designation intended to raise the awareness of this disease and its serious complications.

UnitedHealthcare offers an online video series to help educate viewers about the disease and what can be done to manage it.

To view the three-part UnitedHealthcare videos, log on to:

www.diabetes.uhc4health.com

UnitedHealthcare also offers — free of charge to railroad members — additional resources and coaching as to proper nutrition and exercise to help manage diabetes. To reach a UnitedHealthcare nurse, call toll free, (888) 315-7524.

Those not covered under a UnitedHealthcare plan should contact their health care plan administrator for additional information.

Also providing information is the website of the American Diabetes Association at:

www.diabetes.org

Here are additional resources:

* Request a free copy of, “Top Five Ways to Stop Diabetes and Get Healthy Right Now” and/or “What Can I Eat,” by calling toll-free, (800) DIABETES.

* Go to www.stopdiabetes.com and click on, “Get tips to survive the holidays and other celebrations in the New Year” and other printable information articles.

* Go to www.facebook.com/AmericanDiabetesAssociation

* Twitter www.twitter.com/AmDiabetesAssn