Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease in which your blood glucose, or blood sugar, levels are too high. Glucose comes from the foods you eat. Insulin is a hormone that helps the glucose get into your cells to give them energy. With type 1 diabetes, your body does not make insulin. With type 2 diabetes, the more common type, your body does not make or use insulin well. Without enough insulin, the glucose stays in your blood.

Over time, having too much glucose in your blood can cause serious problems. It can damage your eyes, kidneys, and nerves. Diabetes can also cause heart disease, stroke and even the need to remove a limb. Pregnant women can also get diabetes, called gestational diabetes.

A blood test can show if you have diabetes. Exercise, weight control and sticking to your meal plan can help control your diabetes. You should also monitor your glucose level and take medicine if prescribed.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

HEALTHY YOU!

Obesity

Obesity means having too much body fat. It is different from being overweight, which means weighing too much. The weight may come from muscle, bone, fat, and/or body water. Both terms mean that a person's weight is greater than what's considered healthy for his or her height.

Obesity occurs over time when you eat more calories than you use. The balance between calories-in and calories-out differs for each person. Factors that might affect your weight include your genetic makeup, overeating, eating high-fat foods, and not being physically active.

Being obese increases your risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, and some cancers. If you are obese, losing even 5 to 10 percent of your weight can delay or prevent some of these diseases. For example, that means losing 10 to 20 pounds if you weigh 200 pounds.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

The Annie Grace Foundation, Inc.

Hypertension

Blood pressure is a measurement of the force against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood through your body. Hypertension is another term used to describe high blood pressure. Blood pressure readings are usually given as two numbers -- for example, 120 over 80 (written as 120/80 mmHg). One or both of these numbers can be too high. The top number is called the systolic blood pressure. The bottom number is called the diastolic blood pressure. •Normal blood pressure is when your blood pressure is lower than 120/80 mmHg most of the time. •High blood pressure (hypertension) is when your blood pressure is 140/90 mmHg or above most of the time. •If your blood pressure numbers are 120/80 or higher, but below 140/90, it is called pre-hypertension

Many factors can affect blood pressure, including:

•How much water and salt you have in your body

•The condition of your kidneys, nervous system, or blood vessels

•Your hormone levels

You are more likely to be told your blood pressure is too high as you get older. This is because your blood vessels become stiffer as you age. When that happens, your blood pressure goes up. High blood pressure increases your chance of having a stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney disease, or early death.

You have a higher risk of high blood pressure if:

•You are African American

•You are obese

•You are often stressed or anxious

•You drink too much alcohol (more than one drink per day for women and more than two drinks per day for men)

•You eat too much salt in your diet

•You have a family history of high blood pressure

•You have diabetes

•You smoke

Most of the time, no cause of high blood pressure is found. This is called essential hypertension. High blood pressure that is caused by another medical condition or medication is called secondary hypertension.

Secondary hypertension may be due to:

•Chronic kidney disease

•Disorders of the adrenal gland (such as pheochromocytoma or Cushing syndrome)

•Hyperparathyroidism

•Pregnancy or preeclampsia

•Medications such as birth control pills, diet pills, some cold medicines, and migraine medicines

•Narrowed artery that supplies blood to the kidney (renal artery stenosis)