Event Series:
American Diabetes Alert Day
American Diabetes Alert Day
March 25
American Diabetes Alert Day®
Thirty-five years ago, The American Diabetes Association established American Diabetes Alert Day to educate and build awareness around this serious health condition. Diabetes affects millions of Americans each year. This annual event is observed on the fourth Tuesday in March. It is a one-day “wake-up call” that focuses on the consequences of diabetes. It also stresses the importance of understanding the risks of this common illness. This awareness day is observed on the fourth Thursday each March.
The blood drop blue and gray awareness pin represents diabetes awareness. We offer this enamel pin on our site. The pin comes in two variations. The first is a non-personalized pin. The second diabetes awareness pin can be engraved with a name, date or message. Personalized Cause was the first awareness pin company that allowed its wearers to engrave one personalized pin at a time. This helps to raise awareness. Raising awareness about diabetes is key to helping diagnose and live with this disease.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a long-lasting health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy. Food is broken down into sugar called glucose. This is then released into the bloodstream to supply the body with energy. When blood sugar rises, it signals the pancreas to release insulin. In turn, insulin assists the glucose to penetrate the cells and supply energy for bodily functions.
Individuals affected with diabetes do not produce enough insulin. Or they cannot use their body’s insulin production normally. Therefore, if excessive sugar stays in the bloodstream, over time this can lead to serious health issues. This includes issues such as heart disease, kidney disease, vascular disease, and loss of vision.
Types of Diabetes
Two types of diabetes exist.
Type 1 diabetes, generally affecting juveniles, can be managed with insulin injections. In addition, it requires frequent monitoring of blood sugar with a healthy diet and exercise to keep it controlled. Generally, it requires some form of insulin to control the illness.
Individuals suffering from Type 2 diabetes can generally prevent the disease by making healthy food and lifestyle choices. Exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, and eating a high fiber diet, are the most beneficial ways to prevent complications of the disease.
Education is Power On American Diabetes Alert Day
Although there is not yet a cure for diabetes, education, lifestyle modification and visits to a primary care physician can help avoid the complication of diabetes.
American Diabetes Alert Day for diabetic education encourages everyone to learn more about this disease. In addition, it assists individuals or their loved ones to prevent the complications of diabetes. According to the ADA there are 7.3 million individuals, 1 in 7 adults, who do not know they have diabetes. Awareness is the first step in combating diabetes mellitus.
A Few Additional Facts for American Diabetes Alert Day
– Nearly one in four adults living with diabetes, or 7.2 million Americans, are unaware that they have the disease.
– Another 84 million Americans have pre-diabetes, a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Nine out of 10 adults with pre-diabetes don’t know they have it.
– If you have a family history of diabetes, you have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes. You are also more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you are over age 45, are overweight, or are not physically active.
– Hispanics/Latinos are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than other races.
The problem with diabetes is, like high blood pressure, and other disorders, you don’t have too many symptoms until your disorder is very uncontrolled. But if you’re very thirsty, fatigued, you’re gaining or losing weight, craving a lot of sugars, and going very frequently to the bathroom, those are all symptoms that you should get checked out.
By checking your blood sugar levels, you can take steps to keep those levels within a normal range.
