Live Well Newsletter | November 2023
American Diabetes Month
November is American Diabetes Month. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that over 37 million American adults have diabetes, and 1 in 5 don’t know they have it.
Diabetes is a medical condition that alters how your body processes nutrients for energy. The food you consume is converted into sugar, known as glucose, which is then released into your bloodstream. When blood sugar levels rise, your pancreas secretes insulin, enabling the absorption of blood sugar into your body’s cells to serve as a source of energy. In the case of diabetes, an individual either produces insufficient insulin or cannot utilize insulin effectively. The following are the two types of diabetes:
Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas fails to generate adequate insulin.
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the cells don’t respond adequately to insulin, known as insulin resistance.
Contact your health care professional to have your blood sugar levels tested.
Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes
According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes often goes undetected because its initial symptoms seem harmless. The following are symptoms of Type 2 diabetes to watch for:
Increased thirst and frequent urination
Extreme hunger
Weight loss
Blurred vision
Fatigue
Slow-healing sores or frequent infections
Patches of dark skin in folds and creases of the body
Numbness or tingling in hands and feet
For more information, contact the American Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.org.
Drowsy Driving Prevention Week
Drowsy Driving Prevention Week is Nov. 5-11. This week, the National Sleep Foundation encourages people to prioritize their sleep and drive only when fully awake and well-rested.
Tips to Prevent Drowsy Driving
Drowsy driving is dangerously common. In fact, drowsy driving causes thousands of car crashes each year and results in an estimated 6,400 deaths in the U.S. alone, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Drowsy driving is preventable by taking necessary precautions. Use the following tips to reduce the risk of falling asleep behind the wheel:
Get a sufficient amount of sleep. The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7-9 hours a night for adults and 8-10 hours for teens.
Know the signs of drowsy driving. Stop driving if you’re struggling to focus, keep your head up, stay in your lane or keep your eyes open.
Be careful taking medication. Check with a health care professional and read the warnings on medication bottles for any potential side effects of medications you take that could make driving dangerous.
Plan long trips with a partner. A driving companion can watch for signs of fatigue, keep you alert and take shifts behind the wheel.
Avoid driving from midnight to 6 a.m. and in the late afternoon. If you must drive during these peak times of sleepiness, be extra vigilant for signs of drowsiness.
Following safe driving advice can contribute to your safety and the safety of others when driving.
Tips for Adjusting to Daylight Saving Timing
Daylight saving time is a one-hour clock adjustment observed by most of the U.S. It begins in March and ends in November. Clocks are set back an hour the first Sunday in November, which is Nov. 5 this year. Follow these guidelines to adjust to the change in time and having less daylight hours:
Practice health sleep habits by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.
Use exercise to boost your mood and energy.
Change clocks promptly.
Stick to established mealtimes.
This newsletter is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical purposes. © 2023 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.