This document outlines 4 key steps to control diabetes for life: 1) Learn about diabetes, its types, symptoms, and health risks. 2) Know your "ABCs" - A1C, blood pressure, and cholesterol goals to reduce heart and kidney risks. 3) Manage your diabetes through healthy eating, exercise, medicines, and daily self-care like foot checks. 4) Get routine care with your doctor twice yearly including full physical and screening tests.

1. ESL Health Care Training
Instructors: Alisa Drury
& Patty Dumdeang

2. 4 STEPS TO CONTROL YOUR
DIABETES FOR LIFE

3. STEP ONE: Learn about diabetes.
STEP TWO: Know your diabetes ABCs.
STEP THREE: Mange your diabetes.
STEP FOUR: Get routine care.
Diabetes is a serious disease. It affects almost every part of the body.
Four key steps will help you control your diabetes and live a long and activ
life.

4. Step 1 : Learn about diabetes
 Diabetes means that your blood glucose (blood sugar) is
too high. There are two main types of diabetes.
 Type 1 diabetes: Your pancreas does not make insulin.
Insulin is hormone that helps glucose get into your cells to
give them food for energy. Without insulin, too much glucose
stays in your blood. People with type 1 need to take insulin
every day.
 Type 2 diabetes: is the chronic disease marked by high levels
of sugar in the blood. It begin when the body doesn’t respond
correctly to insulin, a hormone released by the pancreas. Type
2 is the most common form of diabetes.
All people with diabetes need to eat healthy foods, stay at a
healthy weight, and be active every day.

5. Type 1: Possible symptoms include :
•Abnormal pain
•Increased urination that is caused from the high level of glucose in the
blood. Also, it leads to excessive thirst
•Fatigue
•Weight loss despite increased appetite
Type 2: Often people with type II diabetes have no symptoms. If you have
symptoms they may include:
•Blurred vision
•Frequent or slow-healing infections
•Increased urination
•Increased thirst
•Increased appetite
SYMPTOMS

6. Taking good care of diabetes will help you feel better and avoid the
health problems such as:
- Heart disease and stroke
- Eye disease that can lead to vision
problems
or even going blind.
- Nerve damage that can
cause impaired sensation or pain
in hand or feet. Also, it can cause
lower-extremity amputations.
- Kidney problems (end-stage renal disease).
- Gum disease and loss
of teeth.

7. Age 45 or older
Overweight or
activity less than
three times a week
Have families with
diabetes
Have high blood
pressure or low HDL
(good cholesterol)
and high level of
blood fats
Have had diabetes
when pregnant or
gave birth to a big
baby (over 9 pounds)

8. Prevalence of Lifestyle Risk Factors
2007Diabetes affects more than 23
million Americans and
contributes to almost 234,000
deaths a year.
Approximately 321,246 adults
in South Carolinian are
diagnosed with diabetes.
African Americans have twice
more prevalence than Whites.
Major behavioral risk factors,
such as overweight, physical
inactivity, and unhealthy diet,
are partially responsible for
development of type 2
diabetes.
An estimated 3594 adults
(12.3% of adults) in Colleton
County suffer annually from
Diabetes.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
US
SC
Colleton
%of
population

9. Step 2 : Know your diabetes ABCs
 Manage your A (blood glucose or sugar), Blood pressure, and
Cholesterol. This will help lower your chances of having a
heart attack, a stroke, or other diabetes problems. These are
called the ABCs of diabetes.
is for the blood test
It shows how well your blood
glucose has been controlled over
the last 3 months.
The goal for most people is less than 7
High blood glucose levels can harm your
kidneys, feet, and eyes.

10. Bis for blood pressure.
The goal for most people is 130/80.
High blood pressure makes your heart
work too hard. It can cause heart attack, stroke, and kidney
disease.
Cis for cholesterol.
The LDL goal for most people is less than 100.
LDL, also called bad cholesterol (low-density
lipoprotein), can build up and clog your blood
vessels. It can cause a heart attack or a stroke.

11. Step 3: Manage your diabetes
Follow your diabetes food plan.
Eat the right portions of healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables (5 to 9
servings a day), fish, lean meats, dry beans, whole grains, and low-fat or skim milk
and cheese.
Eat foods that have less salt and fat. Stay at a healthy weight – by being active
and eating the right amounts of healthy foods.
Get 30 to 60 minutes of activity on most days of the week.
Stop smoking.
Take medicines the way your doctor tells you. Ask if you need Aspirin to prevent
heart attack or stroke.
Check your feet, brush your teeth and floss every day. Also, check your blood
glucose the way your doctor tells you.

12. Step 4: Get routine care
See your doctor or get health team care at least twice a
year
to find and treat problems early. Follow this plan:At each visit get: Two times each
year get:
One each year
get:
At least once get:
Blood pressure
check
A (blood glucose)
check
Cholesterol check Pneumonia shot
Weight check Dental exam Eye exam
Foot check Foot exam
Urine and blood
test to check for
kidney problems
Flu shot

13. Be Smart about
your HEART/
Control the
ABCs of
DIABETES