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Number 5: Diabetes |
27% of older adults were treated for diabetes last year– a disease that occurs when your body is resistant to, or doesn’t produce enough, insulin. Insulin is what your body uses to get energy from food, and distribute it to your cells. When this doesn’t happen, you get high blood sugar, which can lead to complications such as kidney disease, heart disease, or blindness. Chances of having diabetes increases after age 45.
To keep you from developing diabetes or to manage this condition, your doctor may suggest:
- Eating a healthy diet, including monitoring your carbohydrate and calorie intake, and talking to your doctor about alcohol consumption
- Exercising for 30 minutes five times a week to keep your blood glucose levels in check, and to control weight gain
- Safely losing 5-7% of body weight if you are diagnosed with pre-diabetes
