American Diabetes Month

November is American Diabetes Month. This is the time to team up to bring attention to diabetes & take action together as a community! Together, we can conquer this disease; Together, we stand greater than diabetes.

This year’s focus is on taking care of youth who have diabetes. Diabetes is one of the most common chronic conditions in school-age youth in the United States, affecting about 193,000 youth under 20 years old.¹ Regardless of their age, youth who have diabetes should have extra support while caring for and managing their diabetes. It can be immensely helpful to a child or teen to have a plan in place so here are a few tips from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases  to consider for your youth’s diabetes self-care plan.²

• Manage blood glucose levels. Make sure your child or teen takes their medicines as prescribed, at the right time, and the right dose—even when they feel good or have reached their blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol goals.
• Encourage healthy habits. Follow a healthy eating plan (especially if your youth is taking insulin), get enough sleep, and aim for regular physical activity. Youth with type 1 diabetes should also check their blood glucose levels before, during, or after physical activity.
• Stay prepared for emergencies. A basic “go-kit” could include
• medical supplies and equipment (at least a week’s worth)
• emergency and health care professional contact lists
• a medication list, including doses and dosing schedules, and an allergy list
• Face coverings, hand sanitizer, and disinfecting wipes may also be added to your “go-kit” during a pandemic.
• Monitor for diabetes complications. Early diagnosis and treatment can help reduce risk for heart disease, vision loss, nerve damage, and other related health problems.
• Seek mental health support. Encourage them to connect with other youth who have diabetes. Youth may not be used to talking about feeling anxious or alone about their diabetes. Speak with your health care team for help.

We want those suffering with Diabetes to THRIVE, not just survive. There are healthy steps that can be made to help manage diabetes. Now is the time to thrive by taking strides towards proper nutrition, physical activity/exercise, and mental health management.

Microgreens are characterized by high content of carotenoids and chlorophylls, and organic acid, without any sugars, exhibiting high anti-diabetic and anti-cholinergic activity. Some microgreens (radish & kale were included in this study) should be used daily as superfoods or functional food.³

Young broccoli greens contain many bioactive compounds, including sulforaphane. Supplementation of type 2 diabetics with high sulforaphane content young broccoli greens can result in increased total antioxidant capacity of plasma and in decreased oxidative stress index, lipid peroxidation, serum triglycerides, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL)/LDL-cholesterol ratio, serum insulin, insulin resistance, and serum high-sensitive C-reactive protein. Sulforaphane could prevent nephropathy, diabetes-induced fibrosis, and vascular complications. Potential efficacy of sulforaphane and probably other bioactive components of young broccoli greens makes it as an excellent choice for supplementary treatment in type 2 diabetes.⁴

Although various herbs are reported to possess antidiabetic activity, a significant amount of research and traditional usage suggests that Fenugreek is among the best in terms of safety and efficacy. Seeds of Fenugreek are a rich source of fiber and have multiple benefits in patients with diabetes. Research in the past two decades has shown that Fenugreek seeds help to lower blood glucose in patients with diabetes. Its role as an antidiabetic, by reducing fasting blood glucose levels and improved glucose tolerance in human subjects was reported.⁵

This November, stand with us in honor of American Diabetes Month®. Your support is so important because too many of those who live with Diabetes can’t afford the care they need to manage it. When we stand together, we stand greater than diabetes. Join us in the fight for the millions living with diabetes!

Sources:

1. Pettitt, David J et al. “Prevalence of diabetes in U.S. youth in 2009: the SEARCH for diabetes in youth study.” Diabetes care vol. 37,2 (2014): 402-8. doi:10.2337/dc13-1838
2. Griffin P. Rodgers, M.D., M.A.C.P. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney DiseasesHealth Information Center
3. Wojdyło A, Nowicka P, Tkacz K, Turkiewicz IP. Sprouts vs. Microgreens as Novel Functional Foods: Variation of Nutritional and Phytochemical Profiles and Their In vitro Bioactive Properties. Molecules. 2020; 25(20):4648.
4. Bahadoran, Zahra et al. “Potential efficacy of broccoli sprouts as a unique supplement for management of type 2 diabetes and its complications.” Journal of medicinal food vol. 16,5 (2013): 375-82. doi:10.1089/jmf.2012.2559
5. Gaddam, Arpana et al. “Role of Fenugreek in the prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus in prediabetes.” Journal of diabetes and metabolic disorders vol. 14 74. 2 Oct. 2015, doi:10.1186/s40200-015-0208-4