By: Christeena Haynes, MS, RD, LD, Nutrition and Health Education Specialist, Dallas County, University of Missouri Extension
November is American Diabetes Month®, making it a good time to become more aware of this epidemic. According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly 26 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes, and another 79 million Americans have pre-diabetes and are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes is a disease that affects the way our body uses energy from food. Normally, in someone without diabetes, carbohydrates are digested as glucose, or sugar, when food is eaten. Our bodies’ cells need glucose for energy. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, acts as a key to open cells and allow glucose to enter the cells…
To learn more about diabetes, including the different forms and the diet and lifestyle changes that could prevent or delay it, see the full version of this article at http://missourifamilies.org/features/nutritionarticles/nut440.htm
