Diabetes Guide: Resolve To Not Be A Diabetic

Bob Hawkinson, Diabetes Guide Author and lifelong diabetic of 45 years, resolves to not be a diabetic in 2009. "If only it was that easy for everyone!" says Hawkinson. "With an estimated 57 million pre-diabetics in the U.S., at least some folks can have some choice in the matter!"

A new diabetic is diagnosed about every 30 seconds in the U.S. Given the choice, you really don't want to be one of them. 2009 would be a great time to make a commitment to improving your health, exercising more, eating better, and doing your best to avoid the "d" word.

There are currently about 24 million diabetics and 57 million pre-diabetics in America. That means about 1 in 3.7 people is either diabetic or prone to develop the disease. Can you say epidemic?

Diabetes Breaks Down Into A Few Categories That Are The Most Common.

Type 1 Diabetes: Is an autoimmune disease that is estimated to be about 3 million of the 24 million diabetics in the U.S. A person with type 1 must take insulin daily to live. Type 1 Diabetes is not avoided by improved diet or exercise. Those of us who get it just do...a bad hand dealt by genetics.

Type 2 Diabetes: The most common form of diabetes usually associated with older age, family history, obesity, previous gestational diabetes, physical inactivity, and ethnicity. About 80 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight.

Pre-diabetes: These are people who have glucose levels higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetic. This condition can raise the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

Gestational Diabetes: About 3-8 percent of pregnant women in the U.S. develop gestational diabetes late in pregnancy. Although this form usually disappears after the birth of the baby, these women have a 20-50 percent chance of developing type 2 diabetes within 10 years.

"Staying healthy is always a challenge, but why not make a commitment this upcoming year to improve your chances at a healthy life," says Hawkinson.