Women At Risk For Diabetes

One third of the nine million women who have diabetes do not know it, are not getting treatment, and are at risk of serious problems.

With a package of three publications from the Federal Citizen Information Center and the US Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Women’s Health, is information on the facts of this condition, its symptoms, and how to manage it. The package contains information to assess individual risk for diabetes, and a checklist to help manage diabetes medications –– learn when to take them, and if they have any side effects. Also included are tasty recipes for healthy meals.

It may not sound like losing weight without trying is a bad thing –– but it can be a symptom of diabetes. Other symptoms include frequent urination, being hungry or thirsty all the time, blurred vision, cuts and/or bruises that are slow to heal, feeling tired most of the time, and tingling and/or numbness in the hands or feet. Most people with diabetes do not notice the signs. But if you have any of these symptoms, ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist if you need a diabetes test.

Diabetes changes the way your body uses food, affecting its ability to produce or respond to insulin. The food you eat turns to sugar, which your blood takes all over the body. Insulin helps get sugar from the blood into the body for energy. So when your body does not get the fuel it needs, your blood sugar stays high. High blood sugar can result in kidney problems, blindness, stroke, and heart attacks.

The good news is diabetes can be managed. Learn more with the Diabetes and Women package. There are three easy ways to get the free publications: Call toll-free 888-8-PUEBLO (888-878-3256), weekdays 8 am to 8 pm and ask for the Diabetes & Women package; send your name and address to Diabetes & Women, Pueblo, CO 81009; or visit www.pueblo.gsa.gov and read or print out these and hundreds of federal publications for free.