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Tuesday, December 24, 2024

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Bill Clinton is hospitalized for observation and testing after developing a fever; Biden commutes most federal death sentences before Trump takes office; Proposed post office 'slowdown' threatens rural Americans; Report: Tax credits shrink poverty for NM kids, families; Tiny plastic pieces enter the body in ways you'd never think of.

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Biden commutes the sentences of most federal death row inmates, the House Ethics Committee says former Rep. Gaetz may have committed statutory rape, and the national archivist won't certify the ERA without congressional approval.

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Tips to prevent, manage diabetes in AL

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Wednesday, November 20, 2024   

Over a half-million adults in Alabama live with diabetes - that's roughly 15% of the state's adult population. Each year, another 23,000 people in Alabama are newly diagnosed. And more than 1.5 million adults in the state are affected by obesity. It's a dangerous combination.

Dr. Griffin Rodgers, director of the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, explains that diabetes, if left unmanaged, can lead to severe health complications.

"Diabetes can damage blood vessels and nerves, so the patients that have it have a higher risk of developing conditions like a heart attack or a stroke; diseases of the kidneys and the eyes and the teeth, as well as the lower extremities," he said.

Diabetes and obesity come with a hefty price tag, costing Alabamians an estimated $6 billion in medical expenses and lost productivity per year. To tackle the issue, nearly $5 million dollars in federal funding has been invested this year to support diabetes research and prevention programs across the state.

Rodgers said a healthy diet is a major part of managing or preventing diabetes. He suggested eating plenty of fresh produce, whole grains and lean proteins like fish - and cutting back on sugary drinks by choosing water instead. Regular exercise and seven to eight hours of sleep each night are also important.

"On the physical activity side, 30 minutes a day, five days a week for most adults is what's
generally recommended. Just walking. And if you can't do the 30 minutes all at one time, breaking it into either two 15, or three 10-minute intervals is sufficient," he continued.

Early signals that diabetes could be a problem include frequent urination, constant thirst or hunger, fatigue, blurry vision, nausea, unexpected weight loss, or tingling in your hands and feet. Rodgers said managing diabetes can be as simple as focusing on the "ABCs" of care: Checking A1C, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and quitting smoking.


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