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Dry-cleaning workers better protected under EPA chemical ban; Homeland Security shares new details of mysterious drone flights over New Jersey; New law seeks to change how state legislature vacancies are filled; MN joins the carbon capture pipeline wave with permit approval.

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Biden carries out the largest ever single-day act of clemency, voting rights advocates raise alarm over Trump's pick to lead Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, and election denier Kari Lake is tapped to lead Voice of America.

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Conservative voters surprised pundits by casting election votes for Trump but also against school vouchers, Pennsylvania's Black mayors work to unite their communities, and America's mental health providers try new techniques.

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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