Outliving Diabetes

On first reaction, the diagnosis of diabetes may hit like a death sentence. It doesn't have to be one.

A book, Know Your Numbers, Outlive Your Diabetes: 5 Essential Health Factors You Can Master to Enjoy a Long and Healthy Life (Avalon Publishing Group, 2007), by Richard Jackson, MD, and Amy Tenderich, advocates a do-it-yourself approach. The book offers easy-to-understand information, tables, anecdotes and action plans aimed mainly at people with Type 2 diabetes.

"Think of yourself and your diabetes as a small business," advises Tenderich, a journalist who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2003. "You manage it; your health care providers are your consultants."

Tenderich and Jackson, director of outreach at the Joslin Diabetes Center and assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, encourage diabetics to know the key numbers from various simple blood tests and other noninvasive tests to monitor their health. The five essential health factors are:

A1C. This reflects average blood glucose values over three months. It should be checked every three months.

Blood pressure. This helps to assess a potential threat to cardiovascular health and should be checked at least every six months.

Lipids. LDL (bad) cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol and triglycerides are different kinds of fats that circulate in blood. Tests can detect increased risk of heart disease and strokes. Annual testing is recommended.

Microalbumin. The test detects small amounts of the protein albumin, which leaks into urine when the kidneys are being damaged. Annual testing is recommended.

Eye exam. Diabetes, if not managed properly, can lead to eye damage or blindness. Having eye health assessed by an ophthalmologist can catch potential problems in time to correct them. Annual testing is recommended.

And, of course, there are the blood glucose monitors that diabetics are advised to keep with them at all times.

There is no one-size-fits-all treatment. Tenderich explains, "The numbers on the tests will indicate where you need to readjust your diet or lifestyle."

She stresses, "There is no need to fear diabetes. If caught early, the damage the disease can cause may be reversed or avoided completely."