National diabetes is being observed this month

This November marks National Diabetes month—a time when awareness is brought to better understand an illness that affects about 30 million Americans as of 2015, which is about 12% of the population.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are a variety of things that can lead to a diagnosis of diabetes, some of which are somewhat ordinary in nature such as:  having an overweight Body Mass Index (BMI), being over 45 years old, having a family history of diabetes, giving birth to a baby weighing nine pounds or more, or having diabetes during the pregnancy stage—which is also referred to as gestational diabetes.

Diabetes, which is a chronic lifelong disease, entails the body’s inability to produce adequate levels of insulin which is critical in the converting of food into energy. This diagnosis lends to the importance to have stringent control over one’s diet both with or without having the aforementioned disease.

During the dieting process, it is recommended by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) to incorporate an ample amount of fruits and vegetables, meat and seafood (lean cuts), low-fat dairy foods and drinks, limiting all grains and breads to whole-grain, and choosing only foods that have diabetic, dietetic or sugar-free food labels.

According to the ADA, San Diego serves over 2 million people who are either have the disease or are designated as prediabetic.

This month, the ADA is hosting an event called the Step Out Walk to Stop Diabetes, which was conceived to help raise money to support diabetes research. The La Quinta Resort & Club will serve as the backdrop for the walk, which has accumulated more than $175,000,000 in over 20 years. The event will begin on Saturday, November 12 from 8:00 a.m. to noon.

Additionally,  registration for the San Diego Tour De Cure will be open for a $15 fee, which begins at the Del Mar Fairgrounds on Saturday, April 29, 2017. The registration fee increases by $5 for every month until the day of the event, so make sure to register as soon as possible. The cycling event can work for both novice and advanced bikers as the course allows for a one mile, 12 miles, 29 miles, 62 miles, and 100 mile routes.