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How To Reduce The Risk Of Diabetes And Heartdisease

Diabetes and heart disease are among the leading diseases in Americans today. These diseases sometimes occur in some people because they do not take care of themselves. Other times they occur because of genetics. Diabetes and heart disease can be genetically imprinted in a person’s genetic makeup that makes that person more prone to get these diseases. While these people are more prone to get heart disease and diabetes because of their genetic makeup, healthy eating and exercise can reduce the risk of developing these diseases. {text:bookmark-start} Diabetes is a disease that can get out of control very fast if it is not properly cared for. Diabetes is caused when glucose is not broken down in the body. Normally, the food we eat is broken down into glucose, which is a form of sugar. The glucose passes into the bloodstream, where it is used by cells for growth and energy. For cells to use glucose, however, insulin must be present. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, a large gland behind the stomach. If the insulin isn't present, or if the cells don't respond to it, the glucose stays in the bloodstream, causing a rise in the blood sugar or blood glucose level. When blood sugar levels are too high it is called hyperglycemia; when blood sugar levels fall too low it is called hypoglycemia. Symptoms of diabetes include excessive thirst, frequent urination, blurry vision, tingling or numbness in the hands and feet, unexplained weight loss, and extreme tiredness or irritability.(OSF Healthcare, 2008) Diabetes is a disease that can get out of control very fast if it is not properly cared for. Many Americans do not know that they even have the disease and they do not find out until it is already too late to prevent it. For those that already have diabetes, “eating healthy can help control your blood sugar, and prevent or reduce complications of the disease.” (WebMD, 2005, p.2) If a person does not already have diabetes, a healthy diet can help to reduce the...