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Take Charge of Your Health: Preventing and Managing Diabetes

By David Wise

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By Sheldon Riklon, M.D.

Diabetes is one of the most significant public health concerns in the United States. About 38 million U.S. adults have a diabetes diagnosis, and about 97 million more are prediabetic. In recognition of National Diabetes Awareness Month, let’s take a moment to learn about how you can prevent or manage diabetes to live a healthier life.

Understanding Diabetes

Diabetes is a long-term health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy.

When you eat, your body breaks down food and turns it into sugar or glucose, which enters your bloodstream. As your blood sugar rises, your pancreas releases insulin — a hormone that helps turn the glucose into energy.

If you have diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use it properly. This causes sugar to build up in your blood, leading to serious health problems like heart disease, stroke, vision loss, nerve damage and kidney disease.

There are several different types of diabetes, including:

  • Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune condition in which your body attacks healthy cells in your pancreas, making your pancreas unable to produce insulin. People with Type 1 diabetes must take insulin regularly to survive.
  • Type 2 Diabetes is the most common form, making up 90–95% of all diagnosed cases. With Type 2 diabetes, your body makes insulin but doesn’t use it effectively (a condition known as insulin resistance). Type 2 diabetes often develops over time and is linked to lifestyle factors such as diet, physical activity and weight.
  • Gestational Diabetes develops when your body can’t make enough insulin during pregnancy. It usually goes away after childbirth, but it does increase both the mother’s and the baby’s risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.
  • Prediabetes means your blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diabetes diagnosis. However, it’s a serious warning sign of an increased risk for Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

Steps Toward Better Health

Managing diabetes takes time, effort and support, but small lifestyle changes can make a big difference.

  1. Know Your Risks

You are more likely to develop diabetes if you are inactive, obese, are 35 or older, or have prediabetes.

  1. Manage Your Blood Glucose, Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Levels

Knowing your blood sugar levels helps you stay on track and adjust your diet, physical activity and medication as needed.

  1. Creating Healthy Habits

Lifestyle changes like planning healthy meals, being physically active, not smoking and getting enough sleep can help prevent or manage diabetes. But remember, you don’t have to do all these things at once. Start slow and build healthy habits each day.

  1. Reach or Maintain a Healthy Weight

Physical activity helps your body use insulin more effectively and keeps your blood sugar in check. It also lowers your risk of heart disease, boosts your mood and reduces stress.

  1. Take Medications as Prescribed

Even when you feel good, continue taking your diabetes medications consistently. They play a vital role in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.

  1. Join a Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) Program

DSMES programs provide the knowledge, skills and support you need to manage diabetes effectively. Participants work one-on-one with a diabetes educator to create personalized care plans and learn practical skills such as:

  • Healthy eating and meal planning
  • Staying active
  • Taking medications properly
  • Monitoring blood sugar
  • Reducing complications
  • Problem-solving and coping strategies

The Institute for Community Health Innovation partners with pharmacies across Arkansas to offer accredited DSMES programs. You can view the full list of pharmacies at communityhealth.uams.edu.

Most insurance plans, including Medicaid, cover DSMES programs for people diagnosed with diabetes. To find a DSMES program near you, visit diabetes.org.

Whether you’re living with diabetes or trying to prevent it, small steps can lead to big changes. By eating well, staying active and seeking support, you can take control of your health and reduce your risk of serious complications.

Sheldon Riklon, M.D., is a professor in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and a co-investigator with the UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation.