As pointed out by the French Association of Diabetics, which is at the origin of this 2and National Diabetes Prevention Week, “diabetes is characterized by high blood sugar levels. This hyperglycemia is linked to a malfunction of the pancreas. If it is poorly controlled or if it is not detected, diabetes deteriorates the functioning of vital organs and leads to serious health problems. “.
To date, 3.5 million people are affected by this disease and 400 new cases appear every day. But as diabetes evolves silently, doctors think that in France, 700,000 people are diabetic without knowing it. However, diabetes can have serious consequences: it is the leading cause of amputations (excluding accidents) with 8,000 cases per year in France. It is also the 2nd cause of cardiovascular accidents and 25% of cases of diseases destroying the kidneys are attributable to it. Finally, diabetes is the leading cause of blindness after the age of 65, with more than 1,000 cases of diabetic retinopathy per year.
Diabetes: how to protect yourself
The first prevention involves the plate. The main guidelines for eating well:
Make 3 meals a day and eat at regular times. This allows you to better manage your hunger and avoid “cravings”, sources of snacking.
Limit the consumption of sugary products and very fatty foods. Choose good quality fats.
Consume with every meal : fruits and vegetables, protein foods, starches, dairy products, water, in appropriate proportions.
Add to these good eating habits, half an hour of physical activity a day, and you will put all the chances on your side not to suffer from diabetes.
And to find out if you are not diabetic without knowing it, answer the short questionnaire that the French Association of Diabetics has put online (www.contrelediabete.fr) on the occasion of this national diabetes prevention week. It will take you less than a minute and will allow you to better understand your risk potential.
