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Answering the wakeup call
When Arthur Spada, a 75-year-old veteran who resides in Clifton
Park, was diagnosed with pre-diabetes several years ago, he
decided to look at the early warning sign as a positive message to
make healthy lifestyle changes, rather than resign himself to living
with a serious health threat. Until his diagnosis, Spada had no clue
he was suffering from a condition that put him at high risk for diabetes
and heart disease.
It was during his annual physical exam at the Albany VA Medical Center that Spada’s doctor,
Nazir Memon, M.D., noticed his blood sugars were high, a sign of pre-diabetes. When
Dr. Memon told him to change his diet and exercise, Spada knew he had to obey his doctor’s
orders. Spada can repeat them like a mantra to this day.
“Watch your diet, exercise, quit smoking and keep busy,” says Spada, and he continues to
practice what he preaches. So far, Spada has lost about five pounds, which he credits to keeping
active. He makes it a point to walk as well as climb stairs several times a day. He’s cut down
on sugar-based and fatty foods, and he quit smoking. An added bonus: These lifestyle changes
have given him more energy, he says, and his attitude has become more “get up and go.”
He still has an optimistic attitude about his modified lifestyle to keep diabetes at bay and
puts a positive spin on his health: “Pre-diabetes isn’t an ailment that makes you feel sick all of
the time. The world isn’t going to end if you have pre-diabetes. Life goes on.”
Spada is a good example of someone who has benefited from a routine exam—and why
scheduling an annual physical is so important, even if you’re feeling well. Spada proves how
heeding a simple warning about a potentially life-threatening condition can result in a positive
outcome.
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For more information about
pre-diabetes, log on to My Health eVet
at www.myhealth.va.gov.
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Take this warning to heart
You’ve no doubt heard
about the dangers of type 2
diabetes — an increased risk
of heart disease, kidney failure,
blindness and other complications.
Now comes another warning: Prediabetes,
a condition in which your
blood glucose (blood sugar) levels
are higher than normal, usually
precedes the development of type 2
diabetes and increases your risk for
developing other diseases. The
good news: Unlike full-blown diabetes,
pre-diabetes is reversible. By
maintaining a healthy lifestyle, you
can keep diabetes and the toll it
can take on your body at bay.
Are you at risk?
An estimated 41 million people
have pre-diabetes though many are
unaware they have the condition
since it usually has no symptoms.
But damage to your heart and circulatory
system may already be
under way. If you’re overweight
and over age 45, you may be at
risk, so ask your VA health care
provider about a pre-diabetes
screening. If you’re overweight but
younger than 45, your provider
may advise testing if you have any
of these diabetes risk factors:
- a family history
- high blood pressure
- low HDL (good) cholesterol and
high triglycerides
- a history of gestational diabetes
or giving birth to a baby weighing
more than 9 pounds
- being of African-American, Hispanic,
Latino, Native American
or Asian/Pacific Islander descent.
Preventing pre-diabetes
Excess glucose in your bloodstream
damages nerves and blood
vessels. In fact, people who have
pre-diabetes have a 50 percent
higher risk for heart disease or
stroke. Fortunately, research shows
that people at risk for diabetes can
prevent or delay its onset by losing
as little as 5 percent to 7 percent of
their body weight — that’s about 10
to 14 pounds for someone who
weighs 200 pounds. Exercise and
healthy food choices can help you
control your weight.
Eat modest portions of nutritious
food throughout the day rather than
one or two larger meals. Besides
ensuring that excessive hunger
won’t lead to overeating, it will also
help keep blood sugar levels consistent.
Follow a diet that’s high in
fiber and low in sugars, starches
and saturated fats. Balanced meals
should include fresh produce, whole
grains like brown rice and wholewheat
breads and cereals, and
healthy proteins such as low-fat
milk and lean cuts of meat.
Get plenty of exercise — at least
30 minutes a day. Aerobic exercise
like brisk walking, biking, swimming
and running on a treadmill
will help reduce your risk of pre-diabetes.
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