DIABETES & YOUR BODY

Author

Freedom Health- Venice

Posted on

Jul 25, 2023

Book/Edition

Florida - Sarasota, Bradenton & Charlotte Counties

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Although Diabetes is a chronic illness, it can be managed. Diabetes affects the way your body uses the sugar from the foods you eat. Signs and symptoms of Diabetes often present slowly. It may take years for you to become aware of the condition. You should see your doctor on a regular basis to help you stay healthy.

Some signs and symptoms of Diabetes are:

- increased thirst.
- increase in urine output.
- being tired.
- blurry vision.
- slow to heal sores.
- frequent infections.
- darkened skin in your armpits and neck.

As you get older, your chances of becoming a diabetic increase especially after the age of 45. As people get older, they tend to exercise less, lose muscle, and gain weight. Increased age along with decreased activity increases the chance of developing diabetes. Being overweight is also a risk factor for developing diabetes.

A healthy lifestyle can help reduce your chance of developing diabetes. If you already have diabetes, then a healthy lifestyle can help you to control the disease.
A healthy lifestyle can help reduce the likelihood of developing nerve damage, vision problems, slow healing wounds, or prolonged infections.

Consider getting active, joining a gym, or contacting your Health Plan to ask about the Silver Sneakers membership benefit. Consult your doctor when starting any exercise program. Your doctor can help direct you on what level of activity is best suited for your health. Eating healthy foods will also be helpful in controlling the harmful effects of diabetes. Please speak to your doctor regarding healthy foods that are specific to your needs.

Your Health Plan is available to help you in controlling
your diabetes. The Health Plan has Nurses on staff that are available to assist you in identifying proper foods
and exercise routines that can keep you feeling great. In addition, some members qualify for over-the-counter medication and including diabetic test strips. This can help with your out-of-pocket expenses.

Catch Problems Early with Preventive Health Screenings

Preventive health tests can give us information about your health. These tests can find health problems early, before they become serious. Your Plan adopts preventive health standards for our members. These standards are based on nationally recognized standards of care. We provide these guidelines to our members to help you stay current with preventive health screenings and tests. Every year we review the standards and update them as needed. Our Quality Committee approves the changes to our recommendations. Throughout the year, we send information to our members about various preventive screenings that are recommended. We let our network doctors know what preventive health standards we have adopted on a regular basis.

Recommendations may be based on age and gender. They can also be based on other risk factors and health conditions. Some examples of preventive health standards that are recommended include colorectal cancer screening, high blood pressure screening, and breast cancer screening in women.

Find out what preventive health standards will benefit you, by taking the following steps:

  1. Review the preventive health recommendations that are posted on our website. (The link is listed below.)

  2. Find out which ones are relevant to you, based on your age, gender, and risk factors.

3. Talk with your doctor about your preventive Health Plan. Agree on what tests you should have and how often.

4. Then don’t forget to schedule your screenings and put the dates on your calendar.

Be sure to talk with your doctor about changes in your lifestyle based on the results of your preventive health tests.

To see the Plan’s most up to date preventive health standards and a helpful Member Guide for Preventive Services, please visit our website at:

www.freedomhealth.com
g About UsgUtilization & Quality gQuality ManagementgPreventive Health Information

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Medicare Insurance 12145 Mercado Drive, Venice, Florida, 34293

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