May is National Older Americans Month and this year’s theme has a special emphasis on the “power of connection and engagement.” Making and keeping connections as you age is important for your overall health. Whether that connection is physical, emotional, social, or health related – they’re all beneficial. Connecting the dots on your health means keeping track of your well-being.
These days that’s relatively easy. Fitness trackers do more than just track your steps. They can do everything from keeping track of your heart rate to measuring your glucose levels. (Here are the best fitness trackers according to PCMag, and here are other suggestions the NY Times made earlier this year.)
Are you on board? Great! We all agree that monitoring our health as we age is a smart idea. Now, what exactly should we be looking out for?
Signs that your prediabetes has become type 2 diabetes:
- Increased thirst
- Frequent urination
- Excess hunger
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
Tips for preventing type 2 diabetes:
- Eating healthy foods
- Getting at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity a week, or about 30 minutes on most days of the week
- Losing excess weight
- Controlling your blood pressure and cholesterol
- Quitting smoking
High blood pressure and strokes can raise your risk of developing diabetes or could be worsened by the onset of type 2 diabetes.
Signs that you may have high blood pressure:
Unfortunately, there are not any specific signs. That’s why high blood pressure is often called the “silent killer.” Blood pressure levels cannot be ignored because you are waiting for a certain symptom or sign to alert you. Act now and have it checked!
Tips for lowering your blood pressure:
- Getting regular physical activity
- Reducing your salt intake
- Adding more potassium to your diet
- Eating foods that are high in potassium, such as: bananas, melons, oranges, avocados, tomatoes, milk, yogurt, cream cheese, leafy greens, potatoes, sweet potatoes, tuna, salmon, beans, nuts and seeds
- Limiting the amount of alcohol you consume
- Reducing your stress
Signs that you may be experiencing a stroke:
- Vision problems in one or both eyes
- Dizziness or loss of balance; difficulty walking
- Confusion
- Problems speaking or understanding what other people are saying
- Severe headaches without warning or explanation
For women, there can be other unique signs:
- Pain in the face or legs
- Hiccups
- Nausea
- Feeling weak all over
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Rapid heartbeat
Stroke professionals say that 80% of strokes are preventable with lifestyle changes such as:
- Taking blood pressure medication as prescribed by your doctor
- Controlling cholesterol levels with statin medications
- Taking medication to prevent dangerous clotting
- Making heart-healthy lifestyle changes, like eating a diet low in animal fat, losing weight, exercising, and quitting smoking
- Treating type 2 diabetes because it more than doubles the risk of stroke
- Drinking only moderately because too much alcohol consumption greatly increases the risk of having a stroke, particularly in women
- Following a healthy sleep routine because sleep disorders are associated with an increased risk of stroke
Visit Prevent Diabetes for more information on how this diabetes prevention program can help you or someone you love.
Another way to stay connected and keep healthy is with us. We’ve partnered with the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) to offer the National Diabetes Prevention Program. This program includes both telehealth and digital care services, including video and online programming. You can also contact us at 1-844-326-3043 between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., MST, Monday through Friday or email us at preventdiabetes@trhc.com.* The National Diabetes Prevention Program is offered by Tabula Rasa HealthCare and the APhA Foundation and is funded by the CDC.
*Please do not send personal health information to preventdiabetes@trhc.com. We take your confidentiality seriously.