Wiregrass Seniors Magazine January 2019 JANUARY ISSUE | Page 19

WiregrassSeniorsMagazine.com
6 Simple Tips For
Thriving With Diabetes
Page 19
(BPT) - Randy Jackson is best known as an award-
winning producer, music industry expert and beloved
television personality. But what many people don't
know is that Jackson has also been managing the
everyday reality of living with diabetes for 18 years.
extra attention to the products I use. That's why I
use Colgate Total toothpaste. Its unique formula is
unsurpassed for its ability to prevent and reverse
gingivitis, which is the most common form of gum
disease.
More than 30 million Americans live with diabetes,
according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC). Whether that's you or someone
you care for, it's clear that diabetes impacts many
daily decisions. While everyday life with diabetes
can feel overwhelming at times, there are small, tan- 4. Listen to your doctor ... and your dentist. It's
gible steps you can take to improve your everyday easy to be in denial or want to avoid prediabetic
reality.
symptoms. According to the CDC, nearly 1 in 4 four
adults living with diabetes do not know they have the
Below are six simple tips from Jackson to stay healthy condition. Don't let diabetes sneak up on you. Your
and keep smiling.
mouth is the window into your body, so your dentist
can help catch some problems early on. Your den-
1. Make healthy choices. You don't have to give up tist may see changes to your oral health that could
the foods you love, but pay attention to what you eat be indicators of diabetes, such as fungal infections
and how much of it hits your plate. Growing up in or signs of gum disease. Be sure to listen to your
Louisiana, I ate a lot of rich Southern-fried food and doctor or your dentist early and know your family
I just didn't pay attention to the portions. (Just how health history. For some, early treatment of predia-
good it tasted!) When I moved to LA, there was betes can actually return blood glucose levels to the
always food around on tour or in the studio. Today normal range.
I'm more conscious of what I eat and how much. I
don't think of food as "good" or "bad," but instead 5. Create a personalized treatment plan.
think about which foods provide nutrition and keep Everyone's body and symptoms are different. Make
my blood sugar in check. Everything in moderation. sure to work hand-in-hand with your doctor and den-
tist to implement the necessary changes into your
2. Embrace movement. As with diet, you don't have routine and educate yourself on the disease. It was
to change overnight. Just make sure you're staying not until I was diagnosed in 2003 that I learned there
active. When I was first diagnosed with diabetes, I are a lot of other health issues linked to diabetes,
weighed around 350 pounds and exercise just wasn't like gum disease. This deep understanding of the
part of my life. I slowly eased into an exercise plan disease motivated me even more to ensure that I
that worked for me, starting with something as simple was managing it accordingly.
as walking. Today, I go to the gym regularly, enjoy
playing tennis, yoga and Pilates. Find fun ways to 6. Build a strong support system. Remember, you
incorporate exercise into your daily routine and when don't have to face the everyday realities of diabetes
you find something that works, stick with it.
alone. Surround yourself with positive people that
will help motivate you, be it friends, family, even an
3. Maintain good oral health. I'm a producer, but I online community like the American Diabetes
also like to sing, so my mouth really matters and I Association's Facebook page.
pay extra attention to keeping it healthy. The reality
is, gum disease could be a bigger issue for me than For more information and ways to manage the ev-
someone without diabetes. People living with diabe- eryday reality of living with diabetes, visit
tes are two times more likely to develop gum dis- diabetes.org/everydayreality and for information on
ease, according to the CDC. I make sure to pay
oral health go to OralHealthAndDiabetes.com.