Diabetes

Diabetes and Eye Care

Dailey TaskerLeave a comment

Circle_Eye Drop

Did you know that diabetes can cause eye problems and may lead to blindness? People with diabetes are 40% more likely to suffer from glaucoma and 60% more likely to develop cataracts. With regular checkups, you can keep your eyes healthy and catch problems early.

What kind of Eye Exam do I need?

The eye doctor will put drops in your eyes to see the retina. This is called a dilated eye exam. The eye drops will make the pupils or black part of your eyes bigger. Then your doctor can see the back of your eye and find any eye problems early.

Why should I get a Dilated Eye Exam?

Over time, high blood sugar can damage the tiny vessels that supply blood to the eyes. You can have eye damage even if your vision is fine. It has nothing to do with needing glasses.

How often should I get a Dilated Eye Exam?

You should get a dilated eye exam annually or as recommended by your eye doctor. Getting regular eye exams will help find any problems early, and prevent blindness.

 For additional recommendations on how you can avoid eye problems, visit the American Diabetes Association.

 

Have any questions?

Contact the Tria Health Help Desk at 1.888.799.8742

American Diabetes Association Alert Day

Dailey TaskerLeave a comment

American Diabetes Association Alert Day is a day dedicated to spreading awareness of type 2 diabetes and encouraging people to take the ADA risk test. 9 out of 10 Americans most at risk for type 2 diabetes don’t know it.

Take the Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test

The American Diabetes Association offers a free anonymous risk test that only takes a minute to complete. Find out if you’re at risk today:

Risk Test Button

How to Lower Your Risk

Now that you’ve taken the test, here are a few ways you can lower your risk of Type 2 diabetes:

Unfortunately, there are some risk factors you can’t change, like age, race, gender & family history. But being aware of your risk factors can help you take smart steps to improve your health in other ways.

Tria Health & Diabetes Management

If you currently are diagnosed or have been recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, Tria Health can assist you in managing your medications and finding a treatment plan that works for you. For select members, Tria Health also provides free diabetes testing supplies including a blood glucose meter, testing strips, and a mobile app designed to help you manage your diabetes better.

Have Any Questions? Call the Tria Help Desk: 1.888.799.8742 

National Nutrition Month: Are You Ready to Eat Right?

Dailey TaskerLeave a comment
Healthy breakfast food
Image Source: Unsplash/Jannis Brandt

What is National Nutrition Month?

National Nutrition Month® is a nutrition education and information campaign created annually in March by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The campaign focuses on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.

What Can I Do to Get Involved?

There are a lot of different ways you can get involved with National Nutrition Month. You can either participate alone or with a group, here are a few ideas on how you can get started:

  • Commit to trying a new fruit or vegetable each week during National Nutrition Month.
  • Start a vegetable garden by planting seeds indoors or outside.
  • Take a trip to a farmers market or local farm.
  • Organize a healthy potluck, making sure each of the food groups is represented.

View more ideas HERE.

Chronic Conditions and Nutrition

If you have a chronic condition, a carefully planned diet can make a difference. With certain diseases, what you eat may reduce symptoms. In other cases, diet can improve health. Although your diet might differ depending on your condition and lifestyle, there are three keys to a healthy eating plan that will work for diabetes, heart health, cancer prevention and weight management:

  • Eat meals and snacks regularly (at planned times).
  • Eat about the same amount of food at each meal or snack.
  • Choose healthful foods to support a healthy weight and heart.

 

Have any questions? Contact the Tria Health Help Desk at 1.888.799.8742.

November 14th is World Diabetes Day

January PointerLeave a comment

World Diabetes Day (WDD) was initiated by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), in 1991 along with the World Health Organization (WHO) due to growing concerns about the increasing health threat posed by diabetes. With the passing of the United Nation Resolution, World Diabetes Day became an official UN day in 2006.

World Diabetes Day is November 14th, and this day was chosen to honor Sir Frederick Banting, the gentleman who co-discovered insulin. In 1922, Banting and Charles Best discovered insulin and revolutionized the treatment of diabetes.

World Diabetes Day aims to:

  • Be the platform to promote IDF advocacy efforts throughout the year.
  • Be the global driver to promote the importance of taking coordinated and concerted actions to confront diabetes as a critical global health issue.

Each year the IDF chooses a new focus area to celebrate World Diabetes Day. The 2017 World Diabetes Day chosen theme is “Women and diabetes—our right to a healthy future.”

Why a focus on women in 2017?

  • 1 in 7 births is affected by gestational diabetes.
  • 1 in 10 women are living with diabetes. Many do not have access to proper screenings, education, treatment or care.
  • There are 199 Million women in the world with diabetes. That is expected to increase to 313 Million women by the year 2040.
  • Diabetes is a leading cause of death in women, and the IDF is working to help all women with diabetes get affordable access to care and education to better manage this chronic condition.

Tria Health is Making a Difference in Diabetes Care

Tria Health has an innovative telehealth solution that improves overall care for patients  by educating patients about their disease state(s) and medication regimen to improve clinical outcomes. Each patient has unique needs. At Tria Health, we counsel the whole patient, not just one condition. Our wireless meter and strip program allows the patient to share real time glucose readings with our pharmacists and other providers, as well as calculating the precise insulin needs for users. Our program improves care for patients and reduces costs and waste for employers.

At Tria Health our pharmacists are CDE’s, Certified Diabetes Educators. The National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators defines a CDE is a health professional who possess comprehensive knowledge of and experience in prediabetes, diabetes prevention and management. A CDE educates and supports people affected by diabetes to understand and manage the condition. We strive to do more than our part to manage the risks of diabetes to our patients and employer clients.

 

“Act Today to Change Tomorrow”

For more information, go to: www.worlddiabetesday.org

Is Type 2 Diabetes Preventable?

January PointerLeave a comment

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. The good news is that the answer to whether it’s preventable is a resounding YES! In fact, prevention is a big deal! It’s even more so important if you have an increased risk of diabetes. Some of these risks include having a family history of the disease, being overweight, or a diagnosis of prediabetes.

The CDC reports that “prediabetes is a serious health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough yet to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.” More than 83 million American adults—more than 1 in 3—have prediabetes. Of those people with prediabetes, approximately 90% don’t know they have it. Prediabetes puts you at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease or stroke.

You can have prediabetes for years but experience no symptoms. Because of this, it often goes undetected until serious health problems arise. Concerned about your risks? Complete the Tria Health Diabetes Risk Assessment and discuss your results with your doctor!

Are You at Risk for Diabetes?

In the United States, diabetes affects approximately 30.3 million people (CDC, 2017) and is the 7th leading cause of death. Timely screening can lead to early diagnosis which slows the disease progression and ultimately long-term complications such as heart attacks, neuropathy, and irreversible kidney damage, among others.

The American Diabetes Association recommends the following screening guidelines:

  • ALL adults who fit the BMI criteria and 1 or more risk factors should be screened at any age
  • Adults who meet the BMI criteria without an extra risk factor can wait until 45 years old for screening
  • Testing should be repeated at least every 3 years for those with normal results

Diabetes Risk Factors:

  • BMI greater than or equal to 25 (for Asian Americans the cut-off is greater than or equal to 23)
  • Physical Inactivity
  • Parent(s) or sibling(s) with diabetes
  • High-risk race/ethnicity (African American, Latino, Native American, Asian American, Pacific Islander)
  • You have given birth to a baby weighing more than 9 lbs
  • You had gestational diabetes
  • High blood pressure (above 149/90 mmHg) or you take medications to treat high blood pressure
  • HDL cholesterol (the “good cholesterol”) less than 35 mg/dL
  • Triglyceride level above 250 mg/d:
  • Diagnosis of polycystic ovarian syndrome
  • You have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes on previous testing
  • You have other clinical conditions associated with insulin resistance
  • You have a history of cardiovascular disease 

If you have any of the risk factors above, talk to your doctor to see if additional testing is needed. For more information, visit www.diabetes.org

What Can You Do to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes?

At Tria Health, our pharmacists are Certified Diabetes Educators who evaluate patients at risk for Type 2 diabetes and work with those patients to institute lifestyle modifications and dietary changes that have been proven to prevent the development of diabetes.

Some lifestyle modifications you may consider include:

  • More physical activity. Research shows that aerobic exercise and resistance training can help control diabetes. The greatest benefit comes from a fitness program that includes both.
  • Eat plenty of fiber. Fiber reduces your risk of diabetes by improving your blood sugar control, lowering your risk of heart disease and also promotes weight loss by helping you feel full. Foods high in fiber include fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains and nuts.
  • Eat whole grains. Research is pending, so it’ still unclear why, but whole grains may reduce your risk of diabetes and help maintain blood sugar levels.
  • Lose extra weight. Staying at a healthy weight can help you prevent and manage problems like prediabetes, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol.
  • Make healthy food choices A diet which balances protein and carbohydrates, and also plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains is best to maintain a healthy blood sugar.