DiabetesRisk Factors & Complications

No symptoms? Know your risk

Even though a person may not have diabetes or may not be experiencing any symptoms, they may still be at-risk for developing diabetes.

Risk Factors For

Type 1 DiabetesFamily history. Having family members with diabetes is a major risk factor.

Diseases of the pancreas. Injury or diseases of the pancreas can inhibit its ability to produce insulin and lead to type 1 diabetes.

Infection or illness. Sometimes, a range of relatively rare infections and illnesses can damage the pancreas and cause type 1 diabetes.

Risk Factors For

Type 2 DiabetesObesity or being overweight. Diabetes has long been linked to obesity and being overweight.

Prediabetes. Prediabetes is a major risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes.

Insulin resistance. With insulin resistance, the pancreas has to work overly hard to produce enough insulin so cells can get the energy they need.

Race/ Ethnicity. Diabetes occurs more often in Hispanic/Latino Americans, African-Americans, Native Americans, Asian-Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Alaska natives.

High Blood Pressure. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a major risk factor for diabetes.

Risk Factors For

Type 2 DiabetesHistory of gestational diabetes. Having had gestational diabetes puts a woman at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

Sedentary lifestyle. Being inactive makes a person more likely to develop diabetes.

Family history. Having a family history of diabetes increases a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Polycystic ovary syndrome. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are at higher risk of type 2 diabetes.

Age. Increasing age puts someone at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes although people can develop diabetes at any age.

Acanthosis Nigricans

Acanthosis nigricans is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

Acanthosis nigricans is a skin condition characterized as a brown-to black, rough or velvety marker. Acanthosis nigricans is most commonly found on the nape of the neck. It can also be commonly found on the axillae, knuckles, elbows, and knees.

Acanthosis nigricans can be found in people whose body is not responding correctly to the insulin that they make in their pancreas (insulin resistance). This skin condition can also be seen in people who have pre-diabetes or Type 2 diabetes.

Acanthosis nigricans or

“AN”

Risk Factors For Gestational Diabetes

Obesity or being overweight. Being obese or overweight puts women at risk of gestational diabetes.

Previous glucose intolerance. A history of glucose intolerance or previous gestational diabetes increases the risk of gestational diabetes in a current pregnancy.

Family history. A family history of diabetes -- a parent or sibling who's been diagnosed with diabetes -- increases the risk of gestational diabetes.

Age. The older a woman is when she becomes pregnant, the higher her risk of gestational diabetes.

Diabetes Complications

Diabetes affects many major organs, including the heart, blood vessels, nerves, eyes and kidneys. Controlling blood sugar levels can help prevent these complications.

Heart and blood vessel disease. Diabetes increases the risk of various cardiovascular problems, including coronary artery disease with chest pain (angina), heart attack, stroke, narrowing of arteries (atherosclerosis) and high blood pressure.

Nerve damage (neuropathy). Excess sugar can injure the walls of the tiny blood vessels (capillaries) that nourish the nerves, especially in the legs. This can cause tingling, numbness, burning or pain that usually begins at the tips of the toes or fingers and gradually spreads upward. Poorly controlled blood sugar can eventually cause a person to lose all sense of feeling in the affected limbs.

Kidney damage (nephropathy). The kidneys contain millions of tiny blood vessel clusters that filter waste from the blood. Diabetes can damage this delicate filtering system. Severe damage can lead to kidney failure or irreversible end-stage kidney disease, requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant.

Eye damage. Diabetes can damage the blood vessels of the retina (diabetic retinopathy) and can lead to blindness.

Foot damage. Nerve damage in the feet or poor blood flow to the feet increases the risk of various foot complications. Left untreated, cuts and blisters can become serious infections. Severe damage might require toe, foot or even leg amputation.

Diabetes Complications

Skin and mouth conditions. Diabetes may leave a person more susceptible to skin problems, including bacterial and fungal infections. Gum infections also may be a concern, especially if a person has a history of poor dental hygiene.

Osteoporosis. Diabetes may lead to lower than normal bone mineral density, increasing the risk of osteoporosis.

Alzheimer's disease. Type 2 diabetes may increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.

Hearing problems. Diabetes can also lead to hearing impairment.

Diabetes Complications

Although Type 1 diabetes is caused by genetics and unknown factors that trigger the onset of the disease, type 2 diabetes is caused by genetics and lifestyle factors. Healthy lifestyle choices, such as exercising and eating healthy, may help prevent type 2 diabetes.  In someone already diagnosed with diabetes, the same healthy lifestyle choices can help them prevent potentially serious complications. If someone has prediabetes, lifestyle changes can slow or halt the progression from prediabetes to diabetes.

Another good tip is to understand your risk for developing diabetes and be familiar with its symptoms. Also, check your blood sugar and consult with your doctor regularly.

Preventing Diabetes?

Beans and Its

Condiments

In today’s interactive applicationwe are going to practice portion control

with one of our very favorite foods.

Today’s Interactive Application

• We are going to cook delicious beans in a healthy and yet very traditional way. Our mothers and grandmothers would have certainly approved our choice of ingredients. • As you will see as we move along, we are using our

traditional pinto beans, fresh onions, avocado, and we are seasoning with epazote, lots of garlic and cumin. • You may want to substitute epazote with an ingredient

surely to be found in all of our households, and that is our CILANTRO.

• As you can see, I have brought this beautiful clay pot where we cook our beans and now these clay pots are lead free. Make sure that you ask when buying the pots and look for stamps that guarantee that the product is lead free. • I am going to explain the recipe in detail and offer

alternative ways in which you may garnish the beans with low fat bacon or other possible substitutes.• After I share the recipe with you, as always, all of us will

have the opportunity to sample the beans.

Today’s Interactive Application

• We have trays with garnishes for all tables and we will pass the bowls of beans. You may garnish with your favorite healthy toppings.• And as always I want to hear from you what you like or

dislike.• You will always find beans on the shelves of the Food Bank

Pantry. So this is a really good recipe to make often.• You may always use whatever fresh produce the Food

Pantry offers that week for your preparations and toppings.

Today’s Interactive Application

A Serving Of Our Beans Contains:

½ cup vegetables = 40 calories/carbohydrates

A pinch of spices = 0 calories

½ cup cooked beans = 60 calories of carbohydrates

1 corn tortilla = 60 calories of carbohydrates

1/8 avocado slice = 45 calories of fat

1 slice low fat turkey bacon= 20 protein calories

A Serving Of Our Beans Contains:

Beans:Nutritional History

Ingredients• 1 pound beans • 1 yellow onion, medium, diced• 1 carrot, cut into large chunks• 2 green bell peppers, stems removed, sliced• 1 whole garlic, top cut by ¼ inch• Cumin to taste• 1 bunch fresh epazote or cilantro• 1 bay leaf• Optional: extra lean turkey bacon, avocado,

hard boiled egg (white only), tomato, red onion and jalapeño

Begin With A Pound Of Beans

Add Onions, Carrots, Celery, Garlic. . .

Tomatoes, Cilantro And Bay Leaf

Season With Cumin, Epazote Or Cilantro

Garnish With Fresh Vegetables

Optional Toppings: Extra Lean Turkey

Bacon, Low Fat Cheese

Garnish With Your Favorite Toppings And

Enjoy!

Informal Chat* Let’s Hear From You

• Tell me which table liked the low fat bacon?• Did anyone garnish with the hard boiled egg?

• Did you like the low fat version of our traditional beans?• Now remember that your homework is to follow the recipe in

cooking a healthy pot of beans this week for your family.• Keep in mind that you will always find beans on the shelves of

the Food Pantry. • I want to hear from all of you next week if your family liked the

beans. Tell me what they like or dislike.• Did you try the garnishes? Were you adventuresome and did

you try any new garnishes?

*Encouraging conversations and engaging participants at the end of each presentation.

For moderator use only.

Informal Chat*• Now we want to hear from you. We all want to know about your

walking groups.• How many need to get a group going, remember a group can be as

small as two and as large as you want it to be. • Always keep in mind that walking is important for your health and that of your family.

Motivate those around you to walk with you.• Mr. Zuniga: tell us about your group. It pleases us to know that your group now comes in

much earlier so that you can walk longer. Very, very good, we are very happy with the initiative your group has taken. (Here we name everyone in Mr. Zuniga’s group and all applaud.) Let us see which other group follows this initiative and begins to come in earlier too. Mr. Zuniga’s group may get lonely after a while.

• Share with us if you experience any problems while walking. We will try to help you come up with solutions.

• We would like for all of you to have a walking group by next time. We want you to walk regularly. You may walk alone, but it is always better to have a partner or several.

• Remember that walking is fundamental in order to meet your health goals and obtain great outcomes.

*Encouraging conversations and engaging participants at the end of each presentation. For moderator use only.

Grow Your Own Herbs

• I remember that my grandmother kept a small herb garden.• Because she feared our inclement summers and our winter

frosts, she grew herbs in clay pots (sometimes large cans too) on her kitchen windowsills.• Why don’t we try growing our own cilantro.• Today, we brought seeds for you to begin your own

“kitchen” gardens.• We are going to give you three packets: cilantro, cumin and

oregano. We want you to plant them today when you get home or tomorrow morning. Follow the instructions.

Prizes On Week 14

• Once we are done with our 12 week presentations, we will repeat the same laboratory assessment as you had when we started.

• You will return on the following week to pick up your results and for a one to one discussion with Dr. Santana or Dr. Narvaez if you have questions about your results.

• On that day, we want you to bring one of your plants. The one that you find the best looking is the one you want to bring.

• We are going to give a first, second and third prize for the best looking ones on that day.

• Everyone present will vote.

Culture Meets Health