(NAPSA)—If youor a loved one has type 2 diabetes, you’re not alone. More than 18 million Americans have type 2 diabetes. For many people with type 2 diabetes, controlling blood sugar is a struggle every day. In fact, a report issued last year by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) showed that two out of three Americans with type 2 diabetes analyzed in a study were not in control of their blood sugar. It is important to control blood sugar because it lowers the risk of serious health problems later. Diabetes can cause heart disease, stroke, blindness, loss of limbs and kidney disease. But now, there’s new help to better manage type 2 diabetes. Life and fitness coach Bob Harper of NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” and a panel of diabetes experts created easy-to-understand and motiva- tional steps people can take to get their blood sugar down. They are called 6.5 Steps Toward Better Blood Sugar Control. These steps are different because they can fit easily into everydayliving. “Through my years of coaching and training, I’ve worked with many people with type 2 diabetes and have seen how hardit can be to live with this disease,” said Bob Harper. “But I learned that anyone can changetheir life. It’s all about finding the right tools and motivation. I urge people with type 2 diabetes to step it up and use the 6.5 Steps and make them a part of their daily lives.” The 6.5 Steps can help people with type 2 diabetes every day because they focus on the basics of diabetes management: eating healthy, being physically active, 6.5 Steps Toward Better Blood Sugar Control 1. Be honestwith yourself. Diabetes can be tough,but it doesn’t haveto control you. 2. Think about yourreasonsforliving a healthierlife and feeling better. Always keep them in mind. 3. Team up with your doctor or other health care professional to makea plan. This plan mayinclude taking one or more medicines. You arein this together with the samegoals. 4. Make healthy eating and regular physical activity part of yourlife. 5. Check your blood sugar asoften as yourdoctortells you and know your A1C number. AC is your average blood sugar levelfor the past two to three months. 6. No quitting. Not today. Not tomorrow. Never give up! 6.5. The HALF STEP—Getting startedis HALFthe battle!!! monitoring blood sugar and, when appropriate, taking one or more medicines. Theseall play a part to help lower blood sugar. Healthy Eating: Healthy eating reduces the risk for complications such as heart disease and stroke. Good choices include many foods, such as vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nonfat dairy products, beans, and lean meats, poul- try and fish. There is no one perfect food, but watching portion sizes is key to a healthydiet. Physical Activity: Regular physical activity can lower blood sugar levels. It can also help manage weight and reduce the risk of developing heart disease and high blood pressure. There are little things people with type 2 diabetes can do every day to be more active, such as walking with a friend or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Blood Sugar Monitoring: There are two tests for checking blood sugar. One test is the blood sugar monitoring that patients do on their own. It gives people with diabetes a check of their blood sugar level at the time the test is taken. The other oneis called the A1C test. The AIC test shows a person’s average blood sugar levels over the previous two to three months. Experts say that a good A1C goal is 6.5 percent or less for most people with type 2 diabetes. Medicines: Most people with type 2 diabetes take medicine to help control their blood sugar levels. Many need more than one medicine to help treat the disease in different ways. For people with type 2 diabetes, it is important that they team up with their doctor or other health care professional and think of them as a partner. They should work with their health care team to make a plan to get their blood sugar undercontrol. Anyone interested in learning more about better diabetes management can call 1 (877) 6-5-STEPS or visit www.stepitupdiabetes.com. People with type 2 diabetes can also sign up online to enter a free sweepstakes to win greatprizes, includ- ing one-on-one telephone coaching with Bob Harper and a yearlong gym membership. GlaxoSmithKline has provided funding and other support to AACE for the Diabetes & You: Step It Up to Get It Down campaign.
