If you have just been diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus then you will very quickly be made aware that some strict lifestyle changes will need to be implemented to help prevent or reduce the problems associated with the disease. These problems can be acute or chronic both of which can become very serious.

The complications associated with acute effects of diabetes can be very severe, resulting in the patient going into coma or even dieing if they are not immediately seen to. One of these acute complications is Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) the onset of which results from a lack of stored energy due to insufficient insulin.

Another acute complication is Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Nonketotic Syndrome (HHNS). This condition is usually brought on by another illness or infection and results in blood sugar levels rising and consequent dehydration as the body tries to pass out the excess sugar in the urine. Seizures, coma and death are all possible consequences of HHNS.

The long term or chronic complications that can arise from diabetes include changes in the organs, tissues and blood vessels. This can result in other diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, cerebrovascular disease and coronary artery disease. Other problems which can arise are kidney failure, erectile dysfunction and Diabetic Neuropath which is when the nerves are damaged resulting in losing feeling or constant pain.

So, taking all of these potential problems into account you can see why lifestyle changes are advised. The first and most important step is to keep a close eye on your diet. If you eat too much or are obese then you need to cut your food intake. You will also have to become more educated on the nutritional composition of all foods you buy. Counting fats and carbohydrates should be a daily activity and your doctor can advise how to do this effectively. Avoiding foods high in simple sugars is also very important.

Being a diabetic involves spending a lot more time looking after yourself and monitoring such things as blood sugar levels. The level of sugar in your blood is particularly important before and after a meal and before and after exercise. This is to help the doctor learn more about how your body reacts to food and exercise so they can treat you better.

Finally, as well as educating and monitoring yourself you should also educate all the people around you about your condition. This means that should you experience any of the aforementioned acute complications associated with diabetes the people around you will know how best to react to possibly save your life.

A diabetic shopping tour is one of the best ways to educate people suffering from diabetes on how to properly shop for their food. This knowledge is integral to being able to sort through the mess of too many consumer goods that seem to be healthy but are actually hazardous to those suffering from the condition.

For those suffering from diabetes, being able to maintain a healthy lifestyle is surely a very big challenge. While diabetes does not really limit person's abilities and functions, it does percent a great hazard to health if not taken care of. If one is not able to maintain a proper diet, take medications on time, and keep vigil on one's insulin levels, this person could look healthy one minute, and turn deadly sick the next.

Diabetes doesn't sound like a gruesome illness; however, it has been the cause of many deaths and disabilities. Those suffering from diabetes have also been known to suffer from loss of appendages due to gangrene and the inability to heal quickly from cuts and scrapes.

This makes watching out for hazards to injury and one a very big part of a diabetic person's life. Aside from this, one other very important item for a diabetic person to look out for is his or her diet. Unfortunately, in this mass consumer world, finding food that is healthy and suitable for diabetic people is doubly hard.

Since there are too many hidden ingredients, and too many refined products out on the market, most of the things sold at supermarkets pose a hazard for people suffering from this condition. That is why it becomes very important to be able not to just know the proper diet of a diabetic person, but to be able to learn how to shop for these things in a real world supermarket environment.

Knowing your diet is not enough

It isn't enough just to know what the recommended foods for you to eat as a diabetic are. More importantly, knowing how to shop at supermarkets for these kinds of foods is tantamount to your health.

How can a diabetic shopping tour help you?

1. They teach you to look beyond the package. The problem with most goods available at supermarkets today is that they sometimes make false claims about their ingredients. They will also advertise the health benefits of their products but if you read their disclaimers hard enough you'll find out that they are not actually healthy at all.

One technique they will teach you is to look for those tiny asterisks that follow most health claims. If they see a health claim with an asterisk go directly to the fine print and read a hard for any qualifiers to the claim.

2. Shopping tours also teach you how to shop smartly. A good diabetic shopping tour will teach you how to avoid foodstuffs that can injure your health and how to find those other foodstuffs that will help you maintain a healthy diet. Most shopping tours will also recommend meals that can be made out of these foodstuffs.

They also have your budget in mind; they would educate you on how to budget your groceries so that you get the most out of your money for each trip to make the grocers.

Eating right in order to stay healthy is difficult enough for most of us, I mean let's face the facts; most consumers simply don’t eat right. However, a healthy diet can be especially difficult for someone diagnosed with diabetes. The main reason is based on the fact that people with diabetes require a different dietary structure when compared to those without diabetic symptoms. This is because people diagnosed with diabetes have trouble breaking down and metabolizing sugar in their body. As it turns out, diabetes is a chronic disease that hinders an individual's capability of breaking down glucose in their body. This results in the rather dangerous situation of severely compromising a person's ability to produce insulin, which is an extremely important nutrient for normal bodily functions.

As y6ou can imagine individuals diagnosed with and suffering from diabetes have specific dietary needs and thus require a rather strict dietary plan. Fortunately, the medical community has come together in order to formulate a food pyramid specifically geared towards people with diabetes. This diabetic food pyramid outlines and prescribes what types of foods a person suffering from diabetes can safely eat and should eat in order to assist their body with coping from the effects of having diabetes.

The diabetic food pyramid works similar to the normal food pyramid but there is obviously more importance placed on following this pyramid's guidelines because it really does deal with the health of a diabetic person. The pyramid is shaped just like it sounds, in the form of a pyramid with the foods listed at the top as items that someone with diabetes should only eat in strict moderation. These food groups would include those foods that are sweet in nature or fatty foods. As the pyramid base expands more and more foods are added safely to the diabetic diet.

Foods that diabetics should eat on a more regular basis include milk with at least 2 or 3 servings or glasses a day as the standard and the nonfat variety as the recommended source. A person or individual who suffers from diabetes should only consume 2 or 3 standard servings of meat a day with the recommended sources coming from fish and chicken instead of red meat.

Perhaps the best foods that should be consumed regularly by diabetics include fruits, vegetables and grains. All of these food groups help a person with diabetes fight the disease. A diabetic's fruit consumption should involve 3or more servings of fruit every day with the high fiber fruits being the most sought after based on the fact that fiber helps to increase the body's natural ability to break down glucose.

Vegetables remain one of the best sources of food to help diabetics fight their disease and a healthy portion of 3 to 5 servings per day is recommended. Finally, grains should be consumed in quantities of 6 or more servings daily for diabetics due to their natural ability to provide fiber that is without question the most beneficial nutrient needed by a diabetic.

Most individuals are already aware that diabetes can lead to chronic gum or periodontal disease. Recent studies however have revealed that the relationship between the two is like a double-edged sword, since it goes both ways; apparently, diabetes can also be born from chronic gum disease.

Basic Facts about Chronic Gum Disease

When an individual has been diagnosed of having chronic gum disease, this means that his gums and the bones that bind his teeth to its proper position are infected. If left untreated, chronic gum disease will make chewing extremely difficult or worse, lead to loss or removal of teeth.

Basic Facts about Diabetes

Is it true that diabetes is primarily caused by eating too much of sweet foods? No! There's still no known and accurate cause for diabetes so everyone is at risk. Substantially proven generalizations however have been made regarding diabetic individuals. People who are overweight, for instance, are more prone to having diabetes.

Who's at Risk?

Diabetics who smoke and diabetics who love sweets are the most at risk of having chronic gum disease as well.

The Process of Chronic Gum Disease: From A to Z

If oral hygiene is neglected, that's the first step to having chronic gum disease. Germs that accrue over the time will cause our gums to redden, swell, and even bleed when you start brushing your teeth once more. When this happens, you're suffering from gingivitis - a precursor of chronic gum disease.

Gingivitis however will disappear eventually if you don't shirk up your duties to your mouth and teeth. If you don't, things become more complicated and you get nearer to having chronic gum disease.

Accrued dirt becomes plaque; when plaque becomes hard, your teeth and gums get infected until there's not enough bones to hold your teeth in place. The result: an emergency trip to the dentist and several of your teeth pulled out.

The Bad Thing about Chronic Gum Disease

There are no warning signs. When you start feeling hurt and uncomfortable about it, it's usually too late because no amount of brushing of teeth or flossing will be able to rescue your teeth. Only the scary dentist has the power to salvage what's left of your teeth.

Possible Treatments for Chronic Gum Disease

Teeth Cleaning - If the damage isn't too serious, your dentist might be able to repair damaged roots and allow you to retain your teeth. Teeth cleaning will also help in removing accrued germs stuck within and in between your teeth. Your dentist may also request you to take an antibiotic or use a suggested brand of mouthwash to give your teeth added protection.

Surgery - If the wounds are fatal, gum surgery may be the only option. Worse, even if damaged teeth have been successfully removed, your gums may have been too infected to allow you to use dentals or fake teeth.

Other Possible Dental Diseases Related to Diabetes

Chronic gum disease is not the only thing that diabetics have to worry about. If they don't brush and floss their teeth regularly, they risk suffering from any of the following conditions:

Cavities - Choosing the right food can significantly reduce the risk of teeth developing cavities.

Thrush - Diabetics are especially prone to having this condition because the fungus that causes this affection flourishes in glucose-rich parts.

Dry Mouth - People who are unaware they have diabetes usually have dry mouths, which can consequently lead to other dental diseases.

You can save yourself from chronic gum disease and diabetes simply by eating well and eating right then brushing your teeth right after!

Explore a natural human activity that fills the need for exercise. Studies find no degenerative diseases, like diabetes existed when our ancestors enjoyed the painless “Rove” Exercise. Live Longer Now, The NY Times Best Seller, Free eBook available.

Chicago, Illinois September 22, 2006. We can Release the 8,000 Year Old Person in us and gain ENERGY Naturally.

Does anyone honestly think that people were designed to hang on a set of shinny aluminum tubes…connected with big blue rubber bands and exercise?? …or to punch and kick the air while watching a 108 pound blond chick bounce around on a video?? We have SURVIVED as a species by hunting and gathering. The KEY is an easy and Natural Exercise.

But, back to the horse race. Deep down humans are a “very superior animal” in their physical capacities. This seems to be particularly true for our ability to get around on foot…as these citations from Guinness amply illustrate.

Humans are better than the horse.

Just the Facts. Beginning with the Guinness Book of World Records (1973), mankind appears to hold all the truly impressive records for speedy long-distance travel on foot. Let’s start in 1836, Mensen Ernst of Norway, traveling an average of 94 miles per day, covered a distance of more than 5,500 miles on foot in less than two months. Other examples of men covering thousands of miles on foot at such high rates are also mentioned in Guinness, yet only one record of a horse. Accomplishing an equivalent feat is recorded, the horse having covered some 1,200 miles in Portugal at some apparently unknown date in history and at some unknown rate. Poor horse died.

This human body craves the easy and natural things. Accepting this basic need would find us having FUN exercising along with the 8,000 year old person in our Nature. Notice that there are no degenerative diseases like diabetes, stroke and the others in the more remote villages of the world, even today.

Think about our Human ancestor’s fossil records, these people didn’t sit on a table of rubber-bands and grunt to music. Their exercise was what we call the “Rove” Exercise.

RUNNING is NOT a natural exercise, but used for the occasional chase, the real deal is “Intentional Walking.” The walking "Rove" will beat both the horse and the bouncing blond chick every time (…see if their still bouncing to music in two years!!).

Explore a natural human activity that fills the need for exercise. Studies find no degenerative diseases, like diabetes existed when our ancestors enjoyed the painless “Rove” Exercise. Live Longer Now, The NY Times Best Seller, Free eBook available.

Chicago, Illinois September 22, 2006. We can Release the 8,000 Year Old Person in us and gain ENERGY Naturally.

Does anyone honestly think that people were designed to hang on a set of shinny aluminum tubes…connected with big blue rubber bands and exercise?? …or to punch and kick the air while watching a 108 pound blond chick bounce around on a video?? We have SURVIVED as a species by hunting and gathering. The KEY is an easy and Natural Exercise.

But, back to the horse race. Deep down humans are a “very superior animal” in their physical capacities. This seems to be particularly true for our ability to get around on foot…as these citations from Guinness amply illustrate.

Humans are better than the horse.

Just the Facts. Beginning with the Guinness Book of World Records (1973), mankind appears to hold all the truly impressive records for speedy long-distance travel on foot. Let’s start in 1836, Mensen Ernst of Norway, traveling an average of 94 miles per day, covered a distance of more than 5,500 miles on foot in less than two months. Other examples of men covering thousands of miles on foot at such high rates are also mentioned in Guinness, yet only one record of a horse. Accomplishing an equivalent feat is recorded, the horse having covered some 1,200 miles in Portugal at some apparently unknown date in history and at some unknown rate. Poor horse died.

This human body craves the easy and natural things. Accepting this basic need would find us having FUN exercising along with the 8,000 year old person in our Nature. Notice that there are no degenerative diseases like diabetes, stroke and the others in the more remote villages of the world, even today.

Think about our Human ancestor’s fossil records, these people didn’t sit on a table of rubber-bands and grunt to music. Their exercise was what we call the “Rove” Exercise.

RUNNING is NOT a natural exercise, but used for the occasional chase, the real deal is “Intentional Walking.” The walking "Rove" will beat both the horse and the bouncing blond chick every time (…see if their still bouncing to music in two years!!).

Exercise plays a crucial role in helping Type 2 Diabetics to better manage their blood sugar levels.

According to a recent study, Diabetics who engaged in physical activity showed numerous benefits (1). Firstly, there was a decrease in their Hemoglobin A1C levels - a measurement of how your blood sugar levels are managed over a 3-month period.

The study also showed a reduction in visceral adipose tissue (fat tissue around the abdomen), a decrease in triglyceride levels (lipid levels in your blood) and an increase in insulin response.

All these positive results show how important exercise is in improving the health of Diabetics. Better management of blood sugar control can help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Since exercise improves insulin response, it will also help those with Insulin Resistance, an imbalance in blood glucose and insulin levels which often underlies Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), Pre-Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome (Syndrome X).

It's a great idea to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. If you haven't done so before, here are some exercise tips to get you started. Get a walking partner and take a stroll around the park for 30 minutes

Make sure to schedule a time to exercise because this helps to keep you on track

Mix in a combination of resistance training, such as stretch bands, along with aerobic exercise

Go for a swim in your local pool

Join a dance class and experience the fun of socializing while you exercise

Take a weekend hike in the country

If you have not been on an exercise program before, take it slowly and check first with your doctor. Your efforts will pay off because you'll soon notice how much better you feel with the extra stamina that regular exercise will bring.

An astonishing discovery was made by several doctors regarding treatment for type 2 diabetes. According a recently conducted study published in the American Diabetes Association's (ADA) journal Diabetes Care, a vegan diet that is low in fat might be a better treatment for diabetes than oral medication traditionally prescribed for diabetics. The same study also showed the vegan diet to be better than the current diet being prescribed by the ADA.

The study involved individuals that were diagnosed to have type 2 diabetes. They were assigned, randomly, to either the existing diet prescribed by the ADA or a vegan diet (strictly plant-based) that is low in fat. The ADA diet group were tasked to control their intake based on their body weight and lipid concentrations in their plasma. The ADA diet consisted of less than 7% of saturated fat, 15 to 20% of protein, 60 to 70% of carbohydrates plus monounsaturated fats, and a maximum of 200mg of cholesterol a day. The vegan diet on the other hand was limited to vegetables, grains, legumes, and fruits. This diet, which eliminated animal materials, consisted of 75% carbohydrate, 15% protein, and 10% fat. The portions were not controlled.

The results of the study showed that both the ADA diet and the low-fat vegan diet greatly improved the lipid and glycemic control of the participants. However, the results were even greater for those who followed the vegan low-fat diet. Moreover, the patients that followed the vegan low-fat diet also exhibited remarkable improvement in their control for blood sugar, weight control, kidney function, and cholesterol reduction ñ these are four markers always monitored for diabetic patients.

One participant was able to lose 42 pounds on the diet, plus she no longer needed to continue taking her medicines. This is quite impressive considering that her diabetes was increasing and she no longer responded to intense drug therapies. Another participant observed the sudden normalization of his blood sugar levels. He also experienced weight reduction of around 60 pounds in the course of the research.

The vegan low-fat diet was seen to be dramatically different from the existing diets prescribed for diabetes as it did not place any limit on carbohydrates, calories, and portions. Not only was the diet quite effective for the treatment of diabetes, it also produced good side effects such as decrease in cholesterol and weight loss. Doctors are hopeful that these findings would urged the prescription of the more natural diet before the dispensing of drugs. The occurrence of diabetes throughout the world has dramatically increased throughout the years, now there are over 20 million people in America who are diabetic, and this discovery could greatly help those who have been diagnosed of having the disease.

What makes the vegan low-fat so good for diabetics is its high fiber and low fat content, which are elements that are deemed to be necessary for the reduction of the density of dietary energy and the intake of energy. Such influences the nutrient intake of the body, which greatly helps to normalize insulin sensitivity.

The study was conducted by some dieticians and doctors associated with the George Washington University, the University of Toronto, and the PCRM (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, funded by the Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation and the National Institute of Health.

This remarkable news could help the millions who are suffering the disease and even those who are just being diagnosed of having diabetes. With the increasing costs of medicine nowadays, such a development is very welcome.

As much as possible, when a child is still young or in his toddler age, which is eighteen months to four, parents try their best to not spoil them or give in to their demands. These demands are usually sweets and snacks in between meals. That is because if they continue to give in, then when the child goes to school, or worse, attends middle school, he may be overweight.

Losing weight is a hard thing to do. Obesity is a common problem among Americans. When one is obese, he has less self-confidence and self-esteem than the average weighed Joe and Jane. A research study done by "The Insider" correspondent Vanessa Minnillo shows that obese people receive condescending and disgusted looks from pedestrians. Imagine the effect this has on them.

When one is determined to lose weight, he does his best to eat less and to work out more. But there are those who are unfortunate because it is in their genes, thus making it harder for them to shed the excess pounds. Some engage in diet such as Watsons and South Beach. Now this is a huge step for them. If some people love playing video games, there are people who love to eat.

Just as there are people who have diabetes. They cannot avoid not having it - it's in their genes. It's how they were built. Children with diabetes are the more unfortunate because normally, you'd want to give them candies and chocolates. Because they're diabetic, they cannot have, or at least have as much, as they'd want to - compared to other kids.

Nowadays, there could be a possible solution for yo-yo diet or what is known to be the loss and gain of weight. This new vaccine aids in regulating the energy balance within the body. It has been tested on mature male rats. They ate normally but they gain less weight. When these findings turn out to be successful, then there is a possible confirmation of its effect. A vaccine that helps obese people to regulate their weight can come into conception.

What the vaccine does is that it slows down the weight gain. Because of the ghrelin that is found in the substance, the bloodstream in the brain is stimulated and retains the stored energy as fat.

Reason why doctors are looking for something to regulate the increasing number of obese people is that a person who is obese has more chances of getting other diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart problems. Not to mention depression that could be resulted from low self-esteem, low self-confidence and self-disgust.

As for diabetes, in 2001, scientists have already developed a drug that would stop the destruction of the pancreas in the immune system. In layman's terms, this drug lessens the fast pace of the type I diabetes. The good thing about this is that it gives them a longer time to live. The drug is injected within six months. There are no side effects even tot his date.

With the type II diabetes, there is less luck to coming up with a vaccine. Research is still ongoing to come up with a vaccine that could lessen the risk of diabetic people. Diabetes attacks slowly but surely.

However, young children who have received the vaccine, those aged seven to sixteen showed progress. From there, the research goes on.

"Breast milk is still best for babies under two years," the pediatrician says. And a mother must believe it because not only is it advisable for her child's health, it also lessens the chance of her getting diabetes.

Women who breastfeed have less chances of suffering from diabetes. A study conducted by the World Health Organization shows that more than 1.5 million babies die because they are not breast-fed. These are babies from third world countries. Their mothers' health are also in jeopardy that they don't have enough nutrition or milk in their bodies to save neither themselves nor their babies.

These social workers who educate mothers often travel to the developing countries such as Nigeria and teach them the proper way to care for themselves and their infants. Good parenting at a young age would also result to the proper mental development of their baby.

That's why people must be educated when it comes to how important breastfeeding is for the infant and the mother. Not only is this beneficial for the baby's health, it will also have a good effect on the emotional aspect of the mother-child relationship. Breastfeeding is an early form of mother-child bonding that could occur at this young stage of the baby's life.

Some mothers prefer pumping their milk to a machine because it hurts them when the child bites into their nipples. That must not be the case. It takes some getting use to. Breastfeeding will give the child the nurture, the love and the care that she deserves to have. Activists on the situation are suggesting a movement to a decree that announces neglect on mothers who stop breastfeeding their children who are less than two years old.

There are some mothers who rush on to their daily activities that they prefer the bottle-feeding than breast-feeding. This often applies to a high-powered career woman. As much as possible, she must also fit into her schedule the time for her child.

Some mothers believe that the good thing about bottled milk is that it has water and breast milk has less. However, breast milk also has water. The water contained in breast milk is in fact healthier for the infant than water that us adults drink. Notice also that babies sleep better after they are breast-fed than after they are bottle-fed.

Breast milk prevents diarrhea. Diarrhea is a disease that often attacks babies. Developing countries lose a lot of their newly-borns to this disease.

Breast milk also helps the child grow properly making him less prone to infections. The child will also be more intelligent because his being breast-fed allowed his brain to develop better.

As for the women, there is a link to diabetes and breast-feedings. Women who engage in breast-feeding their child will not have diabetes. While they're feeding their babies, they are lactating. Therefore, the hormones they release in this process protects her against anemia and cancer.

To sum it up, breast-feed your child. Not only will you and your child be healthier, you will also have bonding time together. It helps to start training your child now at a young age because there's a lot of room for improvement and development. Also, the mother has something to benefit from this practice. She wouldn't have diabetes.

If scheduling is the problem, it's all about time management. When your child is about to go to college and off to an Ivy League school, you know your hard work paid off.

Diabetes is a very debilitating disease, and that alone is bad enough. Sadly, though, diabetes can lead to many other complications, many of which are chronic and even life threatening. One of the worst of the possible complications is diabetic neuropathy. This condition results in damage to the nerves, which means that messages from the body to the brain don't get through. It's easy to see how debilitating this condition can be, because the nervous system is central to the correct functioning of our bodies. It's possible that diabetic neuropathy can cause a loss of movement in the limbs or a loss of sensation. It can affect food digestion, the efficient functioning of the heart and potentially cause impotence in males.

Diabetes seriously limits the ability of the body to metabolize sugar. This leads to a buildup of glucose, which can reach potentially dangerous levels. One of the dangers is that the nerves can become damaged. Blood is used to transport sugar around the body, and blood also travels through the nerves. The high level of sugar traveling through the blood is what causes the nerve damage.

Unfortunately, neuropathy is more common in males. Neuropathy is also present in at least 10% of diabetics, and some research in the US has put that level as high as 65%, if you include early stage or mild cases. This is a huge problem, and urgent measures are required to prevent this complication from developing.

It's possible to spot the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy even in its very early stages. Sometimes you will experience a burning sensation in a leg, or it could even be as ordinary as constipation or diarrhea. For men, it may be an occasional inability to get an erection. For some people, they may suffer an occasional feeling of lightheadedness. Any of these symptoms can be caused by a myriad of issues, but if you already have diabetes, they shouldn't be dismissed as unimportant. There may still be something other than diabetic neuropathy causing the symptom, but it's always better to get it checked out, just to be sure.

Like many things, when it comes to diabetic neuropathy, prevention is better than cure. If you suffer from diabetes, you should always closely monitor the sugar levels in your body. This must be done on a regular basis. If you notice any unusual increases, this should be dealt with immediately. If you are taking medicines or supplements to help control your sugar levels, make sure you take them as recommended. It's also important to become familiar with the diabetic food pyramid and make sure you enjoy a healthy and varied diet utilizing the recommended foods. Exercise is also helpful, so ask your doctor to put together a program for you to follow.

At a certain point in time, people come to realize that their lives can only gain meaning when they discover their true calling, through which they are able to help others. Life can not be solely defined by accumulation of wealth or achievement of self-motivated objectives. The full and true meaning of life can only be experienced by individuals when they finally realize that selflessness is the only thing that can make them happy.

Why Become a Volunteer for the American Diabetes Association?

We're not saying that being a volunteer for the American Diabetes Association will be more fulfilling than being a volunteer for another non-profit foundation. We're merely suggesting that you join the American Diabetes Association if you've had loved ones suffering from diabetes, and you had felt helpless because you're unable to make them feel better.

Also, if you have no preferences when it comes to what field or for what purpose would you like to be a volunteer in, you should then consider seriously joining the American Diabetes Association. Being a part of this organization will not only improve the quality of lives around you but yours as well.

A Brief History of the American Diabetes Association

The association's mission-vision is simple: cure, care, and commitment. The ADA made a lifelong commitment to providing care to diabetic individuals and finding an effective and permanent cure for the disease. The ADA extends its assistance not only to people diagnosed with diabetes but also to the generous and caring individuals who have freely given their time and love to attend to people with diabetes.

Founded n 1940, the American Diabetes Association is the organization with the most significant contribution in diabetic research next to the U.S. government, having donated over $200M already throughout the years. Its presence has been widely established across the United States with over 800 communities.

Why Is It Important to Help People with Diabetes

Shocking as this may be, diabetes actually kills more people every year than the mortality rate of AIDS and breast cancer combined. If early warnings and symptoms are not given the necessary attention and care, diabetes can lead to various medical complications, some of which are life-threatening. It has been estimated that approximately seven percent of the U.S. population are diabetic. Unfortunately, about one-third of this or around 6.2 million of these individuals continue with their lives without being aware of the dangerous state of their health.

The Responsibilities of Volunteers for the American Diabetes Association

An ADA volunteer has three primary responsibilities:

Extending Care - It's every volunteer's goal to provide as much care as possible, and of the best quality, to people diagnosed with diabetes

Eliminate Discrimination - Volunteers of the ADA strive to improve the outlook of society towards individuals with diabetes by getting rid of prejudices and misassumptions about the disease.

Social Involvement - Volunteers are not afraid to take a stand against any law-giving body or authority if the rights of diabetic patient are violated or if funding for diabetic research becomes insufficient

How to Become a Volunteer for the American Diabetes Association

The first thing you must do is register to become a Diabetes Advocate. You may do this online or better yet, find the nearest American Diabetes Association branch near your home and register there. Also, you can help the ADA simply by increasing people's awareness of the symptoms and risks of diabetes. Warning one person about diabetes is already one life saved.