WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS: November is National Diabetes Month

"In neighborhoods without a usable park or playground, the incidence of childhood obesity increases by 29%." 

                                                                  -- Darell Hammond

November is National Diabetes Month. 

In the US, more than 29 million Americans – or 9.3% of the US population - have diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes.  One in four Americans with diabetes don’t know they have it.

It is estimated that about 86 million Americans – more than 1 in 3 Americans - had prediabetes in 2012, of which only about 11% with prediabetes were aware of their diagnosis. 

Chances are you or someone you know has diabetes or prediabetes.  With obesity as a leading risk factor for developing diabetes, raising health literacy about the importance of getting to and staying at a healthy weight is key to the work and mission of Growing Healthy Kids.   

Here are six of my favorite tips to lower your family’s chances of developing diabetes or prediabetes:

1. Eat fabulous fiber.  Make most of all the grains you eat WHOLE grains.
2. Eat vegetables every day.
3. Drink water, not soda or fruit juice.
4. Walk briskly and frequently.
5. Take time to smell the roses.
6. Laugh often.

In gratitude,

Nancy Heinrich

Founder, Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. 

PS - Here's how you can help Growing Healthy Kids to improve the health literacy of Americans. Make the commitment right now to get on the path of healthy eating and cooking.  Get 2 copies of Nourish and Flourish:  Kid-Tested Tips and Recipes to Prevent Diabetes - one for your family and one to give to your public library.  See the link in the top right corner of http://growinghealthykids.blogspot.com/.