The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/340091
The Press-Dispatch Wednesday, July 2, 2014 C-5 Enhancing Lives Through Innovative Healthcare From recovery care and wellness to management of long-term health conditions, Golden LivingCenter - Petersburg offers a full spectrum of innovative programs and services, provided by compassionate, dedicated staff. These include 24-hour skilled nursing care, short-term rehabilitation, private rehab to "Home Suites" and provides both inpatient and outpatient therapy services. For a tour or more information, please contact us. ™ Golden LivingCenter - Petersburg 309 West Pike Avenue Petersburg, IN 47567 (812) 354-8833 www.GoldenLivingCenters.com/Petersburg This facility welcomes all persons in need of its services and does not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, gender, sexual orientation or source of payment. GLC-09973-12 N293 H Health tests that are a must for diabetics Continued from page C-4 Unlike the other blood tests listed here, you'll want to have an A1C performed four times a year. lipid panel This is another crucial test for people with diabetes, for the simple reason that car- diovascular issues (heart at- tacks and strokes) are the most serious potential side effects of the disease. Oth- er complications can cause serious problems, yes, but a healthy heart is of critical im- portance. That being said, choles- terol is a complex topic. Ma- ny books have been writ- ten on the topic, and there is medical disagreement about how to interpret the results. Here's a quick summary of the current thinking. A cholesterol test is real- ly measuring several differ- ent components of blood fats, and they have different lev- els of importance. Take the overall cholesterol, which is usually the largest number you'll see. This number is ac- tually of little importance on its own because it includes both "good" and "bad" cho- lesterol. "Bad" cholesterol is called LDL (or low-density lipopro- tein) and doctors will want to generally keep it below 100. That being said, there are different kinds of LDL parti- cles, some of which are more harmful than others. The "good" cholesterol is called HDL (or high-den- sity lipoprotein), and doc- tors generally want to keep it above 40. Again, though, it seems as though there are also different kinds of HDL particles, some of which are more beneficial than others. People with diabetes will also be tested for triglycer- ides, which are yet another kind of blood fat. Doctors will want that number to be below 150. Doctors pay different at- tention to these numbers. They often focus on LDL cho- lesterol because they have ef- fective drugs (statins) that can reliably reduce it. That being said, evidence ex- ists that HDL and triglycer- ides are more powerful pre- dictors of cardiovascular is- sues. Raising HDL levels usually takes regular exer- cise, weight loss and dietary change. Cholesterol levels don't fluctuate in the way that A1C levels do (unless one dra- matically changes their di- et), they will be tested less frequently. People with dia- betes will generally get one test a year, unless their doc- tor wants to keep a closer watch on the levels. blood preSSure One's blood pressure is checked at every doctor's' visit, and that's as it should be. The test is quick and easy to perform and it gives you immediate results. It's anoth- er test that gives you insight into cardiovascular health, so one needs to pay atten- tion to the elevated numbers. ⨠In general, doctors will di- agnose high blood pressure if the readings are above 140 systolic (the top number) and 90 diastolic (the bottom number). For most people, the numbers should be clos- er to 120/80. Diabetes can raise blood pressure and there are generally no symp- toms if you're suffering from elevated levels blood pres- sure. There are cheap and effective drugs for lowering blood pressure. Doctors will probably want a person with diabetes on medication, even if ones numbers are border- line or mildly elevated. Foot exam At least twice a year, peo- ple with diabetes should al- so have a foot exam. Their doctor will look at their feet carefully to make sure you don't have any ulcers or abra- sions. These can be especial- ly risky for people with dia- betes with impaired circula- tion. Doctors will also check the pulse in the feet, another measure of the circulation in the extremities. Finally, one's health care provider will likely test how sensitive their feet are, usual- ly with a small plastic thread called a monofilament. This can help diagnose impaired sensation. If one is diagnosed with foot problems, their doc- tor may recommend special shoes to reduce pressure on sensitive spots. Medication can also be prescribed if one is suffering from pain caused by nerve damage. kidney teStS There are two important tests diabetics must have regularly to measure kidney function. This is crucial be- cause kidney disease (and potential failure) is one of the most serious potential diabetic side effects. The best-known of these is the microalbumin test. This looks for protein in your urine. High blood sug- ars can damage the tiny, deli- cate blood vessels in the kid- neys, causing trace amounts of protein to leak into the urine. Over time, if not ad- dressed, this damage can progress to full-blown kid- ney failure and dialysis. Doctors will also want to test blood creatinine levels. This number indicates how effectively the kidneys are fil- tering waste products. Taken with the microalbumin test, the doctor should be able to get a good idea of ones over- all kidney health. Of all diabetic complica- tions, kidney problems have been one of the most effec- tively prevented and reduced. In part, this is because ACE inhibitors, a common blood pressure medication, help prevent kidney damage. Even if you don't have kid- ney problems (or high blood pressure, for that matter), your doctor may want you to start an ACE inhibitor for just this reason. dilated eye exam People with diabetes need to go to an eye doctor for this exam. An eye exam looks specifically for the retinal damage that can be caused by high blood sugars. Sur- gery to seal off leaking blood vessels may be need- ed to preserve and protect ones vision. The good news about eye complications is that they tend to be one of the earliest signs of poorly controlled di- abetes. Good glycemic con- trol has been shown to stop these problems and some- times even reverse them. general HealtH exam Health can't be reduced to one disease or set of compli- cations. One's overall well- ness is important too. That's why people with diabetes should have a general check- up at least once a year, in ad- dition to all of the aforemen- tioned tests. The doctor will let the one know how their overall health is faring and what they can do to stay on track. Why bother with these tests? Going through this list of tests seems daunting. It makes having diabetes seem like a parade of drudgery, of constant trips to the doc- tor. And people with diabe- tes will tell you—that's defi- nitely an aspect of managing the disease. It's not fun, and it can be nerve-wracking to wait for one's results. But the good news embed- ded in this list of tests is that nearly any problem that is de- tect can be addressed. If is- sues are found early, simple and effective treatments ex- ist. Even moderate to severe complications and problems can often be treated and re- solved. go For a Salad If your favorite midday meal is heavy on bread, con- sider swapping out some of those carb-heavy calories for greens. With the right ingre- dients, a salad can be fully sat- isfying. For example, use dark leafy greens in place of iceberg let- tuce and don't forget to incor- porate some protein—lean meats, fish nuts, seeds, beans and certain vegetables like broccoli and artichokes can up your intake. Also, consider starting your dinner with a salad. It will help you feel full faster. With a few tweaks through- out the day and mindful eating, you can increase your fruit and vegetable intake with ease. H Intake Continued from page C-4 Ask SHIP: How can I become a SHIP volunteer? Q: I recently attend- ed an event where SHIP counselors were answer- ing people's questions about Medicare. I would love to do something like this. How can I become a SHIP volunteer: A. SHIP counselors are the key to our organization's success. SHIP (State Health Insur- ance Assistance Program) offers a variety of volunteer opportunities throughout the state of Indiana. SHIP's well-trained volunteers pro- vide one-on-one assistance, counseling by telephone, and public information through community events. SHIP currently has 297 counselors throughout Indi- ana! We offers 143 locations throughout the state for as- sistance. There is probably a site year you. You do not need to know a lot about Medicare to vol- unteer as a SHIP counselor because ship provides all of the tools and training you will need to get started. SHIP volunteers provide health insurance counsel- ing and answer questions re- garding Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medi- care Supplements, Medic- aid, employer benefit plans, long term care, paying for prescriptions and more. SHIP Counselors are the Medicare experts for their local community. They do not sell any kind of insur- ance products and must be impartial. In addition to answering questions related to Medi- care, SHIP counselors might also: • Make client contacts through face-to-face ap- pointments, local telephone calls, 800 telephone calls, • Attend presentations, and other local activities. • Assist with applica- tions for financial assistance programs. • Compare insurance plans side-by-side. • Refer to other agencies as needed. To become a SHIP coun- selor, you also must: • Complete a 30-hour basic • training which in- cludes using a computer • Complete hands-on volunteer shadowing • Want to help people with Medicare questions in your community • Attend regular local inservice training sessions (usually two half-day ses- sions per year) • Not be affiliated with (employed by, or in a posi- tion to sell) any insurance product, agency, company or service • Make a minimum one- year commitment to SHIP • Be willing to assure complete confidentiality to every client • Complete required pa- perwork documenting each contact If you are interested in becoming a SHIP coun- selor, need more informa- tion about SHIP, contact SHIP. Call 1-800 -452-4800, 866 -846 -0139 TDD, or vis- it www.medicarein.gov. You can also find us on Face- book and Twitter. The Dispatch Press Pike County's news network CAll JoHn, CInDy or PAM ToDAy at 812-354-8500 to see how your business can be seen in nearly 5,000 households. be SEEN iN ThE pd