Diabetes Education Center
King's Daughters Diabetes Education Center educates and promotes self-management skills for all types of people living with diabetes.
Diabetes is a serious disease in which the body does not use glucose (sugar) normally from the food you eat. This causes sugar to become too high in the blood stream.
Types of Diabetes
The two main types of diabetes are Type 1 and Type 2. In Type 1 diabetes the body does not produce insulin, a hormone needed to move sugar from the bloodstream into the cells where it is used for energy.
In Type 2 diabetes, your body does not respond to insulin properly, causing blood sugar levels to rise. It is the most common form of diabetes.
Other types of diabetes include:
- Pre Diabetes
- Gestational—Diabetes that occurs during pregnancy
- Latent Auto Immune Diabetes in Adults (LADA)
- Maturity Onset of Diabetes in the Young (MODY)
- Type 3c
How do I know if I have diabetes?
Signs and symptoms of diabetes may include:
- Extreme thirst
- Frequent urination
- Weight loss
- Blurred vision
- Frequent skin, bladder or gum infections
- Irritability
- Wounds that don’t heal
- Extreme, unexplained tiredness
Some people with Type 2 diabetes have no symptoms. This form of diabetes can develop so slowly that it may not be noticed.
Meeting the challenges of diabetes
Living with diabetes can be challenging. The diabetes team at King’s Daughters can teach you to control your diabetes instead of your diabetes controlling you.
Our Diabetes Education program covers topics including:
- What is diabetes and how is it treated?
- Meal planning
- Physical activity
- Monitoring blood sugar
- Preventing, detecting and treating acute/chronic complications
- Using medications safely
- Assisting with changes to improve lifestyle
- Dealing with the concerns of having diabetes
Whether you are newly diagnosed or have had diabetes for years, you will benefit from education. People living with diabetes are encouraged to bring a supportive spouse, relative or friend.
Better control, better health
The best outcomes occur when you work with a diabetes team.
Our team of health professionals can help you avoid complications such as:
- Heart Attack
- Stroke
- Nerve damage
- Kidney failure
- Blindness
- Increased risk of infections
- Foot ulcers
In addition to your personal doctor, your diabetes team includes diabetes nurse educators and registered dietitians.
How do I get started?
Ask your provider to refer you to the King’s Daughters Diabetes Education Center. Most health insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid (Ky. and Ohio), cover diabetes education when services are prescribed by a healthcare provider.
Need help with a referral? We are happy to help! Call (606) 408-1540 or 1-877-800-4662.
Follow us on Facebook!
Resources
How does diabetes affect your heart health?
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)