1410 WIZM

Alert Day, March 22, 2011, is a one-day “wake-up” call to inform the American public about the seriousness of diabetes.  The American Diabetes Association encourages people to join the movement to Stop Diabetes and find out if they, or their loved ones, are at risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes; the most common form of diabetes.  The La Crosse County Health Department’s Public Health Nursing Division offers Cholesterol/Diabetes screenings the 4^th Wednesday of each month for $41. An additional screening is also available to check a Hemoglobin A1C level; the cost for this test is $31. Hemoglobin A1C looks at one’s average blood sugar level over the past 2-3 months.

Currently, 25.8 million Americans are living with diabetes and an additional 79 million, or one in three American adults, are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.  For many, diagnosis may come seven to ten years after the onset of the disease.  Therefore, early diagnosis is critical to successful treatment and delaying or preventing some of its complications such as:  heart disease, blindness, kidney disease, stroke, amputation and even death.  Studies have shown that type 2 diabetes can be delayed and even prevented by making simple changes in your lifestyle.

The Public Health Nursing Division holds the following screening clinics to detect abnormal cholesterol and blood glucose levels— identifying problems early in order to prevent or reduce the burden of heart disease and diabetes on individuals, their families and their communities.  Education on healthy lifestyles and referral and follow-up services are offered to promote health and reduce morbidity, mortality and the economic burden resulting from these chronic conditions.