Chapa-De Diabetes Services
Chapa-De Indian Health Auburn Grass Valley | Medical Clinic
Diabetes is a disease that affects over 100 million people across the country. It especially affects members of the American Indian community. With the right treatment, those diagnosed with diabetes can live a normal, healthy life. Make sure you know the signs, when to get treatment, and where to go for help.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease that affects how your body uses blood sugar. Blood sugar is important because it is a source of energy for the cells that make up your muscles and tissues and power your brain. Normally, blood sugar is processed in the body by insulin, a hormone that comes from an organ called the pancreas. Diabetes harms this process.
The two kinds of chronic, or ongoing, diabetes are type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. With type 1 diabetes your body cannot make enough insulin, if any. With type 2 diabetes, your body may make insulin, but your cells become unable to use the insulin. When this happens, the insulin cannot work.
Click HERE to read more about blood sugar, insulin, and type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Why is Diabetes Important to American Indians?
Diabetes affects millions of people across the country, but it is especially harmful in American Indian communities. This is partly because diabetes is hereditary, making it easier to get if someone in your family has it. People of certain ethnicities, including American Indians, are at a higher risk for diabetes. American Indians are at a higher risk of diabetes than any other U.S. racial or ethnic group. This makes it very important for American Indians to know the symptoms of and treatments for diabetes in order to have a healthy lifestyle.
Symptoms of Diabetes
Symptoms of diabetes are different based on your blood sugar level. Symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes can include:
- Increased thirst
- Frequent urination
- Extreme hunger
- Unexplained weight loss
- Tiredness
- Irritability
- Blurred sight
- Frequent infections
- Click HERE for a full list of symptoms.
How to Prevent and Manage Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented, but there are several steps you can take to help manage type 1 diabetes and prevent type 2 diabetes:
- Eat healthy foods
- Get more physical activity
- Keep your weight in a healthy range
- Click HERE to read more about management and prevention.
How Chapa-De Can Help
Chapa-De Indian Health offers many services to help patients with diabetes, starting with our fantastic staff.
Kay Lowell, a Diabetes Nurse Case Manager at our Auburn location, is dedicated to empowering patients with diabetes to better understand their condition so they can lead a healthier and happier life. She says, “Here at Chapa-De, we want to come alongside clients to motivate and provide them with the tools they need to reach their fullest potential.”
In addition to having a wonderful and prepared staff, Chapa-De has a state-of-the-art diabetes program. This program provides the resources to get our patients on the right path. From our Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) to our wellness programs, exercise classes and support groups, we are here to help.
Click HERE to meet the rest of our diabetes staff and learn more about our Diabetes Wellness Program, or call (530) 889-3765.
For more information on diabetes and the services we offer, please call our Auburn location at (530) 887-2810 or our Grass Valley location at (530) 477-8545 or visit us online at chapa-de.org.
Chapa-De Diabetes Services
Chapa-De Indian Health Auburn Grass Valley | Medical Clinic
PASSIONATE PEOPLE. COMPASSIONATE CARE.
Chapa-De provides medical care, dental care, optometry, behavioral health, pharmacy services and much more.
Serving all American Indian, Low Income and Limited Income Community
Members
Chapa-De Indian Healthcare Auburn Grass Valley