The perfect time to STOP Diabetes is NOW.

That's right.  Even if the thought of diabetes has never crossed your mind. NOW is the time to start paying attention: before you develop diabetes or even pre-diabetes.

I'm bringing it up now because November is National Diabetes Awareness month, dedicated to all people who have any type of diabetes, including type 1 and type 2. And today (11-1-11) marks the first annual Type 1 Day (T1Day), a new campaign led by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. November 1st is a day especially dedicated to commemorating the lives, accomplishments and triumphs of people living with type 1 diabetes.

I think National Diabetes Month is also a time to recognize how big a problem diabetes is becoming in America. And also to realize that there is so much we can do to prevent and control it! Type 2 diabetes is very much a preventable disease, or at least a disease we can put off, even if the risk is in our genes. Not to mention, if you have diabetes, the risk of complications can be minimized by controlling blood sugars.

Did you know that...

• Nearly 26 million children and adults have diabetes
• 79 million people have pre-diabetes or are at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes
• Diabetes kills more people each year than breast cancer and AIDS combined
• The CDC projects that 1 in 3 American adults will have diabetes by the year 2050 unless we take steps to stop diabetes.
• Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness, amputations and kidney disease.

We have to face it and take action now! There are simple steps you can take to improve your health and risk of diabetes. (I'll be sharing them throughout the month).

For starters, take this quick quiz to find out if you're at risk for type 2 diabetes. If you need help, don't be afraid to ask. I've spent thouands of hours helping people manage diabetes. If you're not local, there are diabetes educations programs around the country. Wherever you go, diabetes educators are here to help you learn, manage your health and provide support.

What do you think about the diabetes epidemic?