Heart Month has arrived and I am here as usual to remind you to have those important discussions about your heart health with your doctor, family and friends. It is so important to keep diabetes top of mind during this month of love.
Perhaps you’d be surprised to hear that 2/3 of Canadians don’t know that getting a stroke is one of the major complications of diabetes. Diabetes isresponsible for up to 30% of strokes and with strokes being the 3rd leading cause of adult disabilityand death in Canada, it’s a very important conversation we need to continue having. In fact, people with diabetes may develop heart disease 15 years earlier than those without diabetes.
I recently learned about the website diabetesandstroke.ca which has valuable information for those living with diabetes and for those looking after friends and family with diabetes.
Understanding your stroke risk is just as important as understanding and recognizing the signs of stroke.
Remember that signs of stroke include:
∙Drooping on one side of the face
∙Numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
One of the best questions you can ask your doctor is “What lifestyle changes would you recommend to help reduce my risk of stroke?”.
As someone who has family members living with Type 2 Diabetes, this is an on-going conversation with my doctor. This year I came to learn that the same lifestyle choices that can help keep your blood sugar under control can also help reduce the risk of stroke. Lifestyle habits like having whole foods vs. cooking with sauces has been a big change for our household. In addition to being active, introducing healthy carbs has been something we’ve been working on. These are daily habits that are great for all families, but even more so for those with members living with Type2 diabetes.
While I don’t have diabetes, it is something my family doctor monitors closely for me because I have family members on my paternal and maternal side who live with diabetes. Not only do I have family members living with diabetes but I also have family members who have experienced a stroke. I was recently informed by my doctor that I have high blood pressure and knowing that high blood pressure is the most important modifiable risk factor for stroke, I am taking all the steps towards reducing it. The continuous conversations with my doctor has helped me greatly and I encourage you to have those discussions with your family practitioner as well, especially if you’re of South Asian decent.
