Regional Arthritis Center of Greater Saint Louis

Deep dive into the risks for type II diabetes: Family history of diabetes Overweight or obesity Physical inactivity... High blood pressure Low levels of "good" cholesterol and high levels of "bad" cholesterol History of heart disease Age 45+ There are more risk factors listed on the NIDDK website as well as a risk factor test in this link: https://www.niddk.nih.gov//risk-factors/diabetes-risk-test

Do you know the difference between type I and type II diabetes? Type I diabetes means that your body does not make insulin, an important compound in your body helps you use sugar to make energy and balance blood sugar. Type I diabetes is usally dianosed in children and young adults. People with type I diabetes need ot take insulin everyday. Type II diabetes is when your body doesn't make or use insulin well. Type II diabetes most commonly develops in middle-aged and older poeple. Type II is the most common type of diabetes.

Today is Diabetes Alert Day! Daibetes alert day is a "wake-up call" or "alarm" day to recognize how serious diabetes is and how important it is to understand the risks, mangement and consequences of diabetes. The RAC of greater St. Louis offers Diabetes Self Manamgement Classes (reach out to us to find a class happening near you!). Becuase diabetes is something we focus on, we decided to turn Diabetes alert day into a ~week~ of posts and informantion. Today we are going to st...art with FACTS about diabetes fromthe National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK, https://www.niddk.nih.gov//community-he/diabetes-alert-day): 1. Nearly 1 in 5 adults living with diaberes are *unaware* that they have the disease 2. Over 84% of people living with prediabetes dont know they have prediabetes and are at risk 3. ~50% of women who develop gestational diabetes go on to develop type II diabetes 4. About 10.5% of the population has diabetes (34.2 million Americans!) 5. The NIDDK website has a "Diabetes Risk Test" that is easy to take and understand your risk for diabetes! See more

Covid Vaccines are available for many Missouri Residents. Go to covidvaccine.mo.gov to find all the relevant information about getting vaccinated in Missouri. Currently, MO is vaccinating Phase 1A and 1B. Phase 1A includes long-term care facility residents and staff, healthcare workers and emergency services. Phase 1B has three tiers, all currently being vaccinated. Phase 1B includes first responders, high risk individuals (people with chronic conditions, etc), and essential workers. See the website above for more specific information about the phases, a vaccinator map in MO, and a place to register for alerts for when you’re eligible for vaccines!

Did you know that Diabetes can also affect your vision and eye health? The American Optometric Association has many resources about diabetes and eye sight and here is one! 1) Eye doctors can help catch and diagnose diabetic retinopathy early!... 2) People with diabetes are at higher risk for eye diseases like glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy. 3) Routine eye doctor visits are crucial to eye health (Like we said Monday, and we will say it again and again!) Keep a look out for our final eye health post on Friday!

To celebrate Black History Month, we will be giving shout outs to Black therapists, content creators and advocates for that write about chronic illness and offer resources for the Black community. Our first spotlight is Jameisha Preschod (she/they) @youlookokaytome They are a writer and advocate that shares their experience with chronic illness and discusses the social implications of chronic illness. They make videos, vlogs and other resources for folks. Give them a follow... and see if their resources & posts resonate with you. https://www.facebook.com/youlookokaytome

Did you know your heart age and your actual age can be different? Your heart can age faster than you because of stress, high BMI, poor diet and/or inconsistent cardiovascular exercise. What age is your heart?! Many U.S. adults have a heart age greater than their actual age, placing them at increased risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Watch this short video to learn why your heart age is important and what you can do to improve it.... From: CDC.gov/heartdisease/heartage.htm CDC.gov/vitalsigns/heartage/index.html https://youtu.be/jvOU4Do4xZ8

T-Minus 5 days until Valentines Day! Along with the theme of love, here are facts about hearts & heart health: Heart health: 1) Minimize salty foods--too much salt can increase blood pressure, which puts extra stress on your heart. 2) Your mental health affects your heart health! Making an extra effort to decrease stress and symptoms of anxiety and/or depression can help with heart health.... 3) Get moving! Your heart is a muscle and gets stronger when you use it in exercise. Find ways to move and groove in ways that keep your joints happy but exercises your heart. Fun Facts: 1) Your heart will beat about 115,000 times each day. 2) Your heart pumps about 2,000 gallons of blood every day. 3) A human electrical system controls the rhythm of your heart. It’s called the cardiac conduction system. 4) Whales have the largest heart of any mammal.

Earlier this week, we shared a link about getting ready for public COVID vaccine distribution. Here is a little more information about what is expected/typical after getting the vaccine: common side effects at the injection site --> pain, tenderness and swelling You may feel flu-like symptoms. This means that your immune system is WORKING to build your biological army to fight against COVID... Flu-like symptoms include: fever, chills, body aches, fatigue and body aches After you get your vaccine, both #1 and #2, make sure to drink a lot of water. Using & moving your arm where you got the inject can help reduce pain and tenderness, too. Side effects should only last a few days! This article has more information about what to expect when getting the vaccine: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus//vaccines/expect/after.html

Alright, St. Louis! Vaccine roll out is beginning to happen. St. Louis (city and county) are opening up a portal for folks to register for vaccination updates. The links to sign up for updates are linked in the article below depending on where you are -- city, county etc. Link to article: https://www.stltoday.com//article_0a3befc8-08d7-5116-9b85- The COVID vaccine is especially important for people with chronic illnesses. The vaccine is a way of getting your immune system'...s "army against COVID" ready so that if you come into contact with the virus, your body is equipped. This will prevent serious illness from COVID. Any questions about the vaccine? Reach out to us!