Chronic Disease Education and Self -Management

Supportive services to help you manage your health and maintain active and fulfilling lives.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy.

Most of the food you eat is broken down into sugar (also called glucose) and released into your bloodstream. When your blood sugar goes up, it signals your pancreas to release insulin. Insulin acts like a key to let the blood sugar into your body’s cells for use as energy.

If you have diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use the insulin it makes as well as it should. When there isn’t enough insulin or cells stop responding to insulin, too much blood sugar stays in your bloodstream.

Over time, that can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease.

There isn’t a cure yet for diabetes, but losing weight, eating healthy food, and being active can really help. Taking medicine as needed, getting diabetes self-management education and support, and keeping health care appointments can also reduce the impact of diabetes on your life.

Hypertension(High Blood Pressure)

Blood pressure is a measurement of the force exerted against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood to your body. Hypertension is the term used to describe high blood pressure.

Untreated high blood pressure can lead to many medical problems. These include heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, eye problems, and other health issues.

You have a higher risk of high blood pressure if you:

Are African American
Are obese
Are often stressed or anxious
Drink too much alcohol (more than 1 drink per day for women and more than 2 drinks per day for men)
Eat too much salt
Have a family history of high blood pressure
Have diabetes
Smoke

Because high blood pressure can sneak in without warning, stop it before it starts. Stay healthy, and your blood pressure checked at least once a year. If you already have high blood pressure, follow your doctor’s advice to get it under control.

Heart Health

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a disease in which blockages develop in the blood vessels that supply the heart muscle. Asking the right questions during your conversation with your doctor will help you know what to expect and how to better navigate your condition.

When CAD is identified before it causes serious health consequences, the treatment can be more effective and prevent complications such as heart attacks and arrhythmias.