September EFAP News: Managing Health Risks
Many serious medical conditions exist without obvious external symptoms. Regular check-ups and screenings are a line of defense against these silent health threats. When it comes to knowing your numbers, the following measurements are particularly important:
Blood pressure. High blood pressure increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease and can damage your brain, eyes and arteries. There typically aren’t any symptoms, so regular screenings are crucial.
Blood sugar. A blood sugar level that is either too high or too low usually indicates diabetes. If not treated, diabetes can lead to heart disease, kidney disease, and other serious complications. See your doctor for regular screenings and to assess other risk factors for diabetes.
Body mass index (BMI) measures your weight in relation to your height. Extra weight is associated with high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes and other serious illnesses. While many websites will help you determine your BMI, talking to your doctor is always best.
Cholesterol. Excess cholesterol builds up in the arteries and can lead to heart disease and stroke. High total cholesterol, high LDL (“bad” cholesterol), or low HDL (“good” cholesterol) may increase your risk. Work with your doctor to keep a close eye on your numbers. You may also want to incorporate more plant foods into your diet such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, and nuts/seeds. These foods are cholesterol-free and naturally low in fat and sugar, which is why plant-based diets are being recommended more frequently to promote optimal health.
Attend the webinar. This month be sure to register and attend the webinar, “What We Need to Know About Diabetes.” With so much information available on the subject, this training can present what you need to know in a practical forum. A full description and registration information is listed in the sidebar to the right. If you’re unable to attend at any of the times, log on to the website at a later time to view the archived presentation.
PDF files of the monthly newsletter and posters will be available for download on the 1st of the month by logging onto the website and clicking on
“Monthly Bulletins” on the home page.
YOU’VE GOT THE POWER TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS
Free Monthly Webinar:
What We Need to Know About Diabetes
Wednesday, September 20th
One-third of Americans have pre-diabetes, and each year about 11% of those with pre-diabetes progress to full-blown diabetes. But lifestyle changes can prevent this from happening. Learn about the simple steps to improve overall health and help prevent diabetes and pre-diabetes.
REGISTER TODAY! Space is limited.
- Click on the time you would like to attend from the selections listed above.
- Or click on “UPCOMING WEBINARS” from the homepage of the website and follow the easy instructions.
Unable to make it to the scheduled webinars?
We have them archived for your convenience. Log onto the website and click on E4 University at the bottom of the home page, then click on Webinars to search by webinar title.
e4health administers the College’s EFAP program. To access their comprehensive web site, with many tools and articles, go to the e4health web site.
Username: middlebury college
Or call them at: 800-828-6025
(phones are answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)