November is Diabetes Awareness Month

It’s that windy, wet, cold time of the year again. You remember it well as your hands and feet become dry and chapped . . . and you fight to keep your skin supple and moist. November is also Diabetes Awareness month . . . a time for all of us to increase our awareness about skin issues that can be helped when someone has diabetes, including identifying potential early stage risks by paying attention to your skin.

First, let’s understand some facts about Diabetes. It is a chronic illness that has become a significant health issue as the overall rate of illness continues to spiral out of control. A recent study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concluded that diabetes increased 33% between 1990 and 1998. The rate of increase was as high as 70% for people in their 30’s and fell to a moderate level among those who exercise and seriously manage their lifestyle.

Once thought to be simply an imbalance of sugar in the bloodstream, we now understand how complicated and inter-related this illness is with our health habits, the rate and amount of exercise that we get and the foods we eat.

Skin and Diabetes. One of the early sentinels of diabetes is the look and condition of the skin! That’s right. . .the condition of your skin provides a quick assessment of overall health. . .and the opportunity to be a proactive guardian of your wellness.

We all know that our skin, the largest organ in our body, is critical to our overall health. The condition of our skin can provide important information about our health. For example, many diabetics develop extremely dry skin susceptible to infections. Not only is it more prone to cracking and infections, but diabetic skin heals much more slowly as well. Part of the reason is that diabetes is linked to thickening skin and reduced blood circulation in the skin which may hinder healing.

So, what can an average person do?

• Practice good health management. Blood glucose fluctuations can stress overall health AND your skin.
• Hydrate your body with plenty of water.
• Hydrate your skin with a safe, toxic free moisturizing lotion or cream.
• Take care to treat minor wounds quickly to avoid infections.
• Pay special attention to your feet.

Chaé Organics has developed a collection of ToxicFree® products specifically to ensure healthy skin. Call the Chaé Customer Service line at 719-742-5288 to learn which products are best for you.

© November, 2006