According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 34.2 million Americans—just over 1 in 10—have diabetes. 88 million American adults—approximately 1 in 3—have prediabetes. A diabetes diagnosis does not have to be scary. However, having the knowledge you need to properly manage the disease is imperative. A Certified Diabetes Educator can equip you with the tools you need to live a full and healthy life while properly managing your diabetes.
Diabetes is an illness that occurs when blood sugar (blood glucose) is too high, and this can be due to insulin resistance (type 2 diabetes) or the inability to create insulin (type 1 diabetes).
Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed during childhood. In contrast, type 2 diabetes can develop at any age but is more common in older populations.
Prediabetes occurs when your blood sugar is identified as higher than normal but is not high enough to be type 2 diabetes. There are changes that can be made to lessen the likelihood of progressing the disease to type 2 diabetes. To learn more about diabetes and its warning signals, read our blog post Are you at Risk for Diabetes and Don't Know It? 10 Signs to Look For.
Certified Diabetes Educators (CDE) are specialists in diabetes. They are medical professionals, pharmacists, nurses, dietitians, doctors, social workers, that have undergone extensive and rigorous training to become experts in their field. To become a CDE requires two years and 1,000 hours of specialized education. Once the minimum education requirements are met, those seeking out certification must pass a test covering a variety of diabetes topics from general to detailed.
While many medical professionals are versed on diabetes basics, a CDE has acquired a deeper level of knowledge in regards to specialized situations, populations, and new technologies used to treat diabetes.
According to ADCES, the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists, "a diabetes care and education specialist works with you to develop a management plan that fits your lifestyle, beliefs, and culture. They’ll help you understand how to use devices like meters, insulin pens, pumps, and continuous glucose monitoring devices; and use the information from these devices and your lifestyle to identify patterns and opportunities for improvement. You’ll work together to find solutions to address your most pressing challenges."
Many medical insurance plans include a benefit titled DSMT or Diabetes Self-Management Training. Often, an annual visit with a Certified Diabetes Educator is covered within this benefit. It is always best to check with your insurance company to verify what is covered.
If you have been recently diagnosed with pre-diabetes, diabetes, or are struggling to manage your care, we encourage you to schedule an appointment with Amy Moore. Amy would welcome the opportunity to help you succeed and develop a care plan that will maximize your lifestyle.