Educating the Public during National Diabetes Month

Your diabetes health-care team is there to help you live well with diabetes, but you are the most important person on your health care team, according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). Seek support from health care professionals, family, friends, and your community to successfully manage your diabetes. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Here are a few tips to stay healthy with diabetes: Get routine care; At each visit with your provider make sure you have a blood pressure check, foot check, weight check and review your self-care plan; Two times each year, have an A1C test; Once each year, be sure you have a cholesterol test, complete foot exam, dental exam to check teeth and gums, dilated eye exam to check for eye problems, flu shot, urine and a blood test to check for kidney problems; At least once in your lifetime, get a pneumonia shot and hepatitis B shot. For more information on how to prevent or manage diabetes in SC, email [email protected] or call 803-898-1934 to speak with someone in DHEC’s Diabetes, Heart Disease, Obesity and School Health Division.