Martin's Point Hosts Diabetes Fair

November is National Diabetes Education Month

Martin's Point Health Care is providing a Diabetes Fair at its Health Education Center on Veranda Street in Portland on Thursday, November 4, from noon to 4 p.m.

The free event, coinciding with National Diabetes Education Month, is aimed at providing information and answering questions about the disease, which can lead to blindness, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and amputations. The focus of this year's Diabetes Fair is cardiovascular disease, said Jan Wnek, M.D., medical director at Martin's Point Health Care.

At the Diabetes Fair, the Martin's Point health care team will answer questions about foot care, blood glucose monitoring, blood pressure, diet issues concerning fat and cholesterol, exercise and stress. The event will include interactive demonstrations specific to self-managing diabetes. Attendees are asked to pre-register by calling 1-800-260-6681.

"Heart and blood vessel damage happens to people who do not have diabetes," Wnek said. "But those who have the disease, especially Type 2, have three times the risk for cardiovascular disease problems, and often those problems strike at an earlier age. Our goal is to help people with diabetes self-manage the disease to prevent or delay other serious health problems."

The event will be held in the Martin's Point Health Education Center. The center offers a variety of resource materials, such as publications and videos, and classes that focus on a host of topics, ranging from weight management and smoking cessation to managing a particular disease like diabetes.

Diabetes causes blood sugar levels to be too high. Over time, high blood sugar levels can harm nerves, eyes, kidneys, and heart and blood vessels. Someone with diabetes is at risk of going blind, suffering from kidney failure, or losing a foot or toe. Nearly 16 million Americans have diabetes, and diabetes is the fourth-leading cause of death by disease in the United States, according to the American Diabetes Association.

The good news is, those with the disease can do a lot to stay healthy. Steps to manage diabetes include controlling blood sugar levels and blood pressure, choosing a low-fat, high-fiber diet and exercising regularly.

Symptoms of diabetes include: extreme thirst, blurry vision from time to time, frequent urination, unusual tiredness or drowsiness, and unexplained weight loss. Anyone with those symptoms should contact a doctor.

But the disease can be prevented, Wnek said. "Maintaining a healthy weight, eating low- fat foods and getting regular exercise can help prevent diabetes," she said.

Headquartered in Portland at 331 Veranda Street, Martin's Point Health Care employs 280 healthcare professionals who serve 44,000 patients at locations in Portland, Windham, Brunswick and Newington, N.H. Established in 1981, it accepts all major health plans and insurance, including but not limited to HealthSource, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Harvard Community Health Plan, Tufts Health Plan, Maine Partners, Champus, Tricare, Aetna, Cigna and NYLCare Plans. Martin's Point also holds a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense to provide health care services for retired military personnel and the dependents of active duty personnel.

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