Martin's Point to Host Diabetes Fair Thursday, Nov. 2

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 2, 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 amputation.

"The focus of this year's Diabetes Fair is achieving better control of your diabetes, from your glucose level to blood pressure and lipids," said Leigh Kirchner, a Certified Health Education Specialist at Martin's Point.

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 features a luncheon with guest speaker Kay Mullin, a registered dietitian, and also includes interactive demonstrations specific to self-managing diabetes. Attendees are asked to pre-register for the lunch. The Diabetes Fair is free and open to the public. For more information call 1-800-260-6681.

[NOTE: Media interested in covering the fair must call first so organizers can obtain patient release forms, have a health professional available to talk to the media, etc. Call either Amy Weinschenk at 774-5801, or Beryl Wolfe at the number listed above. Thanks.]

The Martin's Point Health Education 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 such as 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. Nearly 70,000 people in Maine and 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," said Kirchner. "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.

Established in 1981, Martin's Point is now Maine's largest health care practice, employing 290 healthcare professionals who serve more than 44,000 patients at clinics in Portland, Windham and Brunswick, Maine and in Newington, N.H. in the areas of family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, radiology, cardiology, mammography and other fields.

Martin's Point has attracted widespread attention for its high-tech initiatives, including a robot to assist in dispensing prescriptions, and Patients Personal Points, a free, Internet-based service that allows patients to use their computers to communicate by a secure server with their doctors to schedule appointments, ask advice, and obtain prescription refills. Patients Personal Points recently won a national technology award from the Healthcare Innovations in Technology Systems (HITS) "Partnership in Technology" national awards program.

Headquartered in Portland at 331 Veranda St., Martin's Point accepts all major health plans and insurance, including but not limited to HealthSource, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Harvard Community Health Plan, Maine Partners, Champus, Tricare, Aetna, Cigna and NYLCare Plans. For more information about Martin's Point Health Care, its physicians, or program offerings, visit the Martin's Point website at www.martinspoint.org.

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