Here's a random observation on Healthcare

Those who know me well know that I can be a wealth of random information.... (unfortunately, it usually does not help me on Trivia Pursuit or other Trivia games because those games don't ask me about what I do know)

Did you know that the rate of increase in people diagnosed with diabetes in the world is increasing by over 5% per year... in the US, now over 8% of our population has diagnosed diabetes, and some estimate that there are another 3% who simply aren't diagnosed yet... just think- 10% of us has diabetes. In the middle east and some Mediterranean countries that is as high as 12%.

This matters because of the costs! Sales of insulin increases between 10 and 11% per year... (by the way buy Walmart's Relion brand vs Humulin or Novulin brands... it is far less expensive). If you develop diabetes, expect to spend well over $2000 in out of pocket expenses per year, and don't you dare loose your job, because it will be a pre-existing condition on any new insurance policy.

You can do a lot to prevent diabetes... most experts say it is almost totally preventable in "most people"... it is a lifestyle disease in many, many cases. Here is what you can do:

- Exercise!!!! - even if you don't like it... it is proven to decrease blood sugar
- Loose Weight !!!- over 90% of diabetics are overweight
- Decrease your calorie intake and saturated fat intake- again proven to prevent
- have an annual physical and listen to your physician as they talk you about your risk

All of us can do these things.

Besides the cost, it can also be a faith issue... remember glutony, your body as a temple, etc.

If you do develop diabetes, it is not the end of the world.... there are great treatments and it does not have to limit your life style... but it will cost you, and it can only be treated, and it will be with you for the rest of your life.

Just some random thought about something you probably don't care about, but now you know.