November is observed as American Diabetes Month. This is an opportunity to share information about diabetes, making people aware of what it is and why it is important to manage diabetes when diagnosed or even prevent it.

What is diabetes? Simply put, it is a condition that causes the levels of glucose (blood sugar) in your blood to get too high. Over time, your organs cannot function properly due to the high levels of glucose. It just cannot keep up with the demand and then you begin to experience health problems. If diabetes is not diagnosed or properly managed, people with diabetes are at an increased risk for other serious health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, amputation and blindness. Unaddressed, diabetes takes a heavy toll medically, financially and individually.

If you are affected by diabetes directly or indirectly, we have a diabetes education opportunity starting in January. MSU Extension and Big Sandy Medical Center, with support from Mountain-Pacific Quality Health, will be offering a series of sessions to help supplement information and awareness in addition to what their health care team provides. Anyone wishing to learn more about diabetes is encouraged to attend. The sessions are free and will include a lot of information. Testimonials from past attendants have indicated it was well worth their time and they learned more than they ever expected.

Interested?! Watch for information to be distributed by flyers in the Big Sandy community, the Mountaineer, Facebook and the Chouteau County MSU Extension website. If you would like additional information or have any questions, please contact Janell Barber at the Chouteau County Extension Office at 622-3036, janellb@montana.edu or in the Chouteau County Courthouse at 1308 Franklin St in Fort Benton.

Montana State University, US Department of Agriculture and Montana Counties Cooperating. MSU Extension is an equal opportunity/affirmative action provider of educational outreach.