As I See It

By DAVID 11

Holiday season is finally here so you know it’s time to eat good, but be careful with your intake portions. November is National Diabetes Month, a time when communities across the country seek to bring attention to diabetes. For 2023, my goal is to focus on taking action to prevent diabetic health problems.

Diabetes affects about 37 million Americans, including adults and youth. Diabetes can damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart, and it is linked to some types of cancer. It is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. Managing diabetes can be hard if you feel down, sad, or overwhelmed, but there’s also good news: taking charge of your health may help you prevent diabetes health problems. I was actually hospitalized this year in August 2023. This was an eye opener for me as I go into my 40th year. So I want to share these seven observations I had with you all. My November reflection of health at 40.

1. Know your A1c because you can live for years not knowing you are immune deficient, and illness can sneak up on you.

2. Always analyze your discharge. Urine, sweat, feces. Check color, smell, look at the consistency. This gives you the first clues of what’s happening with your organs.

3. Practice breathing. Oxygen helps the brain and muscles as well as relax the body. Try this four second exercise: inhale for four seconds, hold it for four seconds then exhale for four seconds…for four repetitions.

4. This is most important. Know the systems to master your body. Understand respiratory, circulatory digestive, nervous, urinary, immune, reproductive, muscular, endocrine, skeletal, exocrine.

5. Stay strong and be disciplined… enjoy the rewards that comes with it.

6. Know that there’s a difference between blood pressure and your heartbeat.

7. Last, check the label for ingredients and nutritional facts, because soft drinks are just as harmful as alcoholic beverages.

I hope this will be insightful as we all move forward elevating our lives. For remainder of 2023 be sure to get yourself involved with something charitable. Remember to stay strong, live courageously and be dangerous. Not “dangerous” as in doing evil, but dangerous, as being the best at your talents, skills, and gifts. As always thank you for reading Villij News.

DAVID 11 Pompano’s Cultural Arts Ambassador