Diabetes Education

What is Diabetes?
Our bodies use a simple sugar called glucose for energy. In order to get that energy, the pancreas produces the hormone insulin, which helps the glucose get into our body cells for use.  If your body doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use its own natural insulin as efficiently as it should, it causes glucose to build up in your blood. This excess sugar in the blood is a result of diabetes.

So, you have Diabetes?
The Hillcrest Diabetes Self Management Education (DSME) program is designed to help empower you to take control of your diabetes.  You will learn what diabetes is, what causes it, and what you can do to prevent the long term complications such as eye, kidney, and nerve problems.  Your primary care doctor needs to complete our DSME referral form.  To print the referral form, click here.

Where can I get more info about Diabetes?
The following links lead to websites that provide reputable diabetes information:
The American Diabetes Association
http://www.diabetes.org/home.jsp
National Diabetes Education Program
http://ndep.nih.gov/index.aspx
The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/
Joslin Deabetes Center
http://www.joslin.org/managing_your_diabetes_707.asp