Janice Hidalgo: Hello! I am Janice Hidalgo, Project Manager for the Diabetes Self Management Educational Program at IPRO. We are talking about how to self-manage your diabetes. Now I am going to talk about how to reduce your risks for other health problems. Having Diabetes puts you at a higher risk for developing other health problems, however, if you understand the risks you can take the necessary steps to lower your chance of diabetes related complications. Talk to your diabetes educator and doctor about potential health issues such as kidney damage, nerve damage, and vision loss. They can explain why complications happen and how they can be avoided. Don't rely on your healthcare team to identify all areas of concern. You need to pay an active role in reducing your risks. Make an effort to learn about complications and consistently track your overall health. You can reduce your risk for several complications by taking these precautions. Don't smoke, schedule regular medical checkups and medical tests. See an ophthalmologist at least once a year. Keep your feet dry and clean. Look out for redness or sores and report these to your healthcare team as soon as you find them. If you have trouble seeing the bottom of your feet ask a family member of friend to help you. You can also put a mirror on the floor to check the bottom of your feet. Follow your healthy eating plan, keep active, take your medication as prescribed, monitor your blood sugar, check your blood pressure, brush and floss your teeth. Carlos F. Driggs: If they do the right thing, many of these complications can be minimized dramatically, and if they do the right thing which is in the beginning diet and exercise and comply with medications, many of these complications can be prevented and diabetes can be controlled. Janice Hidalgo: Be sensitive to your body, recognize when you're not feeling well and contact your healthcare team if you need help identifying the problem. It is a good idea to keep a personal health record that lists all the test you should be regularly getting and the targets for each. These are some of the recommended tests and numerical goals for these tests. A1C should be less than 7%. This test should be done every three to six months. Blood pressure should be less than a 130 over 80. Have your blood pressure taken at every doctor visits. Lipids, HDL or good cholesterol should be over 40 for men and over 50 for women. LDL or bad cholesterol should be less than a 100 and less than 70, if you have heart disease. Triglycerides should be less than a 150. You should have your blood lipids tested at least once a year. If you would like to learn more about diabetes self-management, check out our other videos in these series including problem solving and action planning.