American Heart Association twitter this morning, “80% of sudden cardiac arrest victims collapse at home. Are you ready to save someone you love?” It provided a link to a CPR website.
This Twitter @HeartofDiabetes is all about education on the link between diabetes and heart disease. This is a subject that we have continually talked about, the fact that when a life insurance underwriter looks at obesity and/or type 2 diabetes, they know that without effective management and excellent control other health issues are likely to follow. It’s not like the only thing they have to weigh is the chance of a person with diabetes going into a diabetic coma.
It’s the combination of risk factors and collateral health issues that an underwriter has to weigh when they consider an application. Especially in the overweight population having type 2 diabetes puts them at risk of high blood pressure, stroke, coronary artery disease and kidney damage along with a host of issues that have a lower mortality risk. The key to avoiding the downhill slide into health issues that will change your life and can end your life is taking the situation seriously.
Education, compliance and control should be the mantra. Know about your diabetes. Know what it is, what makes it worse and what makes it better. Know how worse and better are measured. Educate yourself on diet and exercise programs. Learn about the direct correlation between obesity and diabetes. Learn what the hbA1c is and why it’s important to keep it in a controlled range.
Compliance is all about listening to your doctor and following recommendations and prescribed treatment. When you don’t feel like you’re getting the information you need from your doctor, finding a diabetes education forum or a professional diabetes educator to help you take control of your condition and your life.
The good news with life insurance is that a diagnosis of diabetes doesn’t knock you out of the running for competitive, affordable life insurance rates. Given good control and no other risk factors, standard or better rates are not uncommon. If you are over age 60 and diagnosed in the last 5 years you actually have a good shot at preferred plus rates with one of our companies.
Bottom line. Diabetes is a destructive disease if not taken seriously. The diagnosis is a wake up call that you should definitely not be hitting the snooze button on.
Post from: Ed Hinerman On Life Insurance
