(ARA) - Diabetes is a complex disease that can be difficult to understand and an even greater challenge to manage. The most life-threatening complications of diabetes are heart disease and stroke, which strike two out of three people with diabetes. Alarmingly, most people who have diabetes are unaware of their increased risk for heart disease and stroke. The good news is that people with diabetes can help reduce these risks by understanding and properly managing their disease.

First, managing the ABCs of diabetes -- A1C (a blood test which provides a big picture of your average blood sugar), Blood pressure and Cholesterol -- will help reduce the risk for heart disease, stroke and other health problems. Beyond managing the ABCs, successful diabetes care also means understanding the disease itself and how it affects your body. Link for Life is an interactive, online tool filled with practical tips and valuable information about diabetes.

Type Two Lou, an animated character who hosts the program, takes visitors into a virtual classroom, Diabetes 101. Link for Life consists of four distinct courses:

1. What is diabetes?

2. Diabetes and related health problems

3. The ABCs of diabetes

4. Medications

Through colorful animation, Link for Life describes how diabetes affects your body and describes the key components of diabetes care. Special features include tips on meal planning, managing medicines, diabetes self-care, and getting the most from visits with your health care providers. Most importantly, the program shows that by increasing knowledge and taking charge of diabetes, people with diabetes can reduce their risk for heart disease, stroke and other long-term health problems. To log onto Link for Life, visit www.diabetes.org/makethelink and click on the Link for Life icon in the center of the screen. To learn more about the link between diabetes and cardiovascular disease, call (800) DIABETES (342-2383)

Courtesy of ARA Content

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Courtesy of ARA Content