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Yoga is a series of stretches and poses, usually in a class, for flexibility, strength, and balance development. The intensity of yoga can be adjusted according to the level of experience.

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Migraine

Your Nervous System and Diabetes

Here’s what nerves do:

Send messages about pain, heat, cold, and touch to your brain Tell your muscles how and when to move Control body actions on their own, without any effort on your part (such as digesting food)

How will I know if I have nerve damage?

Nerve damage can cause tingling, pain, or numbness in your feet and hands. Taking care of your feet is very important, because nerve damage can start in your feet and work its way up.

Nerve damage can also cause problems in other parts of your body. You might have nerve damage if you

  • Often feel like you have a full stomach or are throwing up a lot
  • Have trouble going to the bathroom
  • Feel dizzy or weak
  • Are sweating more or less than usual

How can I protect myself against nerve damage?

There are many things you can do to lower your chance of getting nerve damage. And if you already have it, you can stop it from getting worse.

Follow these steps to keep your body working smoothly:

  • Talk to your health care provider
    • Discuss any numbness, tingling, or pain and any problems with digestion, going to the bathroom, or your sex life
  • Keep your blood sugar in control
    • Check your blood sugar regularly
    • Have your health care provider test your A1C at least twice a year
    • Take your prescribed medicines
    • Eat healthy and stay active
    • Control your blood pressure and cholesterol
  • Live healthier
    • If you are overweight, lose weight with diet and exercise
    • Stop smoking
    • Limit your alcohol use

Diabetes is the leading cause of nerve damage. Controlling your blood sugar can help prevent or delay nerve damage and related problems.

Why should I care about nerve damage?

If you have diabetes, you should take every step to avoid nerve damage. Nerve damage is also called neuropathy (new-ROP-uh-thee) and can lead to serious health problems, such as

  • Tingling, pain, or numbness in your feet, legs, hands, and arms
  • Damage to your heart, sex organs, and digestive tract
  • Infection that leads to amputation
    • Uncontrolled diabetes can cause damage to your nerves. If your nerves are damaged, they cannot tell your brain that something is wrong.
    • Body parts can become numb from nerve damage. For example, you could get a blister or a sore on your foot and not even know it. That blister or sore could become infected. If it is not treated, the infection could go through your skin and into your bone. To stop it from spreading to the rest of your body, your leg may need to be amputated (removed by a surgeon).

Talk to your health care provider about any numbness, tingling, or pain you may have.

Further Resources

About.com

Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology

American Academy of Pediatrics

American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

The Cleveland Clinic health information

eMedicineHealth.com

KidsHealth.org

Mayo Clinic

Pollen.com

WebMD


Further Resources

Allergy and Asthma Network - Mothers of Asthmatics, Inc.

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology

American Lung Association

CDC: asthma's impact on children and adolescents

CDC: how to quit

EPA: asthma and indoor environments

NIH: asthma and physical activity in the school

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute


Further Resources

American Diabetes Association

Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation

Diabetic Exercise and Sports Association

International Diabetes Federation

NIH: NIDDK diabetes health information

NIH: NIDDK nutrition information

NIH: National Diabetes Education Program

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

The Juvenile Diabetes Foundation


Further Resources

American Council for Headache Education

American Headache Society

National Headache Foundation

New England Center for Headache


Further Resources

American Dietetic Association

Dietary guidelines for americans

Food and nutrition information center

NIH: nutrition information

NIH: weight loss and control

NIH: weight control


Always check with the health care professional before beginning any activity plan or increasing activity. It's also important to ask him or her about target heart rate to help determine appropriate exercise intensity.

Always check with your health care professional before beginning any activity plan or increasing your activity. It's also important to ask him or her what your target heart rate is to help determine what exercise intensity is appropriate for you.

Always be sure to check with your health care professional before beginning any activity plan or increasing your activity.

It always helps to ask:

  • What activities are right for me?
  • How much should I do each day?
  • How many days a week?

It's also important to ask him or her what your target heart rate is to help determine what exercise intensity is appropriate for you.

This information is provided by an independent source. Merck is not responsible for this content. Please discuss any and all treatment options with your healthcare professional. The manufacturer of a product generally has the most complete information about that product.

This information is provided by an independent source. Merck is not responsible for this content. Please discuss any and all treatment options with your healthcare professional. The manufacturer of a product generally has the most complete information about that product.

This information is provided by an independent source. Merck is not responsible for this content. Please discuss any and all treatment options with your healthcare professional. The manufacturer of a product generally has the most complete information about that product.

Before making decisions about which policies, if any, to purchase, be sure to:

Thoroughly research policies Review the coverage Compare policy options

Download complete insurance quick reference [PDF 6 pages, 183k] including the health insurance options information on this page.

Before making Medicare choices, always:

Thoroughly review coverage Compare options Call Medicare at 800-633-4227 if you have any questions

Download complete insurance quick reference [PDF 3 pages, 160k] including Medicare and Medicaid information on this page.

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Health Coach Call

Listen to an example of what a call might sound like.

PlayNutrition call (7:16)
PlayActivity call (7:22)

Here are some important things to know about your Health Coach Call:

Our Coaches are employed by a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., a pharmaceutical company. The information provided is based on generally available nutrition and physical activity guidelines and information applicable to most people. Health Coaches are not licensed dietitians or health and fitness professionals, and they are not in a position to assess your individual nutrition or activity needs. This information is not appropriate if you are pregnant, and it may not be appropriate if you have specialized dietary needs or limitations on the level of activity or exercise you can safely undertake due to your medical conditions. Consult your health care professional regarding your specific needs, limitations, and health conditions. Health Coaches can educate and coach you on nutritional and physical activity recommendations for the typical person. Health Coaches are not health care professionals and cannot offer medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult your health care professional because he or she knows you best. If you have a chronic health condition, check with your health care professional to find out if physical activity is safe before you start. If during your call you have concerns about any condition, special dietary needs, limitations on the level of activity or exercise, any treatments, side effects, or adverse experiences, your Health Coach will refer you to your health care professional.

Activity Points Explained

This Planner uses Activity Points as a way to help you stay motivated and focused on your activity goals. Points are assigned to each activity in the Planner. You'll earn more points when you increase the duration of the activity.

For example, when you bicycle for 15 minutes at a moderate pace (12 to 14 mph), you earn 120 Activity Points. To earn the same number of Activity Points while cycling at a very easy pace (less than 10 mph), you would need to bike for 30 minutes.

If you are currently inactive or get very little activity during the week, a good goal to work toward is 500 Activity Points each week. This is equal to 30 minutes of moderate–intensity aerobic exercise on 5 days a week.

If you are moderately or highly active (more than 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week), you may want to aim for up to 1,000 Activity Points each week. This is equivalent to 1 hour of activity on 5 days a week.

What you'll gain

At 500 Activity Points per week: Once you consistently reach this level (ie, 150 minutes of moderate–intensity aerobic activity per week), you may gain substantial health benefits. These benefits include lower risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and depression.

At 1,000 Activity Points per week: When you consistently reach this level (ie, 300 minutes of moderate–intensity aerobic activity per week), you may gain even more health benefits. These benefits include a decreased risk of colon and breast cancer and an even lower risk of heart disease and diabetes.