There are about 21 million children and adults living with diabetes in the United States and there are some 54 million people at risk, according to the latest statistics from the American Diabetes Association.

Unfortunately, scientists still have not found a cure, but treatment is available and should be taken advantage of. This month is Diabetes Month and focus is being placed on diabetics and their care.

Family nurse practitioner and diabetes educator Shawna V. Charles, operator of The Diabetic Place in Davie has been in the business for 26 years. She describes diabetes as when the body isn’t able to break down sugar. Diabetes is broken down in two types - Type 1 – insulin dependent and Type 2 – non-insulin dependent both of which can occur in adults and children.

At the Diabetic Place which has been in operation for two months, Charles and her team of experts offer a one-stop care center for diabetics. They specialize in preventive care and screenings and offer the services of a podiatrist, optometrist, nutritionist and fitness expert – all necessary for diabetics to maintain good health. Besides the Baptist Hospital in Miami, there is no other one-stop diabetic center in Florida.

According to Charles, the idea of having all the services in one place came about because “I would refer them to the podiatrist, optometrist and nutritionist, I decided to have all these people in one place.” That way, patients can get the care they need without having to travel to different places and make several appointments.

She said knowing that you are predisposed to the condition and making simple lifestyle changes can “take 10 years off of developing the disease.” Sadly, however, because people can ignore signs like excessive tiredness and thirst, frequent urination, significant weight loss or attribute them to something else, there are many people walking around with the disease without knowing. By the time some people are diagnosed, there is already extensive damage.

Having a glucose tolerance test (GTT) done is one of the ways to diagnose the disease. The patient is given a specific quantity of sugar and monitored after one, two and three hours to see how well the body responds. Charles said this should be done especially when the patient does not have the symptoms but has the predisposition.

While diabetes “is genetic, once you have it; it’s 100 percent lifestyle,” Charles said. This explains why The Diabetic Place incorporates a nutritionist and a fitness trainer. “My biggest selling point is the fitness trainer,” she tells CNWeekly News. There is a gym on site and the patients can feel comfortable exercising once they have been given the green light from the trainer.

Nutrition is extremely important to diabetics. But according to Charles, it is the most difficult to change. She said, however, instead of telling people they cannot eat some of the things they like, the nutritionist find ways to incorporate these items in their personalized nutrition plan, adjusting the portion size and frequency of course.

Another issue that concerns Charles is that people are developing diabetes earlier. “Children as young as 10 years old have Type 2 diabetes. They are overweight. She said while being overweight does not cause diabetes, it complicates the illness.

This month, as we focus on diabetes, consider these facts from the American Diabetic Association:

African Americans are more likely to be affected by diabetes. One in four African American women over 55 years of age has diabetes. “Approximately 2.5 million Hispanic/Latino Americans over the age of 20 have diabetes and are at increased risk for serious complications such as kidney disease, blindness, and amputations.”

The Diabetic Place is located at 7900 NW 33^rd Street, Suite 104 Davie, Fl. 33024.