Mega Doctor News
The United States is experiencing a national health crisis as the incidence of diabetes continues to climb across the country.
Currently, nearly 39 million Americans are living with diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and 97.6 million have prediabetes, a condition where blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not yet elevated enough for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
By 2030, the prevalence of diabetes will increase by 42% to 54.9 million Americans, according to the National Library of Medicine, with annual deaths attributed to diabetes expected to climb by 38% to 385,800.
“Affecting people of all ages, diabetes is a condition that happens when your blood sugar, or glucose, it too high. It develops when your pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or any at all, or when your body isn’t responding to the effects of insulin properly,” says Juliana Falcon, MD, a board-certified family medicine physician with South Texas Health System (STHS) Clinics. “Over time, having consistently high blood glucose can lead to serious health problems.”
Major complications of uncontrolled diabetes include cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death for people with the chronic condition, which can lead to heart attack and stroke. Other severe complications are nerve damage (neuropathy), kidney disease that can progress to kidney failure, eye problems like blindness (diabetic retinopathy) and foot issues that may result in amputation.
“To prevent serious long-term complications, it’s essential to keep your blood sugar levels within the range recommended by your doctor,” says Dr. Falcon. “They can help you develop a diabetes management plan that’s right for you. If you have prediabetes, you can lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by taking action to prioritize your health.”
Whether you’re living with diabetes or trying to prevent being diagnosed with the life-threatening disease, it’s important to prioritize your health through proper diet, exercise and consistent medical care,
To help Rio Grande Valley residents better understand the threat of diabetes to their health and learn ways to protect it, STHS will dedicate the latest episode of its monthly “South Texas Healthy Living” television program to diabetes awareness.
Broadcast live on Sunday, November 30, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. on KVEO-TV NBC 23, the program will feature a sit-down interview with Dr. Falcon on the risk factors for diabetes, the early warning signs of the chronic condition and strategies to prevent, treat and beat it.
Additionally, STHS System Director of Marketing & Public Relations and “South Texas Healthy Living” host Tom Castañeda sits down with a 58-year-old McAllen resident who has been living with diabetes with eight years to learn how her father’s death – due to complications associated with the chronic condition – prompted her to get her blood sugar under control and get her advice for others on protecting their health and living well with diabetes.
The program will also feature a special healthy cooking segment led by Patrick Woodin, STHS McAllen’s director of dietary & nutrition services, an exercise demonstration with a member of the STHS Edinburg OutpatientRehabilitation Center team and important strategies for diabetes management and prevention.
“It’s no secret that the Rio Grande Valley has an elevated prevalence of diabetes, significantly higher than the national average, with a large percentage of people with the disease unaware they have it, according to recent studies,” says Castañeda. “Controlling diabetes is essential to prevent serious long-term health complications like heart disease, kidney damage and vision loss. To effectively manage the condition, it’s important to eat well, exercise regularly, take medication as prescribed and get consistent check-ups to keep blood sugar levels within a target range. So, in this latest episode of ‘South Texas Healthy Living,’ we’ll provide essential education and important strategies, including diet and exercise tips, to help you prevent, treat and beat diabetes. It’s all about helping our community get healthy and stay healthy!”
To better understand the dangers of diabetes, don’t miss the latest episode of “South Texas Healthy Living” on Sunday, November 30 at 9:00 a.m. on KVEO-TV NBC 23.
To watch previous episodes of “South Texas Healthy Living” and the system’s South Texas Health Updates, one minute videos offering education on various health issues, visit South Texas Health System’s Medical Minute page on ValleyCentral.com.
