Step up to encourage healthy habits to address diabetes

Published 1:30 am Friday, December 5, 2025

No one wants to feel helpless as they watch their loved ones suffer. I have watched my grandmother struggle with her illness for months and have searched for any solution to ease her pain. The root of her issues is something silent and unexpected: diabetes.

Diabetes not only impacts blood sugar but can also lead to heart disease, stroke, nerve damage and dementia (Sebastian et al., 2023). These diseases can cause lasting damage to families, resulting in confusion and stress about the future. Currently, 38.4 million Americans are suffering from diabetes, and many are living with prediabetes (American Diabetes Association, 2021). Watching your family member fight is heartbreaking. But maybe, we’re not as powerless as we seem. We can encourage healthy lifestyles and improve our habits.

We can emphasize eating nutritious foods, getting regular exercise, and undergoing regular screening. Minority communities as well as low-income communities are often at higher risk for developing diabetes due to socioeconomic factors. We can aid these groups by increasing access to screening, increasing green spaces, or implementing community health programs.

It is difficult to eat healthy and exercise in a high-stress and predominantly fast-food society, but we can do it together. Help your neighbors, friends, and family to provide resources and help when they need it. When my grandmother receives the help she needs, she finally seems like herself. We must make conscious decisions for ourselves, knowing the evidence. Protect your loved ones and yourself from the silent killer: diabetes.

Karina Schmidt

University of Washington

Snohomish