Taking care of your heart is one way to say I love you this Valentine’s Day.

This Valentine’s Day, many will say “I love you” with flowers, candy, or a fancy evening out. But there’s another way you can say I love you – by making your health and your heart a priority. Show your family how much you love them by protecting your health and your heart now so you can spend quality time with them for years to come.
 
Take time this Valentine’s Day to ask your doctor if you have prediabetes, which puts you at risk for type 2 diabetes. One in three Americans has prediabetes, a condition where a person’s blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough yet for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. People with prediabetes are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
 
People with prediabetes are also more likely to have problems with their heart. Your heart is pretty amazing – with each beat, it pumps oxygen-rich blood to every cell in your body. When something goes wrong with your heart, it’s a big deal for your health.
 
If you find out that you have prediabetes or have a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, there is something you can do to take care of your health. A CDC-recognized lifestyle change program is a proven lifestyle change program that can help you learn the skills you need to lose weight, eat better, become more physically active, and manage stress. In the program, you will work in a group with a trained lifestyle coach to learn the skills you need to make lasting changes.
 
“So many people in our community have prediabetes. The CDC-recognized lifestyle change program offers a real chance to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. The healthy habits that participants learn in the program have also been shown to reduce the incidence of heart disease and stroke.”
 
To learn more, visit cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention.