What could be better than during diabetes awareness month diagnosing someone? I’m kidding – sort of.

If you have an older family member and a glucometer help them test their fasting blood sugar (over 126 is classified as diabetes; between 100 and 125, pre-diabetes) or do a random blood sugar test. If their blood sugar is 200 or higher they may well have diabetes, 140-199, pre-diabetes. 

Most people left to live to a very ripe age eventually develop diabetes because beta (insulin-producing) cell function becomes compromised. These cells just don’t work as efficiently after years of food insults–refined carbs and junk food. After all, we don’t work as efficiently eating these foods. 

Feel free to get other family members involved, test your spouse, your brother, your sister, aunt, uncle, and children. One third of the 24 million Americans with diabetes don’t know they have it. Most of the 57 million Americans with pre-diabetes don’t know they have it or don’t think it’s anything to bother about. 

This month, you may just save someone from living with undiagnosed diabetes just by asking someone to stick out their finger. If they discover they have diabetes, they may want to give you the finger, that is until they realize the service you just did them.