Iowans afflicted with diabetes have the chance to get a valuable service for free during November as part of American Diabetes Month. Medical facilities across the state are offering free eye and foot screenings for diabetics, something that’s recommended they get annually to avoid complications.Steven Robinson is executive director of the Iowa Chapter of the American Diabetes Association. He says 150-thousand Iowans have the disease and another 80-thousand have it, but don’t know it.Robinson says people who are diabetic have bodies that either don’t produce or can’t use insulin, a hormone that lets blood sugar enter cells to be used for energy. He says ignoring the warning signs can lead to severe complications, including blindness, heart disease and amputations.For information on screening sites or the disease itself, call 888-DIABETES.
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