GD9 CTW fileÒ  Medical007, Ò Diabetes affects almost sixteen million Americans, but what is really startling is that about one-third of them don't even know they have the disease. Severe and serious damage can be done to you if you have diabetes that goes on untreated. Many times people are first made aware that they might have this silent killer when they have problems with vision or circulation. You could be at risk for developing diabetes if you have any of these traits: you are over forty-five, you have a family member who has the disease, or you are about twenty pounds or more above your ideal weight. You could be at a higher risk if you have high blood pressure, if you are an ethnic minority, or if you have low levels of good cholesterol. A blood test every one to three years is a good idea so that your physician can check out your blood sugar levels. Diabetes can often be controlled by changes in your diet. It doesn't have to mean daily injections of insulin or even giving up sugar altogether. Once you realize that a healthy diet and exercise plan can work wonders for this disease and for your health in general, you won't be so frightened. As a matter of fact, you could even find that your healthier lifestyle gives you more energy and is quite satisfying overall. Fourteen percent or so of the money spent on health care in this country is used to treat this disease in one way or another. A few changes in diet and exercise might be well worth the effort if it means that you survive.