That’s why Merck launched Desafiando La Diabetes: Logra Tus Metas to help this at-risk population work with their doctor to get to their A1C goal. The program also aims to help them learn if they are at risk of low blood glucose and how to help reduce that risk.

Hispanic adults in the United States are nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than non-Hispanic white adults. Nearly 13% of U.S. Hispanic adults are already diagnosed, and it is the fifth leading cause of death within the Hispanic community.

Our mission is to help raise awareness of the importance of Hispanics with type 2 diabetes working with their doctor to set and reach their A1C goal. They can also learn if they are at risk of low blood glucose and how to help reduce that risk. People with type 2 diabetes can help reduce their risk of serious complications by setting individual goals to help manage the ABCs of diabetes—that’s A for A1C, also known as blood glucose, B for blood pressure and C for cholesterol. Lifestyle changes, such as diet, exercise and medicines (if prescribed by your doctor), all play key roles in helping you get to your goals, so work with your doctor to develop an individualized diabetes management plan that’s right for you.

So…are YOU at your A1C and blood glucose goals?

Find out by accepting Desafiando La Diabetes. Take the PLEDGE to work with your doctor to set and reach your A1C goal. Also learn if you are at risk of low blood glucose and how to help reduce that risk.

Hi, I’m Chef Leticia Moreinos-Schwartz!

I’m very excited to welcome you to Desafiando La Diabetes: Logra Tus Metas! I’ve teamed up with Merck on this program to ask Hispanics with type 2 diabetes to pledge to work with their doctor to get to their A1C goal. I also encourage them to learn if they are at risk of low blood glucose and how to help reduce that risk.

This message is important to me because I lost someone very dear to me as a result of diabetes. After living with type 2 diabetes for many years, my grandfather passed away from a stroke, one of the serious complications of diabetes. My grandmother struggled to care for him during the course of his disease, and she didn’t have the right resources to help him get to his blood sugar goals. The loss of my grandfather prompted my entire family to reevaluate our lifestyle and to learn more to help reduce our risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

That’s why I’m passionate about empowering you to learn how you can reach your goals. Most importantly, talk to your doctor. There’s no “one-size-fits-all” approach, so work with your doctor to develop a diabetes management plan that’s right for you—including diet, exercise and medicine (if prescribed by your doctor).

One of the more difficult aspects of diabetes management can be adjusting diet, especially when food is such an important part of one’s culture, as it is in the Hispanic community. That’s why I’m sharing some of my favorite traditional Hispanic and Latino dishes that have been recreated to be diabetes-friendly, without sacrificing flavor.

I urge you to accept the challenge by working with your doctor to set and reach your A1C goal. Also learn if you are at risk of low blood sugar and how to help reduce that risk. Together, with the support of your family and health care team, you can better manage your type 2 diabetes and get to your goals. Desafiando La Diabetes: Logra Tus Metas!

Talk To Your Doctor

Hispanics are at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes than non-Hispanic white adults. That’s why it’s important to work with your doctor to set and reach your A1C goal. Most people living with diabetes are aware of the importance of controlling high blood glucose by diet, exercise and taking medicine (if prescribed), but it is also important to understand why blood glucose can sometimes go too low, known as hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia may be caused by skipping meals, excessive exercise and certain diabetes medicines, and can make you feel shaky, dizzy, sweaty or hungry and sometimes, faint. If left untreated, hypoglycemia may lead to a seizure or loss of consciousness.

Delicious and Diabetes-Friendly Recipes to Help You Get to Goal

In the Hispanic community, we all take to heart our families, our food, our culture and our community. Since diet is an important part of an individualized diabetes management plan to help you reach your A1C goal, we created these delicious, diabetes-friendly recipes for you, your family and friends to enjoy.

My diabetes-friendly recipes were created to be generally lower in sodium, carbohydrates, saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol. They are also higher in fiber compared with other dishes and include appropriate portion sizes.