Living Life On A Rollercoaster:Managing Diabetes (drugstore online)

Written by Webmaster

Wednesday, 07 May 2008

By DrScott

WHAT IS DIABETES

Most people are unaware that diabetes is not a new disease. Some scientists feel that diabetes has been around since the beginning of man. An argument for this could be made since a physician named Hesy-Ra first mentioned records of diabetes as early as 1552 B.C. Written on Egyptian papyrus during the 3rd dynasty, he described diabetes as a problem of frequent urination.

Today, diabetes is considered a major health problem affecting more than 17 million Americans (6%) of the United States population. While this is a staggering number, more alarming is that over 5 million have diabetes and are unaware. Recently, Type 2 diabetes has been called the epidemic of the millennium with a 35% increase over the past 10 years. The number of people with diabetes has continued to climb over the past decade. In fact, diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death.

Diabetes is a serious disease that affects your bodys ability to utilize its energy source to function. Lets break it down so that you can understand what takes place in your body and how diabetes is developed.

Glucose (sugar) is the energy source your body requires to function. Your heart, brain and other organs need glucose to work efficiently. The body needs glucose to respond to emotional challenges and glucose provides the energy to think, reason, plan and execute. Without glucose, your body would be ineffective to process your thoughts and the major organs in your body would die.

As you eat food, your body separates the glucose so it can be transferred to the vital organs that are in need of this energy. This process is done with the help of insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is produced in the pancreas. Its major function is to regulate the amount of glucose in the blood by assisting the transfer of glucose to the vital organs that are in need of the energy source. When the pancreas fails to produce insulin, even though there is adequate glucose in the blood for the organs, it cannot reach them. This is often referred to as starving in the midst of plenty.

There are two types of diabetes Type 1 and Type 2.

Type 1 Diabetes
There are times when the pancreas stops producing insulin. When this occurs, an excessive amount of glucose builds up in the blood stream and energy for the vital organs is lost. This condition is called insulin depended or Type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas continues to produce insulin, but the amount of insulin in insufficient to transport enough glucose to the vital organs. In some cases, the body does not respond to the insulin that is produced. In either situation, the amount of glucose in the body is escalated, leading to diabetes. This type of diabetes is often referred to as non-insulin depended. But if left untreated,
people with Type 2 diabetes can develop insulin dependent diabetes or Type 1 diabetes.

AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND DIABETES

Diabetes in African-Americans has become a major health problem. As previously stated, about 6% or 17 million of the general population in the United States have diabetes. This number doubles for African-Americans. It is estimated that 3 million or 12% of adult African-Americans have diabetes, and in most cases as much as one third are unaware of it. On average, about 10% of African-Americans with diabetes have Type 1, while the vast majority of diabetic African-Americans (90%) has Type 2. Diabetes related death rates are 29% higher for African-Americans in comparison to Caucasian Americans.

WHY IS DIABETES INCREASING IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY?

The significant increase in the rate of diabetes in the African-American community is a multifactor and a complicated issue. There are many reasons why diabetes is growing out of control in the African American community. Historically, the relationship between African-Americans and healthcare has been strained. Because of inhuman treatment from the healthcare system, which resulted in misdiagnosis and poor healthcare attention, African-Americans are more cautious about seeing a doctor or relying on the healthcare system for information and care. Often, this translates in African-Americans being less aware of health challenges; poor preventive care history and typically arrive for health assistance in crisis. As a result, this may help to explain why death rates from major illnesses such as diabetes, for African-Americans are usually much higher than that of Caucasian Americans.

In addition, information about diabetes and most major diseases are not presented to the grass roots level of the African-American community. Therefore, the people who need information the most are not receiving it. One well-noted attempt to address this concern is the American Diabetes Association Reach One Teach One: African American program. This program along with African-American churches encourages pastors from across the country to share the message of prevention through the Diabetes Sunday initiative. During a brief (5 minute) segment, pastors are asked to provide diabetes information to the members of the congregation and to specifically share information about the magnitude of this disease.

Diabetes Sunday is an excellent strategy to reach out into the core of the African-American community. However, an approach that would encourage greater synergy between African-Americans, diseases and the healthcare community would be for pastors to integrate the issues of diseases, illness, and preventative measures from the pulpit. Contained in the scriptures are many messages that discuss the relationship between poor health and behavior (Judges 3:17-22; Proverbs 28:7; 1Samuel 4:18; Matthew 11:19).

Another issue related to the increase of diabetes in the African-American community is poor diet and nutrition. Many African-Americans cook traditional meals of the most savory and delicious dishes in the world. While foods such as Fried Corn Pone, Sweet Potato Cornbread, Creamed Baked Chicken, Drop Dumplings, Fried Cabbage and Southern Fried Hominy are all delightful dishes, these dishes, in large amounts, are not the healthiest. These foods contain high fat content, which can lead to weight gain and diabetes. It is weight gain, not necessarily obesity that is a precursor for diabetes. African-Americans should be guarded about their nutrition and diet, since factors such as genetics and weight gain help increase their chances of developing diabetes.

Over the past few years, more attention has been given to the role of stress and diabetes. Despite treatment, stress may make stabilizing glucose levels difficult. Also, many people who have high stress levels are less likely to remember to take their medication, exercise, or pay attention to their health. Since African-Americans experience high levels of stress, they are more at risk for complications associated with diabetes.

RISK OF DIABETES

FAMILY HISTORY OF DIABETES
OVERWEIGHT
INCREASED THIRST
FREQUENT UNRINATION
WEIGHT LOSS
LACK OF ENERGY
BLURRED VISION

If you have any of these symptoms, it is crucial that you speak to your doctor immediately. There is no cure for Type 1 diabetes, but in most cases, you can prevent Type 2 diabetes. One of the best ways to overcome diabetes is early diagnosis and successful treatment.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT DIABETES

PROPER DIET AND NUTRITION
Eat a well-balanced diet. If you desire to eat traditional foods that are high in fats, eat in moderation (small portions).

STRESS
Because stress is such a part of life, its important that you find ways to manage it effectively. Develop a strong support system to help you problem solve or just to have someone to talk things through. Seek professional help, if you find that your stress level is too difficult to balance.

EXERCISE
One of the best ways to decrease weight or to prevent increase in weight is to exercise. If you have been living a sedentary lifestyle (couch potato) start out with a complete physical and then, ease into the exercise routine. Noticing that weight decrease will be a great incentive to work harder while staying fit.

MEDICATIONS
Recently, the Federal Drug Administration announced that certain medications used to treat major psychiatric illnesses such as Schizophrenia and Bipolar disease may also contribute to the development of Type 2 diabetes. While many of these medications have been beneficial in relieving disturbing symptoms, it is suspected that they may also be a major contributor for the increase of diabetes in the African-American community. If you are taking medication for any reason, it is important that you speak with your doctor about the medication and its relationship to diabetes.

RESOURCES

AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION
1-800-DIABETES

Dr. Tracy Scott
Healthy Living Seminars
http://www.healthylivingseminars.org

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