? Definition and Facts of Diabetes

[JoAnn]

My DH's Doctor gave him this fact sheet a few year ago, along with a package of other info on the subject of Diabetes.

Diabetes

Definition
Diabetes is a life-long disease marked by high levels of sugar in the blood.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Diabetes can be caused by too little insulin (a hormone produced by the pancreas to control blood sugar), resistance to insulin, or both.

To understand diabetes, it is important to first understand the normal process of food metabolism. Several things happen when food is digested:

A sugar called glucose enters the bloodstream. Glucose is a source of fuel for the body.
An organ called the pancreas makes insulin. The role of insulin is to move glucose from the bloodstream into muscle, fat, and liver cells, where it can be used as fuel.
People with diabetes have high blood sugar. This is because their pancreas does not make enough insulin or their muscle, fat, and liver cells do not respond to insulin normally, or both.

There are three major types of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in childhood. The body makes little or no insulin, and daily injections of insulin are needed to sustain life.
Type 2 diabetes is far more common than type 1 and makes up most of all cases of diabetes. It usually occurs in adulthood. The pancreas does not make enough insulin to keep blood glucose levels normal, often because the body does not respond well to the insulin. Many people with type 2 diabetes do not know they have it, although it is a serious condition. Type 2 diabetes is becoming more common due to the growing number of older Americans, increasing obesity, and failure to exercise.
Gestational diabetes is high blood glucose that develops at any time during pregnancy in a woman who does not have diabetes.
Diabetes affects more than 20 million Americans. About 54 million Americans have prediabetes. There are many risk factors for diabetes, including:

A parent, brother, or sister with diabetes
Obesity
Age greater than 45 years
Some ethnic groups (particularly African Americans, Native Americans, Asians, Pacific Islanders, and Hispanic Americans)
Gestational diabetes or delivering a baby weighing more than 9 pounds
High blood pressure
High blood levels of triglycerides (a type of fat molecule)
High blood cholesterol level
Not getting enough exercise
The American Diabetes Association recommends that all adults over age 45 be screened for diabetes at least every 3 years. A person at high risk should be screened more often.

[wilbe95]

Great post JoAnn! Symptoms are so common, thirst, frequent urination, etc. a silent killer. The project I work on in my job is helping families who have a history of diabetes or obesity to improve thier nutrition and increase physical activity so children might not get diabetes. Other medical history such as high blood pressure, cancer, high cholesterol, being overweight help contribute as well. Research shows that if children get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day and adults at least 30 minutes most days and improve nutrition intake they can delay the onset.

I am actually having a fitness session tonight with my work and expect around 50 families to show up to learn how to play with their children-anything that makes your heart beat faster is considered exercise (doesn't have to be an aerobics class-toss a ball it works). And working on having a cooking a session next week to help show the children and their parents how to cook from scratch to make the food healthier.
Thanks for the post.

[JoAnn]

Kim, Great additional info for those with or have a family member with diabetes.
You'll have to share some of the recipes you use in the cooking session here also. Do you have a recipe book that you will be using ? Maybe some pamplets or such. Alot of people really do have upsetting feelings when they have to change their diets. User friendly recipes would be great here too. As you know, it is actually a healthier way of eating.
It would be nice to find coupons for splenda and other expensive supplies. I'm very glad DH's insurance covers all his supplies. But so many people out there just don't have the coverage.
Let us know how the fitness session goes tonight. Putting that best foot forward.
Thanks again for your input here.

[wilbe95]

I have a couple of RD's who help and we are working on redoing some recipes. Splenda is great with cooking, also works great for those who have had gastric bypass. I play a lot at home to substitute the splenda for the sugar amounts (if you bake the splenda blend of real sugar and splenda works the best. For fats (oils) I will substitute plain yogurt or applesauce. I am pre-diabetic and I know that if I start now it will keep it from progressing.

[wilbe95]

Once we get the recipes modified I will post some

[Margaret K]

Looking forward to some recipes, I have been told to watch my sugar as older people get 'elderly DB'. Splenda has become my best friend. LOL.

[mardhines]

I am also diabetic, being diagnosed in 1999. However, I suspect that I was diabetic a long time before. My Mother was diabetic, as well as her Brother, and out of 7 of my Mothers children, I , fortunetly have been the only one diagnosed with this problem. AND, yes, it is so hard to be first diagnosed, kind of like being slugged in the stomach by the school bully. Its so hard to learn a new way of cooking, eating, and living. But, I must say, it can be done, with hard work and determination. Since, 2000, I have managed to keep my A1C's between 4 and 6. Fortunetly, I do not have to take any kind of medication, and am working hard not to have to ever take it. My one HUGE HUGE downfall is, EXERCISE. I also have 4 ruptured discs in my lower back, that until recently, have not been able to get medical help for. So, exercise is limited. I don't stand for long, walk for long, sit for long, or lay for long. I desperately need some means of getting exercise. Any ideas anyone? Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much.