Diabetes

Today my thoughts have turned to much more serious matters. There are few that concern me and the first one is diabetes. I seem to be faced with it every which way I turn. I myself had type 2 diabetes until my bypass surgery and have now been off medication since 2 days after the surgery, yes, it really does happen that fast. And although it may be gone at the moment, I have been told that there is always a risk of it returning, that it is never truly gone once you have had it. My mum has also had type 2 the last several years. And I have several other family and close friends with it. Even my cat, Hardy, has it. It seems nobody or nothing is safe and can hide from this disease.

So isn't it time that we ALL should be asking ourselves some simple questions? Why has diabetes become such a HUGE problem? Why is it happening to people in all walks of life and also all ages? What can be done to stem the problem? How can we help ourselves and our loved ones to avoid becoming diabetic? Could I already suffer from diabetes and not know it?

90% of diabetes sufferers worldwide suffer from type 2. Basically it is a resistance in the body to insulin or the body does not produce enough insulin to function properly. While those that are overweight or obese have a much higher risking of developing type 2 diabetes, it is actually not limited to them. Studies in the UK have shown that drinking just one can of soda a day can increase our chances of developing type 2 diabetes by 22%. The risk also increases as we get older. If you have a close family member with type 2 diabetes, you also stand a higher chance of developing it. As do people of African, South Asian, and Middle Eastern descent. And studies show there is also a link with men who have low testosterone.

So is it just our lifestyle these days, that is causing so many people worldwide to become diagnosed with type 2 diabetes? Is it our love of soda's, fast food, and lack of exercise? Many people will say yes. And I do agree with them that this plays a MAJOR role. However, I do think that there are other factors also at play. And that this may not be the cause for a lot of people who have been diagnosed or will be diagnosed. If you think that type 2 diabetes is only limited to overweight or obese people, then you would be dreadfully wrong!!!! Here is a list of famous type 2 diabetics: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Randy Jackson, Delta Burke, Dick Clark, Billie Jean King, Larry King, and George Lucas. Many of these were diagnosed on their ethnicity or having family members with the disease.

It is not only us and our loved ones that are suffering. Our pets are also suffering. My Hardy is now 14 and he was diagnosed about 5½ years ago. He was diagnosed when he suddenly and drastically, lost a load of weight. His liver was having problems. Thankfully, once he was diagnosed and was on his insulin injections twice a day, he had no more problems with his liver. But the last few months, he has been declining in health. His kidneys are now having problems and he is on pills daily for them now as well. He is also on daily pain medication for his teeth. And he has ended up in the hospital twice the last few months from having an epileptic fit and being almost comatose from an acute hypoglycemic attack (too low sugar). It is a constant worry for me. He is fine most of the time but now I am worrying 24 hours a day. I don't like to leave him alone for long and I am checking on him constantly to make sure he is still alive. I wake up during the night and check on him and put more food down to make sure he is eating enough. But what else can I do?

Diabetes affects around 1 in 400 cats and it seems to mostly affect male neutered cats that are over 8 and overweight. But it is not limited to just cats. Dogs suffer from type 1 diabetes and no type 2 diabetes has been found in dogs. But these days it does affect as many as 1 in 160 dogs. And yes, horses also suffer from diabetes. However, in horses, it is often referred to as equine metabolic syndrome or pre-Cushings disease. Diabetes in horses and ponies is quite common and can definitely affect horses that are overweight. The rate of diabetes in pets has tripled in America since 1970. Are we to blame? Is the way we care for our pets, resulting in the increase of this terrible disease?

Common symptoms of diabetes is frequent urination, blurred vision, excessive thirst, excessive hunger, skin problems, slow healing, yeast infections, fatigue, weight loss, or tingling and numbness. If you have any of these symptoms, I strongly recommend a blood test to determine if you are diabetic or if you have prediabetes. Most patients who suffer from type 2 diabetes first had prediabetes, where your sugar levels are abnormally high but not high enough to be called diabetes. However, damage to the heart and circulatory system can already occur in prediabetes.

So what can you do to help if you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or wish to prevent being diagnosed with the disease? Firstly, carbohydrates have a direct influence on blood sugar levels. You need to ensure you are eating the right kind. Foods such as potato, pasta, pastry, etc, can cause a major rapid rise in your blood sugar. Yet at the same time, foods rich in fiber cause blood sugar to rise more slowly. So you need to research this and find the foods that are best and the ones that are not so good. Whole grains are very good for maintaining blood sugar levels, as is physical activity. So if you are concerned or have been diagnosed, speak to a dietician or research what changes can be made to your lifestyle.

Type 2 diabetes has become an epidemic and it is time that we all asked some very serious questions and took it seriously.