STATISTICS of the World Health Organisation shows that in 1998 there were 150 million people world wide living with diabetes (high sugar levels in the blood due to a lack of insulin).
In 2000 the figure jumped to 200 million people and it is estimated that the numbers will rise to 300 million in 2010.
According to a health website South Africa currently has approximately 6,5 million diabetics.
More and more people are developing this condition at a younger age and diabetes also appears in pregnant women, called gestational diabetes.
Diabetes Mellitus is a life long physical condition in which there is too much sugar in your blood due to a lack of insulin or due to inappropriate action of insulin.
Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children or young adults, although it can occur at any age.
Type 2 diabetes represent more than 90% to 95% of all cases of diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas may not make enough insulin or the body is not able to use the insulin it does make. This is known as insulin resistance. Eventually the pancreas may stop producing insulin altogether.
People with type 2 diabetes often have other risk factors or characteristics like family history of diabetes, previous history of gestational diabetes, obesity, and members of certain ethnic groups (African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, Pacific Islanders and Pima Indians).
Traditionally affecting older people, type 2 diabetes was previously known as adult-onset diabetes, but research has shown that it can affect people at any age.
As type 2 diabetes develops slowly over a period of time, many people aren’t diagnosed until complications appear.
According to sister Kamaretha Beckert of the Diabetes Centre in Lady Grey Street, is it important that everyone accept responsibility for their health.
“Type 2 diabetes is to a great extent a lifestyle problem.
“We should live a healthy life by doing enough exercise, eating a healthy diet, don’t smoke and don’t abuse alcohol.”
Gestational diabetes is a temporary condition that occurs during pregnancy. In this case both mother and child have an increased risk of developing diabetes in the future.
The signs and symptoms of diabetes are frequent urination, excessive thirst, sudden weight loss, constant fatigue, blurred vision, slow healing of cuts and bruises, numbness in hands and feet, erectile dysfunction and hunger.
“Diabetes is not an illness, it’s a medical condition that should be managed correctly,” Beckert said.
There are also risk factors in diabetes which includes a family history of diabetes, overweight, diabetes during pregnancy, ethnicity, physical inactivity, age (over 40 years) and impaired glucose tolerance.
Because diabetes is a chronic condition, caring for yourself is every bit as important as the treatment you receive from your doctor and healthcare team.
For some people managing their diabetes isn’t difficult. Much of diabetes management is identical to practices everyone should adopt in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Ultimately it is you who determines the state of your health.
Everyone with diabetes should follow a healthy diet and lead a healthy lifestyle. Balancing your diet when you are diagnosed with diabetes can be challenging.
Although the food choices you make and your eating habits are important in helping you manage your diabetes, you should be able to continue enjoying a wide variety of foods as part of a healthy mealplan.
* Avoid fad diets, eat plenty of whole grain products, vegetables and fruits, limit saturated fat, fat and cholesterol, use sugars in moderation, use salt and sodium in moderation, balance your eating with daily exercise to maintain or improve you weight, and see your dietician for an individualised diet plan.
* Regular exercise may help reduce stress, increase energy and make you feel better. Exercise increases your strength and ease of movement, improves blood circulation, controls your blood pressure and blood fats and makes your insulin work better if you are insulin resistant. But check with your doctor before starting any exercise program.
* Smoking puts everyone’s health at risk, but in diabetes smoking can be especially dangerous because it makes blood vessels narrower and lowers the amount of blood flow to all parts of the body. This can lead to foot and sexual problems. Smoking also increases your blood pressure, which can damage the eyes, kidneys, heart and blood vessels.
* Check your feet every day, cut your nails straight across, do not walk barefoot, keep your skin healthy and wear shoes that protect your feet.
* Talk to your doctor or diabetes nurse about alcohol. Some people can have one or two glasses a day while for others this could cause a serious problem.
For more information, contact Sister Beckert at the Paarl Diabetes Centre on tel 021-871-1808.
