A National Epidemic

The other night, I received a devastating e-mail message from a dear friend in North Dakota. After being in and out of hospitals for nearly a year with a stubborn diabetic ulcer that refuses to heal and nearly out-of-control pain issues related to diabetic neuropathy, my friend Rick - my first dance partner at our high school's homecoming many moons ago - has made the decision to have his foot amputated.

He's not the only one forced to take such an extreme measure to manage his condition - I also think of dear Mr. Gomez who ran the neighborhood shoe repair shop for over thirty-five years but, ironically, wound up wheelchair-bound after the removal of both his legs. If I close my eyes I can still see songstress Ella Fitzgerald during one of her last public appearances at the Hampton Jazz Festival, barely able to move across the stage in her bedroom slippers, even with two young escorts, still possessing that incredible three-octave voice but a short time away from diabetes-induced near-blindness, poor circulation and a double, below-the-knee amputation.

While my heart is saddened that Rick has made such a drastic, no-turning-back decision to hopefully improve his quality of life, I'm also intrigued enough to learn what I can about this disease that touches so many lives and to do everything I can to ensure that it (hopefully) won't impact mine.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, diabetes is a "group of diseases characterized by high blood glucose (blood sugar) levels." The bodies of those affected with diabetes either produce too little insulin, which keeps blood sugars in check, or are unable to use what they do produce effectively. Glucose then builds up in the body, causing a variety of conditions that, if left uncontrolled, can lead to serious health complications, even death.

Look at these staggering numbers from the American Diabetes Association's 2011 National Fact Sheet:

• 25.8 million adults and children have diabetes in some form (Type 1, Type 2, gestational, etc.) - 8.3 % of the entire nation (including 1 out of every 400 children).
• Of those numbers, 18.8 million cases are already diagnosed, while another 7.0 million are undiagnosed.
• "Prediabetes" - where conditions in one's body are leaning towards possible development of the condition - cases topped 79 million.
• Newly diagnosed cases are climbing at the rate of about 1.9 million per year.
• Numerous complications from diabetes can occur: the death rate from heart disease in diabetics is 2 to 4 times higher than in those who don't have it; 67% of diabetics have high blood pressure; it's the leading cause of kidney failure and blindness in adults ages 20-74; an estimated 60-70% of diabetics suffer neuropathy (nerve pain and damage) and 60% of nontraumatic lower-limb amputations - including my friend's - are the result of the condition.
• As of Mar. 6, 2013, diabetes costs in the U. S. are estimated at $245 billion for diagnosed cases - $176 billion of that in direct medical costs and $69 billion in reduced productivity. Tack on an additional cost of $18 billion for undiagnosed cases, $25 billion for pre-cases, and $623 million for gestational diabetes treatment, and you'll soon see that we can't afford to not do everything we can to prevent and/or curethis disease.

Type 2 diabetes is, sadly, the most common form of the disease and the type that most people will develop through lack of activity and unhealthy habits. While there isn't a magic cure-all for it, there are some simple things we can all do to dramatically lower our risk of developing the condition, according to the Mayo Clinic. They suggest:

• more physical activity - either aerobic exercise or resistance training (weight lifting) is effective, but the best thing is to combine the two into your weekly workouts.
• eat plenty of fiber.
• consume more whole grains - at least half of your daily grain intake should be from whole grains - look on the package labels and in the ingredients list; "whole grains" should be listed within the first three ingredients.
• give up the fad diets and focus on healthy (overall) eating - lots of fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, nuts and healthy oils; focus on a variety of fresh foods and portion control.
• finally, lose weight. One promising medical study suggests that for every 2.2 pounds of weight loss, one's Type 2 diabetes risk drops by 16%. Wow!

For more info, visit these websites:
American Diabetes Association
Center for Disease Control's Diabetes Report Card 2012
Mayo Clinic's Guide to Diabetes
And don't forget to take a look at:
Pamunkey Regional Library's fabulous Subject Pathfinder on Diabetes
Advocate. Educate. Know your risk factors. Get up and move. Do it for yourself. Do it for a loved one. Do it for Rick!