STAY WELL & SPARKLE - Dr. Sam Christian
Taking Down Diabetes
“Mama, why is you mouth so long?” Little Pig asked innocently.
“Just wait until you grow up,” Mama Pig answered, “and you will see.”
Diabetes is like that. It doesn’t hurt in the present. Not until the disease ‘grows up’ in a patient over the years do we reap the harvest of ill effects. From time to time one is shocked to hear of some young person having to go on dialysis, or of some dear middle-aged person amputated. To them, it just came out of the blue, but we know better now.
The average person just can’t get grip on why medical people make such a big fuss about a little sugar. However, readers of last week’s article know how deceitful and deadly it is. Dr. Max Pemberton is a British AIDS specialist quite impressed with advances in his own field compared to exploding ravages of diabetes. He went as far as to declare: “I’d rather have HIV than Diabetes.” Our gut reaction is “What nonsense mister talking there, nuh!” But if we read the article, the one thing no one disagrees with the seriousness of the matter.
You see, if diabetes were a contagious disease, health officials would be way more freaked out about it than Ebola. The surging diabetes rate worldwide is nothing short of astonishing. And Dominica is right up there, in the thick of things. That why it was so gratifying to see the several persons came to check their HbA1C, who reported they had it done, or pledged they would get it done yet this year. That is because HbA1C is the best indicator of our sugar status.
Some people have Type 1 diabetes where the pancreas, which produces insulin, is destroyed by some weird autoimmune condition. That’s a done deal over which we have little or no control other than taking shots. The majority of diabetics today have Types 2 diabetes, resulting from insulin resistance and an overworked pancreas. This is directly related to lifestyle. We have heard it before, but today someone is in just the right mood to do something about it.
Weight is the single most important contributing factor to type 2 diabetes. Being overweight increases the risk seven fold. Being obese (BMI over 30) makes you 20 to 40 times more likely to develop diabetes than someone with a healthy weight. In this new era of fat acceptance, celebration of ‘good size’ simply defeats the purpose.
A man with a waist over 40 inches is in trouble. The same applies for women’s waists measuring more than 35. Don’t have a tape measure? Use a belt or string then a ruler. You can also use your height to check the health of your weight
TV – computers – video games: That covers all age groups. The more one becomes a slave to these modern amenities, the more overweight they become. Statistics show that every two hours spent on these activities increases the risk of developing diabetes by 20 percent. The sharp increase in premature death is not because God loves us so much that he calls us home. It is because we are paying the harsh price of being such slaves to technology. Therefore, every hour or so, get up and do something practical in the real world. Work inside and outside the house is never done so let’s get cracking.
Shun Sugary drinks, including the generally over sweetened local fruit juices. It is childish to regularly drink soft drinks. We take in as many calories from what we drink as from what we eat. To lose weight, drink more water. Coffee and tea are good choices if not spoiled with lots of cream and sugar. Since I published the dangers of sugar substitutes in 2007, many others have confirmed that. Sugar substitutes help but are not the answer. Focus instead on increasing fruits and vegetables, provisions and high fiber cereals like oats.
Avoid trans fats. These are found in packaged baked goods and fried stuff from fast food restaurants. Take omega 3 and fish oil supplements. Avoid red meat in favor of fish or chicken. Frequently eating processed meats like bacon, ham, hotdogs, sausages and corned beef increases diabetes risk by 51%! Tastes good, I know; but life is about choices. Take charge of what you eat and not just go with the flow of what is traditionally considered hearty eating.
Moderate alcohol intake has been found to decrease the risk of Type 2 Diabetes. (No more than 1 drink a day for women and 2 drinks a day for men). And yes, we have to be extra careful not to let addictive personalities stumble. But our command is to let our moderation be known to all.
Too much sugar is a poison. Medicine is moving away from an exclusive emphasis on too much fat to a shared emphasis on too much sugar. Have you ever asked a child’s favourite class at school and they answer recess? Well that was me when I first returned to Dominica. I just had to rekindle my memories of coconut cheese, tablet and tamarind balls. Awesome stuff! Nevertheless, I realized I had to put a tight quota on reminiscing.
Parties and picnics is one thing, but if you see me often stuffing in ice cream and cake, chocolate and candy, please do this for me. Call the good Dr. Benjamin and tell him you think Dr. Sam is seriously depressed.
Taking Down Diabetes
“Mama, why is you mouth so long?” Little Pig asked innocently.
“Just wait until you grow up,” Mama Pig answered, “and you will see.”
Diabetes is like that. It doesn’t hurt in the present. Not until the disease ‘grows up’ in a patient over the years do we reap the harvest of ill effects. From time to time one is shocked to hear of some young person having to go on dialysis, or of some dear middle-aged person amputated. To them, it just came out of the blue, but we know better now.
The average person just can’t get grip on why medical people make such a big fuss about a little sugar. However, readers of last week’s article know how deceitful and deadly it is. Dr. Max Pemberton is a British AIDS specialist quite impressed with advances in his own field compared to exploding ravages of diabetes. He went as far as to declare: “I’d rather have HIV than Diabetes.” Our gut reaction is “What nonsense mister talking there, nuh!” But if we read the article, the one thing no one disagrees with the seriousness of the matter.
You see, if diabetes were a contagious disease, health officials would be way more freaked out about it than Ebola. The surging diabetes rate worldwide is nothing short of astonishing. And Dominica is right up there, in the thick of things. That why it was so gratifying to see the several persons came to check their HbA1C, who reported they had it done, or pledged they would get it done yet this year. That is because HbA1C is the best indicator of our sugar status.
Some people have Type 1 diabetes where the pancreas, which produces insulin, is destroyed by some weird autoimmune condition. That’s a done deal over which we have little or no control other than taking shots. The majority of diabetics today have Types 2 diabetes, resulting from insulin resistance and an overworked pancreas. This is directly related to lifestyle. We have heard it before, but today someone is in just the right mood to do something about it.
Weight is the single most important contributing factor to type 2 diabetes. Being overweight increases the risk seven fold. Being obese (BMI over 30) makes you 20 to 40 times more likely to develop diabetes than someone with a healthy weight. In this new era of fat acceptance, celebration of ‘good size’ simply defeats the purpose.
A man with a waist over 40 inches is in trouble. The same applies for women’s waists measuring more than 35. Don’t have a tape measure? Use a belt or string then a ruler. You can also use your height to check the health of your weight
TV – computers – video games: That covers all age groups. The more one becomes a slave to these modern amenities, the more overweight they become. Statistics show that every two hours spent on these activities increases the risk of developing diabetes by 20 percent. The sharp increase in premature death is not because God loves us so much that he calls us home. It is because we are paying the harsh price of being such slaves to technology. Therefore, every hour or so, get up and do something practical in the real world. Work inside and outside the house is never done so let’s get cracking.
Shun Sugary drinks, including the generally over sweetened local fruit juices. It is childish to regularly drink soft drinks. We take in as many calories from what we drink as from what we eat. To lose weight, drink more water. Coffee and tea are good choices if not spoiled with lots of cream and sugar. Since I published the dangers of sugar substitutes in 2007, many others have confirmed that. Sugar substitutes help but are not the answer. Focus instead on increasing fruits and vegetables, provisions and high fiber cereals like oats.
Avoid trans fats. These are found in packaged baked goods and fried stuff from fast food restaurants. Take omega 3 and fish oil supplements. Avoid red meat in favor of fish or chicken. Frequently eating processed meats like bacon, ham, hotdogs, sausages and corned beef increases diabetes risk by 51%! Tastes good, I know; but life is about choices. Take charge of what you eat and not just go with the flow of what is traditionally considered hearty eating.
Moderate alcohol intake has been found to decrease the risk of Type 2 Diabetes. (No more than 1 drink a day for women and 2 drinks a day for men). And yes, we have to be extra careful not to let addictive personalities stumble. But our command is to let our moderation be known to all.
Too much sugar is a poison. Medicine is moving away from an exclusive emphasis on too much fat to a shared emphasis on too much sugar. Have you ever asked a child’s favourite class at school and they answer recess? Well that was me when I first returned to Dominica. I just had to rekindle my memories of coconut cheese, tablet and tamarind balls. Awesome stuff! Nevertheless, I realized I had to put a tight quota on reminiscing.
Parties and picnics is one thing, but if you see me often stuffing in ice cream and cake, chocolate and candy, please do this for me. Call the good Dr. Benjamin and tell him you think Dr. Sam is seriously depressed.
Adventist Nurse Prevost and Father Cuffy set outstanding examples in healthy living. Their focus is for you to prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers (III John:2). They are representative of all those doing good work encouraging regular exercise and wise food choices. As Diabetes month approaches in November, it’s practical voices like theirs you want to listen to.
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