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diabetes day. The purpose of the day is to promote healthy lifestyle factors to reduce and eliminate the effects of diabetes.
Healthy lifestyle factors include diet, regular physical exercise, avoiding tobacco and maintaining a normal body weight. You can prevent, delay and even treat the effects of the most common causes of diabetes.
Unfortunately, there are more than 346 million people that currently have diabetes in the world.
According to the World Health Organisation, 80 percent of diabetic deaths occur in middle to low-income countries.
To better understand the effects of the condition, we need to look at some of the statistics that are available. A 2004 survey estimated that 3,4 million people died as a direct result of uncontrolled blood sugar.
It is projected that this diabetic epidemic could claim up to seven million lives by 2030.
The global prevalence of diabetes is estimated to be 6,4 percent. The overall prevalence varies from 10,2 percent in the Western Pacific to 3,8 percent in many African countries. However, African countries are expected to experience the highest rate of increase. The age group that is most commonly affected by diabetes is between 40-59 years. In recent years children and teenagers are now affected as well.
Lack of sufficient diagnosis and treatment
In most developing countries, less than half of people with diabetes are properly diagnosed or treated. Complications and morbidity rates skyrocket if there is not timely diagnosis and treatment of the condition.
Type 2 diabetes often times remains undetected for many years. The diagnosis is often made from associated complications or incidentally through screening techniques.
If the condition is not known by the patient, it goes undiagnosed by the doctor.
According to studies, undiagnosed diabetes accounted for up to 70-85 percent of those with diabetes in studies from South Africa, Cameroon, Ghana and Tanzania. Diabetes and associated deaths in 2010 demonstrated a 5,5 percent increase over the estimates for the year 2007.
Diabetic costs – a family and society burden
The financial burden created by diabetes will impact families and their ability to pay for the treatment of the condition.
Many individuals with diabetes in developing countries bear almost the whole cost of the medical care.
When you think about it, will it cost more to treat diabetes or to prevent it? It is very common for people to wait until the “bad news” and then try to treat it. That is when the burden becomes your family’s. Each person is part of the society. What is happening to society when everyone you know is developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease?
How can the burden of diabetes be reduced?
The key is prevention. That is the exclusive purpose of this health column. Simple lifestyle changes have been shown to be effective in preventing, delaying and treating the onset of the most common causes of diabetes.
To prevent diabetes and its complications, families should:
l Achieve and maintain healthy body weight.
l Be physically active – at least 30 minutes of regular, moderate-intensity activity.
l Eat a healthy diet. Eliminate sugar and processed food items.
l Avoid tobacco use – smoking increases the risk of death.
l Reduce and eliminate stress – it’s how your body responds to stress that matters.
l Health neurology and mindset – now you know you can do something about it!
Co-ordinated action is definitely needed on the level of international and national policy to reduce the risk factors of this condition. Knowledge and implementation of a diabetes programme will improve access and quality of care provided on a preventative basis.
If we do not stand up against diabetes it is predicted to become the seventh leading cause of death in the world by 2030.
Deaths are projected to rise by more than 50 percent and diabetes has become one of the major causes of other premature illnesses.
Diabetes is now the leading cause of kidney failure, blindness and amputation.
If you intend to keep your legs and your eyesight, read this and do something about it.
This is the following criteria that I use in clinical practice to determine the best dietary plan for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Five factors to determine if the eating plan is right for you:
1. High Triglycerides/Cholesterol – If you are a sugar burner and not a fat burner your body will not store or burn fat normally, therefore elevating Triglycerides (100 mg/dl to 135 Normal: > 135 Elevated).
2. High Blood Pressure – Inflammation of the large arteries leads to high blood pressure. Inflammation can be controlled by the application of this diet.
3. Elevated Glucose / Insulin / Leptin – Once the insulin receptors are burned out, a fasting glucose, insulin, or leptin test will be elevated. Removing all sugar is the only way to heal the insulin receptors.
4. Neurotoxicity – Toxins attach themselves to fat cells and continually elevate leptin.
This burns out leptin receptors in the brain and lead to leptin resistance. As a result, you gain weight that does not respond to exercise and diets.
5. Protein/Fat Genetic Type – Some individuals genetically do better without grains, high fat or even high protein. This can only be determined by how you feel on a particular diet.
l Please note that If you fail any one of the five factors you are in the danger zone and you need the eating plan to restore your health!
Diabetes is a complicated condition. Education and implementation of a programme takes time.
Take the initial step and commit to improving your health today. If you are interested in more detailed information please visit our website. www.drhealthshow.com
This website is a resource for you to be able to get additional information on all topics discussed.
There are additional newsletters, audios, nutrition and fitness tips available.
Recipes are also now available that are approved for the eating plan.
This is not a commercialised site. There is nothing for sale, all information is free. Prepare to print off recipes, they are delicious.
Changing Mindsets, Changing Lives.
l The column is not meant to give or replace valuable medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It is designed for educational purposes. If you have questions or would like to request a future topic, email [email protected]
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