From amsterdamnews.com
December marks a time for festivities, friends, family and food—so much food! Although the holidays are a source of enjoyment for many who look forward to quality time with loved ones, the unprecedented focus on eating and drinking can make this time just as much a source of distress for those with diabetes. With some of the most food-focused holidays happening in December, it makes sense to review a few diabetes management guidelines to help ensure a happy and healthy holiday season.
More than 700,000 New Yorkers have diabetes—almost a third of whom are unaware that they have it. According to the latest figures from the American Diabetes Association, the disease is diagnosed in 12.1 percent of Hispanics and 12.7 percent of non-Hispanic Blacks in the U.S. When not controlled, diabetes can take a toll on nearly every organ in the body and cause long-term complications such as blindness, heart disease, stroke, amputations, depression and nerve damage. These conditions are especially true for the frail, elderly New Yorkers I care for in our VNSNY CHOICE managed long-term care health plans, who are often coping with multiple chronic illnesses in addition to a diabetes diagnosis.
Although it is important to take diabetes management seriously, there are still ways for those with the disease to enjoy the holidays and maintain control of their condition. My colleague Yael Reich, RN, MSN, a certified diabetes educator with the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, cites these tips from the American Diabetes Association for keeping at-risk patients on track during the holiday season. We encourage at-risk patients in our care to follow these tips from the American Diabetes Association so they stay on track throughout the holiday season.
Plan ahead: Holidays often centre around gathering to eat large meals at odd times of the day—times that might not be compatible with your regular meal schedule. If you take insulin injections or a pill that lowers blood glucose, plan to snack at your normal meal time to prevent blood sugar reactions.
Switch it up: Pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, casserole, cookies—the holidays see no shortage of starchy and sugary “eats.” Rather than cut out these treats altogether, see what alternative ingredients or methods of cooking could be used to swap out fattening traditions. For example, consider roasted sweet potatoes as a replacement for candied yams, or steaming your green beans instead of sautéing them in butter. These substitutions can have a positive effect on your health without you having to miss out on your favourite foods.
Get up and move: Exercising after a meal helps your muscles use sugar for energy and your body use insulin more efficiently, thereby improving blood sugar levels. Resist the temptation to rest after a “decadent” meal by creating a new family tradition of going for a walk around the neighbourhood after dinner (visit Diabetes.org for exercise suggestions).
Relax: With the exorbitant amount of planning, expending of financial resources and traveling that comes along with the holidays, stress abounds. Anxiety can make blood sugar levels spiral out of control, which is why keeping stress in check is especially important during the holidays. Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing exercises and making sure to get a good night’s rest (at minimum six hours) can help you reduce stress and maximize your holiday cheer. See DiabetesSelfManagement.com for more tips.
http://amsterdamnews.com/news/2017/nov/30/keeping-holidays-cheerful-when-managing-diabetes/
Monday, 4 December 2017
Sunday, 3 December 2017
4 Things You Can Do to Reverse Pre-Diabetes
From maryscenter.org
4. Stay In Touch With Your Healthcare Provider.
The numbers are simply staggering! According to the Centres for Disease Control (CDC), 84.1 million people in the United States have prediabetes, a condition that, if left untreated, often leads to type 2 diabetes within five years. In addition, a quarter of the people living with pre-diabetes don’t even know they have it.
Dr. Gita Agarwal, an adult clinician at Mary’s Centre, sees many patients with pre-diabetes. We asked her to explain what pre-diabetes is and what you can do to reverse it.
What Is Pre-Diabetes?
Prediabetes is a condition where your blood sugar level is higher than normal but not yet high enough to be type 2 diabetes. It means that your body isn’t processing sugar (glucose) properly anymore. Because of that, sugar accumulates in your bloodstream, instead of doing its normal job of fuelling the cells in your muscles and other tissues.
How Do I Know If I Have It?
In general, prediabetes doesn’t have signs or symptoms, but a possible sign that you might be at risk of type 2 diabetes is having darker skin on certain parts of the body like the neck, armpits, elbows, knees and knuckles. A large waist size can also be a clue.
The way that we can confirm if a person has prediabetes is by doing a blood test and checking a number called the A1C. An A1C level below 5.7 percent is considered normal. An A1C level between 5.7 and 6.4 percent is considered prediabetes, and an A1C level of 6.5 percent or higher on two separate tests indicates type 2 diabetes.
What Can I Do About It?
1 1. Get Moving.
Physical activity is very important because it lowers your blood glucose levels and reduces body fat. Generally, we recommend 30 minutes of exercise each day, 5 days a week. If you haven’t been exercising regularly, talk to your doctor and start slowly. Find something that you love so that you will stick with it.
2. Lose Weight.
I know that this is challenging, but even a small amount of weight loss can make a difference. Losing just 5 to 10% of your body weight can really help. You can get some inspiration by reading stories on the internet about people who have lost weight and prevented their prediabetes from progressing to diabetes.
3. Adopt A Healthy Diet.
Avoid processed foods and drinks like soda and even fruit juice, which are full of sugar. Instead, choose fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, healthy fats like olive oil and avocado, and lean meats.
The provider can help you stay on track in your efforts to prevent diabetes, and also connect you with other resources you might need like nutrition counselling.
Footcare commissioning guide released
From diabetestimes.co.uk
Healthcare commissioners are being called upon to prioritise diabetic footcare following the release of an online commissioner’s guide.
The College of Podiatry has launched the document that exposes – in detail – the comparative rates of amputations across England and is calling on commissioners to take action and help end the postcode lottery of avoidable amputations.
On a daily basis there are 23 people with diabetes in England who will have a toe, foot or leg amputated. It is thought improving the way diabetic foot health is commissioned and delivered, around half of all diabetes-related amputations could be avoided.
Dr Paul Chadwick, consultant podiatrist and clinical director of The College of Podiatry, is a leader in the field of diabetic footcare and was instrumental in developing the toolkit resource.
Dr Chadwick said: “The findings of this new commissioning resource shine a spotlight on the stark differences there are in amputation rates between regions – differences that signify a deep human cost for patients and their families as well as a huge cost burden for our already stretched NHS foot services.
“It is time for commissioners to increase investment in foot protection, to make sure we reduce these unnecessary and appalling personal and financial costs for patients and the NHS.”
The average Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) spends around £5.7 million a year on diabetic foot problems; more than the combined cost of the four most common cancers. Reducing the prevalence of severe ulcers by one third would reduce the cost of ulcer care by around £1 million a year per CCG.
The online toolkit resource will support CCGs in England to commission improved services for diabetic foot disease. It provides information on:
http://diabetestimes.co.uk/footcare-commissioning-guide-released/
Healthcare commissioners are being called upon to prioritise diabetic footcare following the release of an online commissioner’s guide.
The College of Podiatry has launched the document that exposes – in detail – the comparative rates of amputations across England and is calling on commissioners to take action and help end the postcode lottery of avoidable amputations.
On a daily basis there are 23 people with diabetes in England who will have a toe, foot or leg amputated. It is thought improving the way diabetic foot health is commissioned and delivered, around half of all diabetes-related amputations could be avoided.
Dr Chadwick said: “The findings of this new commissioning resource shine a spotlight on the stark differences there are in amputation rates between regions – differences that signify a deep human cost for patients and their families as well as a huge cost burden for our already stretched NHS foot services.
“It is time for commissioners to increase investment in foot protection, to make sure we reduce these unnecessary and appalling personal and financial costs for patients and the NHS.”
The average Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) spends around £5.7 million a year on diabetic foot problems; more than the combined cost of the four most common cancers. Reducing the prevalence of severe ulcers by one third would reduce the cost of ulcer care by around £1 million a year per CCG.
The online toolkit resource will support CCGs in England to commission improved services for diabetic foot disease. It provides information on:
- the impact of diabetic foot ulcers and amputations on patients’ lives and on NHS costs
- the potential for improved care to transform lives and reduce NHS expenditure
- what good care looks like and how to restructure services and pathways
http://diabetestimes.co.uk/footcare-commissioning-guide-released/
Wednesday, 22 November 2017
Let’s fight diabetes
From tribuneindia.com
Diabetes doesn’t necessarily mean that complications have to follow suit. Minimise the effect of the modern day malaise with just a few health checks in place
Diabetes is a condition characterised by high blood sugar levels that has an impact on many of the vital organs in the body. When diabetes is uncontrolled and the blood sugar remains consistently high, it can lead to or worsen other medical conditions. Some of these conditions or complications are related to the “metabolic syndrome” which is a cluster of conditions that increases a person’s risk of diabetes and heart diseases. Other conditions that affect the eyes, kidneys and feet are directly attributed to diabetes. Many of these complications do not have any symptoms initially, which can make them harder to notice. Knowing what they are and how you can prevent them is the first step to reducing the risk of diabetes complications.
Cardiovascular complications
Patients with diabetes are 2 to 3 times more likely to have a stroke or heart attack. To reduce the risk of heart and blood vessel disease, they must quit smoking, exercise regularly and minimise their intake of greasy and oily food. Patients must also monitor their blood sugar and blood pressure regularly. Doctors may also prescribe aspirin and/or drugs known as “statins”. Statins can reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes in patients over the age of 40, irrespective of their cholesterol levels.
Hypertension
Owing to common risk factors, patients with diabetes often also have hypertension (raised blood pressure). High blood pressure puts an additional strain on the cardiovascular system and increases the risk of eye and kidney complications. The ideal blood pressure goal for patients depends on whether they have been diagnosed with any other condition; for example, those with kidney disease may have a lower blood pressure goal (i.e. less than 130/80) than others. If a patient’s blood pressure is just above normal but not yet diagnosed as hypertension, lifestyle changes are must.
Kidney diseases
When untreated and uncontrolled, high blood sugar levels put an additional strain on the kidneys, making them work extra hard to filter the blood. Over time, this affects the functioning of the kidneys. It is vital that patients with diabetes go for regular kidney tests and take their prescribed medication to slow down or prevent the progression of kidney diseases.
Eye complications
The longer a person has had diabetes, the more likely he/she is to develop “diabetic retinopathy.” Often there may be no obvious evidence initially, which is why it is important for patients to visit an ophthalmologist/eye specialist even if they don’t see any symptoms.
Succeeding with Diabetes on a Vegan Diet
From asweetlife.org
Lee Ann Thill was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 5, back in 1978. “I had just started kindergarten, and had all the classic symptoms – peeing a lot, drinking a lot, weight loss. My mom took me to the pediatrician after she realized there was something wrong, and I was diagnosed. We went straight to the hospital, where I stayed for two weeks. “
Like many of us who were diagnosed decades ago, the narratives around food were confusing. From sweets restrictions to the exchange diet, there wasn’t a set “diabetes diet” that people followed. “I don’t remember following a diet, aside from avoiding sweets. My mom had an interest in ‘healthful’ eating and fitness, so the way we ate at home reflected the dieting trends of the times, which amounted to less refined grains, and lower fat foods. I was still allowed to have ‘sweets’ on special occasions, but we typically didn’t have foods like that in the house.”
Today, 40 years later, Lee Ann has moved to a vegan diet and lifestyle to manage both her diabetes and her desire to affect positive social change. “At age 14, I developed an eating disorder, and didn’t recover until age 32,” she said. “Becoming vegan has reinforced my healing process. For some people, it might appear that I’ve traded one category of forbidden foods for another, but as a vegan, I don’t think of, let’s say, a cheeseburger, as food. Plus, I eat vegan cheeseburgers, so it’s not like I’m missing out. An important idea that has emerged for me from my eating disorder recovery is that everyone – including animals – deserves to be respected for exactly who they are, nourished, and free from harm.”
The path to veganism was a slow process for Lee Ann, who followed what she called a “half hearted reducitarian [a commitment to eating less meat] lifestyle for several years, partly motivated by health concerns, and partly motivated by an emerging awareness that there was something questionable about meat. Inspired in 2013 by the documentary VEGUCATED, Lee Ann set her sights on transitioning to a vegan diet. “At first, I set a goal to eat at least one vegan meal a day. It was a fun challenge for me to experiment with new recipes and foods. Once I started to change the types of food I was buying, and had some “go-to” recipes, it became easier to increase the frequency of vegan meals. I really enjoyed that process, felt accomplished, and felt physically and emotionally better. By January 2014, I was eating all vegan at home, and maybe having one or two vegetarian meals or snacks away from home, so deciding to be vegan at that point, wasn’t a big change.”
Some people with diabetes are frustrated by the higher carbs found in vegan/vegetarian recipes, and are often deterred from experimenting with vegan foods due to the carb load. But Lee Ann has found that portion sizes and substitutions make a huge difference in managing those concerns.
“I add lower carb foods to “thin out” the carbs,” she said. “I make a chickpea-potato curry, but I load it with greens, zucchini, peppers, celery, carrots, and pressed/crumbled extra firm tofu. I eat it like a stew, no rice, topped with avocado and pumpkin seeds. Another strategy is to play with portion sizes if you have a higher carb main dish. I recently made lasagne with cashew-based ricotta, and had a “side dish” portion, with a big salad loaded with veggies that was lower carb.”
She also employs some “food math” in order to build her meals. “I rely on a veggie bowl formula. I keep a rotating selection of cooked veggies and prepared grains in the fridge. The formula is flexible to meet specific needs, and you can play with proportions to keep it lower carb. For example, I’ll add greens and beans, some grains and veggies, plus nuts, seeds, and some kind of seasoning to build a meal.”
“I had concerns about how my BG would respond when I first started transitioning to a vegan diet, which seems to be a common concern for PWD,” said Lee Ann. “I’ve found that my BGs have improved, with fewer spikes, and less frequent persistent highs. My A1c decreased slightly. I have also been able to discontinue several oral medications, including ones I was taking for cholesterol and blood pressure. Physically, I feel strong, and since going vegan, I’ve found a new, more sustained interest in athletics, especially running. I had a hard time following a fitness program in the past, but I’ve found that becoming vegan improved my sense of empowerment by showing me I can change my behaviour.”
But veganism isn’t entirely about diet, for Lee Ann. There’s a bigger picture in play, and one that directly touches her experiences with diabetes. “Being vegan has made me more curious about power – who has it, who doesn’t, forces maintaining those dynamics – ways to alter power dynamics, and more critical of how my actions can better reflect my personal values, notably, fairness, empathy, knowledge, and creativity.
“I’m not active in the diabetes advocacy movement like I once was, but that experience was foundational for thinking about how power operates, both within the diabetes world (i.e. patient interests vs. pharma/tech interests, who gets invited to events), and in broader contexts (i.e. competition for health research funding, media representation). As a diabetes advocate, I became uncomfortable with what I perceived as power struggles, competition, and demand that diabetes be a priority. Of course, it’s a priority for me, but I sometimes perceived an implicit demand that people understand the “diabetes experience,” without fair reciprocity. I felt like a hypocrite, telling people they need to know about diabetes, and donate money to diabetes charities, but not learning about the infinite ways others are struggling and need support.”
“For a long time, I had been frustrated that there wasn’t a way to convey the physical and mental experience of living with diabetes – what it’s like to have a low or high BG, the emotional drain – but I hadn’t been willing to fully and thoughtfully consider the bodily experience of others. I hope people will trust me and give me the support I need, even if they can’t personally know the diabetes experience, and I need to reciprocate, not just towards humans, such as my support for racial justice or immigrant rights, but towards farmed animals. Can I know the experience of a chicken who is used for meat or eggs? No, but I can empathize with someone who feels threatened or objectified, and I can educate myself about their experience. I can trust that they want to be safe and unharmed, just like my dogs, just like me, and I can make choices that reflect that trust.”
https://asweetlife.org/succeeding-with-diabetes-on-a-vegan-diet/?utm_source=ASweetLife.org+List&utm_campaign=448154e45e-ASweetLife+Weekly+Update++-+Nov.+14%2C+2017&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5125b14cf8-448154e45e-413392997
Like many of us who were diagnosed decades ago, the narratives around food were confusing. From sweets restrictions to the exchange diet, there wasn’t a set “diabetes diet” that people followed. “I don’t remember following a diet, aside from avoiding sweets. My mom had an interest in ‘healthful’ eating and fitness, so the way we ate at home reflected the dieting trends of the times, which amounted to less refined grains, and lower fat foods. I was still allowed to have ‘sweets’ on special occasions, but we typically didn’t have foods like that in the house.”
Today, 40 years later, Lee Ann has moved to a vegan diet and lifestyle to manage both her diabetes and her desire to affect positive social change. “At age 14, I developed an eating disorder, and didn’t recover until age 32,” she said. “Becoming vegan has reinforced my healing process. For some people, it might appear that I’ve traded one category of forbidden foods for another, but as a vegan, I don’t think of, let’s say, a cheeseburger, as food. Plus, I eat vegan cheeseburgers, so it’s not like I’m missing out. An important idea that has emerged for me from my eating disorder recovery is that everyone – including animals – deserves to be respected for exactly who they are, nourished, and free from harm.”
The path to veganism was a slow process for Lee Ann, who followed what she called a “half hearted reducitarian [a commitment to eating less meat] lifestyle for several years, partly motivated by health concerns, and partly motivated by an emerging awareness that there was something questionable about meat. Inspired in 2013 by the documentary VEGUCATED, Lee Ann set her sights on transitioning to a vegan diet. “At first, I set a goal to eat at least one vegan meal a day. It was a fun challenge for me to experiment with new recipes and foods. Once I started to change the types of food I was buying, and had some “go-to” recipes, it became easier to increase the frequency of vegan meals. I really enjoyed that process, felt accomplished, and felt physically and emotionally better. By January 2014, I was eating all vegan at home, and maybe having one or two vegetarian meals or snacks away from home, so deciding to be vegan at that point, wasn’t a big change.”
Some people with diabetes are frustrated by the higher carbs found in vegan/vegetarian recipes, and are often deterred from experimenting with vegan foods due to the carb load. But Lee Ann has found that portion sizes and substitutions make a huge difference in managing those concerns.
“I add lower carb foods to “thin out” the carbs,” she said. “I make a chickpea-potato curry, but I load it with greens, zucchini, peppers, celery, carrots, and pressed/crumbled extra firm tofu. I eat it like a stew, no rice, topped with avocado and pumpkin seeds. Another strategy is to play with portion sizes if you have a higher carb main dish. I recently made lasagne with cashew-based ricotta, and had a “side dish” portion, with a big salad loaded with veggies that was lower carb.”
She also employs some “food math” in order to build her meals. “I rely on a veggie bowl formula. I keep a rotating selection of cooked veggies and prepared grains in the fridge. The formula is flexible to meet specific needs, and you can play with proportions to keep it lower carb. For example, I’ll add greens and beans, some grains and veggies, plus nuts, seeds, and some kind of seasoning to build a meal.”
“I had concerns about how my BG would respond when I first started transitioning to a vegan diet, which seems to be a common concern for PWD,” said Lee Ann. “I’ve found that my BGs have improved, with fewer spikes, and less frequent persistent highs. My A1c decreased slightly. I have also been able to discontinue several oral medications, including ones I was taking for cholesterol and blood pressure. Physically, I feel strong, and since going vegan, I’ve found a new, more sustained interest in athletics, especially running. I had a hard time following a fitness program in the past, but I’ve found that becoming vegan improved my sense of empowerment by showing me I can change my behaviour.”
But veganism isn’t entirely about diet, for Lee Ann. There’s a bigger picture in play, and one that directly touches her experiences with diabetes. “Being vegan has made me more curious about power – who has it, who doesn’t, forces maintaining those dynamics – ways to alter power dynamics, and more critical of how my actions can better reflect my personal values, notably, fairness, empathy, knowledge, and creativity.
“I’m not active in the diabetes advocacy movement like I once was, but that experience was foundational for thinking about how power operates, both within the diabetes world (i.e. patient interests vs. pharma/tech interests, who gets invited to events), and in broader contexts (i.e. competition for health research funding, media representation). As a diabetes advocate, I became uncomfortable with what I perceived as power struggles, competition, and demand that diabetes be a priority. Of course, it’s a priority for me, but I sometimes perceived an implicit demand that people understand the “diabetes experience,” without fair reciprocity. I felt like a hypocrite, telling people they need to know about diabetes, and donate money to diabetes charities, but not learning about the infinite ways others are struggling and need support.”
“For a long time, I had been frustrated that there wasn’t a way to convey the physical and mental experience of living with diabetes – what it’s like to have a low or high BG, the emotional drain – but I hadn’t been willing to fully and thoughtfully consider the bodily experience of others. I hope people will trust me and give me the support I need, even if they can’t personally know the diabetes experience, and I need to reciprocate, not just towards humans, such as my support for racial justice or immigrant rights, but towards farmed animals. Can I know the experience of a chicken who is used for meat or eggs? No, but I can empathize with someone who feels threatened or objectified, and I can educate myself about their experience. I can trust that they want to be safe and unharmed, just like my dogs, just like me, and I can make choices that reflect that trust.”
https://asweetlife.org/succeeding-with-diabetes-on-a-vegan-diet/?utm_source=ASweetLife.org+List&utm_campaign=448154e45e-ASweetLife+Weekly+Update++-+Nov.+14%2C+2017&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5125b14cf8-448154e45e-413392997
Saturday, 18 November 2017
How can we slow the alarming rise of Type 2 diabetes in children?
From cbsnews.com
Type 2 diabetes was once known as "adult onset" because it was so rare in kids. Not anymore. With one in five school-age children considered obese, the rate of Type 2 diabetes in young people is climbing. The newest study shows an almost 5 percent jump over a decade for those between the ages of 10 and 19.
Dr. Tara Narula joined "CBS This Morning" to discuss what's behind the alarming rise, how the complications resulting from diabetes are happening earlier in life, and the importance of educating kids on the dangers of the disease.
"This is not something we talked about 20 years ago and it is heartbreaking to think that now in this country there are about 20,000 children – children – who have Type 2 diabetes," Narula said.
Narula said the biggest risk factor for developing the disease is obesity.
"We have an obesity epidemic. In addition to that, look at the lifestyle we lead now. How many of our children are getting the recommended 60 minutes of exercise? How many are sitting in front of screens all day long eating fast and processed food?"
In addition to the environmental factors that can precipitate diabetes, there's a family history component.
"As a society we're all having more diabetes as adults. We can potentially pass that on to our children," Narula said. "And what happened prenatally – the more women have gestational diabetes, the more their kids are at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes."
But there are still many questions about how to best treat the disease in children.
"We do not have enough research to know how to appropriately treat children. We're basing a lot of it on adults and what we do for adults. But for example, we have a lot of medication that we can use for adults. For kids we can only use two so far that are considered safe and approved by the FDA," she said.
Medicine aside, the way we engage and educate kids about diabetes also needs attention.
"We have to not talk down and preach to them. We have to educate them and empower them. We have to use things that kids like to use, like technology, to bring them into learning about diabetes education. We have to make our messaging culturally appropriate because there are racial and ethnic differences in how this disease affects kids," she said.
Part of that education and empowerment starts with parents.
"Parents are part of the issue and they need to be part of the solution. You have to engage the whole family in the process of dealing with this, to teach them how to eat healthy and exercise because lifestyle is part of it," Narula said.
Another troubling aspect of the disease are the medical complications associated with it that occur down the road. Narula said those complications are happening at an earlier age.
"What people don't really think about with this disease, we see the complications not when kids are 50 or 60 — we're seeing this as early as five or 10 years down the road, when kids are now in the prime of their lives. They're starting jobs, they're in college, they're having families — and what's happening to them? They're developing end-stage renal disease, leading them to dialysis, heart attack and stroke, neuropathy — big, big problems —retinopathy, blindness."
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/whats-behind-rise-in-type-2-diabetes-children/
Type 2 diabetes was once known as "adult onset" because it was so rare in kids. Not anymore. With one in five school-age children considered obese, the rate of Type 2 diabetes in young people is climbing. The newest study shows an almost 5 percent jump over a decade for those between the ages of 10 and 19.
Dr. Tara Narula joined "CBS This Morning" to discuss what's behind the alarming rise, how the complications resulting from diabetes are happening earlier in life, and the importance of educating kids on the dangers of the disease.
"This is not something we talked about 20 years ago and it is heartbreaking to think that now in this country there are about 20,000 children – children – who have Type 2 diabetes," Narula said.
Narula said the biggest risk factor for developing the disease is obesity.
"We have an obesity epidemic. In addition to that, look at the lifestyle we lead now. How many of our children are getting the recommended 60 minutes of exercise? How many are sitting in front of screens all day long eating fast and processed food?"
In addition to the environmental factors that can precipitate diabetes, there's a family history component.
"As a society we're all having more diabetes as adults. We can potentially pass that on to our children," Narula said. "And what happened prenatally – the more women have gestational diabetes, the more their kids are at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes."
But there are still many questions about how to best treat the disease in children.
"We do not have enough research to know how to appropriately treat children. We're basing a lot of it on adults and what we do for adults. But for example, we have a lot of medication that we can use for adults. For kids we can only use two so far that are considered safe and approved by the FDA," she said.
Medicine aside, the way we engage and educate kids about diabetes also needs attention.
"We have to not talk down and preach to them. We have to educate them and empower them. We have to use things that kids like to use, like technology, to bring them into learning about diabetes education. We have to make our messaging culturally appropriate because there are racial and ethnic differences in how this disease affects kids," she said.
Part of that education and empowerment starts with parents.
"Parents are part of the issue and they need to be part of the solution. You have to engage the whole family in the process of dealing with this, to teach them how to eat healthy and exercise because lifestyle is part of it," Narula said.
Another troubling aspect of the disease are the medical complications associated with it that occur down the road. Narula said those complications are happening at an earlier age.
"What people don't really think about with this disease, we see the complications not when kids are 50 or 60 — we're seeing this as early as five or 10 years down the road, when kids are now in the prime of their lives. They're starting jobs, they're in college, they're having families — and what's happening to them? They're developing end-stage renal disease, leading them to dialysis, heart attack and stroke, neuropathy — big, big problems —retinopathy, blindness."
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/whats-behind-rise-in-type-2-diabetes-children/
Friday, 17 November 2017
Understanding Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes
From muhealth.org
Diabetes is a condition that causes dangerously high blood sugar levels. The most common form is Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes results when the body does not make enough insulin or develops insulin resistance. Many people with Type 2 diabetes are not aware they have the disease.
Risk factors for Type 2 diabetes that you can’t change include:
https://www.muhealth.org/our-stories/understanding-risk-factors-type-2-diabetes
Diabetes is a condition that causes dangerously high blood sugar levels. The most common form is Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes results when the body does not make enough insulin or develops insulin resistance. Many people with Type 2 diabetes are not aware they have the disease.
Risk factors for Type 2 diabetes that you can’t change include:
- Family history A blood relative with diabetes significantly increases your risk.
- Race or ethnic background African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, Native Americans and Pacific Islanders have a greater chance of developing Type 2 diabetes.
- Age Adults 45 and older are at increased risk of developing the disease.
- History of gestational diabetes Diabetes during pregnancy also increases the risk of future diabetes.
- Being overweight/obese Losing 5 to 7 percent of your body weight can cut your risk of developing diabetes in half. Risk of the disease continues to decrease with additional weight loss.
- Physical inactivity Achieving 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week can improve how well your body uses insulin and help you avoid type 2 diabetes.
- Unhealthy food choices Diets low in fibre and high in fats have been linked to increased risk of diabetes. Diets rich in fruits and vegetables may help to prevent diabetes.
https://www.muhealth.org/our-stories/understanding-risk-factors-type-2-diabetes
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