Growing up, I began to understand the importance of healthy eating and the effects that poor diet and limited physical activity have on the body when both parents were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Watching them become dependent on medication to help control their blood sugar levels led me to want to pursue a career that involved nutrition and promoting a healthy lifestyle.  More importantly, having both parents with diabetes definitely made me more aware of the disease, its potential complications, and prevention strategies to make sure I would not suffer the same fate.

Risk Factors for Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or when the pancreas stops producing enough insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels in the body. Although the development of this chronic illness is not fully understood, there are certain risk factors that may increase the risk such as:

–        Excess weight, which is a primary risk factor for type 2 diabetes, however not required to develop the disease. The more fatty tissue you have, the more resistant your cells become to insulin.

–        Fat distribution. Risks for developing diabetes increases when body stores fat primarily in the abdomen/stomach area in comparison to fat being stored elsewhere in the body, such as hips or thighs.

–        Inactivity. Less activity equals greater risk since it helps control weight. Increasing activity also helps the body to use glucose as energy and makes cells more sensitive to insulin.

–        Race. It is not clearly defined why, but people of certain races are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes such as Blacks, Hispanics, American Indians, and Asian Americans.

–        Age. Risk also increases as you get older, especially after the age 45. It may be due to less activity, loss of muscle mass, and weight gain. However, the prevalence of diabetes is increasing dramatically among children, adolescents, and younger adults.

–        Pre-diabetes. Although blood sugar is not high enough to be classified as diabetes, it is best to make lifestyle changes at this point because there is a higher chance of being diagnosed if left untreated.

–        Gestational diabetes. Having gestational diabetes or giving birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds increases risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes can be easy to ignore, especially when symptoms are barely there and you are feeling fine. But uncontrolled diabetes may lead to serious complications since many major organs may be affected including the heart, blood vessels, nerves, eyes, and kidneys. Serious complications include nerve damage, kidney damage (leading to kidney failure), eye damage (leading to blindness, cataracts, or glaucoma), foot damage (leading to toe, foot, or leg amputation), hearing impairment, or skin conditions. With any nerve damage, the body is more susceptible to infections and complications. Heart and blood vessel disease as a result of uncontrolled diabetes increases risk of cardiovascular problems including heart attack, stroke, narrowing of arteries, and high blood pressure.

Preventing Type 2 Diabetes

Making healthy lifestyle choices is key in preventing the onset of type 2 diabetes. You can decrease your chances even if diabetes runs in your family. Even with prediabetes, lifestyle changes can stop or slow down the progression to full blown diabetes. With those currently diagnosed, healthy lifestyle choices may help in preventing serious complications. Here are some prevention tips:

–        Eat healthy foods. Choose foods that are lower in fat and calories and higher in fiber. Focus on plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

–        Get physical.Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day. This may include a brisk daily walk, riding a bike, or swimming laps. If you can’t fit in 30 minutes at a time, break up your workout into 10 minute sessions throughout the day.

–        Lose excess weight.If you are overweight, losing 5-7% of your body weight may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Small lifestyle changes such as eating healthier or fitting in physical activity in the day are easier to make and more likely to become permanent changes to your eating and exercise habits. Motivate yourself by thinking of the benefits of losing weight, such as more energy, improved self-esteem, and the prevention of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

Although my parents are diabetics, they are working towards making healthy lifestyle changes to help keep their blood sugars in control and prevent serious complications associated with type 2 diabetes. Together, we can turn healthy changes into permanent healthy habits, which keep them healthy and other family members less susceptible to developing chronic illnesses such as diabetes.

There may be at least one person you know with diabetes.  I know a few.  But it really hits close to home when it is a family member who has it or some form of it.

Honestly, a few years ago I was not concerned with diabetes, nor concerned that I was on that road to acquiring it.  I would consider myself a healthy person.  I engage in physical activity, my weight is considered to be “normal,” lab results for fasting blood sugars always within normal limits.  However, it was only until recently that my non-existing concerns for diabetes finally became a reality.  I myself was not diagnosed with it, but I learned that my dad acquired prediabetes.  His laxed attitude towards his prediabetes diagnosis tinkered on that fine line of being one hemoglobin A1C result away from being diagnosed as type 2 diabetes; the thought of him getting type 2 diabetes scares me because of the complications that go along with poorly controlled diabetes.  Therefore, I made it my responsibility for us to learn as a family, my mom included, on what we can do to prevent him from getting type 2 diabetes, and be healthy overall.  Going through this learning process we learned that there are three main types of diabetes, plus prediabetes, and the various symptoms that are associated with this condition.

Types of Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (TIDM)

TIDM usually diagnosed in children and young adults.  Only 5% of people with diabetes have type 1.  In T1DM, the body does not produce insulin because the organ that produces it, the pancreas, is no longer capable.  Insulin is a hormone that is needed to change sugar, starches and other foods into energy needed for daily life.  T1DM needs the help of insulin therapy, via daily injections with insulin pens or syringes or an insulin pump, and other treatments to manage blood sugars.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM)

T2DM is the most common form of diabetes.  In T2DM, your body does not use insulin properly, which is called insulin resistance.   At first, your pancreas makes extra insulin to make up for it. Over time, the pancreas is not able to keep up and cannot make enough insulin to keep your blood glucose at normal levels, and the cells that need the glucose are starved for energy.  Moreover, having high blood sugars overtime can damage your eyes, nerves, kidneys, and the heart.  T2DM can be treated with lifestyle changes, such as increasing physical activity, oral medications i.e. pills or insulin.

Gestational Diabetes (GDM)

This occurs when a there is a presence of high blood glucose (sugar) during late pregnancy.  The prevalence of GDM is 9.2%.  Many women who have never had diabetes can get gestational diabetes.  There is no known cause; however, the theory involves the placenta and the hormones that help the baby develop.  The hormones can interfere with how insulin functions in the body, which is called insulin resistance.  Insulin resistance makes it difficult for insulin to be used in the body.  Since GDM occurs in the latter part of the pregnancy, the baby’s body has already formed; therefore, GDM does not cause the same birth defects that can be seen in babies whose mothers already had diabetes.  However, poorly treated GDM can harm the baby.  Since the pancreas is producing additional insulin that is not being used by the cells, blood sugars are still increased.  Insulin does not pass through the placenta, but any extra blood sugars can; giving the baby high blood sugar levels too.  The baby’s pancreas will make extra insulin to get rid of the extra blood sugars.  Since the baby is getting more energy than it needs for growth and development, the extra energy gets stored as fat; resulting in macrosomia or “fat” baby.  These babies are at risk for shoulder damage during birth, breathing problems.  As children, they are at risk for obesity, and as adults, there is a risk for developing T2DM.

What about Prediabetes?

Most people who develop type 2 diabetes, almost always have prediabetes. This occurs when glucose (sugar) levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.  Having prediabetes puts you at greater risk for developing T2Dm and heart disease.  If you have prediabetes, you should be checked for type 2 diabetes every one to two years.

The common symptoms of diabetes are:

• Urinating often
• Feeling very thirsty
• Feeling very hungry – even though you are eating
• Extreme fatigue
• Blurry vision
• Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
• Weight loss – even though you are eating more (type 1)
• Tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands/feet (type 2)

These symptoms are typical of diabetes.  However, some people with type 2 diabetes have symptoms so mild that they go unnoticed.  Furthermore, there are no clear symptoms for prediabetes, and may only show some symptoms.  For women with gestational diabetes, they may have no symptoms at all.  The important message is to keep informed, know your body, be healthy and test your blood sugars.  As we go through this journey as a family, my dad is becoming more proactive, testing normal for his fasting blood sugars every morning, becoming more physically active with my mom, and slowly eating a little bit healthier.

Right now, 382 million people around the world are living with diabetes, but this is expected to increase to 592 million people over the next 22 yrs. 

But…We can fight back! We ARE fighting back! Let’s unite in the fight against diabetes!

Diabetes battle ‘being lost’ as cases hit record 382 million

The world is losing the battle against diabetes as the number of people estimated to be living with the disease soars to a new record of 382 million this year, medical experts said on Thursday.

The vast majority have type 2 diabetes – the kind linked to obesity and lack of exercise – and the epidemic is spreading as more people in the developing world adopt Western, urban lifestyles.

The latest estimate from the International Diabetes Federation is equivalent to a global prevalence rate of 8.4 percent of the adult population and compares to 371 million cases in 2012.

By 2035, the organization predicts the number of cases will have soared by 55 percent to 592 million.

“The battle to protect people from diabetes and its disabling, life-threatening complications is being lost,” the federation said in the sixth edition of its Diabetes Atlas, noting that deaths from the disease were now running at 5.1 million a year – one every six seconds.

People with diabetes have inadequate blood sugar control, which can lead to a range of dangerous complications, including damage to the eyes, kidneys and heart. If left untreated, it can result in premature death.

“Year after year, the figures seem to be getting worse,” said David Whiting, an epidemiologist and public health specialist at the federation. “All around the world we are seeing increasing numbers of people developing diabetes.”

He said that a strategy involving all parts of society was needed to improve diets and promote healthier lifestyles.

The federation calculates diabetes already accounts for annual health care spending of $548 billion and this is likely to rise to $627 billion by 2035.

Worryingly, an estimated 175 million of diabetes cases are as yet undiagnosed, so a huge number of people are progressing toward complications unawares. Most of them live in low- and middle-income countries with far less access to medical care than in the United States and Europe.

The country with the most diabetics overall is China, where the case load is expected to rise to 142.7 million in 2035 from 98.4 million at present.

But the highest prevalence rates are to be found in the Western Pacific, where more than a third of adults in Tokelau, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands already are living with the disease.

Pharmaceutical companies have developed a range of medicines over the years to counter diabetes but many patients still struggle to control their condition adequately, leading to a continuing hunt for improved treatments.

Novo Nordisk, Sanofi and Eli Lilly are all major suppliers of insulin and other diabetes therapies.

What’s not included in the $245 billion dollar cost of diabetes

1) UNDIAGNOSED DIABETES: As of 2011, 27% of people with diabetes didn’t know they had the disease. Diabetes is known as being the “silent killer”, because it can remain undetected in the body for 10 or more years. Silent and dormant are not the same thing. In fact, during the time that diabetes remains untreated and uncontrolled, it can wreak havoc on vital organs in the body, causing irreparable damage.

To measure the impact undiagnosed diabetes has on our economy, scientists reviewed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and concluded that undiagnosed diabetes accounts for about $18 billion in health care costs annually.

2) PREDIABETES:  In addition to the 18.8 million Americans that have been diagnosed with diabetes, and the 7 million Americans whose diabetes has yet to be detected, there is a much larger problem brewing under the surface. It currently has an estimated $25 billion effect on our nation’s healthcare system, and it is just a precursor for what’s to come. It’s prediabetes!  There are currently 79 million Americans with the condition, of which 90% don’t know they have it.  As many as 83% of people with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes unless those affected take significant steps to lose weight, eat right and exercise more to improve their health.

“We are only beginning to grasp the full economic impact of diabetes,” said George Huntley, chairman of the board for the ADA. “For the first time we can demonstrate that healthcare costs begin to rise long before diabetes has developed. Both of these early conditions are associated with significant increases in the use of healthcare services and expenses. Yet with aggressive intervention, both can be averted or at the very least delayed.”

All together,  if we added the estimated cost of undiagnosed diabetes and the cost of prediabetes to the total,  we may find that the true annual cost of diabetes in our country could exceed $288 billion.

Here’s the bottom line, the diabetes epidemic, if not stopped has the power to bankrupt our entire healthcare system. One in five health care dollars in the U.S. is going to care for the 18.8 million people with diagnosed diabetes.  Right now 8.3% of the population has diabetes (diagnosed and undiagnosed). Imagine what will happen if the predictions are accurate and 1 in 3 American adults (33%) have diabetes in 2050.

Here’s the good news, 80% of type 2 diabetes is preventable with lifestyle change. If we can help identify those who are at-risk, then provide them with the tools they need to succeed, we can create an alternative, healthier future. The first step to fighting diabetes, is helping to create awareness!

Click to find out what risk factors may increase your risk for type 2 diabetes!

Read full article: “American Diabetes Association Releases New Research Estimating Annual Cost of Diabetes at $245 billion“

Sources:

(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/diabetes-statistics/

Alexandria, V. . Retrieved from http://www.diabetes.org/for-media/2013/annual-costs-of-diabetes-2013.html

Retrieved from http://diabetes.webmd.com/news/20090508/costs-are-high-from-undiagnosed-diabetes

Retrieved from http://m.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/pre-diabetes-costs-nation-25b-annually

ORANGE

Here’s how the Outrageous Oranges outplayed  the Banging Brussels Sprouts..

Unfortunately the Brussels Sprouts had a tough day, they were over cooked, lowering the amounts of their star nutrients allowing the quick attack of the oranges to dominate.  Oranges came through with a strong immune system, GI tract, and heart, while lowering risk of diabetes and cancer.

Once again, the fan support swayed the game.  By the looks of  it, 67% of the fans in attendance were cheering for the Oranges while only 33%  were rooting for the Brussels Sprouts.

Our FanCam spotted these Standout Supporters!

“Mmm. Brussels sprouts. Delicious steamed or roasted…”

“Go Sprouts!”

“Most definitely orange, orange everything!”

“Oranges! Again, I’m going with color!“

“Come on… How can you go against the orange?!!!”

These fans, and all the other participants who voted for their favorite team in the Oranges vs Brussels Sprouts head-to-head matchup, were entered into our favorite fan drawing for a Visa gift card.

VOTING CLOSED!

Today, on their 1 year birthday, we want to THANK BLUE HEEL SOCIETY for all that you do for our diabetes community!

ABOUT BLUE HEEL SOCIETY

By: T.R. Moore, CCO

The Blue Heel Society was launched on the premise that anyone, anyone at all, could effectively advocate for diabetes given the right “platform”.  All it takes is a wearing a blue pair of shoes, whether heels, boots, flops, or sneakers.

Our logo is the combination of the IDF Blue Circle, and a high heel shoe.  The symbol was created to demonstrate how people who live with, love, or care for anyone with diabetes, regardless of the type, are fabulous, and while that shoe is beautiful and stylish, it can often be challenging, actually downright hard to walk around in it all day…everyday. No matter who you are, old or new, type 1 or type 2…you can rock a blue shoe. In everyday scenarios, in advocacy proper or hosting a dinner club for your local community….we wear the blue shoes to change how people see diabetes.

Today is our first birthday and wow, what a year it has been….with the likes of a rockstar pediatric endocrinologist blogging for us, a reggae music legend’s celebrity chef nephew collaborating his efforts with our loyal followers, and having a rising NASCAR superstar blogging about wearing his blue shoes, demonstrating just how vast a population of people really just understand how easy and effective this advocacy campaign really is.

We launched our most important pieces of advocacy work yet recently. Our Luminary program. We turn the advocacy over to you….the individual and support people, who do it *their* way, bringing the Message & Mission of the Blue Heel Society to local Community’s in true grassroots style.

Please visit their website or facebook page for more information about the Blue Heel Society.