Cougar News Network
Beware of diabetes Friday, November 05, 2010 By Danielle Sharp
Something you may not know is that November is American Diabetes month. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in America today. There are two different types of diabetes. Type 1 is an inevitable type of diabetes that is inherited. It is a natural deficiency of insulin made in the pancreas. When you consume sugar it develops into glucose to provide growth energy for cells. The insulin that your body makes is used to bring your sugar back down to normal levels. People living with type 1 must take insulin shots to maintain a healthy blood sugar. Type 2 diabetes is very different. Type 2 diabetics produce the same amount of insulin as normal people, but the food consumed which has high fats, carbohydrates, and sugar makes the natural insulin function irregularly. There are more than 6 million Americans walking around undiagnosed with absolutely no idea that they have diabetes, and more than 24 million Americans live with diabetes. Diabetes kills more people in America than breast cancer and AIDs combined. High school nurse Shelly Burns said, “Diabetes is vast in America. A large population has it. What I would do to make people more aware is have educational classes for students, adults, and communities.” So you can avoid being on the ship of living with diabetes with these few tips. Instead of grabbing candy the next time you want a sweet snack, enjoy some fruit. Be sure to read the nutrition facts before you eat purchased foods because there may be hidden carbs, sugar, or fat. Finally, get active. Teens and adults should exercise a minimum of 60 minutes daily. Let’s all join together to help raise diabetes awareness and do everything possible to prevent it! |