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April 21. 2010
iln' fJo rtla n b (Dbseruer
Page 7
I ERS
Are You at Risk for Diabetes?
by D r . G erald
F. J oseph J r .
N early 24 m illion A m ericans are
living w ith diabetes today. Diabetes
develops w hen insulin— a horm one
that helps glucose from digested food
nourish cells in the body— is in short
supply or is not functioning properly.
In diabetics, unused glucose builds
up in the blood stream to higher than
norm al levels.
D iabetes is increasingly w ide­
spread. W hile roughly 10 percent o f
the population ov er the age o f 20
has the disease, another 57 m illion
people are thought to be pre-d ia­
betic. M ost cases are diagnosed in
people over the age o f 45, but diab e­
tes can occur at any age.
T ype 1 (juvenile-onset) diabetes
usually strikes in children and young
adults. It develops w hen the b o d y ’s
im m une system destroys the cells in
the pancreas that m ake insulin.
Progress
on Cancer
T y p e 2 (a d u lt-
o n s e t) d ia b e te s
accounts for 90 to
95 percent o f d i­
agnosed cases o f
diabetes. T he body becom es resis­
tant to the effects o f insulin, forcing
the pancreas to produce m ore to
keep glucose levels norm al. W hen
the dem and for insulin becom es too
great, diabetes develops.
Som e pregnant w om en w ill d e­
velop g e sta tio n a l d iab etes, in which
the h o rm ones o f the placenta lim it
the effectiveness o f insulin. This
form o f diabetes occurs in 2 to 5
p ercen t o f p reg n an t w om en and
u su ally su b sid e s a fte r d e liv ery .
H ow ever, gestational diabetes in­
creases the risk o f type 2 diabetes
later in life.
D iabetes can lead to severe d am ­
age to the liver, nerves and blood
«3B
Outreach needed
T he A m erican C ancer Society is
draw ing attention to the progress
being m ade on fighting cancer in
m inority com m unities w hile em pha­
sizing the need for continued ef­
forts in elim inating cancer dispari­
ties that still exist.
T he society has reported a steady
decline in colon cancer incidence
and death rates in m ost racial and
ethnic groups. Y et, cancer contin­
ues to take a h igher toll on m inority
com m unities.
A frican A m ericans have the high­
est death rate o f any racial and eth ­
nic group in the U .S. for m ost can ­
cers. A nd there are barriers in ac­
cess to quality health care, causing
later diagnosis and low er chances
o f survival.
T he organization finds that the
causes o f disparities are com plex
and likely reflect social and eco ­
nom ic societal gaps, not ju s t bio ­
logic differences.
“ W hile it is discouraging that
these differences still exist, w e m ust
address them in o rd er to save lives
and reduce suffering from cancer
am ong A frican A m ericans,” said Dr.
O tis B raw ley, A m erican C ancer So­
ciety m edical officer.
The A m erican C ancer Soc iety has
aw arded m ore than $88 m illion since
2000 for m ore than 100 studies that
focus on reducing cancer health
related disparities.
T hese studies range across the
cancer continuum , from prevention
and early detection to end o f life.
v e ss e ls, b lin d n e s s; a m p u ta tio n ;
birth defects or stillbirth; and thy-
roid problem s.
Y ou are at a h ig h e r risk for the
d ise a se if y o u are b la ck , H isp an ic,
m o re th an n in e p o u n d s, o r a h is-
to ry o f g e sta tio n a l d ia b e te s .
d ia b e tic s use in su lin sh o ts to regu-
late b lo o d g lu c o se lev els. T y p e 2
If you have these risk factors or
experience increased thirst or urina-
tion, constant hunger, blurred vi-
d ia b e te s can be m a n a g e d th ro u g h
d ie t an d e x e rc is e in so m e c ase s,
b u t in su lin sh o ts o r m e d ic a tio n s
Diabetes can lead to severe damage to the liver,
nerves and blood vessels; blindness; amputation; birth
defects or stillbirth; and thyroid problems.
N a tiv e A m e ric a n , A sian A m e ri­
can , P a c ific Isla n d e r,-o v e rw e ig h t
o r p h y s ic a lly in a c tiv e o r h av e a
fa m ily o r p e rso n a l h isto ry o f d ia ­
b e te s, h ig h b lo o d p re ssu re , low
H D L ( “ g o o d ” ) c h o le s te ro l lev els,
h ig h trig ly c e rid e le v els, p re v io u s
a b n o rm a l g lu c o se sc re e n in g re ­
su lts, p o ly c y stic o v a ry sy n d ro m e ,
g iv e n b irth to a b a b y w e ig h in g
sion, extrem e fatigue, recurrent in­ th a t lo w e r b lo o d g lu c o se lev els
fections, o r sores that are slow to m ay a lso be n e c e ssa ry .
heal, talk to y o u r doctor.
H ealthy lifestyle choices can also
W o m en o v e r ag e 45 sh o u ld be low er y o u r risk o f d iabetes. Try to
te ste d fo r d ia b e te s e v e ry th re e reach and m aintain a healthy w eight,
y e a rs, bu t e a rlie r o r m o re freq u e n t eat a diet o f healthy and low -fat
te stin g m ay be n e e d e d in w o m e n foods, and get reg u lar exercise.
at h ig h risk . I f y o u h a v e d ia b e te s,
Dr. GeraldF. Joseph Jr. is presi­
ta lk to y o u r d o c to r a b o u t h o w to dent o f the American College o f
k e ep it w e ll-c o n tro lle d . T y p e 1 Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
NEW S E A S O N S
M A R K E T
N O W D E L IV E R IN G
Y o u r fa v o r ite n e ig h b o r h o o d g r o c e r y s to r e n o w d e liv e r s
g r o c e r ie s r ig h t to y o u r h o m e o r o ffic e .
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