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Sugar and spice not always so nice By
Rachel Irvine When her mom arrived, Despain asked her what she wanted to eat. Renae Despain told her daughter she had recently been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Her new diet did not allow her to eat sugar. Cinnamon rolls, cookies, and other treats were strictly off limits. Despain is one of millions of people in the United States who suffer from Type 2 Diabetes. It is the most common form of diabetes. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported last month that nearly 20 million Americans have diabetes, and up to 95 percent have Type 2, with an estimated 5.4 million people who are undiagnosed. The percentage of Americans with Type 2 has doubled over the past 20 years, and the upward trend is expected to continue. Type 2 develops when a person's body does not produce enough insulin, which is necessary for the body to use sugar. Sugar is the fuel for cells in our bodies. Insulin carries sugar from our blood into our cells. When sugar builds up in the blood instead of cells two major problems can happen. First of all the cells are starved for energy, and eventually high blood sugar levels can damage your eyes kidneys, nerves and heart. Type 2 is becoming so common in the United States it is being called an "epidemic." The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases reports you are more likely to get Type 2 Diabetes if you are 45 years old or older, overweight, inactive, and have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or if it runs in your family. "I was diagnosed three years ago," said 55-year-old Despain, "but I had suspected something was wrong for quite awhile before. I was tired, thirsty, and just didn't feel good." "I kept drinking juice, because I thought I was being healthy," Despain continued. "I later learned frozen concentrate juice elevates your blood sugar really fast. It is almost worse than drinking pop." Despain reported her father, grandmother, and aunt also had Type 2 diabetes. "It didn't really surprise me when I found out I had it," she said. Life with diabetes demands responsibility. Besides watching what she eats, Despain takes her blood sugar every morning when she wakes up, and evening before she goes to bed. She pricks her finger with a needle, and puts a few drops of blood on a test strip. Then places the strip in a machine that looks similar to a calculator, which tells her blood sugar level. "I want to be between 90 and 180," Despain said. "136 is ideal for me." "If my blood sugar gets too low or too high, I know before I even test it," Despain sighed. "If it is low I will feel really fuzzy and jittery. If it is high I feel very tired, sluggish, and usually have a headache." Type 2 diabetics are encouraged to get active. One of the main reasons it is reaching epidemic proportions is because Americans don't do enough physical activities. Our culture requires a remote control to operate, and it is hurting our health. The Surgeon General released a report a few days ago finding six in every 10 adults is overweight. A study titled, The Continuing Epidemics of Obesity and Diabetes in the United States was published in September by The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). It found, "During the 1990s, epidemics of obesity and diabetes developed among U.S. adults. Our current findings indicate that most U.S. adults are overweight, about 1 in 5 is obese, and 7.3 percent have diabetes." The Washington Post reported last month, "the simple act of adding some movement to our days can help prevent or relieve a broad array of ailments." It said small things like raking leaves, climbing stairs, or dancing to music can help combat the health problems caused by inactivity. Studies show by eating healthy and regular physical activity can prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes. Most doctors recommend a 30-minute cardiovascular workout three times a week. Many Type 2 patients exercise so they don't have to take insulin, or diabetic pills. It gives them more control over their blood sugar. Despain takes diabetic pills, and says she tries to be good about what she eats. She does allow herself the indulgence of CranApple juice once a year at Christmas. She has given up regular ice cream, and eats the sugar free stuff. "I like it, at least I get to have some kind of ice cream," Despain chuckled. "My family never changed their eating habits, so I just make what they like, and make my food a little different." Her daughter Shani agrees with her. "We haven't changed, we still have dessert, maybe it would have been better if we had."
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