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Diabetes:
The sweet
smell of excess
By Mike Gullickson PHOTO BY SHEREE MCRAE
It is estimated by the year 2030 there will A sensible diet and regular exercise can be helpful in managing diabetes.
be 366 million cases of diabetes worldwide,
with over 90 percent of those cases being woman. Do not be fooled by pant size - most – Loss of hair on the legs and feet.
Type 2 diabetes. men, myself included, wear their pants be-
Type 2 diabetes (or diabetes mellitus low the belly. This is why measuring across You should seek medical help if you have
type 2) is a metabolic disorder in which the belly button is the most accurate. any of these symptoms, as they are key
the body’s ability to process sugar is com- indicators of Type 2 diabetes.
promised. When your body is unable to A good rule of thumb is to keep your waist-
utilize the sugar available in your body, line measurement number at roughly half If you are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes,
your cells wind up starved for energy even your height in inches. So a person such it is important to know that it is treatable
though there are high levels of glucose in as myself, standing 5 feet 8 inches (or 68 and beatable.
your blood. This can cause excessive hun- inches) tall, should have a waist measuring
ger and/or thirst, physical and mental ex- 34 inches. I did… 50 years ago. In order to I interviewed a diabetic resident of Sun
haustion and reduce your ability to recover conform to my current waistline, however, City Texas, and here are his thoughts:
from injury. Over time, diabetes can impact I need to be 7 feet 8 inches – what a ways “Diabetes is a condition that progresses
your vision, impair your immune system to grow! to a disease, and it is very gradual in its
and severely damage your kidneys, heart progress. Seek advice from a professional.
and brain. Other factors which indicate a high risk for Don’t get discouraged; people live just fine
Type 2 diabetes is a progressive, prevent- developing Type 2 diabetes are high blood with diabetes. Lifestyle changes, watching
able disease which occurs as a result of diet pressure (130/85 or higher), a fasting blood your diet and including a minimum of 30
and exercise choices (bad choices). While sugar over 100, high levels of triglycerides minutes daily of aerobic exercise will help
you can catch a cold or the flu, you develop and low levels of “good” HDL cholesterol. immediately.”
diabetes.
One of the greatest factors in developing These are symptoms you should not ignore: Some great news! A study of 17,000 Dutch
Type 2 diabetes is weight – namely, hav- men and women found that three to four
ing too much of it. A simple measurement – Urinary frequency and nighttime uri- cups of black coffee can reduce the risk of
of your waistline (at the belly button) can nation. developing Type 2 diabetes by 23%. Seven
predict your risk of diabetes. The larger the or more cups daily cut the risk in half. As
waistline, the greater the risk. “Large” is – Increased hunger and thirst. far as preventative methods go, it might be
defined as a waistline measuring over 40 wiser (and easier) to simply exercise, get
inches for a man and over 35 inches for a – Feeling of edginess, fatigue, nausea. regular sleep, eat healthy and watch your
waistline. Me? I’m going to keep waiting
Fitness Center suggestions – Blurred vision. on that growth spurt.
for diabetes
Cycling • CC – Tingling, numbness or loss of feeling Always consult with your doctor about
Various times in your feet. health concerns or before beginning an
Lite PBS • TD exercise regimen.
Tuesdays, 9:15 a.m. – Dry, itchy skin.
Slim Down • CC NOVEMBER 2016 SUNRAYS | 31
Monday, Wednesday 4:15 p.m. – Sores that don’t heal.
Friday 9:15 a.m.
– Repeated or hard to heal infections of
ONLINE: SCTEXAS.ORG the skin.
