Diabetes. What is this?
Chances are
you have heard of this disease. Maybe
you have an uncle that has diabetes because he let his diet and lifestyle get
out of hand. You may have seen a coworker poking his/her finger just to draw
blood and test it on a handheld machine before they eat lunch. Or maybe you heard the Liberty Medical
commercial and chuckled every time Wilford Brimley mentioned "Diabeetus."
My experience with diabetes came when I
was about 16 years old and my father was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (unusual
but true). So what is diabetes? And how is their life any different from yours?
Simply put, diabetes is a medical
condition where the pancreas (as pictured) does not make insulin or the body
does not use insulin correctly. To break
the definition down a little further, insulin is a hormone that the body uses
to convert the foods you eat into energy.
As you eat, the carbohydrate foods (listed below) are broken down into a
single sugar molecule called glucose.
Glucose is absorbed into the bloodstream where it flows freely until
insulin “unlocks” an opening in the cell wall, so it can be used as energy your
body needs to function correctly. When
insulin is not made by the pancreas or cannot be used correctly, the glucose
stays in the bloodstream which not only neglects your cells from energy but can
cause damage to your blood vessels, eyes, nerves, or kidneys. In some instances, it can lead to death. When there is a large amount of glucose
roaming in the blood stream it is known as hyperglycemia.
Foods that contain carbohydrates:
·
Grains
·
Cereals
·
Pasta
·
Fruits
·
Vegetables
·
Milk/yogurt
·
Beans
·
Sweets/sugar
When you
have diabetes, the body does not discriminate against carbohydrates. A carb is a carb no matter if it is a piece of
candy or piece of fruit. When someone has diabetes they have to watch how many
carbohydrate foods they eat and not just avoid sweets, as many of us assume. When my father was first diagnosed with type
1 diabetes we, his family, thought “oh he can eat candy as long as it is
sugar-free” or “he can eat whatever as long as it is not cake or ice-cream.”
But neither of these statements are 100% correct. The American Diabetes Association explains
this into further detail:
*Myth: People with diabetes
can't eat sweets or chocolate.
*Fact:
There are no “off limits” foods for people with diabetes just like for someone
without diabetes. If eaten with a
healthy meal plan and blood sugar is not too high, sweets or chocolate may be
included. The key to sweets or chocolate
is portion control. These foods contain higher amounts of carbohydrates so if
consumed on special occasions or in a small amounts, these foods are acceptable.
*Myth: People with diabetes should
eat special diabetic foods.
*Fact:
A suggested meal plan for someone with diabetes is in the same ballpark as a
healthy diet suggested to any other individual – lean protein, whole grains,
fruits and vegetables (non-starchy), healthy fats while limiting saturated and
trans fat, and limit salt and sugar.
Diabetic foods or sugar-free foods usually have no benefit while they
may increase blood glucose, cost more, and contain sugar alcohols which may
cause a laxative effect.
There are many different ways to
determine what kind of carbohydrate foods to eat or how many the individual
should eat. This includes carbohydrate
counting, glycemic index, exchange list, or just an overall healthy diet based
on MyPlate.
Type I vs. Type II
The two main types of diabetes are
type 1 diabetes and type 2. The biggest difference
in the two conditions has to do with the insulin in the body.
Listed below are the differences
between type I and type II diabetes:
Type
I
|
Type
II
|
Previously known as “juvenile diabetes”
|
|
Only about 5 % of diabetic cases
|
Most common
|
The pancreas does not make insulin
|
The pancreas makes insulin but it is
not used correctly in the body – “insulin resistant”
|
Insulin shots are required
|
Most cases do not have to take insulin
shots --
|
Cannot be reversed
|
Can be reversed if caught early and
diet/lifestyle is corrected
|
Usually diagnosed before the age of 40
|
Usually diagnosed after the age of 45
|
Symptoms develop rapidly (days/weeks)
|
Symptoms develop slowly (years)
|
Risk Factors: disease of Pancreas,
infection or illness
|
Risk Factors: Obesity, insulin
resistance, ethnicity, high blood pressure, sedentary lifestyle, age
|
Diabetes Complications
·
Diabetic
Ketoacidosis (ketosis): a severe condition where hyperglycemia (high blood
glucose/sugar) causes an accumulation of ketones in the blood and urine. – may lead
to death
·
Cardiovascular
disease
·
Retinopathy
(eye damage)
·
Neuropathy
(nerve damage) – may lead to amputation
·
Nephropathy
(kidney damage)
o
In
2011, 49,677 people of all ages began treatment for kidney failure due to diabetes.
o
In 2011, a total of 228,924 people of all ages
with kidney failure due to diabetes were
living on chronic dialysis or with a kidney transplant.
·
Coma
Both types of diabetes may lead to
these complications, but the most severe form of diabetes is when the pancreas
completely stops making insulin – type I and later stages of type II diabetes. Maintaining a consistent blood glucose level is
left up to the individual. Education on
diet, insulin, exercise, hyper and hypoglycemia symptoms, handling emergencies,
coping, and even pregnancy are crucial at this point.
With everything mentioned above with
diet and complications, one would think managing their diabetes should be a
priority. Well, what if you had a child
with type I diabetes and their life depended on insulin shots? Would you do
everything in your power to keep them healthy?
A recent study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition &
Dietetics brought this
idea to reality.
Within this questionnaire, parents
not only mentioned how specific foods can affect their child’s blood glucose
levels but expressed the “importance of not restricting their child’s diet”
(276). These parents found a barrier when it came to other siblings without
type I diabetes, school events, parties, or play dates, or when the child
refused to eat what was offered at mealtime.
The parents talked about others being allow to eat specific foods (high
carbohydrate) and not wanting their child to feel “left out.” Another parent mentioned they would rather
have their child eat a food higher in carbohydrates then not eat at all or
fight with them to get them to eat the meal provided.
After learning about how important
carbohydrates can be to an individual with diabetes or how untreated diabetes
can be a risk factor to many other conditions, how strict do you think you
would be if you were a parent of a child with diabetes?
Main Article
Patton,
S.R., Clements, M.A., George, K., Goggin, K. (2016). ”I don’t want them to feel
different”: A mixed methods study of parents’ beliefs and dietary management
strategies for their young children with type I diabetes mellitus. Journal of the Academy of the Academy of
Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(2). 272-281. Doi:10.2016/j.jand.2015.06.377.
Guide to Raising a Child with
Diabetes
http://www.shopdiabetes.org/548-ADA-Guide-to-Raising-a-Child-with-Diabetes-3rd-Edition.aspx?loc=type1&source=dorg
Sports and Rec
Everyday life Links
http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/parents-and-kids/everyday-life/
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