Diabetes by Crista McMath

Having diabetes doesn’t just affect you it affects the whole family. Looking back on my life I have lost two great grandmothers and almost lost my mother due to diabetes. One of my grandmothers had a severe heart attack due to blockage and had to go through five different bypass surgeries, after her surgeries, she went into a diabetic coma and later died; my other grandmother lost her eyesight. My mom was just rushed to the hospital recently because her sugar level had gone all the way down to fifty-two which is bad. Your sugar level range for good standing; is determined by your weight. Statistics show that every minute six people die from diabetes mainly because of a lack of healthy living. Diabetes usually is passed from generation to generation from similar lifestyles. Children look to mothers in the kitchen when it’s almost time to eat. So when it comes to different spices and measuring they tend to do the same as they get older and start cooking for their own families.

What is diabetes? Diabetes is a disorder of the metabolism causing excessive thirst and the production of large amounts of urine. It has two different types. Type one diabetes is when high glucose levels are due to a lack of insulin because the insulin-producing cells have been destroyed. Then there’s type 2 when the body’s cells become resistant to insulin that is being produced. Both type one and type two are caused by too much glucose in the blood and not enough in the cells of your body.

There are different symptoms that we as people should examine if we may have diabetes. Increase in appetite or thirst, frequent urination, unusual weight gain or loss, for women frequent vaginal infections, in men and women yeast infections, dry mouth, and many more. It can affect the body by damaging different areas such as the eyes, kidneys, nerves, or blood vessels. People with diabetes are at a greater risk for damage to their bodies than the general population. For most diabetics, eyesight is the first thing to go. When diabetes is brought into a person’s life, many other diseases come along with it one being high blood pressure.

Many wonder how to prevent becoming a diabetic. One way would be to watch your diet. Instead of eating sweets all the time eat something healthier like an orange or banana. Cut back on salty foods Ms. Dash is a good substitute. Increase your level of physical activity. Maybe walk around the track for about thirty minutes every two to three days. Not to exceed three times a week. And most importantly maintain a healthy weight. An increase in weight gives a greater chance of developing diabetes. If we as people help one another in eating healthier for example cooking a good nutritious meal at home versus going to a fast food restaurant we can save money and lives. If it’s hard to work out or eat better alone get a friend or family member and encourage one another to keep moving forward.
References:
www.dictionary.com(diabetes)
www.angelaharris.hubpages.com (Angela Harris, 2010)