November is NATIONAL DIABETES MONTH,
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) estimates that nearly 26 million children and adults in the United States have some form of diabetes; International Diabetes Federation (IDF) data reveals that over 285 million people worldwide has the disease and is expected to explode to 435 million by the year 2030. Another 79 million (depending on which report you read; one report stated 57 million) have a condition called pre-diabetes that puts them at significant risk for developing Type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes is a condition in which the body either does not produce enough or does not properly respond to insulin (a hormone produced in the pancreas). Insulin facilitates cells to absorb glucose (a sugar source) in order to turn it into energy. With diabetes, the body either fails to properly respond to its own insulin, does not make enough insulin, or both. This causes glucose to accumulate in the blood, which could cause various complications.
There is another form of diabetes - Gestational Diabetes. Approximately 4% of all pregnant women develop this form with high blood sugar (glucose) levels during their pregnancy. Most women level off after the birth of the baby.
A good diet is an excellent precaution against developing diabetes; very low sugar intake, balanced carbohydrates, high protein, along with high vegetable consumption and drinking lots of water. In addition to a good diet, one should increase their level of activity. A blood-sugar check should be done regularly as part of a person’s yearly checkup.
For further information on diabetes, check out the American Diabetes Association and the International Diabetes Federation.
November is also NATIONAL COPD (CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE) AWARENESS MONTH
COPD is a lung disease that limits the airflow. Two forms of COPD: Emphysema – is damage of the air sacs and/or the smallest breathing tubes in the lungs; Chronic Bronchitis – is an increased productive cough caused by inflammation of the airways. Bronchitis is considered chronic if a person has a productive cough for most days during a three month period for two years in a row. Millions of adults in the United States have COPD. Most COPD is caused by smoking cigarettes. In fact, at least 75% of all COPD cases are caused by smoking. Among nonsmokers, other risk factors for developing COPD may include long-term exposure to secondhand smoke, long-term asthma, occupational exposure to dust and chemicals, indoor and outdoor air pollution, as well as a family history of COPD.
Common day-to-day symptoms of COPD include: occasional to frequent cough, difficult or labored breathing and shortness of breath, wheezing, and chest tightness. These symptoms do not have to be continuous; they can occur during or after doing easy, everyday activities. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you need to bring it to your healthcare provider’s attention. There are simple pulmonary tests that can be performed to determine whether it is COPD or not.
Both of the diseases can be ‘lived with,’ it is just a matter of some adjustments and changes to a life style. If diagnosed with either one, it is not a time for panic or fear; it is merely a time for accepting and doing what needs to be done to keep the disease under control.
For further information on COPD, check out the American Lung Association.
(Information in the above was provided in part by News-Medical.net, COPD.com and Advair.com)
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