Conic
for the Lifestyle.
The Dangers
Of Diabetes
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B30
September 25 2008.
ver recent years,
general population.
many strides have
The eye complications
been made to
associated with diabetes
prevent our most prevalent
consist of cataracts, glau-
health problem — car-
coma and retinopathy. If
diovascular disease. This
some of these problems
has been accomplished by
are not diagnosed early
aggressively addressing
enough, permanent visual
the factors that promote
impairment occurs. Excess
this disorder, such as
glucose can also deposit
smoking, high cholesterol
Dr. S cott
in the nerves (neuropa-
and high blood pressure.
Le wis
thy). This can cause pain
Unfortunately, one of the
colu mnist
and lack of sensation in
major risk factors for heart
the involved area. Should
disease that is not declining in inci-
there be accumulation in the kidneys,
dence is diabetes.
they may lose their function, at times
Diabetes results from elevated blood
requiring dialysis.
glucose ("sugar"), which, in turn, affects
Treatment of Type 2 diabetes aims
various organs of the body. The elevated
at lowering blood glucose levels, which
glucose results from either underproduc- helps prevent the above manifestations
tion of insulin (Type 1, formerly known
of the disease. As too much body fat
as juvenile diabetes), or ineffectiveness
promotes its complications, the key
of insulin (Type 2, previously called
to treatment is weight loss, via proper
adult-onset diabetes).
diet and exercise.
Insulin is the body's hormone
Avoiding processed carbohydrates
responsible for allowing blood glucose (sugar, white flour, etc.) and saturated
to enter its cells, thereby supplying
(animal) fat as well as eating lean pro-
energy for the cells' needs.
tein and healthy carbohydrates (veg-
As Type 2 diabetes is often prevent-
etables, whole grains and fruit) will
able (and treatable) by proper diet and help promote the needed weight loss.
exercise, much of this article will focus In addition, exercise (aerobic, weight
on this form of the disease.
training and stretching) will help burn
Patients with Type 2 diabetes quite
up excess body fat, thus utilizing our
often are overweight. This excess body
blood glucose efficiently.
fat causes "insulin resistance," the inabil-
Medications aim at decreasing insu-
ity of even normal amounts of insulin
lin resistance, decreasing liver produc-
in the bloodstream to do its job. As dia-
tion of glucose or enhancing pancre-
betics accumulate more fat, the glucose
atic production of insulin. At times,
control worsens. On the other hand, as
insulin must be injected to overcome
the body fat content of diabetics lessens, the body's lack of enough insulin to
the sugar level improves.
overcome its resistance.
Thus, Type 2 diabetes is, in actuality,
Prevention of diabetes, of course,
a disease of overabundance of fat; the
becomes quite important. Although
excessive blood sugar occurs second-
heredity plays a big part in acquiring
arily to this excess fat.
the disease, it has been shown that
Excessive sugar in the blood can
proper lifestyle habits outlined above
cause "acute" symptoms, such as
can delay the disease to much later
excessive thirst and urination, but it
in life, or even to the degree of not
is the long-term effects of diabetes
acquiring it at all.
that cause the most concern. As the
Thus, if you are vulnerable to dia-
glucose remains elevated for months
betes, now is the time to behave "as if
to years, it deposits abnormally in tis-
you already are a diabetic:' so you can
sues, thus causing the feared damage.
avoid becoming one. This way we can
This chronic hyperglycemia causes
further prevent a major contributor to
premature atherosclerosis (plaque in
heart disease. ❑
the blood vessels). As a result, diabet-
ics are more prone to heart attacks,
Dr. Lewis is a primary care internal
strokes and circulation problems in
medicine physician at Premier Internists/
the legs at much younger ages than the Millennium Medical Group PC in Southfield.