Click Here! If you have heard the news in the last few days, then you know diabetes is on the rise in America. Sales are down. Loans are down. New car sales are down, but diabetes is on the rise! Everyday there is something in the news about how the number of Americans with diabetes is increasing. Wake up America! We have an epidemic in America! The main reason diabetes is of epidemic proportion in our country is the way we eat. We eat fast food everyday all day long. Click Here!
Another reason this disease is so prevalent in America is we do not exercise! We ride everywhere! The only energy we expend to get from one place to another it to walk to the car. How many people do you see walking to the neighborhood store, which is just up the street? We have a shortage of gas in our country and what we do have is very expensive, but we still drive our cars three doors down to get some milk! We drive everywhere! No wonder the number of Americans is increasing daily in America!
When my mom was diagnosed with diabetes, I had a wake up call! I began to wonder what is diabetes? What causes it? Where did it come from? Who is at risk of developing it? What can I do to stop it? Click Here!
I began studying the disease that day. I started with my first question. What is diabetes?
I looked the definition up in Webster's dictionary. The definition is elegantly stated as…
"any of several disorders characterized by increased urine production. It is also called diabetes mellitus, a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism, usually occurring in genetically predisposed individuals, characterized by inadequate production or utilization of insulin and resulting in excessive amounts of glucose in the blood and urine, excessive thirst, weight loss, and in some cases progressive destruction of small blood vessels leading to such complications as infections and gangrene of the limbs or blindness."
Let's look closely at this definition of diabetes. Click Here!
"Increased urine production" is usually the first symptom that alerts a person that something is wrong. We have all heard that excessive thirst and urination indicate high blood sugar levels and the beginning of diabetes. If this happens it is time to see your doctor and be tested for this disease.
The second sentence of the definition states "It is also called diabetes mellitus, a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism, usually occurring in genetically predisposed individuals." Click Here!
"Genetically predisposed" means there is a history of the disease in the family. Families have a great influence on diet and exercise. In my family, for instance, my grandfather was a diabetic. We ate an ample supply of carbohydrates at every meal. Therefore, the descendants of our family were predisposed by heredity to incorrectly metabolize carbohydrates. We were genetically predisposed and at a high risk of developing diabetes. If we had known this, we could change our destiny through diet and exercise.
The final part of the definition states "the disorder of carbohydrate metabolism is characterized by inadequate production or utilization of insulin, resulting in excessive amounts of glucose in the blood and urine, excessive thirst, weight loss, and in some cases progressive destruction of small blood vessels leading to such complications as infections and gangrene of the limbs or blindness."
This final part of the definition states it plainly. Carbohydrate metabolism means the body does not produce enough or does not use insulin correctly. When this happens, excessive amounts of glucose is found in the blood and urine. Therefore, you will have high blood sugar levels! Usually, you will have excessive thirst, weight loss, and progressive destruction of blood vessels. This leads to all kinds of complications including loss of limbs, kidney failure, heart failure and blindness. Click Here!
If your family has a history of the disease, do not ignore the signs. Check your blood sugar levels. Have your doctor run tests to determine if you are on the diabetic highway! Most of all change your lifestyle as it relates to diet and exercise. Limit your carbohydrates and eat more vegetables and fruits!
You can change the course of the disease in your family! Do not standby and do nothing! Take control of your life and stop the diabetic cycle!
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