Each year World Diabetes Day is celebrated on 14 November, so lets take a look at this disease .
Globally there is an explosion in the number of recorded cases of diabetes, and South Africa is among the worst hit countries in the world. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) there are an estimated 840 000 diabetic sufferers in South Africa.
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an auto-immune response in the body which causes the pancreas to stop producing insulin. Type 2 diabetes, although linked to hereditary factors as well, is closely linked to lifestyle and is therefore preventable or, at the very least, we are able to delay the onset of the disease.
Could you have diabetes?
Am I at risk of type 2 diabetes?
“If you have any combination of the following risk factors you should chat to a diabetes specialist who can advise you on whether you should be tested and the various lifestyle changes you can make to prevent or delay the onset of the disease,” advises Sister Karen Pike of Constantiaberg Medi-Clinic’s Diabetic Clinic:
* If you are over the age of 35;
* If you are overweight and if you carry most of your weight around your waist;
* If there is a history of diabetes in your family;
* If you have high cholesterol;
* If you have high blood pressure;
* If you have heart disease;
* If you suffered from gestational diabetes during pregnancy;
* If you fall within a high risk group, i.e.: if you are of Indian or African descent.
What can I do to prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes?
“Exercising regularly; following a balanced, healthy diet; managing or reducing your stress levels; maintaining a healthy weight; not smoking and limiting your alcohol intake are all accessible measures you can take to prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes,” says Sister Pike.
For more information on this topic: http://www.health24.com/medical/Condition_centres/777-792-808.asp
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