Diabetes event coming Nov. 20
The Western News
With diabetes identified as the fastest-growing health-care crisis of this century, St. John’s Lutheran Hospital is offering various services as part of November’s National Diabetes Month.
Health educators are offering a free Diabetes Mini Health Fair on Nov. 20 from 2-5 p.m., at the hospital’s conference center. The event will include booths for foot checks, body mass index and blood pressure checks, drawings for health screenings and free meters. For those with concerns about the disease but not diagnosed with diabetes, free glucose checks will be offered along with the chance to meet with certified diabetes educators.
“We are seeing an increased number of cases of diabetes each year,” said Becky Brundin, manager of the Diabetes Program at St. John’s. “What is most alarming is that we know that people are suffering with this disease, and we can’t seem to get to them to help them manage it. We offer so much in the way of support and education.”
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin – the hormone needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. Health officials said the cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise play a part.
Type 1 diabetes results from the body’s failure to produce insulin, the hormone that “unlocks” the cells of the body, allowing glucose to enter and fuel them. It is estimated that 5 to 10 percent of Americans who are diagnosed have Type 1 diabetes. Symptoms include frequent urination, excessive thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, increased fatigue, irritability and blurry vision.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. In Type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. Most people who are diagnosed with Type 2 may not have any symptoms at all. Diabetes often goes undiagnosed because many of its symptoms seem so harmless.
According to Brundin, diabetes, if not managed properly, can lead to serious complications such as heart disease, blindness, kidney damage and lower-limb amputations.
“Diabetes is a serious disease and needs to be managed every day,” she said. “The early detection and subsequent treatment of the disease can decrease a person’s chance of developing life-threatening complications.
“What we have found to be the most effective is a combination of clinical treatments and lifestyle changes,” Brundin added. “This disease is manageable, and people can lead long healthy lives … it just takes some change and dedication to a management program.”