Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class James Stenberg | Diabetes is sometimes referred to as the sweet disease because of its relation to...... read more read more
PENSACOLA, Fla. - November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and Naval Hospital has certified diabetes educators and experts to assist in helping beneficiaries understand diabetes.
“Diabetes is a condition in which the body either isn’t producing insulin or isn’t using the insulin it does produce efficiently,” said Capt. Maureen Padden, commanding officer, NHP.
Insulin removes the sugar (glucose) out of the blood stream and into the cells where it can be used for energy. It reacts with the blood cells and allows them to absorb the sugar. This reduces the glucose levels in the blood stream and keeps it within a healthy range.
There are two main types of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 is an auto immune disease where the body has attacked the cells in the pancreas and they no longer produce insulin. Type 1 diabetes is also known as juvenile diabetes or childhood diabetes. Although a large number of Type 1 diabetes patients develop it during childhood, it can develop in adults.
“Type 1 diabetes is not preventable,” said Lt. Kristel Ramsay, department head, Internal Medicine. “Most people who develop Type 1 are of normal weight and are otherwise healthy. Simply put, the person has lost their ability to produce insulin.”
Type 2 diabetes is an insulin resistant disease that can occur as people age. There are several contributing factors that can lead to Type 2 diabetes including weight gain, a sedentary lifestyle and a family history of diabetes. With Type 2 diabetes, the body is not responding to the insulin that the pancreas produces. This prevents the blood sugars from being within a healthy range.
A common misconception is that someone with diabetes cannot eat sweets. In reality, people with diabetes can eat sweets, but have to monitor their blood sugar levels and limit the frequency and quantities of certain foods.
“People can live a long and healthy life with diabetes if it is properly controlled and monitored,” said Ramsay. “Having uncontrolled diabetes is the problem.”
Uncontrolled diabetes is having diabetes with the blood sugar levels elevated. If the sugar levels stay elevated for a long period of time, it starts to do damage to the body. Over time, high blood glucose levels may hurt the eyes, kidneys, nerves or heart. Uncontrolled diabetes is the number one cause of non-traumatic lower extremity amputation and kidney failure leading to dialysis.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, from 1980 through 2011, the number of Americans with diagnosed diabetes has more than tripled from 5.6 million to 20.9 million.
“Diabetes is becoming an epidemic not only in America, but really all around the world,” said Padden. “By controlling weight gain, eating healthy and keeping an active lifestyle, we can reduce the number of new diabetes cases and control existing ones.”
NHP offers Diabetes Education Classes on the third Monday and Tuesday of each month from 8 am to noon. The classes are open to all TRICARE beneficiaries, plus a family member or support person. For more information, please contact Central Appointments at (850) 505-7171 or one of our diabetes experts at (850) 505-6367/7099.
| Date Taken: | 11.13.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 11.13.2014 15:06 |
| Story ID: | 147758 |
| Location: | PENSACOLA, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 63 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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