Diabetes - No One is Immune

Diabetes – No One is Immune Chuck Lehman, Any Lab Test Now We are a nation of conveniences where we expect everything to happen right now.

We pass hundreds of people each day and occasionally say “how you doing” without really waiting for the response. With all the hustle, we are still a nation of compassion - so when the need arises we can quickly slow down and deal with reality. At the end of a busy day our good health still means the most to us.

It gets top billing because in the US alone it’s estimated that nearly 18 million people have been diagnosed with the disease and another 6 million have it but are undiagnosed. Add to those numbers 57 million that are pre-diabetic and it is safe to say that every American knows someone with diabetes.

Just last month, on a scheduled appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman to promote his latest movie, Hanks dropped a bombshell. He had recently been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. The disease, which had been in a pre-diabetic phase for years, had finally come to full scale. Hanks stated that he had been experiencing higher than normal blood sugar numbers since he was 36 and a recent checkup showed that the numbers had progressed.

In fact, Hanks is the most recent in a slew of celebrities coming forth and going public with Type 2 Diabetes diagnosis. Other stars include The View’s Sherri Sheppard and celebrity chef and lover of butter, Paula Deen. So, knowing that diabetes is becoming a near epidemic disease – and with the recent attention of high profile people - it’s a great time to build awareness to the benefit of all.

In good health, as we eat, our body uses digested food that has been broken down into glucose for growth and energy. This glucose is a form of sugar in the blood that becomes the main source of fuel. In order for glucose to get into the cells, insulin must be present.

The pancreas (automatically) produces this hormone in proper amounts so the glucose can move from the blood into the cells, thus providing the necessary fuel.

In people with diabetes, the pancreas either produces little or no insulin, or the cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced. Glucose builds up in the blood and overflows into the urine and is passed out of the body. Therefore, the blood contains large amounts of sugar, but it’s all lost.

There are many forms of diabetes and they are often referred to as one of three types. Type 1 is an autoimmune disease where the body’s defense system starts fighting against itself. In diabetes, the immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, reducing production to nearly nothing.

Treatment for anyone with Type 1 diabetes would include taking insulin every day to live.

Currently, it’s not known what causes the immune system to attack the cells, but factors may include genetic, environmental, autoimmune and viral. Type 1 often develops in children and young adults but can appear at any age and usually in a short period of time. When not properly diagnosed and treated, life-threatening risks can occur and some people have lapsed into a diabetic coma.

With Type 2 diabetes, the pancreas may be producing enough insulin, but the body is not using it efficiently. Again, glucose builds up in the blood and the body lacks the necessary fuel. The symptoms develop gradually and may include frequent urinations, unusual thirst, fatigue or nausea, weight loss and blurred vision.

Approximately 90% of those diagnosed have Type 2 diabetes. Treatment can include medications, a healthy and specific diet, and an active lifestyle.

The third type is gestational diabetes. This type develops during pregnancy and is similar to Type 2. If untreated, gestational diabetes can cause serious complications for the baby. But with proper prenatal care, gestational diabetes can be detected and treated. Women who have gestational diabetes and recover do have a higher risk of developing Type 2 within 10 years.

While the medical community understands more about the disease, the risk of diabetes continues to increase. Unfortunately, it is mostly due to our American lifestyle. There is no known cure, but diagnosis and treatment continue to improve.

With an aging population, with less nutritional diets, with reduced physical activity and increased obesity, diabetes will continue to be a killer disease.

As with Tom Hanks, even slight changes and scheduling regular check-ups is most important to maintaining good health.

Chuck Lehman is President and Co-Owner of Any Lab Test Now! Any Lab Test Now! offers a variety of affordable and confidential lab tests to Indiana consumers and businesses including general health and wellness panels, pregnancy, HIV/STD, drug, paternity and many more tests. For more information contact Mr. Lehman at (317) 574-9500.