Charantia (Ampalaya)

Diabetes Crisis in the Philippines

The Philippines ranks 10th among countries with the highest diabetes incidence worldwide*. An estimated 6 Million Filipinos know they have diabetes. Another 6 Million Filipinos have diabetes but do not know they have it. Health experts believe many more have impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and are prone to diabetes.

Unless we act now to change our lifestyle of too much sweet and fatty foods and too little exercise, our path will lead us to the gaping mouth of a diabetes epidemic.

* Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2004 press statement

What causes diabetes?

From the food we eat everyday we get carbohydrates, fats & proteins. Through the process of digestion, these nutrients are then broken down into simpler components so that our body cells would be able to use them. Carbohydrates, being the main source of energy, are converted by the body into simple sugars. From the small intestine, these simple sugars are then absorbed into the bloodstream in the form of blood sugar or glucose.

Without insulin, the body cells would not be able to utilize the glucose for energy. If there is a problem with the insulin production, then this a case of diabetes.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus is the lack or insufficient amount of insulin in the body. It can also be a case of insulin resistance, where the body cannot properly use insulin. Insulin is needed by the cells to convert the sugar intake into energy. In a normal person, it is produced in the pancreas. Without insulin, sugar cannot enter the cells; instead these accumulate in the bloodstream, which, over a long period, can cause you to have a high blood sugar level.

Under normal condition, your cells convert blood sugar into energy so you can perform everyday tasks. To achieve this, the pancreas produces a protein hormone called insulin that acts as a key so the blood sugar molecules can enter the cell and be converted into energy.

Nature of Diabetes

1. Diabetes cuts across socio-economic levels.
2. It is now acquired by people at a younger age than before.
3. Persons with family history of diabetes are prone to acquire diabetes themselves.
4. More are expected to acquire diabetes because of the popularity of “fast-food” diet and unhealthy lifestyle.

Types of Diabetes

Type-1 Diabetes—this is commonly inherited from either parents or close relatives hence even children can be afflicted. The pancreas stop producing insulin, hence a type-1 diabetic needs constant injections of insulin.

In type-1 diabetes, the pancreas cannot produce insulin; thus, the blood sugar molecules cannot enter the cell. This starves the cell (and the person) resulting to debilitating and even fatal complications.

Type-2 Diabetes—either the pancreas produce insufficient insulin, or the insulin is rejected by the cells. Type-2 diabetics comprise almost 90% of all diabetes cases.

In type-2 diabetes, the pancreas produces insulin, but either the amount is not enough or some of the insulin produced cannot unlock the cell resulting in the accumulation of blood sugar molecules in the blood stream.

Gestational Diabetes—a temporary condition where the woman develops high blood sugar level during late pregnancy. The nature of gestational diabetes is similar to type-2; although, usually, the woman regains blood sugar control after giving birth.

Risk Factors of Diabetes (Uncontrollable)

• Race
• Heredity
• Age

Risk Factors of Diabetes (Controllable)

• Smoking
• Obesity
• Stress
• Hypertension/sedentary lifestyle
• High cholesterol

Complications of Diabetes

Diabetes complications wreak havoc to one’s health. Prolonged and uncontrolled high blood sugar level can cause the following complications:

1. Eye Disease (retinopathy) – a progressive condition that leads to blindness when left untreated.
2. Heart Disease and stroke – high blood sugar and cholesterol levels and poor circulation put the diabetic at a high risk of heart disease and stroke.
3. Nerve Damage (neuropathy) – one of the most common complications of diabetes, neuropathy is a condition that damages the peripheral nerves that run throughout the body.
4. Foot Complications – diabetics are especially vulnerable to foot wounds, cuts and injuries that can lead to gangrene.
5. Kidney Complications – high blood sugar levels can harm the tiny blood vessels in the kidneys, resulting to kidney nephropathy.

Diabetes Dictionary

A

Acute – describes something that happens suddenly and for a short time. Opposite of chronic.
Angiopathy (an-gee-AH-puh-thee) -any disease of the blood vessels (veins, arteries, capillaries) or lymphatic vessels.
Antibodies – proteins made by the body to protect itself from “foreign” substances such as bacteria or viruses. People get Type 1 diabetes when their bodies make antibodies that destroy the body’s own insulin-making beta cells.
A1c – a test that measures a person’s average blood glucose level over the past 2-3 months. Also called hemoglobin A1c or glycosylated hemoglobin, the test shows the amounts of glucose that sticks to the red blood cell, which is proportional to the amount of glucose in Ihe blood.
Arteriosclerosis – hardening of the arteries.
Artery – a large blood vessel that carries blood with oxygen from the heart to all parts of the body.
Aspartame – a dietary sweetener with almost no calories and no nutritional value.
Atherosclerosis – clogging, narrowing, and hardening of the body’s large arteries and medium-sized blood vessels.
Autonomic neuropathy – a type of neuropathy affecting the lungs, heart, stomach, intestines, bladder, or genitals, and causing their dysfunction.

B

Basal rate – a steady trickle of low levels of longer-acting insulin, such as that used in insulin pumps.
Beta cell – a cell that makes insulin; located in the islets of the pancreas, an organ below and at the back of the stomach.
Of energy. Also caltea blood sugar
Blood glucose level – the amount of glucose in a given amount of blood. It is noted in milligrams in a deciliter (mg/dl), or millimole per liter (mmol/l).
Blood glucose meter – a small, portable machine used by people with diabetes to check their blood glucose levels.
Blood glucose monitoring – checking blood glucose level on a regular basis to manage diabetes.
Blood Pressure – the force of blood exerted on the inside walls of blood vessels; expressed as a ratio (example. 120/80, read as “120 over 80″)
Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) - a waste product in the blood from the breakdown of protein. The kidneys filter blood to remove urea. As kidney function decreases, the BUN levels increase.
Body Mass Index (BMI) – a measure used to evaluate body weight relative to a person’s height. BMI is used to fird out if a person is underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese.
Bolus – an extra amount of insulin taken to cover an expected rise in blood glucose. often related to a meal or snack.