World Diabetes Day was last Thursday 14^th.

We published articles then and even today.

Why?

Because I believe that everyone of you know someone with diabetes, even if you aren’t aware of it.

29.1 million people in the United States have diabetes, but 8.1 million may be undiagnosed and unaware of their condition. About 1.4 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed in United States every year. More than one in every 10 adults who are 20 years or older has diabetes. – Feb 27, 2017.

In 2017 8.8% of the world’s population are known to have diabetes and it is projected that this figure will rise to 9.9% 2045.

For 2019 approximately 463 million adults (20-79 years) were living with diabetes.

China and India have the highest total numbers of people with diabetes (110 million and 69 million respectively), but not the highest prevalences, with China 78th in the world on around 10% prevalence and India 76th with around 9%. The 10 nations with the lowest estimated rates of diabetes globally are all in Africa.

What about here in the Caribbean?

In the article we have published today “OECS Commission Celebrates Diabetes Day” is states “The burden of chronic diseases, particularly diabetes, is increasing among the OECS Member States, with an estimated 1 in every 4 persons over the age of 40 being affected”.

Now that figure is staggering. Worse, it states ‘it is predicted that this figure will continue to increase in the region”.

Our second article focuses on the USA and how expensive the medication is.

It is true that prevention is better than cure.

Healthline website provides us with 13 ways to prevent diabetes (Type2)

Cut Sugar and Refined Carbs From Your Diet

Work Out Regularly

Drink Water as Your Primary Beverage

Lose Weight If You’re Overweight or Obese

Quit Smoking

Follow a Very-Low-Carb Diet

Watch Portion Sizes

Avoid Sedentary Behaviors [If you get no or very little physical activity, and you sit during most of your day, then you lead a sedentary lifestyle.]

Eat a High-Fiber Diet

Optimize Vitamin D Levels

Minimize Your Intake of Processed Foods

Drink Coffee or Tea

Consider Taking These Natural Herbs [Curcumin, Berberine]

SOURCE: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/prevent-diabetes#section13

The above was for Type 2 diabetes. There is also Type 1.

The differences:

Overview

There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Both types of diabetes are chronic diseases that affect the way your body regulates blood sugar, or glucose. Glucose is the fuel that feeds your body’s cells, but to enter your cells it needs a key. Insulin is that key.

People with type 1 diabetes don’t produce insulin. You can think of it as not having a key.

People with type 2 diabetes don’t respond to insulin as well as they should and later in the disease often don’t make enough insulin. You can think of this as having a broken key.

Both types of diabetes can lead to chronically high blood sugar levels. That increases the risk of diabetes complications.

What are the symptoms of diabetes?

Both types of diabetes, if not controlled, share many similar symptoms, including:

frequent urination

feeling very thirsty and drinking a lot

feeling very hungry

feeling very fatigued

blurry vision

cuts or sores that don’t heal properly

People with type 1 diabetes may also experience irritability and mood changes, and unintentionally lose weight. People with type 2 diabetes may also have numbness and tingling in their hands or feet.

Although many of the symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes are similar, they present in very different ways. Many people with type 2 diabetes won’t have symptoms for many years. Then often the symptoms of type 2 diabetes develop slowly over the course of time. Some people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms at all and don’t discover their condition until complications develop.

The symptoms of type 1 diabetes develop fast, typically over the course of several weeks. Type 1 diabetes, which was once known as juvenile diabetes, usually develops in childhood or adolescence. But it’s possible to get type 1 diabetes later in life.

SOURCE:

https://www.healthline.com/health/difference-between-type-1-and-type-2-diabetes#symptoms

I believe all the above explains why we have published so many articles on diabetes.

As a final kicker: (It can kill you)

Diabetes can lead to serious complications which can affect many different parts of your body. In the worst cases, diabetes can kill you. Each week diabetes causes thousands of complications like stroke, amputation, kidney failure, heart attack and heart failure.