Author Topic: PLEASE READ: NOVEMBER 14, 2007 – WORLD DIABETES DAY (From FBPForum)  (Read 728 times)

Fiel Angeli AraoaraoGabin

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NOVEMBER 14, 2007 – WORLD DIABETES DAY


I am a diabetic
By Ramon J. Farolan
Inquirer
Last updated 01:08am (Mla time) 11/12/2007
 
 
MANILA, Philippines - The United Nations has declared Wednesday, Nov. 14, as World Diabetes Day. It is the first time that the world organization has set aside a day aimed at creating a greater awareness of the threat to world health posed by this non-infectious disease. In the past, such action was taken with regard to infectious ailments like tuberculosis, malaria and AIDS.
 
For many years, I was not even aware that diabetes was a disease. With my sweet tooth, chocolates, ice cream and candy—in any amount—were things I took for granted as part of the good life. The only admonition I heard about taking too much of sweets was its effect on my teeth. And to my mind, brushing them every day was good enough to keep the doctor or dentist away.
 
Ten years ago, just before undergoing a triple coronary bypass operation, my doctors informed me that I had diabetes. Like many things in life, the idea of having to cut down on one of my favorite indulgences did not register immediately. And I continued on my merry ways. Only when nocturnal visits to the bathroom became more frequent did I realize that something was wrong with my system. It was too late. From oral medication, I graduated to shots of insulin.
 
Today I am paying the price for not taking seriously the danger posed by diabetes. The disease itself may not kill you but the complications will—amputations below the knee, blindness, kidney failure requiring dialysis or even a transplant, a possible heart attack in the wee hours of the morning or on the golf course.
 
Today the most important items when I travel abroad are not my clothes or shoes or jackets. The most important articles in my luggage are my blood sugar testing paraphernalia along with a vial of insulin and the accompanying syringe or needle. I am insulin-dependent. This is not to say that I would die without these items but they go a long way in keeping me strong and healthy.
One can avoid getting to the insulin stage. All it requires are a disciplined diet and regular exercise like 30 minutes a day on the treadmill, or on a bicycle or just plain walking. There are also all kinds of sugar-free goodies on the market. But even with these items, it is best to observe moderation.
 
Diabetics suffer from too much sugar in the blood, a state known as hyperglycemia, or from very low sugar levels known as hypoglycemia. In either case, it involves the release of water from the body. Hyperglycemia results in frequent urination while one indication of hypoglycemia is excessive sweating.
 
Some interesting notes on diabetes. The full name of the illness is “diabetes mellitus.” “Diabetes” comes from the Greek word for siphon and implies that a lot of urine is made. “Mellitus” comes from the Latin word “mel,” which means honey, and the two were combined because the urine was sweet. (Scientists discovered that ants were attracted to the urine of animals under observation. )
 
It was a Canadian scientist, Dr. F.G. Banting, who discovered that a hormone produced by our pancreas keeps sugar levels normal. This achievement earned him a Nobel Prize in medicine. When the pancreas does not function well and does not produce enough hormones, the sugar level rises. To correct this, a replacement hormone called “insulin” from the Latin word “insula” (meaning isle or island—the shape of the pancreas) is injected into the patient’s bloodstream.
 
Of late, there have been attempts to come up with an inhalation system for administering insulin. However, they have not been too successful and were recently taken off the market. Another method being developed involves the use of insulin patches attached to various parts of the body. Unfortunately, these experiments also did not prosper.
 
For many Filipinos who may not be able to afford insulin, the native remedies, like tea made from ampalaya or banaba leaves, have proven effective and provide the best hope for the great majority of our countrymen.
 

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Fiel Angeli Espejo Araoarao – Gabin


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Glen

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Re: PLEASE READ: NOVEMBER 14, 2007 – WORLD DIABETES DAY (From FBPForum)
« Reply #1 on: November 14, 2007, 12:51:25 PM »
Thanks for the info Fiel, kay akung Papa diabetes lagi kaayo soki na niya ang Romero kay sige kasakit.

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Re: PLEASE READ: NOVEMBER 14, 2007 – WORLD DIABETES DAY (From FBPForum)
« Reply #2 on: November 14, 2007, 02:30:06 PM »
Thanks, Fiel! I will send this to my diabetic uncles and to my husband too.

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Re: PLEASE READ: NOVEMBER 14, 2007 – WORLD DIABETES DAY (From FBPForum)
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2007, 06:43:45 AM »
thanks Fiel, very informative info.

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