Hi everyone,
It’s Dr. John from Fitness 19.
Diabetes is a rampant and destructive disease that affects many lives
around the world. Chances are that you
know someone that is a diabetic, maybe a family member or even yourself. I wanted to share an article written by my
friend, Dr. John Ellis. I am also giving a workshop on how to
reduce and prevent diabetes at Fitness 19 next Tuesday, February 9th
at 8 pm. Please email me if you would
like to reserve a seat at drjohnheary@gmail.com. Please give me your name, phone number and
how many people will be attending. Here is the article by Dr. Ellis.
Diabetes is any of several metabolic
disorders marked by excessive discharge of urine and
persistent thirst, especially one of the two types of diabetes mellitus. This
usually occurs as a result of problems with the production, supply, and use of
insulin in the body.
Insulin is the body’s
key blood sugar-regulating hormone. Without insulin, our bodies cannot obtain the
necessary energy from our food. Insulin is made in the pancreas and is released
by cells known as beta cells. When a person has diabetes, either their pancreas
does not produce the insulin they need (Type I), or their body cannot use
its own insulin effectively (Type II). As a result, people with diabetes cannot
effectively utilize glucose from food. This leads to a rise in blood glucose
levels called hyperglycemia. If a person secretes too much insulin, this leads
to lower blood sugar levels, also known as hypo-glycemia or low blood sugar.
Insulin Dependent
Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM – formerly Type I):
People with IDDM are
unable to produce insulin. This disease can affect people of any age, but
usually occurs in children or young adults. People with IDDM require daily
injections of insulin as a means of controlling their blood glucose levels.
Their doctor will usually prescribe a combination of “fast acting” and “slow
acting” insulin. The slow acting insulin is usually injected once per 24 hour
period, and the fast acting is usually used just before a meal.
The dosages of the fast
acting are calculated based on the carbohydrate load or amounts of the meal to
be had. Lack of insulin, as well as an incorrect insulin dosage to a person
with IDDM can be deadly.
The symptoms of IDDM are
often subtle, but can become severe if not addressed.
They include:
• Increased thirst
• Increased hunger
(especially after eating)
• Dry mouth
• Frequent urination
• Unexplained weight
loss (even though they are eating and feel hungry)
• Fatigue (weak, tired
feeling)
• Blurred vision
• Numbness or tingling
of the hands or feet
• Slow-healing sores or
cuts
• Loss of consciousness
Non
Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus
(NIDDM – formerly Type II):
(NIDDM – formerly Type II):
People with NIDDM do not
usually require injections of insulin. NIDDM used to be called adult-onset
diabetes or Type II. However, as a consequence of increased obesity among
children, NIDDM is becoming more common in children and young adults.
Usually, blood glucose
levels can be controlled by diet, exercising regularly, and by taking
oral medication. Those with NIDDM often rely on a class of drugs known as
thiazolidinediones (TZDs) to make their cells more sensitive to insulin. NIDDM is
most common in people older than 45 who are overweight; however, as noted
earlier, more and more cases of children of all ages are being diagnosed with
NIDDM, caused by childhood onset obesity. NIDDM is the most common type of
diabetes and accounts for 90 – 95% of all people with diabetes.
Data from a long-term
study suggests that postmenopausal women who are physically active have less
risk of developing diabetes mellitus over women who are sedentary. According to
a study published in a recent American Journal of Public Health, approximately
8% of NIDDM cases in older women could be prevented with regular physical
activity. If people with NIDDM are not diagnosed and treated, they can develop
serious complications, which could result in death. Worldwide, millions of
people have NIDDM without being aware of it, and without access to adequate
medical care.
NIDDM may show some of
the same symptoms as those of IDDM. Most often, there is a very gradual
development of symptoms, or there are no noticeable symptoms at all. In fact,
half of all people with NIDDM don’t know they have it.
Additional
symptoms include:
• Slow-healing
sores or cuts
• Itching of the
skin (usually in the vaginal or groin area)
• Yeast
infections
• Recent weight
gain
• Velvety dark
skin changes of the neck, under arm, and groin called acanthosis nigricans
Regular exercise has been proven effective in preventing the
development of NIDDM. Research has shown that exercise promotes cardiovascular
fitness and increased insulin sensitivity which may lower the dosage of oral
hypoglycemic drugs required. A healthy person’s blood sugar is usually between 70 and 110
mg/dl (milligrams of glucose per deciliter of blood). It can also be expressed
in millimoles; where between 3.9 and 6.0 mmol/L is considered normal. Impaired
glucose tolerance (IGT) is a level of blood glucose which is higher than
normal, but not high enough to be in the range where doctors classify this as
diabetes. A fasting blood glucose level of 126 mg/dl is usually the determining
number for a diabetes diagnosis (NIDDM).
Other types of diabetes:
Gestational diabetes is
another type of diabetes that occurs in pregnant women. This may be a temporary
form of diabetes that usually disappears when the pregnancy is over. Women who
have this type of diabetes are at higher risk of developing NIDDM later in
life. Because of the high amounts of insulin secreted by women with Gestational
Diabetes, the fetus’ organs are overdeveloped and the child may be born with
internal organs that are too large for the body’s systems to support. Within
this group, there is a higher risk of being born with or becoming IDDM
patients, or to end up developing NIDDM at a very young age. When this happens,
the fetus is so overly developed that most gestational diabetes babies have to
be delivered via Caesarean.
Exercise is an effective treatment for clients of all ages who
have IDDM and NIDDM. Clients in this group should be instructed on how to
integrate diet and hydration management with workouts and glucose monitoring. Clients should also be encouraged to consult a
podiatrist for proper footwear, as well as regular follow ups with an
endocrinologist specializing in diabetes. It is also important to design
adequate warm-up and cool-down routines within the program designs for these
individuals. Timing of high-energy snacks, workouts and fluids is crucial.
Usually, no specific exercise modifications are required for diabetes patients
unless they have complications, but a best practice includes recommending that
diabetics stay hydrated while exercising, as exercise causes fluid loss via
perspiration. In diabetic patients, perspiration can lead to increased blood
glucose levels due to a decrease in serum/blood volume, secondary to fluid
loss.
Diabetes Workshop: Learn
how to prevent and reduce type 2 diabetes on Tuesday, February 9th
at 8pm at Fitness 19. RSVP by email to drjohnheary@gmail.com. Please give us your name,
phone number, and how many are attending.
We have limited seating so please reserve your seat today.
John
Heary, CFT, SFN
Fitness
19
800
Harlem Rd.
W.
Seneca, NY 14224
(716)
970-9149
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