Sherese Johnson, a 39-year-old wife and mother, prefers to do a lot of walking as a means of exercising to help control her Type 2 diabetes. Walking is among the many activities, including bike riding, swimming and other traditional exercises, that health
Sherese Johnson, a 39-year-old wife and mother, prefers to do a lot of walking as a means of exercising to help control her Type 2 diabetes. Walking is among the many activities, including bike riding, swimming and other traditional exercises, that health professionals say are helpful with managing the disease.
In 1997 Johnson was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and since then she has made several lifestyle changes to keep the disease under control.
“Diabetes is a life changing disease but it can be managed if a person does what is needed,” she said. Johnson no longer eats pork, limits her intake of fried foods and alcohol and watches how many calories are contained in her meals. Daily insulin shots are usually taken by Type 1 diabetics, but Johnson is among the rare Type 2 diabetics who needs the daily shots.
Two years after her twin sister was diagnosed Johnson said she was not surprised to learn she too had the disease that health professional say is running rampant in the Black community. “It was no surprise when I found out because diabetes runs in my family, and once my twin sister was diagnosed I knew it was just a matter of time for me,” she said.
Dr. Thomas Pitts, a consulting physician at Provident Hospital of Cook County, said it is important that people know more about the disease and how to manage it.
“More diabetes education programs are needed so people know exactly what diabetes is,” he said. “Provident provides free diabetes education programs to inform people about the disease but more outreach programs are needed.”
Of the two forms of the disease – Type 1 and Type 2 – the American Diabetes Association says that Type 2 is more common among minorities, including Blacks.
Dr. Glenda Flemister, a pulmonary specialist with a private practice in Joliet, said it’s important that people know the differences between the two types of the disease.
Flemister said with Type 2, the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. In order for the body to be able to use glucose for energy insulin is needed. When a person eats food, the body breaks down all of the sugars and starches into glucose, which is the basic fuel for the cells in the body. Insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. And when glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it can lead to diabetes complications, she explained.
However, Type 1 is usually diagnosed in children and young adults. In Type 1, the body does not produce insulin. Only 5 percent to 10 percent of people with diabetes have this form of the disease, Flemister explained.
And diabetics should be aware that the disease could also create other health problems, such as high blood pressure, Flemister said.
“African Americans are not only at risk for Type 2 diabetes but also the co-morbid illness associated with the disease such as hypertension,” she said.
Healthy eating is another lifestyle change health professionals recommend.
“Diet and exercise is critical to staying healthy whether you have diabetes or not,” said Dr. Sirimon Reutrakul, an endocrinologist at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. “Instead of taking the elevator you could take the stairs. And instead of sitting down all the time you could try standing more.”
Obesity tends to be one of the major contributing factors for Blacks developing diabetes, especially Black women, she added.
Copyright 2010 Chicago Defender.
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