justathought

I say a play on Friday about Diabetes and its horrible effect on African Americans.  The production was held at North Carolina Central University and it was well worth the time spent watching it.  The actors were realistic and embodied the characters they portrayed but the true value of the play came from gaining the opportunity to learn about this crippling disease.

Considering the fact that 3.7 million African Americans have diabetes, it is a pretty safe bet that you know someone afflicted with the disease.  Most will have Type-2 Diabetes which is a non-insulin dependent version of the disease.  While a person with this type of diabetes does not have to take daily injections to regulate there blood sugar levels, this version is no less deadly.   Usually pre-diabetes develops before someone gets type 2 diabetes.  If pre-diabetes is taken seriously and steps are taken to control blood sugar levels, then type 2 diabetes may never develop.  To find out whether or not you are at risk for pre-diabetes, take this test.  

During the play, the main character (an overweight male over the age of 40) kept denying he had diabetes despite the diagnosis from his doctor.  He had been diagnosed with the disease more than eight years ago, and for each of those passing years he added less time to his life by continuing to disobey the doctor’s direction to take better care of his health.  He ate unhealthy foods and never exercised.  For the majority of the play, he shuffled and hobbled around because he was unable to walk normally due to nerve damage caused by the loss of circulation. 

We all must die one day . .. that is a destiny we can not avoid.  However, we can eliminate some of the causes of death that wait around the corner for us.  Preventing Type 2 diabetes is simple:

• Limit your alcohol intake
• Eat health foods
• Exercise

Those simple steps can and life to your years!