Cookies and Diabetes
In this day and age of high tech I need to stop and wonder what is happening to the population of the U.S. it seems that a large number of its citizens are becoming ill with diabetes.
“According to the American Diabetes Association there are 20.8 million children and adults in the United States, or 7% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 14.6 million have been diagnosed, unfortunately, 6.2 million people (or nearly one-third) are unaware that they have the disease. With so many people affected by diabetes, the American Diabetes Association has compiled diabetes statistics on the impact of the disease and its complications. Based on death certificate data, diabetes contributed to 224,092 deaths in 2002. Studies indicate that diabetes in generally under-reported on death certificates, particularly in the cases of older persons with multiples chronic conditions such as heart disease and hypertension. Because of this, the toll of diabetes is believed to be much higher than officially reported.”
I don’t believe that cookies and baked goods are the culprits for this terrible disease, back in the 50’s and 60’s our parents and grandparents baked cookies on a daily basis and we as children had eaten dozens of cookies almost on a daily basis, there were cookies and milk after school, cookies in your lunch bag, and a snack before bedtime of cookies, we had cookies of every shape and form that anyone can imagine.
During the Christmas and Easter Holidays I went to my grandparents home and usually upon arrival we were offered cookies and milk for the children and cookie and coffee for the adults, during this period in time people would swap cookie recipes like children would swap baseball cards. Now that we are in the 21st Century no one can say that because they are diabetic that they cannot eat cookies, with all the new sugar free and diabetic cookie recipes that you can find and all the diabetic cookies on the market no one should say I cannot eat cookies.
Coping with diabetes
Every day, in the United States, more than 2000 new cases of diabetes are diagnosed. Type II diabetes, the most prevalent form of diabetes worldwide, often shows few or even no symptoms!
After eating, food is broken down into what is known as glucose, a sugar carried by the blood to cells throughout the body. Using a hormone known as insulin, made in the pancreas, cells process glucose into energy.
Because cells in the muscles, liver, and fat do not use insulin properly in the body of a person with type II diabetes, they have problems converting food into energy. Eventually, the pancreas cannot make enough insulin for the body's needs. The amount of glucose in the body increases, and the cells are starved of energy.
This starvation of the cells, paired with the high blood glucose level can damage nerves and blood vessels. This leads to complications such as kidney disease, nerve problems, blindness, and heart ailments.
There are a lot of factors that can help to attribute to diabetes cases - lifestyle, environment, heredity - and those who are at risk should be screened regularly to prevent diabetes. Those that are already diagnosed with diabetes should aim to keep their glucose level under control.
But how do you know if you have type II diabetes? After all, it has few symptoms, often no symptoms in some patients. However, if you notice an increased thirst or hunger, a change in weight, or blurred vision, getting tested for type II diabetes is necessary, as only your doctor will be able to help you find the treatment steps necessary to being able to manage your life with diabetes.
Simple changes such as eating right, managing your weight, and keeping your blood sugar level under control may be enough. However, you doctor may prescribe diabetes-regulating medications to assist you in controlling your type II diabetes.
Diabetes is a serious ailment with extreme consequences if it isn't treated properly. But if you follow your doctor's advice and maintain both your lifestyle and blood sugar levels, you can help to prevent the more serious consequences from occurring.
This article is for information purposes only and is not meant to treat, diagnose or prevent any ailment or disease. See your physician for proper diagnosis and treatment.
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