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Lakewood, NJ ----- The number of Americans with diabetes is on the rise, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), increasing by approximately 3 million people between 2005 and 2007. Today, nearly 24 million Americans — 8 percent of the population — have diabetes.
"Diabetes is a disease caused by problems with insulin, a hormone produced in the pancreas that helps the body turn the foods we eat into energy," says Irene Spinelli, B.S.N., R.N.C., manager of Kimball Medical Center's Center for Healthy Living. Spinelli, who helps coordinate the Center's Diabetes Education program, answers questions about the condition and offers tips on how to control the disease and live an active, healthy life.
Diabetes is caused by two factors— the amount of insulin the body produces, and how efficiently the body uses the insulin already produced. Problems with one or the other, or a combination of the two, can cause glucose, or sugar, to build up in the bloodstream.
There are different types of diabetes, the most common form is Type 2. In Type 2 diabetes, the body either does not produce enough insulin or the cells are not able to utilize the insulin that is produced. Type 2 diabetes is more common as people age, and occurs more frequently in those who are overweight.
When we eat, the body breaks down all of the sugars and starches in food into glucose, which is the basic fuel for the cells in the body. Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use that glucose for energy. It's like a key that unlocks the cells of the body, allowing glucose to enter and fuel the cells. In people with Type 2 diabetes, glucose builds up in the bloodstream instead of going into the cells. This starves your cells of energy, and long-term, high blood glucose levels can cause major organ damage, leading to kidney failure, heart and circulatory problems, blindness, amputation and premature death.
People with diabetes can live normal, active and healthy lives by taking steps to control the disease, and lower the risk of complications. While there is no cure, Spinelli stresses that diabetes — and its complications — can be controlled by modifying one's diet, increasing exercise and often through the use of medication.
Regularly monitoring blood sugar levels, and making adjustments in medication, if necessary, is an important component of controlling diabetes, she notes. "Many people find that the more often they check their blood sugar, the greater control they're able to maintain," she says. Also key to control, according to Spinelli, are lifestyle changes including a healthier diet and regular exercise.
Kimball Medical Center offers a variety of education programs and support groups for diabetics which provide nutritional help and support for individuals working to change their eating habits. "It's not difficult to eat well and still control your blood sugar," says Spinelli. "It just takes a little more planning to make sure you're getting the proper amount of nutrition while limiting the amount of sugar and carbohydrates in your diet. It's a matter of finding the right balance."
Diabetes Self-Management Seminar
Thursday, January 29 from 9 am to 4:30 pm
Kimball Medical Center is hosting an all-day seminar which will cover all aspects of diabetes self-management, nutrition and exercise condensed into one 8-hour class. This program will be led by a certified diabetes educator. The program will be held at Kimball Medical Center’s Center for Healthy Living, located at 198 Prospect Street, Lakewood. If you are interested in attending, or would like further information, please call the Barnabas Health Care Link at 1-888-724-7123.
To find out more about diabetes or other programming available at Kimball's Center for Healthy Living, or for a referral to a physician who specializes in diabetes, call the Barnabas Health Care Link at 1-888-724-7123.
Date: January 15, 2009
CONTACT: Carrie Cristello
Director, Public Relations
732-923-6552
ccristello@barnabashealth.org
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