Luncheon provides information on dealing with diabetes

Ten percent of the people in the United States have diabetes and a quarter of those are undiagnosed. A third of the population have a precursor called prediabetes.

Diabetes also is listed as the seventh-leading cause of death and, not surprisingly, Mississippi has one of the highest diabetes rates in the country.

But diabetes is both treatable and preventable, and Baptist Memorial Hospital recently held a luncheon to inform the public about ways to avoid or deal with the disease.

Basically, RN Stefenie Hodges said, “You just have to learn how to control your portions and count your carbs.”

Presenting the program was Dr. Paige Tomsic, who recently joined IM+PC and noted that likely almost everyone in the room was affected by diabetes in some way.

She began by telling about what diabetes is.

Type 1, or juvenile onset, is caused when one’s body simply doesn’t produce enough insulin. Type 2, or adult onset, occurs when one’s body stops responding appropriately to insulin. In either case, the person has chronically elevated blood sugar, which sticks to blood cells and eventually damages organs.

Tomsic said diabetes can be prevented but there are several risk factors to be aware of. Age, high body mass index, family history, physical inactivity, a history of gestational diabetes and some ethnicities all can increase chances.

There are a variety of strategies to help overcome those, she said.

“You need to exercise 30 minutes five times a week,” she said. “Start slow and build up. Classes can help. You need to limit your screen time to two hours a day and plan outdoor activities.”

Also important is meal management. “Drink more water and less sugar,” she recommended. “Eat more fruits and vegetables and make your favorite foods healthier. Only shop on a full stomach, eat slowly and get kids involved.”

Type 2 diabetes presents more of a problem in that it develops over several years and symptoms may not be noticed, Tomsic said. Those symptoms include more frequent urination, being thirsty, fatigue, weight loss, blurred vision and being slow to heal.

Prediabetes is a condition that may not be noticed due to its gradual progression. That’s when one’s A1C, or average blood glucose level over several months, is in a gray area.

An A1C of 5.7 percent or lower is considered normal while A1C of over 6.5 percent signals Type 2 diabetes. That middle range of 5.7 to 6.4 is prediabetes.

Tomsic explained that the body breaks carbohydrates down into sugar and insulin is manufactured in the pancreas in response to food eaten to manage that sugar. The blood sugar range is normally about 80 to 130 before a meal but changes after.

She also mentioned ketones, which are produced in the liver when the body burns fat for energy. If the body is not getting enough sugar the ketones are produced, and insufficient glucose means ketosis. Too many ketones can lead to ketoacidosis, which can damage organs or even lead to death.The opposite of too much sugar is hypoglycemia, which can cause sweating, irritability, hunger, drowsiness or confusion. It is usually dealt with by taking glucose pills, a small amount of orange juice or eating some hard candy.

If the body is not managing sugar appropriately it is even more important that you take control.

“Make lifestyle changes, log sugar readings, eat regular meals, eat lower carbs, saturated fats and trans fats, limit sugar and salt, drink more water, limit alcohol and choose fruit, not candy,” she said.

Tomsic also warned to be aware of side effects or complications from diabetes.

“That’s very important,” she said. “Heart disease is the leading cause of death in people with diabetes.” High blood pressure, to much LDL or bad cholesterol and high triglycerides can result.

She recommended the Mediterranean diet as being healthy, and recommended against the now-popular Keto diet.

“The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) says manage your ABCs,” she said. “That’s A1C, blood pressure of 140/90 (or better) and cholesterol.”

Diabetes can also lead to kidney damage, which does not present a lot of symptoms at first, and nerve damage such as peripheral neuropathy. “Sugar gums up the nerves,” she said. “It can also gum up the nerves in the stomach” and food stays in the stomach too long.

Other possible side effects include oral health problems, hearing loss, vision loss, foot problems and mental health. “Diabetes affects all areas of your life,” Tomsic said.

The hospital has a diabetes class the last Thursday of each month, Hodges said, and there is help.

She added that she and her husband have both experienced diabetes but by managing his lifestyle has improved greatly. “I’m a nurse but I didn’t really learn about diabetes until I experienced it,” she said. In dealing with the disease she continued, “It doesn’t happen overnight. It is not always easy and you’re going to fall off the wagon. The world’s not over.”

Call Baptist Memorial Hospital for more information about the diabetes or other needs at 662-538-7631.