According to the International Diabetes Association, approximately 463 million people have diabetes globally, and it is estimated that up to 14.2% of adults in the Cayman Islands have diabetes. For over 11 years, the Cayman Islands Diabetes Association has been conducting free hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) tests in the Cayman Islands (considered the gold standard for identifying pre-diabetes and diabetes). From these tests, it would seem that the incidence of diabetes is closer to 20% and pre-diabetes, almost 40%.
Sadly, diabetes remains a major public health challenge in the Caribbean, and education on the topic and nutrition, in general, is necessary to help alleviate the stigma of this disease. Improved access to health care and educational resources are policies that many governments are slowly implementing. Still, with the rise in online technology and especially social media, disadvantaged populations are increasingly getting better opportunities to educate themselves on various health topics and, therefore, better take control of their own well-being
The Centers provide the following summary for Diabetes for Disease Control and Prevention: “Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy. Most of the food you eat is broken down into sugar (also called glucose) and released into your bloodstream. When your blood sugar goes up, it signals your pancreas to release insulin. Insulin acts like a key to let the blood sugar into your body’s cells for use as energy. If you have diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use the insulin it makes, as well as it should. When there isn’t enough insulin or your cells stop responding to insulin, too much blood sugar stays in your bloodstream. Over time, that can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease”.
There are 2 main types of diabetes (excluding gestational diabetes that can occur during pregnancy). Type 1 diabetes is the more severe type but less prevalent than Type 2. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where the body is unable to produce insulin, and as a result, blood sugar cannot adequately be regulated. Type 1 diabetics are insulin-dependent from diagnosis. Researchers believe that the most likely cause of Type 1 diabetes is genetics and not necessarily lifestyle choices. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body cannot properly use insulin, also known as “insulin resistance.” The pancreas cannot keep up with the necessary insulin production to keep blood sugar levels steady. Without insulin, the sugar stays in the blood and can cause serious damage to the entire body. It is possible to successfully manage Type 2 diabetes through lifestyle changes, including changes to diet, exercise, and medication use. It’s estimated that 90% of all people with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes.
These days technology can prove very powerful in self-education, making a significant difference in how well a person manages their diabetes diagnosis. For example, multiple health tracking apps were developed to monitor diabetes and be a useful tool for staying on top of things. MySugr is a great example and a highly recommended app for people with diabetes. It can be challenging to track all the different things that one has to remember in a single day, and with apps like these, users are conveniently reminded to check and log blood sugar levels, keep track of medicines and log meals. Fooducate is another health tracking app that can prove very helpful for managing diabetes. Users can easily find out the calorie value and calorie quality of any item they plan to eat, track their meals, and be guided by a food point system to achieve their goals. The app also provides helpful community forums, educational articles, and nutritional recipes.
Reputable charity websites like the International Diabetes Federation and The American Diabetes Association can also offer valuable information and guidelines, especially on the importance of managing your diet and navigating towards a healthier lifestyle. Even platforms like Pinterest can prove useful for finding diabetic, low carb meal plans, and searches can easily be tailored to include affordable meals or quick and easy recipes. It’s also helpful to educate oneself on understanding food labels and how to navigate the information provided on the back of manufactured food products, e.g., considering the portion sizes of the food item, calories per serving, nutrients, fiber, and sugar levels.
With access to resources becoming more readily available, it’s not just managing a diabetes diagnosis that can become somewhat easier, but also educating ourselves on lifestyle choices and diet that can prevent the onset of diabetes in the long term.
Research shows that risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes include obesity, lack of exercise, and smoking, among other things. Signs and symptoms to look out for include excessive urination, excessive thirst, unexplained weight loss, excessive hunger, vision changes, and unexplained fatigue. If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s always recommended to contact a healthcare professional and get tested. Although there is no proven cure for diabetes, it’s a condition that can be effectively managed through lifestyle changes, healthy dietary choices, and medication. If you are prediabetic (where your blood sugar level is higher than normal but falls just below the diagnosis for Type 2 diabetes), it is definitely possible to avoid becoming a diabetic by making smart dietary choices.
One of how a diet can be improved to help prevent diabetes is the control of sugar and carbohydrate intake. Carbohydrates are broken down by digestion into glucose, which falls into simple carbohydrates (simple sugars) and complex carbohydrates. It’s important to know that both kinds raise blood glucose levels, but simple sugars will quickly raise them. Simple sugars are more often found in processed foods like fast foods, white bread, pasta, sugary cereals, candies, sodas, and pastries.
The Centers for Disease Control provides helpful information on carb counting, which can help manage and even prevent diabetes. According to the CDC, “carbs in food make your blood sugar levels go higher after you eat them than when you eat proteins or fats. Counting carbs in foods and drinks is an important tool for managing blood sugar levels. Make sure to talk to your health care team about the best carb goals for you”. The CDC also provides a visual tool called the Plate Method to guide you on the ideal distribution of different types of food on your plate. Following the plate method in combination with an app like Fooducate can help n monitoring food portions and ensure that you’re eating the right balance of vegetables, lean protein, grains, or starchy foods.
In conclusion, awareness of diabetes is important to help remove the stigma around it and motivate those affected to control their health and not feel like they have to be a victim of the disease. Taking control of your health is one of the most liberating things you can do, as long as you stay open to broadening your knowledge about diabetes and ways that nutritional education can help you manage it. Remember always to seek the assistance of medical professionals to guide you on your journey.