On my numerous nutritional experiential on a global brand in Lagos, I was privileged to meet a hundreds of people every day, I recorded a number of health and lifestyle related disease, ranging from obesity, hypertension, PCOS, uterine fibroids, skin cancer, cervical cancer, breast cancer, juvenile diabetes, with type 2 diabetes having the highest prevalence. My statistics reveals that 7 out of 100 people admit their state of hyperglycaemia, ages between 35 to 50 years.
Diabetes is the leading cause of premature deaths and the 3rd leading cause of all deaths in the world. About 336 million people living with diabetes in 2011 is expected to rise to 552 million in 2030. Also, estimates show that as many as 183 million people are unaware they have diabetes. Diabetes cases in Africa is expected to increase by 90% and about 78% are undiagnosed and do not know they are living with diabetes. www.ldf.org/media-events/press-releases/2011daibetes-atlas-5th-edition
Type 2 Diabetes is either caused by production of little or no insulin or resistance of cells to insulin action. Type 1 Diabetes is caused by autoimmune destruction of the pancreas.
Diabetes is the inability of the body cells to pick up sugar in the blood due to lack of insulin signal. Cell resistance to insulin is caused by long term over production of insulin by the pancreas or reduced or no production of insulin by the pancreas due to daily high calories consumption of carbohydrate.
Calorie intake is 1,500 kcal for women and 2,000kcal for men but an average person in Nigeria consumes about 4,000kcal of energy each day! A bowl of starchy food with a bottle of a sugar drink at a meal could reach 2,000kcal!
Excessive sugar is deposited in the blood signalling a large volume of insulin secretion, overworking the pancreas, cells becomes resistant to insulin, unused sugar is converted into fatty acid which accounts for obesity. Obesity results in accumulation of fats around the heart and vital organs. It eventually seeps into the arteries blocking the free flow of blood and resulting to heart failure and eventually death. Other disease related to diabetes is blindness, kidney failure, stroke, amputation and eventually death.
Diabetes early onset can be delayed as almost everybody is prone to have diabetes.
Tips
Reduce a large volume of carbohydrate consumption; eat in portions; get rid of cravings for sugar drinks and pastries; take a lot of fruits, veggies and whole foods; replace the false signalling of thirst for sugar drinks with water; exercise a lot; learn how to calculate calories in food; shop for products with strict adherence to calorific values on nutritional information. STAY ALIVE!
Sawyerr Gbenga
