The Cracked Mirror

We stand and pose, examining our image, endeavoring to see ourselves as others see us, attempting to ignore the diagonal fissures, dividing our figure into fragments.  Sometimes we give up and walk away and piece together what we vaguely remember of ourselves because the image is too unfamiliar. Yet, in our subconscious we understand there is some truth to the reflection presented in the looking glass.   Still, we are programmed to believe the ‘who’ reflected in the mirror is the person people see, the person we’d like to believe we are.

Such programming periodically draws us back to the mirror, as we hope to be perceived as intelligent, seemingly attractive and more importantly, a productive part of society. However, the ‘measuring sticks’ of physical appearance, intelligence can not be effective if those in the position of crucial decision making abuse their health, lending to the old ‘adage’ “You are what you eat”.                                                                                        

Science has presented evidence regarding how the eating habits of American basic diets can contribute to the most common diseases.  Hypertension, Coronary Disease and specifically Diabetes can often be prevented, or controlled and in some cases cured by a change in diet.

Nearly a year ago my 72-year-old mother was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes. (A type that we’ll discover is often diagnosed under critical circumstances.) One evening she called; her voice seemed scared.  “I don’t know how to live this way,” she exclaimed in mid conversation.  Suddenly the health of my ‘paternal’ grandmother, several maternal aunts and now my mother broadcasted my risk in becoming diabetic.  I remembered my father’s brother Mahlon, who ignored annual physical check-ups until he was suddenly struck down by Type II diabetes, too late to be controlled by any treatments the doctors tried. He suffered in agony until he slipped into a coma.  I felt it possible my mother was remembering how the disease overtook him, as she and my father had no choice but to watch him pass on.  The conversation that day spoke volumes to me.  As a writer I thought I owed it to our ‘readers’ as well as myself to research and prepare an in-depth study of the disease for the Street Voice community of this disease and offer some helpful hints on how to live with diabetes.

Beginning my research I stumbled upon an article by Kelly Griffin, a contributing editor and writer for Best Practices in HR, which is a national publication for human resources professionals. She wrote: “Some patients don’t know how to stay healthy; others know but can’t motivate themselves to do it.”  I then wondered how many people suffer from Type II Diabetes, and learned that the term “diabetes” doesn’t just reflect one disease. In fact, a common mistake is some people classify diabetes as one separate disease, but it is five distinct diseases including Diabetes Mellitus (Types I & II) Diabetes Insipidus, Gestational Diabetes and Pre-diabetes.

The word ‘diabetes’ comes from the word ‘siphon’ and literally means passing urine like a siphon draining water.  The word ‘mellitus’ comes from the word for ‘honey’ as the urine has a sweet smell. (We can thank Aristotle for literally ‘tasting’ it).  Another form of diabetes is ‘diabetes insipidus‘, which means ‘lacking flavor or zest’ since the urine is not sweet.

According to the National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases (NIDDK): 

“17 million people have diabetes.  This equates to about 6.2% of the population.  11.1 million are diagnosed while 5.9 million people do not know they have diabetes.  One million people over the age of 20 are diagnosed with diabetes each year.  Their research shows the percentage of treatment for prediabetics, and those type I & II who suffer from diabetes mellitus

11% take insulin and oral medications

22% take insulin only

49% take oral medications only

17% do not take medications

Insulin in the case of Type I sufferers, who are insulin dependent has the function of moving glucose from the blood stream, ‘funneling’ or ‘channeling’ it into the cells so it can be converted to fuel.  If these ‘cells’ (what some researchers call ‘locked’) or unable to receive adequate amounts of glucose, they eventually starve to death and organs and tissue deteriorate. People who suffer from Type II diabetes very rarely know they have it.  This condition is due to ‘insulin resistance’ in which the body fails to utilize insulin properly.  Gestational diabetes affects pregnant women and often disappears at some point after delivery.  A Mayo Clinic publication states:

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that occurs only during pregnancy. Like other forms of diabetes, gestational diabetes affects the way your body uses blood sugar (glucose) — your body’s main source of fuel. As a result, your blood sugar level is too high. If untreated or uncontrolled, gestational diabetes can result in a variety of health problems for you and your baby.

A complication of the pre-diabetic condition is, even when blood glucose levels are checked they appear higher than normal but not quite high enough for the patient to be diagnosed as Type II.

Dr. Michael Cooper, (Clinical Associate Professor of Endocrinology, Temple University; Chair, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of End) defines Diabetes Insipidus as characterized by decreased secretion of the antidiuretic hormone (ADH), also known as arginine vasopressin (AVP).  The results polyuria (‘poly’ means much or large and ‘uria’ means ‘urine’) excessive urination and polydipsia (the suffix ‘dipsia’ means ‘drink’ thus meaning excessive thirst) by diminishing the patient’s ability to concentrate urine. 

Naturally when thinking of diabetes, sugar comes to mind; however the role of sugar is not exactly clear with respect to this disease. Dr. Bruce Fife, author of “Preventing and Treating Common Health Problems with Coconut” writes: “Every cell in our body must have a constant source of glucose in order to fuel metabolism… our cells use glucose to power processes such as growth and repair”.  We know we ‘like’ sugar.  In reality, those addicted to it, love it. So what is this obsession with these refined granules, and how dangerous is that obsession?   Taken from the book by Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN “Sugar Substitutes and the danger of Splenda” …”sugar floods us with pleasure by stimulating the release of the neurotransmitter serotonin, and probably other mood-elevating substances.”

With so many choices on market shelves being ‘health-wise’ is being able to understand the active ingredients, nutritional values and calculating caloric intake to say the least in learning how to live with the disease.   I keep a journal that charts my diets, minor health afflictions as well as new information to add to my consciousness of taking better care of myself.  Often I recognize certain foods have an effect on how I feel after eating even as far into the next day.  Do yourself a favor and don’t be ‘lead’…be informed.