Diabetes basics everyone, including you, should know

You might think that if you don’t have diabetes you don’t need to worry about it. everyone in South Africa should know a few facts about diabetes. 

By Bridget McNulty

Most of us know someone who has diabetes – either Type 1 or Type 2. But that’s often as far as our knowledge about this chronic condition goes. As South Africans, though, it is our duty to understand a few basics about diabetes – here’s why.

Diabetes is the number one killer of women in South Africa.

Isn’t that a frightening statistic? According to Statistics SA, diabetes is the number one killer of women in South Africa – and the second leading cause of death in men. This is insane. Diabetes is not a lethal condition and shouldn’t be killing anyone! We’re talking predominantly about Type 2 diabetes here, as that affects 90% of people with diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a manageable condition, with the right medication and lifestyle changes – even preventable if you’re diagnosed early enough. 

The trouble is that 1  in 2 South Africans don’t know they have it – as you’ll see below. If you don’t know you have diabetes, your blood sugar will obviously be higher than normal, because you’re not doing anything to control it, so you’ll be developing long-term complications, without knowing about it. By the time you end up in hospital with those complications, it’s too late.

Uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes leads to amputation, blindness, kidney failure and heart disease – these are all avoidable if you are diagnosed early enough and look after yourself. But you can’t look after yourself if you don’t know you have diabetes.

1 IN 2 PEOPLE WITH DIABETES IN SOUTH AFRICA IS UNDIAGNOSED

According to the International Diabetes Federation, half of all South Africans with diabetes are undiagnosed. That is a scary statistic because, as we’ve just seen, uncontrolled diabetes can have severe complications. 

Knowing your diabetes status is as simple as having an annual fingerstick blood test. You can get it at your nearest Dis‑Chem Wellness clinic, it takes less than five minutes, and you’ll immediately know if your blood glucose is in the normal range, or if you need to make some changes.

It’s also helpful to know the five common symptoms of diabetes:

• Extreme hunger
• Extreme thirst
• Needing to pee a lot
• Exhaustion
• Blurry vision

As you can see, many of these symptoms are easy to explain away, which is why it can be so easy to miss a diabetes diagnosis. The safest bet is to have an annual test.

2 IN 3 SOUTH AFRICANS ARE IN THE PREDIABETES RANGE

The SA Demographic and Health Survey reported that 2 in 3 South Africans are in the prediabetes range – which means they’re at greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes if they don’t make lifestyle changes (lose weight, change their diet or start exercising more). 

Think about that for a second – the next time you’re in a queue with 2 other people, odds are that 2 of the 3 of you will develop Type 2 diabetes if you don’t find out your diabetes status and make some changes… Wouldn’t you rather know now, when you can more easily manage it, than later on when it may have developed into a chronic condition? Knowledge is power – particularly when it comes to our health.

SO HOW DO YOU MANAGE DIABETES? 

These statistics may seem overwhelming if you’re reading them for the first time. It’s important to remember that diabetes is a manageable condition – it’s possible to live a healthy, happy life with diabetes. In fact, to be healthier because of a diabetes diagnosis! There’s nothing like a wake-up call to make you look after yourself.

When it comes to managing diabetes, all you have to remember is TEEL:

T is for Take your medication, as prescribed

E is for Eat healthy food

E is for Exercise, a little every day, and

L is for Lose weight if you need to.

None of these is easy or quick, we know, but they can become part of your everyday life. There’s just one tip to remember for each letter.

T: Take your medication

Let’s start with T: Take your medication. If you’re living with Type 2 diabetes, you might not be taking medication – in that case you only have to remember EEL (Eat healthy, Exercise a little every day, and Lose weight if you need to).

Other people with Type 2 will be taking tablets, and/or insulin injections. Each one of us is different and our bodies need different things. It’s really important to take your medication exactly as your doctor prescribes it, every day.

E: Eat healthy food

Eating healthy food is simple, although not necessarily easy. All you have to do is eat half a plate of green, leafy vegetables with lunch and dinner.

E: Exercise, a little every day

Any exercise is better than none, which is why we recommend going for a 30 minute walk each day. Just a walk around the block. Either wake up earlier or have a walking meeting instead of sitting down or meeting for coffee. You can do it!

L: Lose weight if you need to

This is a hard one, we know. But small changes can make a big difference over time. If you’re eating half a plate of green vegetables for lunch and dinner and exercising a little every day, we just have one more tip: cut out all fizzy drinks and juices and try to drink eight glasses of water a day.

And that’s it! Four basic diabetes education tips, and three important stats. If we can share this information with all South Africans, we can start to turn these statistics around. Each one of us has the power to spread diabetes education and awareness in our communities – and beyond.

If you know someone living with diabetes, it can be really helpful to join a community – there’s a whole community of people living with the same challenges. Join South Africans with Diabetes on Facebook to feel part of a diabetes community, or get more info on how to live well with diabetes (including meal plans, food, exercise and weight loss tips) at
www.sweetlife.org.za 

GREEN VEGETABLES TO CHOOSE FROM:

• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Cucumber
• Cabbage
• Peas and green beans
• Gem squash
• Courgettes 
• Salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber without fatty dressings)

Some vegetables aren’t green but still fit into this category:

• Tomatoes
• Carrots
• Pumpkin
• Mushrooms
• Peppers
• Cauliflower
• Onions