Diabetes and its affect on the african-american community by Dr. Angela Oglesby-Cherry

Diabetes is one of the most serious health problems that affect the African American community.  Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes.  The pancreas is essential to convert food into fuel for the body.  The pancreas helps digest food and regulate blood sugar.  Insulin is produced by the pancreas to help regulate blood sugar.    In Type 2 diabetes the body builds up resistance to insulin and the pancreas needs to produce more until it may stop producing insulin.  Therefore glucose builds up in the blood.  If the glucose is high in the blood it may cause increased thirst, nausea, extreme fatigue, blurry vision, tingling or numbness in your hands/feet, and increased urination.
African Americans are 3 times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than European whites.  Risk factors include being overweight or obese, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, family history, and cigarette smoking.  
Here are ways to help prevent or improve the management of diabetes:

1. Get screened – ask your physician to be screened
   
2. Change our diets – avoid fried foods, decrease intake of bread and pasta, and decrease salt and intake
   
3. Watch your sugar intake – eliminate sweet tea and sodas and drink more water to start
   
4. Exercise – You can prevent diabetes by losing just 5-7% of your body weight.  Try to exercise 30 minutes a day. Take the stairs and park farther away from the store to start.
   
5. Don’t smoke or quit smoking – Smokers are 30-40% more likely to develop diabetes