Paula Deen and Diabetes

I don't know if you heard in the news but Paula Deen, that great lover of butter, sugar and all things fried, has confirmed on the Today show that she does indeed have type two diabetes.  However, she assures everyone that it is not a death sentence.  Well, lets look at some statistics from the American Diabetes Association and you decide.  I assume they know all about diabetes there.

There are 18.8 million people in the U. S. who have been diagnosed with diabetes BUT, about 7 million more are undiagnosed and perhaps as many as 79 million are pre diabetic.  No, that 79 million is not a typo.  Having diabetes greatly increases your risk for that triumvirate of heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure.  Diabetes is also a leading cause of blindness and kidney failure.  Sixty to seventy percent of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of nervous system damage while 60 % of non traumatic amputations are to diabetics.  Does all that sound like a serious problem to you?  It certainly does to me, in fact, I'm thinking more along the lines of earlier death.

What are some of the causes or risk factors for Type Two Diabetes?  1. Age.  The older you are, the more likely you are to develop this disease.  2. Diet and being overweight.  (Ah Hah!)  Eating too many calories of a high fat and high sugar diet leads directly to obesity which leads to diabetes.  That simple.  3.  Race.  Non-white people are more likely to develop diabetes.  4.  Life style.  Being physically inactive leads to obesity which leads to ______.  You know the answer.  5.  Family history.  Having a close relative with diabetes means you are more prone to the disease.

Prevention is always the best answer.  I have harped on this subject so often but I can and will harp again in hopes someone gets it.  Take care of your health now because your doctor can't always put a bandaid on your booboo and make it all better.  So what is the treatment for diabetes?  You must commit to a lifelong monitoring of your blood sugar.  You may test it once a day or more often depending on your situation.  You need to change your diet to a healthy one and learn to be careful of your carbohydrate intake.  You need to exercise regularly.  You should lose weight.  All of that may be enough to control your blood sugar but if not, your doctor will prescribe medicines or possibly insulin.  Insulin must be injected.  There really is no cure and if you neglect to take care of your diabetes?  Read paragraph 2 again.  My Aunt lost both her legs to diabetes and I knew a young woman who died before we were out of our twenties because she refused to take her medicine.  So Paula may be putting on a good face for the public but I hope she takes her diagnosis seriously.

And yes, I too say that you don't have to eat only roots, nuts and tofu but treats like Paula Deen makes should be eaten very infrequently.  I eat fried chicken only about 2 or 3 times a year for example.  So rethink what you are eating today and ask yourself, is it worth it?  

OMG!  I was just checking the news on MSN as I ate lunch and I came across more Paula Deen info including a reference to a hamburger with bacon and a fried egg on a DOUGHNUT!  I couldn't believe this was possible but I goggled it and sure enough there was a video, I assume of her show.  I watched in complete horror as she assembled the doughnuts, hamburger, bacon and fried egg and then took a bite.  She also offered it to her guest!  Her comment was something about you get your savory and your sweet.  She did not mention you get your fat, your sugar overload, your spare tire, your diabetes, your heart attack. On the news, she is claiming she has always promoted moderation.  There is no "moderation" in such an offering.  She is also stating that she cooks food for plain folks who don't have a lot of money to spend.  She should consider that these same people don't have a lot of money to spend on health problems either!