How you can be affected by diabetes
image from Australian Gov't Dept of Veterans Affairs
Several of us that work on the DREAMACTTEXAS blog have been deeply affected by diabetes. Donajih just lost her father, and as I am writing this my 47 year old brother is in the hospital and was just told that his kidneys are failing.
Epidemiologists say that Blacks, Latinos, and Native Americans have the market cornered on diabetes. I think it is much more complicated than that. And even though some of us may have a genetic predisposition towards diabetes, that does not exonerate western society from all the things it promotes that lead to a diagnosis of diabetes.
Maybe it's the age of McDonalds. When the fast food places started growing like an epidemic throughout the U.S. countryside, many of us didn't think that the food could be dangerous. We all took part. I remember many midnight trips to Jack in the Box when I was in my early 20s.
It could also be like Alzheimer's - we are noticing it more because people are living longer. But then what is to explain the numerous kids in elementary school that are clearly showing signs of impending diabetes (the ominous black mark on the child's back of the neck)? This symptom is called "Acanthosis nigricans" - and " is often associated with conditions that increase your insulin level, such as type 2 diabetes or being overweight. If your insulin level is too high, the extra insulin may trigger activity in your skin cells. This may cause the characteristic skin changes." (from Mayo Clinic webpage ) Acanthosis is considered a precursor to developing diabetes.
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