You must consult your physician and request an examination

Diabetes is having a catastrophic impact for people in the African American community. Diabetes is the 5th leading cause of death for African Americans and their death rates are 27 percent more than whites.

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More than 2.8 millions African Americans have diabetes and nearly one-third of them are unaware of the condition. Additionally, twenty-five per cent of African Americans between the ages between 65 and 74 suffer from diabetes, and one out of 4 African American women, over 55 has been diagnosed with the disease.

The causes of diabetes are unknown, however, researchers believe that genetics as well as environmental factors are involved in those who are likely to develop the disease.

Hereditary

Research suggests that African Americans and African Immigrants are more likely to develop diabetes. Studies suggest that African Americans and the most recent African immigrants have acquired the “thrifty gene” from their African ancestral ancestors.

This gene might have helped Africans to utilize energy from food more effectively throughout the cycles of feasting and feasting and. In the present, with the fewer cycles of feasting and Famine, this gene could cause weight loss to be harder to African Americans and African Immigrants.

This predisposition to genetics, along with an impaired tolerance to glucose, is usually associated with the genetic predisposition to high blood pressure. People who have impaired glucose tolerance experience greater than normal blood sugar concentrations and have greater risk of developing diabetes.

What is diabetes?

The term “diabetes,” also known in the form of “sugar diabetes”, is a condition that manifests in the event that the body is unable to produce or utilize insulin. Insulin is required by the body to convert sugar as well as starches and other food items into energy. It is a chronic illness with no cure. Diabetes is a serious condition and should not be ignored.

Diabetics typically suffer from low levels of glucose (sugar) within their blood. The low levels of blood sugar can make you feel disoriented or dizzy. It can also make you sweaty hungry, suffer from headaches, experience rapid mood swings, have difficulties paying attention or experiencing discomfort around your mouth.

Types of Diabetes

Pre-diabetes is triggered when blood sugar levels are above normal, but not enough to warrant the diagnose of diabetes type II. It can result in damage to the circulation system, however, pre-diabetes is often controlled through the control of blood sugar levels. By controlling the pre-diabetes, you can usually delay or stop the development in Type II diabetes.

Type I or juvenile-onset type diabetes is most often seen in people who are younger than 20 years old, but it can happen at any time. A range of five to 10 percent of African Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have this kind of disease. Typ I diabetes is an auto-immune disease in which the body produces very little or no insulin. This type of diabetes is managed with regular insulin injections.

Adult-onset diabetes is the cause of 90 to 95 percent of cases of diabetes diagnosed within African Americans. The cause of Type II is an illness in which the body does not properly utilize insulin. As per the American Diabetes Association, “Type II is usually found in people over 45, who have diabetes in their family, who are overweight, who don’t exercise and who have cholesterol problems.” In the beginning, it is usually managed with lifestyle changes, however in later stages, insulin injections or diabetic pills are frequently required.

Gestational diabetes may occur during pregnancy in women. Gestational diabetes is usually caused by high blood glucose amounts or excessive glucose. The condition affects approximately four percent of pregnant women. The disease typically disappears after birth, however those who have the condition are greater risk of developing diabetes later in the course of their lives.

Signs and symptoms of diabetes

The most frequent symptoms of diabetes are:

frequent visits to the toilet

an increase in thirst

Increased appetite

blurred vision

unusual weight loss

more fatigue

irritability

The complications of diabetes

Diabetes can cause serious and life-threatening issues. Blindness, strokes, the failure of kidneys, coronary heart diseases and amputations are typical complications that affect African Americans who have diabetes

Kidney Disease

“Diabetes is the second leading cause of end stage kidney disease in African Americans, accounting for about thirty percent of the new cases each year,” states the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois. About twenty percent of those who develop the disease will end up developing kidney damage.

Amputations

Diabetes is the main cause of non-traumatic lower-limb amputations within the United States. More than 60 percent of all non-traumatic lower-limb amputations occurring in America occur in people with diabetes. African Americans are almost three times more likely lower limbs amputated because of diabetes than whites. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) approximately 82,000 non-traumatic lower-limb amputations done by diabetics in 2001.

Blindness

African Americans are twice as likely to be affected by diabetic-related blindness. Diabetics may be diagnosed with a condition known as “Diabetic Retinopathy”, a condition that affects blood vessels of the eyes that can cause diminished vision and blindness. Diabetes is the most significant cause of new cases blindness for people aged 20-74 years old age. Approximately 24,000 individuals lose their sight each year due to diabetes.

Heart Disease

Diabetes sufferers are up 4 times as likely develop heart problems than people who do not have diabetes. Thermoplastic (hardening in the arteries) is more common among diabetics, and may increase the chance of heart attacks, strokes and low blood flow throughout the body.

Risk Factors for Diabetic Diabetes

There is a higher chance of developing diabetes if you suffer from one of the following conditions:

Obesity

Diabetes in the family

Pre-diabetes

Inactivity levels are low

Age greater than 45

High blood pressure

Triglycerides levels in the blood are high.

HDL cholesterol less than 35

Pregnant diabetes or a baby that weighs more than 9 pounds

Diabetes has had a devastating impact upon people in the African American community; it is the fifth most common cause of death and is the second most common cause of end-stage kidney disease among African Americans.

African Americans suffer from complications due to diabetes at a greater frequency than the rest of the population. African Americans are three times more likely to suffer from an limb removed from the lower part of their body because of diabetes, and more than twice likely be suffering from diabetes-related blindness.

If you are suffering from any of the risk factors, you must consult your physician and request an examination of your blood glucose. Discuss with your doctor how you can change your lifestyle to reduce your risk to develop diabetes.