{"id":1971,"date":"2019-03-06T14:21:59","date_gmt":"2019-03-06T14:21:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost:8080\/berni\/?p=1971"},"modified":"2023-05-18T13:58:31","modified_gmt":"2023-05-18T12:58:31","slug":"diabetes-and-the-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/berni.co.za\/index.php\/diabetes-and-the-family\/","title":{"rendered":"Diabetes & The Family"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Sourced from Life Healthcare’s Samantha Page

Over 425 million people are currently living with diabetes worldwide. According to Margot McCumisky, National Manager for Diabetes South Africa in the Western Cape, 3.5 million of those are South Africans. \u2018There may be many more who are undiagnosed, as many people do not experience, or do not recognise diabetes symptoms,\u2019 explains Margot.<\/h3>\n

What is diabetes?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Diabetes is a chronic disease that can be treated but not cured. The disease develops when the pancreas is no longer able to produce the hormone insulin, or when the body can\u2019t properly use the insulin it produces. Dr Wayne May, an\u00a0endocrinologist<\/a><\/u>\u00a0at\u00a0Life Kingsbury Hospital<\/a><\/u>, explains the four main types:<\/p>\n

1. Type 1 diabetes\u00a0<\/strong>develops in patients with certain genotypes, who then encounter a secondary hit, such as a viral infection. None or very little insulin is produced by the body.<\/p>\n

2. Type 2 diabetes\u00a0<\/strong>develops due to poor lifestyle choices and is driven by obesity. The body is resistant to insulin and this is coupled with less insulin being produced over time.<\/p>\n

3. Gestational diabetes<\/strong>\u00a0is specific to pregnancy and is usually limited to gestation.<\/p>\n

4.<\/strong>\u00a0There are other types of diabetes that develop from hormonal causes, pancreatic problems or infections, or are drug-induced or genetic, and some are immune-medicated forms.<\/p>\n

South Africa is seeing a steady increase in type 2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity, a sedentary lifestyle and poor lifestyle choices such as smoking and excessive consumption of alcohol.<\/p>\n

Diabetes and the family<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The focus of World Diabetes Day on 14 November 2018 and for 2019 is the family and diabetes. It is aimed at promoting the role the family unit plays in the management and prevention of diabetes, care of diabetics and education about diabetes. Like any chronic illness, diabetes has a significant impact on the family, and experts agree that self-management is the most important part of a diabetes treatment plan. This is when family support becomes critical.<\/p>\n

\u2018In a newly diagnosed patient who is probably feeling quite overwhelmed by the diagnosis, we will discuss what diabetes is and how it can be managed,\u2019 says Dr Tracy van Rensburg, a diabetologist at Life Kingsbury Hospital. \u2018We will put together a diabetes plan for the patient and explain why they need to keep to the plan. We have a staggered approach \u2013 it\u2019s a lot to take in \u2013 and we don\u2019t expect anyone to change overnight.\u2019<\/p>\n

Any family can potentially be affected by diabetes, so an awareness of the signs of diabetes and risk factors for all forms of the disease in order to detect it early is vital. Chronic care of any illness can mean added responsibilities for the family unit, as is the case with diabetes, which requires insulin injections, daily monitoring, regular exercise and a stringent diabetics’ diet plan.<\/p>\n

Signs of diabetes<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Some of the diabetes symptoms could include:<\/p>\n