Diabetes is a growing epidemic among Black Americans, but are you aware of some of the disparities that exist? For one, Black Americans are 60 percent more likely to develop diabetes compared to whites. Furthermore, we have a greater risk of suffering from serious complications, including limb amputation, kidney disease, and blindness, than other races of people who are living with diabetes.
So, how do Black men fit into the equation? Well, it’s no secret that Black men (let’s be honest: men of all races) are notorious for not going to the doctor and brushing off seemingly harmless symptoms, such as extreme thirst and slow-healing cuts and bruises, which can be symptoms of diabetes.
“When compared to the general population, Black men have a higher incidence of chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure and diabetes,” said Dr. Bola Oyeyipo, a family physician in San Antonio, Texas, and co-founder of Healthgist.com. “They also have a high incidence of colorectal cancer and prostate cancer. Regular health screenings are important.”
In short, the earlier diabetes is detected and treated, the lower one’s risk of developing serious complications becomes. Here are a few ways to live healthier with the disease that affects nearly five million African Americans, according to the journal Clinical Diabetes.
Does your boss love bringing in doughnuts every Thursday? Can’t resist the temptation to bite into the sweet treats sitting on the counter all day long? Then go ahead and grab that doughnut, cupcake, piece of apple pie, whatever, but there’s the deal: Split it with a coworker at the office. The same concept applies to holiday get-togethers with the family and your very own kitchen pantry. Also, when you’re craving something sweet, reach for fruit or yogurt instead.
“The food we eat is eventually broken down into glucose,” Dr. Oyeyipo explains. “Refined sweets like cake and doughnuts are only one step away from being broken down into glucose, so a diet high in refined carbohydrates or sweets raises the blood-glucose level quickly.”
RELATED: The Tiny Habit That Could Help Black Diabetics Fight Back
Everyone’s extremely busy these days, but there are all sorts of ways to sneak in exercise throughout the day, from taking the stairs instead of the elevator to setting aside 10-15 minutes of your lunch break to go for a quick power-walk outside. No more excuses!
“Regular exercise helps the body use up the excess glucose in the bloodstream, thereby keeping the glucose level within normal limits,” Dr. Oyeyipo says. “The excess glucose would otherwise be stored in the liver and fat cells under the skin.”
Do whatever it takes to trick yourself into drinking more water, even if it means adding a couple of lemon or lime wedges or purchasing a fun water bottle. Another tip? Carry your water bottle with you everywhere so you won’t be tempted to grab a soda or juice when those cravings kick in midday. Better yet, open your refrigerator and get rid of every sugary drink in sight. You’ll thank yourself in the long run.
“[When] poorly controlled diabetics could experience severe thirst and cotton mouth from the high concentration of glucose in their bloodstream,” Dr. Oyeyipo says. “Increasing intake of water can help with urinary excretion of the excess sugar.”
In addition to maintaining a healthy, well-balanced diet and exercising regularly, it’s important to keep track of your hemoglobin A1c, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Why?
“Diabetes affects the blood vessels and increases inflammation and plaque formation in the arteries so much so that we place diabetics in the same risk category as people who have suffered one heart attack,” Dr. Oyeyipo explains. “The best way to combat the increased cardiovascular risk in diabetes is strict control of the hemoglobin A1c, the blood pressure and the cholesterol levels.”
She adds, “Good blood pressure readings in non-diabetics are less than 140/90mmhg. For diabetics, we want the blood pressure to be <130/80mmhg. Good glycemic control in diabetics is an HbA1c of less than seven. Good total cholesterol control in diabetics would be less than 200mg/dl and LDL (bad cholesterol) should be less than 100mg/dl.”
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