The information in this piece, was taken from an article which appeared in the Albuquerque Journal (July, 2006), and was written by Lisa Roberts of the Orlando Sentinel. The article talks about the dangers of diabetes and what can be done to treat and prevent it. The newspaper article here has been quoted...I have paraphrased certain parts, and I have added my own two cents, etc.

* * * One of the questions I always ask my doctor, when I go in to see the results of a physical examination every year...is if there is anything seriously wrong with the physical like cancer; diabetes or another life-threatening disease! I can wait for all that other stuff in the medical report. When he says, "no, everything is fine," I'm relieved, to say the least!

In the past, I have known two people who have died from diabetes. My Aunt Molly and the man who lived next door to my parents. Both of them met a similar fate...as they both became blind; both had a leg amputated, and both were in their early 50's when they passed away. (much too young!)

Before I got laid off from one of my jobs, I worked side by side with a fellow for over six years. He was overweight, and apparently didn't take enough care of the problem. One day, he went to the doctor for a check-up and he got the bad news...he had diabetes! I noticed the change of attitude right away. He became withdrawn; reserved; distant and he told me depression was beginning to set in. Because I like to be around people with a good sense of humor, I noticed that his sense of humor had changed as well...for the worse! (I can't blame him for that)

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* Article: "If you don't know someone with diabetes, there's a good chance you will someday. A recent study found the occurrence of Type 2 diabetes has doubled over the last 30 years. Another estimated that a third of U.S. adults...more than 73 million...suffer diabetes or may be developing it. Simply put, it's an epidemic, and it's driven by sedentary lifestyle and obesity, the up swing of which closely parallels the growth of the disease, says Dr. Kimberley Bourne, a Orlando Fla., endocrinologist who treats diabetics."

* My two cents: In my article, "How I Lost 40 Pounds," the thought of getting diabetes was one of my main concerns and motivators, as I, fear getting any life-threatening disease! And, because diabetes affects mostly people who are overweight. I knew when I stepped off that scale in the doctor's office, that I was going to lose the 40 pounds, which was my goal. And, I didn't care how long it took...6 months...a year or longer! THE WEIGHT WAS GOING TO COME OFF!

* Article: "Diabetes is a disease in which the body doesn't produce properly, or ignores insulin. The hormone regulates the metabolism of blood glucose...sugar...which fuels our cells. When diabetes takes hold, glucose can build up in the body and coat blood vessels and nerves. Left untreated, the disease can cause an array of devastating maladies, including blindness; cardiovascular disease; and kidney failure. When glucose interrupts impulses and blood flow to extremities, diabetics sometimes are unaware of things such as cuts, scrapes, and blisters, which may become infected. In severe cases, an amputation might be necessary."

* My Two Cents: The exercise for me consists of walking and jogging 10-15 miles a week in 1986, and in the year 2006, I still do my walking and jogging every week. I really didn't know very much about diabetes, until I read a few articles, and after I did, I knew I would stay with it for the rest of my life, as I hope I well be able to do so.

* Article: "Though the exact cause of diabetes hasn't been determined, research has repeatedly pointed the finger at OBESITY as perhaps the greatest risk of all. As weight increases, the pancreas pumps out more and more insulin to handle increased blood sugar," says Dr. Bourne.

* My Two Cents: For me, exercise is so easy, and can be done almost any time or any place. For example; There are times when I watch a football game on television, and I don't necessarily like to watch the half-time activities. So, it's easy for me to go outside and run a mile or so, and then walk back to cool off. That takes about twenty minutes, and when I get back, it's time for the second half of the ballgame to start. I get to watch the ballgame and get a little exercise at the same time.

In 2005, I was hospitalized for over three months, and I would walk up and down the hallways everyday to try to get some sort of exercise. I did it so much during the three months, that I can tell you just how many floor tiles are in Ward 5B and Ward 5C! (Isn't this exciting?) I pushed my little walker (beep-beep)...and, putt-putted my way around the hospital to get my exercise. But, I wasn't the only "crazy" person walking up and down the halls! Several of the other veterans would walk up and down the halls as well, etc. So, getting exercise is easy, and can be done almost anywhere.

* Article: "Prevention and early treatment of diabetes are paramount goals, says Mark Williams, CEO of Community Health Centers Inc., which operates a network of Central Florida clinics and offers diabetes screening. 'As a community, diabetes is one of those diseases that screams 'treat me early' so we can avoid complications, because complications are so very expensive.'"

* My Two Cents: The walking and jogging I do, takes care of the lower body, and I've been "pumping aluminum," to take care of the upper body. When I went to the sports section of a department store looking for the location of the dumb bells, I asked the clerk where the dumb bells were...and he just looked at ME!

* Article: "At the Florida Hospital Diabetes Center in Orlando, diabetics are proving that eating well and working out can help control the disease. Gym members test their blood before and after their workouts, and the difference they see in their blood sugar after exercising motivates them to keep on the move, says Paul Frickman, the center's exercise coordinator. It's not unusual to see blood sugar tumble from, say 140 to the norman range, which is between 70 and 100. The benefit of a workout lasts from 24 to 72 hours. Another bonus: 'When you exercise, sugar goes into your body without the assistance of insulin,' he says, so a diabetic's reliance on drugs may lessen."

*My Two Cents: I've never done exercise on a treadmill. I've always liked to go outdoors and "smell the roses," watch the sun rise and set on the horizon, and watch the leaves turn color, etc. We're becoming a country of concrete and asphalt , so I like to get a little dirt and grass under my feet once in a while.

* Article: "Talar Glover, a clinical nurse specialist at the center, says today's super sized meal portions and fat-and-sugar laden foods, as well as a variety of social conditions, are helping to fuel the disease. Through many believe diabetes is about eating excess sugar, 'it's not about sugars...it's about carbohydrates. They turn into sugar,' she says. That's why diets should be based on a balance of meat, fruits, vegetables, dairy produces and whole grains."

PRESCRIPTION FOR DIABETES: DIET AND EXERCISE.

For over twenty years, exercising has been a way of life for me, and my health has been my top priority. I have to get out and get my "fix" every week! "Sweat therapy," has help me to sleep better; reduce the stress in my life; be more creative; clear the cob webs from my head; get more ideas; and solve problems, etc.

And, I'll keep doing what I've been doing over the past twenty years...that is...walking, jogging, and "pumping aluminum." But, as I grow older, I have to make some changes. I will now have to start "pumping aluminum foil," instead