Diabetes prevention demands strict diet, exercise and self-control
By TIFFANI HAYNES
May 7, 2008
Every morning Janice Haynes wakes up, says her prayers and pokes herself until she bleeds.
She has diabetes and the only way she survives this life-altering disease is by diet, exercise and checking her blood sugar level a couple of times a day, a painful task that saves her life.
After recording her blood sugar level, Haynes turns on the news, starts her coffee and continues her day. The 48-year-old mother of two has been dealing with type II diabetes for six years and she hasn’t let it stop her from accomplishing everything she’s set out to do.
According to the American Diabetes Association, type II diabetes is the most common form of the disease. “In type II diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use glucose for energy.”
Yet Haynes is a living testament that “type II diabetes is serious, but people with diabetes can live long, healthy, happy lives.”
Diabetes won’t keep her down, but for some it does. Diabetes, a disease more prevalent among African-Americans than any other race, requires strict diet, exercise and self-control.
Dr. J. Howard Shegog spoke
at
Shegog also outlined the ways to detect diabetes and control it.
While many cases are discovered through routine blood tests, Haynes’ was discovered after she inquired about it.
“I had been having some of the symptoms for a while,” said Haynes. “I was going to the bathroom a lot, I was thirsty all the time and my feet felt numb.”
It was after these odd symptoms that she took notice and decided to go to the doctor. Tests confirmed it, she had diabetes.
Her blood sugar levels were abnormal and she had presented all the signs of a diabetic.
If a blood sugar level of 126 or more is found on two occasions after overnight fasting, chances are diabetes is present. Yet the common disease has simple ways of controlling it. “Diabetes control involves self-control, diet and exercise,” Shegog said.
Many people aren’t willing to take the steps to control their disease. There are horror stories of the quality of life being diminished, limbs being removed and in extreme cases, death.
Haynes counts her blessings in God for being able to avoid all of that. “I’ve been lucky,” Haynes said. “God’s really been on my side.”
Haynes has two things on her side, God and her newfound discipline. Yet, one wasn’t always there. She reflects on her journey to becoming a healthier person who’s living with diabetes and not suffering from it.
“When I was first diagnosed I was really depressed because I didn’t want to be on insulin,” said Haynes. “But once I found out I had type II diabetes and that it could be controlled with pills, I was a lot more relieved.”
Haynes’ mother, Lenora Triggs, shared her anguish over the medical revelation though she revealed most of her distress came from the myths of diabetes.
“I was afraid for her,” said Triggs. “Back in my day, diabetes used to mean that you could lose a leg or something. I was terrified.”
Yet Haynes and Triggs decided not to be paralyzed by their fears but to understand the disease. Mother and daughter went to a seminar at St. Mary’s Hospital about functioning with diabetes.
“After I was diagnosed my doctor suggested the class to me,” said Haynes. “It was filled with people learning to take control of the disease.”
The seminar dealt with the ways to control diabetes, good and bad numbers, diet control and exercise. Instructors also included menus with diabetes-appropriate foods that the class sampled.
Yet after attending the class, Haynes still wasn’t convinced she needed to change her lifestyle. “I didn’t start exercising until February of 2005. Once I realized that watching my food intake wasn’t going to work alone,” said Haynes. “I thought I could maintain it with only diet and it just didn’t work.”
She decided to take action and joined her friend, Ruth Naves, to start working out together. “Ruth committed to walking three to four times a week with me. She said she would help me and she did,” said Haynes.
“She called me every morning to make sure I was going.”
Haynes and Naves started regularly working out and haven’t stopped since. During their beginning months they walked every day, usually six to seven miles each time, worked out to the “Slim in 6” DVD they both owned and eventually joined the YMCA in early 2006.
Both women, who work for DTE Energy, received a company discount to the fitness center. “We wanted to join the YMCA because we wanted to try something different,” Haynes said.
They worked out together before work five to six days a week on cardio and muscle toning exercises.
Haynes took her newfound
love for exercise and shared it with others. She started a workout group
at her church,
Though Haynes lost over 30 pounds in eight or nine months for her the weight loss and healthy way of life has meant more than slimming down into the size 12 pants she can now wear. To her it meant a healthier way of living.
“Exercising and eating healthier has changed my whole outlook on life,” said Haynes. “I feel healthier physically, emotionally and spiritually. I just feel better.”
Haynes is a junior at