As the seventh leading cause of death in America in 2014, with a consistent pattern of it remaining in that spot for the preceding years as well (Center for Disease Control), Diabetes is a preventable medical illness that is devastating America because of our own actions; or to be more honest, our lack of action.
Diabetes presents itself in two forms: Type I and Type II. Without going into the medical details, these two types are similar, but all too different. Type I Diabetes can be simplified as being organic in nature, or rooted biologically. However, Type II Diabetes can be remembered as being "man-made," or out of our own volition.
This series, America: Over-Prescribed, focuses on the medical conditions that we treat with prescriptions drugs; thus creating a dependency which could be all but eliminated by behavior, lifestyle, and habit changes. Not to overlook the seriousness of Type I Diabetes, it is imperative that we focus our discussion to Type II, the preventable killer.
Type II Diabetes accounts for nearly 95% of the diabetes diagnoses in America! Ninety-five percent of these cases, which amounted to 29.1 million in 2014 according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), could have likely been avoided in the first place! Even the ADA simplifies how easy it is to prevent this killing machine: Physical Activity and Nutrition!!!
Preventing diabetes and treating diabetes are two separate monsters. Whether you can reverse diabetes once you have contracted it is a sought-after finding in the medical world. However, there is no doubt that behavior and lifestyle changes have a direct impact on your susceptibility to prediabetes and eventually diabetes.
Taking a quick glance of the risk factors for Type II Diabetes reveals to us that our physical activity and nutritional behaviors are direct indicators to our vulnerability to this disease. Let's take a quick look:
- Weight: Over 1/3 of Americans are clinically obese. Overweight and obese American's account for nearly 90% of diabetic diagnoses. (obesity.org)
- Exercise: Beside exercise combating excess weight gain and obesity, exercise also promotes your body to be more efficient in its natural function, using glucose for energy production.
- Diet: Again, diet and nutrition are fundamentals of preventing and combating obesity.
Despite the tendency to dread physical fitness and exercise, when obesity and poor health are predictors of the seventh leading killer in America, it is time to pay attention and take some serious notes. It is us, as a society, that are ignoring the facts and taking unnecessary risks with deadly consequences.
Even the ADA's website is a source of validation that our behaviors and habits are to blame. Perusing their website, you will find, under "Lower Yours Risk," that these informational pages are available:
1. "Healthy Eating"
2. "Overweight"
3. "Smoking"
4. "High Blood Pressure"
5. "Physical Activity"
Please, feel free to take a quick look and use the next few moments to click on the links above to learn more about lowering your risk.
At this point, if physical activity has not climbed up your priority scale, let us hit it where it really hurts: The POCKETBOOK!
From a research study released by the American Diabetes Association in 2013, the total cost of Diabetes in the United States was $245 Billion... yes, with a "B." Of that, $176 billion was direct medical expenses. Breaking the number down a bit, here are some staggering figures:
- Hospital impatient care consisted of 43% of the medical costs (Total Value: $75.68 Billion)
- Prescription medications to treat diabetes consisted of 18% of the medical costs (Total Value: $31.68 Billion)
$31.68 Billion for prescriptions to treat a disease that we could have avoided with better health and physical activity habits. Instead of pushing paper to prescribe medications, it is time we push paper to prescribe exercise. It is time we become proactive at combating this illness and no longer kick the can down the road.
Recommend physical activity and encourage decreasing medication reliance.
Give our people the support, guidance, and knowledge to free themselves from the pill (or needle in this case).
No longer endorse overpriced pharmaceuticals, but endorse movement... endorse the "magic pill," which, while fighting obesity and diabetes, also decreases other diseases and illnesses and increases mood and productivity.
Let our natural "pill" lift our heads in confidence; We should be tired of them drooping in dependency.
This is Article 3 of the series. In this series, we will continue to discuss common ailments that are often medically treated or maintained with medication. Those that, if physical movement and activity, or exercise, were prescribed, would provide a natural remedy to eradicate the problem in its entirety. We will take the time to discuss medication versus physical exercise as the alternatives for a remedy.
And remember, inn the competition of responsibilities in life, we tend to forget about what is most important to our health... us. In a world of confusion and chaos, it can be a lonely journey to optimize your health journey. We can do it together and persevere.
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