November 15, 2001

Prairie Fare: November is American Diabetes Month

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

When people turn 30, 40 or 50, the momentous occasion is often marked with black balloons and some amount of teasing. The interim years are not as big a deal.

The mid-forties, however, are a pivotal time for checking for diabetes. Are you 45 or older? The latest recommendations state that people 45 or older should have their blood glucose level checked every three years to detect any abnormalities that could indicate the onset of diabetes.

If you’re younger than 45, keep in mind the other risk factors for diabetes besides age. If you are Native American, Asian, Hispanic or African American, you are more likely to get diabetes. If your mother, father, sister or brother has diabetes, you are at higher risk.

If your blood pressure is at or above 140/90 or your triglycerides are greater than 250, you may have increased risk of developing diabetes. Being overweight also increases risk of certain types of diabetes. Women who’ve delivered a baby weighing more than 9 pounds or those who have had diabetes during a pregnancy also are more likely to develop diabetes. People at higher risk should get tested when they’re younger.

Most people know someone with diabetes. About 15.7 million people in the United States have diabetes, and one-third of those don’t know they have it.

Diabetes is a chronic disease where the body either doesn’t make insulin or doesn’t use insulin effectively. Insulin is a hormone that tells the body’s cells to take in blood sugar. The cells then use sugar (as glucose) for energy. Without insulin, glucose can build up in the blood stream and damage tissues throughout the body. If uncontrolled, diabetes can lead to blindness, heart attack, strokes, kidney failure and amputations.

There are three types of diabetes. Gestational diabetes is associated with up to 5 percent of pregnancies, most often appearing between weeks 24 and 32. It sometimes goes away after the baby is born. While many cases can be controlled by diet and exercise, sometimes insulin is required to maintain normal blood glucose levels.

Type 1 diabetes commonly occurs in children or young adults and usually is treated with insulin and a special diet. About 90 percent of diabetics have Type 2 diabetes, which commonly occurs in adults. Recently, however, more children are showing symptoms of Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes often is managed by diet, exercise and oral medication but sometimes insulin injections are needed.

Some of the most common warning signs of diabetes include frequent urination, unusual thirst, extreme hunger, unexpected weight loss, feeling tired or irritable, having cuts or bruises that heal slowly, blurred vision and tingling or numbness in the hands and toes.

There are many new developments in the treatment of diabetes. At the forefront of diabetes management is proper diet, exercise and monitoring of blood glucose levels. A major study by the National Institute of Diabetes and the Digestive and Kidney Diseases showed that keeping blood sugars close to normal can reduce the chances of developing complications of diabetes.

If you have any symptoms, it is very important to visit your doctor. Learn more about managing diabetes by visiting with a registered dietitian or diabetes educator. For more information about diabetes, visit the American Diabetes Association web site www.diabetes.org 

Here’s a recipe from a cookbook, "Forbidden Foods Diabetic Cooking," which features "everything you want to eat but didn’t think you could." It was published in 2000 by the American Diabetes Association. With the holiday season approaching, here’s a popular appetizer that has been modified to be lower in fat and calories.

Hot Artichoke Dip

1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons lite mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
pinch paprika
2 tablespoons minced onion
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the cheese and set aside. In a food processor or blender, combine the artichokes, the remaining cheese, the mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice and paprika; pulse until smooth. Stir in the onion and season with salt and pepper. Spread the mixture into a small (2-cup) shallow baking dish and sprinkle with the reserved cheese. Bake until lightly browned and warmed through, about 10-15 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 6 servings, 1/4 cup each. One serving contains 112 calories, 8 grams fat, 385 milligrams sodium, and 5 grams carbohydrate. In diabetic exchanges, each serving equals 1 lean meat, 1 vegetable and 1 fat.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu