Diabetes: Too Scared to Die, Too Hungry to Stop Eating

As an overweight man there has always been one word in the back of my mind. It haunts my past, it looms in my future, and it affects millions of people every year. That word is Diabetes. In High School I knew a few friends who were diabetic, but it never occurred to me that I could too someday face the world of Diabetes. To me it was just a disease you were born with, or inherited from your parents. Little did I know that my daily actions were actually pushing me onto the fast track for a diabetic diagnosis. So when you hear the word diabetes, what do you think of? Let take a look at what it really means to be diabetic.

Diabetes is a disease that causes your body not to produce enough insulin, as well as not effectively use the insulin your body does produce. So what exactly is insulin and why is it so important? Put simply, insulin is a necessary hormone that helps process and convert the things we eat into energy. Without that energy we no longer are able to function, and our bodies slowly shut down. Diabetes can also cause a host of other disorders and can even cause death if not treated.

So how does someone get Diabetes? Unlike the common cold or the flu virus, diabetes is not some sort of contagious disease that you can catch from another person or an animal. There is some debate on the exact cause of diabetes, but most believe its cause is a mixture of genetics and environmental factors. What exactly are the environmental factors associated with diabetes? Well, the largest environmental factor is diet and your level of fitness. This is why this disease has been a looming factor in my life for years now. Studies have shown that obesity is one of the number one causes of diabetes, so it's no wonder then that cases of diabetes in America have skyrocketed at an equal rate to obesity statistics.

Diabetes has far exceeded epidemic status. Currently in the United States there are an estimated 20.8 million children and adults living with Diabetes (American Diabetic Association). That's roughly about 7% of the population. Diabetes is prejudice to no race, religion, age, or social status. It can literally affect anyone, so it's important for all of us to take the necessary steps to help prevent its occurrence in our lives.

So how can you lower your chances of diabetes? What if you already have been diagnosed as diabetic or pre-diabetic, is there a cure? I actually was diagnosed a year and a half ago as pre-diabetic. Trust me it was a wake up call. I was so scared to die but too hungry to stop eating. Eventually, my fear overcame my hunger and I slowly worked my way into an exercising routine. Was it easy? No. Was it worth it? Yes. A year and a half later I am 70 pounds lighter. Not only am I no longer pre-diabetic, I also have dropped my cholesterol levels, my blood pressure, and I can shop for clothes in normal clothing stores. Diabetes is a scary word to face, but with the right diet and an active lifestyle, diabetes will stay at bay and the host of other benefits will truly help you live a much happier and healthier life.

For more information on Diabetes visit the American Diabetic Association website at http://www.diabetes.org