The Carlyle District Lions Club held a diabetes awareness presentation at the Senior Citizens Happy Gang building on Tuesday, May 21.
The presentation was headed by Laura Wood and members of staff at the Carlyle Medical Clinic, Laura Thompson and Francis Boutin. They informed the club members of the different types of diabetes and how to identify the symptoms. The presenters used illustrations to breakdown exactly how the body becomes deficient when one has diabetes. The disease is characterized by an individual having high blood sugar levels due to the lack of sufficient insulin production by the pancreas or cells not responding to insulin that's produced.
Laura Thompson highlighted one the misconceptions that many people have about diabetes and clarified the common misunderstanding.
"A lot of people think that if you eat too much sugar you're going to get diabetes but it's the total amount of carbohydrates you have at one time that has the most effect on your blood sugar," she said.
She gave tips on how to manage blood sugar levels and said that when planning a meal it is important to include three to four food groups in each sitting. She explained that it allows for a balanced meal and gives the body the required nutrients that's needed.
There are three main types of diabetes, type 1 which is associated with the body's failure to produce insulin and type 2 which is identified by the cells failure to use insulin. Thirdly, there is gestational diabetes, which is developed when a pregnant woman experiences high blood sugar levels in ways similar to type 2.
The presenters explained the importance of spacing carbohydrate foods evenly throughout the day and eating on time. She explained that going hours without eating to the point of hunger and then consuming a large quantity of food to substantiate that hunger causes the pancreas to work extra hard. This she said can tax the organ over time causing it to wear out faster.
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada over 200,000 Canadians were diagnosed with diabetes for the first time in 2008/09. The highest number of cases were found in people over the age of 40 highlighting the presentation's relevance with the Lions Club. Across the country, according to the Public Health Agency's 2008/09 report, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Ontario had the highest prevalence of diagnosed diabetes. While Nunavut, Alberta, and Quebec ranked lowest making Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Yukon tied for fourth lowest.
President of the Carlyle District Lions Club Larry Brady said the presentation was very good and that the presenters did a very good job and indicated that the topic resonates with many of the club's members. " . . . The people who were there really enjoyed it and myself included," Brady said. "Diabetes is getting younger but it is still in the older generation so to speak. I think it really opened our eyes on dieting and exercise, more or less health and really help if you are diabetic in that age group it was pretty informative."
The presenters stressed the importance of physical activity saying exercise along with proper diet helps balance and maintain blood sugar levels. After the presentation Lion's Club members were treated to pamphlets and glucose readers. The nurses from the medical centre also checked blood pressure and sugar levels of those in attendance offering advice specific to each individual's need. They urged those in attendance to make an appointment at the medical centre if they require more personal treatment or information about diabetes.
