I suffer from diabetes so I have followed medical progress and treatment opportunities closely. There is always a fear of blindness with this condition so it is really encouraging to find the Government is introducing retinopathy screening to all potentially vulnerable groups nationwide whose eyesight is threatened. But we have to find new ways of getting this information to diabetes sufferers everywhere. I believe the Lords of the Blog offers a new way of communicating with the people.
Early intervention to prevent blindness – a regular complication of diabetes for all Britain’s 1-2 million diabetics- is essential. The British Government is the first in the world to introduce annual check-ups for potential sufferers.
Health Minister Baroness Glenys Thornton’s reply to my question in the Lords was well received by all parts of the House. There was praise for the NHS personnel who had instigated this powerful new tool in defeating one debilitating complication from type 1 and type 2 diabetics. You can read the full exchange here:
My Noble Lord I find Baroness Thorntons reply to yourself a little disturbing. The reason I find it disturbing is at end 2007 the Department for Health stated this :
“The number of people with diabetes who were offered screening in 2007 (1.67 million) exceeds the number of people with diagnosed diabetes when the target was set. (There were 1.3 million people with diagnosed diabetes when the target was set in 2003. By December 2007, this figure had increased to 2.06 million).”
http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_083899.pdf
The figure the Noble Baroness quoted for diabetes sufferers being offered screening now is 2.5 million, the increase is phenominal and worrying. My own daughter is a type 1 sufferer.
For those requiring more information about screening a leaflet is available here:
http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/public_health_diabetic_retinopathy
My Lord as well as the vast increase in type 2 diabetes in older people, possibly due to obesity there has been a substantial increase in type 1 in young children. It is worrying that our schools do not seem to cope with children who have the condition very well.
“Diabetes UK has found that schools could be putting the health of up to 84% (an estimated 6,500 children) of 5 – 11 year olds with diabetes at risk.”
http://www.childrenwithdiabetesuk.org/2010/02/16/all-children-with-diabetes-matter/
I didn’t know that diabetes could cause blindness. Intresting, terrible, but intresting. I was watching a TED talk the other day about blindness in India, and whats been done about it.
“The British Government is the first in the world to introduce annual check-ups for potential sufferers.”
That too is also a good thing, its such a pity that when the government performs its functions well its regarded as too mundane.
Dia- too much Besis- sugar
Cure: Cut it out!
“I didn’t know that diabetes could cause blindness.”
Or your teeth to drop out, and then cancer of the mouth and jaw.
In old age an exponential increase in the likelihood of sever circulatory problems.
One wonders what life was like BEFORE sugar was used on the grand scale that it is in nearly all processed consumer foods today.
I have met so many people saying they suffer from diabetes, cheerfully eating sugar products, or adding sugar to their food, that I am thoroughly cynical of the definitions provided, or their claims.
I kept bees successfully for some years and the number of bee keepers who are attracted to the profession/trade by the lure of sugar is surprisingly high; the number of diabetics
amongst them not surprising at all; there are many.
My interest was in the properties of wax and propolis, the hive glue both used extensively in medicine.
I sympathize with those people who suffer from organ failure and have to take regular insulin to keep themselves alive.
Troika, not only blindness but amputations as blood flow is impaired and of course heart attacks, kidney disease and strokes.
Free eye-tests are available widely, as a loss leader at many outlets but do they offer the same level of detection of eye problems?
“There were 1.3 million people with diagnosed diabetes when the target was set in 2003. By December 2007, this figure had increased to 2.06 million”
I can see the point of calling the excessive use of sugar in the diet as Dia-betes, giving it a Latin name to impress upon people the importance of reducing sugar intake.
The problem with giving it medical credence, rather than life style good sense, is that there are then people who start important campaigns and charities to
“do something about it”
without so much as reducing their own intake!
Having 2million people going round saying they have got diabetes and continuing to drink soft drinks is really one of the dumbing down processes at which the NHS is so expert.
The whole nation is sick! Isn’t the NHS wonderful in
“doing something about it”.
Then somebody comes along with the artful dodge of “blood sugars”.
I do worry that so many offer opinion without doing such basic research as reading the other responses first!.
A gentleman said early in the comments that his child has type 1 , my child also has type 1 and the general belief in the population that Sugar is the root cause of all things diabetic is ignorance that has been compounded by numerous health campaigns that scream ”stop eating or you will develop diabetes and die”
An estimated 24.000 children have type one an auto immune disease that leaves victims dependent on 4-6 daily injections and blood tests for life, when my child was diagnosed 9 yrs ago it was under 20.000 that is a lot of children, a big increase , and damn all to do with sugar! These children despite the efforts of parents in getting the diabetes uk campaign in Autumn ’08 that had shadowy ghostly victims of ‘diabetes ‘ on every billboard and tv screen changed to make clear they were talking about type 2, only to find the new year ’09 kick of with the government ‘change4life’ campaign aimed at children and saying that if they didnt get fit they would develop diabetes another campaign got that changed but the damage is done.
Stop and think for a minute, children are not daft, they know parents protect them from hurt so when they see all the ads and get taunted in the playground it stands to reason that they are not only going to hurt emotionally they are going to have a fear nibbling away inside that maybe the parents are ‘just saying that everything is ok they dont have that type of diabetes’. Nobody , and certainly not said commenter’s has the right to air prejudiced views that cause so much harm .
When my daughter was diagnosed age 3 I was told that I could expect complications to set in in 15 – 20 yrs Now with diligence, patience care and love we know the chances are much better that they will remain complication free for longer than that but life isnt just about physical health it is about emotional health too so pack your prejudices away. Many type 2’s are not overweight sugar eating people and new research suggests that there is more to type 2 than was thought.
Yes eye testing is good, yes support in schools would be fantastic, yes insulin dependent type 1’s having pumps would see great health benefits but none of the above equal the value of being supported and nurtured in communities that accept people for who they are without prejudice.
I am genuinely shocked at the complete ignorance of Gareth Howell regarding the causes and treatment of diabetes. Mr Howell, if you are going to comment, at least research some basic facts. Diabetes is not caused by eating too much sugar. ALL carbohydrate is converted to glucose in the blood during digestion. Type 2 diabetes is due largely to a resistance in the body to the insulin produced by the pancreas. If just eating badly and being overweight was the cause of diabetes, many millions more would have developed it. Note that thin people can also develop Type 2 diabetes – it is NOT due to obesity.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, where the body’s own immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas until none or very few remain. I developed it at the age of 49, a week before I was due to run a marathon, so don’t try to blame it on sugar consumption.
Further, it is possible for people on insulin to eat products containing sugar, in moderation and following certain guidelines.
I would not wish diabetes on anyone, least of all you since it appears you would be completely incapable of grasping the understanding required to manage it.
Well said Alan.
“shocked at the complete ignorance of Gareth Howell regarding the causes and treatment of diabetes. Mr Howell, if you are going to comment, at least research some basic facts.
“Diabetes is not caused by eating too much suga”
Of course.
“too much sugar is not caused by eating too much sugar”
is a highly intelligent remark to make, and I am quite sure that Lords of the Blog are grateful for the knowledge.
The story of my eldest, 32, and type 1 is slightly different from that of Elaine and possibly results in different experiences.
She was 15 and heavily pregnant when diagnosed, having dropped unconscious just after I bought her Chocolate Mousse( Part of the self blame parent thing that I remember).
Prejudice is generally caused by fear and whilst I have not witnessed direct prejudice by people there maybe evidence of systematic prejudice such as driving, insurance etc.
People do fear but generally for the health of the diabetic, it does make people uneasy around them mostly due to the fact they feel they wouldn`t know how to help. In my daughters case the fear helps in my opinion, she suffers panic attacks possibly due to the disease and it`s onset. The fear in others mean that when something does happen, a panic attack or other, people will call me immediately which will result in me attending and confirming with medical response whether it is panic attack or not.
As far as sugary food goes, this seem`s to cause less problems than alcohol or a simple cold whose effects are far worse on sugar levels. We`veseen over the years a number of specialist chocolate and sweets bought out for diabetics but all the clinics I`ve attended with my daughter say avoid them and eat normal chocolate as the effects of some of these are far worse for the diabetic.The sugar replacements in the products causing stomach upsets resulting in inability to retain food long enough.
Sugar is not the cause of diabetes, the inability of your body to produce enough insulin to deal with it is. What causes that is unknown but sugary drinks,chocolate and sweets are not the cause, they don`t help but neither does over consumption of anything.
My Mother was diabetic, my brother and my daughter are, none of whom over consumed sugary food. Diabetis does run in families which seems to suggest a genetic link not one to Tate and Lyle.
I wish Elaines daughter along and healthy life and am thankful in this modern age that she is likely to enjoy such.
There is a strong history of Type 2 in my family and it is certainly not linked to obesity or unhealthy lifestyle for the majority I know with the condition. One or two could be considered overweight and have less than average active lifestyles, but more than a dozen are people with a healthy diet low in sugar and processed foods and more active than most. I have Type 2. I was diagnosed in my 30’s however I have lived over 30 years without diabetes. Everyone with Type 2 is grouped together in a misconception that they have brought this condition upon themselves.
My son has Type 1, which is very different in many aspects. We know Type 1 is an autoimmune condition and there is absolutely nothing that can be done to prevent it, however as awareness of diabetes does not normally differentiate between the two main types it is therefore also misunderstood by many, who hear messages of ‘change your diet and lifestyle to avoid diabetes.’ My son was diagnosed just after his 13th Birthday which is the average age of diagnosis for Type 1, however many children are diagnosed much younger. These children have to live their lives with diabetes 24/7. It is not an easy condition to manage; children feel different from their peers and struggle to have the same rights and opportunities as others the same age. Even school, which is taken for granted for many families can be a nightmare for a child with diabetes. Many parents have to go in to school to test their children and give injections as no one will volunteer to help. Some clinics keep children on mixed insulin to avoid the need for injections during the school day just so the child can attend school. In many cases this regime is not the best for the child as it is far more difficult to achieve good diabetes control on mixes increasing the likelihood of future severe diabetic complications. Children can miss out in school trips as no one will volunteer to help. Some parents have had no choice but to home school their children as they have not been safe at school.
Glucagon is an emergency injection, designed to be used by carers, parents etc, which would be given in the event of a severe hypo (low blood sugar) if someone became unresponsive or had a diabetic seizure. This injection is safe to use. The sooner this injection is given the less likely the chances are of suffering brain damage and possible death, yet many schools are not receptive to having it available at school in case of emergency. All any parent wants is to be able to send their child to school knowing they are being well cared for and are safe. Some schools can get it right, but many can’t.
The unavoidable highs and lows have many symptoms and can affect memory & concentration, they can make you feel generally unwell making it more difficult to learn and perform at their best. Everyone with diabetes has many challenges to overcome and have to work hard every day at managing their condition and life in general.
The shocking fact is that the UK is far behind the rest of the developed world in regard to treatment. The best treatment available is pump therapy and by investing in pumps now gives people with diabetes the best tool available to manage their condition as well as possible, reducing the risk of future complications, allowing them to live a longer and healthier life. But it’s a postcode lottery to get a pump on the NHS in the UK. You are also in a postcode lottery for eye checks, foot care, psychological support and diabetes education. Until each of these important issues are addressed and available for all, as a country we are failing children, young people and adults with diabetes. There needs to be government policy for schools to provide the required care and support for children to safely attend school. There is a lot more I could say on this subject; however I hope I have demonstrated some of the problems faced by people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and the need for change in the UK to ensure everyone with diabetes can have the best possible quality of life throughout the country.
“sugary food goes, this seem`s to cause less problems than alcohol o”
There is usually a very high sugar content in Beer. That is what accounts for beer bellies in people who think they do not eat too much, but drink plenty of alcohol!
It works out at about 1000kj per pint…. ALL sugar.
I`m not a medic so I don`t pretend to know all but alcohol appears to affect diabetics very differently to having sugar. If you give a Mars bar to a diabetic sugar levels go very high reasonably quickly, this is not alway`s the case with alcohol. Alcohol appears to also increase very low levels of sugar the next day or totally messing, in that levels may alternate.
Perhaps Baroness Murphy could elucidate ?
In fact the words “diabetes mellitus” may mean “double the sugar and honey” from the greek,
BUT on further inspection the word is translated as the “siphon” and was coined on account of the measurement of urine in people who suffered from the complaint.
That is one way of knowing for certain that somebody has been eating too much sugar….. or honey!
You can’t stand around and wait to watch what they eat all day long, but you can certainly ask them to hold their urine, and measure minute quantities of it as well!
Doctor heal thyself! Too much sugar!
“Diabetes was given its name by the Greek Physician Aretaeus (30-90CE). He recorded a disease with symptoms such as constant thirst (polydipsia), excessive urination (polyuria) and loss of weight. He named the condition ‘diabetes’, meaning ‘a flowing through.’ Later, Galen (131-201CE) noted the rarity of this condition and theorised that it was an affliction of the kidneys. ”
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-history.html
“Diabetes was given its name by the Greek Physician Aretaeus (30-90CE). He recorded a disease with symptoms such as constant thirst (polydipsia), excessive urination (polyuria) and loss of weight. He named the condition ‘diabetes’, meaning ‘a flowing through.’ Later, Galen (131-201CE) noted the rarity of this condition and theorised that it was an affliction of the kidneys.”
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-history.html
The huge problem with mass production of foodstuffs and prepared food, what we used to call “shop food” before the supermarkets came along, the huge problem is that it also creates a mass consumer market in disease of which Alan Westwood is evidently an ardent supporter.
Naturally I have every sympathy for anybody who suffers from pancreatic failure, but not to know the cause of the disease, or the real value of the foods one eats is really also itself a very ignorant stance!
I am anti-consumerist, about to plant a crop of Mustard for fresh leaf food in a few weeks time! Hot and tasty! Anti-capitalist too! It’ll save me some cash at the shops!
and exactly what type of diabetes are you talking about gareth? Bet ya dont even have a clue do ya??
you do realize that all carbohydrate is broken down into glucose in the body and also that chocolate has a lower glyceamic index than potato…. Just an idea for your peanut brain to digest mate!
Oh Dear Oh Dear, I’m going to come over all doctorish here, I never read such a load of old tosh as some of the comments here by Gareth Howell. Reminds me I was on the top deck of a double-decker bus in Holborn once, near Moorfields Eye Hospital in the days when they had a branch there and one old lady sat down in front of me and said to her companion “The doctor said I had sugar in my eyes, which is funny as I never even put it in my tea”.
Diabetes isn’t caused through eating sugar of course. Those commenters with experience have said enlightening things but can I urge you to go to http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Introduction-to-diabetes/What_is_diabetes/ This will give you it straight. There is an association between chilhood obesity and the development of type 2 diabetes (the type that normally develops in later life) but most type 1 diabetic children are not obese. And Gareth you can eat all that healthy mustard leaf but if you’ve got the wrong genes it won’t save you….
Well look on it as a golden opportunity to spread good information.
Lord Harrison of Chester’s poster was a reminder that I really must book an eye test that I keep putting off.
Welcome to the Blog!
Should we thank Gareth Howell for giving us an example of BAD blogging, on a site noted for good blogging? Like the rest of us he is perfectly entitled to air personal views even at the risk of appearing foolish to his peers.
So what is good quality blogging? Good literacy skills are helpful as are politeness in the face of disagreement. More importantly, if one is going to make an assertion then its best to back up what you say by a referencing link to a reputable site that reinforces it.
Bad blogging can be both offensive and malicious. An example of this is what is currently happening to both President Sarkozy and his wife in the media. The culprit is being associated with Twitter, a medium that only allows about 140 characters per tweet and hardly enough room for a long verifying URL.
As far as my own blogging is concerned, I am and always have been, aware of the adage ‘Trust but Verify’ something all too familiar to diplomacy.
This I believe is a problem for Parliament at the moment. At a time before the internet we had to take on trust what was said to us and only scholars or those in the know were in a position to verify. Of course now that search engines are here, verification is much easier. On this basis the quality of politics has to improve if it is to meet people’s expectations and restore their faith in Parliament.
As far as diabetes is concerned and in total ignorance of the subject I mentored a family member that was studying for their 998 on the subject; I went from zero to hero as they successfully passed the exam allowing them to teach the subject.
There are many good sources of information on diabetes available on the internet:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=diabetes
Being one of them; science is not quite sure what triggers diabetes but my own view is that onset is triggered by a yet unidentified viral infection in a genome under stress.