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The Cost of Diabetes In The United States
Jul 10, 2008 
Stuart A. Seale, M.D., board-certified family physician and co-author of The 30-Day Diabetes Miracle, has helped thousands of patients over the past quarter century. He serves as the medical director for Ardmore Institute of Health, and is the medical director, physician, and educator for Lifestyle Center of America’s Stopping Diabetes ProgramTM in Sedona, Arizona. He conducts an advanced wellness and healthy lifestyle workshop called The Well ExperienceTM, and also maintains a private, mobile medical practice, Room Calls Sedona. Dr. Seale has also received the 3-year AMA Physician Recognition Award eight times, most recently in 2007.
In the middle of July, AD 64, Rome caught on fire. For five days the blaze raged, destroying 14 Roman districts and severely damaging seven. It is a common saying that Emperor Nero played his lyre, or “fiddled,” while the city was being destroyed around him. Whether the story is based on fact, or is meant as an analogy in reference to Nero’s poor leadership in general, is debatable. The question I want you to ask yourself is this – when it comes to pre-diabetes and diabetes, are you a Nero? Are you fiddling while your world is literally burning down around you?
On June 24, 2008, the Centers for Disease Control released updated statistics related to diabetes and pre-diabetes. In the two years since the last set of statistics was released, diabetes has increased by 3 million people – there are now nearly 24 million Americans with diabetes. This represents 8 percent of our population. There are another 57 million with “pre-diabetes”, a somewhat friendly and reassuring term given to a condition that is really the same as diabetes, but is just at an earlier (and more easily reversed) stage. Unfortunately, complications such as retinopathy (eye damage), nephropathy (kidney disease), and neuropathy (nerve damage) begin during pre-diabetes, so reassurance is not in order when this diagnosis is given.
It has been determined by the American Diabetes Association that in 2007 the cost of diabetes in the U.S. totaled $174 billion. Diabetes contributes to at least 250,000 American deaths each year. It is the leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, and non-traumatic amputations of the lower extremities. Those with diabetes are at double the risk for suffering a heart attack, two to four times the risk for having a stroke, and they die up to 17 years younger than their non-diabetic counterparts. To put these numbers in perspective, consider that the 2007 Iraq war budget was $110 billion, and that in the entire 5-year history of the Iraq war there have been 29,000 Americans wounded and 4,114 killed. In that same 5-year time frame, more than a million Americans have died directly as a result of diabetes. If this comparison doesn’t make one’s head spin concerning the severity of the problem confronting America in the form of diabetes, then consider the fact that during the lifetime of the children born in the year 2000, diabetes prevalence will increase from the current 8 percent to over 35 percent of the population being affected. Just as sure as Rome literally burned in 64 A.D., America will figuratively burn, and diabetes will be the lighted match that starts the fire.
It appears that American society collectively, and most of those with diabetes and pre-diabetes individually, are willing to be like Nero, and literally “fiddle” while their world burns down around them. There seems to be no sense of urgency, even for those caught up in the relentless progression of this disease, to do much about diabetes. Taking insulin or other medications alone only masks the symptoms, and does nothing to treat the underlying cause, or to stop and reverse diabetes. Watching Nero fiddle is especially difficult when you consider that type 2 diabetes (which comprises 90 to 95 percent of all diabetes) in most cases can be completely reversed with very simple changes in lifestyle behavior. In other words, stop fiddling and start doing something different! There is no magic pill. You need to take action yourself. When you do, diabetes will be under your control.
So how can you put down your fiddle and stop being a diabetes Nero? Eat more vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, and nuts in moderation. Dramatically reduce, or eliminate completely, your intake of meat, poultry, dairy, eggs, white flour products, and sugar in all of its forms. Eat a large breakfast, a moderate lunch, and little or no supper. Take a 10-minute very slow stroll immediately after each meal, and 2 hours later take a very brisk 20-minute walk.
Your world does not need to perish in the flames of diabetes. Take ownership. Start making simple changes today and begin to quench the fire!
Dr. Seale and the Lifestyle Center of America are now holding a contest for one person to go through the diabetes boot camp free of charge. You can visit http://www.diabetesmiracle.org and click on “Take the Challenge” to learn more.
The Lifestyle Center of America is offering one winner:
· All-expenses paid travel to one of LCA’s campuses this fall
· A 12-day residential stay to kick-start the new diet and lifestyle
· Continued long-distance health coaching for the entire year
· A digital video camera which will be used to chronicle the journey
Further Reading:
The Real Cure For Type 2 Diabetes
Pancreatic Cancer Will Cause Diabetes
At Basil & Spice
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