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| DIABETES & HYPERTENSION::: |
2/20/2009 |
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We introduce to you Diabetes & Hypertension Help Society(DHS), a nongovernmental and not for profit organization set up to prevent and manage diabetes & hypertension.
Our Mission:
Our mission is to fight diabetes and hypertension by every means that is available to us.
Mission Statement:
We work to manage and prevent diabetes & hypertension through our Awareness Education Programme (AEP) for promoting healthy living.
Our Objectives:
•To create awareness about diabetes & hypertension. •To offer free blood sugar and blood pressure checks. •To subsidize medication for those who suffer and cannot afford it.• To advise, counsel and refer to experts, sufferers of these two conditions. •To collaborate with other organizations and /or individuals to achieve our aims.
DHS STORY
I lost my dad when I was very young. I had looked forward to having him around for many years ahead. I didn’t understand why he died. I found out afterwards that he had suffered from diabetes. I am a Nigerian, trained as a lawyer and had no idea about the condition called diabetes. I didn’t know that most normal bodies produce enough insulin naturally to process all the sugars present inside the food we eat because I never paid attention. For many millions (like my dad) the body doesn’t work as it should, it doesn’t produce enough insulin and even if it does, the insulin does not work properly. So the sugar doesn’t get processed, it builds up inside the body: eventually causing great damage if left untreated. It sounds so simple, and it is really so.
It doesn’t produce a rash rather it appears invisible as well as silent in its early stages, so most sufferers don’t even know that they have a problem, they just feel that something is not right. They may suffer in silence, and whilst they do, their body is also suffering inside. My dad was a bright man, very educated and had the means to manage his health. Yet he was ignorant of diabetes and it was because of ignorance that I lost him. Yet the irony is that finding out if you have diabetes is quite simple, and so is the management in a lot of cases. I am determined that none of you should have to lose your dad, or mum, or your children for the same reason as I did. I want to dispel the ignorance. That is why we-myself, Lothar local volunteers deserve to have your help. Not everyone can make a difference but, because of your ability and your position, you can.
“The world is becoming a smaller place, yet it appears that many problems seem to become bigger”. She wanted to make a difference (and now she does). I don’t hear Adanma’s story in a quite the same way that she just told it to because, by the time I met her, she had managed to convert her feelings of loose into an absolute “determination” (with a capital “D”) that she wanted to make a difference. Diabetes is a multifaceted disease that produces so many symptoms that the normal rural person (and even most city dwellers) have no chance of knowing about and much to my surprise, the sudden death of people is most widely seen as an act of black magic or some spirit intervention, when in reality all there is, is a way too high blood sugar (glucose) level that kills the person.
DIABETES
What is Diabetes? Diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body cannot make or use available insulin effectively. Insulin is a hormone that turns the sugar in the foods we eat/drink into biological energy. WHO recognizes three types of diabetes: Type 1 –a situation where the pancreas does not produce enough insulin so glucose (sugar) is not being absorbed by the cells causing the blood glucose to rise. Type 2 –when insulin is produced but does not work properly so glucose is not consistently absorbed by the cells causing the blood glucose to rise. It is frightening that most people with this type of diabetes do not even know it until they develop eye problems, nerve damage, kidney and gum damage etc.
Prevention
Eating healthy diet i.e foods that are high in fiber e.g. green leafy vegetables, low in fats e.g. cereals, avoid fried foods. Eat foods low in cholesterol e.g. fish, fruits and vegetables. Eating whole grain e.g. wheat. Reduce carbohydrates and moderate your protein intake (especially animal protein). Exercise at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week. Lose excess weight thereby helping your body to use insulin better and keeping your blood pressure down. Quit smoking if you smoke and reduce your alcohol intake.
Risk Factors
Being over weight Not exercising Having persistent blood pressure (above 140/90)Having high cholesterol level Having a family history of diabetes Being a woman who has had a history of diabetes during pregnancy Coming from certain areas of the world, notably Africa.
Management
In most cases a change of lifestyle and diet as highlighted above could bring down your blood glucose and help control your diabetes. In other cases, medication and/or insulin actually needs to be taken to
reduce the sugars in the body.
HYPERTENSION
What is Hypertension? Hypertension also known as high blood pressure is a condition that occurs
when the pressure inside your large arteries is too high. It is silent and effects people more as they grow older, although more young people who live under a lot of pressure (job, relationships, lifestyles, etc) are starting to suffer as well. Where you live and work, busy city or in the village, anger can also trigger it. If your parents (either) have high blood pressure, it doesn’t mean that you will inherit it as their children. The only way to know if your blood pressure is high or low or normal is to check it using a blood pressure monitor. Complications High blood pressure can lead to several complications if untreated like cardiovascular complications e.g. stroke, heart attack, heart failure, heart rhythm irregularities and kidney failure more than in people who have normal blood pressure.
Understanding Your Blood Pressure
You may have heard your nurse or doctor say “sir/madam, your blood pressure is 120/80”. What does it mean? Well the first number (systolic) tells you what the blood pressure is when your heart pumps blood on your heartbeat and the second number (diastolic) is the blood pressure when your heart rests or relaxes in between heartbeats. If your blood pressure is consistently 140/90 or above you have
hypertension, and the longer your blood pressure stays at this level, the greater is your risk of heart problem. An ideal blood pressure would be 120/80 when you are resting. All sufferers of hypertension or diabetes should try to keep their blood pressure at this level.
Managing Hypertension
•Check your blood pressure regularly. •Exercise 30 minutes daily-5 days weekly minimum. •Lose excess weight. •Reduce salt intake because salt contains a lot of sodium which retainswater in the body causing your blood pressure to rise. •Increase your potassium and calcium intake. •Avoid alcohol, coffee and any other food or drink which “excites your body.” •Manage stress. Try to be calm and relaxed. Meditation and massages may help. Never ever smoke. For both diabetes and hypertension, take your medication seriously. Do not interrupt your medication unadvised.
****To be concluded in our next edition****
How To Contact Us
DHS Abuja Office: Adanma Odefa
Rivers Court Road 1, Flat 1, adanma@dhs-ng.org
Off Democracy Crescent, Gaduwaestate, +234(0)802 38 14 799
DurumiIII, Abuja, FCT. Lothar Rapior
+234 (0)9 480 22 18 lothar@dhs-ng.org
+234 (0)807 23 56 166 +234(0)803 29 77 551
www.dhs-ng.org +49(0) 173 346 4144
info@dhs-ng.org 50 Auf Dem Mulberg,
D 60599, Franfurt/Main
Germany.
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| Comments | Post your comment |
hmmm....
Commented by: Bright
on: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 20:17
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This is fantastic. This enlightenment is very crucial to guiding oneself to a preventable sickness. I will implore the organization to continue with this work to humanity and if possible extend it to other parts of Africa. Let every.
Commented by: Dickson Olajide
on: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 10:12
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i hereby making an enquiry for me to know how toget you for help.thanks
Commented by: jamilu haruna
on: Monday, April 20, 2009 10:51
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