Met a young couple (due date before winter) coming in for wife urinary tract infection (she also had a pager strapped to her right pocket-turned out to be an insulin pump). I inquired about how much nutrition she uses to control her disease presentation. She didn't seem confident with her answer then she seemed down right blunt-"the registered dietitian at the hospital was an idiot with no great advise. (I tried to make excuses for why the RD may have been in a hurry to teach lifesaving nutrition education and why the info was probably very basic.....but this has been the contention of all diabetic patients when they get their annual visit for diabetic education at the hospital) see my tutorial They were receptive to "alternative health" so I guided them into healthy ways to integrate complementary and alternative health into their lives. Hubby seemed to really soak in my advise and ask more about his risk for prostate cancer (due to Dad's diagnosis) and when should he begin to get check ups.
Good question.....but just like my young obese kids that come in with a diabetic parent supposedly getting "tested" regularly to watch for blood test signs of diabetes: WHY JUST WATCH AND WAIT?!?! It is good to hear that my colleagues are helping parents find the disease and then send to a specialist for treatment. (BTW-diabetic specialists will not see patients for "pre" guidance-they only have opportunity for prescription medicine treatment after blood tests show pancreas has started to fail)
Scenario: if a doc will be sending to a diabetic specialist for diabetes education, nutrition counsel, exercise endeavors, cooking classes, supplements.....all after the blood tests "turn positive"....why not do it Pre Diagnosis! Doesn't matter if "my child has always been big boned", s/he is walking into a lifetime of carrying the label of diabetic. The diabetics of today are different from the diabetics of 20 years ago. The biggest things that have occurred are bad foods are more readily available for any age (vending machines, microwaves, cheap fast food courts, delivery in 30 minutes) parents have OVER SCHEDULED their lives, Internet apps have slowed down activity and walking. The biggest offense is insulin pumps being freely prescribed to anyone who "isn't controlling their sugar with regular means". Most people can control sugar with nutrition manipulation, activity coaching and stress control. Back to our original problem-if docs and RD's don't get reimbursed by insurance to teach, we go straight to band aids without fixing the cause. Pumps are a god send for brittle diabetics but for this last ditch measure to be given left and right because it is now covered by insurance and pocketsize-if feel its too easy to just dial up the pump and turn up the juice to match the bad food and eating habits.
Unfortunately, patients/parents are on their own. See the doc and always question the medicines you are being prescribed but self empower with reliable knowledge about the natural ways to lead a "Pre Diagnosis Lifestyle".
