A spectacular giant pancreas travels Spain to inform and raise the population about type 2 diabetes. In these days, diabetics live with uncertainty some parties marked by excesses and their glycemic levels suffer strong alterations.
A good discipline and follow adequate eating habits are the rules that people with diabetes must follow.However, reality reflects that the number of affected is increasing epidemic.At present, around 285 million people suffer from diabetes worldwide and it is estimated that in 2025 this figure will be folded by exceeding 500 million affected.In some cases, there are no apparent symptoms and the person can live months, even years, without knowing what the disease has.
Factors such as monitoring food especially on these Christmas dates and carrying out preventive controls are the best weapon to prevent it.Given this socio-sanitary problem and in response to the commitment to the prevention of this pathology, the Diabetes de Novartis area, with the endorsement of the Spanish Diabetes Society (SED) and the Federation of Spanish Diabetics (FEDE) have presented the campaign"Give voice to type 2 diabetes."Through this pioneer exhibition in Spain, visitors can enter a large pancreas inside to expand their knowledge about diabetes, know how to prevent it and know the functioning of this organ.
For Dr. Xavier Corbella, manager of the Bellvitge University Hospital in Barcelona, «these types of initiatives help enrich the hospital environment by providing a fundamental pedagogical value to promote prevention among the population.In our external consultations, around 2,000 patients accompanied by their relatives pass daily, which makes the hospital the right scene to develop awareness programs ».The fact that the exposure continues Corbella, “is focused as a circuit where the visitor understands how the disease develops and why it occurs, makes this initiative a unique and accessible opportunity not only for patients, but also forHe who does not suffer from the disease ».In this same line is the scientific coordinator of the campaign, Dr. Daniel Figuerola, a member of the therapeutic education group of the Spanish Diabetes Society, who highlights the importance of this type of initiatives as a way to prevent and raise awarenessThe population about the disease."Type 2 diabetes is the most common of diabetes and the least diagnosed and known, since it is estimated that 40 percent of the people who suffer from them do not know they have it."
Obesity and sedentary lifestyle are increasing the number of new cases of diabetes, placing this pathology as the third cause of death between women and seventh in men.«This disease still tends to be banalized by the population in general and some doctors, considering it as a slight increase in sugar and this is a wrong posture.Therefore, it is necessary that citizens have access to the highest possible level of information about it, thus encouraging prevention, ”says Dr. Figuerola.
Precisely, Christmas is located as an unavailable time for those affected by diabetes because, according to Figuerola, “we live in a society in which the celebrations are made around a table, so it is difficult and frustrating for diabetics and diabetics andWhat we try to do doctors is to agree with them.Having to follow a diet for a lifetime, at this time you have to be reasonable and it is possible to agree on food transgressions, medication modifications or, if they are insulin, ingest a piece of nougat in exchange for more doses.What matters in these cases is the long term and not the short ».Decompensation will involve the usual tonic of these days.Therefore, Corbella warns that "the evidence says that an excess in this type of patients can pose an important decompensation, although today people are becoming more aware of all this."
For his part, Dr. Ricard Casamor, of the Novartis Diabetes Area, considers that not only the research and development of treatments is not essential but also transmit to society the value of prevention and education.In addition, he adds that "it is key to participate and collaborate in social awareness initiatives such as" give voice to type 2 diabetes ", an awareness and prevention campaign that will be carried out in various hospitals to raise awareness of the citizen of the value of making responsible decisionsin the management of your health and also as a contribution to the sustainability of health systems ».
practice equivalences
For patients to make these parties more bearable from the nutritional point of view, the president of the Federation of Spanish Diabetics (Fede), Ángel Cabrera Hidalgo, says that “there is no reason to give up all the typical Christmas products, but it is dueKeep in mind that all celebrations can cause an important lack of control of diabetes.
That is, those affected can perfectly participate in these celebrations taking the same menu as others.You just have to try not to vary the amount of carbohydrates with respect to the usual food, practicing some equivalences ».
As an example, Cabrera argues that «in some Christmas meals the first is usually replaced by others with low contribution of carbohydrates, such as hired or seafood.To maintain the amount of carbohydrates, a portion of bread of about 50–60 grams or one or two portions of extra dessert could be added.
As for the second dishes and since its carbohydrate content is low, it is still recommended not to abuse those foods very rich in fat and moderate the amounts.In these days, carbohydrates that contain the fruit or bread can be replaced by some portion of typical Christmas desserts ».
As more and more Christmas sweets are offered as apt for diabetics, Cabrera insists that “it is very important to see what the label of each product says and understand what each means.
How to elaborate the menu
The way of cooking food also is an important point in the control of the disease.For Ramón God, chef of the Mesón de Fuencarral and president of young restorers of Europe, “the most important thing is to handle the table of the glycemic index of food and not exceed level 50.
In the case of pasta, for example, the more we cook it behaves as if it had a greater glycemic index, but it is not usual.Apart from using less fat, iron or wok are highly recommended ».
Also, the expert continues, the mistakes "begin in the shopping basket and knowing exactly what we eat, because many times we do not realize what we are ingesting."Finding "hidden sugar," supposes, for God, an arduous task, but not impossible.
«Normally the lamb is not the problem of the Christmas menu, but they are the accompanying potatoes or that bread that we cannot stop eating.In addition, alcohol is pure sugar, so it is always better to opt for red wine ».With these simple measures it is possible that diabetics enjoy Christmas without shocks in their glycemic index.
The silence of overweight
Type 2 or non-insulin-dependent diabetes is one of the many diseases that are qualifiedof "silent", because they do not have clear symptoms and consequently are poorly or fatal diagnosed.Currently, it is estimated that no less than half of the patients in this bad ignore that they are and this takes on special relevance if one takes into account that in the last three decades its prevalence has been tripled.
At the base of the phenomenon, almost or without almost epidemic, there is the inadequate diet, rich in saturated fats and rapid absorption sugars;the subsequent overweight and obesity;and sedentary lifestyle taken to the extreme.Paradoxically, putting type 2 diabetes is relatively simple.
It is enough to avoid copious meals, reduce fats of animal origin, eat more legumes, fruits and vegetables, exercise, control the doses of alcohol, and first in the diet three products: virgin olive oil, mañanero banana for breakfast,And an empty hand juice of raw green beans, which is a category insulinositizer.
