<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0HKmqV_0wDl4ICW00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0HKmqV_0wDl4ICW00" width="980" height="653" ><figcaption>Andy Griffin</figcaption></figure>Type 1 diabetes used to be rare ... and it still is.But Type 2 diabetes, the same blood-sugar disease but with a different cause, is not rare.In fact, there's a good chance you know someone with Type 2 diabetes and an even better chance that you or someone you love has pre-diabetes and doesn't even know it.But this fact remains: Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, a contributing factor in a staggering 100,000 deaths per year..Next month is Diabetes Awareness Month and also the birthday of the man who discovered a world-changing treatment for the disease (insulin) -- Sir. Frederik Banting.You've probably heard the stories about how Banting, a research scientist, discovered insulin and the potential use it had for treating diabetes, how he could have been a millionaire, but flatly refused to patent the cure. His desire was for insulin to be cheap or free for all who suffered from diabetes.He was later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.The late Banting's birthday is Nov.14, now known as International Diabetes Day.He passed away more than 80 years ago and doubtfully never could have seen this modern epidemic of Type 2 diabetes brought on by obesity and sugar consumption. Here are some staggering numbers (from diabetesresearch.org):<ul><li>37.3 million people, or 11.3% of the U.S. population, have diabetes. An estimated 28.7 million people had diagnosed diabetes. Approximately 8.6 million people have diabetes but have not yet been diagnosed.</li><li>26.4 million people aged 65 years or older (48.8%) have prediabetes.</li><li>Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults aged 18–64 years.</li><li>As many as 80 percent of people who have prediabetes don't know they have it.</li></ul>Perhaps the best news about prediabetes is it's easily detectable (the Southwest Utah Public Health Department has a $25 test available now and will be offering the test for free Nov. 13-22).The other good news is that you can actually prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes before it arrives by simply getting in better shape."Truthfully, if you are prediabetic and lose just 5- to 7-percent of your body weight, you can stop Type 2 diabetes before it ever arrives," said SWUPHD director Dr. David Blodgett.That means a person weighing 200 pounds needs to lose just 10 pounds or so to prevent this crippling infirmity.So that's it, we can find out if we're getting diabetes with an easy (and free) test and we can stop it in its tracks with a little bit of diet and exercise.The link to the prediabetes screening test on the SWUhealth.org website is here.Some other scary diabetes facts:<ul><li>Diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the United States in 2017 based on the 83,564 death certificates in which diabetes was listed as the underlying cause of death.</li><li>Diabetes was listed as the underlying or contributing cause of death on 270,702 death certificates in 2017.</li><li>In 2017, the total estimated cost of diagnosed diabetes in the U.S. was $327 billion.</li><li>Without insulin, the body’s cells would be starved, causing dehydration and destruction of body tissue.</li><li>Many people with type 2 diabetes can control their blood glucose by following a healthy meal plan and a program of regular physical activity, losing excess weight, and taking medications.</li></ul><h2>LOOK: Food and drink items that are highly restricted or banned in the U.S.</h2>Stacker explores snacks and other food items banned in the U.S. From tasty cheeses to the famed Scottish dish haggis, these 30 foods aren't welcome in most of the United States.</div></body>

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The Quiet Killer Among Us In Utah

Type 1 diabetes used to be rare ... and it still is. But Type 2 diabetes, the same blood-sugar disease but with a different cause, is not rare. In fact, there's a good chance you know someone with Type 2 diabetes and an even better chance that you or someone you love has pre-diabetes and doesn't even know it.