Sugar, Sugar

November is a time to talk about more than just turkey. It’s National Diabetes Month — a time to raise awareness of the disease, how to prevent diabetes related health problems and the need for a cure!

Around 38 million Americans have diabetes (about 1 in 10), and approximately 90-95% of them have type 2 diabetes. More than 1 in 3 adults – about 98 million Americans — has prediabetes, and 81% of them don’t know they have it.

Ancient Origins
The identification of diabetes goes back centuries  — all the way back to 1550 B.C. The Egyptians were the first to recognize diabetes as  a rare condition in which a person urinated excessively and lost weight – symptoms of what is now referred to as Type 1 diabetes.

In 600 B.C., Sushrata, a Hindu physician in India described a disease he named madhumeha, or “honey urine” because ants were attracted to the sweet taste of the urine from people with diabetes.

Come Together
The scientific name for diabetes is diabetes mellitus – two words with separate meanings. But together the words are quite meaningful.

Diabetes is a Greek word  meaning “siphon,” or “to pass through.” In 150 A.D., the  Greek physician Aretaeus of Cappadocia was the first to use the word “diabetes” when as he noted that disease causes constant flow of urine. He wrote that “Diabetes…being a melting down of the flesh and limbs into urine…The patients never stop making water, but the flow is incessant, as if from the opening of aqueducts.”

Mellitus is derived from Latin word meaning “honey.” In 1675, Thomas Willis (Britain) added the word mellitus upon discovering the sweetness of the urine of his patients. Willis also famously referred to diabetes as “pissing evil.”

Together, diabetes and mellitus aptly describes the frequent passing of urine with high levels of glucose (sugar)!

How Sweet It Isn’t
Diabetes is a serious disease – and can lead to a host of health complications if not managed. Common diabetes health complications include heart disease, chronic kidney disease, nerve damage, liver disease and is linked to some types of cancer. And there’s more – blindness, loss of toes, feet and legs, and oral health problems.

Read more about diabetes complications in this issue of The Download

Happy Reading!

Suzanne Daniels