DiabetesandRaisingAwareness

DiabetesandRaisingAwareness

MohammadRamiQutob

MichiganIslamicAcademy

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AccordingtotheWorldHealthOrganization(WHO),inthelastthreedecadesthenumber

ofpeoplediagnosedwithdiabeteshasrisenfrom108millionto422millionworldwide(Diabetes,

2016).Diabetesisaprogressivediseaseinwhichthebodyisnolongerabletoproperlyabsorb

andprocessglucosemoleculesfromthebloodstream,leadingtoahighaccumulationofthese

sugarmoleculeswithinthebloodstreameventuallyimpairingcellfunction.D
iabeteswasthe

seventhleadingcauseofdeathintheU.Sin2010,andpertheDiabetesAssociation,these

numbersmaybeunderreported(StatisticsAboutDiabetes,2016).T
herearemanywhosuffer

fromdiabetesyetremainundiagnosedindividualscanremainasymptomaticfordecadesdespite

havingthedisease.I fleftuntreated,diabetescaninevitablyleadtocomplicationsof

hypoglycemia,h ypertension,p eripheralneuropathy,cardiovasculardisease,stroke,

nephropathy,a nddiabeticretinopathy(Diabetes,2016).H
ence,r aisingawarenessaboutthe

diseaseandcatchingitearlyisimportantnotonlyfortheprogressionofthediseaseitself,butit

alsoaidingthepreventionofthepreventionoftheseresultingcomplicationswithhelpfromone

another.Methodsofspreadingawarenessincludepublicserviceannouncements,b lood

screenings,a ffordabletreatmentoptions,a ndcounselingservicesallwhichareallcompletely

coveredbyinsurancecompaniestoeducatethepublic.

Insulinisahormonesecretedbybetacellsofthepancreas,andissecretedduring

episodesofhighglucoselevelsinthebloodstream.I nsulinissecretedbythepancreasdirectly

intothebloodstream,whereittravelsaroundthebodybindingtoreceptorsoncells.Thebinding
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ofthecellsinitiateacascadeinwhichproteinchannelsareopened,allowingglucosemolecules

todiffuseintothecells.G
lucoseisthemaincomponentinproductionofthebodyssourceof

energyATP.Glucoseabsorptionoccursmainlywithinthesmallintestine.B
asedonrecent

researchdevelopments,thescientificcommunitycansaywithconfidencethattherearemultiple

waysinwhichthisdiseasecanpresentitselfthemostcommontwobeingTypeIandTypeII.

Bothvariationsofthediseaseareinsulindependent.

AlthoughbothtypeIandtypeIIdiabetesinvolvehereditaryfactors,T
ypeIcanbe

classifiedasanautoimmunedisease,m
eaningthatthebodysownimmunesystembeginsto

attackselfantigenpancreaticbetacells.Thesebetacellsarethereforedestroyed,andinsulinis

nolongeravailabletoopenthechannelsneededforglucosetotravelintothecell.Thus,g lucose

levelsremainhighinthebloodstream.D
uetothehighamountsofglucoseaccumulationinthe

blood,T
ypeIdiabeticstendtohavemuchmoreseveresymptomsupononsetcomparedtothose

ofTypeII.S
ymptomsincludeexcessivethirst,e xcessiveweightloss,nausea,v omiting,a ndin

extremecaseslossofconsciousnessandpossiblecomatosestate.TypeIappearstobemore

prevalentinchildren,andunfortunatelytreatmentinvolvesinsulindependentinjections,fororal

medicationsaloneareinsufficient(StatisticsAboutDiabetes,2 016).

TypeII,ontheotherhand,a ffectsthebodyssensitivitytothepresenceofinsulin.U
nlike

TypeI, T
ypeIIdiabeticsdonothaveashortageofinsulin.N
ormaltissuecells,o vertime,

becomeinsulinresistantmoreinsulinmoleculesarerequiredtoopenglucosechannels.F
or
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example,innormaltissuecells,ittakesoneinsulinmoleculetoopenonechannel.Ininsulin

resistantcells,ittakesupwardsofthreeorfourinsulincellsinordertoopenoneglucose

channels.Thisleadsthepancreastoworkovertimetocompensateforthisnewdemand.As

resistancecontinuestoincrease,thepancreaswillcontinuetooverworkuntilitcannotmeetthe

levelofhighdemand.I tisatthispointbloodglucosewillaccumulateinthebloodstream.

Manycausesofdiabetescanbeattributedtotwofactors:geneticsandlifestylechoices.

Thereisacommonmisconceptionthatdiabetesissolelyaresultofanunhealthylifestylethis

isinfactuntrue.Researchindicatesalargehereditaryfactor,whichisaggravatedfurtherby

unhealthylifestylehabits(StatisticsAboutDiabetes,2016).TypeIIdiabeticscanmanagetheir

ailmentbyfollowingahealthydietandexerciseregimen,howeverinsomecasesoralmedication

andinsulininjectionsarenecessary.

Diabetes,incomparisontootherillnesses,canbefairlyeasytodiagnose.

Researchershavedevelopedtechnologycapableofmeasuringmanymarkersthatindicatethe

highglucoselevels(FastingPlasmaGlucose,2013).Bloodscreeningtestsincludefasting

plasmaglucosetest(FPG),aswellasthebloodhemoglobinA1c(HgA1c)test.Fastingplasma

glucosetest(FPG),isacarbohydratemetabolismtestwhichmeasuresfastingplasma,blood,or

glucoselevels(FastingPlasmaGlucose,2013).Inregardstothehemoglobintest,doctorsare

abletogetanoverallpictureofwhatapersonsnormalbloodglucoselevelwouldbeby

measuringglucoseboundhemoglobinintheblood.Increasedlevelsofglucosewithintheblood

streamwouldresultinhigherlevelsofglucoseboundhemoglobin.Hemoglobinistheoxygen
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carrierforthebody,thetestindicateshowmuchaperson'shemoglobinisboundtoglucose

moleculeswithinathreemonthlifespan(FastingPlasmaGlucose,2013).Ifaperson's

hemoglobinboundtoglucosemoleculesishigherthan5%thenatpersonwouldbeconsidered

diabetic(FastingPlasmaGlucose,2013).Anyonewiththesymptomsofdiabetesshouldbe

testedforthediseasejustincasetheycouldhaveit.Thetestwillnotkillorharmanyone,infact

itisbetterforapersontoknowwhattheyhavesothattheycanbecuredfromitinsteadhavinga

chanceormakingitworseandmoreharmfultotheirhealth.

InIslam,w
earetaughttomaintainahealthybodyinadditiontomaintainingourIman.

thetypeoffoodweconsumeplaysasignificantroleinhealth,specificallythemorewholesome

thefooditem,thebetteritisforourgeneralhealth.Cuttingcarbohydratedenseorincreased

sugaryfoodsenablescorrectdigestion,effectivelyincreasingbodyfunction.Allah(swt)has

bestoweduponustheimportanceofhealthydietaryhabits,asseeninthisayah

EatofthegoodthingswhichWehaveprovidedforyou.(Quran2:172).Allah(swt)latergoes

intodetailofwhatHeconsiderstobegoodfoodbystatingEatofwhatislawfuland

wholesomeontheearth.(Quran2:168),specifyingcattle,fish,andvariousfruitsand

vegetables.Hecreatedcattlethatgiveyouwarmth,benefitsandfoodtoeat.(Quranl6:5)Itis

Hewhosubduedtheseas,fromwhichyoueatfreshfish.(Quran16:l4)ItisHewhosends

downwaterfromtheskywithwhichHebringsupcorn,olives,datesandgrapesandotherfruit.

(Quran16:11).WeasmuslimsshouldabidebythewillofAllahbytreatingourbodieswith

respectbyseekingunprocessed,wholesomefoodsprovidedtousbyhisMercy.

Inregardstosickness,Allahadvocatesforthecareofthesick,awarenessofdisease,and

preventativemethodologies.WewereinstructedbyHimtopursueknowledge,andthough
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researchwehavebeenabletodeveloptestingtechniquesaswellasmedicationstocombat

ailment.Throughcompassionwearetaughttoalleviatethegriefofthesick,enablingbetter

medicaloutcomesandpossibleprolongedlifeW
hosoeverrelievesfromabelieversomegrief

pertainingtothisworld,AllahwillrelievefromhimsomegriefpertainingtotheHereafter.

Whosoeveralleviatesthedifficultiesofaneedypersonwhocannotpayhisdebt,Allahwill

alleviatehisdifficultiesinboththisworldandtheHereafter.Whosoeverconcealsthefaultsofa

Muslim,AllahwillconcealhisfaultsinthisworldandtheHereafter.Allahwillaidaservant(of

His)solongastheservantaidshisbrother.Whosoeverfollowsapathtoseekknowledgetherein,

AllahwillmakeeasyforhimapathtoParadise.Nopeoplegathertogetherinoneofthehouses

ofAllah,recitingtheBookofAllahandstudyingitamongthemselves,exceptthattranquility

descendsuponthem,mercycoversthem,theangelssurroundthem,andAllahmakesmentionof

themamongstthosewhoareinHispresence.Whosoeverissloweddownbyhisdeedswillnot

behastenedforwardbyhislineage(ImamMuslim).

Everyonegetssicknomatterhowbadthesicknesscouldget,ahadeethnarratedby

BukharimentionedIvisitedAllah'sApostlewhilehewassufferingfromahighfever.I touched

himwithmyhandandsaid,"OAllah'sApostle!Youhaveahighfever."Allah'sApostlesaid,

"Yes,Ihaveasmuchfeverastwomenofyouhave."Isaid,"Isitbecauseyouwillgetadouble

reward?"Allah'sApostlesaid,"Yes,noMuslimisafflictedwithharmbecauseofsicknessor

someotherinconvenience,butthatAllahwillremovehissinsforhimasatreeshedsitsleaves."

(HadithBukhari7:564)AnotherHadeethAbuSa'idalKhudrir.a.reportedthattheProphet

said:WheneveraMuslimisafflictedwithahardship,sickness,sadness,worry,harm,or
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depressionevenathorn'sprick,Allahexpiateshissinsbecauseofit.(B
ukhariinalAdab

ulMufrad(no.493),verifiedauthenticbyalAlbani)"Expectgood,becauseAllah(s.w.t.)makes

abeliever'ssicknessanexpiation(forhissins)andaperiodofrepose.Asforadisbelieverfalling

sick,heislikeacamelwhoseownertiesitandthenletsitlooseitdoesnotunderstandwhyit

wastied,n orwhyitwasfreed."Anotherhadeeththattalksabouthowtobekindtothesick,

"Whenyougointovisitaninvalid,e xpressahopethathewilllivelong.Thatwillnotavert

anything,butitwillcomforthim."Allah'sApostlesaid,"Youseethebelieversasregardstheir

beingmercifulamongthemselvesandshowingloveamongthemselvesandbeingkind,

resemblingonebody,sothat,ifanypartofthebodyisnotwellthenthewholebodysharesthe

sleeplessness(insomnia)andfeverwithit"(SahihBukhari,Volume8,Book73,Number40,

NarratedAnNu'manbinBashir).WithalsotwoayahsfromtheQurananditstatesAndifWe

hadmadeitanonArabicQuran,theywouldhavesaid,Whyareitsversesnotexplainedin

detail[inourlanguage]?Isitaforeign[recitation]andanArab[messenger]?Say,I tis,for

thosewhobelieveguidanceandcure.Andthosewhodonotbelieveintheirearsisdeafness,

anditisuponthemblindness.Thosearebeingcalledfromadistantplace.[Quran,41:44]and

Helpeachothertogoodnessandheedfulness.Donothelpeachothertowrongdoingand

enmity.HeedAllah.A
llahissevereinretribution.(SuratalMa'ida:2)Whatthefirstayahmeant

isthatpeopleshouldalwaysgotoalltoAllah(swt)forhelpbecauseheistheonethatcreatedthe

curefortheillnessthatyouhave,sorepentandfollowhisreligionthecorrectwayandheshall

curethem.T
hesecondayahjusttalkedabouthowpeopleshouldhelpeachotherinsteadof
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harmingeachotherbecauseAllah(swt)willrewardtheoneswhodogoodandpunishtheones

whoarewrongdoers.

AlthoughdiabetesisamajorcauseofdeathintheUnitedStates,itspresenceisrelatively

unknown.Manyindividualshaveheardofdiabetes,h oweverwhenpressedaboutitscausesand

symptoms,m
anyremainignorant.Thereisamisconceptionaboutdiabetes,inthatitonlyoccurs

inoverweightindividuals,andduetolackofawarenessthisfalseinformationcontinuesto

propagate.E
vensomediagnosedwithdiabetesarelittleeducatedonthecomplicationsofthe

diseaseif/whenleftuntreatedduetolackofcounselingservices.P
rovenmethodsofraising

awarenessincludepublicserviceannouncements,affordablebloodscreeningtestsand

counselingservicesprovidedbymedicalprofessionals.

Publicserviceannouncements,orPSAs,areamethodofbroadcastinginformation

throughmedia,freeofcharge.Theywereusedmoreofteninthepastduetothelackof

technology,b utnowwithtechnologydramaticallyincreasingItiseasierandfastertospreadthe

wordnowthanitwasinthepastwithalltypesofsocialmediaandappsthatwithinamatterof

seconds,couldbringawarenessoftheproblemtopeoplethatmayormaynothavebeenaware

ofthisissue.ThepoweroftheInternethasbeendramaticallyincreasingandwiththat,people

aretakingadvantageofthatusebutnotforthewrongreasons.Somepeopleareusingittohelp

spreadthecurefordifferentthetypesofsicknessesanddiseaseswhenothersareusingitfortime

wastingonunimportantmatters.Spreadingawarenessondiabetesbymakingamotivational

videoonahealthylivinganddietingtoshowhowitisabetterlifestylecomparedtothe
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hardshipsthatdiabeticshavetogothroughjusttoenjoysomethingassmallasalittlesnack

withouthavingtosufferfromtherepercussions.Asmentionedabove,d iabeteshasbeen

dramaticallyincreasingforthepastcoupleofyears,thisw
ouldbeahelpfulwaytoraise

awarenessoftheproblemandhopefullyreducethenumberofnewcasesofdiabetesthatget

diagnosedeachyear.

Ouryounggenerationaresadlygettingusedtothebadfoodhabitsthatcouldhavea

greaterchanceofthemtogrowupandgetdiabetesbecausenoonereallytookcareoftheir

healthandcaredaboutwhattheyeatinoroutsideofschool.B
utmaybeifschoolsstartto

implementrulesfortheirstudentstohavebetterandmorenutritionalfoodplansthatcouldhelp

lowertherisksofdiabetesinthelongrun.A
notherideacouldbethateveryschoolshouldhavea

nurseofdoctorthatworksfulltimewherehe/shedoesacheckuponeachandeverystudent

attendingthatspecificschooltokeepthekidsingoodshapeandallowthemtohavehealthy

normallifestyle.B
ecausethesadtruthofitallisthatmanyresorttofastfoodandunhealthy

foodsbecausetheyarethecheapestandtheeasiestwayout,andalsowithparentsthatbothof

themhavejobsmakesitevenharderforthechildtohavehealthyfoodforhimonthetableevery

day.T
hatswhyIthinkthattheschoolimplementingactionslikethatcouldchangethetotal

outcomethatpeoplesaywillbeincreasingoverthecomingyears.

Overall,d iabetesisaprogressivediseaseinwhichthebodyisnolongerabletoabsorb

andprocessglucosemoleculesproperlyfromthebloodstream,leadingtoahighaccumulationof

thesesugarmoleculeswithinthebloodstreameventuallyimpairingcellfunction.H
ence,raising
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awarenessonthediseaseandcatchingitearlyisimportantfornotonlypreventingthe

progressionofthediseaseitself,itwouldalsoaidinthepreventionoftheseresulting

complications.Withtheincreaseofdiabeticpeopleonouryouthgeneration,schoolsshouldstart

toimplementrulesandregulationsthatcouldhelplowertherateondiabeticsslowlybutsurely

thatcanchangetheviewsthatkidshaveonfastfoodrestaurants.

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References:

Diabetes.(2016,November).RetrievedfromWorldHealthOrganization:
www.who.int/mediacenter/factsheets/fs312/en/
FastingPlasmaGlucose.(2013,May17).RetrievedfromDlife:
http://www.dlife.com/diabetes/type2/diabetesdiagnosis/fastingglucosetest
StatisticsAboutDiabetes.(2016,December12).RetrievedfromAmericanDiabetes
Association:
http://www.diabetes.org/diabetesbasics/statistics/?referrer=https://www.google.com/?ref
errer=http://www.diabetes.org/diabetesbasics/statistics/?referrer=https://www.google.co
m/?referrer=http://www.diabetes.org/diabetesbasics/statistics/?referrer=https
Yahya,H.(n.d.).Helpingoneanotheringoodnessandpiety.RetrievedApril28,2017,
from
http://www.harunyahya.com/en/DailyComments/15634/helpingoneanotheringoodnes
s
Service,M.I.(n.d.).RetrievedApril28,2017,from
https://www.missionislam.com/health/sickness.html
AayateAshShifaSixQuranicVersesofHealing.(n.d.).RetrievedApril28,2017,
fromh ttp://www.quranreading.com/blog/ayateshifahealingverses/
TheQuran
BukhariandMuslimBooks.