Another year has passed and here we are, again, celebrating National Diabetes Awareness Month.  AGAIN!  Get it?  AGAIN!!  This is the 89th year since the discovery of insulin by the brilliant Canadian doctor Frederick Banting – 1921.  We celebrate his discovery by acknowledging his birthday – November 14 and the entire month of November.  [NOTE: This is not to be confused with DEFEAT DIABETES® MONTH, which takes place every April.]

 

I have no problem with bestowing all the continuing recognition to this medical pioneer who is responsible for saving hundreds of millions of lives – yes, even billions of lives, worldwide over the years.  But, what has happened in those 89 years since?  Let’s take a moment to examine this…

 

With all the scientific and medical geniuses the world has produced since then, from Cornell, Harvard, Yale, MIT, Oxford University (UK), and hundreds others from around the world, doesn’t it boggle the mind that we haven’t seen the likes of this medical phenom since then? 

 

And, what about the few, (although self-promoted), national organizations that have, for decades, professed to be searching for a cure by spending billions of dollars in this quest; hiring the “best” minds and funding “promising” research?  From them, so far NOTHING!  And what about our governments from around the world who have been put in power by us, the citizenry, to protect us and look out for all of our best interests?  So far NOTHING! 

 

And, of course, the pharmaceutical industry who has blinded us with “smoke & mirror” tactics to convince us they are trying their level best to find the “cure” for diabetes.  Billions and billions of dollars spent and so far, NOTHING!  No surprises there – it’s not in their financial interest(s) to produce a cure, either.

 

Well, folks, wake up and smell the coffee.  Don’t look for a cure for the next 20-30 years, at least.  It is not in the best interests of any of these groups to find a cure for a disease that is manageable once detected.  Once detected it brings them, collectively, $225 billion per year.  Ask yourself this question – and be honest:  If you had a product or service that brought your industry $225 billion per year, would you look to end it?  Neither do they.

 

Here’s the reality – there are currently 24 million Americans with diabetes (up to 1/3 don’t know

it).  That means there are 16 million known American diabetics supporting this outrageous $225 billion industry. 

 

BUT, let’s not stop here - there are another 57 million “pre-diabetic” (a real category) Americans who will develop diabetes in the next 10-15 years unless they take steps to change their lifestyle(s) to prevent it – immediately!  That translates into almost $1 trillion per year.

 

BIGGER BUT, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just announced that by the year 2050 (really only a blink away) fully 1/3 of our American population will be diabetic.  I’ll save you the trouble of doing the math – almost $2 trillion!!

 

Diabetes, alone, has the potential to bankrupt our entire healthcare system!  The only two things,

it appears to me, that will bring forward a cure for this wretched, insidious disease is:  1) if the powers that be can figure a way to make more money from a cure than they can from providing the tools necessary to keep us alive and functioning; and/or 2) if the money-mongers realize that their current approach will dry up the “money well”, in which case their next newest market will be a gradual introduction to an effective cure.  That’s the bleak side of the picture. 

 

Here’s the good news – Type 2 diabetes, which accounts for 90% of all diabetes cases is preventable.  That’s right – PREVENTABLE!  We know, absolutely, how to do this.  There is NO CURE – once you get it, that’s it.  But we know how to show you how NOT to get it. 

Here is the overview to avoid the complications of diabetes, if you already have it.  Those complications are:  blindness, amputation, kidney disease, heart attack, stroke, dental problems, hearing problems, Alzheimers Disease, shortened lifespan by 10-15 years on average, and more… 

 

The following is also the same information you’ll need to prevent from getting it:

 

1.  See an endocrinologist or diabetes specialist
2.  Get on a proper nutrition program
3.  Begin a supervised physical fitness regimen – always under the guidance of your medical team.

 

“Easier said than done.”  I’ve heard that thousands of times.  But we all know it’s the best way to live our lives – in every regard.  Do like the commercial says: “just do it”. 

 

To help, Defeat Diabetes Foundation offers helpful hints, suggestions and full programs to assist you in getting started.   http://www.defeatdiabetes.org/ 

 

So, in the spirit of Frederick Banting, make your own commitment to DEFEAT DIABETES®.  We CAN do it!

 

For an interesting and accurate read on the discovery of insulin:
         BREAKTHROUGH:  Elizabeth Hughs, The Discovery of Insulin, And The
         Making of a Medical Miracle     
         By Thea Cooper and Arthur Ainsberg           
         St. Martin’s Press   320 Pages    $24.99

 

Good Health.

 

Andrew P. Mandell 
MR. DIABETES®