WORLD DIABETES DAY 14th November

ON THE OCCASION OF WORLD DIABETES DAY

DIABETES AND FAMILY

Man is a social being and family is the foundation of a society.  If a person is sick in a family, the whole family is affected.  Therefore, let us discuss (a) How diabetes affects the whole family and (b) How the whole family is related to diabetes. 

•  How diabetes affects the whole family :

1. Diabetes is a genetic disorder.  That means, it is inherited from our ancestors.  In a family, if the father or mother is affected by diabetes, then the children may be affected by this disease.  But some times, it is also seen that the parents are not affected by diabetes, but the grand-parents were affected.  Then also, the children are also affected by the disease.  That is why, it is called a genetic disorder.  If any blood relatives is also affected by this disease, then also we may inherit this disease.  That is why we have to be aware of this fact. 
2. Diabetes is a financial burden for the entire family.  If only one person is affected by diabetes in a family, then the whole family’s financial condition is affected.  Diabetes does not come alone.  It comes with High Blood Pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease etc. Nowadays, about 80% of diabetes patients are from middle class or lower-middle-class families.  Most of them are of 40 to 60 years of age group.  This group of people are the key persons for the financial support of the entire family.  When the earning person is affected by diabetes, then he becomes a great burden for the entire family.  The medicines for diabetes are quite costly these days.  If only one person is affected by diabetes in a family, at least 4 to 5 thousand rupees per month are required for its management and if complications like heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, and diabetic foot, ulcer etc. creep up then lakhs of rupees are needed for their management.  Not only that, but the patient suffers for the entire life and a lot of money is required for its management. 
3. A person affected by diabetes becomes a burden for the entire family.  Besides the financial burden, it also requires the time, energy and physical assistance by all the family members for the management of complications of diabetes by bringing the patient to the hospital for its management.  Hence, diabetes is a great physical burden for the entire family. 
4. Diabetes not only affects the patient but also creates stress among the entire family.  If small kids are affected by diabetes, parents become very much stressful about the future of the child.  If an adult is affected by this disease, the entire family becomes disturbed for the management of his diet, medicine etc.   In this way, diabetes is also an emotional burden for the entire family. 

(B)   How the whole family is related to diabetes:- 

For Prevention:  

If in a family, nobody is affected by diabetes, or if at all somebody is affected, so what we have to do for its primary prevention or prevention of its complications?   It has been seen that the children adopt the lifestyle of the parents.  If the parents remain awake till late at night and get up very late in the morning, then the children also follow them.  Whatever the parents eat, the children share the same food.  Therefore, if parents get diabetes, then the children are also affected by this disease.  That is why, for the prevention of this disease, the entire family has to adopt a positive lifestyle.  For this we have to pay special attention to the following points :-

• Eat early and Sleep early (by 10 to 10.30 pm).  Along with that, get up early in the morning from 4 to 5 am.   This is because those who remain awake from 10 pm to 4 am, their stress level is quite high and they are prone to develop NCDs like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. 
• After getting up in the morning, practice meditation and positive thinking. 
• Before breakfast, do morning walk, practice asanas and Pranayam at least for half an hour regularly. 
• Prepare healthy and balanced diet for the entire family members. 
• Have good relationship and dealings with good wishes for all.  
• Adopt good physical hygiene practices.  

The other most important aspect is there should be annual blood checkups and health checkups for the entire family members  (whoever is more than 15 years of age) for the prevention of diabetes.   By this, if anybody is having borderline diabetes, then it can be diagnosed and can be totally prevented from this disease.   Because it is a silent disorder, most of the people do not have any signs or symptoms.  That is why without checking diagnosis of this disease is impossible. 

FOR DIABETIC PATIENTS:

• Let us help for the change of lifestyle.  So long as we do not bring about any changes in our lifestyle, it is impossible to control or prevent this disease.  That is why the entire family members should have a positive lifestyle and they should encourage and cooperate the diabetic patients in this regard.  Lifestyle change is impossible without the assistance of the family members. 
• Cooperation in regular health check-up:   Because diabetes is a lifestyle and silent disease, to prevent and to get rid of the complications of the diabetes, a regular check-up is a must.  In diabetes, daily we have to check our feet.  Weekly, we have to check our body weight.  Every month one day we have check our fasting and PP blood sugar.  Similarly, we have to know what we are supposed to check quarterly, half-yearly and annually.  Then only we can help the diabetic patients and prevent complications.  Otherwise, a lot of money is spent and the patient dies prematurely.
• The right medication and regularly clinical check-up: Nowadays, various types of treatment methods and medicines are available for diabetes.  But along with that, people have a lot of blind faith and it has been seen that without taking the right medications, the patients instead of getting benefit out of it, suffer a lot.  Because diabetes is a silent disease and so long as the complications do not appear, we do not see any signs and symptoms also.  That is why we should consult our diabetes specialist and do our regular clinical check-up. 
• Motivation and empowerment for behavioral changes.  Whenever a patient is affected by diabetes, it is seen that he becomes disheartened and stressful.  He thinks that for the entire life he will have to take medicine and he cannot take sweets etc.  During this period, the entire family members should help the patient by encouraging and empowering him mentally and emotionally.  For this, we have to have a complete education regarding this disease.  Therefore, educate ourselves and help the patients. 
• Early consultation :  It is seen that any complication in diabetes spreads very fast and becomes life-threatening.  Therefore, if there is very minor problem like fever or a small injury in the foot, we should consult a specialist as early as possible.   For this, the family members should cooperate in this respect. 
• Full support during complications:  Diabetes affects almost all parts and organs of the whole body.  If uncontrolled, 80% people develop heart problems.  Many patients become blind.  Others get affected by stroke and develop paralysis.  So many patients develop kidney failure and many lose their limbs (amputation) because of diabetic foot.   Whenever somebody gets complications, the whole family should cooperate for its treatment, not only physically but also mentally and financially. 

MEDICAL WING, BRAHMA KUMARIS, SHANTIVAN

Note:  For prevention and management of diabetes, every month Diamond Project for Diabetes Management is organized at Manmohini Complex, Shantivan.  Contact us for detailed information …..

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