Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 244 BOCNEWS.com DECEMBER 2016 "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou may- est prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." — 3 John 2 Diabetes is today one of the most challenging of public health problems. It has become a world- wide pandemic. It is a major cause of chronic, debilitating illness and premature death. It affects all age groups, and all ethnic groups. In the US, it is the seventh leading cause of death. It has been a condition that is a cause of, or worsens other health conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, visual loss, and loss of limbs due to ampu- tation. In the US, 20% of health care spending is for those diagnosed with diabetes. Medical practitioners and the scientific community know a considerable volume of information about diabetes. We have numerous available medications given orally and by injection. We know that diabetes is a "silent killer" as one can have this disease for years without knowing it. We know the risk factors for diabetes including obesity, older age, family history of diabetes, sedentary living, and having a history of giving birth to an infant who weighed more than 9 pounds. 29 million people in the US have diabetes and 25% of people have it, but don't know it (about 8 million people). 86 million have what we call "pre- diabetes" which places one at risk of developing full- blown diabetes, and which can be associated with strokes and heart attacks. There does not seem to be a deficit of significant information. However we have not been able to get this health challenge under better control. You might be shocked to know that there is a projection of the future trend of diabetes that the problem is going to get worse, not better! The number of Americans diagnosed with dia- betes is projected to increase by 165% by the year 2050! It sounds almost apocalyptic. The largest number of people impacted will be elderly peo- ple about age 75 and older, and black men and women. Some of the increase has to do with changes in popula- tion demographics. The cost of this increase will be staggering. Whatever the cause, we need to take action. I am not going to pretend that I have all of the answers to this dire problem. One thing is certain is that we need to let the public know about the threat we are facing. Even though I cannot give all of the answers for this problem, let's think about some things we need to do: Education of the public about the coming situation we are facing: I suspect that few of us know about what we are facing. To cope with the problem is going to take action by individuals, especially those at risk, and medical authorities. We need to make sure that as many of us as pos- sible, and hopefully all of us have access to medical care. It is sad to note that when you compare the US to the major industrialized countries in the world, we are number 17 out of 17 countries such as Japan, some European, and Scandinavian countries when it comes to health care out- comes. If there are those among us without care, how are the 94 million people with diabetes and prediabetes going to be screened so intervention can be done? We need to inform everyone that we are facing a "silent kill- er" and even though you might feel well, you need screening, as determined by your medical care provider. We need to think about our lifestyle and this includes our body weight, the things we eat and how active we are. We may need to make some changes so we can maintain our health. We need to pay attention to our family history. If there are those in your family with diabetes, you can have it as well. If we know that we have diabetes, we need to be diligent about taking care of ourselves, and this includes taking medication as prescribed, monitor yourself as directed by your medical provider, and go for periodic checkups as advised. I have known people who have stopped medication as they "felt well". That is a dangerous course of action. Do all in your power to monitor for and pay atten- tion to the complications of diabetes. If you have been told you have one of these conditions, you need to be even more diligent in working with your doctor. I would just make a plea that you follow the sug- gestions and the care plan as noted above. It is bet- ter to prevent problems as much as possible, and live well. May God bless you and give you good health. The Rising Tide of Diabetes Dr. Conner By Byron E. Conner, M.D. HEALTH You might be shocked to know that there is a projection of the future trend of diabetes that the problem is going to get worse, not better! The number of Americans diagnosed with diabetes is projected to increase by 165% by the year 2050! It sounds almost apocalyptic. The largest number of people impacted will be elderly people about age 75 and older, and black men and women. 1. GOSPEL PIONEER REUNION - VARIOUS 2. RANCE ALLEN - LIVE FROM SAN FRANCISCO 3. SHAWN JONES - VICTORY 4. JOHN P. KEE - CHURCH CHOIR 5. PAUL S. MORTON - LEGACY 6. VASHAWN MITCHELL - SECRET PLACE 7. J. DREW SHEARD - GEI LIVE 8. EDDIE JAMES - MAGNIFY 9. FRED HAMMOND - WORSHIP JOURNAL 10. CANON - LOOSE CANON VOL. 3