JBSA medical facilities turn attention to diabetes in November

  • Published
  • By Robert Goetz
  • Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Public Affairs
Diabetes is one of the most prevalent diseases in the United States, affecting some 29 million Americans, according to the American Diabetes Association.

Another 86 million people in the U.S. are at risk for diabetes, which is associated with long-term problems such as kidney disease, neuropathy or foot complications, eye problems, skin complications, delayed gastric emptying and mental and emotional problems.

However, diabetes – defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a condition in which the body does not properly process food for use as energy – is both controllable and preventable.

Joint Base San Antonio medical facilities, which take a proactive approach to diabetes throughout the year, are especially focused on the disease during American Diabetes Month in November.

The Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center’s Diabetes Center of Excellence at JBSA-Lackland is partnering with the 59th Medical Operations Group disease management nurses to offer a diabetes health fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 16 in the Wilford Hall Atrium. A highlight of the event is a presentation by retired New Orleans Saints defensive end Melvin Williams who will speak on health and wellness.

At the JBSA-Randolph Medical Clinic, posters and educational materials are on display throughout the month in the family health clinic waiting room.

Type 2 diabetes, which is characterized by higher-than-normal blood sugar levels, is the most common type of diabetes, accounting for more than 90 percent of cases, said Lt. Col. Anita Chapel, 359th Medical Operations Squadron family nurse practitioner. Type 1 diabetes, which affects just 5 percent of diabetics, requires insulin injections because the pancreas does not make insulin or makes too little to move the glucose in the body’s cells.

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes include increased thirst, frequent urination, extreme hunger, blurred vision, fatigue, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, dry skin and slow healing of cuts and wounds.

Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include older age, a family history of diabetes and ethnicity, but the disease is also associated with obesity and poor exercise habits.

“We cannot change our genetics or ethnicity, but we can adopt a healthy lifestyle,” Chapel said. “Being overweight increases your risk for developing type 2 diabetes, so maintaining a normal weight will reduce your risk.

“In addition, a diet high in calories from any source contributes to weight gain,” she said. “A diet low in sugary foods, salty foods and high-fat foods is recommended, as is eating the recommended portions in each food group.”

Aerobic exercise plays a key role in preventing type 2 diabetes because it helps the body use insulin better, improves blood circulation and reduces risk for heart disease by lowering blood glucose and blood pressure and improving cholesterol levels, Chapel said.

Maj. Wanda Clemons, 59th MDOG Diabetes Center of Excellence nurse manager, emphasized the importance of a healthy lifestyle in managing type 2 diabetes.

“Medication alone cannot overcome the results of a poor diet and lack of exercise,” she said. “Many in the diabetic field are fond of saying, ‘Well-controlled diabetes or controlled blood sugars is the cause of nothing.’ The risk of complication is related to overall glucose control.”

Healthy eating and exercising, along with following the prescribed medication treatment plan outlined by the provider, are the best ways for people to manage their type 2 diabetes symptoms, Clemons said.
“It’s also important to check your blood sugars consistently and being aware of high and low blood sugars,” she said.

The prevalence of diabetes is seen at the Diabetes Center of Excellence, which provided more than 6,500 patient encounters in fiscal 2016, and at the JBSA-Randolph clinic, which has some 1,200 patients diagnosed with the disease.

The medical facilities’ proactive approach to managing diabetes is exemplified by the monthly Diabetes Self-Management Education class, a live interactive telecommunication class televised from the Diabetes Center of Excellence and offered at the JBSA-Randolph clinic.

The four-session class, offered the first through fourth Tuesday of each month, gives patients information on how to manage their diabetes, how to make healthier food choices and understanding the importance of lifestyle changes.

“This class has been piloted for the past year with JBSA-Randolph and is being expanded next year to reach five additional medical treatment facilities and will keep expanding each year,” Clemons said.

The Diabetes Center of Excellence also provides training to internal medicine residents and endocrinology fellows as well as many Department of Defense-wide outreach programs, including monthly webinars and the biannual diabetes champion course for health care members, she said.