Sharon McCarthy was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was only 16 months old.

She gives a lot of credit to God for keeping her alive, because without her strong faith, she says she probably wouldn’t have her eyesight, her kidneys, her legs or her life.

One thing is certain though: She would not be alive without insulin injections — a treatment developed just two decades before she was born, said the 64-year-old retired nurse.

“I grew up with it (diabetes). In that sense, I don’t know what life without diabetes is like,” McCarthy said.

Since she was 12 years old, she has been injecting herself with insulin. Now that she’s in her mid-60s she wears a timed pump from which small doses of insulin are periodically pumped into her stomach from a thin tube. She pricks her finger about five to seven times a day, depending on whether she’s working out or not, to check her blood sugar levels. She is on a low glycemic diet that includes food like whole wheat items, milk and certain vegetables.

McCarthy knows to carry a glucose tab and some grape juice with her at all times. She knows that stress could send her sugar levels up or down and she knows that very ripe bananas, as opposed to the mildly ripe and slightly green ones, will send her sugar soaring, she said.

“Diabetes is a tricky disease,” McCarthy said. “If you’re just diagnosed with diabetes, give yourself at least nine months, better a year, to learn how you’re going to react adjusting to diet, exercise and everything else that comes along with living with diabetes.”

Every person’s body reacts a different way to the disease.

One young man said to McCarthy, “‘I love Mexican food and now I can’t eat it.’ And I said that’s not true. He said, ‘the dietitian said I can’t eat it.’ I said, ‘well ask the dietitian if she has diabetes.’”

Some doctors may not always know what’s best; and that is what she teaches to the members in her diabetes support group every third Thursday of the month with the Southern new Mexico Diabetes Outreach program. People have to stand up and be their own advocate and speak up for themselves when they think they need more medication or more test strips to test sugar levels more often. get another doctor if you have to, she said.

One of the most important things she teaches at the meetings is “Diabetes is not a death sentence,” she said. “Now, it can be if a person newly diagnosed says ‘eh, that doctor doesn’t know what he’s talking about.’”

It’s easy for a person to spiral downhill with depression, stubbornness and carelessness. People have to have kidney transplants, they loose their sight, they loose a limb or they develop another disease like high blood pressure or heart disease.

Other complications include kidney disease, nervous system disease, dental disease, complications with pregnancy and overall illness, which could lead to coma, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder caused when the body is not using food correctly. there are two kind: Type 1 is an autoimmune disorder that occurs when the body produces no insulin from the pancreas, which helps sugar absorb into the cells for energy or growth. Anyone can have type 1 and it doesn’t matter whether the person is healthy and eats right. Type 2 is the most common and is mostly caused by the unhealthy ways a person eats and lives. Those with type 2 either don’t produce enough insulin or the cells are not responding to insulin, according to the American Diabetes Association website.

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes include urinating frequently, extreme thirst and hunger, weight loss and fatigue. Type 2 includes type 1 symptoms, plus frequent infections, blurred vision, slow healing and numbness and tingling in hands and feet.

According to 2011 statistics by the CDC, diabetes is most common in those of black, Hispanic and Native American origin. More than 14 percent of Native American adults have diabetes, nearly 12 percent of Hispanic adults have diabetes and nearly 13 percent of black adults have diabetes. the disease affects nearly 26 million Americans in all, or 8.3 percent of the population. about 2 million people were diagnosed last year and about 79 million adults, aged 20 and older, have prediabetes.

Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness, kidney disease and non-traumatic limb amputation. It’s is also the seventh-leading cause of death, according to 2007 statistics. the cost of treating diabetes in the U.S. reached $174 billion in 2007, because most patients’ medical expenses are twice as high than for those without the disease.

Obesity and type 2 diabetes

“I see a more and more obese population,” said Dr. Andrew Lancaster, an endocrinologist at Nzhu Endocrine and Diabetes Care in Alamogordo. “The portion sizes in the last 40 years have gone up dramatically and the activity level has been going down.”

His example comes from a conference where a color-coded map showed the growth of the population every five years. every year, the obese colors got bigger and then new colors had to be added for the more extreme numbers in certain areas of the country, Lancaster said.

At Lancaster’s clinic, he sees about 20 patients a day and has about 1,500 patients in all. because he works a lot with diabetics, he is booked clear until the end of the year and so are other endocrinologists and doctors like him who specialize in diabetes care, Lancaster said.

“Food is so easy to get these days and it’s cheap, because a lot of the cheap stuff is processed and full of sugar and fat. the focus here, and the whole ‘cure’ for diabetes, is eating right, exercising and making healthier choices,” Lancaster said.

“The less processed the better,” he said.

In fact, the best thing to do would to have a garden and a few farm animals, because that gives people a chance to exercise while chasing around the animals for dinner, Lancaster said.

Other healthy eating tips he suggests are not to be a compulsive shopper while in the grocery store. instead of buying whole bags and boxes of cookies and junk food, get a small portion or a single serving. having it in the house is always going to be a problem and telling yourself “no” often doesn’t work.

Also, during the holidays, if you know a member of the family who has diabetes, bring some healthier foods to the table. Put out some un-sweetened tea and water instead of regular sodas. It’s just like having an alcoholic around and “can an alcoholic just have one beer?” Lascaster asks. “Maybe, but you don’t want to take that risk.”

“Diabetes is not a death sentence,” he said. “It’s a wake up call to have one take over their diet.”

Diabetics have to take it one step at a time, they can’t change suddenly or stop their habits cold turkey. sometimes a person has to hit rock-bottom and have some sort of epiphany to make a change, he said.

Change isn’t easy

For Beatriz Favela’s mother, making changes to her diet was hard.

“I started noticing that my mom was doing a lot of things wrong,” Favela said. “The fact that I started learning more, I started passing on this information to her.”

Favela is the program operations director with Southern Area Health Education Center and part of the Doña Ana Diabetes Action Coalition.

Although she does not have diabetes, her mother was living with diabetes for 23 years and her father is currently living with the disease and has had it for 20 years.

After Favela’s parents were diagnosed with the disease, she started working as a social worker and then a diabetes educator.

“That was very, very difficult for us to help her because — typical Hispanic family, you know? we are very much into family gatherings and eating,” Favela said.

Her mother went into depression, because she felt like she couldn’t be part of the celebrations because of food restrictions. For a time, all she drank was orange juice, because she thought artificial things were bad, but natural things were good — this isn’t true; orange juice is loaded with sugar and it’s something doctors give to patients whose blood sugar is dangerously low, because orange juice spikes blood sugar up very quickly.

But after her mother started listening to what Favela was learning about diabetes and teaching to other people, living with diabetes became somewhat manageable.

She died a few years ago, but Favela’s father is still coping with the disease and he pricks his finger abut twice a day, Favela said.

Moderation is key

Carl Zimmerman, on the cover, has had diabetes since 2004. it wasn’t a surprise to the 75-year-old, because the disease runs in his family.

Zimmerman is a no-worry diabetic. He doesn’t have to take insulin shots and only pricks his finger occasionally. And in a nonchalant way, he says he lost about 40 pounds from dieting and excersicing.

His wife is a biologist and an excellent cook who knows what he needs and what he needs to avoid or moderate. He cooks also, he said.

“You can have a pretty broad section of food, it’s just that if they’re on the suspect list, you just moderate,” Zimmerman said.

On his suspect list are fried foods and ice cream.

“It’s easy to fall off the wagon,” Zimmerman said. “I encourage folks not to get discouraged with wrestling with diabetes.”

Everyone is different

Betty Ayer is in Sharon McCarthy’s diabetes support group and others refer to her as a “light diabetic,” because she is checked about every six months, takes medication only twice a day and she doesn’t have to check her blood sugar often, she said.

“One thing I’ve learned in Sharon’s group is that it’s a different illness with everybody,” she said. “Each person has his or her own idiosyncrasies and you just have to take that into consideration.”

She found out she had diabetes from a regular checkup, when a blood test showed she had a blood glucose level of 200. She then changed her diet and started exercising — and lost about 25 pounds in the process.

She particularly stays away from russet potatoes and prefers the smaller red ones, because they have a much lower glycemic index, the term meaning the rate at which the food’s sugar is dissolved into the blood stream and cells. Sweet potatoes are the best to eat.

“I gave up cake and ice cream — except on birthdays,” she said with a laugh.

Andi Murphy can be reached at amurphy@lcsun-news.com; (575) 541-5453

Most likely you have heard of MSG and may associate it most with being something tasty that is added to your Chinese takeout food. But you may not know what MSG actually is or why a friend of yours always asks for “no MSG” when you go to restaurants.

So what Is MSG Anyway?

Vegetable protein hydrolysate is just wheat or soybean that has been partially digested using a natural method and is a natural flavor enhancer. MSG, or Monosodium glutamate, is a product of the process of partially digesting (hydrolyzing) vegetable protein – which is how MSG is commercially manufactured. The sneaky thing is that it’s only mentioned on a label if it’s added in a chemically pure form, and not if it’s a product of protein hydrolysis.

Thus, MSG is often a “phantom ingredient” on the list of contents on many foods. Meaning, MSG may be present even if it is not be listed as an ingredient on the label.

If MSG Is A Natural Food Enhancer, Why Does it Matter If it Isn’t Listed As An Ingredient On The Food Label?

Most consumers don’t know where or how MSG is encountered because it is often an “invisible ingredient.” nor do they connect the symptoms that occur hours to days after the ingestion of MSG to the MSG itself.

Some symptoms that have been reported after the ingestion of MSG: Skin-burning sensation, chills, swelling, headache, fatigue, dizziness, confusion, speech difficulty, psychological dysfunction, depression, insomnia, blurred vision, difficulty focusing, buzzing in the ear (tinnitus), running nose (rhinitis), sneezing. Also, chest pain and/or tightness, irregular and/or fast heart rate, wheezing (asthma), cough, thirst, nausea, gastrointestinal pain, diarrhea, frequency of urination, loss of bladder control in children, muscle aches, joint aches.

What gets even more confusing is that the intensity of the symptoms, as well as the presence of one or more symptoms, will vary with the amount of MSG ingested. most people that are sensitive to MSG will fail to connect their more subtle, delayed symptoms with the ingestion of MSG. so, unless the symptoms are severe and immediate, they will not be able to diagnose MSG as being the cause.

**If you have already determined that you are not allergic to soybean or wheat, you should suspect MSG as being the culprit rather than the vegetable protein itself.

How To Spot MSG-Containing Substances On Food labels – it Won’t always say “MSG”

Many ingredient labels may not list MSG even though it is there, so you need to familiarize yourself with some other ways MSG-containing substances appear on food labels without actually saying “MSG”:

Protein hydrolysateHydrolyzed vegetable proteinVegetable proteinProtein powderVegetable broth“all natural flavorings”Kombu extractSeaweed extractAutolyzed yeastYeast extractFermented soy sauceFermented soy products

Some foods that typically contain MSG and/or MSG-related substances are: Seasoning salts, bouillon, meat tenderizers, spaghetti sauces, ketchup, sausages, bacon, prepared meats, canned tuna in vegetable broth, prepared frozen meals (“TV dinners”), canned or frozen soups, salad dressings, potato chips, and more. Restaurant meals often contain MSG-related ingredients. Requesting that a restaurant not put MSG in the food may simply result in the consumer receiving a lower dose.

I Have A Hypersensitivity, Not An Allergy To MSG?

If you find that you do not tolerate MSG, then your problem is a hypersensitivity, not an allergy, to MSG. Allergy tests can be negative every time because hypersensitivity is a biochemical intolerance and not an allergy. what this means is that the person genetically is unable to metabolize a particular molecule. Since MSG is a harmless amino acid, any problems that arise from it being ingested are because of the person’s inability to metabolize it, not any harmful intrinsic properties of the substance itself.

The best way to determine if MSG may be causing your problems is to keep good notes of what you eat, when you eat it, and then when your symptoms occur. If you find that you are hypersensitive, complete avoidance is the solution!

References:

Allen DA Baker. W.: Asthma and MSG. Medical Journal of Australia 1981; 2:576.11

Ghadimi A Kumar Set al: Studies on monosodium glutamate ingestion: biochemical explanations of Chinese restaurant syndrome. Biochemical Medicine 1971; 5:447-58.

Schaumberg Byck R, Gerstl R, Mashman JH: Monosodium glutamate; its pharmacology and role in the Chinese restaurant syndrome. Science 1969;826-8.

Evolving immune system triggering more allergies

An increase in children’s food allergies is not just the result of hyperconscious parents but a result of the sanitary times we’re living in, doctors say.

Dr. Edward McLaughlin, an allergist with offices in DeLand and Ormond Beach, reports a “dramatic increase” in children’s food allergies among his cases. and both he and a University of Florida pediatric allergist believe it’s the result of how the human immune system has responded to the dearth of bacteria and infectious diseases compared to how it used to be.

“We live in such a hygienic society, our immune system is responding differently,” said McLaughlin, pointing to clean drinking water, bacterial wipes and immunizations as key developments in more widespread allergies.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found food allergies have increased 18 percent even as recently as the period between 1997 and 2007, with milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat accounting for 90 percent of all the food allergies. In 2007, the CDC found 3.9 percent of all children younger than 18 had food or digestive allergies in the previous 12 months.

Dr. Shih-Wen Huang, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Florida, likened the body’s immune system to two arms. as one gets weaker from disuse — the one that fights bacterial invaders — the other has gotten stronger. the one getting stronger originally developed to fight parasites that mimic healthy cells’ function.

Lacking any parasites to fight, however, this stronger arm can be triggered into action by certain substances, such as peanuts, in a life-threatening way. the allergic person has a buildup of the allergic antibody, Immunoglobulin E, in the body. Higher IgE reflects the potential escalation of allergic symptoms.

“Few (food allergies) lead to severe problems,” Huang said. “But the peanut allergy is extremely dangerous in some cases. It is currently the leading food that often caused the most severe reaction of allergy called anaphylaxis nationwide.”

Huang said the rise in allergy cases has prompted changes in the way pregnant women are counseled about what to eat.

McLaughlin said his specialty is also revising advice given to parents of allergy-prone children about when to introduce certain foods. It used to be that allergy-triggering foods were withheld until the child reached 2 years old. but that’s changing.

“Now, earlier introduction actually reduces food allergies,” McLaughlin said.

“Nut-free” classrooms. Hand-washing and mouth-rinsing routines twice a day. a peanut-sniffing dog.

Carie Starkey joined parents picketing Edgewater Public School recently to protest some measures taken to protect a first-grader whose allergy to nuts is so severe she could die if not treated quickly for a reaction. Starkey and other parents say the procedures cut into class time and interfer with their children’s education.

Tracey Bailey kept her daughter — the girl with the severe nut allergy — home the day of the demonstration to shield her from the controversy. but she and her husband are just as concerned as the protesters about what’s happening at school, even though some of the pickets’ claims were based on what school officials now say was misinformation.

“We 100 percent, hands-down want to work with the parents to work this out. We want to do what is best for all kids at the school, not just our daughter, ” Bailey said.

Bailey, who declined to confirm her daughter’s first name for publication, said touching nuts or nut products irritates the girl’s skin. Smelling them can trigger an asthma attack. Eating them carries the danger of causing hives and breathing problems that could be deadly if not treated quickly, Bailey said.

To protect their daughter, the Baileys have posted a sign on the front door of their Edgewater home barring visitors who’ve had recent contact with nuts from entering. They’ve also made sure a plan is in place to keep her safe at school, as required by federal law and regulations.

“We have nothing against this little girl being at school, but we don’t want it to take away from our children’s education,” said Starkey, whose daughter is in the same class as Bailey’s girl.

Through signs and fliers, the protesters objected to a loss of class time for their children because of a requirement they wash their hands and faces and rinse their mouths before class and after lunch.

Other issues raised by the protesters concerned a ban on class snacks and holiday celebrations, and what they believed was a plan to use Clorox wipes to clean children’s hands and faces and preferential treatment for Bailey’s daughter in the school clinic.

“The truth is we were not aware of 98 percent of what they’re protesting,” Bailey said. “If these things are truly happening, we are just as upset about them as they are.”

School officials confirmed nuts and nut products are banned from the two classrooms where Bailey’s daughter receives daily instruction. Children who bring lunches from home must leave them on a cart outside the classroom for delivery to the cafeteria, Superintendent Margaret Smith said, but they can bring peanut butter sandwiches or other nut products.

Bailey’s daughter eats her home-packed lunch in a space off the classroom in the company of a teacher’s aide so she isn’t exposed to any nut products in the cafeteria.

Clorox wipes are used to clean desks at times, school district spokeswoman Nancy Wait said, but not children’s faces and hands.

Smith said the Edgewater first-grade teachers agreed as a group not to have classroom snacks because of the children’s early lunch time. They also decided to celebrate holidays with arts-and-crafts projects and other learning activities rather than food, she said, and not to invite parent volunteers into the classroom.

Smith said those decisions were prompted by a need to keep focused on instruction without interruptions and had nothing to do with Bailey’s daughter’s allergy. she said the order in which children are treated in the school clinic is decided by the school nurse based on each child’s condition at the time.

Starkey said the twice-a-day washing and rinsing routines take at least 20 minutes out of class time.

“What if a child is struggling and they’re losing the academic time, who’s going to take up the slack?” she asked.

Wait said Area Superintendent Annette Martinson will meet soon with the Edgewater school’s administrators to see if there’s a way to cut back on the time the washing routine takes.

Starkey hopes school officials will meet with parents as well to hear and address their concerns, and Bailey is willing to be part of that. the superintendent said information will be shared with parents as the review of the situation is completed.

The education director for the Virginia-based Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network sees that as a good sign.

“It’s definitely helpful when everyone can work together for the best interest of all our students at school,” Eleanor Garrow said in a telephone interview. “Education is the key, and there are so many people who aren’t educated on food allergies” and the serious — sometimes fatal — complications they can cause.

Meanwhile, school officials are waiting for results from a March 11 visit to the Edgewater school by a black Labrador retriever trained to sniff out peanut residue. at no cost to the school district, the Baileys arranged for the dog to inspect the school when no children were present to see if it could pinpoint anything that’s causing what appear to be allergic reactions that have sent their daughter to the school clinic several times.

The superintendent said the school was cleaned carefully after the dog left to ensure children with animal allergies won’t be affected when they return to classes Monday after Spring Break.

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Food allergies are a huge public health threat.

However, for the first time, a panel of experts has agreed on the best way to diagnose and manage the problem.

One in 25 people suffer from food allergies.

In some cases, food allergies can lead to anaphylaxis, a severe and even deadly reaction.

But now there’s help.

New guidelines developed by a panel of experts will help doctors better diagnose and treat food allergies.

More than 43 recommendations are listed, including how to diagnose a food allergy, and which tests are most effective.

The recommendations also include common allergy-causing foods and their symptoms, and how to manage non-life threatening allergic reactions, as well as potentially life-threatening anaphylaxis.

Though it’s unclear why, experts believe food allergies are on the rise.

The most common aggravators include peanuts, tree nuts, seafood, milk, and eggs.

Food allergies are more common in children than adults.

Fortunately, most children will outgrow their allergy to eggs, milk, soy, or wheat.

There is no cure for food allergies. if you think you’ve suffered a reaction to food, talk to your doctor, and be sure your doctor knows about the new guidelines.