Toronto Star Staff Photo

Keep an eye on these health issues and their often-ignored symptoms

By Stephanie Pollard

Individuals with diabetes have difficulty processing sugar (or glucose) once food has been digested. The causes of Type  2 diabetes (the type most commonly found in Black women) are unclear.

However, Black women are more susceptible to the ills of the disease due to socio-economic issues, including inaccessibility to proper healthcare. Symptoms include blurred vision, frequent bladder and vaginal infections as well as increased thirst, hunger and fatigue.

Treatment:
There is no cure for Type 2 diabetes. However, a low-fat diet, exercise and limited alcohol consumption can keep the disease under control, without large amounts of medication. Also, regularly checking blood sugar levels prevents the disease from worsening. “The staggering thing is that 95 per cent of diabetes cases are Type 2. That means the type of diabetes you can take control of,” says Dr. Drew Ordon, one of television’s favourite physicians on the weekly series The Doctors.

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Issue: High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a result of increased pressure in the arteries that carry blood pumped from the heart to the tissues and organs in the body. A blood pressure reading of 140/90 is an indication of high blood pressure. The top number (systolic pressure) matches the pressure in the arteries as the heart contracts and pumps blood into them.

The bottom number (diastolic pressure) matches the pressure in the arteries as the heart relaxes after the contraction. The diastolic pressure shows the lower pressure to which the person is exposed. High blood pressure produces a series of symptoms that include headaches, nosebleeds and shortness of breath. In more severe cases, high blood pressure can weaken blood vessels in the brain. This causes them to break and bleed, which may result in a stroke.

Treatment:
While there is no cure for high blood pressure, it can be controlled. Like diabetes, changes need to happen: lifestyle, possibly medication and especially diet. “For a long time, we thought eating a fatty diet had long-term effects on your cardiovascular health.

The reality is, it happens almost immediately,” says Dr. Travis Stork, one of the four physician hosts on television’s The Doctors. In terms of diet, eating and cooking with less salt and staying clear of foods that are high in fat and cholesterol are vital. Your new lifestyle should also include exercise, specifically 30 minutes of aerobic activity at least three times a week.

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