Post by Okwes on Oct 30, 2006 11:37:53 GMT -5
Indians afflicted by diabetes
By BRIAN
WALLHEIMER
Norwich Bulletin
www.norwichbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061022/NEWS0\
1/610220337
<http://www.norwichbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061022/NEWS\
01/610220337>
MASHANTUCKET -- Diabetes strikes every race, ethnicity and age, but at
much higher rates for American Indians. How does the Mashantucket
Pequot Tribe plan to work against the potentially deadly disease?
With a long, straight drive down the fairways at Lake of Isles. The
tribe is holding a golf tournament, Drive for Diabetes, at Lake of Isles
Monday to raise money and awareness for diabetes research. Proceeds will
go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. "Diabetes is a
prevalent illness and disease among our people and our community," said
Richard E. Sebastian, Mashantucket Pequot tribal councilor and
co-chairman of the tournament. In fact, diabetes is more than twice
as common among American Indians as whites, according to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Socorra Vargas, an endocrinologist
at The William W. Backus Hospital's Diabetes Management Center, said
diabetes is especially high among all minority groups, though research
hasn't discovered why. "I wish I knew," Vargas said. "As to why it is
more prevalent, I'm sure it has something to do with genetics."
Vargas said the Mashantucket Pequots might be even more susceptible as a
tribe, because tribal members represent myriad races through marriage.
"Perhaps the combination will put them at greater risk," Vargas said.
But the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, owner and operator of Foxwoods Resort
Casino, has the ability to get the message out on a large scale and the
beginning of that effort is Monday's golf tournament. Sebastian and
tournament co-Chairman Rodney Butler, who also is tribal treasurer, said
Monday's tournament will be followed by other events to aid diabetes
research and bring awareness to the disease's impacts. "We've never
really focused on native health," Butler said. "Health is perpetual. It
goes forever." Sebastian said the research was going to juvenile
diabetes because he thought it was important to teach healthy lifestyles
at a young age. "We have to start with our youth," Sebastian said. "You
have to start with the kids and impress upon them the kind of lifestyle
changes that are necessary." Brian Sebastian, 39, of Ledyard is a
Mashantucket with diabetes. His wife, Vanassa Sebastian, 34, said the
disease has turned his life upside down. "The changes are enormous,"
she said. "Nutrition changes, you have to watch the carbs that you eat,
the starchy foods." Brian Sebastian has to exercise more and watch
his blood sugar level. Once, while shopping for a homecoming dress for
his daughter, the family had to leave the store immediately so he could
eat something. "Something else has control of your body," his wife
said. "His whole eating style revolves around what his blood sugar level
is." Vargas said one of the biggest things people can do to stave off
diabetes, even those with the gene that causes it, is to eat properly
and exercise. "Our lifestyle is pretty sedentary. We go everywhere
in our car. Everything is drive-thru," Vargas said. "If you live a
healthy lifestyle, you're able to keep your weight down, you can prevent
it."
By BRIAN
WALLHEIMER
Norwich Bulletin
www.norwichbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061022/NEWS0\
1/610220337
<http://www.norwichbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061022/NEWS\
01/610220337>
MASHANTUCKET -- Diabetes strikes every race, ethnicity and age, but at
much higher rates for American Indians. How does the Mashantucket
Pequot Tribe plan to work against the potentially deadly disease?
With a long, straight drive down the fairways at Lake of Isles. The
tribe is holding a golf tournament, Drive for Diabetes, at Lake of Isles
Monday to raise money and awareness for diabetes research. Proceeds will
go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. "Diabetes is a
prevalent illness and disease among our people and our community," said
Richard E. Sebastian, Mashantucket Pequot tribal councilor and
co-chairman of the tournament. In fact, diabetes is more than twice
as common among American Indians as whites, according to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Socorra Vargas, an endocrinologist
at The William W. Backus Hospital's Diabetes Management Center, said
diabetes is especially high among all minority groups, though research
hasn't discovered why. "I wish I knew," Vargas said. "As to why it is
more prevalent, I'm sure it has something to do with genetics."
Vargas said the Mashantucket Pequots might be even more susceptible as a
tribe, because tribal members represent myriad races through marriage.
"Perhaps the combination will put them at greater risk," Vargas said.
But the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, owner and operator of Foxwoods Resort
Casino, has the ability to get the message out on a large scale and the
beginning of that effort is Monday's golf tournament. Sebastian and
tournament co-Chairman Rodney Butler, who also is tribal treasurer, said
Monday's tournament will be followed by other events to aid diabetes
research and bring awareness to the disease's impacts. "We've never
really focused on native health," Butler said. "Health is perpetual. It
goes forever." Sebastian said the research was going to juvenile
diabetes because he thought it was important to teach healthy lifestyles
at a young age. "We have to start with our youth," Sebastian said. "You
have to start with the kids and impress upon them the kind of lifestyle
changes that are necessary." Brian Sebastian, 39, of Ledyard is a
Mashantucket with diabetes. His wife, Vanassa Sebastian, 34, said the
disease has turned his life upside down. "The changes are enormous,"
she said. "Nutrition changes, you have to watch the carbs that you eat,
the starchy foods." Brian Sebastian has to exercise more and watch
his blood sugar level. Once, while shopping for a homecoming dress for
his daughter, the family had to leave the store immediately so he could
eat something. "Something else has control of your body," his wife
said. "His whole eating style revolves around what his blood sugar level
is." Vargas said one of the biggest things people can do to stave off
diabetes, even those with the gene that causes it, is to eat properly
and exercise. "Our lifestyle is pretty sedentary. We go everywhere
in our car. Everything is drive-thru," Vargas said. "If you live a
healthy lifestyle, you're able to keep your weight down, you can prevent
it."