World Diabetes Day 2021
World Diabetes Day (WDD) is on November 14, 2021. According to the WDD's website, the campaign is marked annually on November 14 for the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting who co-discovered insulin along with Charles Best over 100 years ago in 1921. The campaign is represented by a blue circle logo, which was adopted in 2007 after the passage of the UN Resolution on diabetes, signifying the unity of the global diabetes community in response to the diabetes epidemic.
About World Diabetes Day
Every year, the World Diabetes Day campaign focuses on a dedicated theme that runs for one or more years. The theme for World Diabetes Day 2021-23 is "Access to Diabetes Care – If Not Now, When?" Below is a great video that helps explain the importance of the WDD campaign focus.
For people, like myself, who do not live with diabetes, I'd like to share some statistics from Diabetes Canada that I think will help put this important issue into focus:
- Nearly 11.5 million Canadians are living with diabetes or prediabetes
- Today, one in three Canadians has diabetes or prediabetes, and young people face a greater than 50% chance of developing diabetes in their lifetime
- Diabetes is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in those 20-65 years of age
- Diabetes contributes to 30% of strokes, 40% of heart attacks, 50% of kidney failure requiring dialysis
- Diabetes is the cause of 70% of all non-traumatic limb amputations
- Having diabetes can shorten one’s lifespan by five to fifteen years
- Diabetes costs the healthcare system $30 billion dollars to treat
- According to Stats Canada, not including accidents, diabetes is a leading cause of death for all ages in Canada
In June of this year, Canada passed into law Bill C-237, which establishes a national framework for diabetes in Canada. According to a recent press release, this law will improve prevention, management and research into diabetes. Ryan Hooey, diabetes advocate and person living with type 1 diabetes in Ontario comments on Bill C-237, "This could give Canadians coast-to-coast the ability to manage their diabetes successfully and give them a chance to live a better life. This is long overdue and only the beginning to such great things for Canadian Health Care." Interested in learning more about this historic law? Visit the Parliament of Canada website.
If you are looking to find out more about diabetes generally, please see the Diabetes Overview resources below. For folks looking for resources on living with or caring for someone with diabetes, scroll down to the Diabetes Management section for some new and noteworthy resources at the library.
Diabetes Overview
Diabetes: A History of Race & Disease by Arleen Marcia Tuchman
"Who is considered most at risk for diabetes, and why? In this thorough, engaging book, historian Arleen Tuchman examines and critiques how these questions have been answered by both the public and medical communities for over a century in the United States."
Complete Diabetes Guide: Advice for Managing Type 2 Diabetes by Karen Graham and Dr. Mansur Shomali
"The Complete Diabetes Guide features essential information on underlying causes, clinical features, and effective management options and treatments along with personalized meal plans and lifestyle recommendations. This is a vital resource for anyone who has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or who is at risk of developing it."
Blood Sugar Rising: America's Hidden Diabetes Epidemic, DVD, directed and written by David Alvarado
"Diabetes is a hidden epidemic that affects over 100 million people in the US, claiming more lives than cancer and HIV combined and costing close to $350 billion each year. Blood Sugar Rising puts human faces to these statistics, presenting personal stories that showcase the struggles of living with this illness and revealing new hopes for better diabetes management and prevention."
The Discovery of Insulin by Michael Bliss
"In this engaging and award-winning account, historian Michael Bliss draws on archival records and personal adventures to recount the fascinating story behind the discovery of insulin – a story as much filled with fiery confrontation and intense competition as medical dedication and scientific genius."
Beyond Banting: Decoding Canada's Diabetes Research Superstars by Krista Lamb
"Since Sir Frederick Banting's discovery of insulin at the University of Toronto in 1921, Canadian scientists have remained on the frontlines of the development of new treatments for diabetes, and the quest for a cure. Beyond Banting takes you behind the scenes with remarkable scientists from across the country who are building on Banting's legacy and ensuring Canada remains at the forefront of this fascinating and important field."
Diabetes Management Resources
The Diabetes Code Cookbook by Dr. Jason Fung and Alison Maclean
"The Diabetes Code Cookbook makes it even easier to follow Dr. Fung’s proven advice for preventing and reversing type 2 diabetes through intermittent fasting and a low carb/high-fat diet. This cookbook features full-color photographs and includes 100 simple, delicious recipes to help manage insulin and aid in weight loss -Intermittent fasting schedules and plans (16, 24, 30, and 26-hour fasts)."
The Mindful Guide to Managing Diabetes by Dr. Joseph P. Napora
"Stress can have a huge impact on diabetes management, even when you are doing everything else right. But you can manage stress, anxiety, and depression, and learn to thrive with diabetes by practicing mindful living. This mindfulness guide will give you the tools and strategies you need to prevent and reduce stress, communicate and solve problems effectively, maintain a positive attitude, and take charge of your diabetes."
The Easy Diabetes Cookbook by Mary Ellen Phipps
"With this collection of recipes from registered dietitian nutritionist and Milk & Honey Nutrition® founder Mary Ellen Phipps, you can still make the quick, easy, and tasty foods you love while balancing your blood sugars and managing your diabetes. Diagnosed with type I diabetes when she was five, Mary Ellen uses both her professional and personal experience to create meals that will bring the joy and ease of cooking back to your kitchen, while still following a blood sugar-friendly diet."
Pregnancy & Diabetes a Real-Life Guide for Women with Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational Diabetes by Marina Chaparro
"Diabetes during pregnancy can be a scary experience for women, whether they are diagnosed with gestational diabetes or have been living type 1 or type 2 diabetes for years. This book gives moms-to-be practical, easy-to-follow, and reassuring advice to successfully manage diabetes during the nine months of pregnancy."
Diabetes: How to Help by Gary Scheiner and Diane Herbert
"Living with diabetes is complicated and challenging. In addition to a multitude of daily tasks and decisions, managing diabetes requires appropriate support from those surrounding the person with diabetes: partners, family members, friends, co-workers, and caregivers. Most aspects of diabetes care/treatment focus on the patient. There are dozens of books and online resources designed specifically for the person with diabetes, but very few address the needs and interests of their support network. This leaves the vast majority of caregivers in a quandary regarding their role. Many are under-educated on diabetes and its management, and most are unsure of where their involvement begins and ends."
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