Another Unfortunate Experiment - Diabetes in Situ?
At NZ's National Women's Hospital, 30 years ago women diagnosed with carcinoma in situ (CIS), were not all treated with the best available care. This became known as "The Unfortunate Experiment."
In NZ today, because insulin testing is only available in main hospitals and can only be ordered by a few specialists, a pre-diabetic condition Dr Joseph Craft calls "diabetes in situ" is not diagnosed.
Diabetes in situ is something most people over 40 have developed, even though your doctor says, "You are healthy." This is about where you draw the line between sickness and health. It's also about when you first understand that if you don't make some changes to your lifestyle, you are headed for major problems.
In the diagram below, we're showing the insulin response to a glucose drink over four hours. (You usually see the glucose response on a similar graph.) The people on the red line using the common HbA1c test , or a fasting glucose test would be diagnosed as diabetic. The people on the blue line are healthy. Those on the yellow or orange line, according to Joseph Kraft, have diabetes in situ, but in NZ, they would not be identified as being at risk.
So are you at risk? If you are over 40, and you live in NZ, probably, even when your doctor says you are "healthy."
Here are some clues. Do you weigh more than you did at 25? Do you have problems controlling your weight? Do you eat snack foods a lot? In your blood tests, are any of the following high: blood pressure, triglycerides, or fasting glucose. Is your HDL cholesterol low? Do you have trouble sleeping? Do you retain water easily? Family history of diabetes, stroke or heart disease?
Does that include most of us? I guess so. What can we do? There's lots you can do. Read the link attached to this post. Read the two previous posts. That will keep you busy for a while. Become aware, and take an active interest in your own future.
New lottery, new home
Soak up the Marlborough sun with the Heart Foundation Lottery.
For just $15 a ticket, you could win this brand-new, fully furnished Jennian home in breathtaking Blenheim.
Surrounded by stunning mountain views, this home features three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a spacious open-plan kitchen, living, and dining area.
Get your tickets today at heartlottery.org.nz.
Poll: Should employees be able to work from home?
At the post-Cabinet press conference, the National Party asserted they want public sector staff to return to the office. This has opened a conversation about other sectors in New Zealand who have adopted working from home (WFH).
Where possible, do you think employees should be able to work from home? Vote below and share your thoughts in the comments.
-
70.1% Yes
-
26.8% No
-
3.1% Other - I'll share below
Hero
“I was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldn’t be myself there. Even though my family didn’t like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. It’s better when it’s shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.”
- Hero
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
www.humansofchch.org......
Loading…
