On Thursday, February 4, Oprah, Dr. Oz, Bob Greene, Art Smith, Dr. Ian Smith and more reveal the staggering human cost of the growing diabetes and pre-diabetes epidemic on a special episode of “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” Before a studio audience comprised of all diabetics and their families, Oprah and Dr. Oz reveal the latest facts and figures, share stories of those affected, and hold a no-holds-barred, revealing conversation about risk factors, diet and lifestyle.
Says Winfrey, “Diabetes is a ticking time bomb. It’s a silent killer. It’s annihilating the African American community. Literally. It’s killing almost 100 of us every single day in the African-American community.”
Winfrey and Dr. Oz are also joined by fitness guru Bob Greene, who will reveal the hidden sugars lurking in everyday meals and snacks, and diet expert Dr. Ian Smith. Plus, a diagnosis of diabetes became an urgent wake-up call for celebrity chef Art Smith. Now, after losing eighty-five pounds and reversing his diabetes, he offers viewers his tips. As part of the show, Oprah will also announce a special offer that will help every American get their blood sugar tested for free. Check your local listing for the time the episode will air.
Do you or anyone you know struggle with Diabetes? Share your thoughts about this show and this disease here at Imperfect Women.
Tags: Bob Greene, Diabetes, Dr Oz, Dr. Ian Smith, Oprah Winfrey, The Oprah Winfrey Show
I’ve been a diabetic for almost 18 years. (doing the math in my head). I’m on insulin shots and I use an oral medication. I’m considered a insulin dependant diabetic. I’m neither a type 1 or a type 2. It’s complicated!! I have struggled with it for many years and even used it as a weight loss tool. I know it’s not good but when you’re young you don’t think of the long term affects until your body lets you know. I even had Diabetic ketoacidosis and almost died when I was 25. Lots of medical problems you can have if you don’t control your diabetes. I have many stories about this disease. It’s a silent killer for sure but the good news is you can control your diabetes. I hear all the time checking your blood doesn’t hurt and that’s a lie. It hurts but you check your blood because that’s what can save your life. It’s a balancing act with food and exercise. I didn’t watch this show but I’m glad it’s being talked about.
I actually know very little about this disease, and missed the show yesterday. Did anyone watch?
I am bad!!! I started to watch, and when I saw what damage sugar does to your body I switch it to another station. Sugar diabetes runs in my family!! So I should have not acted like an idiot and changed the channels.
I do drink an oz of pomegranate a day mixed with a glass of water and take cinnamon and eat kiwi fruit as much as I can. Cinnamon and Kiwi reduces the sugar in your blood. Pomegranate flosses your arteries, helps with your good and bad cholesterol and lowers your blood pressure.
I am not the best at staying away from the sugars. I have stop drinking soda’s and drink water instead.
Its those sugar rolls that get me most of the time.
My brother has type 1 diabetes and is on an insulin pump. It is not caused by too much sugar, but is controlled by insulin and a proper, almost no-zero sugar diet. I think the Oprah show (did not watch) was about dietary (type 2) diabetes.
Darlene, that is interesting — I didn’t know that one could be neither 1 or 2. I imagine it’s quite a lot to keep up with. I appreciate you sharing a little about what it entails. Sending good thoughts for your continued good health.
Ann, my understanding is Type 2 is the type of diabetes that is really exploding. I am sure Pam can tell us more. I guess I am a little confused whether this is mainly due to our expanding waistlines and lack of exercise or are there other factors? I have heard that the baseline for when one is considered pre-diabetic or diabetic has been lowered in the last several years…
My aunt was diagnosed Type 2 when she was 63 0r 64. She lost some weight once she was diagnosed and seems to be keeping it under control with her current medication (not insulin).
She had bad side effects from some of the different medications she was initially prescribed. About the only good thing about the increase in diabetes is there seems to be a lot of new medications coming on the market to help people. I guess the drug companies see $$$ and have put a lot of research into developing new medications.
I did not see the show. I work very closely with the children in our large school district that are diagnosed with diabetes. I do quite a bit of diabetic education.
We have both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics and it is becoming increasingly more difficult for us to meet the needs of these children, especially the young ones whose parents work and can not assist the student at school when they are too young to understand what is going on.
I started in School Nursing over 20 years ago and I had not one child with Diabetes in the high school of 4,000 children that I worked at. When I left the last high school I worked in several years ago to take my current position, I had over 20 kids testing and injecting at school two times or more a day.
The surprising thing is that the majority of these kids are Type 1 and it is not related to obesity. I have attended several conferences in recent years where the speakers were indicating that the theory is that there is a virus out there attacking the pancreas of these children.
We are seeing more students with Type 2 diet and weight related diabetes then we did years ago but with proper diet and exercise we usually see this condition reverse.