Aaron Berkowitz – General Assignment Reporter
November is Diabetes Awareness month and SCSU’s Wellness Center had an information table on the disease set up in the Adanti Student Center for everyone to see and gain insight on what it entails and also some ways to lower the risk of getting it.
Rachel Lewis, senior public health major, said the display is a good way for students to better educate themselves on the dangers of the disease because so many students she spoke with were misinformed about what triggers it.
“People should be aware of this disease,” said Lewis. “Because it doesn’t just affect one type of person; it can affect you if you’re white, black, or Latino. It’s important that people are taken care of and catch the disease early on so that the disease doesn’t progress.”
Manpreet Jassal, senior public health major, said it is important for people to get and understand the facts about the disease because if they don’t they could be more susceptible to being diagnosed in the future.
“When you consume carbs it transfers into sugars in your body,” said Jassal. “A lot of people they think they should stay away from candy and sweets but they should also be watching your carbs.”
Domonique Gibbs, senior public health major, also said diet, moderations, and a good exercise regime can make a big difference in a person’s chances of getting diabetes.
“It has a lot to do with how your body metabolizes things,” said Gibbs. “It’s important for people to understand that what you do now, will affect you later on.”
Gibbs said paying attention to the signs bodies are communicating is important for people’s health and everyone should be more in touch with their own body because everyone’s reacts differently.
“You have to be accountable for your own health because what ‘your’ normal is, isn’t going to be what the model normal is,” said Gibbs. “If you go to a doctor once every so often they can’t tell you what your normal is. You need to know how your body reacts to things, how you feel normally, and when you see some dangerous signs. Each person is different.”
Feelings such as tingling in the hands and feet can be signs of diabetic nerve damage, said Gibbs. According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly 26 million people across the country have diabetes and another 79 million people have pre-diabetes or are at risk for Type-2 diabetes.
Lewis said students can access more information on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website, the SCSU Wellness Center’s Facebook page, or by stopping by the Wellness Center in Granoff Hall.
Both Gibbs and Lewis said they were happy with the amount of students who came out and showed interest in raising awareness for the disease in tribute to Diabetes Awareness month. Gibbs said she thinks the awareness of Diabetes gets spread not only through people attending events such as this one, but talking to peers about what they have learned and continuing to pass along information.
“Students should attend events like this because they’re getting knowledge,” said Gibbs. “Even if you don’t think it’s something you’ll need, it may be applicable to someone you know.”
“I believe in prevention over treatment,” said Jassal. “Even if the people who come and talk to us don’t take this information home with them, it will end up somewhere and it can benefit someone else.”
