| INTRODUCTIONIt is my pleasure to introduce to | | | | colon cancer, they eliminated the toxins from their |
| you, a new Diabetes Prevention Education, Public | | | | bodies through sweat and perspiration. They may |
| Relations Campaign established under the name | | | | have been tired, but they had healthy bodies. So |
| Fannie Estelle Hill Grant, started by me, Lyndia | | | | all of these diseases that are out of control |
| Grant-Briggs, after the loss of my mother who | | | | today, like Diabetes came along later due to the |
| succumbed to Type 2 Diabetes on Christmas | | | | many lifestyle changes of Americans.Let us all |
| Day, December 25, 2000. I noticed a fire burning | | | | learn a very important lesson from this bit of |
| in the Diabetes health arena, and it is still burning | | | | history: According to all legislations and laws today, |
| out of control. The diabetes prevention and | | | | African Americans can Be whatever they want |
| education public relations campaign was started in | | | | to be, they can Do whatever they are capable of |
| an effort, to "Fan the Flames", and put out the | | | | doing, and they can Have whatever they can |
| fire.Fannie Grant was 73 years old, a homemaker, | | | | manage to work hard enough to achieve. We |
| who loved her family very much, and she | | | | know that this is a true statement, when you |
| believed in preparing wonderful home-cooked | | | | look around and you see such role models as |
| meals for the family. You name it, and we had it. | | | | Oprah Winfrey, the queen of talk shows, Bill |
| We would have desserts any day of the week. | | | | Cosby, Michael Jordan, we have had several black |
| Mama enjoyed cooking, cleaning and washing | | | | Miss America's, including the current reigning |
| clothes, and although she raised nine children of | | | | queen, we have Tiger Woods, the best golfer of |
| her own, she always had room for other needy | | | | all times and The Williams Sisters, who have |
| children.In our early years, from 1945-1965, | | | | broken all records. The list goes on and on. Today, |
| Mother was the wife of a sharecropper in North | | | | we live in fabulous homes; our children can now |
| Carolina, but they moved the family to | | | | go to college, (sidebar: yet we have more African |
| Washington, D.C. in 1965. So for more than 30 | | | | American men in prison today, over 900,000 than |
| years, Mother Grant, our father and all of us | | | | we have in college today, only 600,000, that's |
| children called the Washington Metropolitan Area | | | | another article.)The trouble with this whole thing is, |
| home.Our family learned that Mother had Type 2 | | | | African Americans continue to enjoy many of the |
| Diabetes after a major stroke she had back in | | | | delicious foods handed down to us by our |
| 1988-89. She lived 11-12 years after the diagnosis. | | | | ancestors, our diets haven't changed very much, |
| Lyndia and her Sisters, (The Grant Sisters) | | | | but we've forgotten one very important |
| pledged to begin the educational prevention | | | | ingredient, our ancestors worked 12-16 hour days, |
| campaign while they visited with and/or cared for | | | | performing physical labor. They received the |
| their mother during her last year of life.After | | | | necessary exercise daily, therefore, they didn't |
| moving back home to North Carolina, Mother | | | | get sick with diabetes, and all of the fat was |
| Grant enjoyed her latter years in a very peaceful | | | | burned off in blood, sweat and tears.Today, in |
| way. Us children purchased her a new home, took | | | | order for us to get proper exercise, we must |
| over all of the mortgage payments, and she was | | | | plan to have physical exercise at least 30 minutes |
| happy. Mother Grant enjoyed living on this | | | | daily, one-hour is preferable, but no less than 30 |
| wonderful 227-acre farm, near Kinston, North | | | | minutes. That's not a lot, compared to the |
| Carolina. She was one of the heirs to this | | | | amount of time our forefathers worked, but |
| wonderful farm left to her family by their father, | | | | according to studies done by the National Institute |
| and my grandfather, Floyd Hill.She enjoyed walking | | | | of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases, the |
| around the farm, following my father, Bishop | | | | little time we manage to put in, while exercising |
| Benjamin Grant, around the garden as he worked. | | | | for 30 minutes, 3-4 days/week can prevent the |
| She enjoyed shopping with her sisters going to | | | | occurrence of Diabetes.Today, we continue in the |
| yard sales. Shopping gave her considerable joy | | | | tradition of eating our "soul food" diets, very |
| near the end of her life.Mother suffered numerous | | | | much the same as we did 200 years ago, except |
| strokes, seven to ten to be specific. During one | | | | today, most of us don't use lard, and we can eat |
| stoke, she lost the use of her tongue and couldn't | | | | all we want. We've graduated to vegetable oils like |
| speak at all. Mother Fannie's kidney failed, she was | | | | Crisco and other vegetable oils. (Olive Oils are |
| receiving kidney dialysis for the last two years of | | | | better for us, less cholesterol). Families today still |
| her life, she had high blood pressure for many | | | | enjoy foods, which include far too many |
| years, and both of her legs were amputated | | | | carbohydrates like macaroni and cheese, desserts, |
| above her knees.The ProblemWe wanted to | | | | and lots of bread. We have enjoyed these foods |
| know more about the disease that took our | | | | for hundreds of years, but now, we sit at |
| mother in such a brutal fashion. There was so | | | | computers, walk out to our cars, drive |
| much pain and suffering prior to her death. Mother | | | | everywhere, including to the grocery stores, we |
| Grant was a Christian, she was an Evangelist who | | | | don't have to walk to school for miles any longer, |
| preached the gospel in churches throughout the | | | | we can ride the school buses, and exercise has all |
| Washington D.C. Area, and everyone loved her | | | | but been eliminated. America is overwhelmingly |
| and called her Ma.Our mother was very special, | | | | FAT, even our children in many cases are |
| and as her oldest daughter, I promised to carry | | | | overweight and/or obese.It's a simple problem, |
| out a public awareness campaign, to educate | | | | bad diets that includes too much junk food from |
| millions of people regarding the causes and | | | | fast food restaurants, and a lack of strenuous |
| preventions of Type 2 Diabetes. In educating the | | | | exercise. How many times have you pigged out, |
| general public, I feel a lot better, because my | | | | after a hard day, then, you fell asleep? That food |
| mother's living shall not be in vain. My sisters and I | | | | is fattening you up, just the way that it does for |
| have been blessed over the past 20 years, we've | | | | newborn babies. Remember how babies eat and |
| had lots of success in publicizing several major | | | | sleep, and soon, you notice their little legs |
| events, we coordinated a major festival, called | | | | beginning to get a little meat on their bones. But |
| Georgia Avenue Day in Washington, D.C. The | | | | you can almost look at them grow and gain |
| festival and parade attracted more than 200,000 | | | | weight. But they are still babies, and that's what |
| people, major corporate sponsors and celebrities. | | | | they need, nutrition to grow.For adults though, it's |
| We worked for two Presidential Inaugural | | | | a different story, we have already grown up, and |
| Committees, one was for the Republicans, | | | | all we can do now is grow OUT!!! We just keep |
| George Herbert Walker Bush and for other for | | | | getting BIGGER and BIGGER and BIGGER! We |
| the Democrats, President Bill Clinton, for two D.C. | | | | look bad to ourselves and to others, we can't fit |
| Mayors, Marion Barry and Sharon Pratt Kelly, and | | | | into our nice clothing, we have to keep buying fat |
| three D.C. City Councilmembers, Charlene Drew | | | | clothes. And worst of all, our hearts cannot stand |
| Jarvis, Frank Smith and Eyde Whittington. Another | | | | this, and neither can the rest of our organs. (I |
| major achievement was an appointment that I | | | | give a speech entitled "Let Not Your Heart Be |
| received as project director by Councilman Frank | | | | Troubled" - How to have a healthy mind, body & |
| Smith, to erect the Spirit of Freedom Memorial, a | | | | spirit). It's no wonder that our starvation genes |
| new national African American Civil War Memorial | | | | are reacting the way that they have, this |
| located in Washington, D.C. This monument pays | | | | so-called "thrifty gene" that is found in African |
| tribute to 209,145 United States Colored Troops | | | | Americans seems to store even more of this |
| who fought in the American Civil War.As you can | | | | foreign food that we continue to ingest into our |
| see, Mother Grant passed down some strong | | | | bodies. We came from strong, lean backgrounds, |
| self-worth values. She taught us that we can do | | | | Africa has never been a "fat" nation, but as |
| anything that we want, and that we can be the | | | | African Americans, we have Americanized our |
| best at whatever we choose. The business of | | | | bodies so badly, that our health problems are |
| public relations is "in my blood." There was no way | | | | out-of-control!If you take a look at the stats |
| that I could see the devastation caused by | | | | provided by the National Institute of Health, |
| Diabetes and understand this disease, and do | | | | Today, diabetes mellitus is one of the most |
| nothing about it. I wanted to know "what | | | | serious health challenges facing the United States. |
| happened to Mother, how did this happen, could | | | | The following statistics illustrate the magnitude of |
| we have done something differently, if only we | | | | this disease among African Americans.2.8 million |
| had known that an improved diet and regular | | | | African Americans have diabetes.On average, |
| physical exercise could have made a difference."I | | | | African Americans are twice as likely to have |
| know that I've been chosen to get the word out | | | | diabetes as white Americans of similar |
| regarding this disease that's burning "out of | | | | age.Approximately 13 percent of all African |
| control" in the African American community. It has | | | | Americans have diabetes.African Americans with |
| been extremely hard to continue to live without | | | | diabetes are more likely to develop diabetes |
| our Mother, but in sharing this information with | | | | complications and experience greater disability |
| others, it gives me some relief from my grief.So, | | | | from the complications than white Americans with |
| what exactly is Diabetes? Diabetes mellitus is a | | | | diabetes.Death rates for people with diabetes are |
| group of diseases characterized by high levels of | | | | 27 percent higher for African Americans |
| blood glucose. It results from defects in insulin | | | | compared with whitesNational health surveys |
| secretion, insulin action, or both. Diabetes can be | | | | during the past 35 years show that the |
| associated with serious complications and | | | | percentage of the African American population |
| premature death, but people with diabetes can | | | | that has been diagnosed with diabetes is |
| take measures to reduce the likelihood of such, | | | | increasing dramatically. The surveys in 1976-80 |
| according to recent studies found by the National | | | | and in 1988-94 measured fasting plasma glucose |
| Institute of Health. Some researchers believe that | | | | and thus allowed an assessment of the |
| African Americans, (Hispanic Americans, Asian | | | | prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes as well as of |
| Americans, and Pacific Islanders were also included | | | | previously diagnosed diabetes. In 1976-80, total |
| in the study) inherited a "thrifty gene" from their | | | | diabetes prevalence in African Americans ages 40 |
| African ancestors. Years ago, this gene enabled | | | | to 74 years was 8.9 percent; in 1988-94, total |
| Africans, during "feast and famine" cycles, to use | | | | prevalence had increased to 18.2 percent--a |
| food energy more efficiently when food was | | | | doubling of the rate in just 12 years.Prevalence in |
| scarce. Today, with fewer such cycles, the thrifty | | | | African Americans is much higher than in white |
| gene that developed for survival may instead | | | | Americans. Among those ages 40 to 74 years in |
| make the person more susceptible to developing | | | | the 1988-94 survey, the rate was 11.2 percent |
| type 2 diabetes.The problem dates back to the | | | | for whites, but was 18.2 percent for African |
| beginning of the slave trade, documented as | | | | AmericansRegular physical activity is a protective |
| beginning in 1790, and for those enslaved ones, | | | | factor against type 2 diabetes and, conversely, |
| food was still scarce, thus the "thrifty genes" | | | | lack of physical activity is a risk factor for |
| protected them. If you research the | | | | developing diabetes. Researchers suspect that a |
| documentations found on record at the National | | | | lack of exercise is one factor contributing to the |
| Archives and Records Administration, slaves | | | | high rates of diabetes in African Americans. In the |
| received rations. It really doesn't matter what the | | | | NHANES III survey, 50 percent of African |
| diets were of African people hundreds of years | | | | American men and 67 percent of African |
| ago, as they roamed around freely on the African | | | | American women reported that they participated |
| continent, in townships like Johannesburg, | | | | in little or no leisure time physical |
| Freetown, Rwanda, Sudan, South African and | | | | activity.ConclusionIn furthering the causes of this |
| Sierre Leone. What does matter is the fact that | | | | Diabetes Educational Prevention Campaign, the |
| those Africans who managed to survive the slave | | | | first order of business has been to make my |
| trade here in America, arrived on the shores very | | | | very own Lifestyle Change. My Mother was buried |
| strong. The majority of them worked in the fields | | | | on December 30th, 2000. When I returned home |
| from sun-up to sundown, six days per week, and | | | | to Silver Spring, Maryland, it took a few months |
| in many cases, seven days/week. Slaves ate | | | | before I could go on, the grief period was |
| scraps, like hog mauls, chitterlings, pigtails, pig feet, | | | | extremely hard, but the first order of business, |
| pig ears, and they drank milk from a trough along | | | | was to begin a regular exercise routine. Walking |
| side other animals.African people became | | | | became my exercise of choice -- two to four |
| Americanized, they were no longer in their | | | | miles three to four days each week. Some |
| homeland, so to live, they had to eat whatever | | | | weeks I walked, and continue to walk, five days, |
| was made available to them, they were fed last, | | | | even six days a week, and recently, I've added |
| after the horses and the pigs had been taken | | | | "walking up and down the stairs in five minute |
| care of, whatever was left was given to those | | | | increments, for 12-15 minutes. There is an |
| enslaved people -- scraps, left-overs, garbage. In | | | | extreme difference in the way that I look and |
| an effort to create a delicious meal, the women | | | | feel. The pounds and inches have been steadily |
| worked at creating recipes that they could all | | | | coming off.I've changed my diet. I'm now drinking |
| enjoy. They loved collard greens with fat back | | | | green mineral drinks each morning, (you can buy |
| meat, and learned to bake sweet potato pies, | | | | green drinks at organic stores); and I'm no longer |
| cleaned chitterlings and made them into a delicacy | | | | eating white bread. In fact I don't eat very much |
| to be eaten on special occasions. They made pots | | | | bread at all, but when I do, it is whole grain or |
| of beans seasoned with ham hocks, or pigtails, | | | | wheat bread, brown rice, more fresh fruits and |
| and they seasoned with pork.They made | | | | green leafy vegetables. I enjoy using my juice |
| home-made biscuits from self-rising, white flour | | | | machine for fresh green spinach and carrot |
| and lard, and they learned to make hush puppies, | | | | drinks.Recently, I found myself with excellent |
| candied yams, lots of potatoes, and they ate | | | | health results from my physical examination. My |
| plenty corn bread, so even until this day, African | | | | cholesterol level was low, at 126, and my glucose |
| people who became African Americans beginning | | | | levels were average. My blood pressure was 120 |
| in the late 1700's, had a very different diet than | | | | 80, which is fine for me, and I feel wonderful too. |
| Euro-Americans. Even though this wasn't a "good" | | | | There is one area that I'm still working on, and |
| and "healthy" diet for the slaves, they ate it, they | | | | that is my Ideal Body Mass, IBM. I'm still |
| enjoyed it, and they were able to sustain | | | | overweight, but I've lost 30 lbs., and still counting.If |
| themselves easily. They worked so very hard in | | | | you are reading this article, and you're at risk for |
| the fields 12-16 hours a day. But of course, since | | | | Type 2 Diabetes, consider making a major |
| they had the so-called "thrifty genes" which | | | | Lifestyle Change. It's very simple: 1-Change your |
| allowed their bodies to preserve food in an | | | | diet, eliminate most of the carbohydrates from |
| appropriate manner, when food was scarce, | | | | your diet; 2-Exercise regularly for the rest of |
| seems that was probably a good thing, since the | | | | your life, and 3-Get rid of the extra pounds, work |
| enslaved didn't always have ample food | | | | toward maintaining your ideal body weight. If you |
| supplies.There is a bright side to this though, as | | | | make this promise to yourself, to change your |
| they worked, they were receiving strenuous daily | | | | life, you will be "Fanning the Flames of the |
| exercise, which kept them healthy. It really didn't | | | | Diabetes Epidemic in America," and soon the fire |
| matter what the slaves ate, because what they | | | | will be put out, but it will take millions of people to |
| ate, in today's standard would have fattened | | | | join this fight. Won't you begin today? You don't |
| them too, but it didn't, because they burned it off | | | | have to get Diabetes, it can be prevented, you |
| every day out in the fields working. It was a | | | | don't have to lose one limb to this vicious disease, |
| vicious cycle. They ate, and they worked off the | | | | nor do you have to lose your kidney. Change |
| carbohydrates. They ate and they worked off | | | | your life, and enjoy your Thanksgiving Dinner - |
| more carbohydrates, and they didn't die from | | | | with all of the trimmings, but the next day, get |
| diseases back then, as they do today, diabetes or | | | | back to the business of getting fit and staying |
| cancer, and don't think that their bowels didn't | | | | healthy. |
| move regularly as well, thus eliminating all of the | | | | |