Retiree News

Living with Diabetes in the Pacific Islands

In the past, many Veterans in the Pacific Islands remember loved ones being diagnosed with diabetes, and then beginning a slow descent from health. Treatment was not as available or advanced in the past, and to many – the disease felt like a death sentence. Things have changed, and as we pilot a new diabetes education program in American Samoa, I want all of our Veterans to know that in the modern world, living a full and healthy life is possible with diabetes.

Diabetes is a chronic condition where the pancreas produces little to no insulin. There are various factors that can contribute to people getting and having diabetes. However, even people with a genetic predisposition can help reduce their chances of getting Type Two diabetes by doing a few things:

1. Avoid foods with added sugar.
2. Eat less rice and bread, which metabolizes into sugar.
3. Maintain a healthy body weight.
4. Exercise whenever possible.

Unfortunately, a western diet of processed foods is very high in added sugar and corn syrup. Remember that when in doubt, water is the best thing to drink. If you drink sports drinks or soda, try substituting a low sugar version of the drink you enjoy. Replace rice on your lunch plate with breadfruit, jackfruit, or other healthy starch alternatives. Most importantly, get up and move as often as you can. Even in people who are overweight, regular physical activity significantly reduces the prevalence of disease. Click here to listen to Dr. Fred J. Uhrle, Jr. of the American Samoa Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) Chief talk about heart health, diabetes, and other major health issues in American Samoa. Additional information is available online here.

Thoughts from Chaplain Richie Charles

The great Niagara Falls attracts millions of visitors from around the world to witness a stunning display of nature’s power. The sheer volume of water thundering over the falls is so immense that its roar can be heard miles away, creating a mist that blankets the surrounding area.

But the engineers back in 1847 had a challenge. They were tasked with building a bridge over the river to connect the borders of the United States and Canada.

How could they connect the two lands that were split by the tumultuous Niagara River below them? There were no helicopters to fly supplies over from one side to the other, and trying to swim or sail across would be impractical in light of the dangerously raging, turbulent flow of water below. Finally, a local ironworker came up with a unique idea. He thought, if only a kite could be flown over from one side of the river gorge to the other, then they could get materials across. They held a kite flying contest, and on January 31, 1848, a young boy named Homan Walsh, just 16 years old, was able to fly his kite over the 800-foot-wide chasm, connecting the two borders with a kite’s string. Then to the kite’s string, they attached a rope, and to the rope, they pulled a cable across, and so on, and eventually, they were able to build a surface strong enough for them to build Niagara’s first suspension bridge. Who would’ve thought that a little boy’s string would be strong enough to bridge two nations!

It’s tempting to underestimate the value of small beginnings. Perhaps as you contemplate the goals of your service, it can feel as though the initial steps that you’re taking towards accomplishing your goals can feel as small and as insignificant as the boy flying a kite over a mighty river. But had this young boy never started with the little he had; the rest of the bridge could have never been built. Sometimes a small start can be the most essential step, because without it, the rest of the process would never follow.

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