Black History of Health: Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass was one of the great American anti-slavery leaders of the 1800s. Born a slave in Maryland, he quickly learned that God had a much bigger plan for him.

After escaping slavery he became a prominent activist, author, and public speaker. Douglass published his memoir Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave in 1845. Eloquent, smart, and determined, Douglass gained fame as a speaker and became a ‘conductor’ on the Underground Railroad. In later years he became a personal friend of Abraham Lincoln and helped persuade Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. He also was a strong supporter of women’s rights. He is often described as the founder of the American civil rights movement.

Douglass also became a leader in the abolitionist movement, which sought to end the practice of slavery, before and during the Civil War. After living a full life, in 1895, Douglass returned home and died of a massive heart attack.

While many are aware of the legacy Douglas left behind, many people don't know that, like many Black Americans today, Frederick Douglass also lived with Diabetes. A condition that is not often mentioned in his life story, but was still very much a part of it.

Unfortunately, over one-hundred years later, Diabetes still plagues the Black community.

Diabetes in the Black Community

Compared to the general population, African Americans are disproportionately affected by diabetes:

4.9 million (an increase from 3.7 million in 2007), or 18.7% of all African Americans, aged 20 years or older, also have diabetes.
African Americans are 1.8 times more likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites.
25 percent of African Americans between the ages of 65 and 74 have diabetes.
1 in 4 African American women over 55 years of age has diabetes.

Diabetes is associated with an increased risk for a number of serious, sometimes life-threatening complications, and certain populations experience an even greater threat. Good diabetes management can help reduce your risk. However, many people are unaware that they have diabetes until they develop one of its complications.

What are the Signs and Symptoms?

Prediabetes is a fairly “invisible” disease. You can have prediabetes for years but have no clear symptoms, so it often goes undetected until serious health problems such as type 2 diabetes show up. If you have risk factors for prediabetes, it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider about getting your blood glucose tested. Prediabetes most often occurs in people who:

Are overweight
Are 45 years or older
Have a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes
Are physically active less than three times a week
Have a history of gestational diabetes—diabetes during pregnancy, or have given birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds
Have polycystic ovary syndrome
Are African American, Hispanic/Latino American, American Indian, or Pacific Islander

7 Steps Every Black Diabetic Should Take

Exercise Often. A key way to turn around your risk for diabetes is to get moving. Research shows people who burn about 2,000 calories a week can increase the body’s cells that are more sensitive to insulin. This increased insulin sensitivity means that the body can better regulate blood sugar levels without releasing too much insulin over time.

Put Down The Sugary Drinks. One of the quickest ways to consume more sugar than necessary is to drink sugary drinks like artificial juices and sodas. Research has found that people who drink an average of 2 sugary drinks a day were 99% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Reach for the water bottle every time you would normally have a sugary drink. You’ll be more hydrated, your blood sugar levels will be more stable, and you’ll knock down your risk for diabetes with every glass of water you finish.

Focus On Weight Loss. Although not all people with diabetes are overweight, people who carry excess weight have an increased risk of diabetes. When you have too much body fat, you typically have increased inflammation and a resistance to insulin. This makes the body more susceptible to diabetes.

Reduce Your Carb Intake. Carbohydrates aren’t usually the first thing that comes to mind when you think of culprits for diabetes. However, carbohydrates break down in the body as sugar. It’s widely known that you can get sugar from fructose (fruits) glucose (sugar), or lactose (dairy). But you can also get sugar from starches (carbs), which include bread, corn, potatoes, grains, and cereals.

Eat Smaller Portions. Controlling diabetes is mostly about preventing sugar spikes so that your body can easily maintain healthy blood sugar levels. When you sit down to a meal and eat large amounts of food in one sitting, your blood sugar levels can get out of control, forcing your body to produce more insulin to bring your sugar levels back down.

Get More Fiber. Fiber is like a magic pill to help your body regulate blood sugar levels while you eat. Foods like leafy vegetables, lentils, apples, avocado, and whole grains, all have the power to slow down your digestion and keep your blood sugar from spiking out of control. Aim to include fiber in every meal to help your body better regulate your blood sugar levels, thereby reducing your risk for diabetes.

Eat More REAL Food. A sure way to decrease your risk of diabetes is to eat fewer processed foods and find more whole foods to add to your diet. Studies have shown that cutting back on processed foods can lower your risk of diabetes by 30%.

BDO's Black History of Health series is designed to show the correlation between the health of historical black figures and Black Americans today. Many of the health disparities we currently experience have been in our community for centuries. This series is meant to bring these conditions to the forefront and provide Blacks with preventative and management steps to reduce these disparities and improve the overall health of the Black American community. Diabetes was a part of Frederick Douglass' story, but it doesn't have to be a part of yours. It's time to change the narrative.