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INFORMATION BULLETIN No 83 APRIL 2007
Physical and Emotional Health of Priests
It’s Tuesday in Holy Week.
There was a time when the pace of Holy Week out-stripped the tempo of all other
weeks except perhaps Christmas. But that seems not to be the case any more. For
a whole host of reasons, the past twenty years have seen the pace accelerate for
almost every week of the year. Easter—as beautiful and hope-filled as it
is—simply creates a different configuration of pressures. As a result, we find little
time each day of the year for other things that are important to our long-term
well-being. By not making time for disciplined regular exercise and by eating
poorly ‘on the run’ etc., we leave ourselves open to Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is today a global problem: there were 30
million cases identified globally in 1985 rising to 246 million in 2007! Our
way of life may make us candidates for diabetes. When our descriptors include
ageing, over work, high stress, a sedentary lifestyle, little vigorous exercise,
poor diet, and perhaps a family history, we won’t
avoid it easily, except by active prevention. Another area of concern addressed
here relates to prostate health. Read
the story of type 2 diabetes and prostate care, kindly compiled by Dr Shannon
Doyle BSc, MA (Psych), MB BS. Shannon gives us good diabetes prevention advice:
“eat properly (perhaps invest in a house-keeper), see your doctor tomorrow,
start exer-cising today. There are too few priests already!” With every blessing for Easter. Frank Devoy Director
THE GLOBAL DIABETES EPIDEMIC - DID YOU KNOW?
¨
The incidence of type 2 diabetes has risen glob-ally from 30 million in
1985 to 246 million this year. ¨
Every 10 seconds a person dies from diabetes-related causes; in the same
10 seconds, 2 people develop diabetes. ¨
Diabetes is the fourth leading
cause of global death by disease. ¨
On average, people with type 2 diabetes will die 5-10 years earlier than
those without it. ¨
At least 50% of all people with diabetes are unaware of their condition; in some countries, 80%. ¨ Approximately 700,000 persons (3.6% of the Australian population in 2004-05) had diabetes; 83% having type 2. The number of adults with diabetes has more than doubled in Australia since 1981. It is a major cause of death.
Diabetes
is a condition where the body is unable to regulate blood glucose levels,
resulting in too much sugar in the
blood. There
are 2 types of diabetes: Type 1 & Type 2. Ø
Type 1 Diabetes develops when the pancreas stops producing insulin – ‘childhood
diabetes’. Ø
Type 2 Diabetes develops
when the body be- comes
resistant to insulin, and does not respond
properly to it – ‘adult onset
diabetes’. The majority of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. This type of
diabetes usually occurs in people over 30 (but it may occur in overweight
teen-agers and children with a family history of diabetes). Diabetes
often runs in the family and can be
triggered by aspects of lifestyle: People
who carry excess weight around the
waist and have lower levels of activity are
more likely to develop diabetes. They are also more likely to have raised
cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart disease. What
happens in the body with type 2 diabetes? Initially
Insulin is still produced by the
pancreas, but it is less effective in
moving glucose into the body’s cells than normal, this is called insulin
resistance. As
a result, excess glucose remains in the blood stream resulting in higher than
normal blood glucose levels. After
several years of diabetes, the pancreas
may become ‘exhausted’ and produce less insulin. (Sources:
International Diabetes Federation; the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Diabetes in Australia: A Snapshot, 2004-05; Internat-ional Diabetes Institute, www.diabetes.com.au)
TYPE 2 DIABETES: DAMAGE, SYMPTOMS, PREVENTION The
Damage: If
left untreated over time, high blood sugar levels lead to the complications of
diabetes. Damage to: ·
the
vascular system (heart attacks, strokes), ·
blood
circulation (leg ulcers, frequent infections and gangrene) ·
the eyes
(blindness), ·
the
nerves (loss of sensation in the feet, and impotence), ·
the
kidneys (kidney failure). These
complications may be there even before you know you have diabetes, so it is
important to have your doctor check you for diabetes every year. The
Symptoms: Many
people with type 2 diabetes may not be aware they have it, as there may be no
symptoms initially. The symptoms may not appear until blood sugar levels are
very high (over 15). The
symptoms to look for include: ·
Excessive thirst ·
Abnormal frequent urination ·
Extreme tiredness or lack of energy ·
Blurred vision ·
Persistent infections Prevention:
This
is all PREVENTABLE! ·
An annual blood test, which measures your blood sugar level, is critical.
·
regular exercise (walking a minimum of 20 minutes a day – twice as long
to lose weight); ·
changes in diet (healthy food and smaller portions – perhaps invest in
an housekeeper); ·
minimise stress levels.
See your Doctor, eat well and start exercising today!!
§
There are two types of
prostate disease: prostatic enlargement;
and prostate cancer. Both can be the
cause of urinary retention. §
The prostatic enlargement may be due to a prostate infection
(prostatitis), or a benign condition known as BPH (Benign Prostatic
Hypertrophy). §
Prostate cancer is a very slow growing
cancer, but may be fatal. Prostate cancer usually occurs in older men. More than
65% of all prostate cancers are diagnosed in men over age 65. If treated early,
prostate cancer has a cure rate of over 90%. §
Family history: Men with a father,
brother or son with prostate cancer are twice as likely to develop the disease.
Those with two or more relatives are nearly four times as likely to be
diagnosed. The risk is even higher if the affected family members were diagnosed
at a younger age (before the age 60). §
Detection & Screening:
Screening for prostate cancer is recommended for men over 50 that have a life
expectancy of over 10 years. It can be performed quickly and easily in a
doctor’s office using two tests:
§
It is recommended that both
these tests be offered to screen for cancer if you have a positive family
history, or if you are experiencing poor urine stream, or frequent night time
urination. §
It is important to know
that the blood test alone is not enough.
Not all cancers will show a PSA increase. The rectal examination will reveal
many cancers that have not displayed a high PSA result. §
Because prostate cancer
is very slow growing, it may take up to 10-15 years before any problems arise.
It is likely that if you are elderly (over 75) you may never need treatment.
PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH OF PRIESTS - JOHN PAUL II 1987
"It is important that we find satisfaction in our ministry, and that we be clear about the nature of the satisfaction which we expect.
"The physical and emotional health of priests is an important factor in their overall human and priestly well-being and it is necessary to provide for these.
"I commend your bishops and you yourselves for giving particular attention to these matters in recent years.
"Yet, the fulfilment that comes from our ministry does not, in the final analysis, consist in physical or psychological well-being; nor can it ever consist in material comfort and security.
Our fulfilment depends on our relationship with Christ and on the service that we offer to his body, the Church.
Each of us is most truly himself when he is "for others".
- John Paul II Address to the priests of the USA
"Life and physical health are precious gifts entrusted to us by God. We must take resonable care of them, taking into account the needs of others and the common good." Catechism of the Catholic Church, No 2288
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