Oprah's newest cause isn't news at all. Though the talk show megastar has been applauded for her show a few weeks back where she brought awareness to the epidemic of Type 2 Diabetes, an international diabetes congress which convened in Montreal last fall was but one of many organizations over the past decade to raise the alarm.

Some 285 million people around the world already have the disease which annually kills more people than any war and is the leading cause of blindness, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and the amputation of limbs.

What is new is the idea of shifting from a doctor-centred approach to a self-management focus if we are to get a handle on this disease. Because unlike, say, pneumonia which may be treated by a doctor's prescription, Type 2 Diabetes is not going to be cured by any magic pill. You may be prescribed insulin and directed to a particular diet, but these are not cures.

Diabetes, you see, leads to a cascade of complications that can affect every organ of your body, including your eyes, kidneys and heart. Once diagnosed, it's up to you as to how you keep the wolves from the door.

"Researchers project that by 2016, Canadians diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes will grow to 2.4 million," says Dr. Sara Rosenthal, a Canadian who is now an associate professor of bio ethics at the University of Kentucky and author of The Canadian Type 2 Diabetes Sourcebook. Rosenthal attributes its increase to our aging population, immigration from high-risk populations, and a growth in our Aboriginal population which has the highest rates worldwide.

Her book fully explains the disease, addresses each of its potential complications, and, best of all, empowers readers to prevent the disease or manage it. Diabetes, says Rosenthal, has escalated partially due to our obesity epidemic - there's a definite obesity/diabetes connection. It's something she calls "diabesity" — and even young children are affected.

"Ten years ago, Type 2 Diabetes in children wasn't really on the radar screen," she says. "It's a diagnosis that's falling on the heels of childhood obesity problems."

Childhood obesity, she adds, is due to a "toxic environment" which includes less of an opportunity for kids to be physically active and more of an opportunity for them to eat sugar and junk.

Along with chapters on childhood diabetes and the gestational diabetes that affects some pregnant women, her book explores every corner of the condition, from insulin resistance to the genetic angle to dangerous complications which includes eye disease, stroke and amputation.

But the book really shines in its instructions on self-care which Rosenthal explains as "eliminating your symptoms and remaining as symptom-free as possible." The cornerstone of that self-care is glycemic control and she tells readers how to test, when to test and why they need to do it.

"I don't think that people understand why it's so important to get glucose control in this disease," she says, explaining that blood sugar fluctuates and you need to keep an accurate record of blood glucose patterns. "It's really no different than being on a diet and weighing yourself daily."

Self-management is crucial in any chronic illness, especially diabetes. And while the learning curve may be steep (you'll need to know the basics of a low glycemic index and healthy fats diet), it's no different from any other kind of health monitoring, she says.

Some diabetics will require insulin which, in itself, demands a learning curve: Rosenthal devotes more than ten pages to helping readers understand the various medications. Getting a handle on Type 2 Diabetes is not as overwhelming as it sounds, she says. "But we have to recognize that personal responsibility is half the battle."

What is Type 2 Diabetes?

• Diabetes is a disease in which your blood sugar levels are too high. Over time this can damage eyes, kidneys and nerves.

• Sugar comes from foods, not just cakes but carbohydrates which break down to sugar. Therefore, what you eat has to be closely monitored with diabetes.

• Insulin is a hormone that helps the glucose from the foods you eat get into your body's cells to give them energy. In Type 2 Diabetes, your body does not make enough or use insulin well. In Type 1 Diabetes, your body does not manufacture insulin.

• Weight management is crucial. If caught early enough, weight loss can reverse Type 2 Diabetes.

Could you be diabetic?

Managing diabetes is a 24/7 job, writes Dr. Sara Rosenthal, a bioethicist and health writer. First, however, you need to be

diagnosed. If you have the following, talk to your doctor and get yourself checked:

• Weight gain is a classic Type 2 symptom. When you're not using your insulin properly, your appetite may increase.

• Blurred or changed vision

• Extreme fatigue or drowsiness at times when you shouldn't be tired

• Frequent infections that are slow to heal

• Tingling or numbness in hands and feet

• Gum disease

Did you know?

In ancient Greece, diabetes was diagnosed by urine tasters since the urine becomes sweet when blood glucose was high. A medical dictionary calls it diabetes mellitus - diabetes is from the Greek "to siphon" and mellitus is Latin for "sweet."

Where do you start?

Coping with diabetes requires a bit of a learning curve. To get you started, Rexall Drug Stores across Canada are offering a diabetes starter kit which includes a DVD with important diet recommendations, a pedometer to encourage exercise, and an assortment of tools for monitoring your blood sugar. The kit is available free with the purchase of 100 Accu-Chek test strips.