The key to managing
diabetes is knowledge. Beginning with the type of
diabetes you are suffering from to the right type of diet, exercise and regular check-ups .The more you know, the better are your chances of keeping this disease under control.
Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder in which your body is unable to properly use and store glucose a form of sugar) resulting in hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and sugar in urine. This happens as result of deficiency of insulin secretion by the pancreas or insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone that enables your body to use glucose that your body requires for energy.
Symptoms of Diabetes
Excessive thirst
Increased hunger
Wounds that won't heal
Frequent urination
Blurred vision
Unexplained extreme fatigue
Weight loss
Recurrent infections
Excessive hunger
In some cases there are no symptoms, which happen at times with type II
diabetes.
Who gets DIABETES
?
Anyone. However, if you have close relatives with the disease you are a likely candidates. Or if you are over 40,overweight,with a sedentary lifestyle .Also women who develop
diabetes while pregnant gestational diabetes, are more likely to get it back during later life.
Types of DIABETES
There are two major types of
diabetes. In type I
diabetes (Juvenile-onset or insuln - dependant)
diabetes, your body completely stops producing insulin, and therefore you must take daily insulin supplement (injection) to survive. The usually develops in children or young adults, but can occur at any age. In type II
diabetes
(adult onset or non insulin dependent)
Diabetes, your body produces insufficient insulin to properly convert food into energy. This usually occurs if one is over 40,overweight and has a family history of
diabetes.
What are the DIABETES related problems?
Poorly managed
diabetes can lead to a host of long term complications.
Heart attacks
Kidney failure
Impotence in men
Strokes
Nerve damage
Pruritus in women
Blindness
Amputation of a limb
But happily a recent study in the USA over a ten year period showed that if patients keeps their "blood sugar close to normal "they can reduce the risk of these ailments by 50% or even more!
Diagnosis of DIABETES
Should you suspect you are a likely candidate for
diabetes, consult your doctor for a blood test. The blood rest parameters for confirmed
diabetes are:
Glucose Connection (Mg / dl) Whole Blood Plasma
Fasting >120 >140
2 hrs. after consuming 75 gm. glucose orally >180 >200
If post glucose whole blood value is between 120-180,it could be a situation of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and you should go for further tests every six months.
Should DIABETICS exercise?
Positively yes. The therapeutic use of exercise for
diabetes was prescribed as early as 600B.c.by the Indian physician Sushruta.
Exercise lowers the blood sugar and enhances the body's ability to use glucose.
Exercise can help reverse the reistance to insulin.
Regular exercise reduce LDL the bad Cholesterol and promotes HDL - the good cholesterol.
Finally exercise can effectively help you to lose or maintain body weight.
However it's imperative that you consult your doctor before starting any exercise programme. Do not exercise if blood glucose is over 240 and there are Ketones (a by products of fat) in your urine ,r if blood glucose is 300+ in type I, ot if blood glucose is 400+ in type II
diabetes.
Diabetes and diet planning
Diet planning is the cornerstone of managing
diabetes. The diabetic diet is an otherwise normal balanced diet,with a few modifications. a balanced diet depending on the patient's age height, weight, physical activity and sex, will limit the number of calories to be taken each day. An ideal diet for a
diabetic should contain the right amount of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, plus vitamins, minerals and micro nutrients.
A few precaution that will help to cope with the disease:
Do not miss out on meals.
At the first sign of any infection consult your doctor.
Try and control your weight. Join an exercise programme as guided by your physician.
Go for regular health check ups and stick to a diet advised by your doctor.
Make regural checks on the urine and or blood to make sure that the sugar are under control.
Stay stress free and pursue a positive attitude.
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