How to Treat Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects how your body metabolizes sugar (glucose), your body’s main source of fuel. As glucose builds up in the blood instead of being used as energy, it can have severe complications.
The key to diabetes management is monitoring blood-sugar levels and giving insulin when needed
Type 1 Diabetes:
People with type 1 diabetes produce little or no insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas. Insulin regulates the movement of glucose into cells so it can be turned into energy. Type 1 diabetics have to regularly inject themselves with insulin because their bodies aren’t producing enough of it on their own.
Type 2 Diabetes:
People with type 2 diabetes don’t use insulin properly, which causes high blood sugar levels. Type 2 diabetes often occurs in people who are overweight and lead inactive lives, though the severity of the condition varies from person to person. People with type 2 diabetes must watch what they eat because their bodies don’t process sugars correctly, which can cause sudden spikes in blood sugar levels
Diabetes Symptoms:
The most common signs and symptoms of type 1 and insulin depend on whether your body is getting enough insulin or if the problem is related more to food intake or obesity, which may indicate type 2 diabetes.
Common symptoms of type 1 diabetes include:
Sudden weight loss Increased thirst A frequent need to urinate Fatigue Extreme hunger Dizziness Nausea Irritability Bl vision Dehydration Slow-healing sores
Common symptoms of insulin depending on your age and health, how long you’ve had diabetes, and what kind of condition you have. Ill-fitting shoes may also cause foot problems.
It’s important to treat this illness correctly as it can lead to complications like heart disease or kidney failure that could prove fatal if left untreated.
1. Physical activity:
Being active is one way to manage your blood glucose levels by increasing the amount of glucose used for energy during physical activity, and decreasing the amount stored after eating a meal depending on the intensity and duration of the exercise.
Taking proper rest relieves stress to some extent thereby making it easier for one to control their blood sugar level 2 Exercise helps in strengthening body muscles which would, in turn, help you exercise more hence burning more calories in the long run 3. Blood sugar levels are regulated when one takes proper rest thus making it easier to track your blood sugar level
2. Diet:
Managing diabetes is known to be a combination of controlling food intake and physical activity, which work together to maintain blood sugar levels. The number of carbohydrates in your diet can affect how quickly your body absorbs glucose into the bloodstream, so managing your carbohydrate intake becomes important in stabilizing blood glucose levels.
Food for diabetics should ideally be fresh fruits, whole grains, lean proteins like beans, salmon. It helps stabilize the insulin requirement of the diabetic patient by reducing excess weight/fat deposits around the belly area thereby lowering the chances of other diabetic complications.
3. Healthy food, i.e. lean proteins and grains should be eaten in moderation while sauces, fried foods, creamy gravies have to be completely avoided as they shoot up the blood sugar levels immediately
4 . Control your carbohydrate intake:
Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose in the body so a key part of diabetes management is controlling the amount and type of carbohydrates you eat rather than fat or protein because carb intake directly affects how quickly glucose enters your bloodstream.
A diet rich in whole-grain pieces of bread, pasta, and brown rice is better for diabetics than refined white bread because it raises blood-sugar levels more slowly. Many people with type 1 diabetes can maintain normal blood glucose levels with a carefully managed, carb-controlled diet alone.
5. Substitute sugar with other sweeteners:
Sugar substitutes like Stevia or Agave syrup can be used instead of sugar to reduce the number of carbohydrates eaten by the patient since it has a very low glycemic index and does not affect blood glucose levels.
6. Eat small meals throughout the day:
Eating smaller portions during each meal helps keep your blood sugar levels steady throughout the day without having erratic/unexpected spikes in between meals that could lead to hypoglycemia. Contrary to what you might think, eating six mini-meals every three hours is no more effective for weight loss than eating three or nine meals per day because metabolism doesn’t work that way.
7. Keep a tab on your alcohol intake:
Alcohol can interfere with diabetes management in several ways. It is known to increase blood glucose levels if it’s not taken before a meal while decreasing the effectiveness of some medications used for the treatment of diabetes. Always consult a doctor about what kind and how much alcohol you should have to avoid any dangerous interaction with medication or affect blood sugar control adversely.
8. Exercise regularly:
People with diabetes should engage in regular physical activity, say Indian researchers who found that it helps prevent peripheral neuropathy from developing by increasing blood flow to the lower limbs and preventing nerve damage done by high glucose levels over time. Researchers suggest that people with type 2 diabetics walk at least 30 minutes five times a week.
Peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common complications associated with diabetes, affecting up to half of all people with type 1 and two-thirds of those with type 2 diabetes. It causes numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, muscle weakness, foot deformities leading to serious infections if left untreated.
9 . Do not smoke:
Smoking can aggravate peripheral vascular disease (PVD), which restricts blood flow through the body’s main arteries that including veins, arterioles, and capillaries which are smaller branches of arteries. Plus smoking damages the small blood vessels that supply blood to the nerves. This makes it difficult for oxygenated blood to reach these areas causing pain, burning sensations, and even a loss of feeling.
10. Eat Desserts:
Yes, you heard it right! Having a small serving of your favorite chocolate after a meal will not make you gain weight as long as you keep the portions small and do not overdo. A report published in 2004 found that people who ate less carbohydrate overall but more natural sources, such as fruit and fiber from vegetables, had improved sugar levels better than those on low-fat diets. This isn’t to say that desserts should replace fruits or whole grains from one’s diet but can certainly be allowed in moderate amounts.
what level of blood sugar is dangerous:
All people with diabetes need to know the level of blood sugar that is dangerous for their bodies. For patients suffering from type 2 diabetes, levels between 180mg/dl- 250mg/dl are considered hazardous.
Levels above 300 mg/dl can lead to a condition called ketoacidosis which affects both type 1 and type 2 diabetics. Patients suffering from type 1 diabetes should keep their blood sugar within 100 – 200 mg/dl as high levels can cause coma.