How to Manage Your Diabetes : Tips, Treatment and Lifestyle Changes
Diabetes is a lifelong disease that requires careful management. If you are one of the millions of people who have diabetes, you know how important it is to take your diabetes seriously. Here we will discuss tips for managing diabetes, treatment options, and solutions for making life with diabetes easier. We hope that this information will help you manage your diabetes successfully for the rest of your life!
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot properly use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that helps the body turn food into energy. When people have diabetes, their blood sugar levels become too high. Over time, high blood sugar can damage nerves and blood vessels. This can lead to heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, and other serious problems.
There are three major types of diabetes: type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin injections to manage their blood sugar levels.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and occurs when the body does not use insulin properly or makes too little insulin. People with type 2 diabetes may need to take oral medications or insulin injections to manage their blood sugar levels.
There is no cure for diabetes, but it can be managed through lifestyle changes and medication.
Living With Diabetes
As of 2014, over 29 million Americans have diabetes. That’s almost 10% of the population! Diabetes is a major health problem in the United States, and unfortunately the numbers continue to rise. It costs the country $245 billion per year in medical expenses and lost productivity.
There are many risk factors for developing diabetes, including age, family history, obesity, and sedentary lifestyle. People with diabetes need to take medication and/or insulin injections to manage their blood sugar levels.
Different Treatment Options For Diabetes
There are a variety of treatment options for diabetes. Here are some of the most common:
1) Exercise: Exercise is a great way to help manage diabetes. It helps keep your blood sugar levels in check and can also help you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, which is important for people with diabetes.
2) Diet: A healthy diet is key for managing diabetes. You should aim to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and avoid foods that are high in sugar and unhealthy fats.
3) Medication: If diet and exercise alone aren’t enough to control your blood sugar levels, you may need to take medication. There are a variety of medications available to treat diabetes, and your doctor will work with you to find the best one for you.
4) Insulin: Insulin is a hormone that helps the body control blood sugar levels. Some people with diabetes need to take insulin injections to help regulate their blood sugar.
5) Glucose monitoring: It’s important to monitor your blood sugar levels regularly if you have diabetes. This can be done with a glucose meter, which measures the amount of sugar in your blood.
How To Seek Help For Diabetes
If you are diabetic, there is professional help available to you. There are many different types of professionals that can help you manage your diabetes, including doctors, nurses, dietitians, and pharmacists.
Each of these professionals can provide you with information and advice on how to best manage your diabetes. They can also help you track your blood sugar levels and create a plan for managing your diabetes. If you are not sure where to start, talk to your doctor about finding a diabetes care team that is right for you.
Wrapping Up
Living with diabetes can be a challenge, but it’s not impossible. With the right treatment plan and support system, you can manage your diabetes and live a healthy and happy life. If you have diabetes, or are at risk for developing diabetes, don’t hesitate to seek professional help. There are many resources available to you that can help. We hope this guide serves as an introductory step to getting the help you need to live and happy and healthy lifestyle!
References
1) “4 Steps to Manage Your Diabetes for Life” NIDDK (2022): https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/managing-diabetes/4-steps
2) “What is Diabetes?” CDC (2022): https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/diabetes.html#:~:text=Diabetes%20is%20a%20chronic%20(long,your%20pancreas%20to%20release%20insulin
3) “diabetes treatments” Diabetes.org (2022) : https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/diabetes-treatments