Controlling Diabetes - What Are The Right Ways?

Diabetes, if not properly controlled, can result in a number of other serious health issues.  Unfortunately, if a diabetic doesn't control his disease, the damage is irreversible and there's no quick way to go back in time. Controlling diabetes means, first of all, learning all you can about the disease. Being a diabetic does not mean that life can no longer be enjoyed; it just means that you need to play a bigger role in maintaining your own health.

Controlling diabetes demands a change in lifestyle habits. Primarily, the diabetic must practice eating a healthy diet suitable for a diabetic, exercise regularly, and take their medication as prescribed by their health-care practitioner. One of the biggest changes someone with diabetes must face concerns the food they eat. You must now plan each meal carefully, looking at serving sizes, type of food, and cooking methods.  The diabetic should eat a well-balanced diet consisting of foods from the main food groups:

  • Starch / carbohydrates
  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
  • Meat / fish
  • Dairy - yogurt and milk

However, the serving size will be dependent on the amount of calories you need each day based on your age, health, and activity level. Limiting the quantity of fats and sweets is also necessary. Set meal times so that you eat at the same time each day. The amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood at any given time is dependent on what and how much you eat. Keeping your blood glucose at a safe level means paying strict attention to what you consume. It is also important to set the time you take your medication as well. Setting and sticking to these times allows you to develop a routine so that you are less likely to miss a meal or forget to take your medication.

Exercise

Keeping fit and exercising has been proven to play a role in controlling blood sugar levels and the overall health of the diabetic. In addition, if you are overweight, a dangerous state for the diabetic, exercise will help you shed pounds, thus reducing the risks posed by the diseases.

Other lifestyle changes

Other lifestyle changes necessary to maintain good health include controlling your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In addition, reducing your stress will lead to a healthier you. If you smoke, it is advisable that you stop smoking as it increases the risk of complications from the disease. The diabetic should also have their eyes checked at least annually because of other health issues arising from the condition. Foot care is also important as poor blood circulation frequently leads to amputations. However, if you pay attention to changes and minor cuts, you can save yourself lots of heartache.

Ultimately, the only way to have control over your health and diabetes is to know what causes the disease and how to prevent the development of major complications. It is important that you get help to make meal plans and develop an exercise routine suited for your lifestyle. Joining groups comprised of fellow diabetics and their loved ones is a good source of information. Groups also help make the emotional challenges of dealing with the disease easier to handle. Pricking your finger to test your sugar level may be difficult at first but will become easier with time and loved ones can also assist with this task.

To learn more go to Diabetes Education and at Diabetes Care

Teenage Obesity and Weight Loss Treatments


Type 1 Diabetes in Adults (Book)

Type 1 Diabetes in Adults (Book)


$63.9


At a time of dramatic increases in the prevalence of obesity, it is appropriate that Type 2 diabetes has received a great deal of attention by the endocrinology community. Clearly, the management of insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk is a critical issue. However, it is important to also acknowledge and address Type 1 diabetes, whose prevalence is also increasing, and whose management remains complex. Currently it is estimated that 10-15% of those with diabetes carry the diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes, and frequently the diagnosis is not straightforward, as many clinicians recognize that more adults previously thought to have Type 2 diabetes actually have late-onset Type 1 diabetes (also termed latent autoimmune diabetes of the adult or LADA). Over the last decade tools for the management of Type 1 diabetes have also evolved; therefore, clinicians now have the opportunity to more closely replicate normal physiologic insulin secretion with either basal-bolus insulin therapy or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusions. While these advancements allow clinicians to manage patients with Type 1 diabetes better, they also add complexity to patient treatment. An updated text to address the concepts behind the recognition of new onset Type 1 diabetes in adults, the ongoing care of adults with established Type 1 diabetes, and future potential therapies and devices is warranted to review these issues for both endocrinologists and primary care providers with an interest in diabetes. As part of the Oxford American Endocrinology Library, this volume stands as a concise guide in the treatment of Type 1 Diabetes in adults. The authors briefly examine the classification and pathophysiology of Type 1 diabetes (including predication and prevention and LADA) and address management (blood glucose monitoring, insulin therapy, and Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion) and complications (Hyperglycemia, Retinocpathy, Nephropathy, Neuropathy, etc) of the disease. Finally

Medical Management of Type 1 Diabetes (Paperback)

Medical Management of Type 1 Diabetes (Paperback)


$108.15


"Type 1 diabetes, formerly known as juvenile diabetes, is a complex disorder that requires a great deal of patient-guided self-care. In recent years, advances in diabetes treatment have dramatically shifted potential outcomes in the favor of the patient with diabetes. The challenge for health care professionals is to realize this potential through an individualized, flexible, and responsive treatment plan for patients with type 1 diabetes.Now in its sixth edition, Medical Management of Type 1 Diabetes offers health care providers the newest information and guidelines for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. Built on the foundation of multiple daily insulin injections and insulin pump therapy, this book guides health care providers in helping their patients continually strive for optimal blood glucose control. This new edition focuses on the latest molecular advances, new treatment methods, recent clinical trials, and the American Diabetes Association`s Standards of Care. Key topics also include new insulinsand administration protocols, advanced carbohydrate counting, and emphasis on continuing patient education.Individual sections address all of the topics in managing type 1 diabetes, including:Diagnosis and Classification/PathogenesisDiabetes Standards and EducationTools of TherapySpecial SituationsPsychosocial Factors Affecting Adherence, Quality of Life, and Well-BeingComplicationsEdited by Dr. Francine Kaufman, a widely recognized expert in the treatment of diabetes and of insulin therapy, and guided by the recognized authority of the American Diabetes Association`s Standards of Care, Medical Management of Type 1 Diabetes is an essential addition to any clinician`s library for the treatment and understanding of type 1 diabetes"--Provided by publisher.