How can diabetes be treated?

How can diabetes be treated?

The American Diabetes Association is reporting that one in three American’s born in 2000 will develop diabetes within their life time. With that prevalence, it is imperative that the general population is aware of how to maintain the highest quality of life with the disease. Proper nutrition, weight loss, exercise and medication are crucial treatment for people with diabetes. As a diabetic, one’s body is already fighting a daily battle, so it is important to provide the body with proper nutrients to allow for as normal function as possible. A food guide pyramid has been included below to help provide an idea of an appropriate diet.

Since diabetes causes high levels of sugar in the blood stream, it is important that the diet of a diabetic consists of as little sugar as possible. This can be very difficult since many foods contain sugar in various forms. While candy seems like an obvious sugar culprit, milk, starch, and carbohydrate laden foods also break down into sugar once consumed. This excess sugar must somehow then be removed.

Insulin is the hormone people with diabetes require to break down this excess sugar. This hormone now comes in many forms that vary in reaction time. Some forms of insulin are fast acting and can reduce blood sugar in a matter of minutes, but they do not last long. Other forms take about an hour to begin acting, but last most of the day. There are also insulin types with reaction times between the slow acting and fast acting that last somewhere between those times as well. Insulin can be injected either with a standard needle or with a pump system. If the excess sugar in the bloodstream is not removed, a wide array of infections can occur. Just as people like sugar, so do bacteria. These infections can lead to terrible side effects such as death of limbs, nervous system damage, and blindness. In fact, the National Institutes of Health is reporting diabetes as the leading cause of blindness among adults age 20-74. However, research has shown that even minor changes to control blood sugar levels provide excellent health benefits. For example, lowering one’s blood sugar by one point can reduce the risk for microvascular disease, such as of the eye, kidneys and nervous system, by up to 40%. A physician should monitor the blood sugar of a patient with diabetes and help the patient determine the best insulin types for his or her body.

Exercise is also an important factor in diabetes. Exercise is important for overall health and maintaining a healthy heart, bones, and muscle mass, but in people with diabetes it also has additional benefits. Not only does moderate exercise help regulate the levels of sugar in the blood naturally, but it also helps with mental health. Patients with diabetes are notorious for suffering from depression. Exercise has been proven to help fight depression and increase overall mood. For patients with severe depression, anti-depressants may be prescribed.

References:

For additional information regarding diet, check out this website: http://www.diabetes.org/nutrition-and-recipes/nutrition/foodpyramid.jsp

For statistics regarding the effects of diabetes on your health, please see the National Institute of Health’s website:

http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/statistics/index.htm#complications