DIABETES TREATMENT

Tips to Reshape Behavior

1.Pan-fry or saute foods with a non-stick spray or low-calorie butter substitute. Bake or broil instead of frying.

2.Eat high-fiber foods, such as a bran muffin instead of the morning donut.

3.Use sugar substitutes when sweetening foods and beverages.

4.Order from the light menus now offered at many restaurants, or purchase low-calorie or
reduced-fat products at the grocery store.

5.Try a meal plan using "exchange lists" based on foods grouped together according to similar food values. Most exchange lists include several "free" foods: those lower than 20 calories per serving, such as many low-calorie, sugar-free foods and beverages.

6.Never skip meals. Eat three to six times a day in smaller portions to keep from getting hungry.

7.Use a smaller plate at mealtime to satisfy your psychological need to see a full plate.

8.Eat and chew slowly. Learn to stop eating before you feel full. (It takes 20 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain that it is full!)

9.Weigh yourself on a regular schedule, but don’t become a slave to your scale.

10.Reward yourself with pleasures other than food--buy some new clothes, get a different hair style, see a movie, visit a friend, etc.

How is diabetes treated?

The major goal in treating diabetes is to minimize any elevation of blood sugar (glucose) without causing abnormally low levels of blood sugar. Type 1 diabetes is treated with insulin,exercise, and a diabetic diet. Type 2 diabetes is treated first with weight reduction, a diabetic diet, and exercise. When these measures fail to control the elevated blood sugars, oral medications are used. If oral medications are still insufficient, treatment with insulin is considered.
Adherence to a diabetic diet is an important aspect of controlling elevated blood sugar in patients with diabetes.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has provided guidelines for a diabetic diet. The ADA diet is a balanced, nutritious diet that is low in fat, cholesterol, and simple sugars. The total daily calories are evenly divided into three meals. In the past two years, the ADA has lifted the absolute ban on simple sugars. Small amounts of simple sugars are allowed when consumed with a complex meal.Weight reduction and exercise are important treatments for diabetes. Weight reduction and exercise increase the body's sensitivity to insulin, thus helping to control blood sugar elevations.

SYMPTOMS OF DIABETES

The most consistent symptom of diabetes mellitus (Type I and II) is elevated blood sugar levels. In Type I (insulin dependent / early onset) diabetes, this is caused by the body not producing enough insulin to properly regulate blood sugar. In Type II (non insulin dependent/adult onset) diabetes, it is caused by the body developing resistance to insulin, so it cannot properly use what it produces.

However, high blood sugar is not something you can see in the mirror at home, so it is useful to know the side-effects of high blood sugar, which are commonly recognized as the noticeable symptoms of diabetes.If you find yourself experiencing many of these diabetes symptoms on a consistent, long term basis, you should visit a doctor to be tested for diabetes. Ignoring (or not recognizing) the symptoms of diabetes can lead to long-term serious health risks and complications from untreated diabetes. Some of the common 'early warning' signs of diabetes are:

1.The first symptom of diabetes is often excessive thirst (unrelated to exercise, hot weather, or short-term illness)

2.Excessive hunger (you know you've eaten "enough" but are still hungry all the time)

3.Frequent urination (often noticed because you must wake up repeatedly during the night)

4.Tiredness and fatigue (possibly severe enough to make you fall asleep unexpectedly after meals), one of the most common symptoms of diabetes.

5.Rapid and/or sudden weight loss (any dramatic change in weight is a sign to visit a doctor)

While many of the signs and symptoms of diabetes can also be related to other causes, testing for diabetes is very easy, and the constant/regular presence of one or more of these symptoms over an extended period of time should be cause for a visit to the doctor.If diabetes is suspected, tested for, and diagnosed when those symptoms first start appearing, other more serious symptoms of advanced diabetes can often be prevented or have their onset significantly delayed through diet, exercise and proper blood sugar management.

However, often the 'minor' symptoms of diabetes go unrecognized, and physical and neurological problems may arise, resulting in some of the following symptoms:

1.Blurred vision (diabetes can lead to macular degeneration and eventual blindness)

2.Numbness and/or tingling in the hands and feet (peripheral neuropathy, a symptom of diabetes, causes nerve damage in the extremities)

3.Slow healing of minor scratches and wounds (diabetes often leads to impaired immune system function)

4.Recurrent or hard-to-treat yeast infections in women (another sign of impaired immune function)

5.Dry or itchy skin (peripheral neuropathy also affects circulation and proper sweat gland function)

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms on a regular basis, or you recognize these symptoms in a child or relative, they may be signs of untreated diabetes. A doctor's appointment should be made as soon as possible, so the individual experiencing the symptoms can -- if diabetes is diagnosed -- take the steps needed to prevent more serious health problems.

DIABETES CAUSES

Type 1 diabetes is believed to be an autoimmune disease. The body's immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin.


1. A predisposition to develop type 1 diabetes may run in families but much less so than for type



2. 2.Environmental factors, such as certain types of viral infections, may also contribute.



3.Type 1 diabetes is most common in people of non-Hispanic white persons of Northern European descent, followed by African Americans and Hispanic Americans. It is relatively rare in those of Asian descent.



4.Type 1 diabetes is slightly more common in men than in women.


Type 2 diabetes: Type 2 diabetes is believed to have a strong genetic link, meaning that it tends to run in families. Several genes are being studied that may be related to the cause of type 2 diabetes. Risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes include the following:


1.High blood pressure

2.High blood triglyceride (fat) levels

3.Gestational diabetes or giving birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds

4.High-fat diet

5.High alcohol intake

6.Sedentary lifestyle

7.Obesity or being overweight

8.Ethnicity: Certain groups, such as African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Japanese Americans, have a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes than non-Hispanic whites.

9.Aging: Increasing age is a significant risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Risk begins to rise significantly at about age 45 years, and rises considerably after age 65 years.

DIABETES

What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a disorder of metabolism—the way our bodies use digested food for growth and energy. Most of the food we eat is broken down into glucose, the form of sugar in the blood. Glucose is the main source of fuel for the body.

After digestion, glucose passes into the bloodstream, where it is used by cells for growth and energy. For glucose to get into cells, insulin must be present. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, a large gland behind the stomach.

When we eat, the pancreas automatically produces the right amount of insulin to move glucose from blood into our cells. In people with diabetes, however, the pancreas either produces little or no insulin, or the cells do not respond appropriately to the insulin that is produced. Glucose builds up in the blood, overflows into the urine, and passes out of the body in the urine. Thus, the body loses its main source of fuel even though the blood contains large amounts of glucose.