Diabetes has become a widespread disease throughout the world and is the result of the body’s inability to properly regulate carbohydrate metabolism.
Symptoms may consist of any or all of the following: excessive urine production, hunger, thirst, weight loss, blurred vision, slow wound healing resulting in chronic infections, and fatigue. Diabetes can be detected by an excessive amount of sugar in both the blood and urine.
So when it comes to the treatment of diabetes, the main concern should be in controlling elevated blood sugar, which is the main cause of diabetes. Managing blood sugar is the core component of any diabetes treatment program.
To effectively manage the complications of diabetes, one must first take the disease very seriously.
This begins with adopting a healthy lifestyle consisting of a proper diet and regular exercise routine.
In addition, insulin and other types of medications will probably be prescribed. Frequent testing of blood sugar is required to monitor how effectively blood sugar is being controlled.
It is very important to know the healthy range of blood glucose levels. These levels are age dependant, with younger patients in the range of 80-120 mg/dl and older patients in the range of 100-140 mg/dl.
As previously mentioned, an effective diabetes management program includes some specific self-treatment like eating a healthy diet, engaging in regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and taking any prescribed medications at the proper times.
A healthy diet doesn’t have to be bland and boring. A healthy diet consists of eating more fruits and vegetables, and consuming high nutritional value foods that are both lower in total fat and calories.
Such a diet for the management of diabetes also consists of limiting your consumption of sweets and excess sugar.
The main part of any diabetes treatment program is that the patient must be responsible for managing his or her own diabetes.
Consistency is the best recipe when it comes to sticking to a nutrition regimen. You should try to eat meals at fixed times every day with the same portion sizes.
Proper exercise is also easy to fit into your treatment program. Aerobic exercises like walking, jogging, hiking, biking, swimming, and any other exercise that produces an elevated heart rate is good.
Remember, like diet, consistency will provide the best results for an effective exercise program.
Try to maintain your weight according to your activity level and age, because being overweight is an aggravating factor for diabetes.
Being overweight will make you more resistant to insulin. Overall, managing your body weight is a very important part of the success of your diabetes treatment program.
Sometimes, medication plays a very important role in managing diabetes, especially when dieting and exercise alone are not enough.
Insulin will most likely be prescribed in this case. Insulin must be injected since it can’t be taken in pill form.
Insulin pumps are available for certain patients that are unable to inject themselves with a syringe.
Diabetes is a manageable disease if you give it serious attention each and every day of your life. Although currently, there is no known cure for diabetes, you can live a long and healthy life with diabetes provided you follow a proper treatment program religiously.
Medical Disclaimer: The information presented in this article must not be taken as medical advice. If you have diabetes or suspect that you do, you must consult with your doctor immediately for diagnosis and treatment options.
