Watch Out For Your Diabetes Levels

 

Diabetes is a never ending problem, there is only way to deal with diabetes is to live with it. It has been reported in CDC report of America that about 29.1 million population of the United States have diabetes. Diabetes is regarded as the seventh leading cause of death all over the world. It is a chronic disease, which occurs when the pancreas of a person does not produce enough insulin or when the body is not able to use the insulin it produces. This condition leads to an increased level of glucose in the blood. There are various types of diabetes conditions, which are listed below:

Type 1 diabetes:

This type is characterized as insulin-dependent or childhood-onset diabetes that’s caused when the pancreas produces little or no insulin. There are certain factors that contribute to type1 diabetes, like genetics and exposure to certain viruses. Some of the symptoms of type1 diabetes are:

• Increased thirst leads to frequent urination
• Bedwetting in children
• Extreme hunger
• Unintended weight loss
• Blurred vision

Gestational diabetes:

This diabetes condition is characterized by high blood sugar levels, which is first recognized during pregnancy. It’s a fact that almost all women have some degree of impaired glucose intolerance, which is due to the result of hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy. In this situation, the blood sugar levels may be higher than normal, but not high enough to have diabetes. During the later part of pregnancy, these hormonal changes place pregnant woman at risk for gestational diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes:

This type of diabetes is formerly known as non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is very common and is caused by the body’s ineffective use of insulin, which is the result of excess body weight and physical inactivity. At times, people with diabetes are unaware of the symptoms and complications. This is because the symptoms, when seen on their own, may seem harmless. But, it is very important for an earlier diagnosis of diabetes to avoid serious complications. Below are various symptoms of type 2 diabetes:

• Frequent urination – If you urinate frequently, particularly at night by getting up from deep sleep, then it could be a symptom of diabetes because kidneys kick into high gear to get rid of all the extra glucose in the blood

• Excessive thirst – If you urinate more than usual, then you need to replace the lost fluids by drinking more fluid and this condition results in diabetes symptoms

• Inceased hunger pangs – This is due to the insulin levels in your blood. If the insulin in your body does not work properly, or is not there at all, then the cells will not get the desired energy to perform. In this way, your body need more energy in terms of food and you will become hungry

• Weight gain – Sometimes intensive hunger results in weight gain

• Slow healing – Whenever any person gets infection, cut, or bruises and these don’t heal quickly, then it may be the definite sign of type 2 diabetes. This happens because the blood vessels get damaged due to the excessive amounts of glucose in the veins and arteries. This makes it hard for blood to reach different areas of the body, causing slow healing

• Yeast infections – Diabetes is considered as an immune suppressed state in which there is an increased risk of a variety of infections like Candida and other fungal infections. Women, in particular, need to watch out for vaginal Candida infections

Also Read: 10 Amazing Health Tips For Managing Diabetes

• Fatigue and irritability – When people feel tired and get irritated without any genuine reason then it may be the reason of type 2 diabetes

• Blurred vision – Blurred vision is another symptom of type 2 diabetes, which is caused due to the tissue being pulled from eye lenses and this affects the eyes’ ability to focus. Moreover, in severe cases of diabetes blindness or prolonged vision problems may occur

• Tingling or numbness – Nerves may also get damaged and cause tingling and numbness sensations in hands and feet, along with burning pain or swelling, which is also a clear sign of diabetes

• Sexual dysfunction among men – If you are above the age of 50 and experiencing frequent or constant sexual dysfunction, then you are at risk of getting attacked by type 2 diabetes

For a diabetic person, normal blood sugar levels are as follows:

• Normal blood glucose level is 72 mg/dL
• When operating normally, the body restores blood sugar levels to a range of 82 to 110 mg/dL
• After a meal the blood glucose level may rise temporarily up to 140 mg/dL

If blood glucose levels exceed the normal levels, then the time has come for you to visit a doctor. He/she will perform the blood tests on you and will recommend a proper diet chart and medicines to control your blood sugar levels.

Controlling diabetes:

Controlling the diabetes level is not a very tough task if you follow your doctor’s advice. Preventing diabetes may require a close watch over the blood sugar levels with a combination of diet, exercise, and most importantly diabetes medications. You can improve your condition by paying a close attention to what and when you eat. By doing this you can minimize or avoid the rapidly changing blood sugar levels. Below are some of the medications and lifestyle changes that diabetic patients must follow to lead a healthy and happy life:

• Eat a well-balanced meal – You should be very careful about planning your anti diabetic meal. The first step is to start with fresh green vegetables and fruits. You can also add whole grain food, fibre rich diet like sprouts and beans in your diet. Try to cook your food in olive oil and avoid drinking sugary drinks and juices.
• Add up exercise in your regime – Physical activity is very important for maintaining the insulin levels of the body. You can try brisk walk for at least 30 minutes a day and work or for 30 or 45 minutes by jogging in parks or gyms.
• Keep weight under control – Being in weight and under control helps you in avoiding various diseases. People can participate in physical activities like swimming or playing sports as it helps the body to utilise insulin efficiently. This will help you in burning extra calories, along with keeping your weight under control.
• Medications – Diabetes is an incurable disease so always try to keep your the blood sugar levels under control. Various anti-diabetic drugs are available in the market like Acarbose, which is one of the most recommended drugs to control diabetes. Acarbose helps in delaying the absorption of the digestion of carbohydrates and reduces post meal hyperglycemia. Metformin is another drug for controlling type 2 diabetes, which help in improving the insulin sensitivity and controls blood sugar levels of the body. This medicine works by reducing the glucose amount that liver releases into the bloodstream. Furthermore, Metformin works by improving the sensitivity of body tissues to insulin. Some of the possible side effects of Metformin are nausea and diarrhoea.

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Also Read: 13 Diabetes Tips to Improve Blood Sugar