Diabetes Management Is So Important
Unfortunately at the present time, there is not a cure for type 1 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can be reversed to a certain degree with a good diet and exercise. I know that this is not what most diabetics want to hear. However the fact is that even though there is no cure, there certainly are ways to manage your diabetes and keep yourself in good health.
Good diabetes management can give you many years of healthy living. I was reading the other day of a man of 90 years old who had had Type 1 diabetes since the age of 5 and was in excellent health( other than having diabetes). And this was because he had learned how to manage his illness.
Once you are diagnosed with diabetes, you need to learn as much as possible about the appropriate diet, exercise and medication that you will need to keep your diabetes in check. Your doctor and diabetes health team will help you with this task.
Controlling the glucose ( blood sugar) cycle is the main aim of a diabetic. The glucose cycle is affected by two things, entry of glucose into the bloodstream and blood levels of insulin to control the transport out. This is done with medication, and in the case of Type 1 diabetics with insulin injections. (some Type 2’s also administer insulin if they do not respond to oral medications such as metaformin.
Your glucose levels will react sensitively to diet and exercise, and you will be guided by your health team on how to keep your blood sugar within a certain range. Proper management of diabetes is not always easy and just when you think you have the whole thing sorted, your blood sugar levels spike again.
Management of diabetes requires a complete lifestyle change and frequent, sometimes multi-daily, checks of glucose in the blood. This is quite a shock when you are first diagnosed because it seems to take over your life. However you do get used to it – there is no other choice! It does help if you get a chance to meet up with other fellow diabetics for a chat. We all have different tips and ideas that work for us. But never try something new without telling your doctor.
Today it is easy to measure blood sugar levels. Glucose meters are readily available and are quite easy to use with a little practice and patience. Just a little prick on the side of your finger, a small drop of blood on to the testing strip attached to the glucose meter and the meter will show your blood sugar level. This in turn will let you know if and when insulin is needed.
Once you have the result, you administer the appropriate dose of insulin to bring your blood sugar back into the safety range which should be between 4mmol/l- 7mmol/l before meals and 9 mmol/l two hours after a meal.
It can seem like a constant battle to keep your diabetes in check and there have been times when I have felt like chucking all the testing paraphernalia out of the window. But there is no positive alternative.
By managing diabetes we can avoid all the complications we have been warned about, such as heart attack, stroke, blindness etc.etc. Yes, management is good because, despite the diabetes, it can lead to a healthy happy lifestyle.
POSTED ON June 10, 2011,