Diabetes is an epidemic.
But even if you have diabetes, you can strive to be fit and to be healthy! There are two types of diabetes.
Type 1 is when the body makes no insulin.
Type 2 is when the insulin the body produces does not work normally.
Both types result in elevated blood sugars which causes damage to small blood vessels.
Type 1 diabetes usually occurs in younger patients.
The symptoms include increased thirst.
increased urination, weight loss, nausea and vomiting followed by coma.
Treatment is with insulin injections.
If you have any of these symptoms, you should see your doctor immediately.
Type 2 diabetes usually occurs in older patients, though not always, and patients are usually overweight.
Many times there are no symptoms.
It is usually discovered with blood work showing elevated sugar levels.
Treatment consists of pills, diet and exercise.
Insulin may be used as the disease progresses.
The key to treating diabetes is good control of the blood sugars.
Using medication and limiting carbohydrate intake are important.
A lab test called a Hemoglobin A1C measures the average blood sugar over the past 2 months.
Normal levels are less than about 6.
5.
Good control of blood sugar is considered less than 7.
Over 8 would be considered poor control.
Studies have shown conclusively that if the Hemoglobin A1C is 7 or below that complications are rare.
The higher the Hemoglobin A1C, the more often complications occur.
The real trick to winning the game of diabetes is to prevent complications.
The complications are devastating and usually occur quite suddenly.
The complications all have to do with small blood vessel damage and damage to the circulation.
Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness.
Diabetes a major cause of coronary artery disease and heart attacks.
It is also a major cause of amputations of the lower legs.
If you have poor circulation to the feet, and get a small infection in a toe, you can't heal the infection because you are not getting blood to the toe.
Diet is very important in diabetes.
I believe the trick to controlling diet is to do very well most of the time.
Every once in a while, you will likely eat something that you shouldn't.
As long as it is only once in a while, you can get away with it.
If it becomes repetitive, you will be in poor control.
So plan on limiting carbohydrates and sugars, exercising, seeing your doctor every 3 months and your Ophthalmologist yearly.
If you can keep your Hemoglobin A1C below 7 you will do quite well! All in all, you must strive to be fit, lose weight if you are obese, and be healthy!