Introduction
Blood glucose is the main source of energy in our body. We need energy to do our work daily and stay active. Most of the food we eat changes into glucose, most commonly called sugar, for our body to use it as energy. . Insulin, is a hormone made by the pancreas, which is an organ situated near the stomach. The sugar travels all over your body and reach the cells. This insulin helps sugar to get into the body's cells. The cells then use the sugar to give you energy.
Low Blood Sugar
Low blood sugar (also known as hypoglycemia) is when your blood sugar levels have fallen very low enough and you fall sick. This is usually when your blood sugar is less than 70 mg/dL.
Low blood sugar is called hypoglycemia.
- A blood sugar level below 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) is low and can harm you.
- A blood sugar level below 54 mg/dL (3.0 mmol/L) is a cause for immediate action.
Treatment
Diet and lifestyle changes can maintain your blood sugar at a normal level and prevent other problems, such as blindness and kidney damage. Your doctor may also prescribe medicine.
Some people with type 2 diabetes need to inject insulin if these changes don't control their blood sugar level.
Your doctor may tell you to check your blood sugar level at home using a blood sugar meter. He will tell you when and how often to check and what your level should be. Keep a daily record of your levels. If they're too high or too low, let your healthcare provider know
Diabetes and You
A person with diabetes is twice as likely to have high blood pressure than a person without diabetes. Left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to heart disease and stroke. In fact, a person with diabetes and high blood pressure is four times as likely to develop heart disease than someone who does not have either of the conditions.
Diabetes with Other Disease
Diabetes symtoms vary depending on how much your blood sugar is elevated. Some people, espacially those with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, may not experience symtoms initially. In type 1 diabetes, symtoms tend to come on quickly and be more.
Some of sign and symtoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes are :
- Increased Thirst
- Frequent urination
- Extreme hunger
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Blurred vision
- mSlow-healing sores
Living With Diabetes
Diabetes is a disorder of metabolism - the way our bodies use digested food for growth and energy. There are three main types of diabetes : types1, type2 and gestational diabetes.
Well, you can live a normal life with an extra bit of maintenance as follows:
- Educate yourself about diabetes (informations shared in various sections od diabetes)
- Eat well-
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- Make a diabetes meal plan with help from your health care team.
- Choose foods that are lower in calories, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar, and salt.
- Eat foods with more fiber, such as whole grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, or pasta.
- Choose foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, bread and cereals, and low-fat or skim milk and cheese.
- Drink water instead of juice and regular soda
- When eating a meal, fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables, one quarter with a lean protein, such as beans, or chicken or turkey without the skin, and one quarter with a whole grain, such as brown rice or whole wheat pasta.
- Get active and maintain a healthy weight –
- Set a goal to be more active most days of the week. Start slow by taking 10 minute walks, 3 times a day.
- Twice a week, work to increase your muscle strength. Use stretch bands, do yoga, heavy gardening (digging and planting with tools), or try push-ups.
- Stay at or get to a healthy weight by using your meal plan and moving more.
- Manage your ABCs (A1C, Blood pressure, Cholesterol) (Mentioned in Treatment section)
- Prevent complications (Mentioned in complications)
- Manage sick days
- Be prepared to handle emergency
- Cope with stress – Stress can raise your blood sugar. Find the ways where you can release your stress. Some examples are:
- Try deep breathing
- gardening
- taking a walk
- meditating
- working on your hobby
- listening to your favourite music
Illness can cause your blood sugar levels to fluctuate rapidly and can lead to extreme high or low blood sugars.
In order to prevent this from happening, there are important steps you can take:
- Monitor your blood sugar frequently, as often as every hour
- Continue your diabetes medication as usual; if you are unable to eat, contact doctor for instructions on the dose to take
- Drink at least one glass of fluid every hour; if your sugar levels are high drink water; if the blood sugars are low, you may need to drink sugar-based liquids.
- If you are repeatedly vomiting, speak to your doctor immediately, or go to the nearest Emergency Care center
- If you have Type 1 diabetes, check the urine for ketones every time you void; if ketones are “medium or large” call your doctor or go to the nearest Emergency Care Center.
When you think about heart and brain related complications, both men and women with diabetes tend to have higher rates of early death than those without the disease. But it is also true that no two people with diabetes are the same, and how a person manages his or her blood sugar is key when considering how the disease might affect your life span.
The life span may essentially depend not on just having diabetes but how the disease progresses in you, whether you have other complications with it or not and how seriously you manage it.
As a person with diabetes, you’re considered well-controlled if your A1C (used to monitor how well your diabetes treatment is working overtime) value is between 6.5 to 7% or lower. This also means that your average blood sugars are between 140 to 154 mg/dL.
Life Style Changes With Diabetes
Working closely with your doctors, you can manage your diabetes by focusing on six key
- Eat healthy.
- Exercise.
- Get Checkups.
- Manage stress.
- Stop smoking.
- Eat healthy.
Annual Essential Checks
You're entitled to essential health checks - the care you need when you have diabetes. These checks will help to prevent serious diabetes complications, like problems with
When you have diabetes, you're entitled to certain checks, tests and services every year to help you get the care you need. you'll know this as your annual review, but you should have more than tests and check. When you're first diagnosed it's especially helpful to find out what these are. There are 15 checks, tests and services you should be getting, so we call this package of care your 15 Healthcare Essentials.