Diabetic life is not the same as normal anymore. A herd of changes occurs both physically and mentally with this chronic disease. Yet, making some lifestyle changes can make your life normal and equally enthusiastic. Of the total adult population in our country, 40.6 million are diabetics in 2018, from the 72 million diabetic population in 2017. This shows the increasing number of victims to the disease over time. It’s a growing challenge in our country with a prevalence of 8.7% not sparing teenagers and adolescents. Diabetics need help and assistance with the growing age. Let’s have a look into certain steps that make our lives living easier with diabetics.
Have knowledge of blood sugar:
1. Hyperglycemia:
Higher levels of blood sugar are termed as hyperglycemia. It’s a common sign in diabetes and caused by various factors like improper diet and medication, inactivity, sickness and none monitoring of the glucose levels in the blood. The increased and none lowering blood sugar levels in the bloodstream affects the eyes, nerves, kidneys, heart, wound healing, infections, blisters, skin diseases, and diabetic food. Persistent or unyielding hyperglycemia is dangerous as it can cost diabetic, coma. If the sugar level is more than 180 mmol/l
It is alarming. The signs are not distinctive for the hyperglycemia but it shows all the early symptoms of diabetes. Coma, confusion and breathing difficulties and nausea are the secondary symptoms. Ketones are noticed in the urine in hyperglycemia.
2. Hypoglycemia:
When the level of blood sugar in the blood drops below the adequate 70 mg/dl it is manifested as hypoglycemia. Although, the number may be depending on the individual’s sugar level. The body shows mild to severe symptoms when it is deprived of the blood sugars. Type 1 diabetics show this starting from the basic symptoms of diabetes. They may exaggerate to heart rate issues, nervous and physical coordination, seizures and unconsciousness. skipping meals and medications, stress and vigorous exercises falling sick causes the hypoglycemia.
Optimal blood sugar levels for adults:
The mechanism that your body undergoes after you complete a meal is to regulate the raised glucose levels in your blood. The pancreas releases adequate insulin, that levels back the sugars in the bloodstream. In diabetes, insulin is either not absorbed or not produced. Being aware of the blood sugar levels needed and imbalances in the levels in essential to monitor your diabetes situation. When your A1c test is given, it should be around or less than 7%. In fasting, it should range < 100 mg/dl and after meals less than 180 mg/dl and 100-140 mg/dl when you go to bed.
Importance of glucose to monitoring:
The diabetic population has been rising alarmingly by various reasons like lifestyle, obesity, genetic factors, environment and amongst them not knowing or being unaware of the signs and symptoms and knowledge about the disease is the dangerous one. Measuring the glycemic control should not be about 6% as per the American Diabetes Association. The self-monitoring of glucose can make the patient assess their glucose levels and lower the concentration at their own capabilities at home. Hypo and hyperglycemia can be identified in the self-monitoring of blood glucose. It is both suggested for type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Insulin doses, management strategies, glycemic control of an individual are well coordinated in glucose monitoring.
Insulin overdose precaution:
Insulin is a life saver for the diabetics. Alike, all the medications and dosages, insulin should not be taken as an overdose. It may end up in the medical emergency situations, your insulin dosage is prescribed based on your body sensitivity to insulin, your pre-meal sugar levels, your diet plan, and your body activity. The basal insulin keeps your glucose levels in track. Insulin is short-acting to more lasting depending on the individual. An insulin overdose may happen when you are unaware of the dosages or take it twice, skip meals or when you take someone else does. Hypoglycemia is an important sign. Little sugar fixes the situation yet doctor assistance is a must.
Diabetic shock:
Diabetic shock or diabetic coma occurs when your body goes through severe hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia. when not treated, it may end up causing death to the individual. Fast heartbeat, breathlessness, difficult to communicate, profuse sweating, shivering, etc. Are Seen before you actually go unconscious. Leto acidosis, when not treated leads to the diabetic coma. Insulin pumps, improper diabetic care, no glucose level monitoring, alcohol and smoking habits, can lead to diabetic shock. Taking disciplinary diet and dosage, SMBG and ketone control can avoid diabetic shock.
Insulin reaction:
Also called hypoglycemia, defined as the alarming levels or deposits of insulin in the body. In an insulin shock, the blood glucose levels get as low as 50 mg/fl. This may happen when your food and insulin doses do not balance each other. Alcohol medication and lack of awareness are adding reasons. Missing meals is the most common reason observed in diabetics for the insulin shock, mistakenly taken dosages can also cause hypoglycemia. Coma, seizures, coordination are the signs. This happens within a few hours and needs emergency assistance from a doctor.
Food and activity for diabetes mellitus:
- Carb, fat and high fiber diet:
A diabetic diet is a diet plan stipulated for an individual evaluating his body needs and medications. It helps in……the diabetes and controlling rising blood sugar levels. These little changes in your diet make you relish on your favorite foods without feeling lethargic or sick. The key step in designing a diabetic diet plan is to lose a little weight, avoid extra carbs that add glucose, lessen the fats and increase the fiber content in the food along with vitamins and minerals leaving out unwanted sugars.
2. Portion and GI:
The Glycemic Index (GI) means how much the carbs we intake affects the blood glucose levels. The low the Gl, the healthier the choice of carbs for your diet. The foods with a low GI have a low metabolic rate, digests slowly and doesn’t raise the blood sugar level. The foods with GI < 55 are considered good. The refined wheat flours show higher GI than the whole grain flours with more than 77 GI. Oats and cereals have less GI than processed cornflakes. Raw fruits show less GI than the juiced fruits.
Leading a good life:
Pregnancy:
When you want to be a mother, you need to target your diabetes first. Getting pregnant is quite a difficult issue when you are diabetic as you may face a list of reproductive issues and syndromes. Controlling your diabetes is of much important in pregnancy than in normal days. If neglected, it may affect the baby in the early months, with birth defects. Stillbirths, abortions, preterm deliveries, overweighing babies, babies with lung diseases and hypoglycemia are possible if proper attention is not paid to diabetes during pregnancy.
Harmful habits:
There are certain habits that grow with us, which worsens the diabetic condition. Eating more carbohydrates in the form of refined and instant foods at irregular times worsens the glucose levels. Immobile lifestyle, being stick to a place, consumption of alcohol to become an addiction, smoking, skipping diet plan, avoiding breakfast, sleeping for long hours or no sleep at all etc, are the habits that en route your diabetes into complications.
Skincare in diabetes:
Keeping your skincare game on point is essential in diabetes. Well managed limbs can give a healthy diabetic life. Trim the nails and clean them from within very often. Give some pamper with baths, massages. Have dry and clean skin always. remove the dirt using mild washes. Moisturize the skin with cream after you wash.
Sick days:
Diabetic foot caused by diabetic neuropathy is the worst complication of diabetes. It may end up in gangrene, necrosis, unyielding wounds, numbness, tingling, and amputations. Keep an eye on blisters, cuts, boils, tears, and cracks that are likely to come in diabetes. Trim your nails and clean till the nail bed.
Lifestyle tips:
- Travel:
Travelling can be a hazard when you plan long flights, with diabetes. The food plan may be disturbed, your medication and sleep timings clashes, you may need to store your insulin pumps, carry a load of equipment. These tips may make your travel easier. Get to know the climate and time zones of the place you travel. Store your medications and snacks in a handbag apart from the baggage. Carry your patient profiles along. Liquids and drinks are most to be along.
b) Exercise:
Exercise does well at all ages. While being a diabetic exercise should be strict as it lowers down the glucose levels, lowers blood pressure, burns calories and cholesterol.
c) Medication:
Diabetic medication is not to be skipped or forgotten as they may end up in serious comes and shocks. Be aware of the dosages, compositions and the prescriptions without anyone’s help.
d) Wound Dressings:
Wound healing is the most complication of diabetes. Never yielding wounds that attract infections, fluid drainage and pus are to be cleaned and dressed regularly.
Conclusion:
Life with diabetes is not easy, and yet not too hard to live with. Food, physical activity, little changes in the lifestyle, knowledge of the diseases etc are crucial to making life easier and healthier.
Reference:
Diabetes epidemic: 98 million people in India may have … – India Today
Diabetes – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases …
WebMD Diabetes Center: Types, Causes, Symptoms, Tests, and …
Hypoglycemia in Type 2 Diabetes—Consequences and Risk …
The 16 Best Foods to Control Diabetes – Healthline
Diabetes Health Center: Metabolic-Related Medical … –
Diabetes Center: Diabetes Overview, Symptoms … – eMedicineHealth
NCBI – NIH
Diabetes – Harvard Health – Harvard University
American Diabetes Association