Natural Sweeteners, Cooking And Your Health

Dealing With Diabetes

I have Type 2 diabetes and have been battling it for several years. So far,so good.I have it under control but I also take medication.I’d like to manage my diabetes without needing any medication. It sounds simple enough, but it requires a real commitment to accomplish.The solution sounds simple–change your diet, lose weight, and start an exercise regimen.It takes a concerted effort to control it.What gave me the will power to do something about it was a stern warning from my cardiologist–either fix your diabetes problem or look forward to a shoterned, very disabling departure from this mortal coil.This was alarming news, to say the least, as I was almost 60! So I turned over a new leaf–diet and exercise became part of my daily life. You can do it if you have the motivation.You can beat diabetes naturally if you change your lifestyle. It’s interesting to note that there are cultures of people in the world today where Type 2 diabetes is virtually non-existent. So why do we see so much of here in the U.S..S.?

What Exactly Is Diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes is the one that some people are either born with or develop as young children. This type of diabetes usually requires insulin and aggressive blood sugar management.Type I diabetes is incurable. But only 5% 0f all diabetes cases are Type 1. Type 2 can be managed effectively through lifestyle chabges and, if needed, medication.

Diabetes is a life-threatening disease? Very! The early symptoms of untreated diabetes mellitus are related to the elevated blood sugar, or glucose,levels. Excess glucose in the blood ultimately results in high levels of glucose being present in the urine. This increases the urine output, which leads to dehydration and increased thirst. Other symptoms include extreme tiredness, blurred vision, itchy skin and repeated minor infections such as thrush and boils.You might also fell sharp pains in your extremities–your feet and fingers. These are more like sharp “pings” of pain. Later stages of diabetes are nasty–amputation of toes and legs, kidney failure, even blindness.

Another form of diabetes, known as gestational diabetes, occurs in some women during pregnancy. It is a temporary condition caused by pregnancy and usually occurs in the later stages, once the baby has formed but is still growing

Although there is currently no cure for diabetes mellitus, it can be controlled successfully with an active treatment plan. Recent medical advances show pancreas and iseet cell transplants offer some hope.

Symptoms of Diabetes?

Type I diabetes develops very quickly. The classic signs of diabetes include:

1. Frequent urination, because the body is trying to get rid of the excess sugar in the blood
2. Intense thirst, because the body needs to replace the fluid lost through the urine
3. bigger appetite, because the cells need nutrients
4. Weight loss, because without insulin, the body begins to starve.

The onset of Type 2 diabetes is often very gradual and may develop without any symptoms at all. Regretably, most diagnoses come after the person already has it. It’s caused by a lack of exercise and a diet high in sugar and carbohyfrates. It used to be called “Adult Diabetes” because it did not develop until people became older,less active, and overweight. Sadly, because of our sedentary lifestyle these days and the easy availibility of junk and fast food, we’re seeing more cases of Type 2 diabetes develop among teenagers and even younger children who are obese.

Your weight affects your health in many ways. Overweight people’s bodies can’t make enough insulin to control their blood sugar levels. It can also cause high blood pressure. The Diabetes Prevention Program, a three-year clinical trial conducted on diabeste patients last year, showed that losing even a few pounds can help reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes because it helps your body use insulin more effectively. In the DPP, people who lost between 5 and 7 percent of their body weight significantly reduced their risk of type 2 diabetes. So here’s a little bit of info–if you lost twenty pounds, kept it off, started to exercise on a regular basis, your blood sugar levels would drop significantly!

Published by Heart Wellness Store