What is Diabetes?
Diabetes often referred as sugar by our Indian masses, is caused by unacceptable and abnormally high glucose levels in our blood. Now how does glucose level increase? It is normally caused by absence or scarcity of insulin present in our body. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas to regulate blood sugar. So when the body is unable to produce or use insulin to process the glucose in the blood. The unprocessed glucose keeps increasing with time hence giving way to diabetes.
Symptoms of Diabetes.
Prevention is better than cure. If we humans can prevent any damage before it strikes, then half of our problems in life will not be able to affect us. So when person should alert and check if he or she is having diabetes. Diabetes start with below mentioned symptoms:-
• Frequent urination
• Excessive thirst
• Extreme hunger
• Unusual weight loss
• Increased fatigue
• Irritability
• Blurry vision
Diabetes Management
Diabetes is manageable disease, and if managed properly will not affect patient much. Wasim Akram Pakistan’s fast and famous bowler is suffering from diabetes for more than fifteen years.Infact when he was in his career, diabetes didn’t affect his performance. Reason he is managing the disease properly.
Diabetes management is about awareness, which factors will increase or decrease level of blood sugar.
The factors are as below
Food.
What, where does not matter. What matters is when and how much do we eat. Generally blood sugar level rises and peaks one or two hour after we eat. Reason insulin converts our glcuose, starch, food into energy needed for our day to day activities. Eating boosts the blood sugar level. This predictable pattern can work to our advantage. Simply eating about the same amount of food at about the same time every day can help control our blood sugar level. Intake of Carbohydrates has larger effect than proteins. Ensure carbohydrates are taken in less and measured quantity. Balance between food intake and medication needs to be maintained, too less food and more insulin can result in dangerously low blood sugar level (hypoglycemia), on the contrary more food and less insulin results in high blood sugar level (hyperglycemia).
Exercise
Physical activities play important role in maintaing our blood sugar levels. Exercising converts glucose into energy. Regular exercising improves body’s response to insulin. Combination of these factors has positive impact in maintaing our sugar level. Medication and exercising can’t go simultaneously, exercise after insulin intake is advised. Keep check of sugar levels before and after workout. Drink fluids while exercising.
Medication
Timing and size of the dose is important. Non-diabetes medication may affect blood sugar level. Consult or alert doctor before taking any non-diabetes drug. Store medicines properly, and check the expiry date labeled on them. Care needs to be taken during illness. Sickness produces hormones to counter any disorder, but increases sugar level. Maintain regular contact with your doctor and act on advice to counter any disorder in maintaing sugar level.
Alcohol.
Excess intake of alcohol is bad for anybody, so is it for patients suffering from diabetes. Light beer and dry wines have fewer calories and carbohydrates than do other alcoholic drinks. Prefer mixed drinks, sugar-free mixers — such as diet soda, diet tonic, club soda.
Check for Women
Keep checking sugar levels regularly during menstrual cycle. Hormone level fluctuates, triggering fluctuations in blood sugar level. Checking helps predicting sugar levels and planning to maintain it.
Tension or Stress.
Stressed bodies produce hormones, preventing insulin to work properly. People with diabetes suffer from depression at a rate that is two-to-four times higher than the general population. Keep stress away and don’t allow it to affect your daily diabetes management plan. Learn relaxation techniques, set limits and prioritize tasks. Exercise is also a highly effective antidepressant.
To sum up diabetes is self controllable, doctors control it upto five percent, but good plan and effective management controls it upto ninety five percent.