Diabetes is a condition which is in an uptrend in recent days. Though the condition needs to be managed throughout life, the complications that follow can be completely prevented and managed among the ones who have already developed by following basic practices.
The uptrend in diabetes cases has become a worry amongst medical professionals. Diabetes is now emerging as the new epidemic in the country, not among the elders but also among the young generation.
Diabetes that starts before age 40 is called type 2 diabetes, which starts early. Type 2 diabetes is usually more common in middle age and old age. Diabetes is becoming more common in children, teens, and people in their 20s and 30s. Before several decades, this was not the case. People often don't pay attention to the symptoms because they don't expect to be diagnosed with diabetes so early in life, and waiting to start treatment could do a lot of damage to young people.
Diabetes experts at
Sri Ramakrishna Hospital shared that the complications of diabetes can be prevented, and in case one has developed a complication. Preventing its further spread is possible.
There is a misconception that people with diabetes should be worried for a lifetime as diabetes can never be controlled. But that's not the reality. Most people with diabetes can control their condition and enjoy every aspect of life.
The commonly diagnosed diabetes complications can include diabetic foot ulcers and kidney and eye issues.
Here are a few practices recommended by the experts at Sri Ramakrishna Hospital to prevent and treat diabetes complications.
Weight loss:
Shed those extra pounds. Fat can build up around one’s organs, like the liver and pancreas, if one carries extra weight around the waist. This can make insulin not work as well. So, if one loses this weight, the insulin one makes or the insulin one injects might work better.
Keeping the body active:
Eating better goes hand in hand with getting more exercise. It can help one control diabetes and lower the chances that one can have heart problems. This is because it makes the muscles use more glucose and makes insulin work better in the body.
Quit smoking:
If one currently smokes, one should stop. Diseases like type 2 diabetes can develop from insulin resistance. Insulin resistance can be caused by smoking. Getting type 2 diabetes is less likely to happen if one stops smoking.
Cut down on the sugar and carbohydrates:
Blood sugar and insulin levels go up when one eats a lot of refined carbs and sugar, which can lead to diabetes over time. White bread, potatoes, and a lot of breakfast cereals are all examples of refined carbohydrates. Instead, try to cut down on sugar and eat more vegetables, oatmeal, and whole grains.
Medications:
Diabetes specialists recommend medications to ensure the levels are managed, but the prescribed medications must be taken even after the blood sugar levels are normal; this helps maintain the blood sugar levels without letting them flare up.
Along with these, one with diabetes must also follow a hygiene routine to keep the body, especially closed areas like feet, moisture-free as those areas can be the habitat for fungus to grow, leading to foot ulcers.
Debunking the major myths related to diabetes:
Myth 1: One can never eat sweets if diagnosed with diabetes.
Fact: Sweets are full of simple sugars, which raise the amount of glucose in the blood more than other foods. But people with diabetes can eat them as long as they are planned for. Reserve sweets for special events or as a reward.
Myth 2: Taking insulin injections means diabetes is high.
Fact: People with type 1 diabetes must use insulin because their bodies no longer make this vital hormone.
Type 2 diabetes gets worse over time, so the body makes less insulin as time goes on. So, over time, exercise, changes to the diet, and pills or injections that don't contain insulin may need to be more to keep the blood sugar under control. Then, insulin is needed to keep the blood sugar level in a healthy range.
Myth 3: Diabetes patients should not exercise.
Fact: Regular exercise is a key part of taking care of diabetes. Working out makes one’s body more sensitive to insulin. It can also help bring down the A1C, a test showing how well diabetes is being managed.
Back in the day, diabetes awareness was less, and people often ignored the signs, leading to different complications. But today, that is not the situation; with the right medical options, the experts are preventing the complications and treating them from further advancing in the people who have already developed.
Making slight changes in the everyday lifestyle and religiously following the doctor's instructions can bring drastic changes in diabetes levels and helps improve the quality of life without many compromises. On TV, there are numerous commercials that show diabetes as a deadly disease and urge one to spend a lot to control diabetes. Let go of the myth that one needs to spend a fortune to lead a healthy and balanced life.
