How To Overcome Diabetes: Fact Sheet On Blood Sugar Management
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What is Diabetes
Diabetes-also called Diabetes mellitus-is a chronic health condition developed when your pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or any at all, or when your body isn’t responding to the effects of insulin properly. When you eat carbohydrates, the body breaks them down into glucose, a type of sugar that serves as energy for your cells. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps transport glucose into your cells, providing energy to your body. In people with diabetes, this process does not work well, resulting in too much glucose in the blood, a condition known as hyperglycemia or high blood sugar.
Diabetes Statistics In Kenya
According to the WHO, the prevalence of diabetes in Kenya is 3.3%. Lack of awareness concerning diabetes makes many diabetic patients undiagnosed, and this is a big blow to the health sector. According to AfyaCode, Kenya was ranked 31st African country interns of diabetes, with a prevalence of about 460 cases per 10,000 population.
Types of Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes
This is a type of autoimmune disease where the body just simply attacks the cells of the pancreas which produce insulin, hence leaving the body with little or no supply of insulin. Individuals suffering from type 1 diabetes have to take insulin injections every day to regulate the level of sugar in their blood. It usually is diagnosed in children and young adults.
Type 2 Diabetes
In this, your body either can’t use insulin correctly, or it doesn’t make enough insulin. This is the most common type; it takes about 90-95% of all cases. Your risk factors include being overweight, having a family medical history of diabetes, and leading an inactive lifestyle. Unlike type 1, type 2 diabetes often can be treated by changes in lifestyle such as diet and exercise.
Gestational Diabetes
This type of diabetes develops during pregnancy when the body cannot make an adequate amount of insulin to meet the growing demands of the body. While it often goes away after having the baby, women who had gestational diabetes are at greater risk for developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
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Signs and Symptoms of High Blood Sugar
- Polyuria, that is excessive urination
- Polydipsia, meaning excessive thirst
- Profound tiredness
- Loss of weight for an unknown reason
- Blurred vision
- Poorer healing of bruises or cuts and frequent infections
Causes and Risk Factors of High Blood Sugar
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How To Manage Diabetes
1.Healthy Diet: This would emphasize vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins. Try to limit foods made from processed ingredients. Sweetened drinks can raise your blood sugar, too. The American Diabetes Association does recommend a Mediterranean diet or the DASH diet as good options for keeping your blood sugar under control.
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2. Weight Management: If there is excess weight, then losing 5-10% of body weight can greatly improve blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes.
3. Exercise: Regular physical activity improves insulin sensitivity and lowers blood sugar. At least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise-like walking or swimming-is recommended weekly.
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Medication and Insulin
Oral hypoglycemic medications, such as metformin, enhance the body’s sensitivity to insulin or decrease glucose production of the liver and are prescribed to manage type 2 diabetes. Medications that stimulate insulin secretion from the pancreas may also be prescribed in some cases. Insulin replacement therapy: For individuals with type 1 diabetes or advanced type 2, insulin therapy is necessary to achieve normal blood sugar levels. Insulin can be delivered into the body via multiple injections or an insulin pump.
Blood Glucose Monitoring helps in routine blood glucose testing that allows you to have better control over your diabetes. CGMs provide real-time information about your blood glucose levels through the day to more easily make necessary adjustments in your treatment plan.
Complications of Diabetes
- Cardiovascular disease: Damaged blood vessels from high glucose levels in the blood put one at risk for heart attack, stroke, and high blood pressure.
- Kidney Damage (Nephropathy): Diabetes can cause damage to the filtering units of your kidneys, which may lead to kidney failure or dialysis.
- Nerve Damage (Neuropathy): Prolonged high glucose in the blood can lead to nerve damage causing numbness, tingling, or pain usually in one’s legs and feet.
- Eye Injuries: Diabetes is a major cause of blindness. After some years, the high level of blood sugar damages the blood vessels in the retina that impairs vision.
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Ways of Preventing High Blood Sugar
- Keep a healthy weight: Being overweight is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Losing weight may decrease your risk significantly.
- Eat healthy: Focus on whole grains, lean protein, and a variety of vegetables. Limit foods and drinks with added sugars.
- Stay active: Physical activity helps your body use insulin more efficiently and can also reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes.
- Monitor your health: Early detection, often through regular visits to your doctor, can discover diabetes even before symptoms appear.
- Eat more fiber: Fiber helps slowing digestion and absorption of sugars leading to slow increase on blood sugar levels.
Conclusion
The results can be controlled by making changes to lifestyles and by medical interventions. Understanding symptoms and signs, causes, and risk factors may lead to active measures in managing or preventing diabetes.
If you have any concern about your risk of diabetes or are experiencing symptoms like excessive thirst, frequent urination, or extreme fatigue, don’t hesitate-schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider. Early diagnosis and care will significantly improve your well-being and prevent complications. Don’t wait any longer; call for an appointment today!
This is so insightful and comprehensive. Health information on diabetes, is a very important part of mitigation and prevention of diabetes.
ReplyDeleteKufos!!