Diabetes
Millions of people have diabetes mellitus, commonly called diabetes. Many people don't even know they have it. Diabetes is a serious disease and should not be ignored. If you have it, correct treatment can help you live a long and healthy life.
What is diabetes?
Your body can't make or use insulin. Insulin helps change sugar into energy to keep you alive. There are different kinds of diabetes. They are type 1 and type 2.
Type 1 Diabetes
This type is mostly found in children and young adults. If you have type1 diabetes, your body does not make insulin and you must inject insulin daily.
Symptoms to watch for are: frequent urination, is very thirsty, is very hungry, loss of weight, is very tired, is irritable, has blurred vision, has trouble seeing.
Type 2 Diabetes
This is the most common form of diabetes. It is usually found in people over 45, have diabetes in their family, are overweight, don't exercise, and have cholesterol problems. It is also common in blacks, Hispanics and American Indians and in women who had diabetes when they were pregnant. Your body cannot make enough insulin or correctly use it in this type. It is treated with pills and sometimes insulin injections, diet and exercise. Symptoms to watch for are: any of the symptoms of type 1 diabetes, a lot of infections, cuts or bruises that heal slowly, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, skin, gum or bladder infections that keep coming back.
Taking care of Diabetes
The levels of the sugar in the blood are monitored to make sure it stays near normal range. A doctor will say how often the blood sugar level will be checked. A drop of the diabetic's blood is placed on a special test strip. Then a blood glucose meter reads the strip and measures the amount of sugar in the blood. Then the level, the time and dates are written down to view the progress of the treatment plan.
Diabetics must eat well-balanced meals from fruits and vegetables, whole grains, cereals and bread, dairy products and meats, fish, poultry, eggs, dried beans, and nuts. It is important to avoid high fatty foods such as red meat, whole milk, cream, cheese and ice cream, egg yolks, butter, salad dressings vegetable oils and many desserts. Exercise is important for good diabetes control. It usually lowers blood sugar and may help insulin work better.