Diabetesolutions.org

What is diabetes?

Diabetes occurs when the sugar level in your blood is higher than a normal value. Excessive sugar in blood is harmful for health. Sugar in your blood comes from digestion. In order to get to the cells where it is used as fuel, glucose needs insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. Diabetes occurs because of insufficient insulin from the pancreas or because of cellular lack of sensibility to insulin. In both cases glucose level in blood exceeds normal values.

Diabetes signs and symptoms:

• Excessive thirst
• Frequent urinating
• Hunger or exaggerated tiredness
• Weight loss without a reason
• Slow recovery of wounds
• Dry skin, with itching sensation
• Loss of sensibility at the feet level
• Sight problems

There are more types of diabetes, but two of them are more popular:

1. Diabetes, type I, juvenile or which is dependent on insulin, and which occurs in the case of children or young people. It is considered an auto immune disease, in which the immune system attacks cells which produce insulin from the pancreas and it can’t produce enough insulin any more. These patients often need insulin for the rest of their lives.

2. Diabetes, type II, which is a disease specific to adults and which does not mean treatment with insulin. It usually occurs in the case of people older than 40 and it is the most popular type (90-95% of the total). In the case of these people, the pancreas produces insulin, but the organism can’t use it efficiently. The result is glucose accumulation in the blood. Type II diabetes occurs in 80% of the situations in the case of overweight people. Recent data have established that it means cells resistance to insulin action provoked by excessive consumption of animal fats.

The best solution in the case of the second type of diabetes is a diet recommended by your doctor.

After the diagnostic of diabetes was established, testing sugar level in your blood becomes a habitual activity of your life. Here are some testing techniques.

Look for patterns - Monitor sugar level in your blood by measuring it 4 times a day more weeks. This helps you identify patterns. Test sugar level in the morning immediately after you get up, then in 2 hours after the main meals and the last time, when you go to bed.

Monitor changes - When you change your diet, you should test sugar level immediately before the meal, and in 2 hours after the meal. Before a meal, sugar level could be between 0.8 and 1.2 g/l. After a meal, sugar levels should not exceed 1.65 g/l.
Ideal levels may vary from a person to another, therefore only the doctor can indicate accepted values. You should also test your sugar level more often when you don’t feel well, especially if you take medication against diabetes. Changes can also occur during pregnancy that is why you should go to the doctor’s before your pregnancy is confirmed.

Test your sugar level if you do physical exercises - When you begin a new program of exercises, you have to test sugar level before and after practicing them. If before, sugar level was low, eat a fruit or drink a small glass (125 ml) of juice. Both contain about 15 g carbohydrates, which raise sugar level with about 25 %. Do the same if sugar level decreases after physical exercise.

Perform group tests of sugar level - Most of the people suffering from diabetes are content if they check sugar level in the morning. It is not enough! It is better to check it more times in 1-2 days per month than daily at the same time. If you respect this suggestion, you may monitor better the factors which influence your sugar level.

Write down your tests results. Keep written evidence of sugar level values, as well as of what you eat, when you eat, and how long you take up physical exercises. This information may help the doctor cure you better.