Diabetes might not be the end of the road for you. While it is a chronic disorder, there are a number of steps you can take to minimize its effects. Before that you should know what diabetes is and its various types.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder where the sugar in your blood is not metabolized by the body. This leads to a situation wherein sugar accumulates in your blood; this condition is known as high blood sugar. Now, this can happen in two ways:

Type 1 Diabetes: In this type, the beta cells of the pancreas that produce insulin (the hormone that metabolizes sugar) are destroyed by the immune system of the body. This leads to a reduction in insulin levels, causing blood sugar to shoot up.

Type 2 Diabetes: Type 2 diabetes is a condition wherein the body cannot effectively utilize the insulin to metabolize sugar. This again leads to the accumulation of sugar in the blood.

Apart from these two types, there is a third type that is known as  gestational diabetes . Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy wherein the body produces hormones that inhibit insulin.

Now that you know the various types of diabetes, it is time to focus on preventive measures. The various tips for a high blood sugar level are:



Steer Clear of Sugar: Think of sugar as your enemy, as it is something that you have to stay away from. Sugar will only add to the high blood sugar content that you are already diagnosed with.

Welcome whole grains with open arms: Refined grains are a big no; that means no more of those delicious white bread sandwiches. Instead, opt for whole grains such as brown bread, brown rice and oats. Refined grains come under simple carbohydrates that cause your blood sugar levels to shoot up.

Avoid overconsumption of fruits: While fruits are healthy, they do contain fructose which is again, a form of sugar. So, yes eat them but limit their consumption to one serving a day.

High time you realize nothing substitutes exercise: Regular exercise can help you burn calories and also keep your blood sugar levels low. It allows you to maintain healthy weight levels and improves your overall wellbeing.

Take no stress: Stress has been shown to increase blood sugar, so if you are feeling stressed and can t seem to get out of with, take steps to deal with it. Practice relaxation techniques such as meditation that can help you reduce stress and improve focus.

If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor and ask a free question.

Diabetes - Types and Tips to Control Your Blood Sugar Level

Diabetes refers to the condition when there is an excess of glucose in your body. Though glucose is beneficial for the proper functioning of the body, an excess can lead to serious consequences. Over the years, diabetes has over the years emerged as one of the fatal diseases, one that once developed has no known cure. This condition is preceded by various perceptible symptoms, some of them are-

1. Insatiable thirst

The onset of diabetes is almost always accompanied by a nagging thirst, one that refuses to be quenched despite drinking plenty of water.

2. Frequent tendencies of urination

A frequent tendency of urination is one of the primary precursors of diabetes.

3. Acute hunger

Having bouts of acute hunger is one of the most predominant premonitions of diabetes.

4. Exhaustion and fatigue

In case you are suffering from diabetes, you will inevitably feel tired and exhausted all the time.

5. Blurring of vision

Diabetes is one of those rare conditions that threaten to affect and damage the eyesight. The blurring of vision comes hand in hand with the onset of diabetes.

6. Sores which take a long time to heal

One of the most fatal symptoms of diabetes is when the sore that you have suffered from takes a longer time than necessary to heal.

Some of the complications which diabetes invite are-

1. Cardiovascular problems

Diabetes considerably increases the risk of a host of cardiovascular problems and ailments like heart attacks, chest pain, and stroke.

2. Damage to the kidneys

The pair of kidneys that human beings are endowed with has the responsibility to remove the toxins from the body. An excess of diabetes in the body unsettles the purging ability of the kidneys.

3. Damage to the eyes

The onset of diabetes, among other things, puts your eyes at great risks. The condition tends to damage the blood vessels of the retina and can even cause blindness in some.

4. Skin disorder

Diabetes puts your skin at great risks. You may suffer from various bacterial and fungal infections among other ailments, due to an excess of glucose in your body.

Symptoms and Complications of Diabetes

Blood sugar control is the core of the diabetes treatment plan as by losing control over your blood sugar, you risk serious complications related to health. Frequent or ongoing irregular blood sugar levels can damage your blood vessels, nerves and organs. Irregular Blood Sugar Level is a major concern and can affect diabetic as well as general people.

The most common causes of uncontrolled blood sugar level are:
1. Skipping Insulin or oral glucose medicines.
2. Eating too many carbohydrates in general.
3. Have an infection
4. Exercising less or not at all.

Symptoms of increased sugar level in body
1. Increased Thirst: If you feel unusually thirsty and feel the urge to drink more than usual, you should check your sugar levels.
2. Frequent Urination: Excessive urination occurs when glucose builds up in your blood, and your kidney begins to work harder to get rid of the extra glucose. The excess sugar is thrown away from the body through urine.
3. Fatigue: Extreme tiredness or fatigue is common symptoms of uncontrolled blood sugar. If you do not have sufficient amount of insulin in your body, or if the insulin is not processed properly, then it stays in our blood. Hence, it does not get used up for energy.
4. Blurry Vision: High blood sugar levels can lead to swollen lenses in your eyes due to fluid leaking in, according to Joslin Diabetes Center. This changes the shape of the lens and makes it unable to focus properly, resulting in blurry vision.

How you can control the level of sugar in your body

Diet: Eat right. Consult a diabetes educator or dietician to help you figure out a healthy diet that works for you. Do share all your sugar levels, your preference with them. This would enable them to make a proper and more suitable diet plan for you, which will help you in keeping your blood sugar under control.
Exercise: To keep your blood sugar control, do exercise regularly. Exercise will increase your insulin activity, after which you don t need to as much insulin to help your body in processing carbohydrates.
Medication: Insulin is a hormone that is normally produced in the body. But for people with abnormal blood sugar level, it is either not working as it should or the body has stopped producing it. People with abnormal Blood sugar level may need to take insulin in order to keep their blood glucose levels in a healthy range. Insulin helps your body to use glucose properly.
Blood Glucose Monitoring: Monitor your blood glucose levels regularly in order to know how much insulin you require, especially before you take a meal. Keeping a check on your blood glucose levels will help you in adjusting your insulin medication as well as your meals, so that your blood sugar remains stable.

High Blood Sugar Level in Body - How Can You Control It?

Type II Diabetes is also known as Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM) or Adult-onset Diabetes. Diabetes mellitus is a syndrome characterized by increased level of sugar (glucose) in the blood due to deficiency or inactivity of hormone 'Insulin' that is absolutely necessary to monitor glucose metabolism of body. This is a metabolic disorder that is primarily characterized by insulin resistance, relative insulin deficiency and consecutively hyperglycemia. Diabetes is prevalent worldwide and if not attended properly, it may lead to serious complications.

Causes of Type II Diabetes:

Diabetes basically occurs due to defective insulin secretion combined with defective responsiveness of the body to the insulin (also called Insulin resistance). Due to both these factors, hyperglycemia starts occurring in the body. It is strongly associated with obesity and with increasing age. A strong inheritance pattern has been noted in cases of type 2 diabetes. Sedentary lifestyle, pregnancy, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, etc pose as risk factors for developing Diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes can begin at any age though it is not very common in childhood. It usually begins with insulin resistance, a condition in which the body does not use insulin properly. At first, the pancreas keeps up with the added demand by producing more insulin but later it loses the ability to secrete enough insulin in response to meals. This ultimately results in Hyperglycemia (high levels of glucose in circulation).

Homeopathic Treatment for Type II Diabetes:

Diabetes is a constitutional disorder as it is an offshoot of constitutional defects (genetic factors, altered immunity) having an impact on the entire constitution of an individual. Hence it calls for an in-depth constitutional approach for its management.

Homeopathy is based on the principle that disease is a total affliction of body. Moreover, homeopathy recognizes importance of the underlying causes such as genetic and inherited factors as the root of any ailment of the body. Homeopathic medicines prescribed on such criteria plays a crucial role in management of many deep-rooted, chronic, difficult diseases; one amongst them being Diabetes.

When we talk about diseases like diabetes, we talk in terms of management rather than cure. Homeopathic treatment along with intake of hypoglycemic drugs and/or insulin can prevent the progress and the complications associated with this condition. Moreover timely administered homeopathic medicines help in maintaining the levels of exogenous insulin and hypoglycemic drugs at minimum possible dosage and in preventing the further progress of the disease. However, it may be noted that there is no substitute to insulin in homeopathy. The role of a healthy diet and exercise cannot be underestimated along with all the above treatment measures.

Diet Food For Diabetes

Pregnancy brings with it the need to be extra careful about the overall well-being of the mother-to-be. Extreme caution has to be taken in managing health, as antibiotics and a lot of other treatment modalities are best avoided during pregnancy. With diabetes becoming common in the younger ages and women choosing to delay pregnancy, there are multiple women who are diabetic and choose to get pregnant later in life.

With diabetes being a chronic and a lifestyle condition, it definitely has its effects on pregnancy. However, the key is to manage diabetes cautiously in such a way that its effects on pregnancy, both the mother and the developing baby, are minimal. The increased blood sugar levels from the mother pass on to the baby, so keeping a close watch on the blood sugar levels is very important.

The maximum effect of diabetes on the baby is during the first few weeks of pregnancy. It is when the vital organs (brain, heart, lungs and kidneys) are forming, and high blood sugar levels can be harmful. This is slightly tricky as most women realise they could be pregnant only after about 6 weeks. If pregnancy is planned, it is best advisable to keep a check on sugar levels much ahead of the pregnancy.
The baby could be used to high levels of sugar while in the womb, and once delivered, it could have too low sugar levels. This needs to be monitored.
Preeclampsia, which is increased protein in the urine and high blood pressure, can happen during the second trimester. This may require the baby to be delivered prematurely.
Babies born to diabetic mothers are often bigger. The baby s pancreas is used to higher sugar levels and so the extra sugar gets converted to fat, which is the reason for the bigger babies. This may also necessitate C-sections.
Pregnancy can induce the development of diabetic retinopathy, which may prevent vaginal delivery, as the woman may not be able to exert the required pressure.
Abnormal calcium and magnesium levels, which need to be monitored for a while after birth
Most diabetic women reach full term if the sugar levels have been under good control.
Diabetic pregnant women are high at risk. However, with advanced medical care, these risks and complications are managed very well producing healthy babies from normal deliveries with effectively no harm to the mother s health. Once a diabetic woman tests positive, it is advisable to seek medical help to plan diet/meal plan, physical activities, exercise regimen, lifestyle changes, and medication dose adjustments. This is not a one-time activity, but needs to be closely monitored with daily blood sugar levels throughout the pregnancy. 

How Can High Diabetes Affect Your Pregnancy?

Diabetes is caused in your body due to an insulin imbalance or improper functioning of insulin, and it can affect multiple parts of your body within a short time. Therefore, regular check-ups of your body are very essential to know if you have diabetes.

Once you find out that you have tested positive for the disease, you need to become even more thorough in your testing to find out if your blood sugar levels are rapidly fluctuating. If they get out of hand, they may cause medical emergencies that may be impossible for you to tackle alone at home.

Hence, daily monitoring of blood sugar is of great importance, and can be done in the following ways-

  Monitoring with a meter - In this rather simple but effective way, you have to draw blood from a small puncture on your skin made with the help of a needle or small pricking device. The blood is placed on a strip and then introduced on a testing meter, which displays accurately your blood sugar levels.

  Meters that monitor blood from several body parts - There are meters that monitor glucose levels in blood from several parts of the body. These parts include the base of the thumb, and the forearm too. This method of diagnosis is particularly helpful for those whose blood sugar levels constantly fluctuate, as this device provides an average of blood sugar levels from different parts of the body, as a composite whole.

  Continuous glucose monitoring systems - Known as interstitial glucose measuring devices popularly, they give results not as accurate as the other two devices, but still a fairly accurate estimate.

How to keep your sugar levels in constant control?

If your blood sugar levels are too high or too low, you have to bring them to normal via treatment, and if they are at a harmless level, you have to maintain it at that mark. There are several ways to maintain your sugar levels at acceptable rates. They are-

  Daily regulated exercise - Daily exercise dramatically helps your health if you have diabetes because it increases your insulin sensitivity and promotes better utilization of it in your body. Exercise is also helpful to guard you against other illnesses related to high bad cholesterol, or a weak immune system.

  A balanced, healthy diet - A balanced diet helps you keep your sugar levels in check while providing you with the requisite nutrients for making your body even healthier. Make sure to include an abundance of fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables in your diet, and cut down intake of fast, processed and extremely sugary foods/beverages.

  Drinking plenty of water - Drinking adequate water hydrates your body, and contributes to a healthy diet. It also reduces your risk of diabetes and guards you against diseases like gallbladder stones which are caused due to a lack of water in your body.

  Stay mentally sound and stress-free - Controlling your stress and anxiety levels can work wonders for your diabetes. If you make it a goal to stay stress-free about factors that are beyond your control, and be optimistic about life in general, it could work wonders for control of your diabetes.

Diabetes is a potentially life-threatening disease with a host of secondary complications. To avoid the worst of it, make sure you go for regular medical checks. If you do happen to be diagnosed with it, perform regular tests to check your levels, and take adequate measures to keep it under firm control.

Ways To Monitor Blood Sugar And Followup Care!

Don't wait any longer, manage your Diabetologist online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Diabetologist - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES