DIABETES (PART 3)


 Treatment of diabetes

Doctors treat diabetes with a few different medications. Some of these drugs are taken by mouth, while others are available as injections.

Type 1 diabetes

Insulin is the main treatment for type 1 diabetes. It replaces the hormone your body isn’t able to produce.

There are four types of insulin that are most commonly used. They’re differentiated by how quickly they start to work, and how long their effects last:

  • Rapid-acting insulin starts to work within 15 minutes and its effects last for 3 to 4 hours.
  • Short-acting insulin starts to work within 30 minutes and lasts 6 to 8 hours.
  • Intermediate-acting insulin starts to work within 1 to 2 hours and lasts 12 to 18 hours.
  • Long-acting insulin starts to work a few hours after injection and lasts 24 hours or longer.

Type 2 diabetes

Diet and exercise can help some people manage type 2 diabetes. If lifestyle changes aren’t enough to lower your blood sugar, you’ll need to take medication.

Gestational diabetes

You’ll need to monitor your blood sugar level several times a day during pregnancy. If it’s high, dietary changes and exercise may or may not be enough to bring it down.

Healthy eating is a central part of managing diabetes. In some cases, changing your diet may be enough to control the disease.

Type 1 diabetes

Your blood sugar level rises or falls based on the types of foods you eat. Starchy or sugary foods make blood sugar levels rise rapidly. Protein and fat cause more gradual increases.

Your medical team may recommend that you limit the amount of carbohydrates you eat each day. You’ll also need to balance your carb intake with your insulin doses.

Work with a dietitian who can help you design a diabetes meal plan. Getting the right balance of protein, fat, and carbs can help you control your blood sugar. 

Type 2 diabetes

Eating the right types of foods can both control your blood sugar and help you lose any excess weight.

Carb counting is an important part of eating for type 2 diabetes. A dietitian can help you figure out how many grams of carbohydrates to eat at each meal.

In order to keep your blood sugar levels steady, try to eat small meals throughout the day. Emphasize healthy foods such as:

Certain other foods can undermine efforts to keep your blood sugar in control.

Gestational diabetes

Eating a well-balanced diet is important for both you and your baby during these nine months. Making the right food choices can also help you avoid diabetes medications.

Watch your portion sizes, and limit sugary or salty foods. Although you need some sugar to feed your growing baby, you should avoid eating too much.

Consider making an eating plan with the help of a dietitian or nutritionist. They’ll ensure that your diet has the right mix of macronutrients.

Anyone who has symptoms of diabetes or is at risk for the disease should be tested. Women are routinely tested for gestational diabetes during their second or thirdtrimesters of pregnancy.

Doctors use these blood tests to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes:

  • The fasting plasma glucose (FPG) test measures your blood sugar after you’ve fasted for 8 hours.
  • The A1C test provides a snapshot of your blood sugar levels over the previous 3 months.

To diagnose gestational diabetes, your doctor will test your blood sugar levels between the 24th and 28thweeks of your pregnancy.

  • During the glucose challenge test, your blood sugar is checked an hour after you drink a sugary liquid.
  • During the 3 hour glucose tolerance test, your blood sugar is checked after you fast overnight and then drink a sugary liquid.

The earlier you get diagnosed with diabetes, the sooner you can start treatment.

Type 1 diabetes isn’t preventable because it’s caused by a problem with the immune system. Some causes of type 2 diabetes, such as your genes or age, aren’t under your control either.

Yet many other diabetes risk factors are controllable. Most diabetes prevention strategies involve making simple adjustments to your diet and fitness routine.

If you’ve been diagnosed with prediabetes, here are a few things you can do to delay or prevent type 2 diabetes:

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