What you should know about Diabetes

Patient Education| October 2019

What you need to know about Diabetes

Blood glucose (blood sugar) is your body's main source of energy It is controlled by insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas. Insulin allows your body to use glucose from the food that you eat for energy or to store glucose for future use. Insulin helps keep your glucose level from getting too high or too low. If your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or if your cells don’t respond to insulin, you may end up having too much glucose in your blood. Over time high levels of glucose cause diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes: People with type 1 diabetes have an immune system that attacks and destroys the cells in the pancreas that make insulin. This results in the pancreas making little or no insulin, requiring that those with type 1 diabetes take insulin to live. Type 1 diabetes develops most often in young people but can also appear in adults.

Type 2 Diabetes: If you have type 2 diabetes, your body is “insulin resistant,” which means it doesn’t use insulin properly. Over time, the pancreas can’t make enough insulin to keep your glucose at normal levels. This type of diabetes can happen at any age and is the most common form of diabetes.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2016, December 1). What is Diabetes? Retrieved from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes

Managing Your Diabetes

You can manage your diabetes and live a long and healthy life by taking care of yourself. That means managing your blood glucose levels, your blood pressure and your cholesterol. You can do the following suggestions below:

Manage your ABCs (A1C test, blood pressure and cholesterol, and smoking):
The A1C test is a blood test that provides an average of your blood glucose levels within the past three months.
People with diabetes should keep their blood pressure below 140/90m hg. Ask your doctor what your goal should be.
Cholesterol: You have two kinds of cholesterol in your blood: LDL and HDL. LDL or “bad” cholesterol can build up and clog your blood vessels. Too much bad cholesterol can cause a heart attack or stroke. HDL or “good” cholesterol helps remove the “bad” cholesterol from your blood vessels. Ask your health care team what your cholesterol numbers should be. If you are over 40 years of age, you may need to take a statin drug for heart health.
Stop Smoking: For people with diabetes it is especially important to stop smoking. Both diabetes and smoking narrow blood vessels, which then make your heart work harder. If you quit smoking you will lower your risk for a heart attack, stroke, nerve disease, kidney disease, diabetic eye disease and amputation.

Following a diabetes meal plan: Drink water instead of high sugar drinks (juice and soda). Eat fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, skinless poultry, lean meats and non-dairy.
Engaging in physical activity: Try to work out at least 30 minutes each day of the week through moderate exercises (brisk walking, swimming etc.)
Taking prescribed medication: Continue taking your medicine even on days that you feel good, they help control your ABCs
Checking your blood glucose level: Monitor your blood glucose levels, it determines the food, exercise and medication a person will take.
Working with your healthcare team: Engage with your healthcare team, be an active member understand your diagnosis, medications and treatment options
Coping with the effect of diabetes in a healthy way: Stress, anxiety, anger and denial are some of the feelings associated with a diabetes diagnosis. Dealing with these feelings in a healthy way (e.g. counseling, exercise, journaling, etc.) can help these individuals cope.

Sources: American Diabetes Association

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Health . (2016, December 1). Managing Diabetes. Retrieved from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/managing-diabetes

Click Here for More information on Managing Diabetes