Hearing from your physician that you have diabetes can be a scary message, but it doesn’t have to be. Understanding your illness and incorporating a few lifestyle changes can help you manage your blood glucose levels and improve your overall health.
 
What is diabetes?

In a healthy person, the carbohydrates consumed in a meal are broken down into simple sugars and released into the blood. Simultaneously a hormone called insulin is released. Insulin’s job is to let cells in your body know that a meal has been eaten and it’s time to open their doors and let the sugar in. The cells need sugar for energy, so once they get the word from insulin they are happy to oblige. In patients with diabetes either no insulin is being released or it is released but the cells mostly ignore its message. Since the sugar is not going into the cells, but is instead riding around in the blood stream for long periods of time where is doesn’t belong, it can end up causing serious damage to blood vessels especially those of the eye and kidney.

Managing Diabetes

The best ways a person with diabetes can best manage his or her disease is by taking in a steady and controlled amount of carbohydrate throughout the day and complying with medications prescribed by their physician. The one plan that has been shown not to help manage diabetes is ignoring the problem. Unmanaged diabetes can lead to extreme highs and lows in blood sugar levels. These extremes can lead to dizziness, nausea and weight fluctuations in the short term. The long-term consequences can be much more severe. A small infection can turn into a large infection quickly; the bacteria that cause infection thrive and multiply in the high-sugar environment brought about by uncontrolled blood sugar. There are several other serious health consequences that can result from poor glucose control including blindness and kidney disease.

The good news is that for many people these complications are preventable, and for some people, diabetes is even reversible. Weight loss through healthful eating and physical activity are two of the best ways you can help delay or prevent the severe complications of diabetes. Even a 10% weight loss has been shown to reduce risk.

It is very important for all individuals with diabetes to seek help. There is a lot to keep track of. Managing diabetes requires a lifestyle change and is more successful when you involve friends and family. Counting carbohydrates is important but there are many other variables to consider so be ready to ask questions of your doctor, diabetes educator and dietitian, they are there to help you and keep you healthy.