Free Articles at Neutron Marketing Article Publishing and Distribution » Health-and-fitness » Diabetes » Diabetes - Minimizing Effects of Diabetes
Previous Article - Facts About Foods Diabetic People Can Eat
Next Article - Protect Your Eyes From Diabetic Retinopathy

View PDF | Print View | Html Version
by: JuliaHanf
Total views: 4
Word Count: 495

Without proper treatment, diabetes can have negative short-term and long-term health effects. With care it is possible to nearly avoid most effects.

Rapid spikes or dips in blood glucose level can result in several unpleasant effects: dizziness, disorientation, muscle weakness, nausea and others. For some diabetics, it's very difficult to prevent this from happening at some time. But there are practices that can improve the odds.

Monitoring is sometimes painful and burdensome, but is an absolute must. Many glucose monitoring devices now reduce or eliminate the need for painful finger pricks.

Newer devices may use a tiny laser to make an opening for the blood. This causes a mild tingling feeling. Monitors are available which require no blood; they test the glucose level through your skin via an infrared beam.

The aim is to maintain a normal or near normal glucose-insulin balance. A fasting glucose level of under 99mg/dL is normal in non-diabetics. After a heavy meal, glucose may increase to over 200 mg/dL, but in non-diabetics released insulin will bring the level down within two hours. So keeping a proper glucose level means maintaining a balance, rather than keeping the glucose level at a steady number.

Monitoring must include periodic doctor visits. An A1C test should be taken every three months. Many tests can measure the blood glucose level at a certain time; the A1C gives an average over a several months. HbA1C (glycated hemoglobin) gives the test its name.

Hemoglobin molecules in the red blood cells carry oxygen to tissues. The extra glucose in the bloodstream of a diabetic causes that hemoglobin to get glycated. That effect persists and allows an A1C test to measure the accumulated result.

The effects of diabetes accumulate over time. Once the diagnosis of diabetes meant kidney damage, blindness, nerve damage, and other ills within ten to fifteen years of the condition's onset. Fortunately, diabetics no longer must suffer these problems. It is now possible to manage diabetes, so that it has few or no ill effects.

Most diabetics can achieve a proper glucose-insulin balance with the help of diet and exercise.

Because diet and exercise help keep body fat low, the effects of diabetes are minimized. Body fat plays a role in hormone production and release and it also interferes with the body's reaction to glucose levels. Several studies show a definite correlation between the degree of diabetes and the degree of body fat, but the mechanisms for this are unclear.

Lowering body fat also has the positive effect of lowering the blood pressure. Long-term high blood pressure contributes to many of the ills experienced by diabetics: eye and nerve damage, heart attacks and strokes.

With diligence a diabetic can lead a normal life, one very much like those fortunate enough not to have the condition. A little attention a few times a day can lead to not having to pay too much attention at all.

About the Author

Julia Hanf author of the book How To Play the Diabetes Diet Game and Win Through a real life crisis Julia figured out how to live diabetes free. Visit http://www.yourdiabetescure.com and learn more about your solution for diabetes.

---

Rating: Not yet rated

--Choose-- 0 1 2 3 4 5

No comments posted.

Add Comment

Enter the code shown