Healthy practices include
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What is diabetes?
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Diabetes is a disease in which your body cannot properly store and use fuel for energy. The fuel that your body needs is sugar. To use sugar, your body needs insulin. Insulin is produced by a gland in your body called the pancreas.
With diabetes, either your body does not produce enough insulin, or it is unable to use the insulin it does produce. In either case your body does not get enough of the fuel it needs to work. The unused sugar remains in your blood or passed in your urine.
If this happens you may have been feeling very tired or thirsty or going to the bathroom a lot. Your vision may be blurred. These are all symptoms of diabetes. Usually the higher your blood sugar is the worse the symptoms will be.
Diabetes is a serious disease, which requires treatment and management.
A blood sugar level before eating should be 4 to 6 mmol/L.
To lower your blood sugar, your doctor may advise you to change your eating habits and exercise regularly.
Living with diabetes means living a healthy lifestyle, which is good for the whole family. You can lead an active and full life with diabetes. Understanding diabetes and how it affects your body is the first step to make that happen.
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Is it serious?
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Is diabetes a serious disease?
Yes. Diabetes is a serious disease and should not be ignored. It can affect all parts of your body. Any level of high blood sugar could be dangerous to you over time. High blood sugars, if not lowered, can cause blindness, amputation, kidney failure and heart disease.
You can avoid these kinds of problems. Many studies have shown lowering blood sugar and living a healthy lifestyle are important steps to help prevent complications.
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Nutrition
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What do I eat?
When carefully planned, you can enjoy a wide variety of your favorites foods. It is a matter of how much and when. Healthy eating and watching your weight are important to helping managing your diabetes. A registered dietitian can provide you with more information about eating healthy meals.
Theses easy steps to get you started:
- Always eat 3 meals a day and allow 4 to 6 hours between meals
- If you snack between meals and bedtime, keep them small
- Have a starchy food at each meal.
- Try to have foods from each food group in each meal.
- If you are overweight, eat smaller portions
- If you are thirsty, drink as much water as you like.
- Eat less sweets such as pop, large amounts of juice, pie, cookies, cakes, candy, chocolate and table sugar. Also eat less fatty foods such as fries, deep fried food, donuts, excessive margarine and butter, processed meats, coffee creams, high fat dairy product.
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Exercise
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Why should I be active?
Being active is one of the most positive things you can do to improve your overall health and:
- lower your blood sugar
- lower your blood pressure
- help you lose weight or maintain your weight
- improve your heart and lung health
- improve your well being
- improve your muscle tone and strength.
Activity doesn't mean you have to run a marathon. Do the things you enjoy, gardening, biking or walking.
You could do other things like swimming, cross-country skiing, dancing, bowling, golf or us your stationary bike or treadmill.
You can even take advantage of the chores you and not so fond of, vacuuming, dusting, cutting the grass. These can all be included as activities to improve overall health. Always remember to start slow and gradually go faster over time. The most important thing is to just get out there and exercise do for your health.
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Medication
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What if I am taking diabetes pills?
Sometimes a healthy way of eating and regular activity alone are not enough to lower blood sugar levels. Some people will also require diabetes pills to lower their blood sugar. These pills should always be taken around meal times, as prescribed by your doctor.
If you are on pills and you begin to feel
- shaky
- weak
- sweaty
- dizzy
- confused
your blood sugar could be too low. You should take some kind of sugar. 4oz of juice or pop or 2 packages of sugar or 3-4 LifeSavers. If you keep having low blood sugar go see you doctor because your medication might be too strong for you. Always carry some form of sugar with you. Check your blood sugar and check it often.
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Low Blood Sugar
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What is it?
Your blood sugar has dropped below 3.3mmol/L or has dropped suddenly from a high blood sugar level.
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Low Blood Sugar
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What causes it?
- Late or missed meals or snacks
- Extra physical activity without extra food.Low Blood sugar may happen 12 or more hours after activity.
- Too much medication (insulin or pills)
- Weight loss
- Alcohol consumption
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Low Blood Sugar
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What does it feel like?
People have different symptoms. You could have one or several or none. Symptoms can come on quickly, over a few minutes, and get worse if not treated right away. I personally get shaky, irritable and dizzy when I got low blood sugar some times my legs go numb that's happen twice to me.
EARLY Symptoms:
- Hungary
- Nervous
- Shaky
- Weak
- Irritable
- Dizzy, lightheaded
- Pounding, fast heartbeat
- Numbness/tingling in the tongue/lips
If you don't treat these EARLY symptoms, these ADDITIONAL symptoms may appear and someone may have to help you:
- Confused
- Mood changes
- Drowsy
- Headache
- Blurred vision
- "Acting drunk", unsteady or clumsy
- Seizures
- Unconscious
If you become unconscious, someone MUST call an ambulance for you immediately.
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Low Blood Sugar
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How do I treat it?
As soon as symptoms appear:
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- Tell someone
- Test your blood sugar. If you can't test, treat it!
- Take 10-15 grams of fast-acting sugar quickly to raise your blood sugar level. 3 glucose tablets work best have them with you at all times.
- If you still feel low after 10-15 minutes, test your blood sugar level. Then eat or drink a sugar choice again.
- If your next meal or snack is more than 1 hr away, eat some slowly-digested food eg. peanut butter & crackers, 1/2 sandwich.
Avoid chocolate, pie or ice cream. They work too slowly to raise your blood sugar level.
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Low Blood Sugar
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How can I prevent it?
- Always carry a fat-acting sugar source with you
- Recognize symptoms early and treat them.
- Eat meals and snacks on time.
- Take insulin or pills at prescribed times, in the amounts prescribed.
- Change meal plan, medication or daily schedule for unusual physical activity
- Know peak action time of your medicine as this is "high risk" time
- Test and record blood sugar levels to help know if/when your medicine is right
- Carry an identification card and Medic Alert bracelet so others can help you.
- Review the symptoms and treatment with family, friends and co-workers.
- After a ask yourself why it happened. Record the cause. If it happens often tell your doctor.
BE PREPARED AND KNOW WHAT TO DO.
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Preventing the Complications
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What are the complications of diabetes?
Excess sugar may first damage nerves. You may notice burning, tingling or numbness in your feet. Occasionally people feel pain in their abdomen or other parts of their body. Nerve damage can lead to problems with digestion, urination and sexual functioning.
Diabetes damages both the small and large blood vessels in your body. The smallest are Usually damaged first. The damage can show up in the eyes and kidneys and cause foot problems. With larger blood vessels damage, heart attacks and strokes are more likely to occur, as well as further damage to the feet.
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Preventing the Complications
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Diabetes and your eyes
While diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in the western world, a great deal of this blindness can be prevented. Don't wait until you notice changes in your vision before having your eyes checked. They should be checked by an eye doctor regularly.
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Preventing the Complications
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Diabetes and your nerves
Nerve damage is best detected by your doctor at your physical examination. Discuss any numbness, tingling or unusual pain anywhere in your body. Medical treatment is available for most conditions caused by nerve damage, including impotence.
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Preventing the Complications
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Diabetes and your feet
Diabetes can reduce blood flow to your feet. Injuries get infected more easily. Infections and poor blood flow can lead o amputation. Diabetes is the leading cause for amputation. A great deal can be done to prevent foot problems. Check your feet daily for sores, discolored areas or injuries. See your doctor for injuries or infections that fail to heal properly. Get expert shoe fittings and always wear shoes that fit properly. Learn proper foot care from a physician.
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