Governing Nutrition Insures Exceptional Well-Being For Seniors
Using Diet and Exercise to Manage Diabetes
Diet
Diet is the cornerstone of treatment for diabetes. In fact, some Type 2 diabetics can decrease or even discontinue medications with proper eating. The preferred diet for treating diabetes is high in carbohydrates and low in fats and protein. The diet is high in carbohydrates because they are the body’s main source of energy, as fat and protein do not produce much glucose. A diabetic’s diet should also be high in dietary fiber, vegetables, fruit, and low in salt and cholesterol.
Carbohydrates are the main focus of a diabetic’s diet, because with diabetes the body is unable to break down and use carbohydrates properly. It is important to note that complex carbohydrates should make up a major part of the patient’s diet because they break down into simple sugars (which leads to a relatively stable blood sugar level).
At one time, it was thought that the diabetic’s diet should be sugar-free but that has been abandoned. This is because research has discovered that the amount of carbohydrates, and not their source, is the primary factor in determining the effect of food on blood glucose levels.
Another real concern for diabetics is the amount of alcohol that they consume. Alcohol has no food value, is absorbed quickly, and is burned by the body differently than other food. Alcohol also does not require insulin to be used. Therefore, it may cause low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, if the patient is taking insulin.
Exercise
Many believe that up to 50% of diabetes cases that are diagnosed each year are due in part to a lack of exercise.
Exercise helps to make the body’s cells more sensitive to insulin and glucose, which allows the body to burn the glucose for energy, while requiring a smaller amount of insulin.
For diabetics, exercise can include the following benefits:
— decreases the amount of medication.
— helps lose weight.
— reduces blood sugar and blood pressure.
— helps body use insulin better.
— improves blood lipid profiles.
— increases blood circulation.
— improves range of motion and flexibility.
Diabetes sufferers often struggle with the mental and emotional stress that comes from having this disease. Relaxation techniques such as stretching, meditation, and deep breathing exercises, can help to relax muscles. And, when muscles are completely relaxed, so is one’s mind and emotions. These relaxation exercises, along with regular physical activity can help a diabetic to deal with these stresses.
Insulin Related Ailments
There are three main insulin related ailments that are of primary concern for diabetics: hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, and ketoacidosis.
Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia is defined as an abnormally low blood sugar level, usually below 70 mg/dl. Sometimes called “insulin reaction” or “insulin shock”, it is caused by eating too little food, not eating on time, skipping meals, consuming alcohol, or even by taking too much glucose-lowering medication.
Symptoms of hypoglycemia can include:
— moist skin, chills, sweating.
— rapid heartbeat, anxiety, shakiness.
— irritability, impatience.
— light-headedness.
— numbness or tingling in lips or tongue
— confusion, delirium.
— nausea, headache, blurred vision.
— anger and stubbornness
— strange behavior and personality change
Some people who have had diabetes a long time tend to lose their ability to sense the early signs of hypoglycemia. If left untreated, it can lead to seizures, convulsions, unconsciousness, and even death.
Hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia is defined as a blood sugar level that is high and stays well above normal. This is the biggest cause of diabetes-related complications. Hyperglycemia can result from eating too much, not getting enough exercise, getting sick, or not taking enough glucose lowering medication.
Some of the basic symptoms include:
— excessive thirst and hunger.
— dry or itchy skin.
— frequent urination.
— slow healing cuts or sores
— blurred vision.
— tiredness and sleepiness
— high sugar levels in urine
Treatment for hyperglycemia is insulin injections. Left untreated, it can lead to ketoacidosis, coma, pneumonia, shock, and death.
Ketoacidosis
When the body does not have enough insulin to burn sugar, it breaks down fat for energy. This process releases a toxic amount of ketones into the bloodstream. Glucose also builds up in the bloodstream, which causes the kidneys to produce more urine. The body then becomes dehydrated. This combination of ketones in the blood, along with dehydration, is known as ketoacidosis.
Symptoms include the following:
— frequent urination.
— nausea and vomiting.
— excessive thirst and hunger.
— lack of appetite.
— dry mouth and fruity odor on breath.
— difficulty breathing and blurry vision.
People with diabetes can test for ketones in their urine by using a ketone test trip. If ketones are present, the test trip changes color to indicate the amount of ketones in the urine.
Treatment for ketoacidosis is insulin injections, intravenous fluids, and correcting the body’s acid-base balance. If left untreated, patients can go into shock, lapse into a coma, or even die.
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