Tuesday, March 19, 2024
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Living “normally” with diabetes: is it possible?

Nowadays, an epidemic of diabetes is observed throughout the world. At the same time, most people have type 2 diabetes, and a much smaller number have type 1 diabetes. Despite the fact that there is a lot in common between these two types of diabetes, the causes of diabetes and its treatment depends on the type.
However, the chronic complications of diabetes mellitus, both types 1 and 2, are very similar and arise for the same reasons. How to prevent these consequences? Is “normal life” possible with diabetes? This article is dedicated to the answers to these questions. 

Diabetes is a disease that can develop at any age, regardless of skin color, nationality or even weight. At the same time, diabetes is a serious problem and affects almost all aspects of daily life, not only the patient, but the whole family. 

Living with diabetes is not easy and requires awareness – that even though diabetes is not curable today, living with it is possible – and not just “normally”, but long, active and happy! You just need to learn how. What does that mean? 

At any age it is very important to know as much as possible about the disease, to learn to control its course and your condition. 

The main component, in this case, is a diet! In the next place are physical activity and lifestyle. And most importantly, you need to change your attitude towards diabetes – from negative to positive. 

 First, let’s talk about a diet. Proper nutrition is the most important part of a healthy lifestyle, with or without diabetes. In the case of diabetes, understanding how different food affects blood glucose and overall health, learning the rules of HEALTHY eating is the most important part of the daily life of a diabetic. 

 If you have diabetes, then you need to:

  • know about the effect of various foods on sugar levels in blood;
  •  take into account the amount of food consumed;
  •  make every meal as balanced as possible – a combination of proteins, fats and carbohydrates with a high content of fiber to maintain a stable blood sugar level. 

Nowadays there are lots available to everyone information about nutrition in diabetes. However, major medical specialists such as an endocrinologist and a nutritionist will give you individual recommendations and help you develop an individualized diabetes management program. 

It is well known that regular physical activity is absolutely necessary to maintain the level of health of any person. It is equally necessary for diabetics of any age. 

It is great if a person exercised regularly before acquiring an illness. And, despite diabetes, he continues to believe that sport is an integral part of his life. But, unfortunately, there are many people who led a sedentary lifestyle before becoming ill and, having become ill, are even afraid to think about any physical activity. 

 Therefore, if you realize the importance of physical activity and plan to change your lifestyle to a more active one, then take a few precautions: 

  • Consult your doctor what type of physical activity is right for you.
  •  Start small — walk, dance or cycle, 5–10 minutes a day. Gradually increase physical activity up to 30 minutes per day, 5 or more times a week.
  •  Watch your blood sugar levels. Check it before, during and after training. Avoid physical exertion if your blood sugar is too low or too high. 

 All changes in life associated with diabetes such as dietary restrictions, regular checks of blood sugar levels and medication can lead to negative feelings and emotions. And this is natural. Scientists think that the state of depression, bad mood, anxiety in diabetics is connected with high (exceeding 8%) indicators of HbA1C (glycated hemoglobin) levels. Therefore, the closer to normal (from 4% to 5.9%) the HbA1C index is, the higher  is the chance of getting rid of a negative emotional state and the lower is the risk of diabetes complications. 

 In order to achieve lower levels of HbA1C, it is necessary to strive to maintain a stable blood sugar level and avoid frequent extreme conditions – high and low levels. 

 Indeed, living with diabetes is an art. Good nutrition, physical activity, maintaining optimal weight, controlling stress and maintaining stable blood sugar levels will help you in this! 

 If you are interested in personal experience of dealing with type 1 diabetes, visit our blog at www.rondiabetic.com. 

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