Common Questions About Diabetes Medicines
How do I know if my diabetes pill is working? The best way to find out how well your diabetes pill is working is to test your blood sugar. Ask a member of your health care team what time of day is best for testing. You'll want to test when your diabetes medicine is expected to be most active in your body. Keep a record of your blood sugar levels (PDF) during that time to see if they're at or near your goal. If your levels are at or near your goal and you're not having any problems with the medicine, then it's probably working well. If you're still not sure, talk to your doctor or other member of your care team. Can I stop taking my diabetes medicine after my blood sugar is under control? It's reasonable to think that after a person gets good blood sugar control, it means the end of managing diabetes. But that's not the case. People with type 1 diabetes aren't able to make their own insulin, so they will always need to take insulin shots every day. For people with type 2 diabetes who are on medicine, the answer isn't as clear. Sometimes when people are first diagnosed, they start on pills or insulin right away. If the person also works hard to control diabetes with diet and exercise, he or she can lower the need for medicine and might be able to stop taking it altogether. As long as the person is able to keep blood sugar levels normal with diet and exercise, there isn't a need for medicine. However, type 2 diabetes changes over time. The change can be fast or slow, but it does change. This means that even if a person was able to stop taking medicine for a while, he or she might need to start taking it again in the future. If a person is taking medicine to keep blood sugar normal, then it's important to keep taking it to lower the chances for heart disease and other healt Continue reading >>
Diabetes: 7 Principles For Good Diabetes Care
7 Principles for Good Diabetes Care These principles, or steps, will help you manage your diabetes and live a long and active life. Every person who has diabetes has different needs. Talk to your health care team about a treatment plan that is best for you. Diabetes affects almost every part of the body and good diabetes care requires a team of health care providers. They include doctors, diabetes educators, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, mental health workers, eye specialists, foot specialists, dentists, and social workers. Print out and take this information with you when you visit your doctor or other members of your team to talk about your treatment plan. It Is Important to Control Diabetes Taking good care of diabetes can lower the chances of getting: eye disease that can lead to a loss of vision or even blindness nerve damage that may cause a loss of feeling or pain in the hands, feet, legs, or other parts of the body and lead to problems such as lower limb amputation or erectile dysfunction kidney failure As you read through this information, look for things with a to help you take action to control your diabetes. Principle 1: Learn as Much as You Can About Diabetes The more you know about diabetes, the better you can work with your health care team to manage your disease and reduce your risk for problems. You should know what type of diabetes you have. If you do not know, ask your doctor whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes. People who have this type of diabetes need to take insulin every day. This type of diabetes used to be called juvenile diabetes. Type 2 diabetes. Diet and daily physical activity help to control type 2 diabetes. Most people also need to take diabetes pills or insulin. Type 2 diabetes is very common and used to be cal Continue reading >>
Know Your Blood Sugar Numbers: Use Them To Manage Your Diabetes
Checking your blood sugar, also called blood glucose, is an important part of diabetes care. This tip sheet tells you: why it helps you to know your blood sugar numbers how to check your blood sugar levels what are target blood sugar levels what to do if your levels are too low or too high how to pay for these tests Why do I need to know my blood sugar numbers? Your blood sugar numbers show how well your diabetes is managed. And managing your diabetes means that you have less chance of having serious health problems, such as kidney disease and vision loss. As you check your blood sugar, you can see what makes your numbers go up and down. For example, you may see that when you are stressed or eat certain foods, your numbers go up. And, you may see that when you take your medicine and are active, your numbers go down. This information lets you know what is working for you and what needs to change. How is blood sugar measured? There are two ways to measure blood sugar. Blood sugar checks that you do yourself. These tell you what your blood sugar level is at the time you test. The A1C (A-one-C) is a test done in a lab or at your provider’s office. This test tells you your average blood sugar level over the past 2 to 3 months. How do I check my blood sugar? You use a blood glucose meter to check your blood sugar. This device uses a small drop of blood from your finger to measure your blood sugar level. You can get the meter and supplies in a drug store or by mail. Read the directions that come with your meter to learn how to check your blood sugar. Your health care team also can show you how to use your meter. Write the date, time, and result of the test in your blood sugar record. Take your blood sugar record and meter to each visit and talk about your results with your h Continue reading >>
The Importance Of Monitoring Blood-glucose Levels
Since your doctor told you that you have diabetes, you’ve had to make a few changes to your habits. Among other things, you probably now have to use a small device called blood glucose meter. Are you aware of the importance of monitoring your blood-glucose levels regularly? Essential facts about diabetes Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects the way the body treats glucose (sugar) in the blood. In the case of type 1 diabetes, the pancreas cannot produce insulin, a hormone that allows the body’s cells to use glucose and produce energy. Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, is a two-part affliction: first, the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, and second, insulin can no longer play its role properly because the body’s cells are unaffected by it (insulin resistance). People suffering from diabetes, no matter what type, have to be followed by a doctor for life. Type 2 diabetes can, in some cases, initially be controlled by healthy eating habits, weight loss and increased physical activity. Many people with type 2 diabetes, however, will eventually have to take medication; it is most often taken orally, but sometimes it is administered by injection, such as insulin. For its part, treating type 1 diabetes is essentially based on daily insulin injections. Oral medication is not effective for this type of diabetes. Why is it important to control blood-glucose levels? Many people who live with diabetes don’t feel any particular symptoms, unless they are experiencing hyperglycemia (glucose level is too high) or hypoglycemia (glucose level is too low). Hyperglycemia can cause significant damage to some organs, which then leads to complications of diabetes. These include: cardiac or vascular event, such as myocardial infarction (heart attack) or stroke; kidney pr Continue reading >>
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How To Help Students Implement Effective Diabetes Management
Check Blood Glucose Levels Plan for Disposal of Sharp Objects and Materials That Come in Contact with Blood Recognize and Treat Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Glucose) Recognize and Treat Hyperglycemia (High Blood Glucose) Administer Insulin and/or Other Diabetes Medication Plan for Disasters and Emergencies Follow an Individualized Meal Plan Promote Regular Physical Activity Help to Maintain a Healthy Weight Plan for Special Events, Field Trips, and Extracurricular Activities Deal with Emotional and Social Issues Understand Why Diabetes Self-Management Is Important Diabetes management involves checking blood glucose levels throughout the day, following an individualized meal plan, getting regular physical activity, and administering insulin and/or blood glucose-lowering medications. These actions are taken to help maintain blood glucose levels in the target range and to prevent hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia. Students with diabetes must have access to supplies and equipment for immediate treatment of high and low blood glucose levels at all times. Additional elements of effective diabetes management in school include: planning for appropriate disposal of sharp objects and materials that come in contact with blood; planning for disasters, emergencies, and lockdowns; planning for school-sponsored events outside the usual school day; and dealing with the emotional and social aspects of living with diabetes. Check Blood Glucose Levels One of the most important diabetes management tasks is to check (or monitor) blood glucose levels throughout the day using a blood glucose meter or a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). Students who use a CGM also use a blood glucose meter to verify CGM readings. Blood Glucose Meter A blood glucose meter is a small portable machine used to check blood Continue reading >>
Cultural Considerations In Diabetes Education
AADE Practice Synopsis Introduction The chronic nature of diabetes underscores the importance of self-management education that promotes behavior skills that are necessary to optimize quality of life. Diabetes educators recognize that the most effective approach to patient education is individualized to the needs of each person with diabetes.1 Educators likewise recognize that the way a person learns, and how information is utilized depends heavily on prior life experiences and support networks; and that each of these elements is shaped by culture.2 Awareness of how culture impacts health Awareness of the need for cultural sensitivity is the first step toward providing sensitive and competent diabetes education. It is more than a finite knowledge of cultural values, beliefs, customs, language, thoughts, and actions. The need to gain relevant insight necessitates the need to develop a certain amount of cultural humility. This will help develop a mutually respectful and positive relationship among patients and health care providers. The more engaged individuals with diabetes and their support members are involved in their healthcare, the more likely they are to achieve desired outcomes and improve their quality of life. Culturally relevant definitions The AADE Practice Synopsis on Cultural Sensitivity and Diabetes Education provides insight on the role of diabetes educators in delivering appropriately tailored education. Cultural definitions germane to the understanding of cultural sensitivity and diabetes may be found in the synopsis along with the following definitions.3 Cultural sensitivity: the delivery of health information based on ethnic/cultural, norms, values, social beliefs, historical, environmental factors unique to specific population. Cultural competence: kn Continue reading >>
High Protein Foods Make People With Type 2 Diabetes Manage Blood Sugar
Across the country, more than 29 million Americans have diabetes and another 86 million have prediabetes, forecasting a future of higher rates. But new research presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes’ annual meeting may reverse that trend, as it’s found a protein-laden diet regimen may help type 2 diabetes patients improve their blood sugar levels. Over the course of six weeks, 37 participants diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were fed either a diet high in animal protein or plant protein. While the animal diet consisted of a combination of meat and dairy foods, the plant diet was bereft of any animal product, although both diets included the same number of calories. Researchers measured each participant’s blood sugar levels and liver fat before and after the experiment to see if there were any changes from the diet intervention. Both groups saw an improvement in their blood sugar (glucose) levels and liver fat, but only those who were part of the animal protein group experienced an improvement in insulin sensitivity. Insulin is a hormone responsible for lowering blood sugar levels and allowing glucose to enter the cells of the body for storage. Diabetes is a disease that occurs when insulin doesn’t function properly and sugar accumulates in the blood, resulting in several problems ranging from high blood pressure to vision loss. Those who are insulin sensitive only need a small amount of insulin to keep their glucose within a normal range, while those who are insulin-resistant need more insulin to keep levels in check. While animal protein dieters experienced improved insulin sensitivity, participants who ate plant-based protein saw an improvement in their kidney function. Normally, waste products from protein-rich foods are filtered in ti Continue reading >>
> Diabetes Control: Why It's Important
You've probably heard your child's doctor talk a lot about "diabetes control," which usually refers to how close the blood sugar, or glucose, is kept to the desired range. What does this mean and why is it important? Too much or not enough sugar in the bloodstream can lead to short-term problems that must be treated right away, like hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, or diabetic ketoacidosis. Too much sugar in the bloodstream also can cause long-term damage to body tissues. For example, it can harm blood vessels that supply blood to vital organs, which can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke, kidney disease, vision problems, and nerve problems. These problems don't usually affect kids or teens with diabetes who have had the disease for only a few years. But they can happen in adults with diabetes, particularly if they haven't managed or controlled their diabetes properly. Kids with diabetes who don't control their blood sugar levels may also have problems with growth and development. They might even have a delay in when puberty starts. Puberty is when the body changes as kids start growing into adults. Also important is avoiding frequent and/or severe episodes of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), which can interfere with participation in school and other activities, making it hard for kids to cope with their diabetes and achieve a healthy, happy childhood and adulthood. Controlling diabetes means keeping blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible. It's a three-way balancing act: Your child's diabetes medicines (such as insulin), food, and activity level all need to be balanced to keep blood sugar levels under control. If any one of these is off, blood sugar levels will be, too. In general, poorly controlled blood sugar levels can be due to any of the following: Continue reading >>
Diabetes Education And Management
Why Understanding Diabetes is Important: Diabetes causes more deaths in a single year than breast cancer and AIDS combined. Two out of three people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke. Almost 26 million people in the United States have diabetes. And sadly, 7 million of these are undiagnosed. Diabetes is a deadly and dangerous disease, but it doesn’t have to be. Too often, folks who have just been diagnosed with diabetes think they can never eat sweets or bread again. And because of this misconception – or lack of education – many people with diabetes shun diabetes management and treatment altogether. With the proper self-management and moderation, diabetes does not have to be an “all or nothing” kind of lifestyle. Learning how to properly control diabetes can prevent many long term health complications like heart disease and attack, nerve damage, kidney failure, blindness, foot damage, Osteoporosis, hearing loss, and Alzheimer’s. How PMH Can Help: Terry Wagner is a Certified Diabetes Educator here at Pocahontas Memorial Hospital who is available to help anyone in the community – not just hospital patients. A Certified Diabetes Educator has a national certification backed up by education, training, and work-related experience to help people with diabetes live healthy and productive lives. If you have diabetes, do not feel that you are alone in treating and managing your disease! Terry can help you develop a personal meal and exercise plan; as well as explain how your medication works and when to take it. Managing diabetes will be different for each person depending on age, school or work schedule, activity and exercise level, eating habits, and any special medical conditions. Blood sugar monitoring is an extremely important part of successfully m Continue reading >>
5 Ways To Control Diabetes
Learning how to control your type 2 diabetes is key to improving your health and living an active life. Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder, affecting the body’s ability to use insulin effectively. Insulin is an important hormone that enables blood sugar in the cells of the body to be converted into energy. So, when insulin is not getting used properly, it results in an elevated amount of sugar in the blood which can damage the body. When you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, you’ll need to monitor your blood sugar, eat healthy, get regular physical activity and take the proper medications. You’ll also need to make sure you’re maintaining regular appointments with your physician. How to Control Diabetes in 5 Easy Ways Proper diabetes management might seem overwhelming, but there’s actually a lot you can do to control it. Here are five easy ways to ensure you’re correctly managing your diabetes: Keep an eye on your blood sugar. Monitor your blood sugar levels at different times of the day and keep track by writing down the numbers. You should also have your A1C tested at least twice a year. Along with your blood sugar, monitor your lipid levels and blood pressure to lower your risk of heart disease. Make smart food choices. Think about what you’re about to put in your body before you eat it. Your meals should be a good balance of non-starchy vegetables and smaller portions of starchy foods like bread or rice. Start reading labels and weighing your food to learn how much you’re actually eating. Increase your physical activity. It’s recommended to get your heart rate up for 30 minutes a day, at least five days a week. If you’ve been sedentary, talk to a doctor before beginning any physical activity and start off slowly. Even just three ten minute w Continue reading >>
Diabetes
What is diabetes? When a food containing carbohydrate is eaten, your body digests the carbohydrate into sugar (called glucose), which can then be used as energy by the cells in your body. Diabetes is a condition where your body can’t properly control the amount of glucose in your blood. A hormone called insulin is needed for transferring glucose from the bloodstream to enter the body cells and be converted to energy. In people with diabetes, blood glucose levels are often higher than normal because either the body does not produce insulin (type 1 diabetes) or cannot use insulin properly (type 2 diabetes). High levels of glucose in the bloodstream can lead to short term complications such as: passing large amounts of urine being extremely thirsty and drinking lots of fluids being tired having blurred vision having frequent skin infections and being slow to heal Blood glucose levels are normally between about 4.0 and 8.0 mmol/L. People with diabetes should aim for blood glucose levels as near to normal as possible, but individual targets should always be discussed with your diabetes health care professional. Controlling diabetes is important to prevent serious long term complications such as: heart and circulation problems infections kidney disease eye problems, which can lead to blindness nerve damage to the lower limbs and other parts of the body Types of diabetes There are three types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes Type 1 diabetes affects less than 1% of all Australians. It can appear at any age, but most commonly in childhood and early adult life. People with type 1 diabetes cannot produce enough insulin, and therefore they must inject themselves with insulin several times a day. Type 2 diabetes Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, affecting 7.1 % of a Continue reading >>
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7 Exercises That Help Manage Diabetes
Diabetes or diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease in which there is high blood sugar glucose level because of either inadequate insulin production, or, the body’s cells not responding properly to insulin, and in some cases, both. Types of Diabetes: Type – 1 Diabetes Type – 2 Diabetes Gestational Diabetes People with diabetes are more prone for developing clogged arteries, as there are more chances of developing plaques in the arteries, leading to high cholesterol, which in turn can cause fatal problems like brain stroke and heart attacks. Hence, it is important to exercise daily to maintain cholesterol levels. In diabetes type 2, weight management with regular exercise is necessary to control diabetes. Exercises also helps in controlling blood pressure, joint problems associated with diabetes and gives sufficient energy to the muscles. Exercises for Diabetes: Before starting any exercise, always consult a proper physiotherapist. A proper exercise regime is important to have better results. Instructions Before Exercise: Type 1 Diabetes Treated with Insulin: Always check the sugar level before starting with the exercise. If the sugar level is low, go for some carbohydrate diet. If it is high, do not go for exercises. In between the exercises, keep taking some snacks to prevent low blood sugar. The snacks should be in the form of liquid so that it could be readily absorbed. If the activity is for prolonged time, check blood sugar frequently, drink or eat carbohydrate meal in between and drink plenty of fluid. Type 2 Diabetes Treated with Insulin: Basic things are same as for type 1 Intense, long and vigorous exercise may cause low blood sugar level. Hence, plan accordingly. Diabetes in Children: One should give extra carbohydrate to the children before the exercis Continue reading >>
Cinnamon For Diabetes? A Half Teaspoon A Day Could Help Control Cholesterol
Researchers have been investigating a number of powerful natural agents that can help you stabilize your blood sugar, and once again, cinnamon has proven itself as a viable contender in the fight against diabetes, as the study in Diabetic Medicine reveals.(1) One of cinnamon’s most impressive health benefits is its ability to improve blood glucose control. For example, just half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day has previously been shown to significantly reduce blood sugar levels, triglycerides, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and total cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes. (2) The more you can make use of natural therapies such as nutrition and exercise, the better your health will be. However, as helpful as supplements like cinnamon can be, they should not be misconstrued as cures. They are not substitutes for proper diet and lifestyle choices. You cannot properly address your diabetes if you still maintain a sedentary lifestyle and poor dietary choices — cinnamon supplementation or not! How Cinnamon Can Benefit Diabetics Below are five known ways cinnamon can be helpful to your metabolism: 1. Cinnamon can increase your glucose metabolism about 20-fold, which significantly improves blood sugar regulation. (4) 2. Cinnamon has been found to have “insulin-like effects” due to a bioactive compound, qualifying it as a candidate for an insulin substitute. 3. Cinnamon slows the emptying of your stomach to reduce sharp rises in blood sugar following meals, and improves the effectiveness, or sensitivity, of insulin. 4. Cinnamon actually enhances your antioxidant defenses. A study published in 2009 stated, “Polyphenols from cinnamon could be of special interest in people who are overweight with impaired fasting glucose since they might act as both insulin sensitizers a Continue reading >>
Diabetes: A School Guide For Effective Blood Sugar Management
When it comes to treating diabetes in children, one of the biggest concerns is how they will handle and manage their condition when they’re in school. Even an older child who can have a lot to learn, particularly if they’re newly diagnosed. The good news is that children are resilient and they can handle most of the things life brings their way. By giving them the tools to handle their diabetes during school hours, they can keep moving forward and enjoying being kids. Children Generally Have Type I Diabetes The vast majority of children with diabetes have Type I, which is a condition in which their pancreas doesn’t make the level of insulin the body needs for proper blood sugar control. This is also called juvenile diabetes, and can occur anytime in the formative years. Children most commonly develop this condition in elementary school, but in some cases it doesn’t appear until junior high or high school. No matter the age of the child, though, it’s a condition that is chronic and that they will have to manage for the rest of their life. Because of their condition, there’s a risk that the sugar in the blood stream of diabetic children will rise to dangerous levels. This can lead to complications as the children age, including vision problems, organ damage, and problems with circulation. Proper management, however, can help reduce the risk of complications from this type of diabetes over time. Careful monitoring and control of blood sugar is vital, so if possible, schoolchildren with diabetes should be familiar with how to check their blood sugar and have been trained to stay aware of how they feel. Working With the School’s Health Team Unfortunately, being in school can make it easy for children to forget to check their blood sugar levels and ignore sympto Continue reading >>
5 Important Tests For Type 2 Diabetes
It takes more than just one abnormal blood test to diagnose diabetes.Istockphoto For centuries, diabetes testing mostly consisted of a physician dipping his pinkie into a urine sample and tasting it to pick up on abnormally high sugar. Thankfully, testing for type 2 diabetes is lot easier now—at least for doctors. Urine tests can still pick up diabetes. However, sugar levels need to be quite high (and diabetes more advanced) to be detected on a urine test, so this is not the test of choice for type 2 diabetes. Blood tests Almost all diabetes tests are now conducted on blood samples, which are collected in a visit to your physician or obstetrician (if you're pregnant). More about type 2 diabetes If you have an abnormal resultmeaning blood sugar is too high—on any of these tests, you'll need to have more testing. Many things can affect blood sugar (such as certain medications, illness, or stress). A diabetes diagnosis requires more than just one abnormal blood sugar result. The main types of diabetes blood tests include: Oral glucose-tolerance test. This test is most commonly performed during pregnancy. You typically have your blood drawn once, then drink a syrupy glucose solution and have your blood drawn at 30 to 60 minute intervals for up to three hours to see how your body is handling the glut of sugar. Normal result: Depends on how many grams of glucose are in the solution, which can vary. Fasting blood sugar. This is a common test because it's easy to perform. After fasting overnight, you have your blood drawn at an early morning doctor's visit and tested to see if your blood sugar is in the normal range. Normal result: 70-99 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) or less than 5.5 mmol/L Two-hour postprandial test. This blood test is done two hours after you have eate Continue reading >>
