Ways to avoid diabetes complications

Diabetic ketoacidosis

Some people find out that they have type 1 diabetes when they are admitted to a hospital for diabetic ketoacidosis. If their symptoms are severe, they may need to be treated in an intensive care unit.

Treatment for diabetic ketoacidosis includes fluids given through a vein (intravenous, or IV) to treat dehydration and to balance electrolytes, and insulin to lower the blood sugar level and stop the body from producing ketones.
The honeymoon period

If your blood sugar levels return to the normal range soon after diagnosis, you are in what is called the "honeymoon period."

This is a time when the remaining insulin-producing cells in your pancreascamera.gif are working harder to supply enough insulin for your body.

Treatment during this time may include:

    Keeping in close touch with your doctor.
    Testing your blood sugar level often, to see if it is rising.
    Taking very small amounts of insulin or no insulin. Even though you may not need insulin, some doctors prefer that you take small doses of insulin daily throughout the honeymoon period. This may decrease the stress on the pancreas.

Source :webmd.com/diabetes/guide/type-1-diabetes-treatment-overview

Diabetes is a serious disease. Following your diabetes treatment plan takes round-the-clock commitment. But your efforts are worthwhile. Careful diabetes care can reduce your risk of serious — even life-threatening — complications.

Here are 10 ways to take an active role in diabetes care and enjoy a healthier future.

1. Make a commitment to managing your diabetes

Members of your diabetes care team — doctor or primary care provider, diabetes nurse educator, and dietitian, for example — can help you learn the basics of diabetes care and offer support along the way. But it's up to you to manage your condition.

Learn all you can about diabetes. Make healthy eating and physical activity part of your daily routine. Maintain a healthy weight. Monitor your blood sugar level, and follow your doctor's instructions for managing your blood sugar level. Ask your diabetes treatment team for help when you need it.

2. Don't smoke

Smoking increases your risk of various diabetes complications, including:

    Reduced blood flow in the legs and feet, which can lead to infections, ulcers and possible removal of a body part by surgery (amputation)
    Heart disease
    Stroke
    Eye disease, which can lead to blindness
    Nerve damage
    Kidney disease

Talk to your doctor about ways to help you stop smoking or using other types of tobacco.

3. Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control

Like diabetes, high blood pressure can damage your blood vessels. High cholesterol is a concern, too, since the damage is often worse and more rapid when you have diabetes. When these conditions team up, they can lead to a heart attack, stroke or other life-threatening conditions.

Eating a healthy, reduced-fat diet and exercising regularly can go a long way toward controlling high blood pressure and cholesterol. Your doctor may also recommend taking prescription medication.

Source : mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/in-depth/diabetes-management/art-20045803

Does Your Diabetes Diet Give You What You Need?

1. Eat more fruit and vegetables
   Aim for at least five portions a day to provide you with vitamins, minerals and fibre to help you to balance your overall diet. One portion is, for example, a banana or apple, a handful of grapes, a tablespoon of dried fruit, a small glass of fruit juice or fruit smoothie, three heaped tablespoons of vegetables or a cereal bowl of salad.
2. Include more beans and lentilsFor example, kidney beans, butter beans, chickpeas or red and green lentils.
   Try adding them to stews, casseroles and soups, or to a salad.

Ten Steps to Eating Well

This leaflet is provided by Diabetes UK, the leading charity that cares for, connects with and campaigns on behalf of every person affected by, or at risk of diabetes.

Reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes includes following a healthy balanced diet. You can still enjoy a wide variety of foods but the food choices you make and your eating habits are important. This leaflet is a starting point to help provide you with information on eating well.

Ten Steps to Eating Well

    Eat regular meals
    Avoid skipping meals and space your breakfast, lunch and evening meal out over the day. This will help control your appetite.

    Include starchy carbohydrates as part of your diet
    The amount of carbohydrate you eat is important especially if you are managing your weight. Try to include those that are more slowly absorbed (have a lower glycaemic index). Better choices include: pasta, basmati or easy cook rice, grainy breads such as granary, pumpernickel and rye, new potatoes, sweet potato and yam, porridge oats, All-Bran® and natural muesli. The high-fibre varieties of starchy foods will also help to maintain the health of your digestive system and prevent problems such as constipation.

    Cut down on the fat you eat, particularly saturated fats, as a low-fat diet benefits health
    Choose unsaturated fats or oils, especially monounsaturated fat (eg, olive oil and rapeseed oil) as these types of fats are better for your heart. As fat is the greatest source of calories, eating less will help you to lose weight if you need to. To cut down on the fat you eat here are some tips:


Source : patient.co.uk/health/type-2-diabetes-healthy-eating-sheet

Carbs

Carbs give you fuel. They affect your blood sugar faster than fats or protein. You’ll mainly get them from:

    Fruit
    Milk and yogurt
    Bread, cereal, rice, pasta
    Starchy vegetables like potatoes, corn, and beans

Some carbs are simple, like sugar. Other carbs are complex, like those found in beans, nuts, vegetables, and whole grains.

Complex carbohydrates are better for you because they take longer for your body to digest. They give you steady energy and fiber.

You may have heard of “carbohydrate counting.” That means you keep track of the carbs (sugar and starch) you eat each day. Counting grams of carbohydrate, and splitting them evenly between meals, will help you control your blood sugar.

If you eat more carbohydrates than your insulin supply can handle, your blood sugar level goes up. If you eat too little, your blood sugar level may fall too low. You can manage these shifts by knowing how to count carbs.

One carbohydrate serving equals 15 grams of carbohydrates.

A registered dietitian can help you figure out a carbohydrate counting plan that meets your specific needs. For adults, a typical plan includes three to four carb servings at each meal, and one to two as snacks.

You can pick almost any food product off the shelf, read the label, and use the information about grams of carbohydrates to fit the food into your type 2 diabetes meal plan.

Source :webmd.com/diabetes/guide/eating-right

Diabetes Health Care Tips

According to Joslin Clinic's Dr. Richard A. Jackson, one in four people with diabetes will develop foot complications. That means that making foot care a part of your daily diabetes regimen is essential for avoiding serious complications such as neuropathy, vascular disease, and injury. When it comes to implementing a comprehensive foot care plan, a little effort goes a long way in preventing problems.

Inspect. Check your feet two times a day, ideally in the morning and at night before you go to bed. Look for anything out of the ordinary, such as areas of redness, blisters, or cuts. If you discover a wound, treat it and cover it with a bandage immediately. Pay close attention to the wound during subsequent foot inspections to be certain it is healing properly.

Protect. Washing your feet every day with mild soap in tepid—not hot—water is your first line of defense against problems with your feet. After washing, dry your feet thoroughly and apply a lotion made for people with diabetes, or one that your doctor has approved. Moisturizing your feet will protect against the creation of fissures in the skin, which can serve as a breeding ground for infection.

Prevent. Elevated blood glucose (blood sugars) puts people with diabetes at risk for neuropathy, or nerve damage, which can cause loss of sensation in the feet, leading to other serious complications. Good control will help you prevent these complications. You can also reduce or even prevent the risk of injury to your feet by selecting comfortable footwear.

Consult. If you are very physically active or if you have other foot problems, it is important to find a doctor to examine your feet on a regular basis to avoid any complications that may arise. All other patients with diabetes must have a foot exam at least once a year, according to Dr. Jackson.

Source : joslin.org/info/4_tips_for_foot_care_when_you_have_diabetes.html

Foot Care Tips

Special foot care is necessary when you have diabetes. Poor blood flow, nerve damage, and trouble fighting infections can make foot problems very serious. You can help prevent major foot problems by a daily routine of foot care:
Check your feet daily

    Look at the tops and bottoms of your feet. Use a mirror if necessary, or have a family member check for you.
    Look for cuts, scratches, cracks, calluses, or blisters.
    Look for changes in color, shape, or temperature.
    Call your doctor if you notice injuries or other changes. Your doctor may tell you to see a foot doctor. A foot doctor is called a podiatrist (po-DYE-uh-trist).

Wash your feet daily

    Use mild soap and lukewarm water (90 degrees to 95 degrees Fahrenheit).
    Do not soak your feet. (Soaking may cause dryness.)
    Dry your feet well, especially between your toes.
    Use foot powder if your feet sweat.

Take care of your toenails

    Cut your toenails after bathing, while they are soft.
    Cut toenails straight across, not into corners. Then smooth your nails with an emery board.
    Do not cut your own toenails if you have a hard time seeing or your nails are too thick. Have a podiatrist trim them.

Source : upmc.com/patients-visitors/education/diabetes/Pages/diabetes-health-care-tips.aspx

Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Care

Type 1 diabetes requires treatment to keep blood sugar levels within a target range. Treatment includes:

    Taking several insulin injections every day or using an insulin pump.
    Monitoring blood sugar levels several times a day.
    Eating a healthy diet that spreads carbohydrate throughout the day.
    Regular physical activity or exercise. Exercise helps the body to use insulin more efficiently. It may also lower your risk for heart and blood vessel disease.
    Regular medical checkups. You will get routine screening tests and exams to watch for signs of complications, such as eye, kidney, heart, blood vessel, and nerve diseases.
    Not smoking.
    Not drinking alcohol if you are at risk for periods of low blood sugar.

Blood sugars are easier to predict and control when mealtimes, amounts of food, and exercise are similar every day. So getting into a daily routine helps a lot.