Diabetes Myths & More - By: Lac Tran

First of all, let¡¯s set the record straight on some common misconceptions about diabetes and diabetes treatment:
1. Diabetes is not caused by eating too many sweet things.
2. Even obesity is not the primary cause of diabetes. It is said regarding diabetes that genetics load the gun, lifestyle only fires it.
3. Diabetes is not caused by stress.
4. Diabetes is not contagious. It is a hereditary disease that may not appear until much later in life, if at all.
5. There is no cure for diabetes.

Whilst the last point may seem a little depressing, there is no need to despair completely. The symptoms of diabetes can be controlled effectively with diet, exercise, and correct supplementation. Diabetes treatment, therefore, concentrates on controlling blood sugar, or preventing the progression of the disease in those who already have it. It also helps to control related conditions and symptoms of diabetes that can aggravate the disease. Furthermore, most natural diabetes treatments are safe enough to be taken by those with pre-diabetes, a diagnosable condition that is a precursor to full-blown diabetes mellitus.

What you will be told if you seek diabetes treatment is that it is likely to be hereditary. Diabetes treatment involves certain tests, first of all to see if you do have diabetes and then to see what stage it is in so a line of diabetes treatment can be prescribed. Analyzing what symptoms of diabetes are exhibited is part of this process. Diabetes treatment will also be prescribed if you are a borderline case and have what is known as pre-diabetes.

The 1st Step in Diabetes Treatment: Diagnosis

Your physician determines the type of diabetes treatment you need on the basis of your blood sugar report, which is done through blood sugar tests, as well as the symptoms of diabetes shown. Treatment of diabetes is based on factors such as the type of diabetes you have, your tolerance for specific medication, age, health, and medical history. There are three types of diabetes: type1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes. Once the type of diabetes is diagnosed, specific treatment can begin.

Treatment for Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed early on in childhood, which is why it is also known as juvenile diabetes. People with type 1 diabetes need daily insulin injections because their body is not able to make its own insulin. Type 1 diabetes treatment is simply a case of injecting the insulin into fat under the skin, so that insulin can go into the bloodstream.

Insulin is not given in the form of a pill because it is a protein and can break down during digestion in the same way as protein in the food we eat does. The quantity of insulin given to you is decided on the basis of food intake, activity levels, height, age, and weight. Besides this, insulin dosages are also affected by stress levels and other illnesses.

Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes

People with type 2 diabetes are able to produce their own insulin, but their bodies do not use it efficiently. This is the most common form of diabetes, and often does not occur until well into adulthood. Type 2 diabetes treatments in some cases is done through medication and extra insulin doses, similar to type 1 treatment, to help their bodies use their own insulin more efficiently. However in most cases treatment of diabetes can be done through diet and exercise so that blood sugar levels are controlled. Supplementation can be used to fill the gap present in the modern diet. If these measures prove insufficient, then medicines can be given to bring down blood glucose levels.

Medicines used in type 2 diabetes treatment can be classified into three groups:

(i) The first category of diabetes treatment includes medicines that increase insulin production by pancreas Such as micronase, diabeta, glynase, prandin, and amaryl.
(ii) In the second category come those medicines that increase sensitivity to insulin. Examples of these diabetes treatments include actos, glucophage, and avandia.
(iii) The third category of medicines are those that delay absorption of glucose, including precose and glyset.

In most of the cases of type 2 diabetes, diabetics need more than one medication to control their sugar. A combination of oral medication and insulin can also be used in some cases. Better still, is a combination of medication and natural treatment for diabetes, so that blood sugar can be controlled safely and effectively.

Treatment for Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes occurs in women during pregnancy, and has many of the symptoms of type 2 diabetes. The condition is temporary, and usually disappears after the child is born. However, diabetes treatment is still required during pregnancy - and even afterwards, as the risk of developing type 2 diabetes is increased in women who have suffered from gestational diabetes. Treatment includes a balanced diet and nutritional counseling. Regular exercise may prevent the need for insulin injections, though they may be required if dietary changes and exercises do not bring the blood sugar level back to normal.

Pregnant women suffering from gestational diabetes should control the amount of carbohydrates in their diet to help body produce insulin naturally. They should avoid food containing high sugar and fat, and eat fiber rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Healthy pregnancy weight should be maintained, weight gain of 25 to 35 pounds is recommended normally in gestational diabetes.

The biggest myth about diabetes is that it means a life of insulin jabs and a boring diet. In fact, the effective treatment of diabetes through medication, diet, exercise, and supplementation, means that the disease can be controlled, the diabetes symptoms can be reduced, and a normal life can be led.

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