NOVEMBER–BRINGS AWARENESS TO DIABETES AND THE LIVES IT TOUCHES.
It’s that time of year for the world to rally behind the fight to end diabetes.
More than 38 million Americans have diabetes, and more than 98 million have pre-diabetes. In the past 20 years, the numbers have doubled. You, or someone you know or a loved one, likely has diabetes. Along with the diagnosis, it can lead to shock, worry, care, costs and uncertainty about how life will change.
Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Over time, it can cause blindness, nerve damage, kidney disease, and other serious health problems.
There are risk factors that are out of anyone’s control, like family history, but other factors could put you at risk of developing diabetes, including smoking and being overweight.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease in which the pancreas can’t or does not produce enough insulin. Insulin is a hormone that allows the sugar from the foods we eat to get into the cells, where it is used for energy. The sugar then builds up in the bloodstream, and this is what causes a multitude of problems associated with diabetes.
There are two different types of Diabetes, type 1 and type 2.
Type 1 is usually associated with children (but not always). They are insulin-dependent from day one and need insulin injections every day for the rest of their lives.
Type 2 is most common, which is often described as a lifestyle disease, and is associated with being older, overweight, inactive and having a poor diet. Type 2 is often controlled with medication in pill form and sometimes insulin injections as well, along with maintaining a healthy diet and exercise.
Treatment: I compare it to a threelegged stool. One leg is medication, one leg is exercise–moving your body, and the other leg is diet or healthy eating.
Medication: This goes without saying: take your medication as prescribed by your physician. Noncompliance is one of the biggest factors that will land you in the hospital. And no one wants that. Check your blood sugar several times a day or use a continuous blood sugar monitor.
Exercise: As for moving your body, there are many ways to stay active.
The benefits of exercise are lower blood sugar and aid in overall wellbeing to maintain health. You should aim for 30 minutes a day on most days, at least three times a week.
•For example, aerobic exercise works out large muscles and makes your heart beat faster.
•Activities such as fast walking, swimming, bike riding and pickleball keep your heart rate up without heavy exertion.
•Strength training helps build muscles. You can use hand weights, elastic bands, or weight machines.
•Daily activities such as cleaning the house, playing with kids, walking the dog, or grocery shopping are great ways to try and find ways to move each day.
When it comes to healthy eating, your blood sugar is tied to the food you eat. People with diabetes need to balance the types of food and portions of food that they eat at each meal.
I preach moderation so that working in your favorite food, or something higher in sugar, can be eaten occasionally, using smaller portions and balancing them with healthy foods and exercise. My simple rules for eating are to try to eat three balanced meals at about the same time each day.
It is a good rule of thumb not to skip a meal or go for a long period of time without eating.
To have a balanced meal, I would encourage choosing a protein along with your carb of choice, such as “Meat and potatoes.” To fill you up, along with protein and carbs, choose food high in fiber, such a vegetables that are low in calories and carbohydrates. And I would encourage one whole fruit choice at each meal. The MyPlate method of balancing works nicely for portions and balance. One-quarter of the plate meat or protein, one-quarer carbohydrate such as potatoes, rice, noodles and one-half the plate vegetables, with a piece of fruit.
If you or a loved one is affected by diabetes, seek help from your physician frequently, ask for a referral to a registered dietitian and participate in an exercise program.
This effort is to keep blood sugar within a healthy range and avoid long-term complications. It is key to keep blood sugar in check daily to inform you if what you’re doing with meds, exercise and food is working.
Remember to wear blue on Friday, November 14, to raise awareness of National Diabetes Day and the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who codiscovered insulin along with Charles Banting in 1922.
The American Diabetes Association is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization fighting to end diabetes.
For 84 years, they have been committed to research, management, treatments and ultimately a cure for diabetes.
To learn more, visit diabetes.org and join the “We Fight” to end diabetes.
Laurie Syring, RDN/LD, is Clinical Nutrition Manager at ProMedica Flower Hospital. ✲
