To commemorate November 14 or the world diabetes day, Prime Plus Medical Clinic Bali dedicates this post to all diabetes fighters and our entire audiences. This is to raise awareness on the importance of recognizing this seventh deadly disease in the United States; in order to save the lives of those we know might have it but not quite notice the symptoms to start taking diabetes seriously. Understanding the 3 takes to controlling your diabetes can give you a better perspective on how to be at peace with the disease. Therefore, you can enjoy life without feeling too exhausted sweating over the disease.
First Take to Controlling Your Diabetes – Understanding the 3 Types of Diabetes
Diabetes is a condition where our body can’t quite process the amount of glucose (simple sugar) that we gain from our everyday meals into energy. Insulin plays the key role, at this point, to let the glucose enter the body cells so they can convert the glucose into your source of power by responding to the signal given by the pancreas. In diabetes patients, the pancreas cannot function as to how it is supposed to, thus without it secreting insulin the glucose stays clogging the bloodstream, making your body prone to fatigue and kidney failure.
Get to know better your battlefield by recognizing the three most common types of diabetes: type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
Your body is unable to produce insulin in type 1 diabetes therefore to survive it’s a must for you to take insulin on a daily basis. Meanwhile, the case for type 2 diabetes is the body can still make insulin but it only generates a little. Also, the body doesn’t respond to insulin properly. Gestational diabetes merely happens to women in their pregnancy. The disease is gone as soon as the delivery of the baby is done yet both the new mother and the infant have a high proclivity to developing diabetes in the near future.
To survive the condition, the patients have to follow a certain diet and insulin therapy on a daily basis, or else they might be at risk of complications such as heart attacks, blindness, numbness in their hands and feet, kidney dysfunction, and also oral diseases.
Second Take to Controlling Your Diabetes – Understanding the ABCs of Diabetes
Considering the complications that could be very likely to occur for diabetes patients, it is vital for them to manage the ABCs of diabetes. The average target for ABCs is subject to your diabetes level, your age, and your preexistence health concerns. So, what are those?
- A for A1c
It’s a test that demonstrates the condition of your blood sugar level for the past three months. People with diabetes will mostly target their HbA1c level < 7%.
- B for Blood Pressure
Your blood pressure is the next thing you want to be carefully monitored and lowered down. Hypertension might lead you to stroke, heart attack, and kidney failure. You want to keep it less than 140/90 mmHg.
- C for Cholesterol
Your blood contains a lot of substances to establish healthy cells. This is what we call cholesterol. However, high LDL cholesterol from bad food choices is horrible for your body as it might clog your arteries and trigger a heart attack. To eliminate your LDL and replace it with HDL (good cholesterol), you need to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle. Make sure to keep your LDL cholesterol level lower than 2.6 mmol/L (100 mg/dL).
Third Take to Controlling Your Diabetes – Our Suggestions
You can certainly imagine how it feels like to live with diabetes. With not much energy left in our bodies, it’s easier to feel depressed and have swings of emotion. Since you have to take extra care of yourself, there are things you have to avoid and do. The real deal is not many can stick to what they are told to. Below is our recommendation to control your diabetes so you can again get active and live well.
Plan your diet with an expert or nutritionist
You can only produce energy only if you eat. With diabetes, you might need to consult your doctor and do more research on food ingredients that fit your requirement. You want to pick something low in: calories, bad cholesterol, salt, and sugar. Try to have your meals in proportion and rich in fiber. Don’t forget to drink a good amount of water rather than gulping on carbonated drinks.
Note down what you wish to accomplish every day
This is one of the ways to lower your stress level. Include breathing and yoga practice into your routine. Keep your mood in a prime state by committing to indulge in activities that make you happy and relaxed such as walking, gardening, and many more. Accept the change that you’re undergoing because of the disease and learn to adapt to it.
Create a log to remind you about the checklist of the treatment
Simply, because humans are forgetful. With every do and don’t diabetes patients have to get through, it will be very useful to keep a log with you. Basically, you want to record and jot down every single thing you have to do on a daily basis in an attempt to give your best at maintaining your condition.
Like a diary, you can also write your emotional turmoil in it. Incorporate the medications you should take in a day, your meals and drink planner, checkup schedule (to track down your ABCs, your oral health, foot, and eye exam, as well as urine & blood test to check for possible kidney problems ). Furthermore, examine if there are any cuts and swelling on your body and how they’re progressing in that log.
Lastly, don’t forget to get a jab for pneumonia and hepatitis B as well.
Controlling Your Diabetes Served in 3 Ways
We hope our takes to controlling your diabetes above can help you alleviate all the hard times you might encounter along the journey to improving your diabetes condition.
English 
Indonesian