The more you learn about diabetes, the more you realize you can live life with diabetes. This section only touches the surface for education but hopefully peaks your interest to continue with the education. Most hospitals hold diabetic education lecture series.

 

    In this section, we will give you an education regarding the basics of diabetes. Diabetes is an increase in blood sugar. Sugar is used by the cells in your body to create energy. the sugar gets to your cells from your blood. when there is an increase in the sugar in your blood, this leads to diabetes. Your blood is tested for the amount of sugar..

    There are two types of diabetes. Type I diabetics do not produce enough insulin. Insulin is used by the cells to help utilize the sugar from your blood. Type II diabetics produce insulin but the cells do not use it properly to get the sugar from the blood. When the cells can not use the sugar it remains in the blood and leads to increased amounts of sugar in the blood. this makes monitoring your sugar levels extremely important.

    High blood sugar levels can lead to eye problems, numbness and tingling in your feet and hands, heart and vessel disease, non-healing wounds and kidney disease. Because of all these problems related to diabetes, no one doctor can do it all. Diabetes requires a team approach. The team includes but is not limited to orthopedics, podiatry, endocrinology,general practioner, renal, nurse ppractioners and those specializing in diabetic education.

    It is important to understand the various reasons for an increase in blood sugar.They include food choices, stress, illness, lack of exercise and medicine.

Food choices include those high in starch. Stress inludes fellings such as anger, worry, fear. Illness includes fevers, chills, night sweats and infections.

    There are factors  leading to low blood sugar levels. These include exercise, too much diabetic medication, not eating enough food. Starvation is not a cure for diabetes. Symptoms of low blood sugar include: sweating,hunger, feeling confused, feeling dizzy, rapid heart rate, feeling nervous and being in a bad mood.

    A quick fix is drinking a 1/2 cup of juice. It is important to recheck your blood sugar after 15 minutes. If there is no change call your doctor or go to the Emergency Room.

    Exercise is a good way to help control bloods sugar levels. (See the exercise section on the website). The advantages to exercise include improved strength, inrease in insulin production, stablize sugar levels, lose weight, increase energy and decrease stress.

    Diabetes can cause feet to get numb or lose blood supply. this leads to difficulty in wound healing. Some quick pearls: never go barefoot, wear clean smooth socks, wear shoes wit plenty of room, go to podiatrist for foot care and check your feet everyday lokking for cracks, cuts, red or white spots and blisters. DO NOT TREAT YOURSELF.

For more information you can contact American Diabetes Association.

The above information was from the Diabetic Care Guide.