The “Plus” in this blog’s title of Diabetic Food List + Plus refers to those topics, other than food related, that are more general in subject content than would be found on the diabetes food list, but are important enough or may be of interest to my fellow diabetics. The following falls into the latter category.
For the Newly Diagnosed Diabetic - Read this First
The cells of our body derive energy from sugars, in the form of glucose, obtained from our daily food intake, especially from the carbohydrate portion of those foods, Food also supplies the proteins and fats that, together with carbohydrate, are essential to the nourishment of the individual.
In a healthy person, the levels of glucose that circulate in the bloodstream, mainly as a result of the digestion of the food consumed, are maintained within a safe range by a series of chemical reactions that constantly take place in the body.
Diabetes, a serious disease, is the condition in which a person’s body is unable to properly regulate and control the levels of sugar in their bloodstream in the way that a healthy person does.
As yet, medical science has not been able to provide a cure for diabetes, To treat a patient suffering from diabetes, referred to as a diabetic, it is necessary to implement a regimen of dietary and exercise procedures that, together with prescription medications, can help control the blood sugar levels that otherwise will inevitably lead to major complications and increase the risk of several serious conditions, including cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the diabetic population.
In addition to the large number of people who are known to be diabetic, there is also a large number of people who have the disease without knowing it, possibly because they have not had a recent, or perhaps any, medical checkup,
Important to note: Anyone who is known to be diabetic must be under the care of a physician.
Doctors monitor the diabetic condition of their patients, guided by the results of periodic blood tests, and will prescribe medication if deemed necessary. Aided by nutritionists or other health-care providers, the doctor will probably advise the steps that the patient should take to lower and control the blood sugar levels, also referred to as blood glucose levels, to within a close to normal range.
Five factors in the management of diabetes
The first factor: To be effective, the management of diabetes requires that an appropriate daily food plan be diligently followed, not special foods, but the right foods chosen from the vast amount and range of foods available. Available, that is, to the citizens in the developing world, and then again, diabetes is the growing disease of the developing Western World. There are few foods that are off-limits but quantity and quality must be taken into consideration.
The second factor is the requirement for regular exercise, not necessary at the athletic level but more than a casual stroll each day. Commonly suggested is to take a brisk walk for half an hour each day, or at least five times a week. Or it could be swimming or bicycle riding or whatever achieves at least that equivalent minimum amount of exercise.
The third factor involves weight-loss. If a diabetic person is overweight it increases the level of serious heart and other health risks. The first two factors, described above, can help reduce weight if properly applied, but before implementing any weight-loss program, a consultation with a doctor would be wise.
The fourth factor is that a once-a-day personal in-home blood test should be taken. The blood test is done with the aid of a simple and easy to use measuring device, just takes ten or twenty seconds to obtain a reading that indicates the amount of glucose in the blood stream. If done once each day then most likely it should be on rising, before breakfast or any food intake, in other words a fasting blood sugar level – as it is commonly referred to.
Monitoring the blood glucose levels at home each day enables the diabetic to know their condition and if necessary, make adjustments to their dietary plan and/or lifestyle in a best effort to correct blood sugar levels. This may require more daily blood tests than just the morning test. It is a fact of diabetes that much of its management is in the hands of the diabetic personally and requires frequent checks to try to gain control.
The fifth factor: Periodic attendance at the doctor’s office for checkups, and blood tests, known as the A1c or Hemoglobin A1C blood test. The blood for these tests, a simple painless procedure, is taken by a technician at a medical clinic, and are normally required every three or four months. These tests provide essential information of the estimated average glucose content existing in the blood over the prior period of about 3 months. This test result is possible because the life-span of blood cells, that are constantly manufactured by the body, is approximately 12 weeks, so some of the blood cells are just newly born while others will be of any age up to about 12 weeks. With the A1c blood test results available, the doctor can monitor and assess, and adjust if necessary, the treatment to best combat diabetes.
For a further explanation of blood tests, visit Blood Testing for Diabetics on my companion site where you will also find other items of interest to diabetics under the site name: Normal Blood Sugar Levels and Diabetes.
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