HEALTH WATCH

Diabetes - What causes it?

Charmaine fernando

Diabetic Diet Plan

A diabetic diet plan plays an important role in treatment. The majority of people affected with diabetes are overweight or obese.In fact, your risk of getting the disease increases the more weight you put on.So controlling your condition with a diabetic diet plan can be the key to reducing the risk as well as improving your symptoms if you are already affected by this disease people often refer to as “the silent killer.�

Everybody knows that maintaining a good program when eating is a healthy choice for every person. But for diabetes patients, this statement means something more significant than the recent fad over healthy living.For patients, having a healthy diabetic diet plan means eating in a way that reduces the risk for complications that are commonly associated with their conditions, including heart disease and stroke.

Eating healthy involves eating a wide variety of foods that encompasses the whole spectrum of vegetables, whole grains, fruits, non-fat dairy products, beans, lean meats, poultry, and fish.

6 Tips On How To Prepare A Diabetic Diet And Meal Plan

1. When you go on a diabetic diet, the first thing you need to do is to prepare a meal plan. This will serve as your guide to how much and what kinds of food you can choose to eat at meals, and even at snack times if you wish to include that.

2. Now, be sure that your diabetic diet plan fits in with your schedule and eating habits. That way you will not be likely to ruin your diet simply because your work schedule conflicts with your meal schedule.

Try to keep in mind your end-goal of a diabetic diet plan: To keep your blood glucose in levels that are easy enough to maintain.

3. In addition to that somewhat myopic diet goal for diabetes, you also want to follow a meal plan that will help you improve your blood pressure and cholesterol levels as well as keep your weight on track.

4. All these – blood pressure, cholesterol and weight – are factors that contribute to the worsening of your diabetes symptoms, so controlling them could very well mean controlling your diabetic problem.

5. When preparing a diabetic diet plan, be sure to balance uptake and down take – that is, food and exercise respectively. Additionally, your doctor may have prescribed you with insulin or oral medications to help you manage your condition.

6. Take those medications into account as well when you plan your meal plan, making sure that the food is balanced with the drugs.

The whole thing sounds like it's a lot of work but with a few suggestions from your physician and/or dietician you can start building a diabetes diet and meal plan that is best for you and your condition.

Diabetes (diabetes mellitus) is classed as a metabolism disorder. Metabolism refers to the way our bodies use digested food for energy and growth. Most of what we eat is broken down into glucose. Glucose is a form of sugar in the blood - it is the principal source of fuel for our bodies.

When our food is digested the glucose makes its way into our bloodstream. Our cells use the glucose for energy and growth. However, glucose cannot enter our cells without insulin being present - insulin makes it possible for our cells to take in the glucose.Insulin is a hormone that is produced by the pancreas. After eating, the pancreas automatically releases an adequate quantity of insulin to move the glucose present in our blood into the cells, and lowers the blood sugar level.

A person with diabetes has a condition in which the quantity of glucose in the blood is too elevated (hyperglycemia). This is because the body either does not produce enough insulin, produces no insulin, or has cells that do not respond properly to the insulin the pancreas produces. This results in too much glucose building up in the blood. This excess blood glucose eventually passes out of the body in urine. So, even though the blood has plenty of glucose, the cells are not getting it for their essential energy and growth requirements. Why is it called Diabetes Mellitus? Diabetes comes from Greek, and it means a siphon. Aretus the Cappadocian, a Greek physician during the second century A.D., named the condition diabainein. He described patients who were passing too much water (polyuria) - like a siphon. The word became “diabetes” from the English adoption of the Medieval Latin diabetes.

In 1675 Thomas Willis added mellitus to the term, although it is commonly referred to simply as diabetes. Mel in Latin means honey; the urine and blood of people with diabetes has excess glucose, and glucose is sweet like honey. Diabetes mellitus could literally mean “siphoning off sweet water”. In ancient China people observed that ants would be attracted to some people’s urine, because it was sweet. The term “Sweet Urine Disease” was coined.

What are the main types of diabetes?

World Health Organization describes and categorizes it as follows;

Diabetes Type 1 - You produce no insulin at all.

Diabetes Type 2 - You don’t produce enough insulin, or your insulin is not working properly.

Gestational Diabetes - You develop diabetes just during your pregnancy.

Diabetes Types 1 & 2 are chronic medical conditions - this means that they are persistent and perpetual. Gestational Diabetes usually resolves itself after the birth of the child.

What is the effective and important treatment?

All types of diabetes are treatable, but Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes last a lifetime; there is no known cure. The patient receives regular insulin, which became medically available in 1921. The treatment for a patient with Type 1 is mainly injected insulin, plus some dietary and exercise adherence.Patients with Type 2 are usually treated with tablets, exercise and a special diet, but sometimes insulin injections are also required.

If diabetes is not adequately controlled the patient has a significantly higher risk of developing complications, such as hypoglycemia, ketoacidosis, and nonketotic hypersosmolar coma. Longer term complications could be cardiovascular disease, retinal damage, chronic kidney failure, nerve damage, poor healing of wounds, gangrene on the feet which may lead to amputation, and erectile dysfunction.

Symptoms of Diabetes

People can often have diabetes and be completely unaware. The main reason for this is that the symptoms, when seen on their own, seem harmless. However, the earlier diabetes is diagnosed the greater the chances are that serious complications, which can result from having diabetes, can be avoided.

Frequent urination

Have you been going to the bathroom to urinate more often recently? Do you notice that you spend most of the day going to the toilet? When there is too much glucose (sugar) in your blood you will urinate more often. If your insulin is ineffective, or not there at all, your kidneys cannot filter the glucose back into the blood. The kidneys will take water from your blood in order to dilute the glucose - which in turn fills up your bladder.

Disproportionate thirst

If you are urinating more than usual, you will need to replace that lost liquid. You will be drinking more than usual. Have you been drinking more than usual lately?

Intense hunger

As the insulin in your blood is not working properly, or is not there at all, and your cells are not getting their energy, your body may react by trying to find more energy - food. You will become hungry.

Weight gain

This might be the result of the above symptom (intense hunger).

Unusual weight loss

This is more common among people with Diabetes Type 1. As your body is not making insulin it will seek out another energy source (the cells aren’t getting glucose). Muscle tissue and fat will be broken down for energy. As Type 1 is of a more sudden onset and Type 2 is much more gradual, weight loss is more noticeable with Type 1.

Increased fatigue

If your insulin is not working properly, or is not there at all, glucose will not be entering your cells and providing them with energy. This will make you feel tired and listless.

Irritability

Irritability can be due to your lack of energy.

Blurred vision

This can be caused by tissue being pulled from your eye lenses. This affects your eyes’ ability to focus. With proper treatment this can be treated. There are severe cases where blindness or prolonged vision problems can occur.

Cuts and bruises don’t heal properly or quickly

Do you find cuts and bruises take a much longer time than usual to heal? When there is more sugar (glucose) in your body, its ability to heal can be undermined.

More skin and/or yeast infections

When there is more sugar in your body, its ability to recover from infections is affected. Women with diabetes find it especially difficult to recover from bladder and vaginal infections.

Itchy skin

A feeling of itchiness on your skin is sometimes a symptom of diabetes.

Gums are red and/or swollen - Gums pull away from teeth

If your gums are tender, red and/or swollen this could be a sign of diabetes. Your teeth could become loose as the gums pull away from them.

Frequent gum disease/infection

As well as the previous gum symptoms, you may experience more frequent gum disease and/or gum infections.

Sexual dysfunction among men

If you are over 50 and experience frequent or constant sexual dysfunction (erectile dysfunction), it could be a symptom of diabetes.

Numbness or tingling, especially in your feet and hands

If there is too much sugar in your body your nerves could become damaged, as could the tiny blood vessels that feed those nerves. You may experience tingling and/or numbness in your hands and feet.

Diagnosis of diabetes

Diabetes can often be detected by carrying out a urine test, which finds out whether excess glucose is present. This is normally backed up by a blood test, which measures blood glucose levels and can confirm if the cause of your symptoms is diabetes.

If you are worried that you may have some of the above symptoms, you are recommended to talk to your Doctor or a qualified health professional.

How is diabetes managed?

Planning your food consumption is extremely important. Three things will have a major impact on your blood glucose and blood lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides) levels. Remember What you eat, How much you eat and When you eat is of utmost importance. By selecting the right types of foods, as well as appropriate quantities you can significantly improve your ability to control your blood glucose and blood lipids.

What does healthy eating mean?

Healthy eating most certainly does not mean you will go hungry and have to spend much of your life desperately trying to resist temptation. You can still consume the food you like. All it means is that you will have to be much more aware of how much carbohydrate, fat and protein you consume each time you eat. You just have to get the balance right.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are most abundantly found in fruit, vegetables, yoghurt, sweets, pasta and bread. Our body needs carbohydrates; we cannot live without them. When consumed, our bodies turn the carbohydrate into blood glucose - glucose is needed by our cells for energy and growth.

If you consume the same amount of carbohydrates each time you eat - especially if those times are at the same time each day - you will be well on your way towards controlling your blood glucose.

It is important that you do not skip meals, no matter what your blood glucose readings indicate. All you will achieve by skipping meals is a more aggressive fluctuation in your blood glucose levels - something you want to try to avoid. If your consumption of glucose can follow a regular pattern, it will be easier for you to balance food with your medicine(s) and physical activity with optimum blood glucose control.

Variety and moderation

A varied and moderated diet is ideal if you want to enjoy good health. Your carbohydrate intake should consist of a variety of grains, fruits and vegetables. They have plenty of fiber - fiber helps control blood glucose. Remember that brown rice has more fiber than white rice; whole-grain breads have the most fiber. If you are cooking or baking, opt for whole-wheat or whole grain flours. Include pulses, such as beans; they are a great source of fiber. Dark green leafy vegetables and dark yellow ones have a slower release of carbohydrates than most other vegetables.

Carb, protein and fat mix

According to the Mayo Clinic, your daily intake of calories should consist of: Carbohydrates 45% to 65% , Proteins 15% to 20% and Fats 20% to 35% . If you adhere to your meal plan for portion sizes and eating times you should eat the same mix of carbohydrates, proteins and fats each day. Your blood sugar control will be ideal, as will your weight. The more you vary from your food plan, the Mayo Clinic informs, the more your blood glucose will fluctuate.

The rewards will be worth it

The ideal eating pattern for a person with diabetes is not really any different from what a non-diabetic person would do if he/she aimed for optimum health and fitness. However, the diabetes patient has the added incentive of trying to prevent complications from developing, such as cardiovascular disease, kidney problems, vision problems and leg and feet sores.

Foods on offer for a diabetes patient are extensive and varied. You will be able to plan a wide range of tasty and interesting meals.

The food pyramid

When you talk to your health care professional, diabetes educator or dietician, they will probably mention the Food Pyramid.At the base there are foods rich in carbohydrates, such as grains, then there are fruit and vegetables. Above are meat, fish, milk and cheese; which are rich in protein. At the top are the fatty foods.

Almost all diabetes and medical associations say that you should eat more from the groups at the bottom of the pyramid, and less from those at the top.It is vital that you talk to an expert about your eating plan. It needs to be tailored according to your weight, age, which medications you are taking and how physically active you are (and, if so, when during the day you are likely to be the most active).

Glycemic index

Not all carbohydrates are the same. The Glycemic Index (GI) describes what effect certain foods can have on our blood glucose levels. A high GI tends to cause more blood glucose fluctuations than a low one. Ask your dietician.

How is diabetes managed?

Physical activity Is crucial for a person with diabetes. It helps control your blood glucose and it helps keep your weight down. It helps keep your blood pressure down while it also helps raise your HDL (High-density lipoprotein), good cholesterol levels and helps lower your LDL (Low-density lipoprotein), bad cholesterol levels. These five benefits have a DIRECT bearing on how successfully you manage your diabetes. Exercise also has other general health benefits - you sleep better, your mental state improves, etc.

How much exercise should you do?

Most experts say you should do exercise on at least five days of each week. Each session should be of moderate-intensity and should not last less than thirty minutes. The following activities could be classed as of moderate-intensity fast walking, Swimming, cycling 5-9mph (level terrain, perhaps some slight hills), dancing, rowing and mowing the lawn are important ways to exercise.

What is moderate-intensity physical activity?

There should be an increase in your heart rate. You should experience some increase in your breathing rate. A Borg Scale perceived exertion of 11 to 14. You should burn 3.5 to 7 calories per minute and also you should reach a METs of 3 to 6.

What is MET?

MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent. An MET of 1 is when you are sitting down doing nothing. If you walk slowly your MET may rise to 2 or 2.5. If you walk normally it will go up to 3, while a brisk walk may bring it to 5. If a wild gorilla suddenly appeared in the street and started chasing you your desperate sprint would shoot your MET right up to about 8 or even perhaps 9.

Beginners be careful!

If you have not done exercise for a long time you will need to start with a little light exercise and build up slowly over time. Each week add a little more time to each session and/or increase the intensity. Remember regular exercise is what matters. 5 days of 30 minutes each is great. One day per week at 150 minutes is not. You must talk to your health care provider about an exercise plan. He/she may want to check you over before you start. Certain exercises are not ideal for patients who suffer from high blood pressure, eye and/or foot problems.

Strength training is also good

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that strength training exercises are good because they help you build muscle. Strength training usually involves using weights.

Join a gym

There are many gyms today whose staff are experienced and qualified to receive and train people for various illnesses and conditions. In North America, Western Europe, Japan and Australasia gyms receive doctors’ referrals - doctors send them to specific gyms as part of their therapy. Having somebody there to help you along, occasionally to push you along, can be a great motivator - especially for beginners who may view the whole experience with apprehension.

Gyms are all-weather; they have equipment which gives you immediate feedback on how well you are doing - your speed, heart rate, calories burnt per minute/hour, your progress, etc. Numerous people prefer gyms because it gives them a feeling of doing something with others. Do not be afraid of joining one. They are generally welcoming and members will not be concerned about what you look like or how unfit you may be - they are there for their health, just like you.