Diabetes Prevention
In many instances, diabetes is an inherited disorder. People who have first degree relatives
with this disease are more prone to developing this disease than people with no genetic
disposition. People who have a first degree relative with diabetes can avoid contacting the
il ness by having themselves tested by their physician. The physician can do a series of blood
tests that wil determine whether or not the patient is pre disposed to this condition. If a person
has a pre diabetic condition, there are many things they can do to avoid getting this disease.
However, Type II Diabetes has become nearly an epidemic in this country. Many in the medical
community believe that one of the reasons many people acquire this potential y life threatening
condition is from obesity. The diabetes epidemic has mirrored the obesity epidemic currently
overtaking the United States as wel as other countries. People consume foods that are high in
carbohydrates and sugars and low in nutrients at an alarming rate. We often think of diabetics
as being people with a sweet tooth who crave sugar. This is not the case. More often, a person
who is obese has more of a chance of getting diabetes than a person who maintains his or her
weight.
One way how to prevent diabetes is by managing your weight. Although there is little you can
do about having a genetic disposition to the disease, there are ways you can prevent becoming
one of the mil ions of Americans who develop diabetes each year.
When seeking how to prevent diabetes, the first thing a person can do is watch your weight.
Studies indicate that people who are overweight are more prone to developing diabetes. How
to prevent diabetes. Rule number one is manage your weight. One way to manage your
weight is to stay way from foods laden with saturated fats, and sugars. Stay away from fast
food, which is usual y high in fats, carbohydrates and sugars. Most fast food offer little in the
way of nutrition but are high in fat and carbohydrates.
Another way how to prevent diabetes is to exercise. Exercising regularly improves blood sugar
control. Because active muscles dispel glucose from blood quicker than non-exercised
muscles, regular exercise can do wonders in staving off or preventing diabetes. In addition,
regular exercise also helps to maintain stable weight, another factor in preventing obesity.
Again, the misconception that people contract diabetes through excessive consumption of
sugars is inaccurate. It is not only sugar that contributes to the disease. While it is good to
eliminate the use of excessive sugar in your diet, carbohydrates are also contributory to the
onset of diabetes. One way on how to prevent diabetes is becoming aware of the Glycemic
Index. The Glycemic Index was developed in 1981 and rates which carbohydrates are more
difficult to eliminate glucose from the blood.
When asking yourself how to prevent diabetes, focus your attention on your weight, exercise
and diet. In many cases, simple lifestyle changes can prevent someone from getting this
potential y life threatening disease.
Diabetes Treatment: Drugs
A Juvenile Diabetic’s Emergency Kit
An emergency or first aid kit can be found in almost any home. But in a home where a child lives with juvenile diabetes there needs to be additional supplies for their needs. In addition to an at-home emergency kit, a child with diabetes should carry a portable kit with supplies with them at all times.
There are going to be times when your child is going to need help to manage their diabetes and it may be an emergency situation because their blood sugar has dropped dangerously low. Your child should be wearing identification that advises everyone that they are diabetic and are taking insulin and a kit with the supplies needed to help them.
The kit should include instructions on what to do in case of an emergency and numbers to call (parents and health care providers). In addition glucose tablets, fast-acting food stuff should be included to raise your child’s blood sugar quickly. Good examples of these are juice boxes and hard candies. You should include a snack that is considered long-acting too. Something that will keep for a long time such as a granola bar is a convenient item to have. This is for situations where your child should be eating their next meal but unavoidably does not have access to food (in the car during a traffic jam or out with friends).
For your home emergency kit, you should include a means to keep your child’s insulin cold in the case of a prolonged power outage. A small cooler will work nicely for this. It is also a good idea to always have extra insulin on hand. Do not wait until you are out to pick up more, you never know when an emergency can happen that would prevent your from getting some – be prepared.
The Symptoms of Juvenile Diabetes
If diabetes runs in your family, you may already be aware of the symptoms to look for to see if your child might have juvenile diabetes. If the disease is prevalent in your family, your doctor may run routine screening tests as a precautionary measure in the form of blood work. But this isn’t always the case. If your child exhibits any of the symptoms listed below you should schedule and appointment with your health care provider to have them looked into.
If your child is exhibiting these symptoms, they could be a sign that he or she has juvenile diabetes:
* Extreme thirst – this can be defined as a need to drink constantly without be satiated.
* Going to the bathroom to urinate more than usual. In some cases your child may wet the bed because of the increased need to urinate.
* Vision difficulties. Your child is complaining that they cannot see things properly or that they are blurry.
* Losing weight, you may notice a sudden drop in your child’s weight that is not linked to any other causes such as a recent bout of the flu.
* Mood changes, the highs and lows of your child’s blood sugar can cause them to be grumpy or bad-tempered with little provocation.
* A constant desire to eat, this is considered a symptom when the amount of food your child wants to eat is more than normal.
* Suffering from stomach aches or pangs with our without vomiting.
All of the above symptoms could mean that your child has diabetes but only blood work ordered by your doctor will prove that. Another point to note is that the above symptoms do not develop over time; it may be quite obvious to you that something is amiss as these changes can happen quite abruptly.
