Diabetes - What to Do After You Are Diagnosed

The doctor just told you that you have diabetes. You shouldn't be startled by this fact because in spite of the fears and other notions of the disease, you can control it if you have a disciplined mind and periodical check ups. Your life will change after you are diagnosed with diabetes. You will need to take certain measures such as to stop eating certain foods and also some medical treatments to help you. Here's what you should do if you have diabetes.



Identify What Type It Is



Of the many types of diabetes, there are two distinct types that many people have been diagnosed with. These are type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Your doctor will tell you what you have so you can know how to maintain and treat the disease.



Type 1 Diabetes is caused when your insulin levels in your blood are destroyed by your own cells. In this way, your sugar levels become so high that you won't be able to handle normal functions such as seal external wounds.



Type 2 Diabetes, on the other hand, is when your body resists the insulin hormone. The sugar simply doesn't react with it and as a result, your sugar levels remain the same. After a while, your pancreas will stop producing the hormone, eventually putting your life in danger.



Treat Each Type Respectively



Once you know what sort of diabetes you have, then you can treat it with taking specific measures effective for the type. Although you can perform these tasks to all forms of diabetes, you should keep in mind what you should be expecting from the treatment.



Since type 1 diabetes happens when your body destroys your insulin, you should take periodical insulin shots. This artificial insulin helps lower your blood levels. You can't take it orally through pills because your body will digest this, rendering it useless. Consult your doctor on the most efficient insulin shot for you and the frequency of the shots.



Type 2 diabetes can be maintained by an overhaul on your diet. You should ultimately cut down on the carbohydrates or sugar. Eat foods that help lessen sugar levels such as cinnamon, strawberries, and other berries. Even wine can reduce blood sugar levels, but don't drink too much.



For both forms of diabetes, you can always exercise more frequently. This will help speed up your body processes and allow the insulin hormone to be produced faster. If you can work out more often, you can use up the energy that carbohydrates fuel, which effectively lessens your blood sugar.



Diabetes shouldn't be something you should be afraid of. You still have your body in control, so you can control the diseases by knowing what type of diabetes you have and consequently treating the specific type. All it actually takes is a healthy lifestyle.

Diabetes Control, Can You Control Diabetes Once It's Been Diagnosed?

As someone diagnosed as diabetic, I know how scary it can be when you are first told you are diabetic. When I was informed some six months ago I had no idea how it would change my life. What I did know was that I was going to find out as much as I could about this illness and beat it.



Of course, I have found out since that you cannot beat it, you can only control it by exercise, diet and a change in lifestyle. However, don't despair, this is very doable. Since being diagnosed I have lost 18lb that I have been trying to shift for years, good news after all.



So, exercise is one topic, food is the other. Below is a short description of what food you can eat to help control both your weight and your diabetes.



Diabetes and diets, what can we eat:



What about meat, fish, nuts, pulses and eggs
These are usually known as protein foods and are needed for the growth and repair of body tissues. Some of them also contain a lot of fat. To get the nutrients you need without too much fat, try to:



• Make meat and fish the smaller part of your meals. Fill up on starchy foods and vegetables instead.
• Buy the leanest meat you can afford and trim off any excess fat before cooking. The valuable nutrients are found in the lean part of the meat.
• Cook your meat without adding fat by grilling, roasting, or braising. Drain or skim casseroles, stews or mince.
• Cut down on meat or make a meal go further by adding more pulses and vegetables. Lentils, a tin of kidney beans or butter beans can be added to casseroles, pasta and rice meals.
• Remove the skin from chicken, as this is high in fat.
• Scramble, boil or poach eggs instead of frying.
• Eat fish frequently, especially the oily varieties. Salmon, herring, trout, kippers, mackerel, pilchards. Fish oil supplements are not recommended.
• Use tinned fish in water, tomato sauce or brine rather than oil.
• Do not eat nuts as snacks or nibbles, especially if you are overweight, they are high in fat and calories.
• Avoid meat products such as sausages and burgers as they are high in fat.
• Do not eat luncheon meat, pate and salami as they are very high in fat.
• Look out for the lower fat ready meals and cook in sauces if you use convenience foods.



What about dairy products:
Milk, cheese and other dairy products contain protein and calcium. However, they can contain a lot of fat, so try to:
• Choose low fat plain yoghurt or fromage frails instead of cream
• Remember, cheese is high in fat. Use cottage and low fat curd cheese or low fat soft cheese.



Of course this is just a brief explanation or description of foods you can eat, there are lots more and some very interesting recipes out there that can make life so much more interesting. Did you know you can still drink alcohol? Look out for more articles with interesting ways to control this illness together.