In this serious illness of diabetes mellitus, there is some good news. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) handbook, National Diabetes Fact Sheet 2007, “Improved glycemic control benefits people with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. In general, every percentage point drop in A1C blood tests (e.g. from 8.% to 7.0% can reduce the risk of microvascular complications (eye, kidney and nerve diseases) by 40%.” What are they saying? When a person works to control his blood sugar, his risk of complications decreases substantially.
How can a person control his blood sugar? Once a person is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, the treatment involves insulin replacement. For a person with type 2 diabetes, the treatment may be oral medication, diet management, exercise and/or insulin replacement.
When a person is diagnosed with diabetes (either type), it’s important to learn about the illness and how to manage it. Work with your doctor/healthcare provider to manage your blood sugar level. Many people benefit from diabetic teaching. Diabetic teaching can include a nurse and a dietitian who teach how to cope with diabetes and maximize your health.
The American Diabetes Association provides much information at http://www.diabetes.org/
No comments:
Post a Comment