type 2 diabetes

What is type 2 diabetes?
Normally you body breaks food down into glucose and transferring it into your bloodstream. Insulin is a hormone made your pancreas.
Insulin help get the glucose from blood into your cells.
With type 2 diabetes your pancreas does not function properly and doesn’t make enough insulin or does not produce enough insulin.

How is type 2 diabetes managed?
It is up to you with the help of your physician to make changes.
Food chooses will be up to you, when, how much and what to eat.
You need to incorporate physical activity, take meds if needed to control your blood sugars.

What can I do to control my diabetes?
1. Blood sugar readings which includes your A1C ( a blood test that tells your Physician what your blood sugar has been running over 2=3 month period.)
2. Controlling your blood pressure.
3. Keeping your cholesterol number target ranges. It is very important to work with your healthcare team to make changes and maintain your goals.

Your meal plan will consist of counting carbohydrates.
Choose food low in saturated fats, lose weight if needed and increase the amount of fiber in you diet. Now let touch on each one of these topics:
1. Carbohydrate counting- Carbs include bread, tortilla shells, biscuit, potatoes, rice crackers, corn, peas carrots to name a few.
Recognizing what is a carbohydrate will help you to control your blood sugars. Usually your physician or dietitian or  will educate you on how many carbohydrate you should eat with each meal to help maintain consistent blood glucose target levels.

2. Low saturated fats- This can help lower your cholesterol and prevent heart disease. Foods high in saturated fats include meat, butter, whole milk, cream, palm and coconut oils.

3. Lose weight- By cutting portion size and increasing physical activity. By losing just 10% of your weight usually will improve your blood sugar levels.

4. Increase fiber in your diet-Include high fiber foods in diet such as fruit and vegetable, dried bean, whole grain breads and cereal. This will also help your blood sugar be better control.  These item take longer to digest and keep your blood sugars from spiking high and then dropping.

Physical activity is a great benefit, for someone with diabetes. Some of the benefits include lowers your blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure and also keep your joints flexible

Prior to doing any physical activity you should be cleared by your physician.
Once cleared here are a few suggestions:
Gardening, taking the stairs, walking, dancing, bike riding.

Medication
Many people need medication along with meal planning and physical activity to reach their blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol goals.

These medication can be oral (pills) or you may have to take injection of insulin.

This is an overview of type 2 diabetes every person is different and your best resource is your physician this is meant for education purposes. See you physician for specific questions.

pre-diabetes

What is pre-diabetic?

It is a condition that comes prior to type 2 diabetes. Blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be considered diabetes. Pre-diabetes will creep up on you, it is silent and you will not be aware you have anything wrong with you.

The good news is that with cutting calories and becoming more active Pre-diabetes can be reversed, which will then delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.
How do you know who is at risk?
There are 2 categories you make fall under:
1. 45 years old and older who are overweight
2. Under 45 years old and overweight and have other risk factors for diabetes.

Do you know if your at risk for diabetes?
You are at risk for diabetes if you:
1.are overweight
2. Are inactive
3. Have a parent, brother or sister with diabetes
4 African Americans
5. Native Americans
6. Asian Americans
7. Pacific Americans
8. Hispanic Americans
9. Delivered a baby weighting over 9 pounds.
10 had gestational diabetes during pregnancy

How can I find out if I am pre-diabetic?
There are 2 common test that are performed.
1. Fasting glucose test- You get a blood taken after you have had anything to get or drink for 10-12 hours. If  the results is 100-125mg/dl you are considered pre-diabetic.
Greater than 126mg/dl than you are considered diabetic.

2. Oral glucose tolerance test-Is another test your doctor can order. You drink a  sweet high sugar content (almost looking like soda but thicker) before drinking the glucose you will have your blood taken and then again 2 hours after. If the result is 140-199mg/dl that is considered peripatetic. Greater than 200mg/dl then a diagnosis of diabetes is confirmed.

Can you reverse pre-diabetes?
Yes, you can bring your blood sugar back to normal levels by doing 2 modifications.
1. Cut your calories and the amount of fat.
2. Increasing your activity

Here are a few suggestions to eat fewer calories:
Decrease size of portions by 10-15%
Order smaller portion when eating out
When eating out take half home
Try calorie free beverages or water instead of soda
Use different methods of cooking, broil, bake or grill

Increasing your activity can be easy try these suggestions:
Walk up stairs instead of the elevator
Park farther from the entrance when shopping.
Find an activity you enjoy (I  personally like the Wii fit, you trick yourself into exerting because it fun).
Take a walk everyday, start slow and increase a couple minutes every week until your able to walk 30-45 minutes.

I hope this information is helpful, if there is any other common health issue  you would like to information  on email
Me at schulzmelissa831@gmail.com.
I am a registered nurse and enjoy the ability to share my knowledge with the world.

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