Effective ways to treat and manage diabetes

Diabetes is a condition that affects the body’s natural ability to convert food into energy necessary for daily functions. It is a chronic condition, and there is no effective cure for it. At best, ongoing diabetes treatments can help manage symptoms of diabetes and associated discomforts. This is done using a combination of oral medications and insulin injections to manage blood sugar levels. Here is a brief overview of diabetes and diabetes treatments.

Known causes
The causes of diabetes range from certain genetic changes to lifestyle choices, including obesity and activity levels. In many cases, it can be triggered due to an autoimmune response where the immune system destroys beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin.

Common symptoms
Unexplained weight loss, increased hunger and thirst, blurry vision, frequent urination, and extreme fatigue are the most common indicators of diabetes.

Treating type 1 diabetes
Doctors mainly recommend the use of insulin for treating type 1 diabetes. Normally, insulin doses are divided according to their efficacy duration. For example, rapid-acting insulin normally lasts for a period of 3 to 4 hours and takes effect within the first fifteen minutes. Short-acting insulin takes exactly twice the number of hours for taking effect and lasts up to 8 hours. Intermediate-acting insulin can last up to 18 hours but takes over an hour or two to be effective. Lastly, there is long-acting insulin that lasts over a day.

Treating type 2 diabetes
Unlike type 1, oral medications can effectively control blood sugar levels and maintain the required glucose without insulin injections. Mainly, diet and exercise play a crucial role when it comes to type 2 diabetes. Doctors can prescribe a combination of inhibitors, peptides, biguanides, and meglitinides, among other types of oral medications. These pills can effectively slow the body’s digestion process, reduce the amount of glucose produced by the liver, modify the way the body makes insulin, and stimulate the pancreas to release more insulin into the system and glucose into the urine.

For women with gestational diabetes, it is okay to take low doses of insulin and oral medications that will not interfere with the baby’s growth and development.

Natural remedies
As mentioned earlier, insulin is a must-have for type 1 diabetes patients. But there are several natural home remedies you use to control type 2 diabetes.

• Aloe vera
  Aloe vera gel can help reduce blood glucose and hemoglobin A1c levels while simultaneously boosting glucose storage and its use in energy breakdown functions.
• Cinnamon
  High cholesterol influences blood sugar levels. Cinnamon does a decent job of bringing down glucose levels and simultaneously lowering triglycerides and Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) to maintain optimum cholesterol levels.
• Ginseng
  Studies show that American Ginseng increases the body’s insulin sensitivity to bring down fasting glucose levels and improve blood sugar control. This natural remedy is available in the form of capsules and can be taken as per your doctor’s instructions.

Diet
Changes in diet are absolutely crucial when it comes to managing diabetes. For people who suffer from type 1 diabetes, you must limit excess consumption of starchy and sugary foods. Furthermore, one must reduce the amount of proteins and fats consumed on a daily basis. This is done to mainly avoid any spikes in blood sugar levels. For type two diabetes, you must include more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats sourced from local produce and fresh catch. It is also advisable to have smaller meals spread throughout the day and lead an active lifestyle. Regular cardio and exercise immensely help in the long run for managing diabetes.