Diabetes, an Epidemic in the 21st Century
We used to only hear about type 2 diabetes affecting the middle aged population. Now you hear more and more about young adults and even children developing type 2 diabetes. Are we experiencing an epidemic? Yes, diabetes mellitus is a growing epidemic. It has been estimated that currently, there are 246 million people worldwide that is living with diabetes. It has also been estimated that an additional 7 million people will develop diabetes this year. Are you a person living with diabetes? Do you have a loved one living with diabetes? If you or someone close to you has diabetes, you will know that blood sugar monitoring on a regular basis and acting on the results will help to prevent long term complications.
Watching what you eat also important in preventing long term complications from diabetes. A person living with diabetes can eat a variety of food but always has to be mindful of the amount of food consumed. If you take your blood sugar two hours after a meal and you notice that your blood sugar is more than 10 mmol/L in Canada or more than 140 mg/dL in the U.S., then you know that you ate too much during that meal. If your blood sugar is too high, make a note on what you ate and next time you go to eat the same meal, try reducing the portion size of the meal. Again, check your blood sugar results two hours after the meal and see if you have reached your target range.
Regular check-up visits with your doctor is also important. During your doctors visit, your doctor will order a blood test called an A1C test. This test will give your doctor and you a good indication of how well you have managed your blood sugar levels over the previous 3 months. Make sure that you use proper technique when testing your own blood sugars. Incorrect technique can alter the results and not give you a true picture of what your blood sugar level actually is. Sometimes, if you are on insulin, or oral medications, your blood sugar level can go too low. This is called hypoglycemia. If you develop hypoglycemia, you should treat it immediately and then let your health care professional know that it happened. Your health care professional may need to adjust your medication. The two key things to remember in preventing diabetes complications are to learn how to identify any abnormal blood sugar level early and if it is abnormal, then follow through with a plan of action. It is possible to remain healthy while living with diabetes. Make it happen for you.
