PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM DIABETES
Have you had your blood sugar (glucose) checked this year? If you haven't, it's time to get this on your schedule. Be aware that even if you have a routine physical every year, not every doctor tests blood sugar annually. You need to know if you have diabetes or prediabetes. Diabetes is a disorder in which the body doesn't produce enough insulin or is resistant to the action of insulin. Insulin is the hormone needed to remove the main source of the body's energy, glucose) Fortunately, it can be diagnosed early with testing. The American Diabetes Association advises all adults to get tested every three years. It is important to detect high blood sugar early because the more quickly it is treated the easier it is to prevent serious complications such as strokes, kidney problems and heart attacks.
The National Institutes of Health recognizes diabetes as one of the most serious common chronic diseases in the United States. Eighty thousand people are diagnosed with diabetes each year. In fact, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that by 2050 one in three Amercians could develop diabetes and one in four Americans could have prediabetes.
Your doctor may recommend a number of different blood tests including FPG (fasting plasma glucose), OGTT (oral glucose tolerance tests) or hemoglobin A1C. These tests will identify the glucose in the blood. Sometimes even seemingly healthy people can find that their levels are out of a normal range with high levels indicating undiagnosed prediabetes or diabetes or low levels indication hypoglycemia.
Knowing your numbers is the first step in trying to normalize your glucose levels. Lowering those numbers can help avoid serious complications. Being aware of a problem can be the first step to caring for yourself by eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly. In addition, you may need prescription drugs to help your body metabolize sugar effectively.
At least eighty percent of people who develop type 2 diabetes are overweight. Losing just ten pounds can dramatically lower your blood-sugar levels. A combination of healthy diet emphasizing complex carbohydrates, fish, poultry and low-fat or no-fat dairy products and exercising regularly are basic first steps in dealing with high blood sugar. Since a side effect of diabetes is excess urination, you may become dehydrated. So drink at least eight glasses of water every day. Excess stress can also raise your blood sugar levels. To get motivated to eat better, move more, drink more water and deal with the stresses in your life. Work with a qualified hypnotherapist to get motivated to bring your blood sugar levels down and protect yourself from diabetes.