Today, most of us are aware of someone who has diabetes, either a family member, friend, close or distant relative, or just a story of someone who has suffered with this disease. This has become more and more true during the last twenty years as we have seen the numbers of diabetic patients grow to an almost epidemic level.
Let’s review the basics of diabetes. Do you know what the three basics and most primary concerns are for controlling diabetes?
They are:
*Diet
*Exercise
*Insulin and/or oral anti-diabetic medication
Utilizing the three basics enables the diabetic patient to maintain “control” of the diabetic condition, and because diabetes is in a constant state of change due to many factors of metabolism, among many other complicating factors, daily control is of utmost importance. Control of diabetes is considered excellent if the patient can maintain a glycated hemoglobin (Hg asub 1 c) of less than 6.0. Daily blood glucose readings of 70-110 mg/dl would be considered “normal”, and most endocrinologists urge the diabetic patient to strive for normalized blood glucose readings.
Incorporating a well balanced, nutritious diabetic diet plan, usually achieved in consultation with a certified dietician or nutritionist, enables the diabetic patient to maintain control of weight through the balance of the intake of calories, amount and duration of exercise and dosages of insulin and/or oral medications to control blood sugar.
When all of the “basics” are balanced in the life of the diabetic, then control is achieved. Obviously, due to the changing nature of diabetes, the aging process and the real time stress and duress of life events, control is achieved by balancing all these elements into a good high quality, healthy life style.
Is any of this new? It has been reported that diet and exercise were prescribed by ancient physicians thousands of years ago. The addition of insulin and oral anti-diabetic medication has been added successfully, only during the last 70 years, and has greatly improved the survivability and control of the diabetic patient.
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