Diabetes Prevention and Treatment

Diabetes is a serious disease, affecting millions of Americans and growing at epidemic rates, with one million new cases each year. But, there is good news: Diabetes can be prevented. By losing a modest amount of weight by getting 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days a week and eating healthier, people with pre-diabetes can delay or prevent the onset of the disease. The "Small Steps. Big Rewards. Prevent type 2 Diabetes." campaign, the first-ever national diabetes prevention campaign, spreads this important message of hope to the millions of Americans with pre-diabetes.

There is no one magic diet that works for everyone. Nor is there a single diet that works best for one individual over a long time. Pay attention to your genetics, and to your ethnic group's traditional foods. If you are African American, that does not mean overcooked vegetables or pork rinds. Such garbage came on the nutritional scene only recently, and is not a true ethnic food. The same is true for Italians who overdose on pepperoni pizza. Being Italian myself as, well as having enjoyed fantastic African cuisine, I can tell you there is a lot more to these diets than the recent introductions often associated with these cultural groups.

Try not to over treat hypoglycemia. Because the symptoms of hypoglycemia can be frightening, your child may want to keep eating until she feels better. Encourage her to eat a measured amount of sugar and then wait 10 or 15 minutes before deciding whether to eat again. Over treatment of a hypoglycemic episode can result in the opposite problem -- high blood glucose -- later in the day. Your child may find it easier to avoid over treatment if she uses glucose tablets rather than candy or juice -- although the tablets are sweet, they're not as appealing as candy.

Encourage patients and their families to attend group sessions. Medical and psychosocial information can be given at these sessions, which can also provide a forum for discussion of personal concerns. These sessions can be led by health care professionals, including physicians, nurses, and dietitians, and may meet several times a year. Local diabetes organizations may sponsor or know of such groups.

Lack of insulin production by the pancreas makes type 1 diabetes particularly difficult to control. Treatment requires a strict regimen that typically includes a carefully calculated diet, planned physical activity, home blood glucose testing several times a day, and multiple daily insulin injections.

Walking is a great exercise. Do it every day, and you'll raise your metabolic rate, as well as level out your blood sugar. This means you will burn extra calories even while you are sitting in front of your computer or sleeping in your bed! Look at the ways you save calories, and then spend them instead. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park away from the door, instead of up close. Use a pushmower instead of a riding mower. Pay attention to what you do and think of how you can burn more calories while doing it.

Parents of children or adolescents in whom diabetes has recently been diagnosed. A single psychosocial evaluation of the family unit may be important to the overall educational process of raising a child who has diabetes.

Treatment typically includes diet control, exercise, home blood glucose testing, and in some cases, oral medication and/or insulin. Approximately 30-40% of people with type 2 diabetes will require insulin injections.