Almost twenty -one millions of people in the US.People with diabetes, on average, have medical expenses that are 2.3 times higher than non -diabetic, according to the American Diabetes Association.
Another study in Population Health Management estimates that diabetes is costing our nation $ 218 billion in medical care each year.However, most diabetes cases can be prevented or reversed through exercise, weight loss and a healthy life.
I find myself asking me.What happens if the 6.2 million people who were not diagnosed knew they had diabetes?Or the 57 million Americans with estimated prediabetes were educated on how they could control their health and avoid becoming type 2 diabetics?
Being diagnosed as pre-diabetic does not mean that type 2 diabetes is inevitable.If you lose weight and increase your physical activity, it can prevent or delay diabetes and even restore your blood glucose levels to normal (ACSM 2006).(See the sidebar for defined diabetes terms)
This is a very important point that many people do not understand: if exercising and loses weight, it can prevent or delay diabetes.
Do you know the diabetes signs?Look around.Do you see any diabetes signal in your friends and family at this time?(See the sidebar to see the common diabetes signs) It is very possible that there are people who are diabetic (or will become diabetic) around them every day.The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in three Americans can develop diabetes in your life.These statistics are amazing and preventable for most.
What about the type 2 diabetics that have been diagnosed?What would happen if we taught them that through the diet and exercise they could reduce their medication or eliminate it?What would this do for our health crisis?I know that we would first have to break many myths, magical solutions and limiting beliefs.Pharmaceutical companies will not be happy that I reveal this secret.But, what the hell, our health system is in crisis!Our nation is sick!There I said it.So we go to the matter of assuming some personal responsibility for our health.
Many of you who are trying to understand diabetes and assume responsibility for your health immediately have several questions:
Or should you cut the sugar?
Or does your weight put it at risk?
Or if you are skinny, you don't have to worry, right?
Or can the exercise and the diet really help you?
Or how do I control blood sugar levels?
And then there are the issues that you may not even know how to ask:
or having diabetes for more than five years can increase its probability of developing cardiovascular diseases.
Or regular exercise can make it more insulin sensitive, which can reduce the doses of medicines.
First, let's talk about insulin, the main medication that maintains the operation of the diabetics and then you can see the answers clearly to their questions.
How does insulin work?Insulin is the main hormone that controls the blood sugar entry of the blood torrent into body cells to be used as energy.How does exercise influence insulin hormone?Exercise has an effect similar to insulin in the body.When exercising, their muscles require a constant sugar flow to continue contracting and stay in motion.The exercise increases the speed at which the muscles absorb the sugar of the blood torrent;So the exercise acts just like insulin by emptying excess sugar in the bloodstream towards the muscles.This action, therefore, decreases blood sugar.A twenty minutes a day can reduce glucose levels by twenty points.
Here is a great example to explain the function of insulin in your body.Think of insulin as a bus for a moment.Glucose (sugar) is the passenger.There are two types of diabetics.Type 1 diabetics do not manufacture insulin (or have no bus), which, according to the disease control center, is 5% to 10% of all diagnosed cases.The second type (type 2) has insulin resistance, which means that the bus is there, but is not picking up passengers and there are fewer buses on the route.According to the Center for Disease Control, type 2 diabetes represents 90% -95% of all diagnosed cases.
When exercising, their muscles work more than normal and require more fuel than usual;Then your muscles send their own buses to collect the sugar in the bloodstream and take it back to the muscles.Active muscles take care of insulin and (for type 2 diabetics) can even show bus (insulin) how to return to work (collect passengers).
The exercise has many benefits for a diabetic.It increases glucose absorption by cells, improves insulin sensitivity by improving glucose metabolism and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.The reduction of blood glucose levels improves insulin sensitivity by making it more effective.Exercise can reduce dosing requirements or the need for medications and improve the ability to lose and / or maintain body weight if combined with an intuitive diet.(See the sidebar to see the safe exercise verification list)
There are many popular myths about diabetes.Here are some that I listen to often.
Myth n.° 1: Diabetics cannot eat sugar or sweets and the only reason they have diabetes is because they ate too much sugar.Yes, simple carbohydrates or sweets increase blood glucose levels, but if they eat them in moderation and make them part of their food plan, you can safely eat an occasional sweet
Myth # 2: If I'm skinny, I'm fine.Diabetes is just a disease that obese people contract.
It is not completely true, 20% of people with type 2 diabetes are thin.Yes, being obese puts it at risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.The key to remembering is that there is no body type, genetic trait, race, age or atypical gender of "diabetes".Type 2 diabetes is caused by lifestyle elections and diabetes is a disease that should be taken seriously.
Myth # 3: There is no natural remedy for diabetes.If I take insulin or medicines for insulin sensitivity, I can continue with my same lifestyle and be fine.Well, there is a natural remedy, it is called the exercise and balanced feed.You can maintain strict control over diabetes when controlling your glucose levels, combining exercise with a balanced diet or using medications.
Myth n.° 4: Well, I am only at the limit and reading of 170 mg / dl of blood sugar is normal to me.You can feel normal to be diabetic, but high glucose levels are not safe.There is no limit.You are diabetic or not diabetic.This is a serious illness that requires that you assume the personal responsibility of your body.There are serious health complications associated with diabetes, especially when you are stressing your body with high sugar levels in theblood.You must begin to make changes in the lifestyle to be able to live a long -term quality life.
Myth # 5 - Exercise!What can that do for me?Straw!Straw!BLAH healthy lifestyle!Yes, I know.The American Diabetics Association recommends 150 minutes of exercise per week.This is an exercise of 20-60 minutes, in continuous sessions, 3-5 times a week.The diabetes prevention study revealed that exercising for a total of two hours a week can reduce the risk of developing diabetes by 50%, which can be only 20 minutes, 6 days a week.Make a short walk ten minutes before and after work and can prevent diabetes or reduce their glucose levels.
The fact is that more than 90% of diabetes cases can be prevented and can be maintained with some natural remedies such as exercise, healthy eating and / or combined with low doses of medications without taking advantage of our medical care system by a sumof $ 218 billion.Start gradually and exercise a little every day until you reach the recommended guidelines.Eat a balanced and healthy diet and lose the focus of all or nothing.Find out about your illness, determine what your beliefs about diabetes are and make changes in lifestyle as of today.(See the sidebar you want to get more information)
Diabetes is serious but you can do something about it!
Side bars:
Defined diabetes terms
o Type 1 = Autoimmune disease that destroys insulin producing cells in the pancreas.The body cannot manufacture its own insulin because beta cells of the pancreas that are responsible for insulin production are destroyed.About 5-10% of all diagnosed cases (CDC 2005)
o Type 2 = The body loses its sensitivity to insulin, so that the cells of the body cannot use it properly (also known as insulin resistance or initial diabetes in adults).Around 90% - 95% of all diagnosed cases (CDC 2005)
or pre-diabetes = If you have a fast plasma glucose test (FPG) and its levels are 100 mg / dl to 125 mg / dl, it is diagnosed that shows signs of becoming a diabetic unless you make some changes inYour lifestyle
o Gestational diabetes = when pregnancy hormones interfere with the mother's insulin, which causes glucose levels to increase.This is a form of insulin resistance that in most cases ends with the birth of the child.
o Metabolic syndrome = a combination of medical disorders that increases the risk factors of developing cardiovascular diseases, obesity, hypertension, low density lipoproteins (HDL), high levels of cholesterol and high levels of triglycerides in plasma.
o Hypoglycemic = abnormally low levels of blood sugar that could be caused by an excess of insulin or its diet.The signs would be: tremor or tremors, nervousness, rapid heartbeat, increased sweating, headache, decreased concentration or attention, unconsciousness and coma.
o Hyperglycemic = abnormally high levels of blood sugar.The signs would be: frequent urination, great thirst, nausea, abdominal pain, dry skin, disorientation, difficulty breathing and drowsiness.
Do you know the diabetes signs?Some very revealing signs include:
or thirst, frequent hunger and urination
or weight loss
or fatigue
or irritability
or frequent infections
or blurred vision
or cuts / bruises that take to heal
Hormigueo and numbness in hands and feet
o Skin, gums and bladder recurring infections
Safe exercise verification list
or obtain authorization fromdoctor before starting any exercise program
or try your blood glucose level before exercise, immediately after exercise and again two hours after exercise
or follow the general guidelines for a safe exercise session;Heating, cooling, stretching, adhere to an intensity of type 1 (3 to 5 rpe) and type 2 (3 to 6/7 rpe), drink a lot of water
or wear well -adjusted, well padded shoes
o Polyester or polyester socks cacton wear so that your dried feet and minimize trauma in the foot
o Avoid vigorous, high impact or static activity less than specifically approved by your doctor
or carry a carbohydrate snack with you 10-15 grams of carbohydrates
or use an identification that tells other people who have diabetes in case of a hypoglycemic response Link
or know and control the exercise -induced hypoglycemia signs
or do not exercise if you have blood glucose levels of 250 mg / dl or if you have ketones in the urine
Or if you have regional neuropathy, peripheral neuropathy, neuropathy, retinopathy or any other diabetes related condition, you must obtain the approval of a doctor before starting an exercise program.These conditions require specific and strict guidelines.
or exercise with a partner until you know your response to exercise
or always check your feet before and after exercise to detect injuries
Or drink a lot of water.A good rule is to take a bite or two at least every fifteen minutes.