Now-a-days diabetes has become one of the most common diseases found in more than 70% of adults aged above 60 years. Even though it is common, it should be treated seriously and should be given ample attention. Mentioned below are the basic information that everyone should be aware of about diabetes and some of the ways how people suffering from diabetes can be taken care of.
WHAT IS DIABETES?
We all know that our body gets the energy it needs to function from the food we eat. The food we eat is converted into sugar, which in medical terms is called glucose and is stored for it to be converted into energy. The stored glucose is then converted into energy by a hormone called insulin, this hormone helps the glucose to get into body cells in the form of energy. When you are diagnosed with diabetes it means that either your body fails to produce the required amount of insulin or it fails to use the insulin in the right way or both. This leaves your blood with too much of unused glucose, which can cause some severe health issues. There are two types of diabetes, they are Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes.
TYPE 1 DIABETES: In this type the body of the patient fails to produce insulin. This can be caused to anyone of any age and any gender. In this type the patient will have the disease for the rest of their life.
TYPE 2 DIABETES: This is the type where the body fails to produce enough insulin required or maynot use the produced insulin in the right way. This is the most commonly found type, it occurs more often for people of age above 45 years. You are more vulnerable to this type if you are overweight or obese, less activity and it occurs for people who have previous family history with diabetes.
Diabetes is one of the most severe diseases when it is not taken care of. It can cause some serious health issues like nerve damage, heart problems, strokes, visual problems and kidney diseases. The chances of getting affected by these diseases in people above 60 years of age are very high. So, it is important to keep diabetes in check for them regularly.
HOW TO FIND IF YOU ARE SUFFERING FROM DIABETES?
There are several blood tests in existence to diagnose diabetes.
Random plasma glucose test.
A1C test.
Fasting plasma glucose test.
Oral glucose tolerance test.
It is sometimes tricky to find out diabetes, so your doctor may ask you to take the test more than one time.
7 TIPS TO KEEP DIABETES IN CHECK
Reduce the amount of sugar intake
Since your body already produces a lesser amount of insulin it is better for us to reduce the amount of sugar we take in regularly. You can avoid additional sugar by saying no to sweets, reducing the sugar you take with your hot beverages and eating sugar free food items.
Eat Whole grains
It is good to add fibre rich food items to your daily diet. It regulates the glucose level in your blood and reduces the glycaemic index of your food. Switch to whole grains instead of taking refined foods.
Exercise regularly
Being physically active will help you to burn the excess glucose in your body, which will keep your diabetes away. By exercising regularly you can also avoid many chronic diseases.
Always have Home-cooked food
Avoid taking food from outside, by doing so you can keep in check about what you are feeding your body with. And we all know that no other food is as healthy as home-cooked food.
Avoid taking alcohol
Alcohol may cause one’s blood sugar level to raise or drop, which can further cause some serious issues. So it is better to stop the intake of alcohol or at least to limit the amount of alcohol intake.
Quit smoking
In people who are not suffering from diabetes, it is said that smoking can double the chances of being diagnosed with diabetes than non-smokers. In case of preexisting diabetes, it can make the patient's condition worser. So it is advised to quit smoking when you are diagnosed with diabetes.
Practice Yoga
It is said that yoga activates all the malfunctioning parts in your body and makes them function properly. So doing yoga can bring your body back on track and normalise the production of insulin.
When you are diagnosed with diabetes it is one of the most important tasks to attend regular body check ups in order to keep your body under control. So that you can take necessary measures at the right time to keep yourself safe from worst case scenarios. If you are looking for home visit doctors and home visit nurse to take care of your seniors in the comfort of home, visit 60plsindia to book an appointment.
Author: Team 60plus India
Keywords: 60 years and above, two types of diabetes, glucose test, whole grains, practice yoga, keeping safe from worst case scenarios.
Tags:#diabetes #type #stroke #diabetestype #diabetic #health #diabetesawareness #diabetestipo #cholesterol #diet #covid #insulin #herbal #healthylifestyle #weightloss #fitness #lowcarb #diabetesmellitus #typeonediabetes #seniorcitizen #seniorliving #seniorcare #elderly #seniorcitizens #covid #elderlycare #seniors #seniorhealth #senior #aging #eldercare #retirement #healthcare #seniorlife
