Diabetes is a serious disease, but many people consider it more as an
inconvenience. It’s just another reason to watch what you eat. But the facts are that if diabetes is not well-controlled, its insidious effects will continue behind the scenes. Awful complications will come down the road. Complications such as heart attack, stroke, blindness, amputations and so on.
This failure to take diabetes seriously is becoming especially dangerous as more and more people are being diagnosed with diabetes. In the U.S., diabetes is nearly epidemic.
Nearly 8 percent of the population has diabetes. Approximately 26 percent more have significant risk factors for diabetes and will develop it if they don’t get diagnosed and prevent its onset. This means that up
to a third of the U.S. population is at risk for diabetes and its terrible complications. Even children in this age of low activity (TV and video game couch potatoes), bad diet (high fat, high sugar, fast-food) and obesity are more likely to develop diabetes.
Diabetes must be taken seriously. It must be seriously controlled.
The first thing people might think in regards to diabetes treatment is, “Will I have to take insulin shots?” The answer first depends on whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetics do not produce any of their own insulin and so they must take injections.
Type 2 diabetics (most diabetics are type 2) do produce their own insulin, but they have become what is called “insulin resistant”. Their body does not use the insulin to process their blood sugar. So for type 2 diabetes the answer is, if you do not, will not, or cannot control your diabetes without insulin, then yes. You will need to take insulin shots. But
insulin shots are not inevitable.
The first thing to do is prepare yourself with information about diabetes. You cannot treat the disease unless you first understand it.
Your doctor will likely start you on a controlled diet, exercise, and oral medications. These are often used to
treat type 2 diabetes. But if these are not managed well, every day, then the disease will progress to require insulin.
Insulin shots are not the best answer, and not only because you don’t like the idea of giving yourself a shot. Excess insulin will increase your body-fat, which will increase your insulin resistance, which will
increase your need for more insulin. It can turn into an ugly cycle that is difficult to break, and lead to worse control and complications.
The number one secret to diabetes control is the right frame of mind. Without
the right attitude and motivation, any treatment becomes much less
effective. You will “cheat” on your diet, ignore your weight, frequently skip tests you need to take, and so on. The consequences are not immediate, they are not painful, and so you will become more lax about your
treatment.
Complications of heart disease, stroke, liver damage, etc., will come upon you suddenly because you did not take your diabetes seriously.
Another important key is a system of diabetes management. The right attitude alone cannot help you, unless it is focused and channeled through a specific and directed system to control diabetes. Diet and exercise, tests and medications work best within a system — which makes
life easier and healthier and longer.
Whatever you do, take your diabetes seriously, and save your life.
