Diabetes Treatment

To avoid long-term complications of diabetes, it is essential to remain healthy by controlling blood sugar. Some people can successfully sustain their blood sugar level at desired levels with diet and exercise. Others may need insulin and some medications.

For type 2 diabetes, blood sugar can be controlled with a single medication that proves effective and sometimes combination of few medicines is necessary.

There are four ways to treat diabetes. The first priority treatment for diabetes patients is undoubtedly exercise and healthy diet. Secondly, alternative medications also aid in the treatment for diabetes, and third, please do follow the doctor’s treatment and prescription religiously, and last, people whose kidneys are failing or who aren’t responding to other treatments, pancreas or islet cell transplantation may be an option.

Goals for diabetes treatment:

A typical target for younger adults range might be 80 to 120mg/dl before meals, and below 180mg/dl. They will not suffer from any complications of diabetes then. For older adults, it can be more dangerous than in younger people because blood sugar levels fall too low. Their fasting target goal should be 100 to 140 mg/dL and below 200 mg/dL after meals. The type of sugar you have depends on how often you test your blood sugar. Test your blood sugar at least thrice a day. If you have type 2 diabetes don’t use insulin. You may need to test your blood sugar level only once a day or as little as twice a week.

Factors that affect your blood sugar include:

Food habits can raise your blood sugar level. What and how much you eat, and the time of the day, also affect your blood sugar level immensely. Physical activity is important to lower your blood sugar level. Physical activity causes sugar to be transported to your cells, where it is used for energy. By doing small works like gardening, house work and even taking a small walk can lower your blood sugar level by quite a margin. Medications like insulin and oral diabetes medications help to lower your blood sugar. Illness due to physical stress of cold or others may also secrete hormones that raise your blood sugar level. When you’re sick check your glucose level frequently. Alcohol happens to raise your blood sugar level at times as they count as calories in your diet.