Diabetes Care

A type of diabetes whereby the blood sugar level of a woman goes up when she is pregnant but comes back to normal after delivery is called Gestational Diabetes. Medicines alone are not enough for curing gestational diabetes. One must care for oneself as well as one’s baby with the help of advice from the nurse, diabetes, a qualified dietitian, and any other professional health care advisers. With the required information, one can have a successful and healthy baby. Food and proper exercise can have curative effect on the blood sugar level and help to protect one from gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes can make the baby too large which causes delivery problems and the baby may have low blood sugar. But it can be cured and controlled with proper treatment to give birth to a healthy baby.

Home Treatment for gestational diabetes

Once a person has gestational diabetes there is every chance that the mother may develop it again at a future date with a risk for type 2 diabetes. The mother must take care to keep a healthy weight without becoming overweight. The mother has to avoid any form of medication that has resistance against insulin. Birth control pills such as progestin-only should be avoided as this increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Consulting your doctor is important to decide on a suitable type of contraception method. All pregnant women must take prenatal vitamins. On the other hand, it is important not to take too much vitamins as it is counter effective as well.

Additional steps that women can take

Many women with gestational diabetes however do give birth to normal babies. The blood sugar has to be controlled first. The mother need not eat any new or special foods. The amount of food that you eat must be changed and the timings of the meals need to be altered too. The mother need not join any costly gym or do any fancy exercises. Walking alone provides the necessary mild exercise. Continue Reading

Diabetes, though a very common condition the world over today, is often a lesser understood disease, shrouded by many myths and fears. The very name, ‘diabetes’, instills an untold fear in most people’s minds. But the fact is, that it is can be brought under control easily and maintained that way, provided one takes adequate care. So what dies diabetes care involve and what it your own role in it, as a diabetic?

The most important factor – YOU!

First and foremost, you should understand that YOU AND ONLY YOU are responsible for regulating your disorder. The kind of lifestyle you lead, your food habits, your mental attitude and how strict you are with your treatment, all these go into making your care more effective. The more positive your outlook, the lesser trouble the disorder will give you!

Team of professionals

There are many General Physicians (GPs) who are very competent in handling your treatment by themselves. But there might be times when you may need a team of healthcare professionals to back you. This team will conduct a thorough checkup and then advice you on further course of action.

1. The Primary Team

If you are new to diabetes, the best place is a local clinic specializing in diabetes. Juvenile diabetics, on the other hand, are taken care of by hospital-based teams.

The supporting team will comprise the following:

• The Practice Nurse is one who has completed extra training and performs a regular routine check on you.
• A District Nurse visits people in the mornings, performs a test and also gives a shot of insulin if necessary.
• A Health Visitor is more or less like the Practice Nurse, but visits you in your own home.
• The Dietitian helps you regulate your diet and weight in accordance with your disease.
• A Chiropodist does a regular foot check, as it is a very vital indication to diabetes.
• An Optometrist performs an annual check on your eyes, so as to rule out a chance of disorder in the eyes.
• The Pharmacist can advice you on the right medication to be taken for your disorder. Of course, you should ideally rely on the doctor’s advice. Continue Reading

Yes, it may seem almost impossible not to have a big piece of Grandma’s pumpkin pie loaded with whip cream, or the yams packed with brown sugar. But before you rush off into sugar heaven, be sure to consider how it may affect your health. With diabetes, overeating, and eating lots of sugary foods during the holiday, does much more than just make you ready for a nap and give you indigestion.

If you’re like most with diabetes, the holiday season means food, food, and more food, and choices, choices, and more choices. A taste of this, a taste of that, festivities at work, and at home, can play havoc with your blood sugar. High blood sugar harms your body and leaves you feeling less than festive. Below are a few tips to help you enjoy the holidays and keep your blood sugar under better control.

Tip #1 Everything in moderation. Before you rush off to the party where you know there will be lots of food filled with fat and sugar, eat something nutritious. Have a small snack such as fresh fruit, a small salad, or low-fact popcorn an hour before you go to the party. This will have your hunger pangs satisfied, and you’ll be likely to eat less. The foods you do eat make sure to get small portions.

Tip #2 Watch what you’re drinking. Instead of drinking alcohol, eggnog or soda, have a glass of ice water. Sip on your water throughout the party. Sipping on water in combination with the snack you had before will keep your stomach slightly full, thus you’ll eat less.

Tip #3 Be picky. If you’re attending a buffet, or potluck, try to choose foods that are lower in fat. Veggie and fruit trays along steamed vegetables should be your first choice. Then fill your plate with a small serving of the less nutritious foods.

Tip #4 Don’t deny yourself. Perhaps you love the traditional holiday sugar cookies, or the turkey dressing. Allow yourself to have a small sampling of the foods you love. You won’t feel deprived, and you won’t have to deal with the constant craving. Continue Reading