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Diabetes Prevention Tips (Article 6)
By Dr. Willie Ong
Are you aware if you have diabetes or not? It’s easy to find out. One way is to have your fasting blood sugar or FBS tested in the morning.
A fasting blood sugar of less than 100 mg/dL (or 5.6 mmol/L) is considered normal. A fasting blood sugar between 100 to 125 mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L) is labeled as prediabetes, which is an early form of diabetes. Now, if your fasting blood sugar reaches 126 mg/dL (7 mmol/L) or higher, then this means that you probably have diabetes.
Aside from the fasting blood sugar, doctors may request for the Hemoglobin A1C Test. This blood test measures your average blood sugar for the past three months. Thus, it is harder to cheat the Hemoglobin A1C test by eating less food a day before the exam, which some patients do.
A Hemoglobin A1C level of 6.5 percent or higher indicates that you have diabetes. To be certain of the diagnosis, doctors recommend that the fasting blood sugar or Hemoglobin A1C test be taken twice on separate occasions.
Once you are diagnosed with diabetes, treatment will involve blood sugar monitoring, a healthy diet, regular exercise, and possible medications for diabetes.
Diabetes Prevention And Control:
Here are some tips to follow if you want to control your diabetes or if you want to avoid developing diabetes in the future.
1. Choose healthy foods – Regarding food, everything in moderation. Limit your intake of sugary foods, salty foods and fatty foods. Limit intake of animal meat, sweet beverages like soda and iced tea, and junk foods. Try low-fat and lower calorie foods. Eat more healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains and fish. To maintain your blood sugar, try to consume the same kind and the same amount of food most of the time. This will help reduce wide fluctuations in your blood sugar.
2. Move more and exercise – People who exercised regularly were more likely to have normal blood sugars. With regular exercise, you will be able to maintain your weight, improve circulation in your legs and feel better. Walking and swimming are excellent exercises. If you have diabetes, try to be conscious of your level of physical activity and food intake. Remember that physical activity lowers your blood sugar while food intake increases the blood sugar. We don’t want your blood sugar too low nor too high. Your doctor will also adjust your medications depending on these factors.
3. Lose excess weight - According to Dr. Jared Reis, among all the lifestyle factors, being overweight was linked most strongly to diabetes risk. Conversely, losing excess weight can reduce your risk of getting diabetes. To lose weight, either decrease your food intake or increase your exercise routine.
4. Get regular check-ups – People with diabetes require at least yearly check-ups, including blood tests and a complete physical. The blood sugar is monitored regularly, sometimes several times in a week. Make sure also that you get the proper vaccinations, such as for the flu, pneumonia, hepatitis B and tetanus. Ask your doctor about it.
5. Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol levels under control – Those who have diabetes often have other conditions like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Make sure that all these chronic diseases are being treated with diet and medications, if necessary. You need to control all these conditions in order to prevent complications such as kidney failure.
6. Live a clean life – Shun the usual vices that lead to poor health. Quit *******. ******* harms your arteries just like diabetes does. In addition, try to avoid or limit your ******* intake. The more a person drinks, the more they are prone to engage in other unhealthy habits like overeating and *******.
7. Care for your teeth - Diabetics are more prone to gum infection and swollen gums. Moreover, studies show that gum disease is associated with heart disease. Some experts believe that inflammation of the gums somehow leads to inflammation of the heart arteries, too. Hence, brush your teeth three times a day and remember to floss daily. Visit your dentist every 6 months for check-ups.
8. Inspect your feet – Diabetics may develop nerve problems that cause numbness of the feet. This makes them prone to feet injury coupled with the slow healing in diabetics. Hence, make sure to check and wash your feet daily. If you see any wound, no matter how small, consult your doctor about it.
9. For those with diabetes, watch out for high blood sugar and low blood sugar - Adjust your food intake, both in the quantity and timing of your meals to prevent erratic swings in the blood sugar. You may also buy a blood sugar testing kit to determine quickly if you have high or low blood sugar. High blood sugar is treated with medicines or insulin. Low blood sugar can be treated with the intake of sweet foods, such as fruit juice, candy or regular sodas.
10. Stay positive - Stress and illness may cause fluctuations in the blood sugar of diabetics. Try to limit your workload and relax often. Get enough sleep every day. If you care for your health and have a positive attitude, I’m sure you can live an active and normal life.
11. Be vigilant with diabetes – Find a good doctor and work with him or her in keeping your blood sugar under control. Your doctor will help you monitor and prevent diabetes complications. Good luck.
By Dr. Willie Ong
Are you aware if you have diabetes or not? It’s easy to find out. One way is to have your fasting blood sugar or FBS tested in the morning.
A fasting blood sugar of less than 100 mg/dL (or 5.6 mmol/L) is considered normal. A fasting blood sugar between 100 to 125 mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L) is labeled as prediabetes, which is an early form of diabetes. Now, if your fasting blood sugar reaches 126 mg/dL (7 mmol/L) or higher, then this means that you probably have diabetes.
Aside from the fasting blood sugar, doctors may request for the Hemoglobin A1C Test. This blood test measures your average blood sugar for the past three months. Thus, it is harder to cheat the Hemoglobin A1C test by eating less food a day before the exam, which some patients do.
A Hemoglobin A1C level of 6.5 percent or higher indicates that you have diabetes. To be certain of the diagnosis, doctors recommend that the fasting blood sugar or Hemoglobin A1C test be taken twice on separate occasions.
Once you are diagnosed with diabetes, treatment will involve blood sugar monitoring, a healthy diet, regular exercise, and possible medications for diabetes.
Diabetes Prevention And Control:
Here are some tips to follow if you want to control your diabetes or if you want to avoid developing diabetes in the future.
1. Choose healthy foods – Regarding food, everything in moderation. Limit your intake of sugary foods, salty foods and fatty foods. Limit intake of animal meat, sweet beverages like soda and iced tea, and junk foods. Try low-fat and lower calorie foods. Eat more healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains and fish. To maintain your blood sugar, try to consume the same kind and the same amount of food most of the time. This will help reduce wide fluctuations in your blood sugar.
2. Move more and exercise – People who exercised regularly were more likely to have normal blood sugars. With regular exercise, you will be able to maintain your weight, improve circulation in your legs and feel better. Walking and swimming are excellent exercises. If you have diabetes, try to be conscious of your level of physical activity and food intake. Remember that physical activity lowers your blood sugar while food intake increases the blood sugar. We don’t want your blood sugar too low nor too high. Your doctor will also adjust your medications depending on these factors.
3. Lose excess weight - According to Dr. Jared Reis, among all the lifestyle factors, being overweight was linked most strongly to diabetes risk. Conversely, losing excess weight can reduce your risk of getting diabetes. To lose weight, either decrease your food intake or increase your exercise routine.
4. Get regular check-ups – People with diabetes require at least yearly check-ups, including blood tests and a complete physical. The blood sugar is monitored regularly, sometimes several times in a week. Make sure also that you get the proper vaccinations, such as for the flu, pneumonia, hepatitis B and tetanus. Ask your doctor about it.
5. Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol levels under control – Those who have diabetes often have other conditions like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Make sure that all these chronic diseases are being treated with diet and medications, if necessary. You need to control all these conditions in order to prevent complications such as kidney failure.
6. Live a clean life – Shun the usual vices that lead to poor health. Quit *******. ******* harms your arteries just like diabetes does. In addition, try to avoid or limit your ******* intake. The more a person drinks, the more they are prone to engage in other unhealthy habits like overeating and *******.
7. Care for your teeth - Diabetics are more prone to gum infection and swollen gums. Moreover, studies show that gum disease is associated with heart disease. Some experts believe that inflammation of the gums somehow leads to inflammation of the heart arteries, too. Hence, brush your teeth three times a day and remember to floss daily. Visit your dentist every 6 months for check-ups.
8. Inspect your feet – Diabetics may develop nerve problems that cause numbness of the feet. This makes them prone to feet injury coupled with the slow healing in diabetics. Hence, make sure to check and wash your feet daily. If you see any wound, no matter how small, consult your doctor about it.
9. For those with diabetes, watch out for high blood sugar and low blood sugar - Adjust your food intake, both in the quantity and timing of your meals to prevent erratic swings in the blood sugar. You may also buy a blood sugar testing kit to determine quickly if you have high or low blood sugar. High blood sugar is treated with medicines or insulin. Low blood sugar can be treated with the intake of sweet foods, such as fruit juice, candy or regular sodas.
10. Stay positive - Stress and illness may cause fluctuations in the blood sugar of diabetics. Try to limit your workload and relax often. Get enough sleep every day. If you care for your health and have a positive attitude, I’m sure you can live an active and normal life.
11. Be vigilant with diabetes – Find a good doctor and work with him or her in keeping your blood sugar under control. Your doctor will help you monitor and prevent diabetes complications. Good luck.
