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Diabetes is the third leading cause of death in the world. However, it is not the disease itself that is scary, but the complications to which it can lead. Hyperglycemia (increased sugar) negatively affects all organs and tissues in the human body. In most cases, the most common acute complication are heart attacks and strokes, and chronic – deterioration and loss of vision, impaired renal function up to their insufficiency, diabetic foot and gangrene. But this “black” scenario can be avoided. The main thing is to know how to live with diabetes.
Why is high sugar so dangerous?
Everyone has blood sugar. This is a source of fast energy – the breakdown of one glucose molecule gives the body as many as 38 ATP energy molecules. However, this only happens normally.
In diabetic patients, the way glucose enters the cell is disrupted. Depending on the type of disease, the mechanisms of such a violation are different.
In type 10 diabetes, which occurs in 15-XNUMX% of cases, insulin production is impaired. This may be due to the fact that there are very few left pancreatic β-cells or their functional activity is reduced. Such a scenario is the result of an autoimmune process, which may be the result of a burdened heredity, a viral infection (chicken pox, rubella, mumps are especially dangerous) or other reasons.
In type 90 diabetes (XNUMX% of all patients with diabetes have this disease), the pancreas works normally – it synthesizes a sufficient amount of insulin, but the cells of the target organs simply “do not notice” this hormone, so glucose cannot enter the cell. This condition is called insulin resistance, and it is usually triggered by an unhealthy diet, a sedentary lifestyle, and, as a result, obesity. Interestingly, with a decrease in body weight, glycemic indicators also fall.
In both type XNUMX and type XNUMX diabetes, blood glucose levels rise above normal if no action is taken. An excess amount of sugar turns out to be toxic for the body – the processes of damage to the cells of the retina, blood vessels, kidneys, nerves, etc. are triggered. There is not a single organ that would not suffer from hyperglycemia, so this condition must be feared and avoided in every possible way.
How to live with diabetes?
Today, it is impossible to completely cure diabetes, like, for example, a cold. However, it is possible to create conditions under which the risk of complications will be minimal. In this situation, the main thing is that the glucose level does not rise above the recommended level. And for each patient, it can be different depending on the general level of health. The endocrinologist will tell you about this in detail.
We will focus on what the lifestyle of patients with diabetes should be, in addition to taking the medication prescribed by the doctor in a timely manner.
Go in for sports. Physical activity helps to normalize glucose levels, because. its consumption by muscle cells can occur even without the participation of insulin. It is better to agree on a physical activity program with a sports medicine doctor.
Eat right. The diet should be dominated by proteins, vegetables and greens. You need to be careful with fruits, because. often they are sources of sugars (it is allowed to eat a serving of kiwi, grapefruit, apples of unsweetened varieties). From carbohydrates, preference should be given to “slow” options that are absorbed for a long time and give a long-lasting feeling of satiety (buckwheat porridge, oatmeal, pasta from hard varieties), but it is important to observe the measure here.
Control your blood sugar on your own. This is one of the most important factors in the success of treatment and prevention of complications. In case of deviation from the individual norm, correction of therapy and lifestyle is required.
Good news! Now, in order to know the true indicators of glycemia, you do not need to go to the laboratory every time. Modern glucometers are highly accurate and informative. Therefore, each patient with diabetes is recommended to have such a device at home for self-control.
How to choose it? Just! You should be comfortable with a glucometer. If vision is reduced, pay attention to the font; if you do not want to spend extra money, see that the test strips are not expensive; if you prefer to have a digital glycemic profile report, look for options with the appropriate software, etc. That is, before buying, you need to determine what is most valuable to you, and what you can neglect.
How to use a glucometer?
Modern models are simple and easy to use. To determine the level of glucose in the blood, you just need to follow these simple rules.
Wash your hands with soap and dry them thoroughly. Do not use alcohol-containing products, incl. wet wipes, because ethanol can distort the results of the study.
Rub your palm against your palm to keep your hands warm.
Turn on the meter and insert a test strip.
Set the desired depth of puncture on the scarifier, focusing on the thickness of the skin.
Attach the scarifier to the side of your finger and press the button.
Apply a drop of blood to the test strip.
Wait a few seconds and see the result on the meter screen.
After the puncture, treat the finger with a cotton swab with alcohol. This completes the determination of blood sugar.
Selfy Check – your main assistant in diabetes control
Selfy Check is a modern standard for reliable compensation of diabetes mellitus of any type. This is an easy-to-use blood glucose monitor that allows you to get highly accurate results at home.
Selfy Check from Geropharm is:
Simple controls that are intuitive. Cope and student, and a person aged.
Advanced puncture system that minimizes pain.
Quick results – just wait 5 seconds, as the glycemic parameters are displayed on the scoreboard.
Large print – ideal for patients with poor vision.
Obtaining a complete picture of the glycemic profile – a visual graph increases the motivation to better manage diabetes.
Monitor your blood sugar with Selfy Check glucometers for a full and active life! It is convenient, simple and profitable.