Diabetes is the condition where the body fails to produce or use insulin to control blood sugar. It is a chronic disease—patients have to live the rest of their lives with it. However, the extent of its negative effects can be mitigated through positive outlook, proper lifestyle and cooperation with the doctor.
It is most important to have a blood-sugar tester or Diabetes meter. It is an electronic (usually battery operated) device that can identify the amount of sugar in the blood. It uses lancets (to create a small cut on a finger) and test strips (to interface with the Diabetes meter).
The patient must have a positive outlook with respect to regular blood testing. Because of the pain of lancet pricking, many are discouraged. However, diabetes patients must use the diabetes meter about 3-10 times a day. It must be an important habit. Testing must be done before sleeping, before and after meals and physical exercises.
Emotional stress can also cause spikes and drops in blood glucose. It is important for the patient to have a strong support system from families and friends. Reading about stress management is a good practice too.
Drinking at least 10 full glasses of water a day is good way to body-cleanse. Water has a “diluting” effect to sugar, allowing a more efficient excretion. Also note that glucose levels of diabetics may suddenly fluctuate. It is best to always carry the prescribed medicine. It is also good to carry candies in case of hypoglycemia. Extremely low levels of sugar can be dangerous, resulting to fainting or failure of body parts.
Finally, it is advised to keep a record of all the patient’s blood tests. Statistics regarding daily to monthly average (of blood sugar) is very useful for treating the disease. Many diabetes meter kits can transfer data to a computer either with wires or without.
