How to Treat Diabetes

Treatment of Diabetes Depends on if it Is Type 1 or Type 2

The treatment of Diabetes depends upon which type of Diabetes a person has. type 1 diabetes generally occurs in young people and is considered an autoimmune disease. In Type 1 diabetes, the beta cells in the pancreas are destroyed and are no longer able to produce insulin. In type 2 diabetes, which generally occurs in older individuals who are overweight, the body becomes insensitive to the effects of insulin. A normal amount of insulin is released from the pancreas but the body doesn't respond to it properly.

Treatment of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes involves proper diet and exercise. Diet is important because the type and amount of food consumed influences how much insulin is released in Type 2 diabetics and how much is required for Type 1 diabetics. Exercise is important because exercise helps insulin complete its function. Exercise moves sugar from the blood stream into the muscles.
The main problem in both types of diabetes is that insulin is either not present or working properly and this causes glucose, the main sugar used by the body, to accumulate in high levels in the blood. Over time, this can lead to a variety of negative sequalae such as kidney failure, blindness, circulatory insufficiency, amputation, infections, and neuralgia.


Insulin is used to Treat Both Types of Diabetes

The mainstay of how to treat diabetes Type 1 is insulin injected subcutaneously. Insulin can be given as bolus shots prior to meals and snacks, and for even tighter control, Type 1 diabetics may employ the use of an insulin pump which releases a basal level of insulin throughout the day and can be programmed to release a bolus of insulin prior to meals. A dose of insulin is calculated upon the approximate grams of carbohydrate, protein, and fat to be consumed.

Insulin may also be given to type 2 diabetics, but this usually happens later in treatment once the disease has progressed. To begin, dietary and exercise measures should be tried in an attempt to shed excess weight, and increase the body's sensitivity to insulin.


There Are Many Types of Medications Used to Manage Diabetes

If dietary measures fail to control blood sugar, in type 2 diabetics, a variety of oral and injectable medications may be employed. Most of them work to increase insulin production in the pancreas but some interfere with carbohydrate absorption from the gut and others mimic other hormones involved in energy regulation. One of the main medications used to treat Type 2 diabetes is called metformin. It is from a class of medications called Metformin and works by suppressing glucose synthesis in the liver as well as increasing sensitivity to insulin. In addition, glyburide is commonly used to treat Type 2 diabetes. It, and nateglinide, another drug, both work by increasing insulin synthesis in the pancreas. From another class of medications, pioglitazone works by increasing peripheral sensitivity to insulin. Exenatide and liraglutide are newer injectable medications that augment the effect of insulin. In addition, there are many different forms of insulin that range from ultra-quick acting for right before a meal, to long acting, providing a basal level of coverage.


Besides diets, exercise, and medications, how to treat diabetes also involves testing diabetes blood sugar level regularly to monitor how well treatment is working, and to allow a person to adjust their insulin dosages as necessary. To test the blood a diabetic person uses a sharp lancet to puncture the skin on the fingers or forearm, collects a drop of blood on a test strip, and inserts the test strip into a glucometer, a machine that can detect the concentration of glucose in the blood. Levels of 120mg per deciliter of blood and higher are considered abnormal.

A comprehensive plan for how to treat diabetes is necessary to properly manage the disease whether Type 1 or Type 2. Treatment will involve diet, exercise, medication, insulin, and monitoring.


More Articles

With its slightly nutty flavor, chewy texture, and nutritional punch farro is an ancient whole grain worth a place in our pantry.

Farro...

Having diabetes is cause for concern, however it doesn’t mean that you need to eliminate all of your favorite foods from your diet completely....

With diabetes becoming more of an epidemic each and every day, being knowledgeable about the disease, its effects on the body as well as ways to...

If you’re a diabetic or live with one, it can be tough trying to figure out the best foods to eat because your priority is to control your blood...

In this post, I will show you the 10 best ice creams for diabetics.

When you think of sweetened foods that a diabetic shouldn’t consume,...

More Articles

If you’re living with diabetes, snacking is a necessity because going for more than 3-4 hours without eating can be detrimental to your health....

For diabetics, choosing healthy snacks can be a daunting task.

A good rule of thumb is to pick out snacks that are rich in protein, fiber,...

According to information available through the National Institutes of Health, there’s an estimated 462 million people in the world who are...

Eleven Clinical Studies

After eleven clinical studies and 300,000 participants, researcher Vasanti Malik and her team of researchers...

Diabetic women often have a harder time losing weight than non-diabetic women. A study funded by Jenny Craig proved that diabetic women have an...

Many recent studies have proved that magnesium levels are lower in patients with diabetes than in non-diabetics. This magnesium...

Fluid retention, also known as edema, is a problem that affects many diabetics, especially those with type 2 diabetes...

Some of us might be thrilled if we could manage our blood sugar by sitting in a hot tub or sauna, instead of working up a sweat biking, or using...

Cooking and baking with the ancient cereal grain sorghum has health benefits for people with diabetes, and those with weight control issues....

When it comes to certain foods, there are always questions as to whether or not a diabetic can have them without...

Matcha tea is a rich, creamy, full-bodied beverage with amazing nutritional properties that address several diabetes health concerns.

The...

Salads are good example of foods that type 2 diabetics can enjoy with relatively low guilt. With the right greens and other elements added, salad...

Remaining gainfully employed is important to many people. Those who live with any form of diabetes may find that some lines of work are more...

Learning that you have diabetes does mean making some lifestyle changes. One of the areas that needs attention is your diet. Most people find that...

One of the more challenging aspects of life as a type 2 diabetic is managing your diet. There’s often the temptation to avoid certain foods...