Among the most common chronic diseases, diabetes is far from last in the modern world. The disease is manifested in an increased level of glucose in blood cells. In a healthy person, the corresponding level is always within the normal range, regardless of the amount of sweets consumed. It's all about the presence in the body of insulin - a special hormone secreted by the pancreas. It is he who breaks down glucose.
Diabetics also have insulin in their blood, but it is insufficient or unable to fulfill its functions due to a particular disease of the blood cells. The statistics are disappointing: many people skip the early stages of the disease's development, its onset, and only seek medical attention when symptoms become so severe that they stop them. return to normal life and work.
Types of diseases
The disease manifests itself with many symptoms. Different forms of this disease occur for different reasons and have different pathogenesis. By itself, the concept of "diabetes" is quite broad. Experts distinguish 2 types of diseases.
type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is insulin dependent. It is usually diagnosed in young people who do not exceed the age of 40. This is a disease where the blood cells are filled with sugar. The reason for this is that the antibodies destroy insulin. This disease, whose appearance is associated with the presence of such antibodies, is not completely cured.
Diagnosing this disease involves conducting serious laboratory tests. Such a diagnosis is not made from the photo, so you should not trust people who are trying to tell a person about their illness without seeing the test results. At the first suspicion of illness, you should immediately contact a medical facility.
People with type 1 diabetes tend to have a thin physique. They need regular insulin injections from diagnosis until the end of their lives. The medical history of such patients is the norm. The disease is hereditary.
People who have had diabetes in their family have a genetic predisposition to the disease. A chronic variant of this type of disease occurs in them in certain cases. It can be provoked by many viruses and bacteria, as well as by strong or long-term stress. Due to such negative factors, antibodies are formed that can destroy the cells responsible for the presence of insulin.
type 2 diabetes
Non-insulin dependent, the latter is usually diagnosed in the elderly. This is a variant form of the disease, characterized by insulin's inability to cope with its primary function. Sugar cannot break down on its own and accumulates in the blood. Gradually, the body's cells develop an "addiction" to insulin. The hormone itself is produced, there is no lack of it, but the glucose in the cells is not broken down.
The non-insulin-dependent variant of this disease has its own progressive development. As a rule, this disease is detected in people over forty years old, but sometimes it is found even in children. Patients with this type of diabetes are overweight. The blood cells of such people are no longer able to recognize any effects of insulin.
Features of type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is the result of the pancreas not producing enough (releasing) insulin. Specialists indicate characteristic symptoms that make it possible to suspect the presence of this disease in a person even in the early stages. Among them: feeling of constant thirst, increased urination, fatigue, chronic feeling of weakness. It is necessary to determine the level of glucose and insulin in the blood. If the diagnosis is confirmed, treatment is indicated immediately, otherwise the patient can develop ulcers and a host of other complications.
Why does type 1 diabetes develop? The classical school of medicine offers a clear answer to this question. The main cause of this disease is a disorder of the pancreas, in which the formation of insulin is stopped or significantly slowed down. It should also be noted that pregnant women develop gestational diabetes, which is associated with an increased risk of developing an insulin-dependent form of the disease.
Let's not forget to discuss very specific topics and symptoms. Often type 1 diabetes is accompanied by the formation of an odor of acetone in the oral cavity. These are the body's first bells, which will alert and encourage a person to contact a specialist. In this case, the sooner a patient goes to the doctor, the more likely it is to detect the disease at an early stage. However, often people, and especially men, skip the visit to a specialist and live for a year or a few years, even without knowing their diagnosis, until completely unbearable. more.
Indirect signs of type 1 diabetes include:
- Complications in the treatment of infectious diseases;
- Poor wound healing;
- Heaviness in the legs;
- calf muscle pain;
It is also important to remember that people with this disease must constantly monitor their blood pressure and maintain a normal state with modern medicines. Specific drugs should be prescribed exclusively by a specialist, based on the diagnosis and the individual characteristics of the patient.
How to detect type 1 diabetes?
The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified the procedures that people need to undergo if they suspect the presence of the disease. Their list includes:
- Blood glucose test;
- Glucose tolerance study;
- Detects the level of glucose in the urine;
- Calculate the percentage of glycosylated hemoglobin;
- Detection of insulin and C-peptide in blood.
You should know that blood must be drawn for analysis on an empty stomach. The results of the study are compared with the values of glucose levels in a special table. If this level:
- Does not reach 6. 1 mmol / l - there is no hyperglycemia, the disease is excluded;
- It is in the range of 6. 1 to 7. 0 mmol / l - the blood glucose level is close to the maximum allowable;
- Exceeds 7. 0 mmol / l - the disease is very likely, but the correct diagnosis needs further confirmation.
The pre-diabetic state of a person is indicated by a violation of glucose tolerance - hyperglycemia, which, however, has not yet exceeded the permissible limit. A patient with such findings requires further monitoring and prophylactic treatment.
How is type 1 diabetes treated?
There are the following treatments for this disease: a special diet, exercise, medication.
A properly selected nutritional system helps to alleviate the main symptoms of diabetes. The main task of the diet is to limit the amount of sugar in the body as much as possible.
How to treat the disease? In a situation with type 1 disease, in most cases regular insulin injections are indispensable. Experts determine the optimal daily dose of this hormone for each patient.
Preparations containing insulin are absorbed into the bloodstream at different rates and work at different times. It is necessary to choose suitable places for injection. There are several types of these hormones:
- Short-acting insulin: its effects can be felt almost immediately;
- Intermediate insulin is delivered to the body through a special preparation that contains substances that slow down the absorption of hormones. This medicine works for about 10 hours;
- Long-acting insulin. It is given to the body through some special drugs. It will take about 14 hours to reach the maximum effect. Hubbub is valid for at least a day and a half.
As a rule, the patient self-introduces the drug after having learned how to self-inject the drug under the guidance of a specialist.
Doctors develop a special treatment regimen based on the patient's symptoms, reflecting factors such as:
- Evolution;
- Weight;
- Age;
- Sensitivity to insulin.
If a patient with diabetes is overweight, then the imperative treatment and prevention measure is to reduce the proportion of high-calorie foods in the menu. It is harmful to use canned foods, fatty meats, smoked foods, sour cream, mayonnaise, nuts and many fruits. We'll have to forget the sweets. This is especially difficult if the disease is diagnosed in children or in self-indulgent women.
We need to find ways to reduce our intake of high-calorie foods. Lack of energy and the body burns fat tissue. However, it is important to remember that you cannot bring yourself to a state of exhaustion.
Physical activity helps lower blood sugar. Requires moderate workload. Exercises should be done regularly, according to the dose. No need to exhaust yourself with heavy weights. Enough aerobic exercise.
So-called insulin pumps can significantly improve a patient's quality of life. These are devices from the electronic world that accurately determine the level of sugar in the blood, and on the basis of the results received, they independently administer insulin doses. They make treatment more effective and reduce the risk of complications.
How to store insulin preparations?
Opened vials may be stored at room temperature for no more than six weeks. They should be kept in places where sunlight or artificial light cannot penetrate. Do not store insulin-containing preparations near heat sources.
The unacceptable use of the drug is indicated by the formation of a film or characteristic clots inside the vial, superficially similar to scales. This signal plays an important role. Using expired drugs carries the risk of increasing disease problems and can even lead to deadly consequences.
type 2 diabetes
The pancreas of people with type 2 diabetes produces enough insulin on its own, but the body cannot absorb the hormone due to malfunctioning cell receptors. Glucose is not processed properly, resulting in damage to blood vessels as well as internal organs. This can be especially dangerous during pregnancy. However, the non-insulin dependent form is typical for the elderly.
Diabetes of the second breed is formed for certain reasons, the main of which are considered overweight and a genetic predisposition to this disease. It is estimated that about 80% of patients with type 2 diabetes are obese. Can you make a full recovery by reducing your own body weight? The answer here would be negative, but as a precaution it can be very effective. According to the generally accepted scientific concept, excess fat cells prevent the body from using insulin.
Symptoms and complications of type 2 diabetes
The symptoms of the first and second diseases are similar in many respects: intense thirst with frequent urination, the person constantly feeling unwell - weakness and fatigue, restlessness, sometimes nausea andvomit.
Particular attention should be paid to possible complications. According to the latest International Classification of Diseases (MBC 10), their list is quite extensive and inspires considerable interest in patients. If the blood is filled with glucose, then pathological changes in most internal organs are inevitable. In the advanced stage of the disease, the patient is even disabled.
In patients with type 2 diabetes, the risk of heart attack and stroke, various types of kidney disease, and vision impairment are all significantly increased. Even small wounds do not heal for a long time. Sometimes the disease has the potential to lead to gangrene, which may require amputation of the injured limb. List of complications of impotence for men. Such a list of serious negative aspects forces therapists to continue to search for the most effective therapy available today.
What should you do when you discover the signs of the disease?
If there is the first suspicion of the second type of diabetes, it is necessary to urgently go for a medical examination. People who are aware of their genetic predisposition to this disease should regularly monitor their blood and urine sugar levels. This is especially true for people aged 50 and over, as well as all people who are overweight.
If the diagnosis has been confirmed, the patient should be under medical observation and have regular specialist visits.
For people with type 2 diabetes, doctors prescribe:
- Control sugar and cholesterol levels, as well as body weight;
- Change your own diet by adding low calorie foods to the menu, in which the less sugar the better. You need to eat more complex carbohydrates and foods with plant fiber;
- Exercise regularly.
The patient needs to learn how to independently determine the level of glucose in the blood. Today, there are specialized devices that make it easy to do this job at home. These are called glucometers.
It is necessary to constantly adhere to strict self-control. Treatment is closely linked with diet therapy and exercise. These points effectively complement therapy based on the use of sugar-lowering drugs, known in medicine as incremental mimics. Usually, this is a pill, not an injection, as is the case with insulin-containing medications.
A particular drug should be prescribed exclusively by a doctor, based on all the data he has on the patient. He must separately determine the frequency of follow-up visits. It is necessary to conduct a lot of tests, to determine what is the general condition of the patient, whether there is a risk of developing complications, the prevention of which will require further treatment.
With the help of the results of many scientific studies, experts were able to discover that, along with weight loss, the disease has a weaker manifestation. As a result, the symptoms of the disease are less tormenting for the patient, and the quality of life is significantly improved.
Recently, a new remedy, the Chinese diabetes patch, has been widely advertised in the media. Its manufacturers promise an almost magical effect, urging you to spare your money and buy their product. However, conventional physicians are skeptical of this treatment option. If you read the comments on the Internet about this patch, they are extremely contradictory. Some wrote that they were said to have helped. Others are completely disappointed with this remedy.
Preventive measures
Authoritative experts in the field of medicine have long proven that stress is a trigger for the development of many diseases. It can also contribute to the onset of diabetes, so you should avoid worrying and try not to react less to any troubles in your life.
As noted above, you should exercise and watch your own diet. There are specially designed diets that benefit the health of such patients. If you strictly follow the doctor's recommendations, you can significantly improve your own quality of life, getting rid of a significant part of the symptoms that accompany this disease.
It is necessary to exclude some products from the menu. Usually, specialists prescribe the so-called 9 diet. Its goal is to minimize the consumption of foods that contain a large amount of carbohydrates. It has been shown that in patients using this diet, the work of the pancreas is significantly improved.
What products are allowed to be consumed? Their list includes: low-fat meats and fish; cabbage, cucumber, eggplant, tomato and zucchini; buckwheat, barley, millet and oatmeal. Apples and strawberries are also allowed, but in moderation. Dairy products can only be consumed with a low fat content. After such a meal, blood sugar will not rise to unacceptable levels.
In choosing a medical menu, the structural composition of the food must necessarily be taken into account. The diet should include:
- 55% animal protein (80-90 grams).
- 30% vegetable fat (70-80 grams).
- 300-350 grams of carbohydrates.
- 12 grams of table salt
- One and a half liters of liquid.
Do not consume more than 2200-2400 kcal per day. You need to eat 5-6 times a day, "spreading" the amount of carbohydrates consumed over time. Sugar will have to be removed. Sweet treats are prepared in small quantities and with only sugar substitutes such as stevia, sorbitol or xylitol.
Salt intake should also be limited. Cooking method is important. Boiled and baked dishes should dominate the diet. Fried and stewed foods are acceptable for consumption in minimal quantities. There are recipes specifically designed for diabetics. Following them, you can cook delicious dishes without harming your health.
On the day you need to adhere to a certain menu. So diet number 9 can be represented by:
- Morning: tea, buckwheat porridge, skim cheese, milk;
- Second meal: bran (boiled);
- Lunch: cabbage soup with sunflower oil (vegetarian), fruit jelly, boiled meat with milk sauce;
- Afternoon snack: a small amount of applesauce;
- Dinner: boiled fish with milk sauce and cabbage dishes.
What do they eat during the week?
Table 9 is the result of the work of Soviet nutritionists. They have created a food option suitable for specialized sanatoriums. The ninth panel significantly increases the effectiveness of complex therapy.
The menu for the week is as follows:
Monday
- Breakfast: chicory, fat-free cottage cheese with milk, porridge (buckwheat).
- Lunch: 200 ml of milk.
- Lunch: vegetarian cabbage soup, white bird breast, fruit jelly.
- Afternoon: apple.
- Dinner: boiled fish, tea, cabbage dishes.
- Before going to bed: a glass of low-fat yogurt.
Tuesday
- First meal: barley, eggs, chicory, stewed cabbage.
- Lunch: a glass of milk (low-fat is suitable).
- Lunch: mashed potatoes, boiled beef liver, pickle soup, dried fruit.
- Afternoon snack: fruit jelly.
- Dinner: boiled chicken, stewed cabbage.
- Before bed: low-fat kefir.
Wednesday
- First meal: fat-free cottage cheese and milk, chicory, oat porridge.
- Lunch: a cup of jelly.
- Lunch: borscht, boiled meat, buckwheat porridge, tea.
- Afternoon snack: one or two pears.
- Dinner: salad or vinegar, eggs, tea.
- Before going to bed: a glass of low-fat yogurt.
Thursday
- First meal: buckwheat porridge, chicory, low-fat cottage cheese.
- Second breakfast: kefir.
- Lunch: lean borscht, dried fruit, boiled meat.
- Afternoon snack: unsweetened pear.
- For dinner: cabbage schnitzel, boiled fish with low-fat teas.
- Before going to bed: a glass of fat-free yogurt.
Friday
- First meal: eggs, some butter, vinegar without potatoes with sunflower oil, chicory.
- Lunch: apples.
- Lunch: sauerkraut, stewed or boiled meat, soup with peas.
- Afternoon snack: some fresh fruit.
- Dinner: vegetable pudding, boiled poultry, tea.
- Before going to bed: a glass of curd.
Saturday
- First meal: millet porridge, chicory, some doctor's sausage.
- Lunch: wheat bran.
- Lunch: boiled meat, mashed potatoes, seafood soup.
- Afternoon snack: a glass of low-fat kefir.
- Dinner: low-fat cheese, tea, oatmeal.
Sunday
- First meal: eggs, chicory, buckwheat porridge.
- Lunch: an apple or two.
- Lunch: beef cutlet, light vegetable soup, pearl barley porridge.
- Afternoon snack: skim milk.
- Dinner: vegetable salad, boiled fish, mashed potatoes.
- Before bed: low-fat kefir.
Folk remedies
In folk medicine, there are many recipes with varying degrees of effectiveness against high blood sugar. Certified physicians are often skeptical of such treatments, but do not prohibit their patients from using them in combination with primary therapy. This "integrative approach" often yields positive results, allowing patients to reduce the manifestation of painful symptoms.
The most effective traditional medicine formulas:
- For prevention, an egg with lemon juice will help. Shake the inside of a raw egg, add the juice of a lemon. Reception 50-60 minutes before meals, 3 days, in the morning. After ten days, the course can be repeated.
- Eat grilled onions in the morning for a month.
- A good way to lower your glucose is to eat some mustard or flaxseed daily, along with black currant leaf tea.
- The use of fresh potato juice contributes to the reduction of sugar. Raspberries and white cabbage are also used.
- White mulberry tincture (2 tablespoons) prepared by pouring boiling water (2 cups), infusion time 2-3 hours, drink 3 times a day.
- Do not forget about such a folk remedy as a decoction of oats. Pour a tablespoon of oat seeds with water (one and a half glasses), then boil for 15 minutes, 3 days / day regimen 15-20 minutes before meals.
- Help cinnamon - half a teaspoon per day. Drink with tea.
- Grind the acorns until a powder is obtained. Of course - 1 h / l on an empty stomach in the morning, as well as just before going to bed for seven days.
- Pour walnut partitions (40 g) with boiling water (500 ml) and bring to a boil. Boil ten minutes. Press until soft, take 1 tablespoon / l half an hour before meals.
- Pour boiling water (half a liter) of poplar bark (2 tablespoons), put everything on the fire and cook for about 10 minutes. Emphasized, drink half a glass before eating.
- An effective infusion is prepared from a glass of boiling water, which is poured on top of cloves (20 pieces). Insist overnight, drink three times a day, one-third of a glass each time. Do not discard the used cloves, add another pinch in the evening, pour back the boiling water, etc. v. The course of treatment is six months.
- Mix half a liter of boiling water with two tablespoons of a mixture of nettle and rowan berries in the ratio: three to seven. Leave for about three to four hours. Drink half a glass twice a day.
- Pour burdock root (20 g) with boiling water (one glass), boil in a water bath for about 10 minutes. Treatment 3 times/day for table/bed before meals.
All information provided to the reader in this article is for informational purposes only. Before using the information obtained in practice, be sure to consult with a competent specialist regarding possible consequences!