Living with diabetes can seem scary and overwhelming if you are newly diagnosed or if you are having trouble controlling your diabetes. In order to understand how to live well with diabetes, it is important to understand the disease. There are two primary types of diabetes mellitus, type I and type II.
Type I diabetes occurs when the body is unable to produce an adequate amount of the insulin hormone to properly metabolize blood glucose. The pancreas is the organ in the body that makes the insulin hormone. Insulin is then used by the body to break down blood glucose so that it can be properly absorbed into the muscle and fat cells. If the body does not make enough insulin to metabolize the blood sugar, the body cannot use it as energy. This type of diabetes is often times diagnosed in childhood or early adulthood.
Type II diabetes occurs when the body becomes resistant to the insulin hormone. In most cases, this type of diabetes is diagnosed in adulthood. However, obesity is a huge risk factor in type II diabetes, and obese children are now beginning to receive this diagnosis more and more.
Living Healthy with Diabetes
Many people diagnosed with diabetes mellitus live long, happy, and healthy lives. After receiving the diagnosis of diabetes, it is important to develop an effective treatment plan to maintain health and live well.
Healthy living with diabetes begins by making some lifestyle changes. These changes include regular monitoring of blood sugar levels, keeping a blood sugar log, eating a healthy low sugar diabetic diet, keeping a food journal, regular exercise, and insulin injections or oral medications if necessary. Your physician will help you develop the appropriate treatment plan for your diagnosis. It is important to follow your treatment plan. If you are having a difficult time following your plan or keeping your blood sugar levels within normal limits, contact your physician to discuss alternative treatment plans or for a referral to a specialist.
There are many resources available to people with diabetes to help with maintaining a healthy life. These resources include the American Diabetes Association (ADA) website, along with many other great websites. You can also subscribe to a living with diabetes magazine. There are several living with diabetes diet cookbooks and living with diabetes meal plan options. You can also purchase or check out a living with diabetes book. Book stores and libraries carry several diabetes books that offer wonderful and practical information for living with diabetes.
Famous People Living with Diabetes
There are many people around the world that live great lives with diabetes. There are many actors, athletes, politicians, musicians, scientists and everybody in between that live with diabetes. Some famous people with diabetes include Halle Berry (actress), Delta Burke (actress), Larry King (talk show host), Jerry Lewis (comedian), B.B. King, Aretha Franklin, Tommy Lee, Meatloaf, Bret Michaels, Waylon Jennings, Patti LaBelle, and Nick Jonas (all musicians in various genres).
Related articles: Diabetic Examination | What Causes Diabetes in Children | Diabetes Risk for Infection | Urine Infection Diabetes |
