Find the information you need for common diabetes questions and answers at www.Betterhealthkare.com
There is a lot to learn when you or someone you love is diagnosed with diabetes. The disease can affect many areas of the body and lead to major health complications if not properly controlled. Many times, questions about the disease revolve around taking medication, what foods to limit, how to lose weight, and if a certain diet should be followed. While there is an enormous amount of diabetes question and answer information online, going through it all could seem overwhelming, especially for someone newly diagnosed. Today we will take a look at some of the most frequently asked questions about diabetes so you can get your information in one place:
Q. What should my blood sugar be: in the morning, before I eat and after a meal?
A. Blood sugar range is a commonly discussed topic in the world of diabetes. Over time, you will learn what your baseline is, and will become more aware of when your blood sugar is too high or low. According to the American Diabetes Association, your “fasting” blood sugar, or before meals blood sugar, should fall between 70 – 130 mg/dl. Your blood sugar after a meal is called a postprandial blood sugar. Within one to two hours after a meal, your postprandial blood sugar should be under 180 mg/dl.
Q. If I go on insulin, will I start to gain weight?
A. The issue of insulin and weight gain is regularly brought up when discussing diabetes. Insulin helps our body push glucose into the cells where it belongs. There is used as energy and to process calories. Though some people have seen weight gain occur when starting insulin, this doesn’t have to be the case. Be sure to include some type of physical activity into your lifestyle, such as walking, biking, swimming, or practicing yoga. Also, pay attention to the size of your portions and the types of food you are eating.
Q. What are good snack food choices for someone with diabetes?
A. An important diabetes fact you should be aware of is to always have some type of healthy snack on hand to help keep your blood sugar stable, or to help with low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Consider choices such as nuts, nut butters, carrots, yogurt, grapes and crackers, pretzels, cottage cheese, seeds, and apples and peanut butter.
Q. How can I prevent long-term diabetes complications from happening?
A. Many research studies have shown that the sooner someone is diagnosed with diabetes and on a care and medication plan that gets their blood sugar controlled, the lower their chance of getting complications from the disease. In addition, be sure to stay vigilant about checking your blood sugar, seeing your physicians, taking your medication, and paying close attention to any infections or foot/leg issues.
Q. What are glucose tablets and why do I need them?
A. Certain diabetes medications such as insulin, glyburide, glimepiride, repaglinide, and nateglinide to name a few can cause blood sugar to drop too low at times (hypoglycemia). If you are on one of these medicines, be sure to always carry glucose tablets with you. They are typically chewable tablets made with simple sugars, which will raise your blood glucose level quickly. If you do have a low blood sugar reaction to any of your diabetes medication, speak to your doctor as soon as possible.
To learn more frequently asked questions about diabetes, and get tips on diet, exercise and traveling with the illness, visit www.BetterHealthKare.com