Warning Symptoms Of Diabetes In Women

One of the biggest killers in the modern world is diabetes. The major reason behind this is that people suffer from the disease without knowing that something is going wrong within their bodies. This makes the disease remain uncontrolled. Men and women have different body types so both of them suffer differently with diabetes

It is critical for every woman to know about the general symptoms of diabetes. This knowledge can save them from suffering various severe diabetic complications like losing a limb or vision loss. The trademark diabetes symptom in women is recurrent yeast infection. The prime reason behind this is that sugar gets into the urine as it is excess in the bloodstream and the result is yeast infection. Other diabetes symptoms in women include vaginal dryness which results in irritated feelings around the vaginal area.

Not to mention that these diabetes symptoms in women effect the confidence, comfort and their love life. Serious diabetes symptoms include reduced feelings in hand and feet because of poor blood circulation and blurry vision. Diabetes also causes inflammation of the blood vessels and excessive build up of sugar in the bloodstream. This results in difficulty in passing through of blood in blood vessels. This is the prime cause of poor blood circulation as there is not much room left for the blood for efficient circulation. If this poor circulation of blood continues for a period of time the limbs do not get enough blood supply. They start to become numb and finally lose blood at all; this is the time when amputation becomes essential. The symptoms of diabetes for women range from being unpleasant to life threatening; the one most bothersome is never-ending trips to the rest room.

Diabetic women also become increasingly thirsty and they keep on drinking any liquid they can get their hands on, even then their quench is never satisfied. The things become even worse if the woman decides to have regular soda or some juice drink instead of plain water or sugar-free beverage. The regular juice drinks result in further increase in blood sugar levels thus leaving them even more thirsty. The excessive drinking makes bathroom the best friend of women as their body try to flush the excessive sugar out of the body for getting rid of any excessive amount of sugar in the blood stream.

Apart from these symptoms extreme fatigue and tiredness are also the common signs and symptoms of diabetes in women. It is critically important for any woman to seek immediate medical advice if any of the above mentioned symptoms are experienced. One must never feel scared to be diagnosed with diabetes as the diagnosis will lead her to treat and manage the problem. It is advisable not to wait too long to visit the doctor as each passing day can worsen the symptom of diabetes in women.

It is equally important to remember that diabetes is not an end of life; rather it is a kick start of a healthier lifestyle.

The Glycemic Index and The Glycemic Load

To control Type 2 diabetes, diabetics often eat foods with a low glycemic index and also keep their glycemic load under 100 per day, to keep their blood sugar levels within normal limits. According to several studies, the same technique is likely to be helpful for the prevention of Type 2 diabetes as well.

In September, 2011 the British Journal of Nutrition reported that researchers at the School of Public Health of Soochow University, China, looked at 13 studies dealing with the:

  • glycemic load (GL),
  • glycemic index (GI),
  • the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

The results of all 13 studies were put together and analysed as if they were all parts of one large study.

– Participants eating diets with the highest glycemic indexes had a 16 per cent higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes than were those with the lowest glycemic indexes.
– Volunteers with the highest glycemic loads had a 20 per cent greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes than had those with the lowest glycemic loads.

It was therefore concluded that lowering the intake of foods with high glycemic indexes could help to prevent Type 2 diabetes.

The glycemic index is a measure of how much a given food raises blood sugar levels. Dr. David Jenkins and others at the University of Toronto created the index in 1980-81 while studying what foods are best for people with diabetes. The index is found by measuring blood sugar levels before and after people eat 50 mg of the food. Carbohydrates that are:

rapidly broken down and absorbed cause blood sugar levels to go up rapidly, while those that are
broken down and absorbed more slowly, make for a more even blood sugar level throughout the day.

In general, foods with low amounts of sugar and carbohydrates and high levels of fiber make for a lower GI than those with refined sugar.

The glycemic load is a measure having to do with the GI in 100 grams of a given food. Multiplying the GI by the available carbohydrate in 100 grams of food and multiplying by 100 gives us the GL. Glycemic loads can also be calculated for other amounts of food by multiplying the standard GL for 100 grams of food by the amount of the portion size in grams divided by 100.

Foods with the lowest glycemic load are the ones we’ve always known are good for us. A 120 gram apple, for instance, has a GL of only 6, while apple cake made with sugar has a GL of 13 in only 60 grams. Eighty grams of peas has a GL of only 3. Dried dates have a GL of a whopping 42 in 60 grams, so choose cantaloupe with a GL of only 3 instead.

Certain Facts About Diabetes

Diabetes is one of the most common diseases that most of us will experience later in life or sometimes even earlier. Without getting too clinical since it would be a confusion information overload for some. There are two types of diabetes: the Type 1 usually starts during childhood and the incidence of this type is apparently steady. On the other hand, Type 2 Diabetes is related with the inability to respond to insulin along with reduced capability to produce insulin in itself. Whether you’re on the first or the latter isn’t going to make things any better because once you have it, you’ll have to deal with it permanently and try your best to stabilize your glucose levels to avoid the unwanted side-effects.

Just so you know, diabetes can’t be acquired by just eating sweets. There are a number of foods that we eat which converts into glucose such as rice and starchy food. Not only that, it is said that some proteins can be converted as well, so you might have to consider watching your food intake from now on. I know a lot of young people with diabetes and living life in denial and eat sweets like there’s no tomorrow. It is indeed understandable why most youngsters cope that way since it was assumed that diabetes would later appear later in life. Needless to say, the incidence of teens acquiring this is on the rise.

The cause of diabetes can vary from acquired to genetic factor. A person can acquire the disease depending on familial tendency. A higher incidence will occur to children if the mother has diabetes when she gave birth; that’s 50% chance of getting the disease. If one is not too keen with his or her diet this will even more increase if there is family history on the father’s side as well.
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In supermarket’s today, we are easily fooled by what we see on nutrition facts. A label of sugar-free or no sugar added doesn’t guarantee us a free ticket to indulgence. There could be hidden sugar substitutes that can be harmful as well. We have to be very careful with what we buy and most of all what we feed our children. It is important that we inculcate and instill proper and healthy food choices to avoid getting Diabetes. We also have to be informed and keep abreast of the latest updates on diabetes most especially if one is likely to be predisposed.

Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Diabetes Medications

One of the unfortunate effects of being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes is having to be put on medication: medication to help lower blood sugar levels and even your blood pressure. As more and more people find out they are afflicted with this life-threatening disease, they also find they may have to be on a myriad of different medications including daily insulin injections. However, it’s important to note making major lifestyle changes with diet and exercise can often reverse Type 2 diabetes, or at least lower the number and amount of medications needed.

Before you start taking any medication, it’s critical to know which questions you should be asking your doctor. Often, patients simply take the word of their doctor and start taking medication without asking the proper questions. No doctor should have a problem with you doing your research and knowing what questions to ask. After all, this is your body and there are long-term consequences associated with many medications.

Here are some of the questions you should ask before swallowing the first pill:
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Why do I need these pills? It’s critical you understand the process by which you will need this particular medication.

Is there anything you can do naturally or by altering your lifestyle that will replace the need for these pills?

Will I be able to come off of this medication? This question is more about finding out if your doctor is open to lifestyle changes to reverse Type 2 diabetes. Many doctors will tell you there’s no cure for Type 2 diabetes, and while that is true technically, it doesn’t mean you can’t reverse the condition. The end goal of the doctor should be to help you get well. If you’re willing to make major lifestyle modifications, you need to know whether or not your doctor will approve you to come off of the medication to see if you can go it alone.

How many pills do I take? Obviously, you need to understand how many pills you will need to take a day and when.

What kinds of side effects can I expect? Many doctors will try to tell you won’t have any side effects when taking diabetes medication. Unfortunately, that is not always true. Many people have side effects, but you need to know what to expect.

What do I do if I have side effects? You need to find out exactly what precautions to take in the event you do experience some side effects. For instance, many medications will cause a side effect of diarrhea. This can be a dangerous situation for diabetics who do not need to become dehydrated. The doctor should be able to tell you what to do in the event this happens.

Asking questions is something people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes must get accustomed to doing. It can sometimes mean the difference between life and death.

Medications That Help Bring About Diabetes

For many individuals, it is hard enough trying to fight off the effects of Type 2 diabetes. That is hard enough without having to think about various other medical conditions being treated with certain drugs, increase the odds of developing diabetes. Unfortunately, certain medications which are designed to treat and prevent other medical conditions, actually do have the ability to raise blood sugar levels causing hyperglycemia, leading to a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes.

One of the main reasons some drugs either bring about the effect of Type 2 diabetes, or the actual disease itself, is because they closely mimic the condition known as insulin resistance, which is present when the body refuses to use insulin in the way it was intended.

There are many different medications that cause weight gain. While this in itself is not a major issue for some, it can be incredibly important for those who are already battling a weight problem. After all, losing weight is hard enough without having to also fight your medication. When a drug causes weight gain, it also brings about all of the complications that arise as a result of that added weight. From an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and even Type diabetes, the individual has to now deal with a whole set of new problems.

Diabetes can be created from many different circumstances. Medications may raise sugar levels or they may lower insulin production. They might even lower the effectiveness of insulin.

  • For instance, a classification of medicines called thiazide diuretics, are prescribed to treat several key disorders from different forms of edema to hypertension. They successfully eliminate fluid from the body. At the same time, they also decrease insulin sensitivity while increasing the production of glucose… a bad combination. They have also been proven to release hormones that are known to cause these conditions. All of these together are a recipe for a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes.
  • Vasodilators are also used to open up blood vessels. They do this by preventing both the narrowing of the walls and the tightening of the wall muscles. But they also unwittingly raise blood sugar levels. This can mean you receive a diagnosis of diabetes.
  • Another class of drugs that can cause problems is corticosteroids. These are commonly prescribed to reduce inflammation. While normal use may not create any negative results, prolonged usage has resulted in people receiving a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. Also, consuming them in large quantities has also caused some individuals to develop diabetes, as well.
  • Glucocortocoids also work against inflammation. Some of the most common diseases that they treat are asthma, arthritis and lupus. The also work to increase the likelihood of insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes.
  • Certain drugs known as immunosuppressants, work to suppress certain activity associated with the body’s immune system. One of their common uses is for skin conditions by suppressing an over-activity in the immune system that can create inflammation. They also happen to decrease insulin from being secreted by the pancreas. Unfortunately, they also happen to be toxic to certain cells within the pancreas that are responsible for actually producing insulin.
  • Many heart patients are given beta blockers as a means of slowing a rapid heart rate. But it has been discovered they also lower insulin levels by blocking the release of insulin from the pancreas. It also has the ability to reduce the sensitivity that insulin has to muscle tissue. When this occurs, hyperglycemia also occurs.
  • Calcium channel blockers, a well-known medication for treating the effects of hypertension, or high blood pressure, also lowers insulin levels.
  • Statins are popular cholesterol-lowering drugs. Many statin users come back to see their doctor for a routine visit and find their cholesterol level may be better, but now they have high blood sugar.

Diabetic Neuropathy and Your Feet

Diabetes may cause diabetic neuropathy, which is neurological impairment. When somebody has got diabetes they are a lot more inclined to developing foot issues. Diabetic neuropathy can lead you to be less able to feel damage or pressure in the feet. You’ll perhaps not even detect any foot issues until infections or significant damage happens.

Diabetes alters the body’s capability to fight contagions. Injury to the blood vessels, attributable to diabetes, signifies that a reduced level of blood together with oxygen is flowing to ones feet. Because of this, small breaks, cracks or sores on your skin may evolve into skin ulcers. The affected limb may need to be amputated if it turns out the skin ulcers become more prominent or travel deeper into the skin.

To prevent these particular complications, one needs to:

  • Cease smoking, being as how it restricts the flow of blood.
  • Handle their bloodstream glucose levels.
  • Get their feet checked twice a year by their health care provider to find out if they have got any kind of nerve injury.
  • Assess their feet on a daily basis, particularly when they know for sure that they have neural harm.

Daily Foot Care

— Examine the feet and also the toes on a daily basis. Meticulously check the bottoms, sides and tops of the feet and in addition between the toes.

— Wash the feet and toes everyday with tepid water plus a mild soap. Powerful soap may injure the skin.

— Check the water temperature with your elbow or fingers just before positioning your feet in hot water. Thanks to diabetic neuropathy, you might well be not able to notice the water’s warmth, which in turn may bring about burns if it happens to be excessively hot.

— Gently and totally dry your feet, particularly in between the toes as infections may foster in damp areas.

— Ones feet might get very dried up and can even break, possibly bringing about infection. Subsequent to cleansing the feet, soften dried-up skin by making use of lotion, oil, petroleum jelly or lanolin. But, do not place lotion in between the toes.

— Ask your physician if you are able to clip the toenails. If it is okay to do it ask your physician to show the right method of doing it. If your toenails aren’t trimmed properly you may produce a sore or ulcer.

— Bathe the toes in lukewarm water to make the toenails more supple right before trimming.

— Clip the toenail right across, on account of the simple fact that curled toenails can usually come to be ingrown.

— In addition, keep from sitting with the legs crossed as well as standing in the same position for a long time.

Recommendations About Socks and Footwear

— Use footwear frequently to shield your feet from wounds. Due to diabetic neuropathy the capability to feel pain might be diminished, so you might not be conscious of small cuts or chafes.

— Look at the inner linings of the shoes for rough regions or defective places which could cause extra pressure and also irritation.

— Change or maybe briefly remove the footwear around 5 hours after putting them on every day. This practice alters the pressure points during the course of the day.

The style of footwear you make use of is highly important, if you have got diabetes.

  • Use comfy, well-fitted footwear that have satisfactory space on the inside of them. Don’t think of buying shoes which is not going to fit properly, hopeful that the footwear could stretch as time marches on.
  • Diabetic neuropathy can stop you from sensing pressure from wrongly fitted footwear. You could potentially need to have special shoes produced to fit the feet.
  • Wear footwear composed of suede, natural leather or canvas. Do not use shoes made of plastic and any other materials that don’t breathe. By no means wear thong sandals.

You should not wear shoes that has pointed or open toes, for example flip-flops, sandals or high heel shoes.

Socks could give you a further protective layer between the footwear and the feet.

  • Use completely dry and clean socks or maybe nonbinding panty hose each and every day.
  • Never wear stockings that have seams that sometimes may result in pressure points.
  • Use socks in bed if your feet get to be cold. In chilly climates, utilize warm stockings but also minimize your exposure to cold conditions in an attempt to prevent frostbite.

Further Helpful Tips

— Do not use antiseptic items on the feet since they can burn or harm the skin.

— Do not use an electrical heating pad as well as a hot water bottle on your feet. Additionally, stay clear of hot asphalt and also hot sandy beaches.

— Never treat corns or calluses by applying non-prescription remedies. See your foot doctor to address foot concerns.

— If being obese prevents you from physically having the capability in checking out your feet turn to a relative, chum, or health professional to do this critical inspection.

Report all blisters, cuts, skin lesions, sores or regions of redness to your doctor straight away!

Suitable foot care is extremely critical for individuals impacted by diabetic neuropathy because they are at risk to foot complications for instance:

  • Loss of feeling in their feet.
  • Alterations in the shapes of the feet.
  • Foot ulcers or sores that do not mend.

Basic daily foot care can prevent severe consequences.

Trust Your Doctor: Signs That You May Want to Reconsider

Many Type 2 diabetics have sworn off Western medicine in favor of natural diabetes treatments that work better than most traditional prescription drugs. While this may be a bit extreme, it does speak to the fact that many Type 2 diabetics are largely frustrated with the “care” they receive from doctors. For the most part, diabetics just want to be healthy like everyone else. Unfortunately, most doctors aren’t delivering their promise to provide the best care possible.

A new report out of Canada confirms that doctor’s “best practice” is often what they feel like doing. In this report, new guidelines were given to Canadian doctors to explicitly tell them to look at abdominal fat and physical activity when treating their diabetic patients. These guidelines published in the April 2011 Canadian Journal of Cardiology, doesn’t contain anything groundbreaking… which is why it should be alarming to all Type 2 diabetics.

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Abdominal fat and exercise are two factors intimately linked with blood sugar level control. Yet researchers felt compelled to publish research that literally told doctors to rethink what they were doing. In fact, the study author, University of Toronto Physician Laurence Leiter, reports that these two simple things are more important than what most doctors pay attention to.

Is this reason to completely abandon your doctor’s advice and set out alone? Of course not. Anti-glycemic medications and injectable insulin are important stepping stones to help diabetics get naturally healthy again. The problem with these approaches is that they create a culture of reliance where lifestyle is completely taken out of the picture. It takes a massive wake up call from reports like this to get doctors to understand that there’s more to diabetes management than prescribing a pill.

Here’s how you can become a more proactive patient and get better care at the doctor’s office:

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  • Speak Up: Many diabetics sheepishly accept everything their doctor tells them. Don’t be afraid to ask your doctor to explain, or to politely turn their advice down.
  • Bring In Questions: Remember, you paid for your doctor’s visit (and it probably wasn’t cheap!). If you’re wondering what that new study about the diabetes medication means to you, bring in the article to your doctor to get his or her feedback.
  • Get Complemented: Western and alternative medicine don’t have to be mutually exclusive. You can still follow doctor’s orders and try natural diabetes treatments, such as herbs, vitamins, acupuncture and several other forms of complementary medicine. There is no doubt that some of them may be able to lower your blood sugar levels.

Diabetes Mellitus

About 50 % of people with diabetes do not understand that they have this long-term illness which makes it crucial to timetable an appointment periodically to decide whether or not you have the illness or not and then establish the program of motion to handle and even heal all by yourself of diabetes primarily if it is the result of poor life style possibilities.

As stated previously, controlling blood glucose levels is of paramount relevance to diabetics to guide in not only managing the condition but reversing diabetes indicators. The glucose cycle is affected by the entry of the glucose into the blood when food is transformed into glucose and by the elimination of this glucose and distribution to the cells. Glucose amounts will be taken care of at even amounts by adhering to a appropriate diabetic diet plan that may possibly include things like carbohydrate counting. Glucose primarily outcomes from carbohydrates in the diet program and appropriately managing carbs consumed is essential. Glucose ranges are also impacted by the level of activity that a man or woman engages in on a everyday basis.

Thoroughly managing glucose to make certain that you do not knowledge a spike or deficiency in glucose stages also usually requires the use of glucose meters on a everyday foundation as properly as medications that could be prescribed by your doctor.

Diabetes administration is a way by which each and every personal controls diabetes to steer clear of its more issues. Nonetheless, for it to be powerful, one particular requires to be up and executing. The initial point that must be founded is the point that one is actually dwelling with the disease as perfectly as the extent of damage this ailment has accomplished to the entire body. This will enable such a man or woman to know where to start from. Consequently, one demands to seek the advice of his health practitioner for medical related look at up in which several assessments will be carried out. It is the final result of the assessments staying done that will identify diabetes administration needed.

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Diabetes administration is not as straightforward as you might assume notably if you are the kind that are unable to continue to keep your eyes off junk and processed foods. Therefore, for helpful diabetes administration, you need to embrace healthful eating habits. Identified beneath are some other diabetes administration suggestions you can use to reduce oneself from diabetes.

1. The initial suggestion is that you will need to steer crystal clear of unhealthy eating and way of living. Individuals won’t be able to discipline themselves any lengthier as far as consuming routine is concerned. Unhealthy and junk foods should be prevented as substantially as doable. Some processed and quick meals are unhealthy and will need to be avoided.

2. Check out as significantly as possible to do work out repeatedly. Have and manage a regular doing exercises regime that will clean the cells and assists in the circulation of blood.

3. Try to eat more uncooked greens, beans and fruit. This will guide a great deal as they comprise vitamins, fiber and protective antioxidants which help to cut down the danger of heart disease and be sure healthier blood circulation.

4. Drink plenty of drinking water and other balanced liquids frequently. Nonetheless, sugary drinks have to be avoided due to the fact they can make blood glucose to rise extremely promptly and be difficult to manage.

Should A Diabetic Skip Meals?

All diabetics, both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics, are aware of the importance of making the right food choices. And eating the right foods makes all the difference in relation to the other important aspect of diabetes, blood sugar levels. But just picking the right foods isn’t enough. You have to have a schedule in place for when those meals will be eaten. The problem is some diabetics feel it is okay to skip a meal now and then. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth.

In a society where body image is everything, it is common practice for people to skip meals as a means of maintaining, or even attempting to lose, weight. Many people have the misconception missing a meal will allow them to remain healthier. After all, if you miss a meal, you won’t be consuming calories, and calories are evil, right?

While a non-diabetic might be able to get away with this type of logic without serious repercussions, it is a dangerous scenario for a diabetic.

  • The worst that can happen to a non-diabetic is they get really hungry.
  • The worst that can happen to a diabetic is hypoglycemic shock and possibly a coma. Not exactly the same thing.

Imagine a campfire: As long as it is fed an energy source of wood it remains bright and intense. It gives off its own energy… heat. But stop feeding the fire and eventually its intensity will dim; the heat will diminish and before long, it will go out altogether.

A diabetic’s body is just like the fire. As long as it is fed an energy source, which is food, then it will continue to burn efficiently. But when that fuel source is interrupted, such as skipping a meal, the body’s energy drops dramatically to a dangerously low-level.

If the fire goes out, you simply start it up again with more wood. But when a diabetic skips meals, their blood sugar levels plummet and puts them in such a state of physical deterioration, it makes it very difficult and sometimes even impossible, for them to correct the problem on their own. The longer they go without food the worse these symptoms become. This is a very dangerous situation for a diabetic to be put in. So why would they intentionally do this to themselves?

Skipping meals is no joke: It puts a tremendous strain on an already fragile part of your system. Even when it is not done intentionally, the results are still the same. That’s why it is important to always be prepared to have something on hand for a meal.

Another concern is the belief a skipped meal can be recovered: Not true. Once a meal is passed, it is gone forever. Trying to over-compensate with your next meal, in an attempt to make up for the missed one, will put your blood sugar on a roller coaster effect. First, your blood sugar will crash from lack of food, then it will skyrocket as you cram every morsel of food you can into your system at once. Remember the fire: feed it a constant supply.

Meal planning also includes snacking, too: These are necessary to maintain that steady sugar level in between meals. There will be days when it is time for a snack and you simply don’t feel hungry. Do not let your stomach dictate whether or not you have a snack. Your stomach is not in control of your blood sugar. Skip a meal or a scheduled snack and your blood sugar will remind you of that.

Remember to be prepared: Whether it is a meal or a snack, you need to always have the right foods on hand. This will eliminate the need, and the temptation, to go with an easy, unhealthy option.

Hospitals Are Not Places Of Healing!

I trust that the headline caught your attention. And that you will pay close attention to what I am about to share with you.

HOSPITALS ARE NOT PLACES OF HEALING

As a physician, I work as a hospitalist. This is a physician who specializes in treating patients when they get admitted into the hospital. A typical shift as a hospitalist lasts about 12 hours.

I typically work 14 days out of the month for 7 days at a stretch. It gives me an incentive to make sure that I tend to my health and wellbeing.

There are certain criteria that must be satisfied by most insurance companies before an admission to the hospital is deemed appropriate.

Put in laymen’s terms you have to be so sick that it would be a risk to treat you outside of the hospital.

So why is this information so important in order to live powerfully with type 2 diabetes? Because by the time you have to be admitted into the hospital, you probably have developed complications associated with type 2 diabetes.

These complications will most likely begin to affect the quality of your life. This is because they usually affect the vital organs of the body.

Here are some important facts to know about diabetes complications:

  • Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure.
  • Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in people age 20-74 years
  • 2 out of 3 people with type 2 diabetes also have hypertension and will also need to take medications to treat this.
  • Adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop heart disease.
  • A significant number of people have problems with their nervous system that can throw off the body’s natural rhythm.
  • Diabetes causes gum disease that could lead to tooth loss. Dental disease has also been found to increase the risk of heart disease.
  • 60% of amputations of the lower limbs are due to diabetes.

This just a small snap shot of the potential complications related to diabetes occurs.

Naturally it’s easy to predict this can become a slippery slope of repeated admissions to the hospital.

Hospitals are not designed as place where healing takes place. A typical day as a patient admitted in the hospital is spent getting tests to diagnose whatever appears to be the problem. In between the patient gets seen by at least one doctor- the admitting physician who is usually a hospitalist such as myself.

Think of yourself in a hospital gown being poked and prodded by different people, examined and questioned over and over again. Next you may be hooked up to an IV and be given powerful medicines to run through your veins designed to make you feel better. At times you may even suffer the side effects, which at times are worse than the medicine itself!

Hospitals are hubs of at times endless activity and so these routines go on around the clock. The day shift signs out to the night shift.

At night expect your sleep to be disrupted by blood pressure, pulse and breathing counts at least every four hours.

And then the routine picks up again the next day. More blood tests, more prodding questioning….

You get the picture.

Life becomes monotonous.

This is the side of living with diabetes that a lot of people become aware of either by watching a spouse, lover, a friend, a neighbor, a relative go through this.

I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be that way!

I am passionate about empowering people to choose differently, because at the end of the day life is all about the choices that we make.

So let’s say that you have just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or been diagnosed some time back. And let’s say that just because you are visiting this blog I can state with confidence that you don’t what to be a part of those statistics I listed above.

Then starting today you can choose differently!

Choose to learn all you can about what it takes to live a powerful life with diabetes.

Choose to focus on adapting the right mindset and that rather than feeling a victim of this condition that you become empowered.

Choose to make healthy lifestyle choices such as checking your blood sugars regularly, eating right, and exercising frequently.

Choose to make sure that you schedule regular appointments with your primary care doctor. And that if you are referred to a specialist that you also see that doctor.

Choose to take your medications as advised and that if you develop a side effect from the medication that you contact your primary care provider.

Choose to ask questions when you are not certain. If one health care provider does not answer them to your satisfaction, keep searching till you find one who is willing to partner with you in your care.

Choose to focus on prevention rather than cure.

I have treated countless patients with diabetes. I can speak to my observation that those patients who were actively engaged in treating their type 2 diabetes.

My patients who were focused on what they needed to do to stay healthy rarely got admitted to the hospital for complications related to diabetes.

Those who played a somewhat more passive role and even approached their care with a sense of resignation inevitably ended up with long-term complications.

It is sad to say that after close to 25 years of being a physician and treating chronic illness, I can almost predict who will and who will not do well- just from studying their mindset.

Mindset is one of the first things I work with a patient or a client on.

Have you ever seen someone just released from the hospital? They look worn out; sometimes even older than when they went in. Chronic illness takes a toll on the body. It causes emotional stress. It takes a long time to heal. And so even though a person may be discharged from after being in the hospital, they are far from healed.

True healing involves the body mind and the spirit.

Hospitals do not heal the body mind and spirit. Even though I work as a hospitalist, I am transparent enough to recognize my limitations within it’s walls.

It is my hope that you will start today to make more powerful choices. That you do whatever it takes to reduce your risk of complications from diabetes.