Health and Wellness: November is Diabetes Awareness Month
by Dianne Vigue, Resident Wellness Manager at The Osher Inn, assisted living at The Cedars
Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced. This high blood sugar produces the classical symptoms of frequent urination, frequent thirst and increased hunger.
There are two main types of diabetes that affect seniors. Type I results from the body’s failure to produce insulin and requires the individual to inject insulin or wear and insulin pump. Type II results from insulin resistance, a condition in which cells fail to use insulin properly, which used to be called “non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus”. Both are chronic conditions and their accompanying complications can be treated and kept under control with the proper medications, diet, and exercise. Diagnosis is determined by your medical practitioner through a simple blood test.
There are several components to a successful diabetes self-management plan. Hebrew Senior Life and Harvard Medical School suggest the following:
- Monitoring blood glucose levels regularly – This helps patients know how much food to eat, how much exercise to get, and how much medication, including insulin, to take, as well as helping them feel more in control of their disease.
- Following a well-balanced meal plan – Different foods affect blood glucose levels, so planning meals is important. A dietitian can help create personalized meal plans designed to help control blood glucose levels.
- Exercising regularly – 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week can improve blood glucose levels of older adults.
- Taking medications as prescribed – Medications, both oral and injectable, are key to controlling diabetes, and they should be taken exactly as they are prescribed by a physician.
- Losing weight – Nearly 90 percent of diabetics are overweight; studies have shown that weight loss is an essential element in controlling blood glucose levels.
- Checking feet daily – Diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage) can cause cuts, sores and blisters to go unnoticed. Because they heal more slowly in people with diabetes, the risk of infection is greater.
- Visiting your health-care team regularly – Regular visits to a primary care physician and an endocrinologist (a diabetes specialist) can help monitor disease progression and modify disease treatment and management plans. In addition, people with diabetes should see an eye doctor annually and a dentist every six months.