Diabetes Mellitus

What Is Diabetes Mellitus?

Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose (sugar) for our bodies to use

for energy. The pancreas, an organ near the stomach, makes a hormone

called insulin to help glucose get into our body cells. When you have

diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use its own

insulin very well. This problem causes glucose to build up in your

blood(HYPERGLYCEMIA in medical terms).

Diabetes means that a person’s blood sugar is too high. Your blood always

has some sugar in it because the body needs sugar for energy to keep you

going. But too much sugar in the blood can cause serious damage to the

eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart.

TYPES OF DIABETESBroadly there are three main types of diabetes:

Diabetes Type 1 - You produce no insulin at all.

Diabetes Type 2 - You don't produce enough insulin, or your insulin is not working properly.

Gestational Diabetes - You develop diabetes just during your pregnancy.

How do I even suspect I have it?

You may recall having some of these signs before you found

out you had diabetes:

Being very thirsty. Urinating a lot—often at night. Having blurry vision from time to

time. Feeling very tired much of the

time. Losing weight without trying. Having very dry skin. Having sores that are slow to

heal. Getting more infections than

usual. Losing feeling or getting a

tingling feeling in the feet. Vomiting.

How can I be sure ?

Urine Sugar test Random blood sugar test

Both these can also be done at home to monitor the patient’s progress

Its always advisable to see your doctor at the earliest

Oral Glucose Tolerance test

Speak to your doctor without any hesitation

ARE YOU THE ONLY ONE SUFFERING FROM DIABETES????NO !!!!!!!!! YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING

PRIVILEDGED COMPANY:

Elizabeth Taylor - ActressJim Turner - Actor"Smokin' Joe" Frazier - BoxerKing Fahd - King of Saudi Arabia

Crap! The doc told me I have Diabetes..my life is finished!

The story is far from over my friend

Millions of diabetics are well controlled with drugs,insulin,exercise,Yoga and lead a healthy joyful life

They go to work,see their kids grow up and do what everybody else does normally!

Alright it’s all good! So how do I manage my life now?

First and foremost, you must take responsibility for your own day-to-day care and not anyone else.

How??! Healthy eating Physical activity / exercise / Yoga / Aerobics Regular blood glucose testing and maintaining a diary Take your pills as prescribed Follow your diet religiously Follow up with your doctor as instructed on a regular

basis

Home based care Monitoring your own

glucose is done with a Glucose Meter. Self-monitoring is often called SMBG (self-monitoring of blood glucose). Glucose meters today are small, battery-operated devices.

USING A GLUCOMETER When you want to test for

glucose with a glucose meter you need to place a small sample of your blood on a test strip. Your skin is pricked with a lancet - like a very fast pin-prick.

These test strips are disposable. You then place the strip in the monitor. The strips are coated with enzymes that combine with glucose in blood.

Based on the glucose level in blood,they flash the appropriate values on the screen.

Prevention is better than cure…if it can’t be prevented,it can

surely be controlled.

Be more physically active !! Go for a walk with a friend,

a neighbour, your family Don’t take the elevator..

Use the stairs Park further away, walk a

few more steps Play with your children,

grandchildren or friends Clean around the house Run errands Join an Aerobics or Tai-Chi

class Go for weekend Yoga

lessons

Eat health

y!!

Who gives a damn! I think the doctor is just scaring me unecessarily.. I’m just fine!!

If your Diabetes is undiagnosed,you are just unlucky

If you have been informed about your ailment and yet choose not to do anything,YOU ARE A FOOL and are gambling with your life!

Why should you control it

REMEMBER!!Diabetes is serious yet controllable! 1 . Learn about diabetes - what you can do to control your

diabetes

2 . Be physically active every day– dance or walk !

3 . Learn what you should eat. A registered

dietician can help you plan your meals

4 . Make wise food choices – less fat, low salt.

More fiber (fruits and vegetables)

5 . Visit your doctor or health care provider

Spread the word !!

Educate your friends, family and loved ones

Care for those who need it the most

Be responsible.. Health is a gift !!