Diabetes on the Rise Part 4 Type II Treatment Options
Now that you`re clear on the types and symptoms of Diabetes, what do you do to treat the disease? If you`re diagnosed as a Type II diabetic (insulin resistant) the standard treatment goes according to how you present. If you are borderline; your doctor may simply suggest lifestyle and diet changes before anything else. Most health care professionals will recommend that people who present themselves as borderline (especially if you have other risk factors like being overweight or being a smoker) that you go for a Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT) once every 6 months in an effort to monitor your blood sugar levels. If you present with Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) where your sugar levels are off the charts high (just an FYI your blood sugars SHOULD be between 70 and 120), then your doctor may put you on insulin therapy till you can get it under control. The hope is that once the insulin therapy coupled with lifestyle changes get your sugar levels back within normal range, you`ll be able to come off insulin therapy and become what`s known as oral/diet controlled. Unfortunately, many people are not aggressive enough with managing the disease and remain insulin dependent for the rest of their lives. The other scenario which can present is if a woman develops gestational Diabetes and must be placed on insulin therapy.
So let`s discuss scenario number one. Your physician has informed you that you are a borderline Diabetic and that you must make some lifestyle changes. One easy holistic change you can make is by incorporating one tablespoon of plain ground cinnamon throughout the day into some of your foods. You can add it into coffee or tea, applesauce or cereal-- these are just a FEW suggestions. Your body requires a certain amount of NATURAL sugars, the kinds you get from fruits, vegetables, and carbohydrates. You also need proteins, dairy, water, a small amount of fats---WHERE do you start? One of the most typical reactions is, `I don`t have time to eat healthy. I`m always on the go.` THAT`S where what nutritionists call `easy foods` come into play. The USDA advises Americans to eat 4-5 servings of fruits AND vegetables a day and in your head we know you`re saying impossible. But with things on the market like V8 LOW sodium that gives you 3 servings of vegetables in just one 12oz bottle, there are no more excuses! Another easy food to get fruits in is those little 4oz cups of applesauce you may send your kids off to school with. NATURAL applesauce only has 50 calories per serving and only 111 grams of natural sugars, equivalent to one serving of fruit each!
When it comes to your proteins, the less legs the better, in other words if it walked on all fours it`s a more complex protein for your body to breakdown. The easiest proteins to breakdown are ones that never walked at all like fish, eggs and legumes (beans). An easy food for proteins is boiled eggs-they are portable, can be eaten at room temperature, and won`t make a mess in your bag (ask your doctor how many eggs a week you`re allowed to keep your cholesterol balanced). Proteins should take up about a quarter of your diet approximately 2-2 1/2 servings a day. Your carbohydrates should take up a little more than a quarter of your everyday diet and should consist of whole grains and high fiber. A great rule of thumb for breads and carbs is that if it has less than 3 grams of DIETARY fiber per serving it should be limited. Whole grain breads made into croutons for a chicken salad are a great way to get in your carbs and some of your veggies too!
An easy dairy food could consist of low fat/fat free yogurt (easy to grab for a snack with all the varieties available now). Another option is 8oz of low fat/fat-free milk by itself, with a bowl of cereal or spread out throughout the day in your coffee or tea. Since you also need a certain amount of fats to help breakdown carbs in your body,`healthy` fats are the way to go like avocado, olive oil or butters rich in omega 3, 6 and 9.
These are just some lifestyle changes you can consider, but ALWAYS discuss your options with your doctor first. Type II Diabetes can be controlled if you know what you`re up against. When you schedule your next doctor appointment make a list of some of the suggestions listed here and see what kind of proactive plan you and your doctor can incorporate to fit you and your lifestyle.