May 08, 2020

What is diabetes and how to live with it

What is diabetes and how to live with it.

Diabetes mellitus refers to a group of diseases that affect how your body uses blood sugar (glucose). Glucose is vital to your health because it's an important source of energy for the cells that make up your muscles and tissues. It's also your brain's main source of fuel.

The underlying cause of diabetes varies by type. But, no matter what type of diabetes you have, it can lead to excess sugar in your blood! Too much sugar in your blood can lead to serious health problems.

Chronic diabetes conditions include type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Potentially reversible diabetes conditions include prediabetes — when your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes — and gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy but may resolve after the baby is delivered.

Diabetes symptoms vary depending on how much your blood sugar is elevated. Some people, especially those with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, may not experience symptoms initially. In type 1 diabetes, symptoms tend to come on quickly and be more severe.

Some of the signs and symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes are:

Increased thirst
Frequent urination
Extreme hunger
Unexplained weight loss
Presence of ketones in the urine (ketones are a byproduct of the breakdown of muscle and fat that happens when there's not enough available insulin)
Fatigue
Irritability
Blurred vision
Slow-healing sores
Frequent infections, such as gums or skin infections and vaginal infections

Prevention:

Type 1 diabetes can't be prevented. However, the same healthy lifestyle choices that help treat prediabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes can also help prevent them:

Eat healthy foods. Choose foods lower in fat and calories and higher in fiber. Focus on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Strive for variety to prevent boredom.
Get more physical activity. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a day. Take a brisk daily walk. Ride your bike. Swim laps. If you can't fit in a long workout, break it up into smaller sessions spread throughout the day.
Lose excess pounds. If you're overweight, losing even 7 percent of your body weight — for example, 14 pounds (6.4 kilograms) if you weigh 200 pounds (90.7 kilograms) — can reduce the risk of diabetes.

Foot problems in diabetes Stepps Gear have you covered!

Over time, diabetes can cause nerve damage that leads to numbness in the feet. This can make it hard for people with diabetes to feel sensation in their extremities. This is when Compression Socks from Stepps Gear can help you.

The condition also makes it difficult for a person with diabetes to feel irritation, soreness, or infection on the feet. They may not notice when their shoes are rubbing. This lack of sensation can lead to an increased risk of cuts, sores, and blisters.

When diabetes hits your feet, the first advice is to be comfortable, take good care of your feet in your day to day routine; after all, they are, they are ones carrying us and taking us to places. Bundle up on Stepps Gear Compression socks, you will find immediate relief.

Preventing foot problems is essential for people who have diabetes. Keeping feet healthy is critical, and a person should be vigilant about foot hygiene. Take the following suggestions from STEPPS GEAR:

Check the feet each day: Examine the feet daily, or ask someone to check for any changes or injuries.
Wash the feet daily: Keep the feet clean to prevent infections.
Wear supportive shoes and socks: Protect the feet in socks and shoes at all times. A podiatrist may recommend special shoes to help prevent deformities. Do not apply socks so tightly that they restrict blood flow.
Promote blood flow to the feet: Put the feet up when sitting, wiggle the toes periodically, and get enough exercise. These actions help promote healthy blood flow to the feet.
Trim nails carefully: Trim toenails straight across and keep them short. Rounded nails can grow inward, leading to infection.
Care for corns and bunions: Treat corn and bunions carefully. Never shave corns, as this increases the risk of infection.
Protect feet from extreme temperatures: Exposure to extreme hot and cold can damage the feet of people with diabetes.
Receive regular examinations on the feet: Regular examinations by a doctor are key to preventing infections, amputations, and severe deformities.
Control blood sugar: Uncontrolled blood sugars increase the risk of podiatric complications from diabetes.
Avoid smoking: Smoking adversely affects blood flow to the tissues, which can make foot problems worse in people with diabetes.

Author: Marcos Capriles

What is diabetes and how to live with it

What is diabetes and how to live with it.

Diabetes mellitus refers to a group of diseases that affect how your body uses blood sugar (glucose). Glucose is vital to your health because it's an important source of energy for the cells that make up your muscles and tissues. It's also your brain's main source of fuel.

The underlying cause of diabetes varies by type. But, no matter what type of diabetes you have, it can lead to excess sugar in your blood! Too much sugar in your blood can lead to serious health problems.

Diabetes symptoms vary depending on how much your blood sugar is elevated. Some people, especially those with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, may not experience symptoms initially. In type 1 diabetes, symptoms tend to come on quickly and be more severe.

Some of the signs and symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes are:

Increased thirst

Frequent urination

Extreme hunger

Unexplained weight loss

Presence of ketones in the urine (ketones are a byproduct of the breakdown of muscle and fat that happens when there's not enough available insulin)

Fatigue

Irritability

Blurred vision

Slow-healing sores

Frequent infections, such as gums or skin infections and vaginal infections

Prevention:

Type 1 diabetes can't be prevented. However, the same healthy lifestyle choices that help treat prediabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes can also help prevent them:

Eat healthy foods. Choose foods lower in fat and calories and higher in fiber. Focus on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Strive for variety to prevent boredom.

Get more physical activity. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a day. Take a brisk daily walk. Ride your bike. Swim laps. If you can't fit in a long workout, break it up into smaller sessions spread throughout the day.

Lose excess pounds. If you're overweight, losing even 7 percent of your body weight — for example, 14 pounds (6.4 kilograms) if you weigh 200 pounds (90.7 kilograms) — can reduce the risk of diabetes.

Foot problems in diabetes Stepps Gear have you covered!

Over time, diabetes can cause nerve damage that leads to numbness in the feet. This can make it hard for people with diabetes to feel sensation in their extremities. This is when Compression Socks from Stepps Gear can help you.

The condition also makes it difficult for a person with diabetes to feel irritation, soreness, or infection on the feet. They may not notice when their shoes are rubbing. This lack of sensation can lead to an increased risk of cuts, sores, and blisters.

When diabetes hits your feet, the first advice is to be comfortable, take good care of your feet in your day to day routine; after all, they are, they are ones carrying us and taking us to places. Bundle up on Stepps Gear Compression socks, you will find immediate relief.

Preventing foot problems is essential for people who have diabetes. Keeping feet healthy is critical, and a person should be vigilant about foot hygiene. Take the following suggestions from STEPPS GEAR:

Check the feet each day: Examine the feet daily, or ask someone to check for any changes or injuries.

Wash the feet daily: Keep the feet clean to prevent infections.

Wear supportive shoes and socks: Protect the feet in socks and shoes at all times. A podiatrist may recommend special shoes to help prevent deformities. Do not apply socks so tightly that they restrict blood flow.

Promote blood flow to the feet: Put the feet up when sitting, wiggle the toes periodically, and get enough exercise. These actions help promote healthy blood flow to the feet.

Trim nails carefully: Trim toenails straight across and keep them short. Rounded nails can grow inward, leading to infection.

Care for corns and bunions: Treat corn and bunions carefully. Never shave corns, as this increases the risk of infection.

Protect feet from extreme temperatures: Exposure to extreme hot and cold can damage the feet of people with diabetes.

Receive regular examinations on the feet: Regular examinations by a doctor are key to preventing infections, amputations, and severe deformities.

Control blood sugar: Uncontrolled blood sugars increase the risk of podiatric complications from diabetes.

Avoid smoking: Smoking adversely affects blood flow to the tissues, which can make foot problems worse in people with diabetes.