By Julie Dostal, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator
Diabetes is a complicated, chronic and serious disease. In 2010, the total number of Americans suffering from Type 2 diabetes was 25.8 million, or 8.3 percent of the total population. In 2010, approximately 1.9 million Americans over the age of 20 were newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. This high increase in type 2 diabetes is felt to be a direct result of lifestyle changes such as decreased physical activity, high fat diets, and longer longevity. If this rate of diabetes continues, by 2050, one in every three Americans will have type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is the leading cause of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, nontraumatic lower limb amputations, and new cases of blindness in the United States.
To prevent these serious complications of type 2 diabetes, people with diabetes need to learn and engage in successful self-management skills that include both medication and lifestyle treatments. Having diabetes means keeping blood sugar at optimal levels. The American Diabetes Association recommendation for fasting, or pre-meal blood sugars is 70–130 mg/dl while post-meal blood sugars taken one to two hours after eating are below 180 mg/dl.Do all blood sugars need to conform to these recommendations? No. Research has shown that 50 percent of your blood sugars in the recommended ranges will yield an A1C 7.0 or below.
People with diabetes should be able to analyze blood sugar readings and how they relate to changes in medication, food intake, and physical activity. Having diabetes means you need to “think like a pancreas.” Where would people with diabetes locate medically current information and lifestyle guidance to develop analytical skill in managing their diabetes? They should seek out diabetes education programs approved by the American Diabetes Association or the American Association of Diabetes Educators. These professional organizations require an approved plan of education taught by qualified health professionals in seven content areas deemed necessary for managing diabetes: healthy eating; being active; monitoring; taking medication; problem solving; healthy coping; and, reducing risks.
The diet for diabetes is recognized as the most complicated and challenging aspect of self-care. Eating behaviors take longer to change. Attending diabetes classes that meet several times over a period of weeks can help promote healthier eating. First, people with diabetes need to distinguish carbohydrate foods from non-carbohydrate foods. Being able to plan meals and choose snacks with the appropriate amount of carbohydrate is the second skill. Then, they can calculate how much carbohydrate they are eating in a day or in a meal. Some people with diabetes will then be able to give themselves insulin based on the amount of carbohydrate they are eating and what their blood sugar readings are. Learning how to read food labels, evaluate sweeteners, and order food appropriately when dining out are additional healthy eating activities in diabetes education.
Being active with diabetes creates the benefit of better blood glucose control. Exercise can increase the number of insulin receptor sites on muscle and fat cells. Since the body is more sensitive (e.g., uses available insulin better), a person with diabetes will notice lower blood sugars while using less diabetes medication. Being active with diabetes does not require grueling workouts or even a gym membership. Three or four 10-minute bouts of exercise done throughout the day can improve diabetes dramatically. For people with diabetes who want to take less medication, they should consider writing a goal to increase physical activity. Their physical activity goal will be reviewed at each class meeting.
Everyone struggles with managing their diabetes from time to time. People with diabetes may describe “having diabetes is like a chronically difficult and frustrating job where he works harder and harder each day and yet has little sense that these actions are making a real difference.” Engaging in diabetes education can help you relieve the frustration of “diabetes overwhelmus.” You can live the life you want, while managing diabetes.
For more information, call Julie at 309-830-077 or email her at julie@juliedostalrd.com. She offers diabetes education classes, beginning July 7th at 2401 East Washington, Lower Level, Bloomington. Call or email Julie to register.
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