Diabetes mellitus is a disease that develops due to the immunity of body cells to the sugar-reducing hormone. Type 1 diabetes is diagnosed if the pancreas does not produce insulin at all. In other cases - 2nd type. How to treat diabetes and is it possible to get rid of it forever?
diet therapy
It is possible to treat diabetes in its early stages with fasting and diet therapy. Doctors recommend fractional feeding. A diabetic should eat in small portions as often as possible (ideally 5-6 times a day). Based on body weight, the number of calories per day is calculated at the rate of 25 kcal/kg.
For the proper treatment of diabetes, it is recommended to follow the following principles:
- giving up alcohol and smoking;
- minimize the amount of salt consumed;
- make a diet so that half of the fats are of vegetable origin;
- limit foods with sugar: cakes and sweets, ice cream, jam, soda, fruit juices;
- exclude fatty broths, cakes, red fish, sausages, hard cheeses, rice and semolina from the menu;
- eat foods rich in vitamins and minerals: nuts, vegetables, fruits.
Typically, the menu contains low-calorie foods with a minimum carbohydrate content. But it is completely impossible to do without them. It is the source of energy in the body. Complex slow carbohydrates will benefit. They gradually increase blood glucose levels without overloading the pancreas.
It is desirable to have foods rich in fiber in the diet of a diabetic patient. This substance is useful for the disruption of metabolic processes in the body. Vegetable fiber slows down the absorption of excess glucose in the small intestine, reducing its concentration in the blood. It also removes toxins, toxins and excess water. If the patient needs to lose weight, then vegetable cellulose is an excellent choice. The substance swells in the stomach and gives a feeling of satiety. A diabetic does not suffer from severe hunger. At the same time, fiber is low in calories.
A fifth of the food consumed by a diabetic should be protein. Proteins of plant and animal origin are involved in the regeneration of the body. In addition, animal proteins disrupt kidney function, so do not exceed their amount.
A diabetic diet also includes fats. They are found in meat products, fish, and eggs.
insulin therapy
Treatment of type 1 diabetes involves insulin injections. Shortly after the start of therapy, the so-called honeymoon begins. During this period, blood sugar is kept within normal limits without regular injections. After a while it rises again. If you do not reduce the glucose level with insulin, coma and death occur.
In order to extend the favorable period for several years, the use of insulin in low doses (1-3 IU per day) is required. There are 4 main types of insulin: ultrashort, short, intermediate and long-acting. Ultrashort is considered the fastest.
Insulin therapy is prescribed individually. Self-monitoring records of the diabetic patient are taken into account. The doctor learns how blood glucose changes during the day, when the patient has breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Insulin-containing preparations are administered by injection and with the help of an insulin pump. The last method is more convenient: the pump is ideal for controlling diabetes in a child, because he cannot inject himself due to his age.
Unlike traditional syringes, this device provides better control of diabetes. It is a small device with a needle attached to a thin long tube. The needle is inserted under the skin, most commonly in the abdominal cavity, and remains there. The pump wears on the belt. It ensures continuous flow of the drug into the blood at a certain speed. Change every 3 days.
Treatment
Other than insulin injections, drugs play a minor role in the treatment of type 1 diabetes. Nevertheless, they facilitate the course of the disease. This is especially true for drugs from the biguanide class.
For hypertension, patients with type 1 diabetes are prescribed angiotensin-II receptor blockers or ACE inhibitors. These pills not only lower blood pressure, but also slow down the development of complications in the kidneys. It is recommended to take them with blood pressure indicators of 140/90 mm Hg. Art. and higher.
Cardiologists and therapists often prescribe acetylsalicylic acid for diabetics. The substance is taken in small doses every day. It is believed to reduce the risk of heart attack.
Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes have been shown to increase blood sugar and bad cholesterol at the same time. Therefore, the patient is prescribed a statin. However, these drugs cause side effects: memory problems, increased fatigue, functional disorders of the liver. A low-carb diet is a good alternative to statins. Normalizes blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Physical activities
Exercise is an effective way to control type 1 diabetes. Patients need aerobic and anaerobic exercise. In the first case, it is skiing, swimming, running, cycling. In the second - strength training in the gym. Combine aerobic activities with anaerobic activities every day. Adults need at least 5 half-hour sessions per week. Children - for 1 hour of training daily.
Start exercising only after consulting your doctor. Make sure that the heart can withstand such loads. To do this, take an EKG. If complications in the legs, kidneys or vision have already developed, this limits the choice of types of physical activity.
In type 1 diabetes, exercise does not have an unequivocal effect on health. In some cases, they reduce sugar for a long time, up to 36 hours after the end of the session. In others, on the contrary, it increases. Therefore, check the blood glucose level with a glucometer every 30 minutes. Gradually, you will understand how physical activity affects it.
Folk methods
Folk remedies are also used in the treatment of diabetes. Below are popular recipes.
- lemon and egg. The first component normalizes blood pressure and lowers blood glucose levels. Second, it provides the body with necessary vitamins and minerals. Mix 50 ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice with 5 quail or 1 chicken egg. Take the remedy once 30 minutes before meals. Treatment regimen: 3 days after taking the therapeutic composition, then 3 days of rest. The duration of therapy is 1 month.
- Treatment Prescription. Ingredients required: 100g lemon peel, 300g parsley root (leaves will do), 300g peeled garlic. Wash the parsley roots well, peel the garlic and put everything through a meat grinder. Stir the resulting mixture and transfer it to a glass container. Put in a dark place for 2 weeks. Take 1 tsp. 30 minutes before meals. Application frequency - 3 times a day.
Lemon, parsley, oak, walnut leaf, burdock root, cinnamon can be used in the treatment of diabetes.
- oak acorns. Oak fruits contain valuable tannin. Actively fights inflammatory processes in the body, strengthens the cardiovascular system. Peel the acorns. Dry the base in a hot oven. Grind the raw materials into a powder in a coffee grinder. Fill with boiled water and take 1 tsp. on an empty stomach before lunch and dinner. The end of the therapy course is determined by blood tests.
- Decoction of walnut leaves. To prepare a drink, you need 1 tbsp. l. dried and crushed leaves. Fill them with 500 ml of boiled water. Then boil the mixture on low heat for 15 minutes. Wait for it to cool and brew for 40 minutes. After that, filter and take 0. 5 tbsp. 3 times a day.
- cinnamon. Pour 1 tablespoon of cinnamon powder. Hot water. Allow to steep for 30 minutes. When the mixture cools, add honey (2 parts honey to 1 part cinnamon). Put the product in the refrigerator for 3 hours. After the indicated time, the infusion is divided into two parts. Drink 1 piece 30 minutes before breakfast. The second is before bed. The duration of the treatment course is not more than 7 days.
- Burdock juice. The plant effectively reduces blood glucose levels. Dig up the young burdock root. Wash thoroughly and grind raw materials in a blender. Wrap the gruel in several layers of cheesecloth and squeeze out the water. Take the medicine 15 ml 3 times a day. Pre-dilute it with 250 ml of boiled water.
What to do
The first and foremost rule: take responsibility for your treatment. Carefully follow a low-carbohydrate diet. Try to keep sugar higher than 5. 5 mmol / l after eating. If necessary, supplement the diet with low-dose insulin.
Don't limit your calorie intake. Eat hearty and tasty food, but don't overeat. Stop eating with a slight feeling of hunger.
Do not save on glucometer test strips. Measure your sugar level every day 2-3 times a day. Periodically check the accuracy of your glucometer. Check your blood sugar level 3 times in a row. Differences in results should not exceed 5-10%. Also, a blood test for sugar can be done in the laboratory, and then check your glucometer. The permissible deviation of the portable device does not exceed 20% (with sugar values of 4. 2 mmol / l).
Delaying the initiation of insulin therapy is a blunder. Complications of diabetes occur even when the glucose level is 6. 0 mmol/L in the morning on an empty stomach or after a meal. Learn how to calculate dosages and how to inject insulin safely.
Do not be lazy to manage the disease under stress, on business trips and other non-standard life situations. Keep a self-monitoring diary. Record the date, time, blood sugar level, what you ate, what physical activity you did, which insulin and how much you injected.
Diabetes can be treated in the early stages. Swimming, cycling, running and other types of physical activity are activities that will help with this. Their effectiveness is no less than sugar-lowering drugs. A low-carb diet also works well. In some cases, it helps to get rid of the disease. The exception is complex type 1 diabetes. It is a lifelong diagnosis that requires regular high-dose insulin.