Treatments for Diabetes

Treatments for diabetes depend on the individual. The basic aim of diabetes treatment is to reduce risk of complications by reducing cardiovascular risk factors, such as poor diet, lack of exercise, overweight, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and to keep blood glucose as normal as possible.


Treatments for Prediabetes

Prediabetes means that your blood sugar (blood glucose) level is higher than normal but not yet high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes is a warning sign that you are at risk for type 2 diabetes. Research shows that most people with pre-diabetes will develop Type 2 diabetes within 10 years or less. If you have prediabetes, the long-term damage of diabetes — especially to your heart and circulatory system — may already be starting. The purpose for treating pre-diabetes is to prevent diabetes from setting in. By following these lifestyle changes you can reduce your risk of developing diabetes :
  • Keep Healthy Weight. Aim for a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 25. If you are overweight, you need to lose weight. Even modest weight loss of 5-10 % of body weight can dramatically reduce the risk of diabetes.
  • Be Physically Active. When you’re active, your body uses glucose. The more active you are, the more glucose your body uses for energy. This keeps the sugar from building up in your blood. Both aerobic and strengthening exercises can reduce blood sugar and also improve insulin resistance. You should exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes daily. Walking is a great way to start.
  • Make Healthy Food Choices. Eat a balanced diet with just enough calories to maintain a healthy weight. Choose foods low in fat and calories and high in fiber. Focus on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Avoid sweets and adding sugar to anything.

With healthy lifestyle changes above you may be able to bring your blood sugar level back to normal.

Treatments for Type 1 Diabetes

There is no cure for type 1 diabetes, so treatment aims to keep your blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible to delay or prevent complications. Treatment for type 1 diabetes includes:
  • Taking Insulin. Type 1 diabetes occurs because your body can’t produce enough insulin. This means you’ll need regular insulin treatment to keep your glucose levels normal. Insulin must be injected under the skin using a syringe, insulin pen, or insulin pump. It cannot be taken by mouth because the acid in the stomach destroys insulin. Your doctor will prescribe which type and dosage of insulin and what time of day to use it.
  • Eating Healthy Diet and Counting Carbohydrate. A healthy diet for type 1 diabetes is broadly similar to the guidelines for people without diabetes. Basically, you should aim to eat a diet low in fat, salt and sugar and high in fibre and with plenty of fruit and vegetables. It is advisable that you should attend to understand how different foods affect your blood glucose and learn to develop your own suitable meal plan. You’ll need to learn how to count the amount of carbohydrates in the foods you eat so that you can give yourself enough insulin to properly metabolize those carbohydrates.
  • Physical Activity. Exercise is an absolutely vital part of type 1 diabetes treatment. But get your doctor’s OK to exercise first. Then choose activities you enjoy, such as walking, swimming and biking. Make physical activity part of your daily routine. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. Exercise benefits people with type 1 diabetes because it increases your insulin sensitivity. In other words, after exercise, your body doesn’t need as much insulin to process carbohydrates. You might need to adjust your meal plan or insulin doses to compensate for the increased activity.
  • Blood Glucose Monitoring. For people with type 1 diabetes, monitoring blood sugar levels is a critical daily habit. It lets you know how well the treatment like insulin injections, meal plan and exercise are working. You may need to check and record your blood sugar levels at least four times a day, and generally more often. Blood glucose level pattern changes can alert you and your health professionals to a possible need for a change in how your diabetes is being managed. Blood sugar testing requires the use of a small electronic device called a glucose meter. You prick your finger with a small, sharp needle (called a lancet) and put a drop of blood on a test strip. Then you put the test strip into a meter that shows your blood sugar level. You get results in less than 15 seconds and can store this information for future use. Checking your blood sugar levels and learning how to respond if the results are too high or too low will give you a sense of control over your diabetes and can help you get on track to better health.


Treatments for Type 2 Diabetes

There isn’t a cure for type 2 diabetes but it can be controlled. The goals of Type 2 diabetes treatment are to eliminate symptoms and to prevent or delay the development of complications. Type 2 diabetes treatment usually consists of lifestyle changes and other diabetes medications. The treatment includes the following:
  • Weight Control. About eight out of every 10 people with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese, and excess weight particularly around the belly is a major cause of type 2 diabetes. By losing weight, you can become less insulin resistant and better control of your blood glucose levels, blood fats including cholesterol and blood pressure reducing the risk of developing long-term complications. A small weight loss (5-10% of body weight) can make a big difference to your diabetes management.
  • Healthy Balanced Diet. Diets for type 2 diabetes should be built around the principles of healthy eating with a focus on foods that do not adversely affect blood glucose levels. Healthy diet should low in fat, salt and sugar and high in fibre such as whole grains, beans, lean meats, and low-fat dairy , fresh low sweet fruits and non-starchy vegetables. You need to learn how to count calories and spread out their carbohydrates throughout the day.It is also important to eat a wide variety of foods in the right proportions, and consuming the right amount of food and drink to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
  • Physical Activity. Exercise or physical activity is important, whether you have diabetes or not. It has many benefits for your physical, psychological and emotional health. For the person with type 2 diabetes physical activity also improves your body’s sensitivity to insulin and lowers blood glucose levels. To have the greatest benefit, you need to exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. This can be broken down into shorter sessions of 10 -15 minutes each. To lose weight, you need to exercise for at least 60 minutes on most days of the week. A combination of exercises — aerobic exercises, such as walking or dancing on most days, combined with resistance training, such as weightlifting or yoga twice a week — often helps control blood sugar more effectively than either type of exercise alone. You might need to eat a snack before exercising to help prevent low blood sugar if you take diabetes medications that lower your blood sugar.
  • Medication. You may need to take medications in order to keep glucose levels within a healthy range. Medications for type 2 diabetes are usually taken by mouth in the form of tablets, and can sometimes be a combination of more than one type of tablet and should always be taken around meal times and as prescribed by the doctor. However, If glucose-lowering tablets aren’t effective in controlling your blood glucose levels, you may need to have insulin treatment. This can be taken instead of or alongside your tablets, depending on the dose and the way that you take it. The decision about which medications are best depends on many factors, including your blood sugar level and any other health problems you have. Your doctor might even combine drugs from different classes to help you control your blood sugar in several different ways. In addition to diabetes medications, your doctor might prescribe low-dose aspirin therapy as well as blood pressure and cholesterol-lowering medications to help prevent heart and blood vessel disease.
  • Blood Glucose Monitoring. Blood glucose monitoring can be a useful tool when it comes to controlling blood sugar levels, as it can show how diet , physical activity and medication impact on your blood sugar levels. Your doctor will determine your target range, as well as when and how often you should check your blood glucose. If you’re taking insulin, your doctor may recommend checking your glucose multiple times a day. Otherwise, you may not need to check it as frequently. You’ll use an electronic device called a glucose meter to draw a drop of blood and measure sugar levels. Keep a record of your blood sugar for yourself and your doctor. Based on your numbers of blood sugar levels, you may need to make changes to your meals, activity, or medicines to keep your blood sugar level in the right target range.


Treatments for Gestational Diabetes

It’s essential to control your blood sugar as close to normal as possible to keep your baby healthy and avoid complications during pregnancy and delivery. Treatment for gestational diabetes includes:
  • Healthy Diet. Eating the right kinds of food in healthy portions is one of the best ways to control your blood sugar and prevent too much weight gain, which can put you at higher risk of complications. A healthy diet focuses on fruits, vegetables and whole grains — foods that are high in nutrition and fiber and low in fat and calories — and limits highly refined carbohydrates, including sweets. Consult a registered dietitian for the best way to ensure you are getting all the nutrients you need for a healthy pregnancy, while keeping in mind the need to keep blood glucose levels normal and to gain weight appropriately.
  • Exercise. Regular physical activity plays a key role in every woman’s wellness plan before, during and after pregnancy. Exercise lowers your blood sugar by stimulating your body to move glucose into your cells, where it’s used for energy. Exercise also increases your cells’ sensitivity to insulin, which means your body will need to produce less insulin to transport sugar. With your doctor’s OK, aim for moderately vigorous exercise on most days of the week. Walking, cycling and swimming are good choices during pregnancy. Everyday activities such as housework and gardening also count.
  • Blood Glucose Monitoring. Checking your blood sugar level at home using blood glucose meters is an important part of the treatment plan for managing gestational diabetes, because it allows you and your health care team to see how well your blood sugar is controlled. While you’re pregnant, your health care team may ask you to check your blood sugar four to five times a day — first thing in the morning and after meals — to make sure your level stays within a healthy range. Your health care team will monitor and manage your blood sugar during labor and delivery. If your blood sugar rises, your baby’s pancreas may release high levels of insulin which can cause low blood sugar in your baby right after birth.
  • Medication. If diet and exercise aren’t enough, you may need insulin injections to control your blood sugar. Between 10 and 20 percent of women with gestational diabetes need insulin to reach their blood sugar goals. Some doctors prescribe an oral blood sugar control medication, while others believe more research is needed to confirm that oral drugs are as safe and as effective as injectable insulin to control gestational diabetes.
  • Baby Monitoring. An important part of your treatment plan is close observation of your baby. Your doctor may monitor your baby’s growth and development with repeated ultrasounds or other tests. If you don’t go into labor by your due date your doctor may induce labor. Delivering after your due date may increase the risk of complications for you and your baby.