Sunday, January 11, 2015

Diabetes Treatment In The Woodlands Is A Pathway To Improved Health

By Enid Hinton


An epidemic began over twenty years ago that is still out of control. It is not transmitted by microorganisms, but is instead an unintended consequence of modern life that seriously affects every social strata. The causes are not always easy to define, but they parallel the current plague of obesity common in most countries today. Diabetes treatment in The Woodlands is designed to combat this illness on a personal level.

Although this phenomenon has created much media attention, most people are not completely clear what a positive diagnosis really means. The disease is actually a group of conditions related to metabolism, or the ongoing internal chemical processes necessary for life. Commonly called diabetes mellitus, it is characterized by high blood sugar due to inadequate insulin production or poor physical response to available amounts.

Two primary types are most common. Individuals having Type 1 must inject insulin because their bodies produce none. It is the least common form, but has become more prevalent, and now comprises on one-tenth of all cases. Type 2 is the most common, striking individuals who usually consider themselves healthy. It is a progressive condition, and can be made worse through inactivity, being overweight, and having poor nutrition habits.

As middle age approaches, many people today develop what is commonly called metabolic syndrome, a precursor of actual diabetes characterized by a preponderance of abdominal fat. Type 2 progresses slowly in comparison to many physical ailments, and maintaining a consistent level of personal concern is difficult. The internal damages it causes may be unseen, or simply ignored.

The positive news is that there are solid, effective treatments available. Diagnosis begins by taking blood tests to confirm over time whether blood sugar levels are consistently high. Although pharmaceutical companies market medications directly to consumers today, there is no single medication that can cure victims quickly and easily. Most people begin treatment with a significant change in eating habits.

Changing habits can be difficult, but the results are overwhelmingly positive. Many people associate diet with losing weight, but that is not the primary intent of improving nutritional intake, although it is one of the most common results. A daily diet is recommended that is roughly divided by half in the form of carbohydrates, one fifth in animal proteins, and the remaining third or less in fats.

The main obstacle is not accepting the food itself, but making changes in personal behavior. The visible results of those efforts appear comparatively fast, but diet alone is not enough. Age-appropriate aerobic exercise is also necessary, and that means a minimum total accumulation of one-half hour daily. In many sedentary people the benefits become apparent almost immediately, and positively affect all physical systems.

In many cases, these two simple changes in lifestyle can slow down progression, and sometimes halt it completely. People who show little improvement after a period of carefully controlled diet and increased exercise may benefit from medications that help the pancreas produce more insulin, as well as helping individual cells respond more normally to it. While important, medication does not replace exercises and better nutrition.




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