Intensive control works

Diabetes and you

Susan Sorensen

Diabetes. The word has only eight letters but it can turn your world upside down in an instant. Since November is National Diabetes Month, let's discuss the importance of maintaining your blood glucose in a healthy range and how that can be achieved with minor alterations to your daily life.

It is important to first accept the fact that diabetes is a medical condition that is in your control. Unlike medical conditions that require surgical intervention, diabetes puts you in the driver seat to control what you eat (glucose in) and what you do for activity (glucose out). Chronic elevation of blood glucose levels can result in damage to your eyes, peripheral nerves, kidneys and heart but none of that has to occur!

With the discovery of insulin in the late 1920s and numerous oral medications that have been developed, someone who has diabetes can live a long and healthy life. In fact, some people who have diabetes find that they are healthier than before their diabetes diagnosis because they are taking better care of themselves with daily exercise and nutritious food.

Let's discuss the groundbreaking study that clarified the benefits of controlled glucose levels.

From 1983-1993, researchers with the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial followed 1,441 people with Type 1 diabetes (insulin dependent). Half of the test group was treated with glucose testing and insulin injections twice a day. The second half was treated more intensively with glucose testing and insulin injections at least four times a day to keep their blood glucose levels lower than the participants in the first group. As the study progressed, it revealed that the intensive control group had a 76-percent decreased incidence of retinopathy (eye disease), a 50-percent decreased incidence of nephropathy (kidney disease) and 66-percent decreased risk of neuropathy (nerve disease).

The dramatic difference between the two groups was so significant that the study was stopped early so that all participants could become part of the intensive control group.

So you may wonder: How does this study apply to me? Although the DCCT studied only people with Type 1 diabetes, the positive outcome of good diabetes control can be applied to those individuals with Type 2 diabetes. When you get back to practicing the basic concepts that improve your health, you can achieve good glucose control. Maintain a healthy weight, consume a heart-healthy diet, control your blood pressure and exercise to stay alive.

If you are overweight, a loss of 10 percent of your body weight will have a dramatic impact on the efficiency of the insulin that your body is producing. Try to concentrate on whole grains, lean meats, fruits and vegetables with low-fat dairy to ensure adequate nutrition and fiber. Limit your salt intake by removing the salt shaker from the table and consuming fewer prepackaged foods. Find an activity that will provide you with a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise a day and continue it throughout your life.

Look at each of these suggestions to decide what you can incorporate in your daily routine so that you can improve control of your diabetes and proudly celebrate National Diabetes Month.

Susan Sorensen is a registered nurse who does diabetes education in the community and can be reached at www.

starladydiabetes.com.