Diabetes Medications and Diet: Synergistic Success
It's a tricky balancing act - using diabetes medications to keep blood sugar at just the right level.
You're coasting along, trying to "eat right," when suddenly you're confronted with a crisis -- sharing a very large pizza. It's so difficult turning away from pizza -- yet you face the inevitable blood sugar spike, with your diabetes drugs faltering under the carb load. If you're taking insulin, the mealtime dosage will need lots of attention.
Diabetes Care: Managing Your Time When You Have Diabetes
Sometimes, living with diabetes can seem like a full-time job -- trying to keep up with everything you need to do for proper diabetes care. "Diabetes is a very time-consuming disease to manage well," says Karmeen Kulkarni, MS, RD, CDE, and former president of health care and education for the American Diabetes Association. "The medication, the food, the physical activity -- you add life in general to that whole picture and it ends up being quite challenging."
Read the Diabetes Care: Managing Your Time When You Have Diabetes article > >
There's also the weight gain issue: Too many calories pack on the pounds, which worsens blood sugar control.
It's serious business, keeping blood sugar and diabetes under control. There are too many health complications at stake to take it lightly. Over time, those blood sugar spikes take a toll on all your major organs and nerves throughout your body. It's nothing to take lightly. But good blood sugar control can prevent the worst complications of diabetes.
In recent years, new drugs that treat diabetes and various types of insulin have helped improve the management of diabetes and greatly improve blood sugar control. Some medication used to treat diabetes help drop weight and reduce blood cholesterol levels. But they can't do the work alone, diabetes experts say.
Lifestyle changes are essential -- a healthy diet, regular exercise, and weight loss -- in letting diabetes medications do their job, says David Nathan, MD, chief of the Diabetes Center at Massachusetts General Hospital and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.
"If you have type 2 diabetes, your pancreas is still trying to release insulin," Nathan explains. "But if you have a rapid rise in blood sugar, it just can't keep up with the demand. With diabetes medicines, it's the same thing. They will work better if you don't challenge the pancreas -- if you don't have spikes in blood sugar."
Bottom line:
- You've got to watch your diet.
- Exercise regularly and maintain a normal weight.
- Test blood sugar often as recommended by your doctor.
- Follow your doctor's instructions when taking your diabetes medications.
There's no getting around it, if you want to live a good, long life.
Diabetes Diet Avoids Blood Sugar Spikes
A number of factors influence blood sugar levels after meals, but carbohydrates have the biggest impact, so watching what you eat is essential. You must learn to make wise food choices that won't cause blood sugar spikes -- yet indulge in an occasional pizza slice.
A dietitian or diabetes educator can help you line up a game plan for meals, says Roberta Anding, RD, a diabetes educator at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston. She is also a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.
After all, not all carbs are created equal. "A scoop of white rice is different from a scoop of brown rice," Anding tells WebMD. "The calories may be the same, but they act differently when digested."
Is This Normal? Get the Facts Fast!
Answer:
0-69
70-130
131+
Your level is currently
If the level is below 70 and you are experiencing symptoms such as shaking, sweating or difficulty thinking, you will need to raise the number immediately. A quick solution is to eat a few pieces of hard candy or 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey. Recheck your numbers again in 15 minutes to see if the number has gone up. If not, repeat the steps above or call your doctor.
People who experience hypoglycemia several times in a week should call their health care provider. It's important to monitor your levels each day so you can make sure your numbers are within the range. If you are pregnant always consult with your health care provider.
Congratulations on taking steps to manage your health.
However, it's important to continue to track your numbers so that you can make lifestyle changes if needed. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Your level is high if this reading was taken before eating. Aim for 70-130 before meals and less than 180 two hours after meals.
Even if your number is high, it's not too late for you to take control of your health and lower your blood sugar.
One of the first steps is to monitor your levels each day. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Did You Know Your Lifestyle Choices
Affect Your Blood Sugar?
Use the Blood Glucose Tracker to monitor
how well you manage your blood sugar over time.
This tool is not intended for women who are pregnant.
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