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What are the Different Diabetes Treatment Options?
Diabetes treatment options depend on the type of diabetes a patient is diagnosed with, as well as the lifestyle and genetic factors that contribute to the disease. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes differ in the treatment options available, but are usually treated from a medical standpoint by an injection of insulin into the bloodstream. Other diabetes treatment options for both type 1 and type 2 include eating a diet low in sugars and carbohydrates and getting sufficient exercise every day. Alternative diabetes treatment options like using cinnamon or other herbs can be helpful in bringing down blood sugar, but they aren't a cure for diabetes or a replacement for wise medical advice.
Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which the body cannot produce enough insulin to help bring glucose, the preferred energy source for the body, into the cells. The main diabetes treatment options for type 1 diabetes are the injection of insulin, a proper diet and exercise. Insulin injections can help bring down high blood sugar because insulin is needed to take in the broken down glucose molecules into the cells. Eating a healthy diet that is full of fiber and good fats at the same time every day also helps keep blood sugar steady and consistent, as does exercising and leading an active lifestyle.
Type 2 diabetes follows the same treatment approach, however, diet and exercise are the major influences in controlling blood sugar. Eating a diet low in refined carbohydrates and sugars can ensure that blood sugar does not elevate to unnaturally high levels. Daily physical activity can help keep the cells of the body sensitive to the effects of insulin. These lifestyle changes help glucose enter the cells to utilize for energy. Due to the fact that the body does not have trouble producing insulin in type 2 diabetics, diet and exercise may play more important roles than the injection of insulin in the minds of some physicians, however, insulin is still widely used.
Alternative therapies and diabetes treatment options include utilizing physical exercise and proper diet, as well as the use of herbs and meditation. Cinnamon has shown promise in helping bring down blood sugar levels in diabetics, yet adding cinnamon to the diet shouldn't be relied on as the only treatment option. Meditation can help reduce stress levels, which can also bring down high blood sugar levels, but should only be included as an overall healthy diabetes treatment approach. Often, physical activity and a proper diet full of antioxidants, fiber and healthy fats are recommended as a more natural, non-medical approach to a structured diabetes treatment plan.
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![If blood sugar levels can not be maintained by diet and exercise, insulin injections may be necessary.]()
By: KuruanIf blood sugar levels can not be maintained by diet and exercise, insulin injections may be necessary. -
![Treatment regimens for diabetics vary based on whether the disease is diagnosed as type 1 or type 2.]()
By: brankatekicTreatment regimens for diabetics vary based on whether the disease is diagnosed as type 1 or type 2. -
![Ideally, patients with diabetes should be under the care of an endocrinologist.]()
By: Monkey BusinessIdeally, patients with diabetes should be under the care of an endocrinologist. -
![Pumps give insulin-dependent diabetics better control over their blood sugar than traditional injections.]()
By: hilleborgPumps give insulin-dependent diabetics better control over their blood sugar than traditional injections. -
![Testing and tracking blood glucose levels throughout the day is an important part of treating diabetes.]()
By: Bruce RobbinsTesting and tracking blood glucose levels throughout the day is an important part of treating diabetes.
Discussion Comments
@donasmrs-- Diabetes is caused by different things right? For some people, it's genetic, it runs in the family. For others, it's due to obesity. If obesity is the cause, then I think that weight loss, healthy diet and exercise can reverse diabetes. But if the cause is genetic, it probably won't reverse. If the pancreas has stopped producing insulin altogether, I don't think that's reversible.
A few years ago, everyone was talking about a surgery that cures diabetes. I don't know what happened but no one is talking about it now. I guess it didn't cure diabetes after all, or perhaps it had too many side effects.
As of now, there just isn't a cure for diabetes but I pray that one day there will be.
@donasmrs-- That depends on their insulin levels and how high their blood sugar levels. Technically, if someone's pancreas produces some insulin, he or she has type 2 diabetes. It's important to check a type 2 diabetic's insulin levels. If the body produces enough insulin, then insulin won't be necessary. But anti-diabetic medications in the form of a tablet will be given to increase insulin sensitivity.
If a type 2 diabetic suffers from both low insulin numbers and insulin insensitivity, then most likely, both insulin and anti-diabetic medication can be given.
So is someone diagnosed with type 2 diabetes automatically given insulin or are they asked to try diet and exercise first? Is it possible to reverse or treat type 2 diabetes with just exercise and diet?
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