Diabetes
The rising incidence of Diabetes calls for widespread screening which is not economically possible in low resource countries. Screening is a source of early diagnosis, intervention, and prevention of complications of the metabolic disorders.
Can Diabetes be cured?
In the early 1920’s, when insulin was not discovered by the scientists, the individual who was suffering from type-1 diabetes was not able to survive more than a year. Nowadays, diabetes is not considered as a shocking disease just as previous and unfortunately, people take this disease so lightly and they even do not take proper medication and cure. But bitter truth is that impact of this disease is very dangerous and affecting the overall life expectancy. After the discovery of insulin, diabetes is cured substantially and expected that more advancement of treatment should be discovered in future.
Many pieces of research have been made in this field. Harvard University researchers in the year 2014 discovered the process of production of Beta cells in huge amount. These treatments aim to effectively establish long-term insulin independence and eliminate the daily burden of managing the disease for months, possibly years, at a time. It could mean the end of daily insulin injections for the millions of people living with type 1 diabetes. (By Professor M.Zaman Sheikh)
Do’s and Don’ts
- Take care of your diabetes by regular home blood glucose monitoring.
- Observe proper meal timings and control portion size.
- Be more physically active
- Avoid smoking
- Take care of teeth and gums along with regular checkup in every six months by dentist
- Inspect your feet every day and by get them checked by health care provider on every visit.
- Special attention should be given to in-grown nails, corns, and calluses.
- Wash your feet every day and keep skin soft and smooth with lotions. Do not apply in between toes.
- Test water temperature before putting your feet in it.
- Trim toenails straight across and file the edges with the nail file.
- Never walk barefoot.
- Change socks daily. Always use pure cotton socks with a loose elastic band. Avoid wearing dirty and tight socks.
- Check your shoes before wearing them and avoid poor fitted and tight shoes.
Steps to prevent diabetes complications:
- Maintain blood glucose level in the acceptable range
- Fasting blood glucose:90-100 mg/dl glucose.
- 2 hours post-meal blood glucose: 100-140 mg/dl
- HBAIC < 6%
- Eat a balanced diet with more fiber, less salt, and less fat.
- Eat on time and early at night.
- Exercise daily.
- Keep a close check on blood glucose levels.
- Have a good and sound sleep at night by going early to bed. It helps in keeping blood glucose in good control.
- Visit your doctor at regular interval.
- Fundus examination by an ophthalmologist should be done annually.
- Microalbumin test in every six months is necessary.
- Take care of your feet as they carry you around.
- Stop smoking or chewing tobacco.
Thus it can be said that although it is growing epidemic associated with high rate of complications but early diagnosis and management of diabetes can help prevent harmful and costly problems.
