The aim of all diabetes treatments is simple - to help a diabetic live as normal a life as possible.Diabetes is the inability of the body to transfer glucose molecules into the cells. The cells starve, and the glucose accumulates in the blood stream, increasing the blood sugar levels.
So managing the malady would involve controlling the blood sugar levels and providing enough nutrition to the cells.
The most important factor in diabetes treatments is, therefore, diet and lifestyle. A few healthy choices here could reduce the dependence of the patient on medication.
Diet
A proper diabetes diet will provide all the necessary nutrition to the body while helping it to control weight. It is generally planned keeping in mind the person’s age, weight, gender, and lifestyle. Small highly nutritious meals throughout the day with a strict adherence to timings are essential.
Exercise
Regular exercise keeps the weight in check. It also encourages the cells in the body accept glucose. Nowadays, the whole world has also discovered the benefits of yoga in preventing as well as controlling diabetes. Yoga can also encourage the pancreas to increase insulin production.
Insulin
Since diabetes is essentially an insulin dysfunction, it can be controlled to a large extent by insulin injections. While choosing the type and mode of insulin injections, the type of your diabetes and your lifestyle need to be taken into account.
Oral Medication
There are six types of oral drugs that are usually prescribed for diabetics. Sulfonylureas encourage the pancreas to produce more insulin. However, these drugs have a serious disadvantage – they stop functioning after a while. They can also have an extreme effect in reducing the blood sugar levels to dangerous lows.
Biguanides reduce the production of glucose as well as help in weight reduction.
Alpha Glucosidase Inhibitors slow the rate of digestion and ensure that glucose is released slowly into the bloodstream. To be effective they are consumed just before meals. Also consumed before meals are Meglitinides, which increase the production of insulin.
Thiazolidinediones encourage the cells in the body to accept insulin. DPP-4 Inhibitors block the action of an enzyme called dipeptidyle peptidase IV and have the effect of lowering of blood sugar levels.
Alternative Therapies
Recently thousands of diabetics around the world have adopted alternative therapies, sometimes in conjunction to conventional treatment to their great advantage. A word of caution – alternative therapies take a long time to show effect. So don’t be hasty in abandoning your medication.
Chinese Medicine: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is being used to great effect around the world. In fact, in China as well as parts of Korea, they are used, not as an alternative therapy but as the mainline treatment. TCM is often complemented with acupuncture.
Ayurveda: This 4000-year-old holistic healing system treats the whole body, not just the malady. Use of herb, diet, change in lifestyle, yogic exercise, and breathing exercises aim to curb this disorder.
Aromatherapy: It is claimed the aromas of certain essential oils provide a lot of help to diabetics, especially when used with massage therapy.
Dietary Supplements: A whole range of seemingly miraculous dietary supplements are marketed today, each one of them claiming to cure or control this disease. However, these claims need to be treated with extreme caution.
Home Remedies
You will find everyone you know has a home remedy secret for diabetes. Millions swear by them, so it is wise if you try some.
Bitter Gourd, Indian Gooseberry, Grapefruit, Fenugreek, Bengal Gram, Mango Leaves, Parslane and other herbs and vegetables are supposed to provide a lot of relief to diabetics.
As we have seen, the diabetes treatments available today are many. Consult your physician about the options that suit you best.