Diabetes Continuing Education - Vital in Management of the Disease

Dealing with diabetes is a lifelong commitment that involves major changes in one's lifestyle. The knowledge about this disease is pretty much incomplete, new things come up rather so quickly in the prevention and treatment of diabetes. It is therefore highly important for a diabetic or people who live with diabetics to undergo diabetes continuing education to be informed and be aware of the dynamics of this serious illness.

Thanks to the worldwide campaign regarding diabetes, awareness of the disease has increased immensely over the past few years. Unfortunately, there is still no established cure for diabetes. What people who are afflicted with the condition can do, however, is to manage the disease especially with the great advancements that have been witnessed with the care and treatment of diabetics.

Management of diabetes primarily involves learning how to cope with this disease in daily life not only for the sufferer but for people close to him or her as well. It is a continuing task that greatly affects a lifetime. Therefore diabetics and their families are in great need of being up to date with the latest information.

Where to Get Diabetes Continuing Education

People now are gaining better and better access to information from many sources. However, the most important source of diabetes continuing education is the diabetic's doctor. Normally a diabetes specialist is someone who is certified by the board in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism. Such specialists are the foremost sources of information about diabetes as they have been trained to zero in on the disease. The diabetes specialist would provide the essential general instructions on how to manage the disease.

Apart from managing the disease itself, a diabetic should also know how to manage specific conditions that may develop because of and together with diabetes.

There are various professionals who can provide specific education - these may include general practitioners, internists, allopathic physicians, certified nurses, geriatric medicine specialists, vascular surgeons, urologists, transplant surgeons, nutritionists or registered dietitians, prosthetists, preventive medicine specialists, podiatrists, pediatricians, osteopathic physicians, optometrists, ophthalmologists, and nursing practitioners.

These professionals may address specific concerns about diabetes, which may be essential for the success of the diabetes continuing education.

What Should Diabetes Continuing Education Cover

The primary concern of diabetic patients is managing blood glucose levels. This concerns the patient's medication, diet, lifestyle, weight maintenance, and physical activity. A good diabetes information program should cover these aspects of diabetes management.

Diabetes management is something that is not easily done without the help of medication. Depending on the severity of the illness, a patient might need to take some pills or even some regular insulin shots to normalize their glucose levels. Proper diabetes education should lead patients into the right medical care and at the same time, steer them away from medications that may cause more harm than good.

Learning About Diets

Medication alone will not manage diabetes well, changes in diet would have to be made. Some people might cringe at the sound of diet, but it may actually be easier than most people think. As most people know, the diabetic's diet would entail the reduction of intake of sugary items. But apart from restrictions, it also involves the introduction of healthy foods such as vegetables, non-sugary fruits, lean meats and whole grains. These are important parts of diabetes continuing education.

Lifestyle Changes

Apart from medication and diet, the diabetic patient should also make some modifications with lifestyle. Diabetes can greatly affect one's daily life and it is important to know how to cope with daily living with the disease at hand. Diabetics are known to have unpredictable energy levels and this can greatly affect the their work, physical endurance, abilities, and sexual performance. A good diabetes continuing education should instruct the patient how to deal with different life situations knowing that the disease might have some effect on them.

Physical Exercise

Maintaining a healthy weight and engaging in regular physical activity are also important in managing diabetes. Obesity has been seen to be strongly linked to diabetes and related conditions and it important for a diabetic to maintain normal weight. Physical activity is essential for maintaining healthy weight and also for regulating blood sugar. A diabetes information program should help patients understand these important matters and how to bring them about.

Diabetes continuing education is necessary for diabetics to be able to cope up with life despite their disease. Fortunately, good education can now be obtained through various channels. It is only up to the diabetic patient to take advantage of these channels to know the important matters regarding this disease.

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Diabetes Prevention and Management

Diabetes is a hormone disorder that can cause problems with the kidneys, legs and feet, eyes, heart, nerves, and blood flow.Diabetes can cause many complications. Acute complications (hypoglycemia, ketoacidosis or nonketotic hyperosmolar coma) may occur if the disease is not adequately controlled. Diabetes is on the increase, probably because people are living longer, getting fatter and leading increasingly inactive lifestyles. Diabetes, without qualification, usually refers to diabetes mellitus, but there are several rarer conditions also named diabetes. The most common of these is diabetes insipidus in which the urine is not sweet; it can be caused by either kidney or pituitary gland damage. The term "type 1 diabetes" has universally replaced several former terms, including childhood-onset diabetes, juvenile diabetes, and insulin-dependent diabetes. "Type 2 diabetes" has also replaced several older terms, including adult-onset diabetes, obesity-related diabetes, and non-insulin-dependent diabetes. About 3 to 8 percent of pregnant women in the United States develop gestational diabetes.

Diabetes can also cause heart disease, stroke and even the need to remove a limb. Pregnant women can also get diabetes, called gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes mellitus--formerly known as insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM), childhood diabetes. Type 2 diabetes mellitus--previously known as adult-onset diabetes, maturity-onset diabetes, or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Symptoms of Type 2 diabetes may include fatigue, thirst, weight loss, blurred vision and frequent urination. Some people have no symptoms. A blood test can show if you have diabetes. Exercise, weight control and sticking to your meal plan can help control your diabetes. Most people affected by type 1 diabetes are otherwise healthy and of a healthy weight when onset occurs. Diet and exercise cannot reverse or prevent type 1 diabetes. Gestational diabetes is caused by the hormones of pregnancy or a shortage of insulin. Women with gestational diabetes may not experience any symptoms.

Diabetes mellitus is characterized by recurrent or persistent hyperglycemia. Diabetes affects more than 20 million Americans. About 54 million Americans have prediabetes. Medications have also been shown to provide similar benefit. Both diabetes drugs metformin and Precose have been shown to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes in people with this pre-diabetes condition. A group of medicines known as ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors are sometimes used to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular complications in diabetes and can also reduce the risk or progression of kidney and eye diseases. Microscopic or nanotechnological approaches are under investigation as well, in one proposed case with implanted stores of insulin metered out by a rapid response valve sensitive to blood glucose levels. Medications to treat diabetes include insulin and glucose-lowering pills called oral hypoglycemic drugs. Insulin preparations differ in how quickly they start to work and how long they remain active. Stop smoking, which hinders blood flow to the feet.

Diabetes Treatment and Prevention Tips

1. Diabetes is usually controlled by a healthy diet and regular exercise.

2. Magnesium may play a significant role in preventing Type 2 diabetes.

3. Use of metformin, rosiglitazone and valsartan.

4. Exercise, weight control and sticking to your meal plan can help control your diabetes.

5. Glucose in the blood is produced by the liver from the foods you eat.

6. Oral medications are still insufficient, insulin medications are considered.

7. Maintaining an ideal body weight and an active lifestyle may prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.

8. Strict control of blood glucose, or blood sugar, as well as blood pressure

Juliet Cohen writes articles for home remedies and homemade recipes. Learn how to give first aid in emergency situations.