Remember that the information presented here is not intended to replace the care of your own doctor. Before making any changes in the management of your own illness, you should consult your physician or other qualified medical professionals.
Question
My uncle just realized he has diabetes. What is the
long term effect of diabetes? What lifestyle changes are there for a person with diabetes?
Answer
Diabetes is a lifelong chronic problem requiring regular monitoring of blood sugar (using a home blood
gucose monitoring device); eating a healthy low-fat high-fiber, carbohydrate-controlled meal plan; exercising regularly;
taking medications as prescribed; and learning as much about this
condition as he can from an endocrinologist (a doctor specializing in diabetes care) as well as a diabetes educator.
Control of the blood sugar levels is essential to lower the
risk of the long term complications of diabetes. Diabetes can affect every organ
system in the body (skin, heart and vasculature, nerves, eyes, and kidneys).
If the blood sugar is not kept as close to normal as possible most of the
time, these complications can markedly reduce the quality of life and health of an individual with diabetes. The good
news is that blood sugar is controllable!
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