Diabetes is a disease that develops due to the immunity of the body's cells to sugar-reducing hormones. If the pancreas does not produce any insulin at all, then type 1 diabetes is diagnosed. In other cases - the 2nd type. How can diabetes be cured and is it possible to get rid of it forever?
dietary therapy
In the early stages of diabetes, it can be cured by fasting and dietary treatment. Doctors recommend partial nutrition. Diabetics should eat small portions as often as possible (ideally 5-6 times a day). Based on body weight, the number of daily calories is calculated at the rate of 25 kcal/kg.
For proper management of diabetes, it is recommended to follow the following principles:
- stop drinking alcohol and smoking;
- minimize the amount of salt consumed;
- prepare a diet so that half of the fats are of vegetable origin;
- limit foods containing sugar: cakes and sweets, ice cream, jam, soda, fruit juices;
- exclude fatty broths, muffins, red fish, sausage, hard cheeses, rice and semolina from the menu;
- eat foods rich in vitamins and minerals: nuts, vegetables, fruits.
Typically, the menu includes low-calorie dishes with minimal carbohydrates. However, it is completely impossible without them. It is the source of energy in the body. Complex slow carbohydrates provide benefits. They gradually increase blood sugar levels without overloading the pancreas.
It is desirable that foods rich in fiber are present in the diet of diabetics. This substance is useful for violating the body's metabolic processes. Plant fibers slow down the absorption of excess glucose in the small intestine and reduce its concentration in the blood. It also removes toxins, toxins and excess water. If the patient needs to lose weight, vegetable cellulose is an excellent choice. The substance swells in the stomach and provides a feeling of satiety. A diabetic does not suffer from intense hunger. At the same time, fiber is low in calories.
A fifth of the food consumed by diabetics should be protein. Proteins of vegetable and animal origin are involved in the recovery of the body. At the same time, animal proteins worsen kidney function, so do not exceed their amount.
The diet of diabetics also contains fats. They are found in meat products, fish and eggs.
insulin therapy
Treatment for type 1 diabetes involves insulin injections. Shortly after the start of therapy, the so-called honeymoon period begins. During this period, blood sugar levels are kept within normal limits without regular injections. After a while it rises again. If you don't lower the glucose level with insulin, coma and death will occur.
To extend the favorable period for several years, low-dose insulin (1-3 IU per day) is required. There are 4 main types of insulin: ultrashort, short, intermediate and extended. Ultrashort is considered the fastest.
Insulin therapy is prescribed individually. The patient's self-monitoring records are taken into account. The doctor examines how your blood sugar changes throughout the day, when you eat breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Insulin-containing preparations are administered by injection and by means of an insulin pump. The latter method is more convenient: the pump is ideal for controlling diabetes in a child, because he cannot inject himself due to his age.
Unlike traditional syringes, this device provides better control of diabetes. This is a small device with a needle attached to a thin long tube. The needle is inserted under the skin, most often in the abdomen, and remains there. The pump is worn on the belt. It ensures the continuous flow of the drug into the blood at a given rate. Replace every 3 days.
Medical treatment
Medicines other than insulin injections play a minor role in the treatment of type 1 diabetes. Nevertheless, they facilitate the course of the disease. This is especially true for drugs belonging to the biguanide class.
For high blood pressure, patients with type 1 diabetes are prescribed angiotensin-II receptor blockers or ACE inhibitors. These pills not only lower blood pressure, but also slow down the development of kidney complications. It is advisable to take it with a blood pressure monitor of 140/90 mmHg. Art. and higher.
Cardiologists and therapists often prescribe acetylsalicylic acid for diabetics. The substance should be taken daily in small doses. It is believed to reduce the risk of heart attack.
Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes have been shown to increase blood sugar and bad cholesterol at the same time. Therefore, the patient takes statins. However, these drugs cause side effects: memory disorders, increased fatigue, liver dysfunction. A low-carbohydrate diet is a good alternative to statins. It normalizes blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Physical activities
Exercise is an effective way to control type 1 diabetes. Patients need aerobic and anaerobic exercises. In the first case, cross-country skiing, swimming, jogging, cycling. In the second - strength training in the gym. Combine aerobic activities with anaerobic activities every other day. Adults need at least 5 half-hour sessions per week. Children - 1 hour of training per day.
Only start training after consulting your doctor. Make sure that the heart can withstand such loads. To do this, take an EKG. If complications have already developed in the legs, kidneys or vision, this limits the choice of the type of physical activity.
Exercise has an ambiguous effect on health in type 1 diabetes. In some cases, they reduce the sugar level for a long time, up to 36 hours from the end of the session. In others, on the contrary, they grow. Therefore, check your blood sugar level with a glucometer every 30 minutes. You will gradually understand how physical activity affects you.
Folk methods
Folk remedies are also used to treat diabetes. Popular recipes are listed below.
- lemon and egg. The first component normalizes blood pressure and lowers blood sugar. The second - supplies the body with essential vitamins and minerals. Mix 50 ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice with 5 quail or 1 chicken egg. Take the medicine once 30 minutes before a meal. Treatment regimen: 3 days after taking the therapeutic preparation, then 3 days off. The duration of therapy is 1 month.
- Healing recipe. Necessary ingredients: 100 g of lemon peel, 300 g of parsley root (a leaf will also do), 300 g of peeled garlic. Rinse the parsley roots thoroughly, peel the garlic and put everything through a meat grinder. Mix the resulting mixture and transfer it to a glass container. Put it in a dark place for 2 weeks. Take 1 tsp. 30 minutes before meals. Frequency of application - three times a day.
Lemon, parsley, oak acorns, walnut leaves, burdock root, and cinnamon can be used to treat diabetes.
- oak acorn. The composition of oak fruits contains valuable tannin. It actively fights against inflammatory processes in the body and strengthens the cardiovascular system. Peel the acorns. Dry the seed in a hot oven. Grind the raw materials into a powder in a coffee grinder. Fill it with boiled water and take 1 tsp. on an empty stomach before lunch and dinner. The end of the therapy is determined by blood tests.
- Walnut leaf decoction. To prepare a drink, you need 1 tablespoon. l. dried and crushed leaves. Fill them with 500 ml of boiled water. Then boil the mixture for 15 minutes on low heat. Allow to cool and infuse for 40 minutes. After that, filter and take 0. 5 tbsp. 3 times a day.
- Cinnamon. Pour cinnamon powder 1 tbsp. boiling water. Let it cook for 30 minutes. When the mixture has cooled, add honey (2 parts honey to 1 part cinnamon). Place the product in the refrigerator for 3 hours. After the specified time, the infusion is divided into two parts. Drink one 30 minutes before breakfast. Before the second bedtime. The duration of treatment does not exceed 7 days.
- Burdock juice. The plant effectively lowers blood sugar levels. Dig up the roots of the young burdock. Wash thoroughly and grind the ingredients in a blender. Wrap the porridge in several layers of gauze and squeeze out the juice. Take the medicine three times a day, 15 ml. Dilute in advance with 250 ml of boiled water.
What not to do
The first and fundamental rule: take responsibility for your treatment. Follow a low-carb diet carefully. After a meal, try to keep sugar at a level no higher than 5. 5 mmol / l. If necessary, supplement the diet with low-dose insulin.
Don't restrict your calorie intake. Eat plenty and tasty food, but don't overeat. Stop eating with a slight feeling of hunger.
Don't skimp on glucometer test strips. Measure your blood sugar 2-3 times a day. Regularly check the accuracy of the glucometer. Check their blood sugar three times in a row. The difference between the results should not be more than 5-10%. In addition, you can have a blood sugar test in the laboratory and then check your glucometer. The permissible deviation of the portable device is up to 20% (with a sugar value of 4. 2 mmol / l).
Delaying the initiation of insulin therapy is a serious mistake. Complications of diabetes also occur if the glucose level is 6. 0 mmol/l on an empty stomach in the morning or after a meal. Learn how to calculate doses and inject insulin safely.
Do not be lazy to fight the disease under stress, on business trips and in other non-standard life situations. Keep a self-monitoring journal. Enter the date, time, blood sugar level, what you ate, what kind of physical activity you did, what kind of insulin and how much you gave.
It can be cured in the early stages of diabetes. Swimming, cycling, jogging and other types of physical activity are measures that help with this. They are no less effective than drugs that reduce sugar levels. A low-carb diet works just as well. In some cases, it helps to get rid of the disease. The exception is complicated type 1 diabetes. It is a lifelong diagnosis that requires regular, high-dose insulin.