Preventing and Treating Diabetes in Seniors in Palm Beach

Preventing and Treating Diabetes in Seniors, Palm Beach

As the general population continues aging, the group formed by adults of 65 years or older are more and more affected by diabetes. Approximately 33% of older adults aged 65 or older have diabetes. This demographic group is also more prone to develop other diabetes- related conditions and complications such as hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), kidney failure and heart disease.

What is Diabetes and Why Should I Worry About It?

Diabetes is a health condition that damages the body’s capacity to process blood glucose, also known as blood sugar.

In the United States, the approximate number of people over 18 years of age with diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes reaches 30.2 million. In other words, diabetes affects 27.9 and 32.7 percent of the population.

Without careful control, diabetes can lead to an accumulation of sugars in the bloodstream, which can intensify the risk of difficult and dangerous complications, including stroke and heart disease.

There are different kinds of diabetes, and controlling this condition depends on the type of diabetes you have. Not all variations of diabetes occur because a person is overweight or has a sedentary lifestyle. In fact, some types of diabetes are present since childhood.

Different Types of Diabetes:

There are three major diabetes types: Type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes:

It’s also called juvenile diabetes, this condition occurs when the body fails to produce insulin. People with type 1 diabetes are insulin-dependent, that means they must take artificial insulin daily in order to keep healthy and stay alive.

Type 2 diabetes:

Type 2 diabetes compromises the way your body uses insulin. While your body is still making insulin, the cells in your body do not react to it as positively as they once did. This is the most common type of diabetes, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and it is strongly related to obesity.

Gestational diabetes:

This type of diabetes usually develops during pregnancy, as women’s bodies become less sensitive to insulin. It is important to know that gestational diabetes does not occur in all pregnant women and generally resolves after giving birth.

Your age plays a major role in the type of diabetes you can develop due to the way your body manages insulin over your lifetime. Seniors are prone to develop type 2 diabetes as it is most commonly diagnosed in middle-aged and older people. This is caused by lifelong bad habits like sedentarism and unhealthy diet.

How to Avoid Diabetes

Eat Healthier

Seniors with diabetes type 2 should keep a healthy weight and diet. Meals must be low in saturated fat and salt, but full of fruit and vegetables.

Exercise

Exercise lowers blood sugar levels and stimulates your body's sensitivity to insulin, countering insulin resistance. Any type of exercise is useful for a patient with diabetes. Aerobic exercise, resistance, or doing combined training are generally good to maintain seniors with diabetes healthy.

Drink More Water

Water is the best option to hydrate if you have diabetes. It contains no carbohydrate or calories. Studies have shown that drinking the right amount of water could help manage blood sugar levels because it will not raise them, which is the main reason it is so good and beneficial for everyone, specially if you have diabetes or high blood sugar, as it actually flushes the glucose out of the blood.

Manage Your Blood Sugar

Blood sugar that is not constantly managed can end up in serious health complications, such as kidney failure, heart disease, and stroke. If you have diabetes or a history of diabetes in your family you should regularly visit your doctor.

Stop Smoking

If you have type 2 diabetes, smoking is bad for you. It makes your body more resistant to insulin, which can increase your blood sugar levels.Statistics say that 30–40% smokers are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than nonsmokers. People with diabetes who smoke are more likely than nonsmokers to have issues with insulin dosing and with managing their disease. The more cigarettes you smoke, the higher your risk for type 2 diabetes.

How To Manage Diabetes In Seniors

A lot of people with type 2 diabetes can check their own blood glucose levels and regulate them with diet and exercise alone. Some other people may need prescribed pills or insulin injections, to manage other conditions like high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. Later in life, a person with diabetes will probably need both lifestyle changes and medication.

Once you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, a professional medical team will talk to you and will help you create a diabetes control plan. This plan will be based on your habits, health status, preferences, goals, and other health conditions, such as allergies or injuries.

Some other ways to stay healthy with diabetes:

• Manage your blood pressure
• Manage your cholesterol
• Quit smoking
• Have yearly eye exams
• Check your kidneys yearly. Diabetes can affect your kidneys
• Get flu and pneumonia vaccines every year
• Care for your teeth and gums
• Protect your skin, use sunscreen
• Look at your feet. Diabetes might show in your feet causing blisters and spots
• Keep up with cancer screenings
• Talk with your doctor about your concerns