Learn more on World Diabetes Day
Did you know that over 90% of diabetes care is self-care? If you have diabetes or prediabetes, ensuring that you have the knowledge to make informed decisions about your condition will help you to take charge of your diabetes care. November the 14th is World Diabetes Day. This year we focus on diabetes education to support individuals and families of people living with diabetes.
What is Diabetes?
When carbohydrates in foods are digested, they are broken down into glucose and absorbed into the blood. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that lets glucose from the bloodstream enter the cells of the body to be made into energy. Diabetes is a condition in which the pancreas is no longer able to make insulin, or when the body cannot make good use to the insulin the pancreas produces. This affects how your body turns food into energy.
The most common type of diabetes is type 2 diabetes (previously known as adult-onset diabetes), in which the body is unable to make use of the insulin the pancreas produces. When insulin cannot be used properly, some glucose remains in the blood, causing high blood sugar. This prompts the pancreas to produce even more insulin, putting pressure on the pancreas. This can eventually exhaust the pancreas making it produce less insulin. This is when a person may need to start taking insulin to ensure that they are able to properly use the energy they get from food and ensure that their blood sugars are in a normal range.
Complications of Diabetes
It is important to keep blood sugar levels in a normal range because higher blood sugars can lead to complications. High blood sugar over a long period of time can damage the body in a number of ways, including damaging blood vessels in the body and damaging nerves. This increases the risk of developing foot ulcers and slows their healing, increases the risk of liver damage, causes damage to the kidneys leading to kidney disease, damages the eyes leading to decreased vision, and increases the risk of stroke and heart attack.
It is important to know that the risk of all complications can be reduced by keeping blood sugar, as well as blood pressure and blood lipid levels, in a normal range. Treatment involves lifestyle changes like increased physical activity, changes in diet, and taking medications.
Here are some resources to improve your knowledge:
· Increase your knowledge of diabetes by reviewing the free interactive courses made for World Diabetes Day, which provide a refresher on diabetes and on blood sugar control.
· If you need help with controlling your blood sugar, you may see a Certified Diabetes Educator, a health care professional specialized in teaching people with diabetes how to manage their condition. Your doctor’s office or community pharmacy are good resources to find a Certified Diabetes Educator in your area.
· Not sure about your risk of developing diabetes? Visit CANRISK, the Canadian Diabetes Risk Questionnaire.
At Calgary Meals on Wheels, we support people with diabetes by making our regular lunch and supper meals diabetes friendly. We measure and analyze our meals to ensure that the carbohydrate and protein levels are in a range recommended by Canada’s Food Guide. If you get meals from Calgary Meals on Wheels and need more help in keeping your blood sugar in an appropriate range, we also have a diet that offers no sweet deserts. These include yogurts, fruit, biscuits and muffins. The desserts offered will have no more than 20 g carbohydrate and 15 g sugar per dessert!
Ayanna Smart has been a Registered Dietitian for 3 years and is a member of the College of Dietitians of Alberta. Ayanna uses her expertise to help ensure the meals produced at Calgary Meals on Wheels are nutritious and healthy for our clients.
This information is provided by our Registered Dietitian and is not meant to replace advice from your medical doctor or health professional regarding your individual needs. It is intended for educational and informational purposes only.