Diabetes Mellitus and its complications
Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood sugar also called blood glucose is too high.
Diabetes Mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from deficit in insulin secretion, insulin action or both.
Uncontrolled high blood sugar over time destroys the major organs of the body such the eyes, the lower limbs, the kidney, the heart, the liver etc.
Some of the complications of diabetes are kidney failure, leg amputaion due to slowing healing of wounds by a person having diabetes. Heart failure, diabetes and hypertension etc.
So we will discuss Diabetes and Chronic kidney disease and diabetes and slow wound healing- limbs
1. Diabetes and your kidney (chronic kidney diseases)
Diabetes leading to chronic kidney failure
Approximately 1 in 3 adults with diabetes and 1 in 5 adults with high blood pressure may have chronic kidney disease.
Chronic kidney disease CKD often develops slowly and with few symptoms.
Kidney disease is the 9th leading cause of death in the United States. Approximately 1 in 3 adults with diabetes has chronic kidney diseases. Every 24 hours, 170 people with diabetes begin treatment for kidney failure.
Two major causes of kidney disease are:
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Symptom for Kidney disease
- Loss of sleep
- Poor appetite
- Upset stomach
- Worsening blood pressure control
- Protein in the urine
- Swelling of the feet, ankles, hands and eyes
- Increased need to urinate.
Tips to keep your kidney healthy
- managing your blood sugar- keep sugar level within range
- managing your blood pressure- keep your blood pressure below 140/90mmHg
- managing your cholesterol levels- staying within the target cholesterol range
- Please note that high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and high blood cholesterol are all risk factors for heart disease and stroke.
- Losing weight
- Avoiding alcohol and caffeine
- Get an A1C test done twice a year.
- Eat foods lower in sodium
- Eat more fruits and vegetables
- Be physically active
- Take your medicine as directed by your medical practitioner.
- Embrace healthy lifestyle habits
- Work with a health coach to develop diabetic meal plan
- Limit your intake of salt and sodium
- Get enough sleep
Studies have shown that overweight people are at a higher risk for type 2 diabetes and they can delay the onset of the disease by losing 5% to 7% of their body weight.
How can you do this?
By eating healthy and getting 150 minutes of moderate physical activities each week
We can help to customize health plans tailored to you.
2. Diabetes and your limbs:
Diabetes and slow wound healing leading to lower limb amputations
Diabetes is a result of your body’s inability to produce or use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that allows your body to glucose into energy.
If your body has difficulty metabolizing glucose, it can lead to high blood sugar level. This can affect your body’s ability to heal from wounds.
In people with diabetes, wounds tend to heal more slowly and progresses more quickly. A small wound on the foot can quickly develop into a foot ulcer. Foot ulcers can become serious if left untreated. About 15% of people who have diabetes develop foot ulcerations.
Catching foot ulcers early is the only way to reduce your risk of complications.
When you have diabetes, a number of factors can affect your body’s ability to heal wounds
High blood sugar- your blood sugar level is the main factor in determining how quickly how your body’s wound heal.
When your blood sugar level is higher than normal:
- It prevents nutrients and oxygen from entering the cells
- Ii prevents your immune system from functioning efficiently
- It increases inflammation in the body’s cells.
These effects slow down the body’s wound healing.
Peripheral neuropathy can also result from having high blood sugar levels that are consistently higher than normal. With time, these high blood sugars afflict the nerves cells in the hands and foot and damage them.
When this happens, you may not be able to feel wounds and when they occur. This is one of the major reasons why foot ulcers are common in people living with diabetes
Poor Circulation
People with diabetes are twice as likely to develop peripheral vascular disease, a condition of poor blood circulation. This causes the blood vessels to narrow which reduces blood flow to the limbs.
People with diabetes also have issues with immune system activation. This means that the number of your immune fighter cells is reduced. And if your immune system is not functioning at its best, your body may struggle to fight off bacteria that cause infections.
Wounds can present a real cause for concern if they are not carefully monitored. They can progress into an infection or in some cases can lead to limb amputation. People with diabetes are 15 times more likely to have amputation as a result of foot ulcers or foot wounds.
How to help the healing process
- Do regular self-checks
- Remove dead tissues
- Keep dressing fresh
- Keep pressure off the area
- See your doctor frequently
How to be healthy health long term
- Eat healthy diets-proper nutrition is key. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Eat less processed foods, added sugar and fast foods
- Stay active
- Quit smoking and drinking
If you are looking for a health coach to help you come up with customized health plans or you are looking for a health coaching program tailored for people with chronic health diseases, reach out to us.
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