26 Nov

Living Free with Diabetes

Diabetes isn’t a new word for most of us. Isn’t it so common to hear now that India is the diabetic capital of the world? Over 70 million Indians have been diagnosed with diabetes and millions on their way to that diagnosis.
I have closely observed the same as the condition runs in my family too and after getting to know and see things, I have found out that all type of diabetes are treatable and everybody with diabetes can lead a normal active life. The only secret being –A healthy and a subsequent control in lifestyle. So here I am sharing below the key factors to a healthy and normal lifestyle following which diabetic people can also live a completely normal and happy life-
• Exercise
• Medication
• A Balanced diet
• Social life

I feel everyone should eat healthy and exercise regularly whether they are diabetic or not. Such a lifestyle can prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes, and limit diabetes-related complications for those who already have the condition.
Therefore, depending on your condition, a healthy lifestyle can be achieved by following the four point plan or the four point plan + medication (insulin, tablets, or both)
Exercise
Physical activity is the key to good health as exercise not only improves our fitness levels but also burns calories and reduces body fat. For people with diabetes, exercise lowers blood sugar and, like insulin, also helps your body to use its blood sugar efficiently.
Medical advice
People with type 1 diabetes require daily insulin injections as a part of medication.
Insulin lowers blood sugar levels and is essential for the treatment of type 1 diabetes, when the body cannot make its own insulin. Type 1 patients’ daily routine may include regular monitoring of sugar levels in blood.
In type 2 diabetes some insulin is produced by the body, but not enough to satisfy its needs. People with type 2 diabetes may require oral hypoglycemic drugs to lower blood sugar and some may need insulin injections (up to 30% of people with type 2 diabetes may use insulin injections some or all of the time to control their condition).
The important thing here is to make sure you receive the proper advice that is appropriate to your condition and incorporate the necessary adjustments into your life. That way you are the one in control.
A Balanced Diet
Eating healthy is very important for diabetic people. A healthy and balanced diet helps control blood sugar levels and maintains body weight. The blood sugar levels are affected by what we eat therefore wise food choices are the key to a healthy life and prevention of illness.
Social life
Having an active social life is as important as exercising or monitoring blood sugar level. But many don’t lay much emphasis on its requirement and hence it remains the most underrated factor in the control of diabetes.
A good social life not only gives stability to mind and body but also lowers the stress levels. Hanging out with friends and family and enjoying celebrations just like a normal person is a great boost in feeling good, it reduces a factor in the development of diabetes, and helps people with diabetes to take control of their condition.

26 Nov

Diabetic causing complete blindness.

• Diabetic patient does not become blind at a time, as the sugar level increases, it affects the body organs and dullness comes.
• Eyes becomes so weak that diabetic patients face problems while watching TV or driving vehicles and becomes reason for blindness.
• If due to any circumstances it is not possible for the timely and routine checkups, in that situation if any problem in eyes occurs patient should immediately concern doctor.
• In order to prevent blindness person should concern the doctor and use eye drops regularly with the increase in age.
• Regular eye exercise also helps in preventing blindness. There are two types of exercises, one- focusing on one object, second- through a machine which is done through doctors.
• Person having weak eyes or muscles are so weak , so never neglect, in that case diabetic patient should take extra care of their eyes and should go for proper treatment by consulting doctor.
• If doctor advice for spectacles, do not ignore it because of shame or any other reasons, it is required to use the spectacles as per the number instructed by doctor. They should take out of the mind that once they start wearing spectacles it will be for life time, lens can also be used.
• Wash the eyes properly with cold water 4-5 times in a day.

26 Nov

Diabetic Retinopathy : What does Allopathy says

Conversation regarding diabetic retinopathy with Dr Punit Gupta from Delhi by Divya Sahu

How you see the diabetes diseases in terms of eyes?
Presently in India, diseases related to life style is being increasing day by day and this is the reason for diabetes also. If the problems related to diabetes increases its harms nerves and give rise to heart problems. In similar the dangerous affect of diabetes is seen on eyes. The effect of diabetes caused on retina is called diabetic retinopathy. As the diabetes is increasing among people, the diabetic retinopathy cases are also being seen among people.

How the diabetic retinopathy does harm our body?
The vision capacity of eyes is affected due to diabetic retinopathy, but if the patients gets the proper treatment in time, it can be cured otherwise patient had to face its serious consequences, a person can become blind also.

How much effective is the development done for the prevention of eye diseases caused due to diabetes in medical science?
Most important thing is that Retina specialists do the treatment of diabetic retinopathy, now these specialists are present in large number in our country. Earlier they were only few. We have progressed in eye check-up n treatment only due to the progress of medical science. Retina specialists carries the angiography of eyes of the patient followed by scanning of retina, due to which the changes occurred in eyes due to diabetes can be detected.

During the treatment the diabetes patient is thoroughly checked, eye checkup is incomplete without the scanning of retina.
There are various ways of treatment of this disease but laser treatment plays an important role in this direction. Special injections are also available which are kept in anti vascular endothelial growth fact group and it is available in our country. If any patient comes in such condition whose eyes can/t be cured in such condition the surgery of eye membrane can be done to save retina, and this can be done only by retina specialists.

Most important point is to detect or check the diabetes and diabetic retinopathy in time. When the patient approaches doctor late, eyes can’t be cured properly this is possible by giving the treatment at initial stage. Many times the patients make delay in approaching doctor for treatment in such situation it becomes impossible for us to cure.

How is the future for the treatment of this disease for the people suffering from blindness.
Medical science had progressed a lot. If we go 22 years back, we can find that the patients used to become blind in doctor’s presence and doctors were helpless to stop this. But presently doctors are capable to some extent to bring vision back. We hope a better treatment facility in coming days in medical science.

Which type of life style is suitable to prevent diabetes and diabetic retinopathy?
Every person should remain aware regarding diabetes. Diabetes can be controlled with the help of physician doctors. If diabetes is kept in control, eye problems can be reduced. Most important fact, that if a person is suffering from diabetes it is must to consult eye doctor. It is necessary to consult eye specialists once in a year even if no problem exists. Generally when the person is unable to see properly or problem in vision, they go to eye doctor, but by that time retina is badly affected due to diabetes. If the diabetes patients concern the eye specialists in initial stage, he can be prevented from becoming blind. And apart from this it is necessary to bring changes in our life style, food habits and do regular exercise.

26 Nov

Diabetic Retinopathy

If the Diabetes is aged too long it surely affects other body parts and one of those could be eyes. As you all know, diabetes affects the walls of blood veins and weakens the veins carrying oxygen to the Retina (where image is formed). If a diabetic patient is not having a controlled limit of sugar then he / she can get affected with Diabetic Retinopathy and the most worst part is that it is diagnosed only after it turns dangerous.

Some preliminary symptoms of Retinopathy
• Weakening of eye sight on regular intervals
• White cataract or black cataract
• Getting regular chronic effects in eyes contamination
• Weak eye sight in the morning hours
• Bleeding in retina
• Headache or sudden change in eye sight
• As compared to normal person a diabetic patient is more venerable for cataract

Precautions for safety
• Get regular eye checkup, even necessary for children
• Keep cholesterol and sugar under controlled limits in blood
• If one feels pain, darkness, anxiety in eyes contact doctor immediately
• Diabetic patients should get eye checkup atleast once in a year
• Diabetic patients suffering from over 10 years should get eyes tested once quarterly
• Pregnant women if diabetic contact the doctor for further precautions

The longer the diabetes the chances of diabetic retinopathy increases rapidly. However with the help of laser technique the blindness can be controlled upto 60 % but by being aware and taking precautions one can avoid such problems.