Sugar Control

Diabetes control and tracking

Diabetes is a metabolism disease which manifests itself with a blood glucose concentration above normal. In order to be able to understand the reasons for this, we need to know how our body generates the necessary energy. We take in at each meal starch and sugar, and consume carbonhydrate. During digestion carbonhydrates convert to glucose and other elements, and are absorbed by the intestines and enter the blood system. The cells receive the glucose from the blood circulation and convert this into energy. But before that glucose can enter the cell, a hormone is required. This hormone is insulin. The glucose level in blood increases after meals. By the aid of the insulin hormone, glucose is taken into the cells and converted into energy. Thus the glucose level in the blood decreases. If no insulin hormone is produced or less than necessary is produced, or this does not provide the intrusion of glucose into the cell, the glucose (blood sugar) level in blood will increase. In this case, sugar disease develops.

There are early symptoms of diabetes. In the beginning there are symptoms like weakness, weariness, anorexia, frequent urination, thirst, and delayed healing of wounds and lesions in persons with high blood sugar levels. If you should have a family history of sugar disease your risk of having this disease will be higher. When you consult your physician with these symptoms your physician will request the determination of your blood sugar. If you should have diabetes, you will need to monitor yourself very well in the future periods of your life. The way to live in peace with diabetes is to care for yourself properly. You should target to sustain a normal life as far as possible by keeping the blood sugar levels in the normal range. The best way to achieve this target is to apply a diet and to do exercise.

After having become a diabetes patient some complications may develop in relation to continuous high levels of blood sugar over time. The complications primarily affect the eyes, the kidneys, the nerves and the cardiovascular system. The diabetes patient needs to observe him-/herself carefully in order to avoid these or to recognize these as soon as possible. At present, there are very easy methods regarding the control of blood sugar.

Controlling your disease will be facilitated when you monitor your blood sugar level carefully. The only thing you need to do is to obtain a drop of blood from your finger and to make your test. Now-a-days, there are many sugar measuring devices providing this function available in Turkey.

The World Health Organization and the International Diabetes Federation have determined and stated the appropriate sugar levels for diabetes patients.

For intensive care patients; You need to measure your sugar level before every meal and prior to sleeping.

For all diabetes patients; Twice a day, but you can vary and measure at different times.

For diet controlled patients; You should definitely measure your blood sugar once a day.

For patients taking oral medicines, you should measure blood sugar levels twice daily, once before and once 2 hours after breakfast. Your target is to keep your blood sugar at desired levels for 24 hours. You need to record the blood sugar results measured at definite intervals and communicate these to your physician. Thus, your physician and you can adjust the best treatment method and program in the light of this information. Other to-do’s...

You can also measure your urine sugar along with your blood sugar. Normally, no sugar should be found in urine. But if the amount of sugar in your blood should increase excessively, a part of this will be discharged with the urine. Checking for sugar in the urine is a rather simple process, but this will not determine your blood sugar precisely.