Diabetes mellitus is a disease that develops due to the immunity of the body's cells to sugar-lowering hormones. If the pancreas does not produce insulin at all, then type 1 diabetes is diagnosed. In other cases - the 2nd type. How to cure diabetes and is it possible to get rid of it forever?
diet therapy
It is possible to cure diabetes in the early stages with the help of fasting and dietary treatment. Doctors recommend fractional nutrition. People with diabetes need to eat as often as possible (preferably 5-6 times a day) in small portions. Based on body weight, the number of calories per day is calculated in the ratio of 25 kcal / kg.
To properly treat diabetes, it is recommended to adhere to the following principles:
- stop drinking alcohol and smoking;
- minimize the amount of salt used;
- make a diet so that half of the fat comes from vegetables;
- limit foods with sugar: cakes and sweets, ice cream, jam, soda, fruit juice;
- exclude fatty soups, muffins, red fish, sausages, hard cheeses, rice and semolina from the menu;
- eat foods rich in vitamins and minerals: nuts, vegetables, fruits.
Usually, the menu includes sub-calorie foods with minimal carbohydrate content. However, it is impossible to do without them completely. It is a source of energy in the body. Complex slow carbohydrates will bring benefits. They gradually increase blood glucose levels without burdening the pancreas.
It is desirable that foods rich in fiber are present in the diet of diabetic patients. This substance is useful for the violation of metabolic processes in the body. Vegetable fiber slows the absorption of excess glucose in the small intestine, reducing its concentration in the blood. It also removes toxins, toxins and excess water. If the patient needs to lose weight, then vegetable cellulose is an excellent choice. The substance swells in the stomach and gives a feeling of fullness. People with diabetes do not experience severe hunger. At the same time, fiber is low in calories.
One fifth of the food taken by a diabetic should be protein. Proteins from plants and animals are involved in the recovery of the body. Along with this, animal protein affects kidney function, so do not exceed its amount.
A diabetic diet also includes fat. They are found in meat products, fish, eggs.
insulin therapy
Treatment for type 1 diabetes involves insulin injections. Shortly after the start of therapy, the so-called honeymoon begins. During this period, blood sugar is maintained within normal limits without regular injections. After a while it goes up again. If you do not reduce the glucose level with insulin, then coma and death occur.
To extend the favorable period for several years, it is necessary to administer insulin in low doses (1-3 IU per day). There are 4 main types of insulin: ultrashort, short, medium and extended. Ultrashort is considered the fastest.
Insulin therapy is prescribed individually. Self-monitoring records of diabetic patients are taken into account. Doctors study how blood glucose changes throughout the day, at the time the patient eats breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Preparations containing insulin are administered by injection and with the help of an insulin pump. The last method is simpler: the pump is suitable for controlling diabetes in children, because due to his age he cannot give injections himself.
Unlike traditional syringes, these devices provide better diabetes control. This is a small device with a needle connected to a long thin tube. The needle is inserted under the skin, most often in the abdomen, and remains there. The pump is worn on a belt. It provides a continuous flow of medicine into the blood at a certain rate. Change every 3 days.
Medical treatment
Medicines other than insulin injections play a minor role in the treatment of type 1 diabetes. However, they facilitate the course of the disease. This is especially true for drugs from the biguanide class.
For hypertension, patients with type 1 diabetes are prescribed angiotensin-II receptor blockers or ACE inhibitors. This pill not only lowers blood pressure, but also slows down the development of complications in the kidneys. It is advisable to take it with a blood pressure indicator of 140/90 mm Hg. Art. and higher.
Cardiologists and therapists often prescribe acetylsalicylic acid for diabetics. The substance is taken every day in small doses. It is believed to reduce the risk of heart attack.
It has been proven that both type 1 and type 2 diabetes simultaneously increase sugar and bad cholesterol. Therefore, patients are indicated to take statins. However, these drugs cause side effects: memory problems, increased fatigue, impaired liver function. A low-carb diet is a good alternative to statins. It normalizes blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Physical activity
Exercise is an effective way to control type 1 diabetes. Patients need aerobic and anaerobic exercise. In the first case, it is cross-country skiing, swimming, jogging, cycling. In the second - strength training in the gym. Combine aerobic activity with anaerobic activity every day. Adults need at least 5 half-hour sessions per week. Children - every day for 1 hour of training.
Start exercising only after consulting your doctor. Make sure the heart can withstand such a load. To do this, take an EKG. If complications have developed in the legs, kidneys or vision, this imposes restrictions on the choice of types of physical activity.
In type 1 diabetes, exercise has an unclear effect on health. In some cases, they lower sugar for a long time, up to 36 hours from the end of the session. In others, on the contrary, they increase. Therefore, every 30 minutes, check the level of glucose in the blood with a glucometer. Gradually you will understand how physical activity affects it.
Folk method
Folk remedies are also used to treat diabetes. Below are popular recipes.
- lemon and egg. The first component normalizes blood pressure and lowers blood glucose levels. The second - supplies the body with important vitamins and minerals. Mix 50 ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice with 5 quail or 1 chicken egg. Take the medicine once 30 minutes before a meal. Treatment regimen: 3 days of taking the therapeutic composition, then 3 days off. The duration of therapy is 1 month.
- Healing Recipes. Ingredients needed: 100 g lemon peel, 300 g parsley root (leaves will do), 300 g peeled garlic. Rinse the parsley root thoroughly, peel the garlic and pass everything through a meat grinder. Stir the resulting mixture and transfer it to a glass container. Put it in a dark place for 2 weeks. Take 1 tsp. 30 minutes before eating. Frequency of use - 3 times a day.
Lemon, parsley, acorn oak, walnut leaves, burdock root, cinnamon can be used to treat diabetes.
- acorns. The composition of oak fruit includes valuable tannins. It actively fights the inflammatory process in the body, strengthens the cardiovascular system. Peel the acorns. Dry the filling in a hot oven. Grind the raw materials in a coffee grinder into a powder. Fill with boiled water and take 1 teaspoon. on an empty stomach before lunch and dinner. The end of the therapy course is determined by a blood test.
- Boil walnut leaves. To prepare the drink, you need 1 tbsp. l. dry and crushed leaves. Fill them with 500 ml of boiled water. Then boil the mixture for 15 minutes on low heat. Let it cool and infuse for 40 minutes. After that, filter and take 0. 5 tbsp. 3 times a day.
- Cinnamon. Pour cinnamon powder 1 tablespoon. boiling water. Let it brew for 30 minutes. When the mixture has cooled, add honey (2 parts honey to 1 part cinnamon). Place the product in the refrigerator for 3 hours. After the specified time, divide the infusion into two parts. Drink one 30 minutes before breakfast. The second before bed. The duration of the treatment course is not more than 7 days.
- Burdock juice. This plant effectively lowers blood glucose levels. Dig up young burdock roots. Wash thoroughly and grind raw materials in a blender. Wrap the gruel in several layers of gauze and squeeze out the juice. Take the medicine 3 times a day, 15 ml. Pre-dilute it with 250 ml of boiled water.
What not to do
First and foremost rule: take responsibility for your treatment. Follow a low-carb diet carefully. After eating, try to keep sugar no higher than 5. 5 mmol / l. If necessary, supplement the diet with a low dose of insulin.
Don't limit your calorie intake. Eat well and taste good, but don't overeat. Stop eating with little hunger.
Don't skimp on glucometer test strips. Measure your sugar level 2-3 times a day every day. Check the accuracy of your glucometer regularly. Check their blood sugar level 3 times in a row. The difference in results should not be more than 5-10%. Also, a blood test for sugar can be carried out in the laboratory, and then check your glucometer. The permissible deviation for mobile devices does not exceed 20% (with a sugar value of 4. 2 mmol / l).
Delaying the start of insulin therapy is a big mistake. Complications of diabetes occur even if the fasting glucose level in the morning or after a meal is 6. 0 mmol/L. Learn how to calculate the dose and how to inject insulin safely.
Do not be lazy to control diseases under pressure, on business trips and other non-standard life situations. Keep a self-control diary. Record the date, time, blood sugar level, what you ate, what physical activity, insulin and how much you injected.
In the early stages, diabetes can be treated. Swimming, cycling, jogging and other types of physical activity are steps that will help with this. They are no less effective than sugar-lowering drugs. A low-carb diet works well. In some cases, it helps to get rid of the disease. The exception is complicated type 1 diabetes. This is a lifelong diagnosis that requires high doses of insulin on a regular basis.