Diabetes is a medical condition that occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or when the body becomes resistant to insulin. Insulin is produced by the pancreas, a gland in the endocrine system, to help process sugar ingested into the body as food. Insulin transforms sugar into usable energy. Individuals who suffer from type 1 diabetes suffer from an autoimmune condition in which the white blood cells of the immune system mistakenly attack the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. Individuals who suffer from type 2 diabetes suffer from an acquired resistance to insulin. Both types can seriously affect the quality of life of the patient, and there is no cure for diabetes. However, there are a number of effective treatment options that can help maintain a positive quality of life for patients with diabetes.
Gastric Bypass
The closest thing to a cure for diabetes is gastric bypass surgery. Gastric bypass surgery is a weight-loss procedure for individuals who are morbidly obese. It helps encourage weight loss by removing a significant portion of the stomach and the large intestine. This limits the amount of food that can be effectively digested by the patient. The extreme weight loss caused by gastric bypass surgery can be enough to reverse type 2 diabetes. However, it is important to note that this is not considered a cure for the condition, but more accurately a way to send the disease into remission.
Insulin Therapy
Individuals who don't qualify for gastric bypass can find a host of other treatment options that can work effectively to treat and manage the symptoms of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. One of the most common treatments is insulin therapy. Insulin is injected directly into the bloodstream of the patient. This injected insulin (sometimes called exogenous insulin) performs the same function as the insulin naturally produced in the pancreas (sometimes called endogenous insulin) and can help prevent a buildup of blood sugar.
Prescription Medication
Patients suffering from type 2 diabetes commonly use a series of prescribed medications to manage their condition. These medicines, often taken in combination with each other or insulin therapy, can effectively treat diabetes by stimulating insulin production in the pancreas, decreasing the digestion time of sugars, and assisting in the assimilation of blood sugar. Unfortunately, these prescribed medications are not effective in the treatment of type 1 diabetes.
Nutritional Treatment
Another treatment option that can help make diabetes a livable condition is maintaining a diet low in complex carbohydrates and sugars. One of the best ways to manage both types of diabetes is to consume a higher portion of lean proteins, vegetables, and high-fiber foods instead of bread, whole grains, and processed sugars. This type of diet helps maintain blood sugar at a moderate level and can prevent spikes in glucose.
Lifestyle Treatments
A key element of the management of diabetes is a lifestyle that incorporates exercise. Exercise helps keep both weight and blood sugar at proper levels and can this can help patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes manage their condition effectively. For type 2 diabetes, a lifestyle that includes at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular activity a day can also decrease dependence on insulin and other medications.
