Many lifestyle diseases affect the American population. These diseases are known to alter people’s lives once discovered. Some are known to be the leading cause of death in the US. Diabetes falls into two of these categories, making it one of the worse diseases to be diagnosed with.
Many Americans have diabetes, and the numbers continue to grow. About 34 million Americans will have diabetes in 2020, and this number continues to grow. Another staggering statistic is that more than 80 million Americans might have diabetes but do not know about it yet.
Diabetes is a complicated disease and one that can be pretty hard to diagnose, hence, the diagnosis of prediabetes. But two known types of diabetes can affect your life: type-1 and type-2 diabetes.
Type-1 Diabetes
Type-1 diabetes is a rare type of diabetes, but it still affects many Americans. This type of diabetes destroys the insulin made from your pancreas, depriving your body of one of the necessary hormones required to process sugar in your blood. Considering that we intake sugar almost daily, the lack of insulin in our system can lead to severe complications.
For people with type-1 diabetes, insulin shots are a must. Without it, a person can dehydrate and experience severe damages to their internal organs. Unfortunately, insulin is also relatively expensive in the US, making this type of diabetes the most costly to treat.
Type-2 Diabetes
Type-2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes, and it’s also a common disease in the country. People with type-2 diabetes have insulin resistance. This means that people who have this disease can process sugar but to a lesser degree. As a result, your body ends up processing more insulin to process your sugar intake, which can then lead to high blood pressure.
This type of diabetes is considered a lifestyle disease, as most people who have it are obese or overweight. However, much like type-1, it can be attributed to genetics.
People who have type-2 diabetes don’t always need insulin shots as part of their treatment, making them cheaper to treat than type-1. However, this doesn’t mean it’s easier to treat either.
Treating Diabetes
Alternatives to Sugar
Contrary to popular belief, a sweet tooth doesn’t always lead to diabetes. Those who have a sweet tooth can still indulge their desires, given that they make healthier alternatives to sugar.
The existence of alternatives to sugar such as Xylitol and Stevia are healthier than sugar and produce more quality products. If you’re the kind of person who likes to consume sweets, then look for products that use these alternatives. Better yet, you can make your sweets with these alternatives.
You don’t necessarily need to remove sugar from your diet. Controlling it and using your alternatives are better options because sugar is still an essential part of your energy intake daily. Removing it to avoid diabetes might cause more complications than controlling it.
Omega-3
Omega-3 is another thing you should start inserting into your diet. It has been known to prevent obesity which is a prime cause of type-2 diabetes. There’s a good chance that you already have this into your diet. If not, eating nuts, salmon, and other fishes can easily increase your omega-3 intake—another benefit of omega-3 in reducing heart diseases, which is a welcome addition for you.
Better Quality Sleep
Sleep is related to many facets of our life. People who want to avoid diabetes are informed by their doctors to get better quality sleep or risk high blood pressure. One way to get better quality sleep is to improve your bed.
Our bed plays a big role in the way we sleep. If you or your partner are experiencing sleep disruptions at night, you can install wireless temperature with dual zones. This will help regulate the temperature in your and your partner’s side of the bed, improving the quality of your sleep at night.
Live an Active Life
You don’t have to do extensive exercise to avoid diabetes. You don’t need a trainer or a gym membership either. All you have to do is to be more active in your lifestyle.
Walking and other physical activities can help you reduce weight and avoid diabetes. These are even better than extensive exercise because they don’t help you build excess muscle mass, leading to obesity. Other daily activities and hobbies such as gardening and landscaping can also help you reduce the chances of diabetes.
Diabetes is an insidious killer, and you should do everything in your power to avoid it. By following these ways, you can prevent this disease and live a much healthier and satisfying life.
