Having a diagnosis of diabetes will often send a person into depression with worse case scenarios ricocheting around your brain. Often a person will wonder “why me?” as they continue along the path that led them to this disease.

This path includes foods that contain refined sugars and starches, a sedentary path that includes little, if any, exercise and if the person continues to live the life that led them to diabetes, it will also lead them to an early grave.

There is a solution to this problem and it’s a simple one. Get off the path. It sounds simple, doesn’t it? Yet many people can’t do it, even though they know that this path will lead to not only lifelong diabetes but also the complications that go along with it including eye problems such as blindness, foot problems due to nerve damage, and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. The solution to diabetes requires that you have strength and determination and a will to live a healthy life.

If you choose to get off this deadly path you must decide to change your lifestyle. Eliminate foods that contain starch since starch turns into sugar as soon as it hits your stomach. These foods include potatoes, bread, pasta, white rice and anything made from white flour. Abstain from sweets and desserts, including those that tout themselves as “fat-free.” Instead pick foods that are good for you such as spinach, kale, fish, raw vegetables, anything that is high in fiber, onions, grapefruit, garlic, and tomatoes.

The second step is to actively participate in an exercise regimen. Now, I am not saying that you need to go out and sign up for a year’s membership at a local gym. I am saying that you need to walk or swim or even run between 20-40 minutes at least four times per day. Exercise is an amazing thing since when you exercise you not only begin to lose weight, which is vital if you are overweight and have diabetes, but also releases hormones that truly make you feel better with more energy.
The Diabetes Solution is a simple one. Get off the path that you have been on and get on the path to a longer and happier life.

The World Health Organization believes that by the year 2030,  336 million people worldwide will be diagnosed with diabetes. 90-95% of those diagnosed have type two diabetes which is largely dependent on weight and lifestyle choices. So, how can you know if you have diabetes and what is normal blood sugar range?

Depending on the time of day you test you will notice that your blood glucose levels will vary. The best time of day to test yourself is six to eight hours after you have last eaten and is known as your fasting blood glucose level. Typically this will be the first thing in the morning. A normal range for fasting blood glucose is 70-100 mg/dl (milligrams/deciliter).

After you eat your blood glucose level will increase and if you are “normal” this level should never go above 140 mg/dl.  If your glucose levels drop below 65 you may experience symptoms such as shaking, racing heart, or a feeling of hunger. When you eat these symptoms will go away but this is known as hypoglycemia. If levels drop below 50 there is a potential for seizures and even unconsciousness.  If your glucose levels are above 180 you are leaving sugars in your blood rather than them being absorbed into your body’s cells. This is known as hyperglycemia and can cause damage to many of your body’s organs if your levels do not decrease.

You can prevent becoming a statistic in the WHO’s database. The best way to keep your levels in the normal blood sugar range is to eat a proper diet that is low in carbs and to get exercise on a regular basis.

While managing your glucose levels is vital when you have diabetes there are times when you may notice that it is too high. If you experience the symptoms of high blood sugar and need to lower blood sugar quickly there are two options that are incredibly successful.

The first option is exercise. Exercise is not only good for your heart and wellbeing but has been proven to help regular blood sugar and improve your body’s insulin sensitivity. If you need to lower blood sugar quickly the best option is to run or jog for 15 minutes. If this is not possible try jumping jacks or any other activity that can increase your heart rate and keep it elevated for at least 15 minutes. If you are wheel-chair bound try swinging your arms windmill style.

The second option is to drink 2 8 ounce glasses of water in quick succession then wait 5 minutes and drink another and urinate as soon as possible.  Excess glucose stays in your blood and you can use the water to dilute the glucose in the blood. The excess will flow over into your bladder and leave your body when you urinate.

The best option is to maintain normal glucose levels on a continual basis. Unfortunately the best option doesn’t always happen. If you find the need to lower blood sugar quickly these two options should help. If they don’t you should contact your physician, especially if your levels are excessively high and you feel dizzy or lightheaded.

If you listen closely enough you will hear your body speak to you. Normally this is done through aches and pains but in nearly every situation your body is telling you when something is wrong. The key is to listen. If you are feeling tired, have tingling or numbness in your hands or feet, are experiencing muscle cramps, moodiness, or a change in vision you may have high blood sugar symptoms and these are signs from your body that something is wrong.

When you eat food your body converts it into sugar which is then pushed into the cells of your body by the hormone insulin where it can be used as energy. This is the ideal situation. However, when the insulin isn’t able to do its job properly the cells don’t receive the sugar they need to create the energy your body needs to work efficiently. This is when your body will start sending you signals that something is wrong and you need to correct it immediately.

Unfortunately most people don’t listen to their body or ignore the signs which allow the blood sugar levels to rise to dangerous levels. When blood sugar levels rise above normal and stay there for prolonged periods of time you are putting your body at risk for several other problems including heart attack, stroke, and even nerve damage.

Listening to your body is essential. Taking time out from your busy schedule to check out why you are going to the bathroom every 20 minutes or why your mouth is always so dry can literally save your life. These symptoms, and the ones mentioned above, are only a few of the many signs that your body will give you to let you know that there is something wrong. Listen to your body, it can save your life.

Diabetes risk factors include a variety of environmental factors that are under your control including weight, diet, and level of activity. However there are a variety of risk factors that you have no control over such as genetic influence, ethnicity and age. The good news is that even those areas that are out of your control can be influenced by your diet, exercise level and weight.

Obesity is the number one cause of type 2 diabetes. This is due to a poor diet and lack of routine exercise. If you have a family history of diabetes and want to reduce your diabetes risk factor it is essential that you maintain a healthy weight level. The best way to do this is eat a diet that is rich in vegetables and fish and low in starches which turn into sugar as soon as they enter your digestive system and can make absorbing the sugar into your cells more difficult. Exercise is also essential to maintain a healthy weight. However you may not know that exercise is also key for other reasons such as increasing stimulation of the pancreas which increases insulin production which in turn stimulates absorption and helps maintain normal blood sugar levels.

As I mentioned above, the risk factors that are out of our control include age, ethnicity and family history. While it is not understood why certain ethnic groups are more likely to develop diabetes it is certain that if you take control over those areas that I have mentioned (diet, exercise, and weight) you reduce your risk exponentially.  The same goes for age. As we age we tend to become more sedentary and consume a diet that is high in starches. Therefore it is recommended that after the age of 45 you are tested yearly, especially if you are in a high risk category (family history or ethnicity).

Regardless of your family history and ethnicity you do have a certain amount of control over this disease. Maintain a proper weight, eat a balanced diet, and exercise regularly and you will increase your odds of ever getting this horrific disease.

Diabetes currently affects 1 in 10 Americans and the number is expected to increase to 1 in 3 by the year 2050. Unfortunately nearly half of those who currently have diabetes have no idea that they are suffering from this deadly disease. Because they are unaware of the symptoms of high blood sugar they have no chance of stopping this insidious disease and helping themselves to a longer and healthier life.

Diabetes occurs when blood sugar levels remain at elevated levels over an extended period of time. So, how can you tell when your blood sugar levels are elevated? High blood sugar symptoms include:

• Always being hungry
• Always being thirsty
• Dry mouth
• Constantly having to urinate
• Dry and itchy skin
• Fatigue or extreme tiredness
• Blurry vision
• Recurrent infections
• Impotence
• Slow healing of wounds

·         Unexplained weight loss

It is important to note that high blood sugar symptoms can be very mild or develop at an extremely slow pace. You may even have high blood sugar but experience no symptoms at all. If you have a family history of the disease, are over 45, or have poor dietary or exercise habits it is important to visit your physician annually and have your glucose levels checked. If you have experienced any of the above symptoms and have a family history it is important to visit your physician as soon as possible to be checked.

If your physician diagnoses you as pre-diabetic or even diabetic your physician might recommend any of the following to relieve any symptoms of high blood sugar include:

• Initiating a proper diet and or other nutritional practices
• Incorporating a consistent exercise program

·         Using blood glucose testing analyzers on a more frequent basis 

In 2007 diabetes was listed as the 7^th most common reason for death among Americans but it does not need to be that way. There are ways to prevent this disease and if you have been diagnosed with diabetes or are pre-diabetic you can reverse the condition by following the above recommendations. It’s your life, your body, your future, your choice.