Fight Diabetes2 and Win isn't on Joella's Menu

Update, Made on another site.  Shared here to explain what is going on with Joella and her Fight with Diabetes 2.

Joella Update November, 2012

The last time I updated was in 2011.

Unfortunately things with Joella have not improved.

She did diet and exercise enough to lose down to 161 pounds in February of 2012.

However, as of October, 2012 when our other sister went to visit her, she was back up in
weight to 184 pounds, even though she was telling me on the phone that her weight
was 168.

She has now either disconnected her telephone or has a different number.  I am no
longer able to talk to her unless she calls.  

It is disheartening to think about what is going to happen to her.

As far as I know she is still taking Insulin and two oral medications to try to control her
blood sugar and therefore manage the diabetes.

It will work for awhile, but if you don't eat a reasonable diet and exercise there comes
a point where the drugs can no longer be depended on for sugar (glucose) level control.

Elevated (high) glucose readings are the indication that the body is not able to process
the extra sugar and remove it from the blood stream.

Results?
1. Nerve damage...eyes, rest of body especially arms and legs.
2, Lack of sensitivity to injuries allow injuries to not be noticed and  treated.  
3. Circulation:  blood vessels that supply all the cells and organs become etched and plaque begins to build                                              
     up.
4. Poor circulation and nerve damage combine and result in:
5. Tingling feet and swelling....easy for sores to develop and not healing.
6. Heart attack and Strokes ...the final answer to untreated diabetes, most start because of 1 and 2 listed
     above.

The last time I talked to Joella in October she said her glasses weren't working as well.
She said she  might go get new ones.    She got new ones in early 2012 when she had lost weight  and her sugar readings were lower.....the glasses were not as strong as the old ones she replaced.  So here dieting and exercising in order to get her foot sore healed paid off with better vision.

Now with the weight gain, it sounds like the improvement is gone.
Another complaint....she said, "my feet and legs are tingling again and keeping me awake at night."  Her solution before was to drink milk every hour or so, all night long because it seemed to stop it.

Guess we can assume this is her same solution to the problem.
Until I manage to go see her, this is the last update I can do.  No information.

There is information about Diabetes, it sysmptoms, diets and articles with helpful suggestions available at:
http://SugarControlDiet.com/

This site has videos, articles dealing with what diabetes is and some suggestions and tips for managing diabetes.   This site: Cararta is more Joella's personal journey with diabetes for the past few years.
Sometimes funny, sometimes sad.   You are welcome to visit
Sugar Control Diet and read.   You may find something helpful that will change your direction if you are trying to lose weight or control type 2 diabetes.

Dieting and Dieting and Don't Lose Weight

Jo called yesterday, haven't talked to her much lately.  She thinks I "fuss" toooo much about what she eats.
Last month I bought her another copy of the American Diabetes Associations  Food Exchange Lists for diabetics.  Very small, will fit in your purse so you can take it with you if you are new at having diabetes and trying to diet. 

Don't really think she pays much attention to the exchange book, the diet the doctor gave her or anything else related to her diabetes treatment other than getting those pills and Insulin shots.  Know for a fact that she doesn't take any of them on a schedule, just when she feels she needs them.

The problem is with diabetes, other than obvious things like always being thirsty and running to the bathroom all the time, maybe having a sore or fungus infection that you can't get rid of, or being overwhelmed with the urge to sleep if you over eat, there aren't many other Visible signs of diabetes until later......when it is almost to late.

I don't know what her criterior for Needing her medication is.  Don't know what yardstick she uses to  measure her  Need for Insulin or Metformin or glucophage.

Said she has started to lose weight, now down under 170 pounds.  Asked if she had been dieting and just got silence.....This time last year she weighed less than she does now, so the long term picture doesn't show improvement.

Guess just wait and see.  If you don't diet, you can't lose weight and if you continually eat the wrong diet you gain.  Simple.

Diabetes Symptoms: Do you know what to look For?

Diabetes  is a sneaky disease with symptoms that aren't always visible.

You don't hurt, have a headache or aching bones.
 
What you might have is tiredness and fatigue especially after eating, dry mouth, thirsty all the time even though you drink a lot of liquids. 
Having to urinate frequently especially at night (when you never had to get up and go before)! 
Dry, itchy skin, frequent fungual or yeast infections of groin or vaginal area. 

Finger nails and toe nails often become infected with the fungus because of contact when scratching infected areas.

It is a hidden disease for many, quietly damages their body until the damage becomes unmanageable. 

Education and Information about Diabetes is our greatest weapon.
Find out the symptoms, read eveything that you can find out about it.  One of the most visible indicators is body weight.  Carrying extra pounds or a sudden weight gain or an unexplained weight loss could be an indicator. 

It is worth a trip to your caregiver to find out.

 A simple A1c  blood test  that is available in most physicians office gives a very good indicator.  It only uses a drop of blood and the results are available while you are there, no waiting to send it to the lab.

Diabetes is an unnecessary disease most of the time unless you were born with it. 

It can be brought on by being overweight which is often the results of  continuing to eat more calories than your body needs for the amount of your daily activity  and not exercising enough to burn up the excess calories you have consumed.

People often gain weight slowly without really being aware of the effects of  those extra pounds on their body.  Along with the symptoms of Diabetes, we develop the deadly side effects that eventually cause blindness, nerve damage, amputation of limbs, heart attacks and strokes.

Fighting Deabetes requires dedication and Education. 

The only real solution to diabetes is to prevent it by healthy eating and daily activity. 

Living is more fun if you have energy and can do the things you want to do.  I encourage you to educate yourself, get the knowledge  necessary to create a  healthy diet and then add exercise to your lifestyle. 

Walking doesn't require a gym or equipment and is very effective.  Begin with 5 minutes  several times a day if you can't do more.  Work up to 30 minutes a day. 

It might take awhile to implement your new lifestyle, but the results will be worth it.  It is possible to control and often prevent Diabetes and its symptoms by making a few small changes in your lifestyle.

Here is a link to two videos that explain more about Diabetes and its Symptoms.
CLICK HERE!

Do You need to Lose Weight? Do you know the Symptoms of Diabetes?

The easiest way to find out if you suffer from diabetes, is to visit a doctor and get a proper analysis of your glucose. Usually for an adult it will be type 2 adult onset diabetes.  You may have any of the three diabetes types - type 1, type 2 and pregnancy type. There are common symptoms in all types of diabetes.
The most common type is diabetes type 2. If you feel like urinating quite often and especially if you also wake up at night to do it, then it may be a sign of diabetes. Increased sensation of thirst will also be experienced by you, as the kidneys increase their activity to remove the extra glucose from the blood. These two symptoms always come together.
A sudden and unexplainable weight loss - up to 3-5pounds a month is also usually determined by a high level of blood glucose. This unexpected weight loss comes as a result of the insulin not providing the cells with glucose. Therefore, there is nothing in the body that the cells  can use to transform sugar or glucose into energy, so the liver starts converting  the proteins in muscles and fat to allow the body to survive. As the readings  of the glucose become high, intense hunger may also appear.
The body asks for extra food to work properly, when its level goes down. Itches and dry skin are also symptoms of diabetes. The skin problems sometimes include dark spots in the areas of armpits and neck .  Whenever you suffer from a wound or a cut and it takes a long time to heal can be a sign of diabetes. Obviously, your blood vessels are deteriorated and this is usually due to the high quantity of glucose. Other symptoms of diabetes  are tiredness and foggy vision,  nerve tingles and numbness.  Often feet and legs will hurt at night and keep you awake.  If left untreated diabetes can lead to damaged circulation, damaged eyesight, and because of damage to blood vessels lead to strokes and heartattacks.
On the other hand, the diabetes type 1 is less common, and affects younger people. Between the first symptoms and the diagnosis of diabetes 1, there is usually only a few months. The high need for water because of thirst and frequent urinations, tiredness, extra hunger, weakness and weight loss are included in this type of diabetes,  the symptoms are almost the same for each type. These two types of diabetes are very different from one another, although the symptoms are very much similar.  People with type 1 diabetes are often born with it and type 2  diabetes is usually the result of being overweight because of incorrect eating and no exercise.  It is very important to know that any of these symptoms may be also common for other diseases, so make sure you ask for detailed professional tests when you consult a doctor. When two or more of these symptoms start showing up at the same time, the chances to have diabetes are pretty high.
Pregnancy diabetes suffered by a pregnant woman is generally without symptoms, just like the other two types of diabetes until it becomes severe enough to start showing the same classic symptoms. In rare cases, tiredness, extra urination and hunger may show up. During the 2-nd and 3-rd trimesters of pregnancy, the insulin demands of a pregnant woman are about 3 times higher than normal.

Whichever of these symptoms you may encounter, consult a doctor as fast as possible. There are many ways to prevent  type 2 diabetes development, though there is not an official way to cure it.  The best you can do is maintain control by following a scheduled meal plan, exercising and eating in moderation.
You are What you EAT!.