Diabetes management in the elderly

Managing diabetes is not easy, whether you are young or old. It is always difficult to change your lifestyle in any way – more so if you have done things in a particular way for many years. But managing diabetes well can really go a long way to ensuring a healthier life in elderly diabetics. Uncontrolled blood glucose levels compound conditions such as high blood pressure, circulatory disorders, heart problems and eye problems – conditions often found in the elderly.

There are four areas of diabetes management : exercise, diet, blood glucose control and medication. Sticking to the following tips can make your life a lot easier. Here are a few tips to help manage your diabetes:

Get a move on. All diabetics, whether young or old, need regular, fairly moderate exercise. It is much better to walk for half an hour every day than to do a once-a-week marathon gym session. The latter could in fact be harmful to your health.

Feet first. Choose the type of exercise that isn’t hard on your feet. Blisters, cuts and foot infections can spell serious trouble for diabetics. Swimming is good, as is cycling, depending on how sprightly you feel, or even gentle walking.

If the shoe fits. Make sure that your shoes fit properly and that they are comfortable to walk in. The last thing a diabetic wants is an injury from an ill-fitting shoe. Infections or cuts in your feet can start off a chain reaction that can have serious longterm effects. Invest in well-fitting shoes, even if they are costly.

Get a grip on your weight. Remember that diabetes cannot be cured, but that you can control it very effectively. Having the correct weight goes a long way to making this condition manageable. Consult your doctor about healthy weight loss diets. Remember that a crash diet can be fatal.

Do it three times a day. Never skip a meal or eat much later than usual. This can cause your blood sugar levels to drop and cause many unpleasant symptoms, the worst of which is a diabetic coma. Small regular meals are preferable to one large one.

Become a snackpacker. To correct low blood sugar, you should always carry something sweet with you wherever you go. Raisins, fruit juice, soda (not sugar-free) or hard sweets like toffees, are good for this purpose. All of these should be taken in small amounts.

Fat happens. Beware the hidden fats in things like sauces, stews, fried foods and pastries. Get into a habit of using low-fat or fat-free dairy products and vegetable oil spray rather than butter or margarine.

Don’t hit the bottle. One glass of wine or one beer a day shouldn’t do much harm, but remember that alcohol is generally high in sugar content and that having one too many can play havoc with your blood sugar levels. A tot of whiskey is probably the best as it contains no sugar. Before you have any alcoholic drinks, you should speak to your doctor.

Go nuts with fruits and vegetables. Eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. When cooking vegetables, grill them and sprinkle them with spices, vinegar, garlic or lemon juice. These add almost no fat or calories to the meal. Strawberries and bananas are both good fruits to choose.

Go the wholewheat way. Learn to eat lots of grains and wholewheat bread and carbohydrates in general. Stay away from fried starches such as potato chips.

Be a factfinder. Knowing as much as possible is your best defence against diabetes. Find out how your body uses food and what role insulin plays in this process.

Watch out for your eyes. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in people between 25 – 74. Diabetic retinopathy is a disease affecting the blood read more