Here's a chart I've created to simplify the big picture on diabetic management.



Weight Management
Obesity is the number cause for Type 2 Diabetes. All that extra weight damages you twice. Why do I say that?

Number 1: Glucose transporter in your cells become less resistance to insulin. This means that the glucose will stay in your blood stream.

Number 2: This resistance to insulin causes the cells which secretes insulin(Beta cells) to work harder and pump out more insulin. In time, these cells are exhausted and so secretes less and less insulin.

This causes a cycle that would trap any obese person. There is limited insulin supply for the very insulin-resistant cells, glucose uptake would be close to impossible. It's like trying to fight a battalion of army with a pair of chopsticks.

Most diabetic weight management studies are only done on obese persons. However, I'm a strong believer that even an overweight person will experience this cycle of insulin resistance. For type I diabetics, there would be no beta cell secretions but the risk of insulin resistance from cells still exists. Just in case you are wondering, yes, it is possible to have 'double diabetes', being insulin resistant and having no insulin secretions at the same time(1).

Frequent Physical Activity
Studies have shown the benefits of exercise on carbohydrate metabolism and insulin sensitivity. With exercise done 3 or 4 times a week, HBA1c levels can be lowered by as much as 20%(2). It is recommended that type 2 diabetics practise resistance training(weight lifting) up to 3 times a week, together with some aerobic exercises. (3) I'll touch on this further in my future entries.

Good dietary habits**
I cannot emphasize more on how important this part is! So I engaged in the help of the asterisks. Please don't miss this point.

Some good dietary habits for diabetic includes:

• Low glycemic foods
• Consuming more fruits and vegetable
• Eating more healthy oils and lean protein
• Frequent but small meals
• Regular timing for meals

I'll update this page as I go, I'll post articles on these habits.


Insulin and Medications
I'm currently not under Insulin Jabs and any form of medication. It's not that I'm skipping them! But I'm keeping my diabetic under control with cautious eating habits and doing my exercises. I used to take metformin but not anymore. I'm not a medical student, neither do I have experience with usage of Insulin, so please listen to your doctors on this part!



Monitoring is a must, whether it's the HBA1c or the Blood glucose tests. Both tests does not come cheap but it's the only way to find out whether you've passed your diabetic test. For type I diabetics, it's advisable to do the blood glucose test every so often. I didn't include monitoring in my chart because it does not help with glucose control, what it does is to simply put you in check. If you're confident managing your diabetes, monitoring can even be done less frequently.



Reference
1. University Of Pittsburgh Medical Center. "Type 1 Diabetics Can Get 'Double Diabetes' From Insulin Resistance, Says University Of Pittsburgh." ScienceDaily 25 April 2003. 25 May 2009 http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2003/04/030425071101.htm>.

2.Diabetes Mellitus and Exercise — Diabetes Care
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/25/suppl_1/s64.full retrieved 25 May 2009

3.
New Recommendations Regarding Exercise and Type 2 Diabetes
http://cme.medscape.com/viewarticle/533929 retrieved 25 May 2009