The Role of Nurses in the Care of Diabetic Patients
Diabetes is a hereditary disorder where your body either doesn't produce enough insulin (Type1) or cannot utilise it efficiently (Type 2). As a hormone, insulin moves sugar from the blood to the cells for storage, and its deficiency results in high blood sugar levels in individuals. This is quite serious and can affect various other vital organs’ functioning. However, anyone can efficiently manage their diabetes with medication and appropriate lifestyle changes. It is currently a widespread chronic condition affecting roughly 9% of the global population, with no permanent cure. It requires constant monitoring, regulation, and testing, which can be quite overwhelming if you're not used to it. Hiring a nurse to manage your diabetes may be a good idea.
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Why is it important to take care of your diabetes?
Taking care of yourself and emphasising maintaining your blood sugar levels is extremely important. There are several benefits to it, such as having more energy, better healing, and, feeling less tired and thirsty. More importantly, it lowers your chances of facing many health risks with diabetes. These include heart attacks, strokes, nerve damage, loss of eyesight, and various kidney problems. A nurse can help you learn more about diabetes and manage it, thus calming your fears and helping you maintain a high quality of life.
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Regular Testing
One of the most important things to do is regularly check your blood sugar level. Less frequently but just as necessary are the cholesterol and blood pressure tests to make sure nothing else is wrong. It's best to talk to a medical professional - like a nurse or a doctor - who is familiar with your condition and your baseline levels if you feel something might be wrong. A nurse can also help you keep track of the various checkups and tests that need to be done regularly. A lot of the tests can be administered at home. Radiant Home Health Services can also make appointments at clinics on your behalf and arrange to take you there, as and when necessary. Nurses are also trained to recognise various debilitating symptoms and immediately act and provide first aid in an emergency.
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Nutrition and food
It is a given that different foods have different effects on blood sugar levels, and a bit of planning is required to create meals for diabetics. It is recommended for starters to reduce the consumption of sugar and sugary foods as much as possible. Apart from desserts, unhealthy carbohydrates are risky as the body breaks them down as sugar. A food guide for diabetics should avoid white rice, white bread, pasta, red meats, and full-fat dairy items. Some good foods for diabetics are brown rice, quinoa, oatmeal, sweet potato, cranberries, etc. A nurse, along with our nutritionist, will better guide you regarding the benefits of different foods and help you develop an ideal diet plan for diabetics, which is suited to your tastes. It's also always good to have something sugary within reach if your blood sugar levels suddenly drop too low and you feel faint.
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Regular exercise
Along with nutrition and a regular diet plan for diabetics, regular exercise forms the foundation in maintaining and regulating blood sugar levels. Long walks, once or twice a day helps a lot. If you don't feel like going to a crowded and unsafe gym for a workout, a nurse can help design a light exercise regime for you to help keep you healthy and fit. Radiant Home Health Services also offers a personal trainer service if you're looking for something more intense.
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Medication
Taking your medication might be hard to initially get used to, but it is necessary. If you have Type 1 diabetes, you will need to take them for the rest of your life, and it is often the same for Type 2. The only exception to this is Gestational diabetes that is a side effect of pregnancy. Taking your insulin and medicine on time is extremely important, and forgetfulness can be dangerous. A nurse can help make sure you take it and manage your medications. In the end, diabetes is not a debilitating disorder and can be controlled with regular exercise and diet. In the case of the more common Type 2 diabetes, medication can even be stopped at one point after rigorous consultations with a doctor. If you have a family history of diabetes, it is best to be prepared and start implementing lifestyle changes early. Radiant Home Health Services can help you and your loved ones, with our skilled and professional nurses who can assist you and make your life easier. We also offer a plethora of other services that could benefit you, such as elder care at home, physiotherapy at home, nutritionists, and home doctor visits. If you are interested, check out our services in and around Chennai.