The following article is a guest post which discusses some of the potential side effects of a Diabetes medication called Actos. As with taking all medications, it it important to weigh the benefits with the risk with your physician.
How to Manage Diabetes through Nutrition and Avoid Dangerous Medications
Medications are often a vital element of effective diabetes management. These drugs consistently help people who can’t stop their blood sugar from rising keep it at a safe level. Without medication, many people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes would be unable to avoid an episode of hyperglycemia (excessively high blood sugar).
These medications are not perfect, however. Some of them can make patients more likely to develop liver failure or increase the risk for certain cancers. The type 2 diabetes medication Actos can increase the risk of bladder cancer by as much as 83 percent, according to one study. This dangerous side effect has altered the lives of Actos patients now suing the drug’s manufacturer, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, creating thousands of Actos Lawsuits.
People with type 1 diabetes will always need to take insulin to manage their blood sugar. People with type 2 diabetes may still produce some insulin, but medication can make their cells more sensitive to insulin. Practicing diabetes-friendly nutrition can help everyone manage their symptoms.
To eat the most nutritious meals, people with diabetes should become acquainted with the three types of carbohydrates. These are sugar, starches and fiber. Sugars and starches will raise a person’s blood sugar quickly, while fiber slows the digestion of carbohydrates. In general, fiber gives more nutrients to the body while raising their blood sugar less than other carbs.
To manage diabetes with nutrition, a person should learn how many carbs each food they want to eat contains. The amount of carbs is included on the nutrition label of many items. If the food has no label, websites can provide the amount of carbs in a particular serving. By learning how many carbs are contained in each serving of food, a person with diabetes should be able to eat without drastically raising their blood sugar.
In general, a person should eat servings of foods that will give them 40 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per meal. Before eating, a person should check their blood sugar with a glucose monitor to make sure they are near the 130 mg/dL blood sugar level the American Diabetes Associations recommends people should be at before they eat. By carefully monitoring the amount of carbs they consume, blood sugar should not rise above 180 mg/dL two hours after eating.
Blood sugar does not always conform to general rules. When a person uses high-nutrition meals to manage diabetes, they should have medication on hand just in case their blood sugar spikes. People seeking to lower blood sugar with healthy food selections should consult their doctor or see a Registered Dietitian (RD) or Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) beforehand for tips on how to construct a safe diet plan.
William Richards researches and writes about prescription drugs and medical devices for Drugwatch.com.
I will also add that adding protein and fat to your meals and snacks can help your blood sugars from having a rapid increase.
Also, Type 2 Diabetes is often caused by being overweight. In fact, more than 85 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight. The theory is that being overweight causes cells to change, making them resistant to the hormone insulin. Insulin’s job is to carry sugar from blood to the cells, where it is then used for energy. When a person is insulin resistant, blood sugar does not make it to the cells and the result is high blood sugar.
The importance of losing weight and increasing the amount of physical activity you do:
* To lower your risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
* It can help you control your blood sugar levels and delay the onset of complications.
* Losing weight and exercising more may also allow you to reduce the amount of diabetes medication you take.
* The Diabetes Prevention Program, a large clinical study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, found that losing just 5 to 7 percent of your body weight and doing moderate-intensity exercise for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, may prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.
