Inner Circle Women

Posts Tagged ‘Diabetic’

We diabetics have to pay even more attention to our teeth and gums than other people.

We are at greater risk of cavities, gum disease and tooth infections. Not only that, but those infections can cause our blood sugar to rise, so it becomes a vicious cycle.

Here are some mouth problems common in diabetics.

Plaque  :
Plaque is, of course, a problem for many people, not just diabetics. But it’s caused by starches and sugars, and of course we have more than our share of those! So diabetics are highly prone to plaque.

Dry mouth :
Sometimes my mouth is so dry in the morning I can hardly speak—I’m sure you know how that feels. But it’s more than just inconvenient, it’s dangerous to the health of our mouths. You see, saliva washes away many of the bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease. Dry mouth cuts the amount of saliva available for this job, so the result is more cavities and gum disease. Dry mouth sometimes also creates inflammation of the soft tissue in the mouth, making eating difficult and unpleasant.

While there are artificial saliva substitutes, which your dentist can tell you about, you can usually stimulate your own saliva by sucking on a sugar-free hard candy. I like no-sugar-added Ricola for this purpose. And of course, drinking water helps.

Fungal infections :
Not only do we diabetics have less saliva than we need, but the saliva we do have is high in sugar content, so it’s double trouble for us. This can cause a fungal infection called candiasis, commonly known as thrush. It produces sore red or white spots in the mouth. Medication can help though, so ask your dentist.

As a diabetic, you must pay great attention to oral hygiene. Brush your teeth twice a day, and floss daily. Examine your gums for signs of problems—and always visit your dentist at least twice a year.

If you are living with diabetes, one of the best ways to fight this disease is with a diabetic diet plan.  This diabetic meal plan is based of the recommended foods found on the diabetic food pyramid.  By following the suggested meal plan, you will be receiving the proper amounts of recommended nutrients which will ultimately help you fight the disease.

Today, there is a wide range of diabetic diet plans.  Many doctors and researchers have researched and created countless plans for diabetics.  They try to aim for foods that will be tasteful, yet provide the proper amount of nutrients.  We all know a diet is not any fun when the food does not taste great!

Recent studies have shown an increase in diabetes over the past 10-20 years.  With the large increase, it has created a huge demand for diabetic diet plans to help diabetics battle the disesase.  Since diabetes affects all types of people and diverse lifestlyes, many types of diabetic diet plans have been created to suit these varying types of individuals.

Despite the varying lifestlyes of many diabetic individuals, all have one common goal.  That goal is to battle this disease with the help of a diabetic diet plan.  With the proper amounts of nutrients, individuals can make progress against diabetes.

Diabetics have to take special care of our feet, or we can find them troubled in two ways: reduced blood circulation and nerve damage.

Here’s what to look for and some prevention ideas.

Symptom :
If your feet are constantly cold, your legs are sore when you walk, or your feet hurt in bed at night, you may be suffering from poor blood circulation. This, in turn, can slow down the process of healing when you have cuts or other damage to your feet.

Prevention :
Staying physically active is one way to help improve your circulation. You also need to control your blood fat and sugar levels, as well as your blood pressure. And of course, don’t smoke.

Symptom :
If your feet are numb, you have a burning sensation on the soles of your feet or pins and needles in your feet, you have signs of possible nerve damage. Foot nerves are the longest in our bodies and are therefore susceptible to damage by diabetes. If these nerves are damaged, the feelings are lessened, so we could have the cuts or blisters that can lead to ulcers, and we wouldn’t even know about it.

Prevention:
Check your feet regularly to be sure there are no signs of injury. If you develop corns or calluses, have them treated immediately by a podiatrist. Wash and dry carefully between your toes, and keep your nails trimmed and smooth.

Everyone likes to have their feet pampered, but for us diabetics it not only feels good, it also prevents serious health problems in the future. So book that foot massage now!