How a Healthy Lifestyle Can Help
Few words seem to strike as much fear in seniors as a certain “D word” they dread hearing from their doctors—diabetes.
Of course, some seniors, diagnosed during childhood or early adulthood with Type 1 (juvenile-onset) diabetes, have been dealing with the condition most of their lives. They’ve dealt with the symptoms—thirst and hunger, fatigue, frequent urination, loss of feeling in the feet, and more—and gotten accustomed to the daily injections, careful diet, and frequent monitoring normally associated with treatment of Type 1 diabetes.
Other seniors—those with Type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes—may have no family history of diabetes, and were diagnosed with the condition much later in life.
News of the “D word” often comes when it’s least expected, when an unsuspecting senior learns during a routine medical visit that his or her blood may contain a high level of glucose.
Symptoms of Type 2 diabetes largely mirror those of Type 1, but often the symptoms develop so gradually that a Type 2 sufferer may barely even notice he or she has developed certain telltale symptoms. If something develops over many years, it’s almost natural to think it may simply be a normal progression, or part of the aging process. That’s why it’s important to get your glucose and hemoglobin levels checked at least every three years if you’re not showing symptoms of diabetes.
For a comprehensive list of Type 2 symptoms, you can visit www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov or www.diabetes.org (the American Diabetes Association website).
Seniors should be aware that adults diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes tend to be overweight (especially around the middle) and fairly inactive physically. Weight is less a factor in a senior’s chances of being diagnosed with the ailment, but poor diet is a major contributor to one’s chances of developing Type 2 diabetes.
It’s interesting that the approach one normally takes in pursuing a healthy lifestyle—exercising, controlling weight, eating well, and so on—is very similar to the approach one should take in minimizing the chances of developing Type 2 diabetes.
This makes the value of pursuing a healthy lifestyle greater than ever—so why not do all you can to kill two birds with one stone?
Of course, there’s no reason seniors diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes can’t learn to live with the condition every bit as well as those with Type 1 diabetes have done. Those diagnosed later in life learn to deal with the injections and monitoring, and they make necessary adjustments to help deal with the elevated sugar level in their blood. Those adjustments often involve switching to a healthier diet and getting regular exercise in order to burn glucose.
By all accounts, pursuit of a healthy lifestyle is a goal everyone should pursue whether diabetes is part of the picture or not. As you do you part by getting regular exercise and watching your diet and weight, we at MedicareMall are eager to do our part by making sure you’ve got the Medicare supplement insurance plan you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Contact us now and let one of our bonded, licensed specialists help find the Medigap plan that’s best for you.
The D Word | How a Healthy Lifestyle Can Help © 2012 MedicareMall.com