Over the past several decades, many changes in technology have affected diabetes management. There has been a significant change in the kinds of insulin being used, how it is administered, and how folks measure glucose. These changes in diabetic supplies have made a huge improvement in the lives of folks with diabetes. Back in 1977, folks measured glucose by testing urine with tablets and monitoring tapes. At that time dipsticks were just being introduced.
Even though medical professionals believed they were practicing modern diabetes management, technology was actually nonexistent. Between 1947 and 1977 there were no significant changes in diabetes management. Management consisted of one or two fixed doses of insulin and monitoring urine. Today folks have home glucose monitors, a variety of insulin types, and various injection options. Unfortunately, diabetes requires the patient to maintain a higher level of diligence than any other disease.
The patient must be checking glucose level, injecting insulin, and calculating meals and snacks. This type of monitoring requires the attention of the patient several times during the day. The patient needs to pay close attention so they can identify the feelings that indicate hypoglycemia. There are few medical conditions the will require this heightened level of awareness. This level of need for monitoring will likely never change.
The medical professional who does not live with this disease will never know the intensity of this burden. In spite of all the changes that have improved the way in which folks monitor glucose and take their insulin, the burden of caring for and managing diabetes is not something that has changed. Advances in technology have made things easier however it is still vital that the patient be diligent in caring for their diabetes.
There have also been significant changes in nutrition. There is much dialog about the kind of food that the individual should eat. The topic seems to be about matching insulin to the food or matching the food to the insulin. Folks were given a specific diet to follow for years. They saw a dietitian and were handed lists for food exchanges and carbohydrate values. Their insulin was a set dose and they were prescribed a diet.
With Diabetes Type I, the patient measures glucose and based on the level, adjusts the insulin dose. This takes place before the meal. Today, insulin dosage is matched to the food that is eaten. However, this does not give permission for people to consume anything they want. Contrary to traditional dosing, this method gives insulin following a meal.
With this method, the patient must evaluate the content of the meal, type of food, and amount. Once the analysis is complete, the individual makes a judgment and determines the amount of the insulin the will need after they eat. This is a more complicated method that many patients may not have the capability to perform. This method involves the calculation of the correct insulin dosage.
In past decades, folks would take their insulin and then eat their meal. Today they choose their foods and after the meal they add up the foods eaten, accounting for glucose level before the meal, and calculate the insulin dosage needed. Matching insulin to food consumed is a shift in diabetes management.
Even though medical professionals believed they were practicing modern diabetes management, technology was actually nonexistent. Between 1947 and 1977 there were no significant changes in diabetes management. Management consisted of one or two fixed doses of insulin and monitoring urine. Today folks have home glucose monitors, a variety of insulin types, and various injection options. Unfortunately, diabetes requires the patient to maintain a higher level of diligence than any other disease.
The patient must be checking glucose level, injecting insulin, and calculating meals and snacks. This type of monitoring requires the attention of the patient several times during the day. The patient needs to pay close attention so they can identify the feelings that indicate hypoglycemia. There are few medical conditions the will require this heightened level of awareness. This level of need for monitoring will likely never change.
The medical professional who does not live with this disease will never know the intensity of this burden. In spite of all the changes that have improved the way in which folks monitor glucose and take their insulin, the burden of caring for and managing diabetes is not something that has changed. Advances in technology have made things easier however it is still vital that the patient be diligent in caring for their diabetes.
There have also been significant changes in nutrition. There is much dialog about the kind of food that the individual should eat. The topic seems to be about matching insulin to the food or matching the food to the insulin. Folks were given a specific diet to follow for years. They saw a dietitian and were handed lists for food exchanges and carbohydrate values. Their insulin was a set dose and they were prescribed a diet.
With Diabetes Type I, the patient measures glucose and based on the level, adjusts the insulin dose. This takes place before the meal. Today, insulin dosage is matched to the food that is eaten. However, this does not give permission for people to consume anything they want. Contrary to traditional dosing, this method gives insulin following a meal.
With this method, the patient must evaluate the content of the meal, type of food, and amount. Once the analysis is complete, the individual makes a judgment and determines the amount of the insulin the will need after they eat. This is a more complicated method that many patients may not have the capability to perform. This method involves the calculation of the correct insulin dosage.
In past decades, folks would take their insulin and then eat their meal. Today they choose their foods and after the meal they add up the foods eaten, accounting for glucose level before the meal, and calculate the insulin dosage needed. Matching insulin to food consumed is a shift in diabetes management.
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