Post by Guest Blogger Alanna Ritchie, a writer for Drugwatch.com
People who have type 2 diabetes must carefully watch the food and the medicine that they put into their bodies. Eating the right food, in the right proportions, while taking the right medication, can improve overall health.
A healthy diet consists of calories from three categories: carbohydrates, protein and fat.
Carbohydrates: 40-60 percent of calories
Look for high-fiber foods. Concentrate on fresh vegetables and fruits, beans and whole grains. You will want to limit your intake of white bread, potatoes, pasta and cereal.
Protein: 20 percent
Some of the healthiest protein sources are fish, chicken or turkey, tofu, low-fat dairy products and legumes, like beans.
Fat: 30 percent or less
Some of the healthiest fat sources are canola oil, olive oil, nuts and salmon.
Proper Medication Use
In addition to maintaining a balanced diet and monitoring their blood sugar, people with type 2 diabetes may take pills to help their bodies use insulin more efficiently.
The important thing to remember is that the time of day that medicine is taken enables the chemicals to work correctly. Your doctor will tell you what time to take your medicine and how often.
If you skip a meal or eat a smaller amount than usual, you may not take not need to take your medication. Again, check with your doctor.
Medications like sulfonylureas and meglitinides both stimulate the release of insulin, so they may cause blood sure to drop too low, leading to hypoglycemia. Watch for a rapid heartbeat; sweating; paleness; anxiety; numbness in fingers, toes and lips; sleepiness; confusion; headache and slurred speech.
Some medications have very serious side effects that you need to watch for.
Actos, which is a very popular diabetes drug, can increase your risk for liver, eye and heart problems — and even bladder cancer. If you see blood in your urine, experience pain during urination or have an increased need to urinate, talk to your doctor right away. These can be symptoms of Actos bladder cancer.
Thousands of Actos Lawsuits have been filed by people who have taken Actos. Even though the drug can cause severe side effects and has a black-box warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it is still prescribed every day in the United States.
You and your doctor need to decide which medication will work best for you. And remember, your medication and nutrition are both important parts of your well-being.
Alanna Ritchie is a writer for Drugwatch.com. An English major, she is an accomplished technical and creative writer.
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