Common Diabetes Treatments
Diabetes treatments center on providing the body with enough insulin to process glucose. You typically take insulin supplements several times a day after checking your blood sugar levels. High levels require larger doses to help reduce the severity of this disease on the body.
Insulin doses, whether through syringes, pens, or pumps, are the only way to treat type 1 diabetes.
An Artificial pancreas or automated insulin delivery system helps those with very severe type 1 diabetes. Those with type 2 also receive insulin doses but may also get other types of care.
For example, lifestyle changes can decrease symptoms and even stop type 2 diabetes entirely. These changes should occur quickly in the disease to give the body time to recover. Medications may help balance a person’s pancreas health and nurse it back to a more robust operation.
Gestational diabetes often includes regular physical activity, careful glucose management, changes in diet, and temporary insulin shots. These shots help take some pressure off the pancreas and help make it easier for pregnant women to prevent long-term risk for type 2 diabetes.
Promoting Diabetes Prevention in the Black Community
Diabetes prevention is a critical way of minimizing this disease’s impact and can help keep minimize long-term complications. Within the black community, this can include promoting activities like:
- Losing weight by getting more exercise and eating a better diet
- Managing stress, which can contribute to excessive eating behaviors
- Quitting smoking tobacco, an addiction that impacts nearly 15 percent of all African Americans
- Improving access to healthcare facilities, including providing better community resources
- Teaching healthier habits to African American children in school, such as the importance of balanced diets
Finding Support and Resources for Diabetes
Here are a few resources that African Americans with diabetes can use to learn more about their condition or get help from professional organizations:
- American Diabetes Month – November 2022 – Every November, people can reach out to various healthcare organizations to learn more about how to prevent and manage diabetes.
- The Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists’ Tools and Resources – This organization includes several resources and tools that help people live with diabetes more easily.
- The Alliance to Reduce Disparities in Diabetes’ Resources for African Americans with Diabetes – African Americans with diabetes can use this site to learn more about this condition.
Taking Care of Your Health
If you or someone you love is an African American with a high risk of diabetes, download the Evidation App or sign-up for Evidation online. This app helps to track your health and provides helpful resources that can help improve overall health.