As you age, diabetes can become harder to control. Naturally, the body becomes more resistant to insulin, and if you fall into a less active lifestyle, then your metabolism and diet may require more artificial help from medications. Unfortunately, many medications clash with diabetes medication. There are many things to consider, and here is what you need to know.
Tips to Control Diabetes
Resistance to Insulin
The body naturally produces insulin; but when you age, your body cannot use this insulin as well as it once had. Cells known as beta cells that help to regulate your blood glucose level; when these cells are not functioning correctly, diabetes may result.
The major function of beta cells is to store and release insulin. When they are healthy in a youthful body, they can respond very quickly to the spikes in blood glucose, which are caused by diabetes. As you age, these beta cells naturally lose this fast response, so caution is advised.
Your Lifestyle
An active lifestyle is always encouraged, but it is especially important as you age because your blood glucose level increases with a less active lifestyle. A less active lifestyle also makes the body resist its own insulin. In order to control your diabetes as you age, it is important to maintain a consistently healthy and active lifestyle. If you do not currently have an active lifestyle, you should consider creating an exercise program that is approved and overseen by your physician.
Medications
As mentioned above, certain medications do not mix well with diabetic medications or symptoms. If you have to take steroids to help with arthritis or inflammation, your body's glucose levels will likely increase. This combination creates a higher natural resistance to insulin. Arthritis and inflammation are more likely to occur as the body ages; however, these two conditions are even more prevalent in people who do not exercise on a routine basis. Again, it’s always helpful to maintain an active lifestyle to keep yourself as healthy as possible.
The Aging Process
Aging will naturally increase your blood glucose level. You must take this into consideration as you create a strategy to manage your diabetes. It is very important to ensure that any medications that you take as you age do not cause a problem with your ongoing medication for diabetes.
If you feel that you may not be managing your diabetes well enough, we encourage you to contact your health care provider immediately. Make sure that you maintain contact with your primary care physician and consistently monitor your blood glucose level for any sustained or unexpected increases.
Senior care activities in independent living communities are an important part of controlling diabetes. A more active body is a healthier body that can more acutely deal with the natural decline that comes with age. A complete program that includes diet and exercise can slow down the advance of diabetes through the more judicious use of natural insulin. Just remember - the more active you are, the better you’ll feel!
