Over the past forty some years, there have been a lot of changes in diabetes technology. Management of this disease has seen significant changes in the types of insulin, measuring glucose, and insulin administration. The changes in diabetic supplies have greatly improved the lives of countless people. In the late 70s glucose was monitored with urine using monitoring tapes, tablets that changed color, and dipsticks had barely been introduced.
In spite of nonexistent technology, health care practitioners believed diabetes management was state of the art. There were no notable changes in the management of diabetes from 1947 to 1977. Folks monitored glucose in the urine and took one to two doses of insulin at a fixed amount. Today there are personal glucose monitors that test the blood, many different types of insulin, and a variety of options for injection. This disease requires a high level of diligence by the patient.
Checking glucose levels, calculating snacks and meals, and administering insulin, makes this disease require the individuals attention numerous times each day. Diabetics need to pay attention to identify feelings that may point to hypoglycemia. There are not many conditions that require such a high level of attention. This is something that has not changed for diabetes management.
Professionals who do not have the disease do not fully understand the huge burden their patients have. Regardless of the improvements that have changed the way people take insulin and monitor glucose, the day to day burden of managing the disease has not changed. Although the advances have made testing and insulin administering simpler, the individual will still need to be diligent with the attention this condition requires.
Nutritional therapy has been affected by the changes as well. Today, the patient will be counseled on what types of food they should or should not be eating. The new concern is if insulin should match the foods consumed or if the food should match the insulin dosage. For decades, folks were given a diet to follow, a food exchange list, lists of carbohydrate values, and met regularly with a dietitian. The insulin dose was determined by the foods included in the diet.
In the case of type 1 diabetes, folks have to measure glucose and adjust the insulin based of the glucose level. This method is done prior to a meal. Today, there is insulin that matches the foods that are eaten. This does not mean, however, that folks can eat whatever they want. In this type of situation, the insulin is given after a meal.
This type of insulin requires the patient to spend time evaluating their meal content, amount, and type. The person will then make a judgment and determine the amount of insulin they need to administer. Not every individual, or family member, is capable to of performing this type of analysis. Not all patients have the skill to calculate the right dose of insulin.
In the past, people ate their meal after they took a fixed dose of insulin. Now they have the option to select foods, analyze them, taking glucose level into account, and determine the dose of insulin that is needed following a meal. This method is indicative of a shift in managing diabetes.
In spite of nonexistent technology, health care practitioners believed diabetes management was state of the art. There were no notable changes in the management of diabetes from 1947 to 1977. Folks monitored glucose in the urine and took one to two doses of insulin at a fixed amount. Today there are personal glucose monitors that test the blood, many different types of insulin, and a variety of options for injection. This disease requires a high level of diligence by the patient.
Checking glucose levels, calculating snacks and meals, and administering insulin, makes this disease require the individuals attention numerous times each day. Diabetics need to pay attention to identify feelings that may point to hypoglycemia. There are not many conditions that require such a high level of attention. This is something that has not changed for diabetes management.
Professionals who do not have the disease do not fully understand the huge burden their patients have. Regardless of the improvements that have changed the way people take insulin and monitor glucose, the day to day burden of managing the disease has not changed. Although the advances have made testing and insulin administering simpler, the individual will still need to be diligent with the attention this condition requires.
Nutritional therapy has been affected by the changes as well. Today, the patient will be counseled on what types of food they should or should not be eating. The new concern is if insulin should match the foods consumed or if the food should match the insulin dosage. For decades, folks were given a diet to follow, a food exchange list, lists of carbohydrate values, and met regularly with a dietitian. The insulin dose was determined by the foods included in the diet.
In the case of type 1 diabetes, folks have to measure glucose and adjust the insulin based of the glucose level. This method is done prior to a meal. Today, there is insulin that matches the foods that are eaten. This does not mean, however, that folks can eat whatever they want. In this type of situation, the insulin is given after a meal.
This type of insulin requires the patient to spend time evaluating their meal content, amount, and type. The person will then make a judgment and determine the amount of insulin they need to administer. Not every individual, or family member, is capable to of performing this type of analysis. Not all patients have the skill to calculate the right dose of insulin.
In the past, people ate their meal after they took a fixed dose of insulin. Now they have the option to select foods, analyze them, taking glucose level into account, and determine the dose of insulin that is needed following a meal. This method is indicative of a shift in managing diabetes.
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