My father wants to get treatment by food and exercise only. He doesn’t want to take insulin shots. Earlier on, he succeeded in keeping control over his blood sugars by taking precautions in food habits. During the past few weeks, his tests show a rise in sugar levels that is because of deviation from his normal meals. He is feeling haggardness and uneasiness. His legs have felt weak. Sometimes he complains about his eyesight also (though not a very serious sight problem). He is also suffering from hypertension and has a chest infection. Can you tell me what kind of diet and other treatment he should have? Could you provide a brief description of this disease?

There are no simplified designs for treating diabetes. In the United States, almost all of our patients check their blood sugars with a testing meter so they can get immediate feedback from treatment interventions or diet. It sounds like your father needs to have a clear treatment regimen designed by his doctor. This should include blood sugar monitoring, a healthy diet, exercise, and possibly medication. Medication may be in the form of pills or injections. There are a variety of medications to treat diabetes and the type is individualized based on severity of diabetes, type of diabetes, and other medical problems. His diet should also be individualized for his weight, degree of activity, and elevation of blood sugars. He should also have a test called a hemoglobin A1c that gives his doctor a measure of his average blood sugar for the past three months. Outcomes for diabetes are closely tied to the hemoglobin A1c results.

JTL

[Editor’s comment: You will find information on Type 2 Diabetes on our web site.

BH]