How Diabetes Affects Men

A person may very well think that the disease, diabetes, affects every diabetic the same way. This statement could not be farther from the truth at all; diabetes affects every individual differently. Things that can affect diabetes differ greatly depending upon age, race, gender, weight, lifestyle, activity level, diet, and family history. The biggest leap in those diagnosed with diabetes seems to be in the men, according to a report in Circulation published in 2006. Males have a tendency to often ignore the symptoms of diabetes, therefore often tend to have more severe complications later on. The complications due to failure to diagnose and treat diabetes, and make the necessary lifestyle changes, in its early stages for a male may evolve into heart disease, circulatory problems, impotence, impaired vision, kidney disease, nerve damage, and possible amputation of hands, legs, or feet due to unmonitored symptoms of nerve damage and uncontrolled infections.

One possible reason why males do not follow lifestyle modification is that they possess the manly or macho image. Unfortunately, these changes are necessary to control level of their blood sugar. Being unable to do this aggravates the risk factors for complications. For unknown reasons, men are still said to be two or three times more prone to have amputation.

Moreover, they are also more likely to end up blind more rapidly than females. Lifestyle changes that males fail to make include changes in their diets. Males are more likely to continue eating lots of fast foods, foods high in saturated fats, tans-fats, processed foods, junk foods, foods high in sodium, starches, as well as high in sugars. It is very rare that a male will order a salad when eating out with the guys.

It is very important to eat a well balanced diet that includes vegetables, Omega 3 fatty acids (found in salmon) lean meats, fish, poultry, fiber, and other whole grains. Another thing that males fail to do is to quit consuming of alcohol. The liver treats alcohol as a pollutant in the body and works to rid the body of alcohol as rapidly as possible. The liver will not manufacture glucose again until the alcohol has been processed and removed from the body causing the blood sugar levels to drop dangerously.

The American Diabetes Association suggests that if a diabetic chooses to drink, that they do not drink on an empty stomach in order to guard themselves from low blood sugar, drinking only after eating a meal or a snack. One of the hardest to stop is smoking. Although several lessons and information about how smoking harms the body and about how a person will benefit from quitting, men still do not care. People diagnosed with diabetes are said to be more prone to different types of heart and cardiovascular disease. In worse cases, these are often the cause of death of these people.

Cigarettes contain substances that can make the blood pressure rise as well as the level of blood sugar. When this happens, it will be very difficult to control the diabetes from getting severe. Moreover, smoking may damage the blood vessels and continuous occurrence of this may lead to foot ulcers, foot and leg infections and atherosclerosis.

People smoking are also very sensitive to infections that may cause colds and respiratory diseases. Men are also not very particular in monitoring the level of their blood sugar. This is very dangerous especially when they are diagnosed with diabetes. Continuous and regular rising and falling of blood sugar level is unsafe and fetal.

Men are stubborn in nature. That is a common knowledge to all. However, stubbornness doesn't help males in recovering from diabetes. Diabetes is treatable and curable only if diagnosed early and given treatment the earliest time possible. If men will continue to maintain their masculine image, it is expected that complications will occur but if men will accept the fact they are in fact suffering from diabetes and will adhere to treatments, medications and lifestyle changes, they are on their way to faster recovery.

Julia Hanf author of the book How To Play the Diabetes Diet Game and Win Through a real life crisis Julia figured out how to live diabetes free. Visit http://www.yourdiabetescure.com and learn more about your solution for diabetes.