Diabetes usually affects more than just the patient himself. That is why it is often referred to as a family disease.It affects the immediate family and the relationships of close friends as well.
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It can be a difficult proposition for any person diagnosed with diabetes. In just one moment, your entire life is undeniably altered. You can no longer consume your normal, everyday foods without caring about the consequences, you constantly have to test your blood sugar level, you perhaps have to take medication, and, in the worse cases, you can end up losing limbs or doing key damage to body organs.
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Of course, being diabetic is really a life changing event for everyone. The patient, his or her family, good friends, and other loved ones also.
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Among the first and most crucial changes called for is a change in the person's diet. Instantly there are entire classes of foods that are forbidden. The patient has a great deal to learn and must try to become familiar with the steps involved in planning nutritional meals. He has to learn how to read a fast food or diner menu and choose which foods are fine to order. And at home, if the family's cook isn't going to want to ceaselessly be in charge of cooking two sets of meals, whole menu plans may change - forcing others in the family to adapt to the diabetic's nutritional needs.
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An additional potential change that affects your entire family is the additional medical attention that the person with diabetes will need. Based on the severity of the condition, the family's income situation may be impacted substantially. The family as a whole could be forced to buy cheaper foods, clothes, and other items. And of course if the diabetic is a child, he will probably need more attention than the other children, possibly leading to the other children feeling jealous because they are now receiving less focus.
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Experiencing type 2 diabetes is extremely difficult for teens to deal with. The teen years already are hard enough. And just what adolescent wants to stand out as being different from the rest? They desire to be with their friends, eat what their friends eat, drink what their friends drink, and so forth. And now they learn that they risk doing harm to their body and health, should they try to imitate their friend's eating habits. For a young person, this can easily lead to feelings of being isolated and different. And adolescents don't like to be different from each other.
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However everything doesn't have to be like that. Individuals who carry on with a positive attitude about diabetes can actually end up strengthening their relationships. This can be a chance to treat the condition as a learning experience for the family by helping the family to learn and practice better dietary habits. When the rest of the family members begins to eat healthier meals, not only is the chance of other members acquiring diabetes decreased, their overall health is increased also.
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This can also be used as an opportunity to strengthen relationships and discover who your real friends are. Being diabetic is absolutely nothing to be ashamed about and a teenager shouldn't hide it from his or her close friends. If a "friend" is willing to drop you because you are "afraid" to drink or eat the things that the in crowd is doing, chances are they are not truly your friend. Good friends are worth their weight in gold, and a good friend will understand and stick by you regardless of your sickness.
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It is essential for anyone coping with diabetes to have is the support of their family And this is specifically true for children and teenagers. Young children and teenagers are a good deal more likely to be successful in upholding healthy eating and workout habits if the whole family and support group of friends is encouraging them.
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The important thing is to realize that when type two diabetes is diagnosed, everyone has to have time to adjust to the new conditions. And to recognize that help is out there, if you would like it.
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You can find additional info on diabetic topics at here and here .
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