Like many of us with diabetes who are well aware of it, diabetes is a disease that can easily get out of control if we neglect our guard. With this pandemic around, we can't afford to let that happen.
Long-Term Effects and Symptoms
The Covid-19 pandemic proves to refer to the event of 2020, affecting almost every country in the world. The pandemic has created a brutal blow to the world that cannot be underestimated: more than a million lives lost in October 2020, forced closure of businesses, and severe travel restrictions detrimental to international travel and commerce.
The Covid-19 pandemic hurt the hearts of governments and their people around the world for two main reasons: it is very contagious, and it can kill. And because it is a novel virus (i.e., a virus that the world has never encountered before), we can not only predict the long-term health effects that people who contract it and survive.
Statistics show that most people who contract Covid-19 experience no symptoms, or only mild symptoms. The most common symptoms reported are fever, dry cough, fatigue, and headache. In other words, for most people, the symptoms are no worse than the common cold. This may explain why Covid-19 is so prevalent in the community, unnoticed - many infected people are unaware that they are infected and thus are more likely to take extra precautions. However, some Covid-19 patients experience more severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, chest pain, or loss of speech or movement. Sometimes, these symptoms are severe enough to ensure hospital admission - even admission to the intensive care unit (ICU).
Diabetes Management in The Times of COVID-19
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you know that this condition requires daily monitoring. You need to take your medication as prescribed, carefully monitor your diet, and make sure you maintain a healthy lifestyle. Making sure your diabetes is well controlled is even more important during the Covid-19 pandemic because any long-term illness you have puts you at greater risk of suffering serious symptoms if you contract the virus. Like many of us with diabetes who are well aware of it, diabetes is a disease that can easily get out of control if we neglect our guard.
With this pandemic around, we can't afford to let that happen. However, we have some good news. In an informative article on how Covid-19 affects people with diabetes, the ADA says, "your risk of getting sick from COVID-19 is likely to be lower if your diabetes is managed properly. " This means that one of the best preventative measures you can take as a diabetic patient is to do everything you can to make sure your diabetes is well controlled. It involves, as we discussed earlier, taking your medications as prescribed, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and paying more attention to your diet.
One of the best ways to stay healthy is to watch what you eat; make sure you eat a healthy diet that is nutritious and not too high in sugar. Remember - eating healthy does not mean eating foods you do not like! With some planning, you can have a healthy diet that is both delicious and spicy.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle during diabetes is entirely possible. With the Covid-19 pandemic still circulating, make sure you take all necessary precautions. Remember, simply making sure your diabetes is properly controlled goes a long way toward fighting the deadly virus.
