Twin Effects Of Diabetes And Menopause
Menopause is something all women have to face at some point in their lives and for some women; they have to face the effects of both diabetes and menopause at the same time, which can be a difficult situation.
Diabetic women who develop menopause have to deal with hormonal changes that affect their blood sugar levels. On some days, their blood sugar level will go up, whilst on others it will go down. For example, with diabetes your blood sugar levels are often low and that can cause you to eat foods in order to get those levels back up. Symptoms of diabetes and menopause are numerous.
Symptoms of Diabetes and Menopause
- Fluctuations in blood sugar level. If blood sugar level gets out of control, there would be a higher risk of diabetes complications.
- Weight gain. Some women put on weight during menopause and this can lead to an increased need for insulin or oral diabetes medication.
- Infections. High blood sugar can contribute to urinary and vaginal infections. After menopause the level of the hormone estrogen drops. This makes it easy for bacteria and yeast to thrive in the urinary tract and vagina.
- Problems sleeping. Menopausal sufferers get hot flashes and night sweats which keep them awake at night. Also, lack of sleep makes it difficult to control your blood sugar level.
- Sexual problems. Diabetes can damage the nerves of cells lining the vagina. This interferes with arousal and orgasm. Another symptom of menopause is vaginal dryness which can cause pain during sex.
On the whole, it can be difficult to control both diabetes and menopause together. The symptoms are similar and can make life very uncomfortable. There are a number of things women can do to help them in this situation. They should go to their doctor who will prescribe them some medication. With the right treatment, the condition will be more manageable. Here are some tips that will help as well.
Tips that help to deal with diabetic and menopausal symptoms
- Eat healthy and well-balanced meals. This will help manage the diabetes and will definitely help in making you feel better.
- Stop consuming alcohol and caffeine. It will reduce the hot flashes.
- Eat more legumes, e.g. beans and chickpeas as well as soya products. It may help in decreasing discomfort associated with menopause. The reason being that these foods contain phytoestrogens (plant estrogens).
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Comments
Dear Jodie
Glad you find the site informative. We will be writing more on topics relating to diabetes and women’s issues in the near future.
If you have any topics that you want us to write on, please do not hesitate to email us.
Cheers!
Very informative. Didn’t know that diabetes and menopause have the same symptons. Thanks for the tips.
Thanks for posting an article on this topic. It is not a widely discussed issue, but hopefully your article will help women who are dealing with the effects of both diabetes and menopause.
Dear Alice and Tina
Nice to hear from the two of you. Glad that you find the article informative. Look out for more articles on women’s issues eg fibroid, endometriosis, diabetes, weight loss etc in the near future.
Cheers
The Healthy Times Magazine Team
Hi Aaron
Diabetes is quite common among menopausal women. Ideally, the foods taken shall be “whole food” that are rich in dietary fiber, balanced in mineral content and energy sources:
General guidelines:
Proteins (30% of the total caloric intake) – essential to growth and repair of muscle and other body tissues
Fats (30% of the total caloric intake) – one source of energy and important in relation to fat soluble vitamins
Carbohydrates (40% of the total caloric intake) – our main source of energy
Water – essential to normal body function – as a vehicle for carrying other nutrients and because 60~70% of the human body is water.
Roughage – the fibrous indigestible portion of our diet essential to health of the digestive system.
Detailed Recommendation:
1. Eat wholefoods that have low or medium Glyermic index (GI)* : most fruit and vegetables (except potatoes), natural yogurt, grainy breads, pasta (especially the wholewheat ), legumes/pulses, and products extremely low in carbohydrates (fish, eggs, meat, nuts, oils)
2. Avoid foods with high GI: corn flakes, baked potato, most white rices (eg, jasmine), croissant, white bread, extruded cereals, straight glucose.
3. Seaweeds, sprouts, sesame and other foods high in calcium content. Besides, seaweeds are also rich in iodine which is essential for proper thyroid function. However, if one is suffered from hyperthyroidism, then avoid seaweeds.
4. Fats and Oils: cold pressed olive oil, sunflower oil, grape seed oil, coconut oil and other healthy nuts that are rich in Omega 3 and 6. Omega 3 and 6 are so called EFA (essential fatty acids) that the body can’t produce, but is crucial to the bodily function. CAUTION: avoid oils and fats that are high-temperature treated. Oxidized oils and fats are bad for health. Also stay away from hydrogenated oils and transfat. Read the product label!
5. Eat a few servings of fruits every day 1 hour before meal or as a snack: Pineapple, apple, papaya, grape etc.
6. Eat slowly and chew your food until it is liquefied. Remember: digestion begins from the mouth.
7. Eat your foods in smaller portion and more frequently, this is to avoid the fluctuation of blood glucose levels.
8. Exercise moderately: brisk walking once in the morning and once at night, each session about 30 minutes are beneficial for your cardiovascular health, keep your joints and muscles flexible and toned and improve the circulation of your extremities (fingers and toes) . Perspiration also helps to get rid of bodily wastes and reduce the stress on you kidneys. Other exercises recommended: light weight bearing exercise, cycling, swimming, yoga and taichi.
9. Make sure your body is properly hydrated by taking a sip of water every few minutes to make sure your body is performing at the optimum level. However, a sudden intake of large quantity of water is counterproductive.
10. Avoid sugary drinks and also man-made sweeteners.
11. Supplements: I recommend menopausal women to take a high potency multivitamins and minerals everyday. There are some good formulations in the market that specifically for menopausal women. Besides, if you also have constipation problem, then a supplementation of dietary fiber drink is also recommended.
*The glycemic index or GI ranks carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels. A low GI food will release glucose more slowly and steadily. A high GI food causes a more rapid rise in blood glucose levels and is suitable for energy recovery after endurance exercise or for a person with diabetes experiencing hypoglycemia.
Mr Edwin Low
Founder and Nutritional Consultant
Nutrimax Organic
http://www.nutrimaxorganic.com
[...] Twin Effects Of Diabetes And Menopause Healthy Times Magazine Blog Posted by root 12 minutes ago (http://e-healthytimes.com) Another symptom of menopause is vaginal dryness which can cause pain during sex comment by editor on february 23 2009 7 27 am hi aaron diabetes is Discuss | Bury | News | Twin Effects Of Diabetes And Menopause Healthy Times Magazine Blog [...]
I’m surfing internet for diabetes information till I found your website. Thanks for the information
Anyway i also have a blog about diabetes too. Come visit me sometimes.^_^
http://www.earlysymptomsdiabetesguru.com/
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Interesting website. Informative. I did not know caffeine and alcohol are causes of hot flush. Keep up the writing