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How Diabetes Affects Men

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Written by Julia Hanf

Wednesday, 16 April 2008

by JuliaHanf

Most people, especially males believe that diabetes afflicts people on the same way. Although some may experience the same effects, it is still proven that diabetes afflicts different individuals in a different way. Moreover, these effects vary depending on the different risk factors of diabetes such as mobility of a person, lifestyle, family hereditary, gender and ethnicity.

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.

Possibly due to the male genders need to appear "macho" or "manly" many do not make the critical lifestyle changes that are essential to controlling their blood sugar levels. This puts them at even greater risks of severe complications. Men, for still unproven reasons, are two to three times more likely to need an amputation and are found to go blind more quickly than women.

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.

One more thing that males find so hard to do is to stop from drinking alcohol. Alcohol serves as body pollutant. The liver is very much sensitive to alcohol and as much as possible it wants to get rid of the alcohol right away. Moreover, once alcohol is present, the liver does not function properly most especially in the production of glucose. When this happens, the level of blood sugar decreases and this can be very dangerous and harmful for the body. According to the American Diabetes Association, it is okay to drink alcohol however; it should not be taken with an empty stomach. This way, the lowering of blood sugar is guarded and monitored. It would be best to drink only after eating.

Males also fail to see how quitting smoking will benefit them. People with diabetes who smoke are three times more likely to die of heart disease than other people with diabetes. Smoking increases one's blood pressure and raises the blood sugar levels, making it harder to control diabetes. Smoking causes damage to and narrows the blood vessels. This harm can worsen foot ulcers and lead to atherosclerosis and leg and foot infections. Diabetic smokers are more likely to suffer nerve damage and kidney disease. Smokers get colds and respiratory infections easier.

Males are also considered to be very stubborn most especially in checking their blood sugar level. This is extremely bad for diabetic patients. As much as possible, they should monitor their blood pressure because rising and falling of blood sugar level is not good for patients suffering from diabetes.

From everything that was mentioned above, it is easy to say that men are more hard-headed than women. Just because they want to maintain their macho and strong image, they tend to neglect their health and deny the fact that they should go to hospital or consult with doctors. That is why instead of having an early diagnosis for diabetes, the disease aggravates without getting diagnosed. This will then cause a more complicated treatment and riskier and more dangerous complications. All of these can be avoided, however, if males continue to be very stubborn, it might be difficult to recover from having diabetes.

About the Author:

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.