Do you suffer from incontinence? You can cut down on symptoms by changing what you eat and drink.
Incontinence can happen to anyone, although it’s more common in women than in men.
“Mild urinary leakage affects most women at some time in our lives,” says Mary Rosser, MD, PhD, an assistant professor in obstetrics and gynecology at Montefiore Medical Center, in New York City. “Although it is more common in older women, younger women may experience leakage as well.”
You may have stress incontinence, urge incontinence, or some other type.
The good news is that there are treatments—and lifestyle changes—that can help.
Fluid intake
It’s no surprise that too many drinks—whether water, milk, or other beverages—can be a problem for people with incontinence.
However, you can’t solve incontinence by severely cutting back on fluids. This can lead to dehydration, constipation, and kidney stones, which can actually irritate your bladder and make symptoms worse.
It’s important to get the right balance, says Dr. Rosser, who recommends about two liters of fluid a day, which is eight 8-ounce glasses. (The right amount depends on your lean body mass.)
If you’re prone to nighttime incontinence, cut back your fluid intake in the evening.
10 Things That Can Make Incontinence Worse
Why should you measure your own blood pressure?
When you take your own blood pressure, you can do it at different times and in different places, such as at home, at work, and when you travel. This helps your doctor to:
- Decide whether you have high blood pressure.
- Check whether a certain medicine is helping to lower your blood pressure.
- See if you have low blood pressure that may be caused by irregular heart rhythms, certain medicines, or other medical conditions.
- Make sure that any medicines you take for other problems are not causing episodes of high blood pressure.
When you have high blood pressure, taking your own measurements can help you see how medicine or lifestyle changes are helping to lower your blood pressure. It can help you feel more involved in and more in control of your own health care.
Some people have a big rise in blood pressure only when they are in a doctor’s office. This is called “white-coat hypertension.” It probably is caused by worry about the doctor visit. By checking blood pressure at home, these people can often find out whether their blood pressure readings generally are lower when they are not in the doctor’s office. Read more -
High Blood Pressure: Checking Your Blood Pressure at Home
Feelings
Many teens like you deal with diabetes everyday. Most of the time, it’s not a problem, you just deal with it. But sometimes, you may just want it to go away.
Do you ever…
- Ask “why me?”
- Think you’re the only one who feels sad, mad, alone, afraid, or different?
- Get tired of others teasing you if you are overweight?
- Blame yourself or your family for your diabetes?
All of these feelings are normal. Lots of teens who have diabetes feel the same way. It’s okay to get angry, feel sad, or think you’re different every now and then. But then you need to take charge and do something to feel better.
Everyone feels down sometimes. You are not alone.
Tips for Teens with Diabetes: Dealing With the Ups and Downs of Diabetes
The health law’s online marketplaces, also known as exchanges, will be open for enrollment Oct.
1. They will allow individuals and consumers to comparison shop for health insurance, much like they do now online for an airline ticket or a hotel room, and apply for subsidies, if they are eligible.
If done well, proponents say, the marketplaces could make it easier to buy health insurance and possibly lead to lower prices because of increased competition. But, if designed or marketed poorly, the exchanges will not attract healthy people and will instead be left with a higher percentage of sicker people that will cause premiums to rise.
Here are some answers to common questions about the exchanges:
Your Guide to the New Insurance Marketplaces
Exercise is very important in managing type 2 diabetes. Combining diet, exercise, and medicine (when prescribed) can help control your weight and blood sugar level.
Exercise helps control type 2 diabetes by:
- Improving your body’s use of insulin
- Burning excess body fat, helping to decrease and control weight (decreased body fat results in improved insulin sensitivity)
- Improving muscle strength
- Increasing bone density and strength
- Lowering blood pressure
- Helping to protect against heart and blood vessel disease by lowering ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and increasing ‘good’ HDL cholesterol
- Improving blood circulation and reducing your risk of heart disease and stroke
- Increasing energy level and enhancing work capacity
- Reducing stress, promoting relaxation, and releasing tension and anxie
Type 2 Diabetes and Exercise
