Everyday Heroes with Diabetes

We received many letters explaining how healthcare services from us has helped improve life of our customers. Although each letter is special but a few need to be read out to the world. In a series of 5  posts we would publish unedited letters that were written by sons and daughters celebrating the grit, determination and the love their parents offered them withstanding trouble that was overwhelming more than once.

Avneet Singh , Toronto/Jaipur (2^nd Feb 2016):

I am glad that I chose to pick up a care plan by NRI Family Health. I have been planning to write in to you guys but could not decide what and how. Having written a few drafts I finally decided to write all that came to my heart.

My relationship with NRI Family Health started when I saw their ad online and decided to call them up. I was assisted by Mr. Sumit Banerjee on the phone who introduced me to the services. I decided to pick up a comprehensive plan that not only takes care of my mom when she is healthy and but also when she needs medical attention like a tooth ache, arthritis flaring up or as what happened last month when she had a bad lung infection and was visited by a doctor at home who got her admitted at the hospital.

Being able to take care of her is a very special feeling because she is a very important person in my life. Probably because she was pretty that my nana decided to get her married off at the age of 16. My father was 17 and both were educated till 10^th standard. After they got married Baba (my father) continued to help his dad in their family shop while amma became a homemaker. These two kids knowingly or unknowingly became parents to a kid within a year after marriage, Unfortunately  my dad died after 2 years of my birth.later in an accident. My amma was thrown out of the house as no one was interested in keeping this expensive maidservant cum bahu. She went back to her parent’s house and decided to work and educate herself. She started selling lunch and evening snacks on order. Rest of the time was dedicated to school work and bringing me up. After finishing school she enrolled into a B.Com program and started working in the evening. Being over occupied almost all the time she failed in the first year of college. But determined to succeed she shot back to glory clearing the rest of the studies with fantastic scores. The stress in her life made her diabetic and had to rely on Insulin every day.

To secure my future and to ensure that I never have to go through all that she went through, she started trading in shares in her final year of college. She took this up as a full time thing as it also allowed her to take care of her parents and me. I was put into an English Medium school and we were now much better off. Amma had her priorities very clear, at the first place was family, then work, but she never cared much about her health.

Today I am 25 doing my Ph D. from University of Cranfield, UK in aeronautical engineering. Amma is now 41 years old, still taking care of all the family. A look at her will tell you that you can’t mess with her, she is super strong, intelligent and beautiful. But her diabetes became hard to  handle after we lost nana and now nani needs a lot of attention. Her life has become more hectic and this often affects her health.

I therefore took up a regular heath check-up plan from NRI family Healthcare. These people arranged a personal trainer who made sure she was exercising and playing sports regularly while eating right to control weight. She also undergoes regular health check-ups and for any ailments that bother her or my nani she consults doctors in the USA. When she recently took ill, NRI family Health people arranged for a doctor and got her admitted. While she was in the hospital they arranged for a nurse to take care of nani.

My mom is a hero who rose from ashes and like all heroes thinks she does not need help but then  I know when and how. Thank You NRI Family Health for delivering that little that I can do to her.

It is hard to understand the problems your loved ones face when you are not with them. Many times it happens that they don’t tell you thinking that you will get worried.
It is because they know It’s not possible for you to come back home frequently and also you can’t do anything from such a distance to help them with their problems. So your loved ones shun you from the problems they are facing.
We all are a little careless about our health, sometimes we ignore the little health issues. That is when we need the care of our loved ones. They will never take your problems lightly.
NRI Family Health gives you a chance to get directly involved in the care of your loved ones.
Those NRIs who have taken our NRI Family Health Plan are getting the benefits of our services helping them in finding the hidden causes affecting their loved one’s health and providing the proper care.
The services like Monitoring of key health indicators, secure online access to medical records, Virtual consultations, Assistance to avail diagnostic services help to catch the health problems before getting severe.
Know more about NRI Family Health Plan on this link- http://nrifamilyhealth.com/services.html

Get your loved ones registered for our ‘NRI Family Health Plan’ today.

To know more contact us on the following contact details:
U.S. Toll Free No.: (888) 743 5435
Direct Helpline no. : +91 92-8989-1234
Write to us: info@nrifamilyhealth.com
Visit us- www.nrifamilyhealth.com

Answers to your concerns

We have discussed all about Diabetes and it's complications. Still there are some concerns and doubts that people have. Today we are sharing some Questions and doubts we received from people and the answers from our Expert Diabetologist   Dr. Amit Kumar .

1. What are the causes of Diabetes?

Following can be the main causes of Diabetes-

1.      Impaired function of pancreatic beta cells due to auto antibody formation, infections etc.

2.      Increase insulin resistance

3.      High triglyceride (fat) levels in the blood

4.      High-fat diet

5.      High alcohol intake

6.      Sedentary lifestyle

7.      Obesity or being overweight

8.      Genetic

2- What are the symptoms of High and low blood sugar?

Symptoms of hyperglycemia (High blood sugar)  
         1. Blurry vision
         2. Difficulty concentrating
         3. Frequent urination
         4. Headaches
         5. Increased fatigue
         6. Increased thirst
         7. Weight loss

 Symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
         1.blurry vision
         2.rapid heartbeat
         3.sudden mood changes
         4.sudden nervousness
         5.unexplained fatigue
         6.pale skin
         7.headache
         8.hunger
         9.shaking
         10.sweating
         11.difficulty sleeping
         12.skin tingling
         13.trouble thinking clearly or concentrating
         14.loss of consciousness

(3) How many symptoms do I need to have to confirm my Diabetes?

        If anyone have any single symptom, he/she can have diabetes.

(4). Is it possible to cure Diabetes completely?

          No

 (5). How can we prevent Diabetes?

(A)- Regular exercise

(B)- Weight Control

(C)- Tune Up Diet  eg. Choose whole grains and whole grain products over highly processed carbohydrates,  Skip the sugary drinks, and choose water, coffee, or tea instead, Choose good fats instead of bad fats, Limit red meat and avoid processed meat; choose nuts, whole grains, poultry, or fish instead.

(D)- Avoid smoking and heavy alcohol drinking

(6). If I am a Diabetic, then what are the chances of my children getting Diabetes?

     If you have type 1 diabetes, then risk of developing type 1 diabetes to your children is 10 to 20 times the risk of the general population. If you have type 2 diabetes, the risk of developing diabetes to your children is almost three times the general population risk. If both parents have type 2 diabetes, the sibling has a fourfold risk, or nearly a 50% chance of developing diabetes.

 (7). What is the best treatment for Diabetes?

      It depends on type of diabetes. For type 1 diabetes, insulin is best. For type 2 diabetes both oral hypoglycemic agent and insulin are good.

(8) If sugar doesn’t cause diabetes then why doctors advise to avoid sugar consumption to diabetic patient?

      Increased sugar consumption do increase risks of diabetes.

(9) .Can blood clots leads to Diabetes?

         No

(10). Which age group is more susceptible to Diabetes?

     After the age of 40 people are more susceptible to Diabetes.

11. My parents are Diabetic, they are alone in India as I am living abroad, so please tell me the things they can do on their own to manage their Diabetes on a daily basis?

     They should have regular follow up with diabetologist and follow doctor’s advise regarding medicine and monitoring of blood sugar. Have a glucometer to monitor blood sugar at home. Need to have biscuits/chocolate available all the time because of risk of hypoglycemia in diabetes. 

                                                                                                     Answered by  -   Dr. Amit Kumar 
                                                                                                                                  (Diabetologist)

If you have any concerns or Doubts regarding any Health issues  you can ask our Health Experts. Contact us on the contact details mentioned below.  

 

To manage diabetes, you need the help of experts who can understand your condition and provide you best treatment possible. It is very difficult for someone to understand the sign and symptoms and take preventive steps. It requires expert knowledge and professional care. NRI Family Health provides the services and facilities under our NRI Family Health plan to make sure your loved ones get the best in class preventive care in your absence. The Plan is focused towards providing the holistic care to your loved ones.  To know more visit this link 

Get your loved ones registered for our ‘NRI Family Health Plan’ today.

To know more contact us on the following contact details:
U.S. Toll Free No.: (888) 743 5435
Direct Helpline no. : +91 92-8989-1234
Write to us: info@nrifamilyhealth.com
Visit us- www.nrifamilyhealth.com

Diabetic nephropathy

Diabetic kidney disease (Diabetic nephropathy) is a complication that occurs in some people with diabetes. In this condition the filters of the kidneys become damaged. Because of this the kidneys leaks abnormal amounts of protein from the blood into the urine. The main protein that leaks out from the damaged kidneys is called albumin. In normal healthy kidneys only a tiny amount of albumin is found in the urine. A raised level of albumin in the urine is the typical first sign that the kidneys have become damaged by diabetes.

Prevention-
1- Have their A1C level measured at least twice a year. The test provides a weighted average of their blood glucose level for the previous 3 months. It should be managed at 7 percent.

2- Talk with health experts regarding insulin injections, medicines, meal planning, physical activity, and blood glucose monitoring.

3-Have their blood pressure checked several times a year. If blood pressure is high, they should follow their health care  plan for keeping it near normal levels. They should aim to keep it at less than 140/90.

4-Get their eGFR measured at least once a year to learn how well their kidneys are working.

5-In people with diabetes, excessive consumption of protein may be harmful. Experts recommend that people with kidney disease of diabetes consume the recommended dietary allowance for protein, but avoid high-protein diets. For people with greatly reduced kidney function, a diet containing reduced amounts of protein may help delay the onset of kidney failure. Anyone following a reduced-protein diet should work with a dietitian to ensure adequate nutrition.

To manage diabetes, you need the help of experts who can understand your condition and provide you best treatment possible. It is very difficult for someone to understand the sign and symptoms and take preventive steps. It requires expert knowledge and professional care. NRI Family Health provides the services and facilities under our NRI Family Health plan to make sure your loved ones get the best in class preventive care in your absence. The Plan is focused towards providing the holistic care to your loved ones.  To know more visit this link 

Get your loved ones registered for our ‘NRI Family Health Plan’ today.

To know more contact us on the following contact details:
U.S. Toll Free No.: (888) 743 5435
Direct Helpline no. : +91 92-8989-1234
Write to us: info@nrifamilyhealth.com
Visit us- www.nrifamilyhealth.com

Diabetic neuropathy

Diabetic neuropathy is a nerve disorder caused by diabetes. Symptoms of neuropathy include numbness and sometimes pain in the hands, feet, or legs. It can also lead to problems with internal organs such as the digestive tract, heart, and sexual organs.

Following are the main symptoms of Diabetic neuropathy…

• numbness, tingling, or pain in the toes, feet, legs, hands, arms, and fingers
• wasting of the muscles of the feet or hands
• indigestion, nausea, or vomiting
• diarrhea or constipation
• dizziness or faintness due to a drop in blood pressure after standing or sitting up
• problems with urination
• weakness

Prevention-

The first treatment step is to bring blood glucose levels within the normal range to help prevent further nerve damage. Blood glucose monitoring, meal planning, physical activity, and diabetes medicines or insulin will help control blood glucose levels. Managing diabetes requires efforts and support from many people. You will also need expert diabetologist, diet plan, Health monitoring etc.  All this effort will help you in maintaining lower blood glucose level. Good blood glucose control may help prevent or delay the onset of further problems.

To manage diabetes, you need the help of experts who can understand your condition and provide you best treatment possible. It is very difficult for someone to understand the sign and symptoms and take preventive steps. It requires expert knowledge and professional care. NRI Family Health provides the services and facilities under our NRI Family Health plan to make sure your loved ones get the best in class preventive care in your absence. The Plan is focused towards providing the holistic care to your loved ones.  To know more visit this link 

Get your loved ones registered for our ‘NRI Family Health Plan’ today.

To know more contact us on the following contact details:
U.S. Toll Free No.: (888) 743 5435
Direct Helpline no. : +91 92-8989-1234
Write to us: info@nrifamilyhealth.com
Visit us- www.nrifamilyhealth.com