I have been in the medical field for almost seven years and I have seen a lot of patients suffering from Diabetes and its complications.

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Some have uncontrolled blood sugar levels,

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Some suffered from non-healing wounds,

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Others later develops Necrosis (Necrosis is death of body tissue. It occurs when there is not enough blood flowing to the tissue) of a certain part of the foot may it be the toes or the whole foot that possibly can lead to …

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Amputation(removal of body extremities by surgery) and

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Some suffered from Kidney failures resulting the patient to undergo hemodialysis.

Those are just SOME of the possible complications of having Diabetes, but the first question we should ask ourselves is how far do we know about this sickness for us to be able to prevent it? because everyone is very prone of having one. Given the pre-disposition due to heredity, Diabetes Mellitus is now escalating in number mostly due to unhealthy lifestyle.

Let us discuss briefly about Diabetes…

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Diabetes Mellitus Diabetes is a chronic disease and can lead to life-threatening complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage and amputations if poorly controlled.

There are two common types of Diabetes…

Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes also known as “juvenile diabetes” or “insulin-dependent diabetes,” . With this type of diabetes, the pancreas produces little to no insulin. Symptoms include increased urination, thirst or dry mouth, hunger, weight loss despite normal or increased eating, blurred vision, frequent or continuous infections and tingling or pain in the hands, feet or both. 

Regular blood sugar monitoring is a must together with insulin medication, proper diet and exercise.

Type 2 Diabetes
This type of diabetes was previously called “adult onset diabetes.”  People with type 2 diabetes are mostly overweight . With type 2 diabetes, your body either resists the effects of insulin or doesn’t produce enough insulin to maintain a normal blood sugar level. Symptoms are the same with Type 1 diabetes as well.

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes, which are generally the same as symptoms of type 1, may come on gradually or not noticed at all unless you experience the symptoms.

Other  non-common types of Diabetes are Gestational diabetes developed during gestation , Surgically-induced Diabetes when surgery is performed to the pancreas which may alter temporarily or permanently the production of insulin and lastly, Chemical-induced Diabetes which are caused by medications such as Prednisone, Manitol, Cortisone, etc.

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Pre-diabetic patients on the other hand, is what I call  “candidates” because some but not all of diagnostic criteria for diabetes are met.  Pre-diabetic tho not considered diabetic yet has a higher chance of developing full blown Diabetes if not properly taken care of. People can reduce their risk of developing diabetes and its complications by adopting a healthier lifestyle early detection and proper monitoring of blood sugar levels. Living a healthy lifestyle like eating  balanced diet, regular physical activity, sensible weight loss and compliance to medication are the keys to good diabetes control.

To help pre-diabetic and diabetic people with their diet and diabetes management, Abbott Nutrition, developed and formulated  a nutritional product suitable for  the above types… introducing the New Glucerna® Triple Care™

 Glucerna® Triple Care™ provides a unique system of ingredients to help patients with diabetes manage their blood sugar response, weight and support heart health. It has been clinically proven to help manage weight and reduce A1C in conjunction with an overall diabetes management plan, including diet and exercise.

Not only that, Glucerna® Triple Care™ could also be taken by non diabetic patients as meal replacement. Available in two flavors:Vanilla and Choco.

Glucerna® Triple Care™ has a loyalty program that rewards members with points every time they buy Glucerna® Triple Care™ which you can actually redeem prizes depending on the number of accumulated points.

In line with the new  Glucerna® Triple Care™ , Abbott nutrition launched a FREE mobile application the “Glucerna 1-2-3 Challenge” which is designed to help people with diabetes implement new healthy habits and providethem with useful resources that can help them manage diabetes easier.

Glucerna 1-2-3 Challenge is available for download on iOS and Android devices. It is also available online at http://www.glucerna123challege.com,ph

Glucerna 1-2-3 Challenge mobile application is a FREE downloadable 12-week online resource program which help diabetic people  focus mainly on three different components in order manage their condition properly and guide them accordingly.

• Manage Blood Sugar Response.
• Help Manage or reduce weight and waistline.
• Support heart health.

What’s Inside Glucerna 1-2-3 Challenge mobile application ?

• Easy and healthy meal plans and recipes based on caloric needs and personal preferences.
• Daily exercise plans with instructional videos based on different levels(beginner, intermediate and advance).
• BMI Calculator.
• Calorie counter.
• Reminder for monitoring of Blood Sugar.

I personally have tried  the application and I’m loving it!. It is really a big help for me especially now that i’m watching my weight. I’m glad that this application is custom-fit for Filipino diet unlike other applications of the same kind which has ingredients or materials that are not available here in the Philippines. It also has workout plan and exercises to back up with your diet regimen based on your caloric needs. This said app is not only intended for diabetic patients, well in fact anyone can use and enjoy this application .  Another thing that is great about this application… it is absolutely FREE!.

DOWNLOAD Glucerna 1-2-3 Challenge now and enjoy your journey to a healthier lifestyle!

For more information about Glucerna 1-2-3 Challenge/Glucerna® Triple Care™ please visit http://www.glucerna123challege.com,ph or call 02-995-1555

or visit Abbott website www.abbot.com or follow them on Twitter @AbbottNews