糖尿病是一種全球性的健康問題，可謂是醫學界的心頭大患。據世界衛生組織的數據，全球約有4.22億成年人深受其害。
Fasting blood sugar is like a mirror of the body, reflecting our blood sugar levels when not stimulated by food. It is not only the key to diagnosing diabetes, but also a window into the inner workings of patients.
A normal person's fasting blood sugar should be between 1.0 and 0.0mmol/L, once it deviates from this range, it often means that the body may have diabetes or other metabolic abnormalities.
However, the diagnosis of diabetes depends not only on fasting blood glucose levels, but also on postprandial blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels.
Postprandial blood glucose is a teammate to be reckoned with, demonstrating our ability to process sugar in food and the response of pancreatic β cells to insulin secretion.
Glycosylated hemoglobin, on the other hand, is like a wise teacher, using the average blood sugar level of the past 3-0 months as a mirror to help us better grasp our own blood sugar control.
In the world of diabetes, diagnosis does not happen overnight, but requires a combination of fasting blood glucose, postprandial blood glucose, and glycosylated hemoglobin.
Diabetes is diagnosed if the fasting blood glucose is higher than 1.0 mmol/L, or if the postprandial blood glucose exceeds 0.0 mmol/L at 0 hours and is accompanied by symptoms of diabetes.
However, in the absence of typical symptoms, two blood glucose measurements are required to meet these criteria.
更令人警惕的是，“糖尿病前期”，一種介於正常和糖尿病之間的狀態，空腹血糖在6.1至7.0mmol/L之間，或者餐後2小時血糖在7.8至11.1mmol/L之間。
This condition is a precursor to future diabetes and requires greater concern for patients.
In the arena of medical treatment, fasting and postprandial blood sugar are not rivals, but close friends. Fasting blood glucose monitoring is the cornerstone of diabetes diagnosis, while postprandial blood glucose monitoring is a barometer for assessing the effectiveness of treatment.
When formulating a treatment plan, doctors often combine the specific situation of the patient and analyze the results of fasting and postprandial blood glucose monitoring.
Taking the Chinese Guidelines for the Clinical Application of Blood Glucose Monitoring (2021 Edition) as an example, it emphasizes the importance of blood glucose monitoring in the management of diabetes and provides detailed monitoring recommendations.
In addition, the rise of non-invasive blood glucose monitoring technology has provided a more convenient means of monitoring for diabetic patients.
The development of non-invasive blood glucose monitoring technology is of far-reaching significance for improving the quality of life of diabetic patients, because traditional blood glucose monitoring methods have problems such as pain, short service life, and high cost, which limit patients' compliance with treatment and also cause inconvenience to daily life.
Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology is an advanced non-invasive monitoring method. By implanting a subcutaneous glucose detector, it is able to monitor the glucose concentration of interstitial fluid in real time, and then record more than 800 blood glucose values to form a detailed blood glucose map.
However, implants may cause allergic reactions and may be displaced when the limb moves, affecting the accuracy of monitoring.
Near-infrared spectroscopy is another non-invasive monitoring method that has attracted much attention. By irradiating tissues, obtaining scattering spectra and analyzing them, information related to blood glucose concentration can be obtained.
The team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has confirmed a good correlation between the technique and blood sugar levels.
Transcutaneous dialysis is a technique that uses a weak electric current to the skin to extract glucose from under the skin. However, this approach also needs to address issues such as current intensity, accuracy, and difficulty of extraction.
There is also an emerging technique called metabolic thermal integration, which calculates blood glucose levels based on multiple parameters such as ambient temperature, humidity, etc. This method is non-invasive and rapid, and has been validated in clinical trials.
In addition to the above technologies, non-invasive blood glucose monitoring technologies based on Raman spectroscopy, terahertz spectroscopy and other principles are emerging. Each technology has its own unique advantages and limitations, but the prospects for their development remain exciting.
Diabetes treatment and management is a complex symphony that requires close collaboration between patients, physicians, and other professionals.
Far from medical intervention, this process is integrated into a holistic adjustment of the patient's lifestyle, with diet and exercise at the heart of the dance, as well as the interplay of medication and regular blood glucose monitoring.
Dietary modification plays an integral role in diabetes management. It is not only a magic wand that reconciles blood sugar levels, but also a guardian to prevent complications.
According to the American Diabetes Association, people with diabetes should incorporate a variety of elements into their diet, such as fiber-rich whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, while limiting added sugars and refined carbohydrates.
Diabetes diet control requires balancing the intake of various nutrients and calories.
Exercise is another indispensable ally in diabetes management. Moderate exercise can not only help patients manage their weight, but also improve their body's sensitivity to insulin, which can lead to lower blood sugar levels.
Not all people with diabetes can effectively control their blood sugar levels through diet and exercise. For these patients, drug therapy becomes an indispensable option.
There are a variety of hypoglycemic drugs on the market, including those that promote insulin secretion, improve insulin sensitivity, and slow carbohydrate absorption. In some cases, patients may also need insulin injections to control blood sugar levels.
In addition to the above-mentioned treatments, regular monitoring of blood sugar levels is essential for people with diabetes. Patients should take regular self-tests at home and visit the hospital regularly for more comprehensive blood glucose monitoring, as recommended by their doctors.
This helps patients understand their blood sugar control and adjust their treatment if necessary. Regular blood glucose monitoring is like a mirror, allowing patients to clearly see their own health status and adjust their course in time to stay away from the dangers of disease.
In the process of diabetes treatment and management, the mental health of patients should not be neglected. Psychological problems such as anxiety and depression can affect patients' treatment compliance and quality of life.
Doctors and health professionals should provide patients with the necessary psychological support to help them develop a positive attitude towards life and enhance their ability to manage themselves.
The prevention of diabetes is not only an important topic in the medical field, but also a major public health challenge.
With the evolution of modern lifestyles, the incidence of diabetes continues to rise worldwide, especially in developing countries.
Therefore, it is of urgent importance to develop effective diabetes prevention strategies to reduce the global burden of disease.
A healthy diet is seen as the cornerstone of diabetes prevention. Scientific studies have shown that eating a diet rich in whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, and low-fat dairy products is effective in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
The Daqing Diabetes Prevention Study has found that by improving the dietary structure, the incidence of diabetes in people with impaired glucose tolerance can be significantly reduced.
Regular exercise is essential for weight control and improving insulin sensitivity. Whether you're doing aerobic exercise or strength training, it boosts your body's response to insulin, which lowers blood sugar levels.
Maintaining a healthy weight is also one of the most important measures to prevent diabetes. Obesity is one of the main causes of type 2 diabetes, and weight loss has a significant effect on reducing the risk of developing the disease.
Studies have shown that every 16 kg of body weight lost reduces the risk of diabetes by about 0%. This finding highlights the close association between obesity and diabetes, and also hints at the importance of weight control in the prevention of diabetes.
Further studies have shown that weight gain can cause the growth of adipose tissue, especially visceral fat, which releases a series of inflammatory factors and metabolites that interfere with the normal action of insulin, leading to insulin resistance and diabetes.
Therefore, by controlling weight, the accumulation of adipose tissue can be reduced, the release of inflammatory factors can be reduced, and insulin sensitivity can be improved, which in turn can reduce the risk of diabetes.
For patients who already have diabetes, losing weight can significantly improve blood sugar control, reduce medication use, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and other complications.
In addition, it is especially important for people with prediabetes to pay special attention to lifestyle modifications. Prediabetes is a condition in which blood sugar levels are above the normal range but have not yet met the criteria for diabetic diagnosis.
The progression of diabetes can be delayed or halted by taking timely and effective preventive measures. Early lifestyle interventions can not only reduce the incidence of diabetes, but also reduce the risk of cardiovascular events and microangiopathies, and even increase life expectancy.
The prevention of diabetes requires the joint efforts of individuals and society. Governments and public health agencies should provide the necessary resources and environment to promote healthy eating and exercise.
Subsidies for healthy food, public sports facilities and health education are all effective preventive measures.
Prevention of diabetes requires a multifaceted effort. By eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight, we can significantly reduce the risk of diabetes.
These lifestyle changes are especially important for people with prediabetes. On the road to preventing diabetes, we need to work together at all levels, from individuals to society, to reduce the burden of this global health problem.