Diabetes and Coronavirus (COVID-19) : How Coronavirus Affects a Diabetic Person

Within the whirlwind we are experiencing around the coronavirus and its disease COVID-19, it is important that we focus on those most sensitive population groups that may be susceptible to having greater medical complications in the event of a contagion. We are going to discuss how coronavirus affects a diabetic person by this post.

Diabetic person is more dangerous in this COVID-19 time so must need to know about how coronavirus affects a diabetic person.

These population groups fall within the so-called risk groups , and in relation to the coronavirus, they must take extreme health precautions issued by the authorities in order to keep the spread of COVID-19 in their body at bay.

How Coronavirus Affects a Diabetic Person

As we have already mentioned, diabetic people constitute a risk group for transmission by COVID-19 , as do the elderly and people who already had previous illnesses, such as heart disease, as well as immunodeficiency. But why are diabetics at risk?

Type 1 diabetes is considered an autoimmune disease. This means that it is related to the functioning of the immune system. Specifically, this disease causes the destruction of the cells responsible for producing insulin in the pancreas.

On the other hand, in the case of diabetes mellitus or type 2, we find an inability of the body to correctly use the hormone insulin , causing a destabilization of blood sugar levels.

Therefore, we might think that the coronavirus exerts some kind of special effect or additional damage to diabetics due to a characteristic of their condition, but this is not exactly the case.

What really happens is that people with diabetes are conditioned by their disease and have certain limitations on the part of their immune system. This makes them more susceptible to showing greater complications in the event of possible COVID-19 infection.

However, this is not unique to the coronavirus. All people classified as risk populations can see their health decline more easily than the rest due to the special condition of their disease, which can weaken the immune system.

This circumstance applies both to the coronavirus and to any other type of infectious agent.

So is a Diabetic More Likely to Get it?

Diabetes itself is not a risk factor for contracting COVID-19 disease, according to the data we currently have. That is, being diabetic does not make you have more tickets to get coronavirus.

However, when a COVID-19 infection occurs, the adverse effects of the disease can be increased , which is why this population group is recommended to have greater control over diabetes.

For this reason, the different health authorities, such as the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), recommend that diabetic patients take extreme health precautions and hygienic measures during quarantine.

In addition, they suggest isolation as far as possible, frequent hand washing, and also having a family member or person from the closest environment who can help in case of illness, so that the diabetic can fully carry out the quarantine at home.

How to Stay Healthy By Being Diabetic

Of course, planning and purchasing for medications and regular glucose measurement is key . It would be interesting for the diabetic patient to collect insulin if necessary, with the aim of not leaving the house more than is essential, although you can also ask another person to go to the pharmacy instead.

Apart from these recommendations, it is really not necessary to excessively modify the current habits of a diabetic person due to the coronavirus with the intention of preventing a possible contagion.

The diet, of course, is one of the greatest allies to keep possible spikes in glucose at bay , both due to sudden increases and decreases in blood sugar levels.

The best actions that a person with diabetes can carry out to stay healthy, generally consist of maintaining a varied and balanced diet, rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals, and that does not lead to excessively altering their blood glucose level;

In other words, it allows it to be kept stable at approximate values ​​of between 80-140 mg / dl of blood glucose, depending on whether we are fasting or have just eaten.

Even so, these values ​​can vary between individuals, so they should be consulted with the doctor at all times for personalized advice.

To ensure that glucose levels remain stable, we must base the diet on healthy foods and also those with a low glycemic index, as long as we are referring to foods rich in carbohydrates.

In this case, we would be talking about legumes , potatoes , fruits and vegetables of any kind, as well as wholemeal breads and pasta , since fiber helps to keep the blood sugar level stable .

In contrast, we find other commonly consumed products that can significantly alter our blood glucose – that is, the amount of sugar in our blood – and, therefore, we should exclude from our diet if we are diabetics . We do not refer to table sugar, honey, soft drinks, fruit juices, pastries and alcohol .

General Health Recommendations Must be Maintained to Prevent COVID-19

In risk groups such as diabetics, it is even more important to highlight the preventive measures recommended by health authorities with the intention of reducing COVID-19 cases across the globe.

Regular hand-washing, the use of disinfecting gels, and maintaining a safe distance between people of one meter or more are key to helping prevent COVID-19 .

In addition, in the case of people with diabetes, the use of a mask could be recommended in certain contexts such as going to the supermarket, both for the diabetic himself and for people in his immediate environment.

Wrap-Up!

Also, as far as possible, it would be interesting if the confinement of those with diabetes was strict, in order to decrease the chances of contagion. To do this, people who live in the same household must take charge of the situation and take care of those essential tasks such as going to buy food at the supermarket or medicine at the pharmacy. So it’s very important to know that how coronavirus affects a diabetic person.