Handbook for successful ageing - 9.3.13 - 9.3.16

9.3.13 Increased blood sugar
  

In Germany the doctor measures the blood sugar during a preventive medical checkup. Ask your doctor to do so, too. If this does not need to be treated, but is somewhat high all the same, have it checked every three months at your chemist's. It is very important now to reduce weight. Request your chemist to measure your blood sugar levels if you have gallstones (see above, 9.3.11) or if you are suddenly and excessively thirsty. If the blood sugar level is very high, consult a diabetologist, if your family doctor is not equipped with special information about advances in this area. Follow his orders strictly. Diabetic retinopathy continues to be one of the main causes of sight loss in old age (refer to 9.3.3.4). If it occurs despite that, learn more about it below under 9.6.1.
  

Additionally, diabetes increases the risk of kidney damage, circulatory disorders, several types of cancer, Polyneuropathy (neuritis, which can be accompanied by enormous pain), autonomous Neuropathy (disturbances in vegetative nervous system, which affects the heart, stomach and polyposis), erectile dysfunction and the loss of the libido, coronary heart disease, heart attack, stroke early dementia. The risk is considerably higher if you also suffer from high blood pressure. Since you do not feel the blood pressure, buy yourself a blood pressure monitoring device (refer to 9.3.7).
  

Regarding Chinese people at least, there is a connection between taking a nap and diabetes; it is, however, not clear whether taking a nap increases the diabetes risk or if, the other way around, diabetes leads to being tired at midday.
  

9.3.14 Increased cholesterol level (Hypercholesterolemia)
  

If your LDL is too high, you should avoid animal fat and should eat brown bread in order to prevent a very high portion of your blood having LDL and thus an arteriosclerosis and dementia.
  

9.3.15 Urine components as indication for diseases
  

Check once in 4 months, whether your urine:
 
- Glucose displays signs of diabetes,
- protein or blood shows signs of kidney damage or
- nitrite or leukocytes show signs of a urinary passage infection, which does not always cause pain. Test strips are available at the chemist's.
  

If blood, leukocytes, nitrite and proteins are present in the urine, consult your family doctor; in case of presence of glucose consult a diabetologist. If you suffer from diabetes or another chronic disease, check with your family doctor as to whether it is a good idea for him to examine your urine several times a year.
  

By the way, your urine should be odorless as well as light or colorless as far as possible. Intake of antibiotics can considerably change the odor of the urine. This is however harmless. Dark-colored urine without a mixture of blood can be caused by dryness or fever, but also by liver or gallbladder ailments. Please clarify this from your doctor.
  

9.3.16 Incontinence
  

It often increases with age, but could also be the result of bladder inflamation. In this case drink a lot, specially bladder tea and diluted lingonberry juice, so that germs can be washed away from the bladder.
  

If you suffer from incontinence and it is not the result of a first bladder inflamation, which you treat with tea you can buy at a pharmacy, you should, firstly via telephone, ask the pharmacist you trust to give you samples of liners/ towels (?) next time you come. These liners can be stuck in the underwear and absord the urine, i.e. seem to stay dry for a longer period of time. Afterwards you can consult a urologist or, if available in your country, continence centre. Experts in diagnosis of incontinence work here and therapy in various fields is available here. People suffering from an anal incontinence are also treated here. Additionally, search for exercises in Kegel exercise and as a woman for additional information on the Internet about vibration devices , which exercise the sphincters. By the way, eat pumpkin seeds (refer to 9.3.10) of the Styrian oil pumpkin.
   

Do not nauseate over the urine of your own or that of your kind. Urea is healthy for the skin. If you ever encountered a bursting bladder when when doing apparatus gymnastics, you will know about it.
  

Urge to urinate at night and swollen legs during the day can be a sign for cardiac insufficiency. In this case you should consult a cardiologist.
  

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