Archive for the ‘diabetes’ Category

May 7th, 2013 diabetes Comments Off on Juvenile diabetes

Juvenile diabetes

Juvenile-DiabetesPeople who suffer from diabetes need to take insulin injections everyday. They have to be aware of the complications if they fail to apply their routine in controlling their blood sugar. Constant consciousness and willpower on deciding what they do and what they eat is a must, such as what kind of food to eat, how much food to eat, how many times to eat, exercise or sleep, and when to check their blood sugar level.

Life for people with diabetes is fraught with dos and don’ts. You might say, life for everyone is like that, but these people face consequences that may be fatal to their health, especially people with type 1 diabetes or juvenile diabetes, because they’ve had this disease for longer. This type of diabetes is often caused by the obliteration of beta cells that produce insulin by an autoimmune process. It is diagnosed as early as childhood up to young adulthood. Unlike type 2 diabetes that can still be prevented, juvenile diabetes cannot.

Juvenile diabetes is treated by regular injections of insulin with thorough observation of blood sugar levels. If insulin injections are stopped, diabetic coma can occur and this may cause death. Aside from regular insulin injections and meticulous monitoring of blood sugar, it’s also very important to make good food choices and to exercise regularly. Though applying changes in lifestyle cannot reverse the disease, it can help in reducing the possible complications that may happen.

There’s no end to treating juvenile diabetes. Taking extra care with diet, exercise, and medications doesn’t stop a person with juvenile diabetes from doing most activities, but the knowledge of always having a disease also has a psychological impact. There’s still an upside, though. They appreciate the gift of good health more than healthier people do, and they live healthily, as all of us should.

April 30th, 2013 diabetes Comments Off on What is diabetes ?

What is diabetes ?

Diabetes

Considering that the causes of this condition are not completely clear for the medical world, it is only fair that a person experiencing sign and symptoms of the illness is asking himself “What is diabetes?” The short answer to this question is that diabetes is part of the metabolic conditions and implies the presence of high glucose levels in the bloodstream (meaning high blood sugar levels). The illness is very closely related to the incapacity of the pancreas to produce sufficient insulin, the hormone that the body uses to distribute the glucose across the body. The reaction of the body towards insulin is the main criterion used in classifying diabetes in type 1 and 2.

According to the medical community, diabetes is a common disease that currently affects approximately 24 million Americans. However, even though it is quite common, doctors claim that there are actually significantly more people suffering from this disease and they do not even know about it. One of the main reasons for this is that the general population is not very familiar with the major symptoms of diabetes.

Consequentially, they learn they are suffering from this disease later on, mostly when the body becomes totally incapable of producing insulin on its own. It is important to note that once a person notices that he has an increased appetite, he is thirsty all the time and urinates more frequently than usual then it is time to see the doctor.

According to the World Health Organization, approximately ninety percent of the worldwide diabetics (people who demonstrate symptoms of diabetes) are suffering from diabetes type 2. However, what is really gruesome regarding this condition is the fact that, in 2007 it was among the top ten causes of death among Americans. In addition, statistics indicate that a type 2 diabetic dies once every ten seconds. So what makes diabetes rank amidst lethal and fatal illnesses of the century?

Is it the fact that people do not know enough about this condition and its long term consequences? Or is it the simple fact that people prefer handling it according to what they hear and know, rather than seeing a doctor?

Do you know that immediately after eating, the blood sugar levels in the body will increase up to 180 mg/dl because food is broke down into glucose and carried throughout the body? At the same time, between meals a healthy person is supposed to have a glycemia between 70 and 110. However, it is important to note that these values can only be maintained with the proper hormonal secretions of the pancreas. Therefore, if the pancreas was unable to produce insulin, when the blood glucose levels are high, or glucagon when they are low, that will lead to diabetes (see “what is diabetes”). In case the glucose levels were under the normal values then that person would suffer from hypoglycemia, whereas if they are above 180, then he will be suffering from hyperglycemia.

April 30th, 2013 diabetes Comments Off on Signs of diabetes

Signs of diabetes

Signs of diabetes

The importance of Visiting a Doctor at the First Signs of Diabetes

Whenever a person experiences the aforementioned symptoms of diabetes along with increased appetite and tiredness, then it is essential that he visits the doctor for a diagnosis. In general, if detected and treated from the start, diabetes is a condition that can be healed completely. Discussing the symptoms with a physician is critical, since the signs of diabetes and especially, type 2 diabetes are very hard to spot. Otherwise, the symptoms will become worse as the condition evolves and hence, it will become very difficult to control.

The most complication that a diabetic who ignores the disease is bound to face is the eye damage. Usually, in case of diabetes, the blood vessels of the eyes tent to expand and are in time replaced by new defective veins. Since the new vessels cannot hold the blood properly that leads to blurry vision, cataracts and eventually blindness. The same thing happens to the vessels located in the kidneys. However, the most serious complications of diabetes are the heart and nerve damage. Therefore, diabetics are more prone to experiencing strokes, heart attacks, temporal paralysis or feet numbness.

A Successful Treatment Starts with Knowing the Signs of Diabetes

Even though a complete treatment is not always possible, regular exercise and a balanced diet will surely improve the overall health and quality of a diabetic’s life. At this point, patients should work really close with their physician in order to ensure that the glucose levels are maintained at the normal levels. More exactly, besides employing the help of a blood sugar monitor, a diabetic should also pay regular visits to the doctor’s office. As most physicians prescribe a strict regime for this condition, any modifications in the glucose levels can be easily addresses through modifications in the diet or workouts.

Some doctors consider that the development and signs of diabetes are linked with an excessive weight. While the link between the two is not clearly confirmed, the truth is that most people diagnosed with diabetes type 2 are obese or overweight. The only explanation of this association resides in the fact that heavy people tend to eat more and therefore, add higher amounts of glucose in the bloodstream. In addition, it seems overweight diabetics are the ones that have the hardest time keeping their blood sugar levels under control.

April 30th, 2013 diabetes Comments Off on A few Tips on Lowering the Blood Sugar Levels

A few Tips on Lowering the Blood Sugar Levels

Lowering the Blood Sugar LevelsIf the body is unable to regulate the glucose levels in the next two or three hours after a meal, then that person starts to display symptoms of diabetes and is diagnosed as diabetic. The simplest test to detect diabetes is performed at the doctor’s office: patients will be given a sugar-rich drink and if their glucose surpasses 200 mg/ml then they are diagnosed with diabetes. Having constant high blood sugar levels in the body has lots of negative consequences in the long run, such as kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, nerve problems or blindness for example.

However, being diagnosed with diabetes does not necessarily imply that a person will be dealing with these health issues, especially if he makes a few modifications in his lifestyle. For starters, the diabetic needs to be more careful about what and when he eats. Since the high blood sugar levels are common immediately after eating, then he should have smaller meals throughout the day.

At the same time, he is to avoid carbonated drinks or carbohydrate rich foods, as these are known aliments to increase the glucose levels. Lastly, since stress is also one of factors that contribute to increased sugar levels, it is advisable that the diabetic individual dedicates some time for hobbies and activities he enjoys.

April 30th, 2013 diabetes Comments Off on How Does the Body Regulate High Blood Sugar Levels?

How Does the Body Regulate High Blood Sugar Levels?

Regulate High Blood Sugar Levels

Sugar is seen as one of the main source of energy for the body, as it is the result of foods processed by the digestive system. Transporting the energy to all tissues and organs is done with the help of insulin. In a nutshell, insulin absorbs the glucose cells and transports them across the body. While the role of the hormone is to fuel muscles, fat tissues and blood cells, there is also a certain amount of sugar that it is stored in the liver. The glucose from the liver is usually processed and transformed into glycogen, which can be used later on.

In general, the pancreas tends to secrete small amounts of insulin into the bloodstream all the time. However, since this hormone is the body’s response to high glycemia, after meals the amount produced is considerably higher. Because the insulin is dependent on sugar, it is only normal that the levels the hormone found in the bloodstream to decrease, as the sugar level drop.

April 30th, 2013 diabetes Comments Off on Gestational Diabetes

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational DiabetesAs the name suggests, the gestational diabetes is a specific condition of women that develop this condition while they are with child. The main problem with this type of diabetes is that, more often than not, the first symptoms of diabetes appear during the third semester of pregnancy. However, once she delivers the baby, all traces of the illness will be gone. A further piece of good news is that this condition usually affects a low percentage of pregnant women and it is completely treatable.

In order to prevent the gestational diabetes, women need to be tested regularly starting with the 28 week of pregnancy. In the United States, all expecting mothers are asked to take a one hour test and, if the results are inconclusive or there are signs of diabetes, then they will have to undergo a three-hour test for concise results. Usually, the females that have the condition were already predisposed or very like to get develop signs of diabetes during pregnancy. Women that are interested in learning more about what is diabetes during pregnancy and the risks it involves are highly advised to discuss this with their gynecologist.

April 30th, 2013 diabetes Comments Off on Borderline Diabetes

Borderline Diabetes

borderline diabetesThe borderline diabetes is most common across the United States and it is the result of bad eating habits and a sedentary life. In general, the condition is difficult to diagnose as the glucose levels after eating are between 100 and 125. Sadly, many people that have borderline or pre-existing diabetes are unaware of the condition, until it fully develops to a type 2 diabetes. At this point, it is important to provide some details regarding what is diabetes type 2. In a nutshell, even though this is not an inherited condition, it can be triggered by genetic factors as well as environmental causes.

Keep in mind that while type 1 means the body cannot produce the hormone, diabetes type 2 results from insulin resistance or improper use of insulin. The most common genetic reasons why a person can susceptible to developing pre-diabetes include: the genetic defects in insulin processing, action or of the β-cell function, defects of the pancreas, certain infections, medication, drugs and endocrinopathies. Similar to type 2 diabetes, the borderline diabetes does not appear over night. In fact, one of the reasons why it is so hard to spot during medical tests is that the symptoms evolve very slowly.

April 30th, 2013 diabetes Comments Off on The Diabetes Type 2

The Diabetes Type 2

Diabetes Type 2

The Number One Myth on Diabetes Type 2: No Sugar

Because sometimes diabetes type 2 is dubbed sugar diabetes, most people automatically think that the sugar is the main responsible for the development of the illnesses. Moreover, since it is caused by sugar, the only way they are able to treat it is to avoid eating sweets, drinking sodas and to steer clear of anything that contains sugar. However, the confusion comes from the misunderstanding the differences between glucose and sugar. Sugar is an aliment classified as a carbohydrate, whereas glucose stands for a form of energy produced by the body after processing food which affects the blood sugar levels. This is why whenever a doctor refers to this; he will commonly name this blood sugar.

In general, all foods that go through the digestive process will end up becoming glucose or blood sugar. Here is how the entire procedure goes. The breaking of aliments usually starts with cooking, especially due to cooking heat. Once that aliment reaches your mouth it will be engulfed by the enzymes of the saliva that are responsible for breaking down the carbohydrates almost completely. The stomach acids and water will transform them into simple sugars. Therefore, not just sugar, but all aliments that enter the body are changed to glucose.

Controlling Diabetes Type 2 Means Controlling Your Carbohydrates!

In case a person has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes then he should shun away from the so called glycemic foods, which are aliments rich in both carbohydrates and sugar. In other words, diabetics should avoid consuming empty calories, such as junk food, cookies, pastries, cakes and so on. Instead, the diabetic should get the necessary carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables and whole grains. In general, these foods are digested quite slowly and hence, they will not release a high level of glucose in the bloodstream. However, keep in mind that it is contraindicated to have a meal that contains more than twenty or thirty milligrams of carbs.

Moreover, doctors do not recommend anyone and especially diabetics to have meals that contain only carbohydrates. In fact, the best type of dish for diabetes type 2 patients contains carbohydrates, unsaturated low fats and lean proteins. The reason for this is quite simple: the extra macro-nutrients contribute to a slower digestion. Considering that type 2 diabetics do not require insulin, the glucose released in the bloodstream can be stabilized by following such a diet.

April 30th, 2013 diabetes Comments Off on The Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes Type II

The Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes Type II

Symptoms of Diabetes Type II The symptoms of Diabetes Type II can be easily confused with the hectic and alert lifestyles people have nowadays. More often than not, people find out that they are suffering from this type of diabetes over the regular medical checkups. Perhaps this is a cause why about six million Americans are unaware that they have this condition, as well. One should take note that although type II diabetes is not dependant on insulin, ignoring the condition can lead to blindness, kidney failure and nerve damage. Therefore, following a treatment is very important.

One of the reasons why this form of diabetes is quite hard to detect resides from the fact that it presents minor symptoms that do not aggravate over extensive periods. Besides the thirst, hunger, tiredness and polyuria, one of the distinctive symptoms of diabetes type 2 also includes itching in the genital area. Another sign of diabetes is when the wounds, bruises, cuts or scratches take very long before they heal completely.

April 30th, 2013 diabetes Comments Off on the Symptoms of Diabetes Type I

the Symptoms of Diabetes Type I

Symptomes of Diabetes Type I

In general, developing diabetes type I can happen over a rather short period and the medical world has been unable to find a prevention method so far. This form of diabetes implies serious imbalances of glycemia in the blood stream, inequities that reside from the body’s incapacity to absorb insulin properly. Although it is commonly diagnosed during childhood and it is also known as juvenile diabetes, people should keep in mind that this not always a rule written in stone. Since before diagnosis most people feel completely healthy and in shape, in some cases its symptoms can be confused with the diabetes type 2.

Besides the aforementioned major symptoms, another sign associated with type I diabetes is lack of energy. The problem with constant tiredness is that, even though it is one of the first symptoms to appear due to problematic blood sugar levels, it is also the first one to be ignored by diabetes suspects. The further sign that accompanies diabetes type I results from the increased thirst. Because the fluids are diverted from all parts of the body, including the eyes, one should expect to experience episodes of blurred vision. Lastly, even though that person starts eating and drinking more than usual, it seems that he is losing weight.