Among diabetic pregnant women, the most common problem when it comes to their baby's health is the condition called "macrosomia" or having a baby with large body. This is because the blood of the mother with diabetes is interchanged with that of the baby inside the womb. As a result, the baby will produce insulin to be able to glucose and this will lead to fat deposits, which causes the baby to grown larger compared to the regular ones.

What you can do

For a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy, it is ideal to maintain an appropriate weight gain, average consumption of various foods from different food groups, timely and prescribed vitamin and mineral supplementation, and lots of fluid intake. Sweets and fats should also be kept to a minimum level of consumption. The following are just some of the guidelines that pregnant women with diabetes can use to achieve healthy pregnancy despite the chronic diabetes :

1. Follow the appropriate meal plan religiously. More than ever, pregnant women should pay attention to what they eat and their eating patterns in general. This is very important because this stage—pregnancy itself—requires strict control of blood glucose levels in order to ensure that both the mother and baby are getting the right amount of key nutrients needed. In coming up with the right diet plan, it is best to seek the help of diabetes educator or a licensed dietitian to create the necessary adjustments needed to accommodate the needs not only of the fetus inside the womb but of the mother as well. In your meal plan, take note of calorie, carbohydrates and protein requirements every day because these will help you maintain normal blood glucose levels.

2. Regular Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose or SMBG. Experts say that the only way to tell if the woman is successful in controlling her blood glucose is by monitor their levels by themselves regularly. Since being pregnant is a sensitive condition, soon to be mothers should monitor their blood glucose levels more frequently. Ideally, SMBG should be monitored four to 10 times a day.

3. Knowledge in administering insulin injections and adjusting the doses based on the results of SMBG. Sufficient supply of insulin is very crucial for pregnant women so they must know how to administer insulin injections by themselves in case no one is around when they need it. They should also ask from their physician how to adjust the doses of insulin after they are through with the SBMG. Knowing how to adjust the doses of insulin needed is very important to ensure that the body's supply of insulin is stable.

4. Treating or controlling hypoglycemia. Pregnant women who are diabetics are more prone to hypoglycemia because of the hormonal changes in their body. Although studies show that there are no know effects of hypoglycemia in the baby, it is best to control or treat it as soon as possible so the soon to be mom won't be having troubles during the course of conception.

5. Maintaining regular set of exercise or physical activities. This is also very important for pregnant women with diabetes because through this they can reduce the risk of hypoglycemia as well as being overweight. Since it is hard for pregnant women to do strenuous workouts, it is best to maintain the hobby of having light exercises that will keep the body moving.

What is sad about people who are suffering from diabetes is that many of them remain undiagnosed mainly because of lack of knowledge on the disease and lack of resources to even visit a doctor and know their real condition.

In fact, more often than not, "diabetics" or the people who are suffering from diabetes only know about their condition once their bodies exhibit signs and symptoms that can no longer be ignored.

These include extreme blurring of vision, excruciating pains especially in the legs, and cuts or sores that takes time to heal and worse, wounds that don’t heal at all and needs to cut to avoid other affected cells from spreading to other parts of the body.

Treatment and medical options

Since diabetes is a chronic disease, people who are suffering from it should be more vigilant about their health more than ever. It means that they should visit their doctors more often, maintain a healthy lifestyle and take the necessary medications or undergo needed treatments for them to stay healthy.

Before taking in any medication or undergoing a specific treatment, it is a must that person knows what type of diabetes he or she is suffering from. Basically, there are three types of diabetes :

type 1 diabetes wherein the person's body doesn’t have the capability to produce insulin, which is crucial for sugar to turn the food into energy; the type 2 diabetes—the most common type—restricts the person's pancreas to produce enough supply insulin for the body to use well; and the gestational diabetes which occurs among pregnant women and can lead to type 2 diabetes eventually if not monitored immediately.

Experts say that people with diabetes should aim for healthy diet and getting regular exercise to control the illness. At times, there will be the need to take in some medications or undergo treatments. The following are just some of the common medications advised for people with diabetes:

1. Insulin shots. Since insufficient insulin levels in the body cause diabetes, insulin itself can solve the problem. For diabetics, insulin is very important because it lowers the blood sugar in the body by moving the sugar from the person's blood into the cells. Insulin should be taken at least two times daily to ensure that there will be stable blood sugar control. It should be taken at least 30 minutes before each meal or should be taken before one eats especially if she or he takes a fast effecting type.

2. Oral medications. People with type 1 diabetes are not advised to use oral medications since insulin shots are injected in their bodies 24/7 in order to survive. Oral medications work best to people with type 2 diabetes—especially those who have high blood sugar—because these can serve as a supplement for them.

The most common oral medications include sulfonylureas which forces the pancreas to produce more insulin to lower the blood sugar levels; siguanides which helps achieve lower blood sugar by stopping the liver in producing too much sugar; metformin which helps the person lose weight which is the common cause of diabetes; thiazolidinediones which helps the cells develop higher sensitivity to insulin which moves the glucose from the blood; and meglitinides which is responsible for helping the pancreas produce more insulin immediately after each meal to effectively lower blood sugar levels.

Like obesity, diabetes is now considered by many health experts and professionals as an "epidemic" because more and more people suffer from it. The age ranges of people who become prone to it become younger and younger. And the people who are at risk are those who do not only have diabetes history in their families but also those who have developed the disease over time.

Experts say that people who have a history of diabetes in their bloodlines are the primary set of people who are at risk for this disease. But, they are not the only ones who can suffer from this chronic illness. In fact, almost everyone—especially those who have high glucose content in their blood and unable to use it—is prone to having this disease.

Trends are changing

Before, when you are diagnosed with diabetes, it is synonymous to loss of limbs, total loss of vision or blindness, kidney failure, and worst, early death. But now, this is no longer the case. Because of the trends in modern technology and advances in the medical field through research, many people with diabetes are seeing hope that they will enjoy longer and healthier their lives just like the regular people.

1. Insulin. Since diabetes is caused by lack of supply of insulin among diabetics, more and more people come up with variations with the way insulin can enter the body such as:

- implantable insulin pumps which makes it possible for the blood sugar levels to be measured so the and exact amount of insulin needed is delivered instantly;

- insulin inhalers which can aid the daily injections of insulin by providing instant relief by using rapid-acting insulin which is sprayed and inhaled through the mouth—including its coats, the throat and the tongue to pave the way for insulin to enter the into the bloodstream quickly;

- insulin pill which will use a new type of polymer can help the diabetic get insulin faster because it can allow insulin to get into the person's bloodstream without being destroyed by the digestive system; and

- new insulins which are designed to minimize the regimens and to better control glucose for people including "glargine" which is a basal insulin, the "aspart" which is a very-rapid-acting insulin, and the "75/25 lispro mixture" containing a very-rapid-acting content.

2. Monitoring and tests. These are very important to know how well the diabetic is doing. The new trends when it comes to monitoring and tests include:

- pain free glucose tests which allows the diabetic to monitor their own blood sugar without the excruciating pain of literally sticking their fingers to be able to get blood samples;

- continuous monitoring device which is a "wristwatch-like" device that give more information in how to mange diabetes effectively;

3. New treatments. Since diabetes is a chronic disease, there's no definite treatment to cure it. However, there are more and more treatments that promise better results like:

- islet cell transplant which can be effective for people with the rare type of diabetes—the type 1 diabetes—because it uses the Edmonton technique which utilize uses cells from the pancreas or islet cells coming from a donor to help the person to produce insulin;

- gene therapy which identifies that a gene called "SHIP2" can regulate the production of insulin;

4. Vaccine. Through the vaccine—containing a peptide—that stops the destruction of pancreatic cells in the human body, more and more diabetics are now hoping that they can live longer lives despite the illness.

Are You Suffering from Diabetes?

Diposkan oleh Hadi | 3:10 AM | 0 comment »

People who are prone to diabetes—especially those who have the disease in their family's history—should consider that there is a great possibility that they or their kids might inherit the illness. So, the best way to go about it is become very informed about the condition. The following are some the things that people who are prone to diabetes must consider:

1. TYPE OF DIABETES. Experts say that the severity of diabetes can be determined through its types including "type 1diabetes" also known as "juvenile diabetes" or "insulin-dependent diabetes" which is an auto-immune type targeting the body's immune system and the least common type; the "type 2 diabetes" also known as "non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus" or "adult-onset diabetes" which is affects the amount of insulin produced in the person's body, and "gestational diabetes" which is common among women who are conceiving or pregnant.

2. SYMPTOMS. To know if you are suffering from diabetes or not, knowing the symptoms for each type would help you a lot. Those who suffering from type 1diabetes would experience diabetes exceptional thirstiness, dryness of mouth despite taking in lots of fluid, the urgent need to urinate more often, drastic loss of weight even is they are eating fairly well, exhaustion or feeling of being weak or tired despite less workload, and blurring of vision in most occasions.

 For type 2 diabetes, sufferers experience often blurring of vision, wounds, sores, or cuts that takes a long time to heal, itchiness of skin in many parts of the body, frequent development of yeast infections, increased or onset thirst, drying of mouth, frequent urination, and mild to extreme leg pains.

Gestational diabetes symptoms are also alike with other types it's just that they are short termed because the disease ends once the woman gives birth. However, people who have this type of diabetes should be more careful because it can lead to type 2 if not monitored and treated immediately.

3. DIAGNOSIS. For a person to finally know whether he or she suffers from diabetes, tests for diagnosis are a must. Although the symptoms can give you a hint whether you are suffering from the illness or not, relying on these are not enough. Experts say that only way to confirm if one has diabetes or not is to get a test. Now, there are so many types of tests that one can get including:

- fasting plasma glucose test which, is considered as the most preferred test for people with diabetes and requires a person to go fasting at least eight hours or ideally the night before the test to ensure that the blood sample that will be drawn and examined for glucose levels is accurate;

- random blood glucose test which, unlike the Fasting Plasma Glucose test, doesn’t require fasting but the blood samples should be drawn out immediately after the person has eaten or has drunk something;

- oral glucose tolerance test which requires the person to fast not less than 8 hours and prohibits him or her to smoke cigar and drink coffee before drawing the blood sample for the testing;

- glucose challenge test is for women who are prone to gestational diabetes when they are pregnant;

- impaired fasting glucose test which is considered as a new diagnostic category for people with diabetes. Here, blood sugar levels are and can determine the probability of the person to have diabetes.

How to Effectively Avoid Diabetes

Diposkan oleh Hadi | 1:07 AM | 0 comment »

Before panic gets in the way, people who are prone to diabetes should familiarize themselves with diabetes. This is to avoid negative thoughts entering their heads and so they can think clearly what to do. Having extensive knowledge about the condition cannot only help people to think clearly but can also provide them with whatever options at hand.

If you think that you have greater chances of having diabetes, it is best to know what it is, what are its types, the symptoms to look for, how can it be diagnosed, and the treatments available for you. Knowing all these can help you cope up with diabetes and can also help you effectively manage or avoid it.

Veering Away from Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic illness, which tends to be more complicated and more severe as time goes by. This is why it is very important not only to people who are prone to it but to everyone to take note of the things that can help them veer away from the condition.

Just like in any condition or illness, veering away from diabetes involves the development of healthy habits. Experts say that those people who have decided to practice healthy habits have lower risks of getting diabetes even if they are prone to it. All they need to do is to make changes in their lifestyle including:

1. Diet. As the saying goes, "what you eat is what you are." If you eat healthy foods and have well balanced meals, then you are healthier than those who don’t do it. Experts advise people who are prone to diabetes that if they don’t want to develop this disease they should eat lots of fruits and vegetables especially those that are non-starchy ones like green beans, broccoli, carrots, or spinach. If you are at risk for diabetes, you should whole grain foods such as brown rice and whole-wheat pasta not processed grain products should be your main option. Also take more meals that has fish, leans meats, calorie-free drinks, and the like.

2. Weight issues. A person's weight is also a big factor for people who are prone to diabetes. Experts say that people who are overweight have greater risk for suffering from diabetes because they can develop high resistance against insulin. If they don’t have enough supply of insulin because of too much weight—responsible for making cells resistant to glucose—they can eventually develop diabetes.

3. Regular exercise. Many experts believe that people who have regular set of exercise and workout have lesser possibility of developing diabetes this is because it keeps a person fit and away from being obese. People who are at risk with diabetes should take into consideration implementing amongst themselves a routine that involves regular exercise at least once a week. It doesn’t have to be a regular set that could be boring or would take so much of your time such as walk, jogging, swimming, cycling, doing household chores, or hobbies that involve lots of physical movements such as gardening.

4. Eliminate vices. Smoking and drinking alcohol are also among the factors that increase the risk of developing diabetes. This is crucial especially to those who have high risk for type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes because the toxins that enter the body make it harder for immune system to cope up.

Complications of Diabetes

Diposkan oleh Hadi | 1:47 AM | 0 comment »

Just like in any other illnesses, the first thing that people need is to be informed and educated about the disease that may be prone to. In case of diabetes, extensive knowledge about this can help people who are already suffering from diabetes to cope up and manage and can also help those who don’t have it yet to be more careful and to avoid the diabetes.

But, aside from having extensive knowledge on diabetes such as its causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment, it also pays to know if there would be related complications. This is to prepare one's self—emotionally, physically, and emotionally—about the possibilities of coping not just with diabetes but other complications related to it as well.

There are certain factors that affect people to be prone to diabetes such as age, heredity and ethnicity. But regardless of the risk factors, the related complications would just be the same. The following are just some of the complications of diabetes that people who are prone to it must pay attention to:

1. HEART DISEASE AND STROKE. Experts say that people who have diabetes have greater risks to having coronary heart diseases and to stroke compared to those who don’t have them. In fact, these complications are the lead causes of death among diabetics all over the world. People suffering from diabetes are prone to heart diseases and stroke because the fatty deposits brought by drastic changes in the body can block the arteries and leads to heart attack. Because of lesser amount of insulin in the body compared to regular people, diabetics have higher incidence of blood clotting and can also lead to high blood pressure or hypertension.

2. DIABETIC KIDNEY DISEASE. Among people with diabetes, kidney failure is the most common complication because the blood-filtering units of the kidneys are being damaged. Once the kidney has been damaged, important proteins are being along with urine and eventually, the kidneys won't be able to remove the waste products present in the blood anymore. The good thing is, not all diabetics experience End-Stage Kidney Disease (ESRD) which can be life threatening. To avoid this complication, you must stop smoking cigarettes and always keep the blood pressure under control at all times.

3. DIABETIC EYE DISEASE. This refers to the group of eye problems that diabetics—people with diabetes—may have as a result of the chronic disease. In worst cases, this set of eye related problems such as diabetic retinopathy, damaged vessels of the eye's retina, cataract, cloudiness in the lens of the eyes, glaucoma, and increased fluid pressure inside the eye that is damaging to optic nerve. All of these, when not treated immediately and now monitored properly can lead to total loss of vision loss or blindness.

4. DIABETIC NEUROPATHY. Those people who are into smoking, drinking, and those who have poor control with glucose are more prone to developing neuropathy compared to those diabetics who are not into these vices and bad habits.

5. GASTROPARESIS. This disorder involves the stomach as a result of prolonged emptying. Studies show that around 20 to 30 percent of diabetics suffering from "type 1 diabetes" are more prone to this diabetes complication because it severely damages the "vagus nerve" which is responsible for keeping the food moving through person's the digestive tract. Although it is also diagnosed among those who have "type 2 diabetes" the cases are comparatively lower.

Dealing with Diabetes in Children

Diposkan oleh Hadi | 12:48 AM | 0 comment »

Parenting a child is enough challenge for a parent once he or she has decided to form a family. But when a child is diagnosed with a chronic illness such as diabetes, parenting and raising this child become more difficult, challenging and at times, frustrating. To help parents deal with their children when diabetes attacks them at such an early age, experts say that they should :

  1. Encourage and help the child to develop healthy eating habits. Once a child is diagnosed with diabetes, it makes his or her world smaller. There will be more restrictions especially in eating. These restrictions can lead to eating problems that will be harder to manage once they get older. 
  2. So as early as now, parents must instill among their kids the importance of eating healthy and well-balanced food to avoid further diabetes complications. Parents must also make sure that the child follows the regular schedule in taking in snacks and eating meals. But if the child doesn’t want to eat a certain type of food you’re offering, don’t force him or her. Instead, give the child a variety of healthy foods that he or she can choose from.
  3. Ensure to test blood glucose levels regularly. The ideal frequency of blood glucose testing is at least four times per day. If possible, the parents should monitor this themselves to ensure that if the child is coping up with the condition or not.
  4. Instill in the child the importance of regular exercise. To avoid being obese that can lead to more complications among kids with diabetes, parents must make exercise a part of the child's daily living. This exercise should not be so rigorous, it can be a simple walk, jog, or even helping out with household chores as long as there's enough movement for the day.
  5. Reassure the child of your love and support. There are kids with diabetes who think that having the chronic illness is their fault. Many of them also think that they have that condition because they did something bad or they are not just good enough for their parents.
  6. To erase these doubts in the child's mind, parents must always ensure their child that they will support him or her no matter and they will love the child no matter what.

When Diabetes Attacks Kids

Diposkan oleh Hadi | 10:35 AM | 0 comment »

Contrary to popular belief the only older people suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, more and more kids are now are diagnosed with this illness all over the world.

The type of diabetes that kids are prone with is the "type 1 diabetes." Also known as " juvenile diabetes," this type is diagnosed in almost 40 children everyday in the United States of America alone.

Type 1 diabetes can be considered as the rarest type compared to other diabetes types such as "type 2 diabetes" and "gestational diabetes" but now, more and more people—especially the younger ones suffer from it.

Type 1 diabetes usually occurs person's body is stopped form producing enough insulin, which is a type of hormone that every human needs. In order to survive, people—especially kids—with this type of diabetes should have insulin injected in their bodies every single day in order to continue living.

With the help of modern technology, kids with type 1 diabetes can live a normal life because they have better options in terms of blood glucose testing and insulin administration which are just some of the common processes that diabetics undergo.

To help kids cope up with their condition, more and more medical facilities now offer treatments that can help the child live an active, healthy, and a life filled with fun excitement just like other regular kids.

In first part you have read how exercise could help you live longer and healtier even you have diabetic. So now let’s get started to the exercise…

Getting Started

The first order of business with any exercise plan, especially if you are a "dyed-in-the-wool" sluggish, is to consult with your health care provider. If you have cardiac risk factors, the health care provider may want to perform a stress test to establish a safe level of exercise for you.

Certain diabetic complications will also dictate what type of exercise program you can take on. Activities like weightlifting, jogging, or high-impact aerobics can possibly pose a risk for people with diabetic retinopathy due to the risk for further blood vessel damage and possible retinal detachment.

If you are already active in sports or work out regularly, it will still benefit you to discuss your regular routine with your doctor. If you are taking insulin, you may need to take special precautions to prevent hypoglycemia during your workout.

Start Slow

For those who have type 2 diabetes, your exercise routine can be as simple as a brisk nightly neighborhood walk. If you have not been very active before now, start slowly and work your way up. Walk the dog or get out in the yard and rake. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park in the back of the lot and walk. Every little bit does work, in fact, it really helps a lot.

As little as 15 to 30 minutes of daily, heart-pumping exercise can make a big difference in your blood glucose control and your risk of developing diabetic complications.

One of the easiest and least expensive ways of getting moving is to start a walking program. All you need is a good pair of well-fitting, supportive shoes and a direction to head in.

Indeed, you do not have to waste too many expenses on costly “health club memberships,” or the most up-to-date health device to start pumping those fats out.

What you need is the willingness and the determination to start exercising to a healthier, type 2 diabetes-free life.

The results would be the sweetest rewards from the effort that you have exerted.

Exercise and Type 2 Diabetes part. 1

Diposkan oleh Hadi | 9:00 PM | 0 comment »

One of the most undemanding and the most workable ways to knock over blood sugar amount, eliminate the dangers of “cardiovascular disease,” and perk up health and welfare in general is exercise.

In spite of that, in today’s inactive world where almost every indispensable job can be carried out online, from the ergonomic chair in front of a computer, or with a streaming line of messages from a fax machine, exercising can be a hard argument to win over.

The Weight of Exercise

Everyone should exercise, yet the health experts tells us that only 30% of the United States population gets the recommended thirty minutes of daily physical activity, and 25% are not active at all. In fact, inactivity is thought to be one of the key reasons for the surge of type 2 diabetes in the U.S., because inactivity and obesity promote insulin resistance.

The good news is that it is never too late to get moving, and exercise is one of the easiest ways to start controlling your diabetes. For people with type 2 diabetes in particular, exercise can improve insulin sensitivity, lower the risk of heart disease, and promote weight loss.

Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is on the rise. The number of people diagnosed with diabetes every year increased by 48% between 1980 and 1994. Nearly all the new cases are Type 2 Diabetes, or adult-onset, the kind that moves in around middle age. Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes include increased thirst, appetite, and need to urinate; feeling tired, edgy, or sick to the stomach; blurred vision; tingling or loss of feeling in the hands.

The causes of type 2 diabetes are complex and not completely understood, although research is uncovering new clues at a rapid pace.

However, it has already been proven that one of the reasons for the boom in type 2 diabetes is the widening of waistbands and the trend toward a more deskbound and inactive lifestyle in the United States and other developed countries. In America, the shift has been striking; in the 1990s alone, obesity increased by 61% and diagnosed diabetes by 49%.

For this reason, health experts encourage those who already have type 2 diabetes to start employing the wonders that exercise can do for them.

Without exercise, people have the tendency to become obese. Once they are obese, they have bigger chances of accumulating type 2 diabetes.

Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that over 80% of people with type 2 diabetes are clinically overweight. Therefore, it is high time that people, whether inflicted with type 2 diabetes or not, should start doing those jumping and stretching activities.

Diabetes in Pets

Diposkan oleh Hadi | 8:02 PM | 0 comment »

It is not only the human kind that can develop diabetes.
Even our beloved pets, no matter how well we care for them,
can develop diabetes.

This is often a scary situation for the pet owner and the
first question that is usually asked of the veterinarian is
-will my pet need to be put to sleep-

Of course this is a difficult issue and the answer may vary
on the overall age and health of your pet.

Many older pets that are diagnosed with diabetes go on to
live many more happy years, but this takes commitment and
close care of your pet.

Diabetic cats and dogs can live just as long as perfectly
healthy pet if the diabetes is diagnosed and treated
properly by both the veterinarian and the owner.

This takes great commitment from the owner. Pets must be
cared for and watched daily with a high level of care and
patience.

There can be no feeding the cat and forgetting until the
next day. There is no leaving the pet along to go on a
trip. Every day your pet will need medication, fed a proper
diet and his behavior will need to be monitored closely.

This doesn’t mean you will have to give up your job and
stay home full time with your pet, but it does mean you
will have to pay more attention to what his behavior is and
know what to do if the situation should change.

It is also more of a financial obligation to have a sick
pet. So it is something that should be discussed in length
with your vet.

Diabetes In Children

Diposkan oleh Hadi | 12:14 AM | 0 comment »

Diabetes in children is also known as juvenile diabetes,
but more generally known as type 1 diabetes. It is the most
common form of diabetes in children with ninety to
ninety-five percent of carriers being under 16.

Juvenile diabetes is caused by the inability of the
pancreas to produce insulin. It is an autoimmune disease,
which means the bodies own defense system attacks the
body’s tissues or organs.

In the last 30 years the number of juvenile diabetes had
raised three times over and in Europe and the US we are
now seeing type 2 diabetes in children for the first time.

Obesity easily explains type 2, but not why there is such a
rise in type 1 diabetes in children. It is believed that a
mixture of genetics and environmental factors are what
triggers juvenile diabetes. But the majority of children
don’t have a family history of diabetes.

The symptoms for juvenile diabetes are the same as in
adults. Thirst, weight loss, fatigue, frequent urination is
typical, but diabetes in children can also increase stomach
pains, headaches and behavior problems.

Doctors should consider the possibility of diabetes in
children who have unexplained stomach pains for a few
weeks, along with the typical symptoms.

If you believe your child may be experiencing these
symptoms you should schedule them for a thorough
examination and tell your doctor what you suspect your
child may have. Be sure to tell them about any and all
symptoms your child may be experiencing.

Diabetes Mellitus

Diposkan oleh Hadi | 12:12 AM | 0 comment »

Diabetes Mellitus is also simply known as diabetes. It is the disease
characterized by a malfunctioning metabolism and a high blood
sugar level.

The result can be low levels of insulin or abnormal insulin
resistance. This mixed with inadequate levels of insulin
secretion results in diabetes.

Symptoms of diabetes mellitus include increased urine production,
excessive thirst, extreme fatigue, and excessive thirst and weight
loss. These symptoms though may not be present in those people
with only mildly elevated sugar levels.

Diabetes mellitus includes type 1, type 2 and gestational
diabetes, which occur only during pregnancy. Each type has
a different cause and different severity of symptoms.

But all forms of diabetes are dangerous if not treated. With proper
management though, people with diabetes can live a long, healthy,
normal life.

The main cause of type 1 diabetes mellitus is the loss of insulin
producing cells in the pancreas. This ultimately leads to an
insulin deficiency.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus is typically found in children and young
adults. It is also termed juvenile diabetes. The common treatment
for type 1 diabetes mellitus is daily insulin injections to replace
the insulin the body is not producing properly, along with careful
blood glucose monitoring.

Without careful monitoring and treatment, complications from diabetes
could include loss of limps such as arms, legs and feet, blindness
and diabetic comas, which can be fatal.

It is extremely important that if you suspect you or your child to have
symptoms of diabetes, that you visit your doctor to be tested. If the
tests are positive it is not the end of the world. With careful monitoring
and care, type 1 diabetics can live long healthy lives.

Diabetes Epidemic

Diposkan oleh Hadi | 8:30 AM | 0 comment »

With obesity levels being at an all time high, the epidemic of type 2 diabetes is growing at an alarming rate, and will only get worse.

Between 2001 and 2002, the diagnosis of diabetes went from 5.5 percent of Americans to an alarming 6.5 percent. In just one year!

Overall, twelve million Americans have been diagnosed and another 5 million Americans have diabetes and don’t know it. And yet another 12 millions are on their way to type 2 diabetes because of impaired glucose levels.

Not knowing is the worst because risks of untreated diabetes puts us at a terrible risk of complications including but not limited to blindness, amputations and ultimately death. That's why we should know diabetes symptoms.

The stickler is, that type 2 diabetes is almost completely preventable. Doctor’s say eat less, eat better and exercise. The numbers show just how many Americans are currently overweight.

Statistically, people are now living longer, and it has been on the rise for years. But this will not continue if type 2 diabetes is not put under control.

We are a gluttonous society and ultimately it is affecting how we live and how long we live.

And unfortunately, the diabetes epidemic is not just a US problem. It is spreading worldwide with epidemic reports in Asia, the Middle East and the Caribbean.

It is estimated that by 2025, the number of diabetics worldwide will rise to 380 million. And diabetes is now affecting more of the young and middle-aged population in developing countries between the ages of 40 and 59.

Diabetes Symptoms

Diposkan oleh Hadi | 8:14 AM | 0 comment »

All too often we get sick but ignore the symptoms we may be feeling,
shrugging them off to a cold, stress from work, or just not feeling well.

There are certain symptoms that shouldn’t be ignored if they develop.
These symptoms could lead to blindness, amputation of limbs, coma or
even death.

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes often come on suddenly and are severely dramatic. The extra stress of diabetes can lead to something called
diabetic ketoacidosis.

Symptoms of ketoacidosis may include nausea and vomiting, which
may also lead to dehydration and serious problems with the blood
levels of potassium. This could lead to a diabetic coma and
ultimately death.

Other symptoms of diabetes may include extreme fatigue. We all get
tired at times, but diabetes triggers a more severe fatigue than normal.

People with diabetes also experience unexplained weight loss. This
is because they are unable to process many of the calories they
consume. Losing sugar and water in the urine also contributes
to the weight loss.

Extreme thirst is another symptom of diabetes. Diabetes develops
high blood sugar levels and the body tries to compensate by diluting
the blood, which translates to our brain that we are thirsty.

With this is also excessive urination. It is another way our bodies have of getting rid of the extra sugar in our system. But this can also lead to dehydration.

One of the hardest symptoms to deal with is poor wound healing.
Wounds heal slowly, if at all when the carrier has diabetes. This along
with infections that are not easily remedied can attribute to
ulcers and loss of limbs.

Diabetes Management

Diposkan oleh Hadi | 9:19 PM | 0 comment »

Proper management can give you many years of healthy
living.

Diabetes management starts with a visit to your doctor.
first, checking you have diabetes, what type of diabetes you have
then equipping yourself with as much information as possible
about the diabetes you are diagnosed with.

All management begins with controlling the glucose cycle.

The glucose cycle is affected by two factors, entry of
glucose into the bloodstream and blood levels of insulin to
control the transport out.

Your glucose levels are very sensitive to both diet and
exercise, so change in either should first be discussed
with your physician. Proper management of diabetes can be
very intrusive to the patient.

Proper management needs a complete lifestyle change and
frequent, sometimes multi-daily checks of glucose in the
blood.

It can change as people grow and develop and no two cases
are ever really the same. Today it is easier to measure the
blood sugar level.

Glucose meters are readily available and are quite easy to
use with a little practice and patience.

With a small drop of blood to the testing strip attached to
the glucose meter, the user is given the number, which
represents their blood sugar level. This in turn will let
the user know if and when insulin is needed.