What you believe about diabetes is probably wrong. As more is discovered about this debilitating disease, you need to know the truth, especially if you or someone you know has diabetes. Here are 9 myths that have no basis in fact.

1.Diabetes is inherited. While heredity plays a part in getting diabetes, the major reasons for getting diabetes is primarily due to a poor lifestyle. Typical diets today consist of highly processed foods which are easy to digest but cause major rises in blood sugar. This taxes the pancreas into over-producing the insulin needed to get glucose into the cells where it can be used for energy. In a similar vein, you cannot get diabetes from someone who has it. It is not viral, like the flu.

2.Sugar causes diabetes. Sugar does raise glucose somewhat but it is the simple carbohydrates in food that is quickly converted into glucose that leads to high sugar spikes, obesity and ultimately diabetes. High fiber food consists of complex carbo9hydrates which take more time to be converted into glucose. This leads to a gradual increase in blood sugar which the pancreas can handle. Diabetics can eat sugar, but sugar alone does not cause diabetes.

3.Insulin helps control blood sugar and cures diabetes. Generally type 1 diabetics need to be on insulin as their pancreas do not produce enough insulin to move glucose out of the bloodstream. Many type 2 diabetics are insulin resistant which simply means that their pancreas are producing enough insulin but the glucose is simply not getting into the cells of the body. Insulin injections help but ultimately the resistant cells require more and more insulin for glucose to enter. Both insulin and glucose build up in the bloodstream and can be fatal. What needs to be addressed is what causes the cells to become resistant in the first place and a lot is due to lifestyle factors. Insulin does not cure diabetes.

4.You can tell you have diabetes when the symptoms start to show. This is true in some cases. But the symptoms do not always show up. The pancreas of type 2 diabetics produce insulin and this can lead to mild symptoms that are easy to overlook. Many people are diabetic but don’t know it until the symptoms become evident.

5.Drinking water helps to flush out excess blood sugar. While we should drink at least 8 glasses of water every day and it does help to flush out many toxins in the body, drinking water alone is not a substitute for the lifestyle change that is needed to help control diabetes. Physical activity, a proper diet, your ingrained habits of smoking and drinking and high stress levels play a more important role as to how your body controls your glucose levels.

6.Oral medications are all you need to control diabetes. They help, but they do not address the causes of the disease, which as already explained is due to an unhealthy lifestyle. Medications are a stop gap measure. They tend to help the diabetic gain weight rather than lose it.

7.Eating carbohydrates should be reduced in the diet. You cannot avoid eating carbohydrates. Carbs are a necessary part of life. It’s the type of food you eat on a regular basis that ultimately leads to diabetes. Consuming too much junk food instead of high fiber food is what leads to problems. Fast food seems like a good way to get quick energy in the fast paced lifestyle we live in today, but it leads to problems if it is done too often.

8.Diabetes cannot be controlled. While there is no cure for the disease, you can live a healthy life by controlling your diet, exercise regularly and cut out the bad habits that lead to the disease. Diabetes is controllable.

9. Diabetics eventually go blind and will lose their feet. If diabetes is not addressed, the complications of blindness, and nerve damage to the feet result leading to amputations. While diabetes is generally believed to lead to the complications of blindness and kidney failure, much of this is due to a lack of essential vitamins and minerals. Diabetics are especially vulnerable to complications since their kidneys flush out essential nutrients as they try to rid the body of excess glucose. Replacing these vitamins and minerals are essential to keeping nerves healthy and functioning. You don’t have to be diabetic to experience the complications. Many people do not get enough essential nutrients from their diets. It’s the reason why disease is so rampant. The body simply has little defense against the pathogens, viruses and diseases that regularly invade the body. 10.There are no natural remedies for diabetes. While there is no cure, there are vitamins, minerals and herbs you can take that can help you control blood sugar. Diabetics should supplement with gymnema sylvestre, bitter melon, fenugreek, gingko biloba and alpha lipoic acid. Helpful minerals are: chromium, vanadium, zinc, magnesium and potassium. The diabetic should supplement with vitamins C and E and B vitamin complex. Besides taking supplements a healthy diet and exercise routine can go a long way to controlling blood sugar.

If you have diabetes or are at risk of getting it, the best thing you can do is make a complete change in your lifestyle and cut out the bad habits that you have formed that put you at risk of diabetes. Work with your doctor and dietitian to avoid the deterioration that narrows the quality of life and leads to early death. Whether you have the disease or not, chances are that any changes you make today will help avoid getting diabetes or control it better.



Thanks to Mario Carini for contributing this article to our Diabetes blog:

Natural Cure For Diabetes

The Diabetes is one of the deadliest diseases in world, one in four people in America have this disease. The diabetes diseases touches everybody, kids, young and old. It is important for everyone to learn “What is Diabetes?”. The real cause behind this diseases is when body is unable to utilize or accumulate glucose. The Glucose is a form of Sugar. The level of glucose when goes high in bloodstream, it causes blood glucose to rise in individuals body. The Diabetes diseases can be categorized into three stages. The three stages of diabetes are “Pre Diabetes”, “Type 1 Diabetes” and “Type 2 Diabetes”. The diabetes has touched every one, from kids, adults to old people.



How does Glucose affects body?



It is a disorder in the body that affects the way body utilizes the food for energy. All food contains sugar, the digested food in body is broken into sugar known as Glucose. The glucose is used to produces energy. The individual glucose keeps circulating in blood and enters into body cells, Once inside the cell the glucose is used as fuel to develop energy. The Insulin is a hormone, which body uses to push Glucose into body cells, if this process stops working then the blood sugar level rises in body.

What is Pre-Diabetes?

- This is first stage to being diagnosed as Diabetes, under “Pre-diabetes” category either there is shortage of insulin required for pushing Glucose into body cells or body has become resistant to insulin. The people who get diagnosed with “Pre-Diabetes” are in risk of getting Diabetes and need precautions and changes in life style to ensure they don’t get diagnosed with diseases. Another pointer is your blood sugar numbers, if your blood sugar readings are above normal and not enough to be classified as diabetes.

The “Pre-Diabetes is also known as “Impaired Fasting Glucose” or “Impaired Glucose Tolerance”. The good news is that early sign gives you God sent opportunity to prevent your condition changing from pre-diabetes to type 2 diabetes. There is no medication required in “Pre-Diabetes” condition, with control over food habits, changes in lifestyle and an active workout will help you to keep out of diabetes danger.

What is Type 1 Diabetes? - Juvenile-Onset or Insulin-Dependent

In Type 1 Diabetes, a persons body can’t produce any insulin. This type of diabetes usually occurs in early age but can happen any time is life period.

The research is still going on diabetes type one, how it happens. As of now the reasons are that body has little or not enough insulin to use Glucose to make energy.

What is Type 2 Diabetes? - Formerly called adult-onset or non insulin-dependent

In Type 2 Diabetes a persons body has become resistant to insulin. This type of diabetes happens after 35-40 years of age. This form of diabetes is 90 percent common in people.

The reasons for “Type 2 Diabetes” can be genetic reasons, or overweight.

 

It is a duty of every person to keep his or her health in good condition, by keeping health in check not only we help our families, communities but also contribute to nations health.

For more information cheak at ….. Diabetes Facts and Information

 



Thanks to SANJAY KAK for contributing this article to our Diabetes blog:

Hyperglycemia Signs

Anyone that has been diagnosed with hypoglycemia needs to be very sure that they are in touch with their doctor and are following his or her recommendations carefully.  Hypoglycemia refers to a consistently low level of sugar in the blood and is different from diabetes or other blood sugar problems, although it can be a result of this condition.

It’s important to also understand that if you are planning on treating hypoglycemia that you know you actually have this condition and the only way to know for sure is with a visit to your doctor.  The digestive process is consistent and ongoing, and it’s a natural part of that process to have your blood sugar rise and fall throughout the day.  Symptoms include dizziness or lightheadedness, weakness, sweating, coldness or clamminess, feeling numb or a tingling sensation in the fingers, and anxiety or tremor.  Sometimes a person can have these symptoms due to other conditions, and feeling a bit nervous and anxious or lightheaded when you haven’t eaten in awhile does not necessarily mean you actually have hypoglycemia.  Trying to address a condition you don’t have is just as dangerous as ignoring a problem that you do have.

Causes of Hypoglycemia

There can be many reasons why one would have low blood sugar because it usually run in one’s family.  If one’s parents were diabetic it’s not unusual for these problems to be passed on to the children.  Obesity is also a common cause of this condition as a person that is overweight usually has problems with the blood sugar levels.  A very poor diet can also wreak havoc on the body’s ability to handle sugar; the pancreas and its ability to produce insulin is thrown off course as it tries to digest food properly.

Sometimes the subsection of the pancreas call the Islets of Langerhan produces to much insulin.  The insulin function is to remove surplus glucose from the bloodstream.  The insulin keeps not only the surplus but also the required sugar that your body needs out of the blood.  This means that the brain is not getting enough sugar as food and will send out distress signals in the form of craving for sweets.  The pancreas then produces even more insulin to combat the sudden high levels of sugar after indulging in a sweet treat which will change the sugar into fat for storage by the body.  A common side effect of hypoglycemia is overweight

Treating Hypoglycemia

Some cases are so far advanced that only medication can help keep one’s blood sugar level.  If your doctor has prescribed any type of medication or treatment for you, it’s important to keep taking this medication without fail and do not stop taking it unless your doctor gives you express permission.  However, there are other things you can do to keep your case of hypoglycemia in check and lessen the secondary symptoms of it.  For one, be mindful of how often you eat.

Blood sugar levels drop when the stomach is empty or after the body has digested food.  You never want to use this condition as an excuse to overeat, but having very modest portions every three or four hours is helpful.  By modest portions, we mean a few pieces of cheese, a handful of peanuts, some peanut butter on crackers, or a slice of toast.  These small bits of food will keep your blood sugar level but will not make you gain weight.  Protein also helps to regulate your blood sugar, so have food that’s high in protein.  This usually means meat and dairy products.  Avoid sugary foods as well.

Vitamin B is necessary for good metabolism and is necessary in the digestion of carbohydrates.

Thiamin is needed to convert food into energy and is needed for the utilizing of carbohydrates by the body.

Lecithin helps to burn body fat and it helps one feel well fed on less food.

Cysteine can block the effects of insulin and be quite effective in controlling hypoglycemia.  Cysteine is even more effective when combined with Vitamin C and Vitamin B1.

Phenylalanine acts directly on the appetite center of the brain to help suppress the cravings for food.

St. John’s Wort extract is valuable in boosting seratonin levels in the brain to help reduce cravings for food.

Vitamin E accelerates wound healing and aids in the functioning of the immune system.

Always consult your doctor before using this information.

This Article is nutritional in nature and not to be construed as medical advice.



Thanks to David Cowley for contributing this article to our Diabetes blog:

Hyperglycemia Signs

Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar is a problem that is much over-looked by many doctors today. Hypoglycemia can be due to alimentary problems, idiopathic causes, fasting, insulinoma, endocrine problems, extrapancreatic causes, hepatic disease, and miscellaneous causes. Sometimes the cause of hypoglycemia is unknown (idiopathic). In these cases, people who are not diabetic and who do not have another known cause of hypoglycemia experience these symptoms. Hypoglycemia can produce a variety of symptoms and effects but the principal problems arise from an inadequate supply of glucose as fuel to the brain, resulting in impairment of function ( neuroglycopenia ). Insulin is a hormone that reduces blood glucose. It is produced by the pancreas in response to increased glucose levels in the blood. The symptoms of hypoglycemia can vary from person to person, as can the severity. Hypoglycemia, also called low blood sugar, occurs when your blood glucose (blood sugar) level drops too low to provide enough energy for your body’s activities. There is another type of hypoglycemia. In some people, the body simply responds differently to the digestion of foods. Some foods are digested and absorbed rapidly, resulting in a burst of glucose entering the bloodstream. Classically, hypoglycemia is diagnosed by a low blood sugar with symptoms that resolve when the sugar level returns to the normal range.

Hypoglycemia is relatively common in diabetics. In people who don’t have diabetes, some underlying causes of hypoglycemia include: certain medications; alcohol; certain cancers; critical illnesses such as kidney, liver or heart failure; hormonal deficiencies; and disorders that result in your body producing too much insulin. A rare type of hypoglycemia, known as reactive hypoglycemia, may occur in children and teens without diabetes. Some symptoms of hypoglycemia are caused when the body releases extra adrenaline (epinephrine), a hormone that raises blood sugar levels, into the bloodstream to protect against hypoglycemia. If you take in more glucose than your body needs at the time, your body stores the extra glucose in your liver and muscles in a form called glycogen. Your body can use the stored glucose whenever it is needed for energy between meals. Patients with pre-diabetes who have insulin resistance can also have low sugars on occasion if their high circulating insulin levels are further challenged by a prolonged period of fasting. Hypoglycemia can arise from many causes and can occur at any age. The most common forms of moderate and severe hypoglycemia occur as a complication of treatment of diabetes mellitus with insulin or oral medications. The adrenergic symptoms often precede the neuroglycopenic symptoms and, thus, provide an early warning system for the patient. Studies have shown that the primary stimulus for the release of catecholamines is the absolute level of plasma glucose.

Causes of Hypoglycemia

The common causes and risk factor’s of Hypoglycemia include the following:

Hypoglycemia occurs when too much insulin or oral antidiabetic medication is taken, not enough food is eaten, or from a sudden increase in the amount of exercise without an increase in food intake.

Pregnancy.

Renal glycosuria.

Increased activity or exercise.

Excessive drinking of alcohol.

Hypoglycemia may result from medication changes or overdoses, infection, diet changes, metabolic changes over time, or activity changes; however, no acute cause may be found.

Symptoms of Hypoglycemia

Some sign and symptoms related to Hypoglycemia are as follos:

Hunger.

Nervousness and shakiness.

Headache.

Dizziness or light-headedness.

Heart palpitations.

Tremor.

Excessive sweating.

Sleeping difficulty.

Cold sweats.

Rapid heart rate.

Pale skin color.

Sudden moodiness or behavior changes, such as crying for no apparent reason.

Treatment of Hypoglycemia

Here is list of the methods for treating Hypoglycemia:

A snack or drink containing sugar will raise the blood glucose level, and you should see an immediate improvement in symptoms.

Eating smaller meals more frequently.

To treat low blood sugar immediately, your child should eat or drink something that has sugar in it, such as orange juice, milk, or a hard candy.

Regular exercise.

In more serious cases, the child may have to undergo surgery to remove the pancreas.

Episodes of reactive and fasting hypoglycemia in children without diabetes can also be treated with a fast-acting carbohydrate.

Patients may require 6 small meals and 2-3 snacks per day.

If you pass out, you will need IMMEDIATE treatment, such as an injection of glucagon or emergency treatment in a hospital.



Thanks to Juliet Cohen for contributing this article to our Diabetes blog:

Best Blood Glucose Monitor

Sodas are the last drink hyperglycemics should pour down their throats

They contain a toxic brew of sugar, caffeine and include tartaric acid, phosphoric acid, artificial flavorings and additives. This toxic mix creates a rush of adrenalin which increases your low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia).

Drinking sweet carbonated mineral water regularly during the day leads to the body’s check and balance mechanism being unable to pause and work properly. You must not have a constant flow of insulin through your body during the course of your day.

When you repeatedly drink high sugar sodas the body puts out too much insulin and the insulin receptors of the cells lose sensitivity. The result is the pancreas pushes out more insulin. Too much insulin then grabs more glucose out of the bloodstream to send to the cells.

Once too much glucose is taken from the blood, blood sugar levels drop too low and you have hypoglycemia.

But it doesn’t stop there, if you make no lifestyle changes. Eventually insulin receptors are so desensitized that insulin is unable to send glucose into the cells. Your body now has insulin resistance - not something you would want to encourage. If the matter is ignored, eventually you will have an excess of sugar and an almost guaranteed chance of developing type 2 diabetes.

As soon as you understand the serious course hypoglycemia takes, the sooner you will do something about your low blood sugar levels.

It’s your body and only you can make the decision. You will need an understanding of dieting and hypoglycemia that will help you make the changes to your lifestyle. But, above all, you will need information that motivates you to persist in your new lifestyle changes because of the seriousness of where hypoglycemia can lead.

Another problem with carbonated soft drinks is the ratio imbalance of phosphorous to calcium which they create. In the 1950’s the typical American diet was about 3 to 1 instead of 1.5 to 1. But today the ratio has slipped to 5 to 1. This ratio is explained by the huge increase in the volume of sodas drunk.

Because there is no calcium in sodas and the body must maintain a balance between phosphorous and calcium, it leaches calcium from the bones. This decalcification leads to osteoporosis.

Today 10 - 12 million Americans, mainly over 60 years of age, have osteoporosis. This explains the high incidence of broken hip bones and vertebrae.

Another bone softening disease caused by the imbalance of calcium is gum disease.

As soon as you understand the serious course hypoglycemia takes, the sooner you will do something about your low blood sugar levels.

It’s your body and only you can make the decision. You will need an understanding of dieting and hypoglycemia that will help you make the changes to your lifestyle. But, above all, you will need information that motivates you to persist in your new lifestyle changes because of the seriousness of where hypoglycemia can lead.



Thanks to Noel Glass for contributing this article to our Diabetes blog:

Signs And Symptoms Of Diabetes