The Simple Basics About Diabetes
February 13, 2010 by Diabetes and Blood Glucose Tips
Filed under About Diabetes
Simply put, diabetes is the inability of the body to properly handle sugars. When we eat or drink our pancreas produces a hormone called insulin. Insulin is released into the blood and helps regulate the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Diabetes is a state where this process is not working properly. This is due to:
– No insulin produced, often called type 1 diabetes, and requires the patient to use insulin injections, or …
– Insulin is produced, but the body becomes resistant to it. What makes ineffective insulin. This is normally called type 2 diabetes and is increasingly common.
Searches latest show that 2 out of 100 people suffer from diabetes. Alarmant of half these people do not even know they have. Many people have diabetes without being aware of it because someone with diabetes appears to be no different than any other person.
Someone may have diabetes for months or even years without realizing they have the condition. The danger is that if diabetes is not immediately life threatening the long-term effects of high blood sugar can be harmful to health. No prolonged diabetes and high blood sugar may, later in life, cause problems in many organs including the kidneys, eyes, nerves and heart. This May his dark, but the control of blood sugar by a combination of medicine, diet and exercise will largely reduce the long-term complications.
The easiest way to check if you have diabetes is to get a blood sugar check with your doctor. A small sample of blood obtained by pricking a finger is checked using a small electronic tester. A normal blood sugar is generally between 72 - 126 mg / dl or 4 - 7 mmol / l (1 mmol / l = 18mg/dl). Diabetes is diagnosed when the body is unable to maintain the level of sugar in the blood within these limits. The unit of measurement used (mmol / l or mg / dl) will depend on which country you live in.
The diagnosis of diabetes may occur in the blue during a routine check-but more often it results from the person suffering the symptoms of diabetes. These symptoms may be much or little, mild or severe depending on the individual.
The symptoms are as follows:
Nothing at all (???) No it’s not a typo. It is true many people do not feel a different effect and are surprised to discover they have diabetes. However, even if you feel you must end your take diabetes seriously and act on the advice of a doctor.
THIRST (polydipsia) It is a very common symptom. Often, it seems no matter how much you drink your mouth still feels as dry as Death Valley. The problem is compounded before diabetes is diagnosed by patients drinking copious quantities of sugary drinks …! Of course, it only increases the level of sugar in the blood and causes an increase in thirst.
INCREASED urinate (polyuria) Another very common symptom. Patients need to urinate frequently and spend large volumes each time. Moreover, this symptom does not take into account the time for sleep is constantly disrupted by the obligation to visit the bathroom during the night. It is a mistake to think this is caused by increased thirst and drink more. The opposite is true. High level of sugar in the blood to spread in the urine which makes syrupy. To counter this law on water is drawn from the body, causing dehydration and therefore thirst.
WEIGHT LOSS Glucose is the form of sugar which is the principal organ of fuel. Diabetics can not deal properly so it passes through the urine and outside the body. Less fuel, the body’s reserve tissues are broken down to produce energy with weight loss.
Other symptoms include constipation, fatigue, lack of energy, tingling or pins and needles in hands and feet, blurred vision and increased infections.
If you met any of these symptoms, it does not necessarily mean that you are diabetic, but it might be advisable to consult your doctor to be sure.
If it does transpire that you have diabetes please do not panic. It may come as a shock and it will result in changes in your life. While (currently) incurable, it can be treated as long-term complications are reduced or eliminated. As a result May actually increase your health and life expectancy compared to before when you do not take care of your body whatsoever. It requires discipline and self-control but there is no reason for anyone with diabetes can live full and perfectly normal life.
Thanks to Jack Stanley for contributing this article to our Diabetes blog:
– No insulin produced, often called type 1 diabetes, and requires the patient to use insulin injections, or …
– Insulin is produced, but the body becomes resistant to it. What makes ineffective insulin. This is normally called type 2 diabetes and is increasingly common.
Searches latest show that 2 out of 100 people suffer from diabetes. Alarmant of half these people do not even know they have. Many people have diabetes without being aware of it because someone with diabetes appears to be no different than any other person.
Someone may have diabetes for months or even years without realizing they have the condition. The danger is that if diabetes is not immediately life threatening the long-term effects of high blood sugar can be harmful to health. No prolonged diabetes and high blood sugar may, later in life, cause problems in many organs including the kidneys, eyes, nerves and heart. This May his dark, but the control of blood sugar by a combination of medicine, diet and exercise will largely reduce the long-term complications.
The easiest way to check if you have diabetes is to get a blood sugar check with your doctor. A small sample of blood obtained by pricking a finger is checked using a small electronic tester. A normal blood sugar is generally between 72 - 126 mg / dl or 4 - 7 mmol / l (1 mmol / l = 18mg/dl). Diabetes is diagnosed when the body is unable to maintain the level of sugar in the blood within these limits. The unit of measurement used (mmol / l or mg / dl) will depend on which country you live in.
The diagnosis of diabetes may occur in the blue during a routine check-but more often it results from the person suffering the symptoms of diabetes. These symptoms may be much or little, mild or severe depending on the individual.
The symptoms are as follows:
Nothing at all (???) No it’s not a typo. It is true many people do not feel a different effect and are surprised to discover they have diabetes. However, even if you feel you must end your take diabetes seriously and act on the advice of a doctor.
THIRST (polydipsia) It is a very common symptom. Often, it seems no matter how much you drink your mouth still feels as dry as Death Valley. The problem is compounded before diabetes is diagnosed by patients drinking copious quantities of sugary drinks …! Of course, it only increases the level of sugar in the blood and causes an increase in thirst.
INCREASED urinate (polyuria) Another very common symptom. Patients need to urinate frequently and spend large volumes each time. Moreover, this symptom does not take into account the time for sleep is constantly disrupted by the obligation to visit the bathroom during the night. It is a mistake to think this is caused by increased thirst and drink more. The opposite is true. High level of sugar in the blood to spread in the urine which makes syrupy. To counter this law on water is drawn from the body, causing dehydration and therefore thirst.
WEIGHT LOSS Glucose is the form of sugar which is the principal organ of fuel. Diabetics can not deal properly so it passes through the urine and outside the body. Less fuel, the body’s reserve tissues are broken down to produce energy with weight loss.
Other symptoms include constipation, fatigue, lack of energy, tingling or pins and needles in hands and feet, blurred vision and increased infections.
If you met any of these symptoms, it does not necessarily mean that you are diabetic, but it might be advisable to consult your doctor to be sure.
If it does transpire that you have diabetes please do not panic. It may come as a shock and it will result in changes in your life. While (currently) incurable, it can be treated as long-term complications are reduced or eliminated. As a result May actually increase your health and life expectancy compared to before when you do not take care of your body whatsoever. It requires discipline and self-control but there is no reason for anyone with diabetes can live full and perfectly normal life.
Thanks to Jack Stanley for contributing this article to our Diabetes blog:
To read about causes of diabetes and gestational diabetes diet, visit Diagnosing Diabetes.
How to Manage Diabetes Effectively
August 4, 2009 by Diabetes and Blood Glucose Tips
Filed under About Diabetes
Living with Diabetes is not easy because there are so many factors that have to be taken into consideration concerning your lifestyle. There are two types of diabetes simply labeled type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is normally diagnosed in children and young adults, while type 2 diabetes may develop over the years and strike when you are older. Diabetics suffering from type 1 diabetes will have to take regular insulin injections because their bodies are unable to produce the necessary insulin; while people suffering from type 2 can be treated with dietary modifications and anti diabetic tablets. In some cases insulin making cells in type 2 diabetes sufferers fail and as a result sufferers will also require starting of taking insulin injections. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes suffered by millions all over the world.
Who has the most risk of contracting diabetes?
People that can contract diabetes more than others are old age people, the obese and very overweight, those with a family history of diabetes, sedentary people; and recently research has shown Asians and black skinned people have twice the risk of developing type 2 diabetes due to lifestyle factors. Unfortunately symptoms of type 2 diabetes develop gradually and can be unnoticeable until long after the onset of the disease. People with high glucose levels in their blood may even experience no symptoms at all.
Some Noticeable symptoms of diabetes requiring investigation.
If you suffer symptoms of fatigue, excessive thirst, unexplained weight loss or weight gain; wounds that are slow to heal, very dry skin, vision change, or tingling and numbness in your body, then it is vital to consult with your doctor because you may be suffering from diabetes. This disease can damage blood vessels, your kidneys, and heart arteries, and other complications in the body may arise; the result is that your life can be shortened by up to 10 years if you do not get proper treatment. Type 2 diabetes can also cause loss of healthy vision, impotence in men and even nerve damage. With all these scary factors it is certainly a sensible decision to get tested by a healthcare professional if you are suspicious of any changes in your body.
Treatments for Diabetes
Treating diabetes means keeping the level of sugars or glucose levels in your blood as normal as possible. Too high; a level of glucose in the bloods is known as hyperglycemia, and too low hypoglycemia. Keeping sugar levels normal can be done by eating correctly, regular exercise and taking medicines and insulin’s as your doctor has prescribed. People suffering from diabetes must get into a habit of checking blood glucose levels regularly. These checks can give you an indication of how certain foods, exercise and medicines are reacting in your body and helping control your type 2 diabetes. New technology equipment that is compact to carry with you has been designed for the purpose of doing these checks without any discomfort. Doctors’ visits will also give you an indication of how well your blood sugar is controlled over periods of time.
Diabetics need to be lifestyle conscious.
If you live properly taking care of what foods you eat, then it is relatively simple living a healthy balanced lifestyle. Some tips of controlling diabetes include:
A carefully balanced diet knowing which foods need to be avoided.
Your doctor will give you guidance on this suitable for your type of diabetes.
If you are obese or overweight then it is vital to shed those pounds as quickly as possible because dangers to your health increase exponentially.
Regular exercise helps controlling blood sugar while you are burning sugar for energy.
Diabetes sufferers that are sedentary may suffer heart attacks. If you have been sedentary for a long period take care to ask your doctor before taking on any exercise routines.
Taking prescribed medication.
If you need insulin injections, then you will need to learn the care for storage and injecting yourself from your health care provider or diabetes center.
Do as much research on the condition of diabetes how to care for yourself if you are a sufferer and what new medications are available on the market.
More Information on Diabetes Lifestyle Management Secrets
Thanks to Richard for contributing this article to our Diabetes blog:
Who has the most risk of contracting diabetes?
People that can contract diabetes more than others are old age people, the obese and very overweight, those with a family history of diabetes, sedentary people; and recently research has shown Asians and black skinned people have twice the risk of developing type 2 diabetes due to lifestyle factors. Unfortunately symptoms of type 2 diabetes develop gradually and can be unnoticeable until long after the onset of the disease. People with high glucose levels in their blood may even experience no symptoms at all.
Some Noticeable symptoms of diabetes requiring investigation.
If you suffer symptoms of fatigue, excessive thirst, unexplained weight loss or weight gain; wounds that are slow to heal, very dry skin, vision change, or tingling and numbness in your body, then it is vital to consult with your doctor because you may be suffering from diabetes. This disease can damage blood vessels, your kidneys, and heart arteries, and other complications in the body may arise; the result is that your life can be shortened by up to 10 years if you do not get proper treatment. Type 2 diabetes can also cause loss of healthy vision, impotence in men and even nerve damage. With all these scary factors it is certainly a sensible decision to get tested by a healthcare professional if you are suspicious of any changes in your body.
Treatments for Diabetes
Treating diabetes means keeping the level of sugars or glucose levels in your blood as normal as possible. Too high; a level of glucose in the bloods is known as hyperglycemia, and too low hypoglycemia. Keeping sugar levels normal can be done by eating correctly, regular exercise and taking medicines and insulin’s as your doctor has prescribed. People suffering from diabetes must get into a habit of checking blood glucose levels regularly. These checks can give you an indication of how certain foods, exercise and medicines are reacting in your body and helping control your type 2 diabetes. New technology equipment that is compact to carry with you has been designed for the purpose of doing these checks without any discomfort. Doctors’ visits will also give you an indication of how well your blood sugar is controlled over periods of time.
Diabetics need to be lifestyle conscious.
If you live properly taking care of what foods you eat, then it is relatively simple living a healthy balanced lifestyle. Some tips of controlling diabetes include:
A carefully balanced diet knowing which foods need to be avoided.
Your doctor will give you guidance on this suitable for your type of diabetes.
If you are obese or overweight then it is vital to shed those pounds as quickly as possible because dangers to your health increase exponentially.
Regular exercise helps controlling blood sugar while you are burning sugar for energy.
Diabetes sufferers that are sedentary may suffer heart attacks. If you have been sedentary for a long period take care to ask your doctor before taking on any exercise routines.
Taking prescribed medication.
If you need insulin injections, then you will need to learn the care for storage and injecting yourself from your health care provider or diabetes center.
Do as much research on the condition of diabetes how to care for yourself if you are a sufferer and what new medications are available on the market.
More Information on Diabetes Lifestyle Management Secrets
Thanks to Richard for contributing this article to our Diabetes blog:
Richard has been researching the internet for quality health, weight loss, and beauty products to keep people informed and able to enjoy a better quality of Life since 2005. You can use this information with confidence to look good and feel great.
Healthy Natural Lifestyles
Learning to Cope With Diabetes
July 27, 2009 by Diabetes and Blood Glucose Tips
Filed under About Diabetes
There are three different types of diabetes that are very common today. Diabetes effects millions of people around the world and it can be a life threatening disease if it is not properly treated or treated in time. Many people may not even know that they have diabetes. That is why it is so important to talk to your doctor about your family history and get regular checkups with your doctor.
Getting the right medications for your health conditions is very important. With the right medicines and a good exercise program, along with a good diet, you should be able to take care of yourself with only some limitations. You can lead a very normal life if you have diabetes. Of course you do have to take the right care of it.
Some people are choosing to only try natural remedies, which can benefit your diabetes symptoms almost as well as a prescribed medicine, but others may not have a choice but to have insulin injections, sometimes as often as six times per day. Listening to your health care physician is vital after being diagnosed with diabetes. He will be able to assist you on what types of medicines that you will need. He will also talk to you more about which kind of exercise program you will need to start on. And, of course, your diet which is vital to maintain.
After being diagnosed with diabetes you will have to monitor your blood sugar levels every single day. Your doctor might even ask you to keep a journal on these daily readings so that he will have the ability to view them upon your follow up visits. This will keep him informed on your progress and allow him to make any slight adjustments that may be needed to your medications. He will be able to determine by these daily readings if your medications,diet and exercise program are helping you as much as they should be. If not, then he will know what needs to be done from there. It is important to keep up with this kind of information for him so you will have the proper treatments.
Different Types of Diabetes
There are three different types of diabetes that are very common today.
Type1 Type2 Gestational
When a woman becomes pregnant she will find that during the last trimester of her pregnancy her doctor will be checking her for what is called gestational diabetes. Usually if a woman is diagnosed with this type of diabetes during pregnancy, after giving birth, their glucose levels will go back to normal. The risk of diabetes is still there, up to 10 years after delivery or if she has a family history of diabetes. If a woman develops this type of diabetes during her pregnancy, her child will be at higher risk of becoming diabetic sometime throughout their life.
The most common type of diabetes is Type 2 diabetes. This is the kind of diabetes where the patient is not dependent on insulin shots. Being overweight has a lot to do with someone getting this type of diabetes, however, that is not the only thing to blame for it. With some people it may be genetic while with others it is caused by a high blood pressure level. Becoming physically active can help when treating this type of diabetes, along with a proper diet and medicine that your doctor will prescribe. He can give you an exercise program to follow along with the right kinds of food you should be eating. Number one rule is-follow your doctors orders fully.
The other kind of diabetes is Type 1 diabetes. This type is usually caused by pure genetics or your diet. This type of diabetes means that you are insulin dependent. Depending on the severity of this type of diabetes will determine how many shots you will need each and every day. As with the other types of diabetes it is vital that you put yourself on a regular exercise program along with a proper diet. Always get regular check ups with your family doctor. The patients pancreas is not producing any amount of insulin at all and that is the reason it is called autoimmune diabetes. If not treated properly and promptly, this can be the most dangerous one of all.
Enjoying Sweets With Your Diabetes
Many people believe that people with diabetes can not, in any way, have the enjoyments of indulging occasionally or ever, in getting to eat sweets. Those of you who are suffering with diabetes, if you do not already know, will be very happy to hear that you can in fact enjoy those sweet pleasures once in awhile. It is all about moderation, not just for people suffering from diabetes, but for everyone. The problem with any foods that are bad for us, is that so many of us eat entirely too much.
Studies have shown that people with diabetes that do enjoy the occasional sweets do have to worry about their blood sugars rising a little bit too quickly, but that also happens with any kinds of fatty carbohydrate foods that a diabetic might eat. I am not telling all diabetics to go out and get sweets anytime they please but just that if you choose to, if you crave it, if you feel like you need it, go for it, just do not over indulge yourself too much ok. It is important to keep your blood sugar in check at all times when you have diabetes.
If you do decide you want sweets one evening, just plan for the occasion, eat less carbohydrates throughout the day to give your body a fair shot at a tasty treat. Just remember to watch your portions. If you are creating your own special sweets then perhaps you could consider substituting the real sugar for one of the new substitues . That is very helpful when trying to watch your weight and also keeping an eye on your blood sugar levels. Having diabetes does not mean that you are going to suffer from now on with cravings that you can not ever satisfy.
Drinking Coffee For Diabetes
Now for the really good news for coffee drinkers. It has been discovered that drinking caffeine coffee actually reduces your risks of becoming a diabetic and it also helps in the many types of treatments for people who have type 2 diabetes. Many people may not be aware of this, so you should all consider doing a little research on the ways that coffee can actually help your health and talk it over with your family doctor. Several studies have been done on whether or not this is really accurate and the results are overwhelming in the ways that coffee can actually help your health. Usually women have more of a resistance to insulin than men do, so women may benefit from this knowledge more than anyone else. The fact of the matter is that with these studies, they have actually found that the risks for diabetes is going down somewhat with the increase of coffee consumption. Many people might be really happy with these findings because drinking coffee is something that many people all around the world enjoy, usually on an everyday basis.
If you are suffering from type 2 diabetes, drinking coffee several times a day will help with your insulin secretion because of the effects coffee has on your gastrointestinal hormones throughout your body. You can lower your glucose absorption rate and lessen your chances of futher complications by having a cup of coffee daily. Not only does your consumption of caffeine coffees help reduce your risks of diabetes and helps in treating some diabetes, it will also help in controlling a woman’s cholesterol levels.
Thanks to Janice Lockeby for contributing this article to our Diabetes blog:
Getting the right medications for your health conditions is very important. With the right medicines and a good exercise program, along with a good diet, you should be able to take care of yourself with only some limitations. You can lead a very normal life if you have diabetes. Of course you do have to take the right care of it.
Some people are choosing to only try natural remedies, which can benefit your diabetes symptoms almost as well as a prescribed medicine, but others may not have a choice but to have insulin injections, sometimes as often as six times per day. Listening to your health care physician is vital after being diagnosed with diabetes. He will be able to assist you on what types of medicines that you will need. He will also talk to you more about which kind of exercise program you will need to start on. And, of course, your diet which is vital to maintain.
After being diagnosed with diabetes you will have to monitor your blood sugar levels every single day. Your doctor might even ask you to keep a journal on these daily readings so that he will have the ability to view them upon your follow up visits. This will keep him informed on your progress and allow him to make any slight adjustments that may be needed to your medications. He will be able to determine by these daily readings if your medications,diet and exercise program are helping you as much as they should be. If not, then he will know what needs to be done from there. It is important to keep up with this kind of information for him so you will have the proper treatments.
Different Types of Diabetes
There are three different types of diabetes that are very common today.
Type1 Type2 Gestational
When a woman becomes pregnant she will find that during the last trimester of her pregnancy her doctor will be checking her for what is called gestational diabetes. Usually if a woman is diagnosed with this type of diabetes during pregnancy, after giving birth, their glucose levels will go back to normal. The risk of diabetes is still there, up to 10 years after delivery or if she has a family history of diabetes. If a woman develops this type of diabetes during her pregnancy, her child will be at higher risk of becoming diabetic sometime throughout their life.
The most common type of diabetes is Type 2 diabetes. This is the kind of diabetes where the patient is not dependent on insulin shots. Being overweight has a lot to do with someone getting this type of diabetes, however, that is not the only thing to blame for it. With some people it may be genetic while with others it is caused by a high blood pressure level. Becoming physically active can help when treating this type of diabetes, along with a proper diet and medicine that your doctor will prescribe. He can give you an exercise program to follow along with the right kinds of food you should be eating. Number one rule is-follow your doctors orders fully.
The other kind of diabetes is Type 1 diabetes. This type is usually caused by pure genetics or your diet. This type of diabetes means that you are insulin dependent. Depending on the severity of this type of diabetes will determine how many shots you will need each and every day. As with the other types of diabetes it is vital that you put yourself on a regular exercise program along with a proper diet. Always get regular check ups with your family doctor. The patients pancreas is not producing any amount of insulin at all and that is the reason it is called autoimmune diabetes. If not treated properly and promptly, this can be the most dangerous one of all.
Enjoying Sweets With Your Diabetes
Many people believe that people with diabetes can not, in any way, have the enjoyments of indulging occasionally or ever, in getting to eat sweets. Those of you who are suffering with diabetes, if you do not already know, will be very happy to hear that you can in fact enjoy those sweet pleasures once in awhile. It is all about moderation, not just for people suffering from diabetes, but for everyone. The problem with any foods that are bad for us, is that so many of us eat entirely too much.
Studies have shown that people with diabetes that do enjoy the occasional sweets do have to worry about their blood sugars rising a little bit too quickly, but that also happens with any kinds of fatty carbohydrate foods that a diabetic might eat. I am not telling all diabetics to go out and get sweets anytime they please but just that if you choose to, if you crave it, if you feel like you need it, go for it, just do not over indulge yourself too much ok. It is important to keep your blood sugar in check at all times when you have diabetes.
If you do decide you want sweets one evening, just plan for the occasion, eat less carbohydrates throughout the day to give your body a fair shot at a tasty treat. Just remember to watch your portions. If you are creating your own special sweets then perhaps you could consider substituting the real sugar for one of the new substitues . That is very helpful when trying to watch your weight and also keeping an eye on your blood sugar levels. Having diabetes does not mean that you are going to suffer from now on with cravings that you can not ever satisfy.
Drinking Coffee For Diabetes
Now for the really good news for coffee drinkers. It has been discovered that drinking caffeine coffee actually reduces your risks of becoming a diabetic and it also helps in the many types of treatments for people who have type 2 diabetes. Many people may not be aware of this, so you should all consider doing a little research on the ways that coffee can actually help your health and talk it over with your family doctor. Several studies have been done on whether or not this is really accurate and the results are overwhelming in the ways that coffee can actually help your health. Usually women have more of a resistance to insulin than men do, so women may benefit from this knowledge more than anyone else. The fact of the matter is that with these studies, they have actually found that the risks for diabetes is going down somewhat with the increase of coffee consumption. Many people might be really happy with these findings because drinking coffee is something that many people all around the world enjoy, usually on an everyday basis.
If you are suffering from type 2 diabetes, drinking coffee several times a day will help with your insulin secretion because of the effects coffee has on your gastrointestinal hormones throughout your body. You can lower your glucose absorption rate and lessen your chances of futher complications by having a cup of coffee daily. Not only does your consumption of caffeine coffees help reduce your risks of diabetes and helps in treating some diabetes, it will also help in controlling a woman’s cholesterol levels.
Thanks to Janice Lockeby for contributing this article to our Diabetes blog:
Janice Lockeby is a published author of many health related articles. Most of them about diabetes since she has dealt with it with her family members for many years. You can visit her at http://www.newbloodsugar.com
