Recognizing the Signs of Diabetes

Posted by: Admin  :  Category: General

While diabetes was once recognized as an unfortunate disease that only affected a small number of people, today statistics indicate that more than 18 million people in the United States alone suffer from this disease. Perhaps even more startling is the fact that almost one-third of those individuals may remain undiagnosed, largely to the failure to recognize the most common warning signs related to this disease. In order to increase the treatment of this health issue it is important to understand how diabetes affects the body and the resulting symptoms that may appear.

Individuals with diabetes are not able to produce or utilize insulin, which is a hormone the body requires in order to process starches and sugar into energy the body needs for most life activities. There are actually four different kinds of diabetes. Juvenile diabetes, also referred to as Type 1 diabetes is commonly first recognized in young adulthood or even earlier. This type of diabetes occurs as a direct result of the body being unable to produce insulin.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin. Unlike Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes can be diagnosed at any time. Studies do indicate; however, that some populations may be more at risk for this form of diabetes than others. The elderly appear to be highly at risk as well as Latinos, African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans and Pacific Islanders.

A third type of diabetes occurs during pregnancy; usually in a situation in which the patient has no prior history of diabetes. The number of women who suffer from this type of diabetes is relatively small; however it can be quite serious to both the mother and baby.

The final type of diabetes is actually pre-diabetes, which is a term that is used to describe a situation in which blood glucose levels are abnormally high, but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as full diabetes. When pre-diabetes is allowed to continue without treatment, major organs can be damaged over a long period of time.

One of the reasons that diabetes symptoms can be difficult to recognize is the fact that they can appear either gradually over a long period of time or dramatically and suddenly. Some of the symptoms that may be noticed include fatigue, frequent urination and excessive thirst. In some cases, sudden weight loss, urinary tract infections and blurred vision may also be noticed.

Due to the fact that diabetes can lead to a number of serious health issues such as blindness, heart disease and nerve and kidney damage, it is extremely important that you be tested for diabetes if you suffer from symptoms associated with the disease. While these symptoms are commonly associated with diabetes, keep in mind that in some cases diabetes presents absolutely no signs or symptoms. Therefore, if you are over the age of 45 or fall into a high risk category, you should make a point to be tested for diabetes at least once every couple of years.

The test for diabetes is relatively simple and quick; measuring the level of glucose levels in the blood. For an accurate measurement the test must be performed in the morning before food is consumed. Pre-diabetes levels typically fall between 100 and 125 while full diabetes levels are indicated by blood glucose levels above 125.

While some diabetes cases may require medication in order to correct the situations, others can be monitored with lifestyle changes, such as weight loss and diet changes.

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Diabetes Type 2 and Artificial Sweeteners

Posted by: Admin  :  Category: Diet

Diabetes Type 2 (adult onset)

Refined carbs/sugars are actually the biggest contributing factor to type 2 diabetes–that is, the type of diabetes people develop later in life. The major contributing factor to type 2 diabetes is eating too many refined carbs. Type 2 diabetes is one of the easiest things for your body to heal. Are you ready? It is so simple. Quit eating carbs. It really is that simple. I have yet to meet anyone who was a type 2 diabetic who could not totally control their blood sugar levels without any insulin just by cutting carbs out of their diet.

All Artificial Sweeteners are Hazardous to Your Health. Like most things, everything starts out as a good idea. When NutraSweet was first invented it was actually made from grapefruit rinds. All the studies were done on this sweetener. It passed with flying colors. Then DuPont bought the rights, examined it under a microscope and chemically made it in a lab because it was cheaper. But there was one problem, this new artificial sweetener is essentially formaldehyde. And at temperatures above 95 degrees (the human body is 98 degrees) the artificial sweetener actually changes to formaldehyde in the body. Formaldehyde is the chemical they use to put into dead people to keep them from rotting before they burry them.

Some people want to argue that it takes large amounts of artificial sweeteners to induce cancer in rats. And in the small quantities the sweetener is found in food it is not harmful to humans. To that I have this to say: I don’t know about you but I don’t want to put anything in my body that causes cancer in any quantity, large or small. Living in the world we do today you are being exposed to toxins that cause cancer. So anywhere I can easily eliminate getting additional toxins, I will.

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Diabetes, But Enjoy Good Food? Try a Diabetic Recipe

Posted by: Admin  :  Category: Diet

Having diabetes certainly limits some of the food you can eat, but with the right diabetic recipes you can still enjoy fine food. Sometimes, it is hard to know what foods are safe for you to eat. For your safety, you and your dietitian should work together to design a meal plan that’s right for you and includes foods that you enjoy. A diabetes diet meal plan is a guide that tells you how much and what kinds of food you can choose to eat at meals and snack times. A good meal plan should fit in with your schedule and eating habits.

Keep in mind that while many diabetic recipes are fairly simple and fast to make, some diabetic recipes may be more complex and take longer. The right meal plan will also help keep your weight where it should be. It is important to gather the right diabetic supplies when planning your diabetic recipes. Whether you need to lose weight, gain weight, or stay where you are, your diabetic recipes will be sure to help.

Some tips on finding tasty Diabetic Recipes.

Fortunately, there is almost certainly to be a diabetic recipe of your favorite food. For example, because of the high sugar content of most desserts, many diabetics felt that they would have to give them up. However, there are many diabetic recipes for desserts that will be safe for people with diabetes to eat. There are also many diabetic safe breads, salads, sandwiches, appetizers, and any other food category you can think of. If you have diabetes and don’t want to give up your favorite foods, try a safe diabetic recipes instead such as a diabetic cake recipe, free diabetic recipe or diabetic cookie recipe.

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Diabetes Management Tips

Posted by: Admin  :  Category: General

Do you or someone you care about have diabetes? This common disease is usually progressive over several years’ time, and it can create many kinds of health problems for those who have it. If you suspect you have symptoms of a diabetic nature, make a list of their type and frequency and let your doctor know right away. Symptoms may include increased thirst and urination, fatigue, and weight loss, among others. The sooner you get a firm diagnosis, the better outcome you are likely to have.

Diabetes results from the body’s reduced ability to make insulin. When this happens, body organs can be affected as the circulation slows, leading to slow wound healing times and loss of feeling in the extremities. Eventually, without treatment, diabetes can progress to organ failure, especially the kidneys and heart, as well as possible blindness, strokes, and other problematic conditions.

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, ask your doctor about a personal management plan. Read all the information you can find about your condition, and ask your doctor any questions about things you don’t understand. It may be helpful to borrow library books or visit online medical Websites to find out how others cope and what types of possible new cures or treatments are on the horizon.

Your doctor may advise you to change your diet to one that is low in sugar, fat, and salt. He or she may want you to begin a daily exercise program unless you already have one. You might have to do finger sticks for your blood sugar each day, perhaps after eating or at others times, to check blood readings. Depending on the status of your disease, you may have to take pills or give yourself daily injections. When your blood sugar levels get too high or too low, you could experience life-threatening complications.

It may be a good idea to wear a bracelet or necklace identification tag, so that if you should happen to pass out or become dizzy from blood sugar changes, someone will know how to help you. Carrying a small amount of sugar in the form of orange juice or a candy bar might be helpful if you begin to feel light-headed or your levels start to drop. Let coworkers and friends know about your condition so they can take appropriate steps if you experience difficulties from your diabetic condition.

Joining a support group could help to relieve anxieties and put you in touch with others who have been where you are. Their experience and insight can help you to adjust with a new diabetic diagnosis or a significant change in your condition. This could be particularly welcome if you are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, since this may impact the status of your diabetes.

Although diabetes is a complex condition and more needs to be known about its development and progress, there is hope and success for many who struggle with the side effects of this disease. Help is available, so don’t hesitate to ask for and make use of it.

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Diabetes – The Basics

Posted by: Admin  :  Category: General

In simple terms DIABETES is the inability of the body to process sugars properly. When we eat or drink our PANCREAS produces a hormone called INSULIN. Insulin is released into the blood and helps to regulate the amount of glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream. Diabetes is a condition where this process does not function correctly. This is due to either:

- No insulin being produced, often called Type 1 diabetes, and requires the sufferer to use insulin injections, or…

- Insulin is produced but the body becomes RESISTANT to it. This renders the insulin ineffective. This is normally called Type 2 diabetes and is rapidly becoming more common.

Latest research shows that 2 in every 100 people have diabetes. Alarmingly half of these people do not even know they have it. Many people have diabetes without being aware of it because someone with diabetes looks no different from anyone else.

Someone can have diabetes for months or even years without realizing they have the condition. The danger is that while diabetes is not immediately life threatening the long term effects of high blood sugar can be damaging to one’s health. Uncontrolled diabetes and prolonged high blood sugar levels can, in later life, cause problems to many organs including the kidneys, eyes, nerves and the heart. This may sound grim, however controlling blood sugar by a combination of medicine, diet and exercise will vastly reduce the long term complications.

The simplest way to check if you have diabetes is to arrange a blood sugar check with your doctor. A tiny sample of blood, obtained by pricking a finger is checked using a small electronic tester. A normal blood sugar level 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 keep the blood sugar level within these limits. The unit of measurement used (mmol/l or mg/dl) will depend on which country you live in.

Diagnosis of diabetes can occur out of the blue during a routine check-up but more often it follows from the sufferer experiencing the “symptoms” of diabetes. These symptoms can be many or few, mild or severe depending on the individual.

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