Medical News

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is basically low or no insulin being produced by the body. Insulin is a hormone that transports nutrients like amino acids (Protein) and glucose (blood sugar) into cells. Do you know that 67% of the people with diabetes eventually die from heart attacks? If you really think about it diabetes is not a disease, it’s a symptom.

Now I have been telling people for years that diabetes can be cured but nobody seem to listen to me. Doctors have been telling their patients that there is no cure for diabetes, they both right and wrong at the same time, they are right in the sense that diabetes cannot be cured by modern medicine all that modern medicine could come up with was insulin shots and that does not solve the problem, that’s just a quick fix.

A scientist called Dr Robert O. Young has made a discovery that is sending shock waves around the world; he has discovered that the major cause of diabetes is our modern lifestyle. Now let us take a closer look at diabetes, as I said earlier diabetes is low or no insulin being produced by the body, which organ is responsible for producing insulin?

The pancreas, the pancreas has cells called the beta cells that actually produce insulin and over the year’s saturated fat and uric acid forms a layer around the beta cells destroying it which stops producing insulin and in turn causing diabetes. The amount of beta cells destroyed and the amount of insulin being produced will determine whether one has Type I or Type II diabetes, the pancreas is situated just below the stomach area and is therefore the next organ in the digestive process and we are torturing the pancreas by the junk that we put into our body.

Our bodies are recreating new cells every year and we get the raw materials to create new cells from the food we eat therefore by just eating the right nutrition at the right times and exercising regularly we can help the body recreate new beta cells which will eventually stabilize the insulin levels in our body and cure diabetes. Exercise helps to lower the blood sugar level in the body which in turn will reduce the amount of insulin required. Exercise also helps to strengthen muscles the heart and reduce stress.

There are people out there who suffered from Type I diabetes where their body did not produce any insulin at all and have cured themselves of diabetes in has little has 3 to 4 months just by eating the right nutrition at the appropriate times and exercising regularly.

Diabetes is a disease where the blood sugar level is higher because of insulin deficiency, or insulin is not acting accurately. Insulin was the hormone produced by the pancreas that allows body to smash down glucose in with blood to be converted as energy.

Diabetes can be developed during pregnancy period of woman who has not previously had the condition. This is also known as gestational diabetes, which is affecting almost two percent of pregnant women. Pregnancy diabetes can lead to problems for the mother and the baby if not controlled properly.

For the period of pregnancy, varieties of hormones obstruct the natural act of insulin which helps to assure for the growing baby to get enough glucose. Body requires to generating lots of insulin to cover the changes. Pregnancy diabetes will then built up when the body can’t gather the extra demand of insulin needed by the pregnant woman. Diabetes pregnancy typically begins in the second trimester of the pregnancy period, and it will be gone once the baby is brought to life. If it doesn’t go away after giving birth, it is possible that it developed into another form of diabetes.

Gestational Diabetes Symptoms

This form of diabetes does not generally produce some symptoms. Nevertheless, there are times that you may experience the symptoms of hyperglycemia such as; frequent thirst; recurrent urination; and exhaustion. Nevertheless, these said symptoms are as well usual in a normal pregnancy.

Pregnancy or gestational diabetes isn’t a direct hazard to your health. Though, badly managed gestational diabetes can put you at a high risk various problems that includes; pre-eclampsia; premature labor; and an excess of amniotic fluid. This can also cause a higher risk of mounting diabetes type two later on.

High blood glucose level can trigger the baby to get bigger, that results to difficulty in delivery. This will produce troubles for the mother and the new born baby. The baby may suffer hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) after birth because the baby makes extra insulin to take action to the mother’s above normal blood glucose level. Treatment

Find a special clinic in which the health providers are skilled in taking care of pregnant women with the disease. It is very much important to manage the sugar level if you are identified with pregnancy diabetes. That meant recurrent testing of the blood glucose levels, keeping up active and a carefully planed diet.

Your specialized physician will give you recommendation for testing, how often will you check, and how can you get the blood glucose level that you aim for. A specialized dietician will also give advice on how to eat and the meal plan for the patient to use it as a guide.

To prevent diabetes, healthy lifestyle choices reduce the risk from getting type 2 diabetes if you had once gestational diabetes. Aim to eat enough balanced diets, exercise regularly, and maintain the minimum weight that fits for your height.

Hence, it is like that your blood glucose level will keep on higher even though you had changes your lifestyle. If this happens, it may need insulin injections. Your physician or specialize nurse will help you understand and train to do and achieve it.

Have you ever looked at a child who is suffering from signs of diabetes? Can you judge that child is diabetic? Can you see signs of diabetes in children?

I know the answer is no. On looking at the child one can never judge that person is suffering from diabetes.

But the things which we cannot see are really bad!

This chronic ailment increases the amount of blood sugar. The sugar in blood if remain elevated for a longer period of time then complications like kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, amputation and other nerve damages start to set in. The quality of the life of the child depends on the ability of the parents to recognize symptoms of child diabetes at their earliest.

Unfortunately child diabetes has reached to epidemic proportions. It is predicted that incidence of this chronic and deadly disease will continue to rise. Unluckily it is hard to identify the signs of diabetes in children. Read the given list so you can better understand why these symptoms of child diabetes are not easily recognized.

Signs of diabetes in children

Excessive Urination: The parents generally think that their child is drinking plenty of water

Frequent Urination: The parents’ often confuse and think their child is drinking a lot; so he is urinating more.

Recurrent Infections: Generally parents consider that this is the part of childhood.

Blurriness In Vision: The vision of the children gets blurry but they are unable to explain this to their parents. Sometimes even they are unable to feel that something is going on with their vision.

Slow Healing Wounds and Cuts: Simply the parents think the injury was deeper one and it will take comparatively longer time to heal.

Numbness and Tingling In Feet and Hand: Once again this symptom of child diabetes is ignored by the parents and children. Children are unable to explain the weird feeling in their extremities to their parents.

Unexplained and Sudden Weight Loss: If the child was previously overweight then this symptom of child diabetes is welcomed by the parents otherwise the parents think the young one is going through the growth spurt.

Mood Swing or Irritability: This is generally blamed as child and parent confrontation. Some parents of teenagers think that it is the integral art of teen years.

It is also important here to keep in mind that all of these signs of diabetes in children may not be obvious at once. One or more symptoms of child diabetes are enough to take you to the doctor’s office.

Influenza is more dangerous for diabetics than it is for others. Why is this so? Any kind of sickness raises blood-sugar levels in diabetics. In fact, an Illness can prevent a diabetic from eating properly, which further affects blood-glucose levels. Diabetes compromises the immune system by causing people to become more vulnerable to severe cases of the flu, (Centers for Disease Control (CDC)). Diabetics who contract the flu usually get very sick, a lot sicker than other people who get the flu. In many cases, diabetics with the flu end up in the hospital.

People with diabetes can help keep themselves safe from the flu by getting a flu shot yearly, provided that they are not allergic to it, like many people are. The flu is definitely not good for everyone. Many people complain of getting sick after taking the flu shot. However, for the most part, it is very good in preventing the flu. It is recommended that everyone with diabetes, even pregnant women, should get a yearly flu shot, and the best time to get one is in October or mid-November before the flu season begins, (CDC).

According to the CDC, if one has diabetes, a flu shot can be the difference between life and death. In addition to the influenza vaccine, diabetics should also get the pneumococcal vaccine along with the Tetanus/Diphtheria (Td) Toxoid vaccine. All measures should be taken to stay as safe as possible from infections.

There are some important measures one can take to avoid getting sick. Washing hands regularly is a very good practice in stopping the spread of influenza and other infections. One should avoid contact with sick people. Influenza for example is thought to spread from person-to-person through coughing, sneezing, or contact with infected people. If one is feeling under the weather, the CDC recommends that one should stay home from work or school to limit contact with others to keep them from getting sick also.

Regardless of the circumstances, diabetics should continue taking their medications (pills or insulin), even if they cannot eat while sick with the flu. Health care providers may at times advise diabetic patients to take more insulin during sickness, depending on the situation, (CDC).

Very close supervision should be employed by diabetics when they are experiencing any form of sickness. Here are some critical steps to follow in the case of illness: test blood-glucose levels every hour–all results should be recorded and monitored; drink extra (calorie-free) liquids, and try to eat normally; if eating normally isn’t possible, eat soft foods and liquids containing the same amount of carbohydrates one normally consumes; weigh oneself every day-losing weight without effort could be a sign of high blood-glucose; and check body temperature every morning and evening–an onset of fever could be a sign of infection, (CDC).

One should call her or his health care provider or go to the emergency room if any of the following occurs: feeling too sick to eat normally-unable to keep down food for more than 6 hours; episodes of severe diarrhea; losing 5 pounds or more; body temperature is over 101 degrees F; blood-glucose is lower than 60 mg/dL or remains over 300 mg/dL; experience moderate or large amounts of ketones in urine; feeling sleepy or unable to think clearly; and having trouble breathing, (CDC).

Diabetics have to be extra careful when it comes to the flu because diabetes itself compromises the immune system of diabetics. Therefore, prevention of the flu is the best medicine. Although the flu shot doesn’t agree with everyone, it is still the most effective remedy against the flu. So, all efforts should be made in getting a flu shot every year.

Please visit the CDC for more information on diabetes and influenza.

There has been a 500% increase in Type 2 Diabetes in the last generation with the cause being Insulin Resistance in over 90% of these cases. In the United States we are experiencing an Epidemic of Type 2 Diabetes. In 2004 the Center for Disease Control (CDC) made a forecast that children in the US, born after 2000, would have a 30% likelihood of developing Diabetes during their lifetime.The likelihood of becoming diabetic increases to 50% in children that happened to be Black, Hispanic or Native American. This trend will cause a catastrophic affect on our nation’s health and on our healthcare system. To illustrate this point one has to take into consideration the effects on an individual’s health as a result of developing Type 2 Diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes is the Leading Cause of:

• Adult blindness
• Amputations
• Kidney Failure
• Neuropathy – nerve damage in the extremities
• Cardiovascular disease
• Premature death

Is prevention or even reversal of Diabetes possible?

People who develop diabetes have a 90% chance of developing type 2 diabetes or adult-onset diabetes mellitus. This does not happen overnight, in fact it takes decades for this condition to develop. Due to poor lifestyle choices: improper eating habits, lack of aerobic exercise and poor nutrition, we become less and less sensitive to our own insulin. Next we develop Insulin Resistance which in turn develops into Diabetes and if left uncontrolled will develop into Type 2 Diabetes. In fact, 90% of the individuals that develop Type 2 Diabetes did so because they had a lifestyle that caused them to become Insulin Resistant. The effects of this progression is devastating to our health and will hasten several degenerative diseases, destroy our quality of life and will result in premature death. That’s the BAD NEWS, now for the GOOD NEWS.

It is important to note that Type 2 Diabetes is also the most preventable of any type of diabetes. Not only is it preventable but it can be naturally controlled and even reversed. More Good News is that the lifestyle choices that caused this condition to occur, can be reversed and the body will respond naturally to your new lifestyle changes. More of the Good News is that this devastating process is reversible at just about any stage in this process, even if the individual is already diabetic.

Dr. Ray Strand author of Healthy for Life, calls these lifestyle changes the Triad of Healthy Lifestyle:

1. Heathy eating (diet) – not a starvation diet but health eating choices,

2. Modest and consistent aerobic exercise,

3. Nutritional Supplements – what is referred to as Cellular Nutrition,

Note: The Triad of Healthy Lifestyle will be covered in detail in a future article or you could purchase and read Dr. Strand’s book, Healthy for Life.

Dr. Strand along with many other medical professional and nutritional advisors have all experienced the same results when these lifestyle changes as they are put into practice by their patients and clients. Over a period of 18 to 24 months there is a huge improvement in the quality of life and health. Everybody experienced an improvement in the conditions and effects of their diabetes. Many individuals were even able to reverse the insulin resistance, thereby reversing their diabetes.
Understanding Insulin Resistance

It is critical that you have a clear understanding about Insulin Resistance: what causes it, the results from developing it, how it is linked to Diabetes and can it be reversed. There is much to understand about this subject and it needs to be addressed in another article to do it justice. I will be submitting an article titled: Does Insulin Resistance Cause Diabetes. The Good News is yes, it can be reversed.

Summary:

Well, that’s the Bad News and the Good News when it comes to Insulin Resistance and Diabetes. It is my goal to increase your understanding on this critical healthcare issue. I urge you to continue your research and increase your knowledge on these subjects. Then with your new found knowledge I hope you will make lifestyle choices that will have a positive impact on your health and well-being.

Remember that this article was an overview on this subject. I will be submitting a followup to this article titled: Does Insulin Resistance Cause Diabetes. This article will go into more detail on understanding Insulin Resistance and how it is linked to Diabetes. I also will be writing more articles in the near future that will go into more detail on each one of these important healthcare issues.

I have been researching and increasing my knowledge on healthy lifestyle issues over the past 20 years and I continue to learn more all the time. I hope that through sharing this knowledge in these articles, that it will make a real difference in the lives of many individuals.

Low blood sugar is medically termed as Hypoglycemia, and is considered a high-risk condition that needs medical attention right away. Although the extremes of age are most commonly affected by hypoglycemia, it can affect anyone at any age or health status.

The normal serum glucose level, or simply the sugar level in the blood, is 70 mg/dl. Anything significantly below that is considered hypoglycemia. When the sugar level goes down up to 50 mg/dl, a person is already considered to be in critical state.

Hypoglycemia occurs in the body because of several factors. The more common ones that do not require immediate medical attention are missed meals, alcohol use, and lack of rest and sleep. Hypoglycemia in these cases is usually resolved by sugar or glucose intake (by simply eating, of course), detoxifying, and getting more rest. This is because the glucose is needed by the body to function, so lack of proper nutrition and sleep could deplete sugar levels, which can easily be raised by eating.

The more serious factors that cause Hypoglycemia are medical in nature, such as overmedication with insulin, or the body’s auto-production of insulin, which is the hormone that breaks down sugar. Too much insulin starves the body of its needed glucose for proper functioning. Cancer, certain medications, kidney and liver failure, and congenital conditions affected insulin production are all serious and require regular medical supervision.

The first warning sign of low blood sugar is extreme hunger. This sign should not be ignored, and the hunger must be given attention right away. A hypoglycemic person’s heart rate will be rapid, and they may break out into a cold sweat, with skin turning a pale, grayish color. Headache, irritability are other signs. The most drastic signs that could mean grave danger are drowsiness, weakness, inability to walk, blurred vision, seizures and loss of consciousness. These symptoms mean that the brain has already been affected by the lack of glucose in the body.

Hypoglycemia is best treated by an endocrinologist, the same medical professional who treats diabetes, which is quite the opposite of low blood sugar.

It’s known that hypertension itself significantly increases these risks, too. Unfortunately, the two diseases often go hand-in-hand and more then two-thirds of people diabetics also suffer from high blood pressure, HBP. As a result they have a compounded risk of various medical conditions.

LifeWire – It’s common that people with diabetes with all the attention paid to blood glucose level overlook closely associated medical condition – Hypertension.

A Lower Blood Pressure Goal for People with Diabetes

Health care providers usually recommend diabetics will keep their blood pressure, BP, even lower than most adults under 130/80 mm/Hg. According to the recommendations of Diabetes Association (ADA) people with diabetes should get their BP checked at least two to four times per year.

Lifestyle Changes for High Blood Pressure Control

The only good thing about diabetes is that the lifestyle changes to help control HBP and diabetes are pretty much the same. Additionally these help control blood cholesterol levels, too.

• Diet

The recommended diet for people with diabetes include: a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lower-fat proteins (dairy, fish and nuts), and unsaturated fats. Since carbohydrates can contribute to the elevated blood sugar level attention must also be paid to carbohydrate consumption. But, all over, this is the same basic diet that is effective for diabetes management.

The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet plan recommended for controlling HBP puts the same emphasis on fresh and low fat food choices. Additionally it also limits sodium consumption to only 2,400 milligrams per day. That way the DASH diet help in controlling both diabetes and high blood pressure.

• Exercise

The required modifications in lifestyle recommended for diabetes pretty much similar to those for hypertension. A brisk walk for 30 minutes for five days per week can help manage and reduce risk for both conditions.

• Weight Control

Excess weight and obesity significantly raises the risk for both diabetes and hypertension. Achieve calorie balance – if you take in the less number of calories a day that you usually burn to maintain a daily activities will help you lose the extra pounds and achieve your optimal weight. This will help control both conditions.

• No Smoking

Smoking is a powerful risk factor for heart disease — and both diabetes and HBP raise the risk of developing heart disease – if you are diagnosed as diabetic, it’s crucial to stop smoking as soon as possible.

Medications May Be Required

Although these lifestyle changes help vast majority of people control high blood pressure and/or diabetes, in some cases even the most sincere efforts at lifestyle modification won’t be enough to take control of your blood pressure. In such cases, your doctor may recommend taking medications.

According the long experience in treating HBP and diabetes it’s have found that most diabetics have to take more than one medication to control high blood pressure.

WHAT IS DIABETES? WHY DO WE NEED TO CUT DOWN OUR SUGAR INTAKE?

As we know, millions of citizens all over the world have tried to let go of their mouth-watering and tasty sugary products. People don’t have any option but to leave their in-taking of sweets because their health is at risk. That is why doctors tell diabetics to shun away from sugary foods to prevent unhelpful reactions. Insulin is a substance that breakdown our sugars into tiny particles to be able to maximize by our body to produce fuel and energy, so we can do our day to day activities. When glucose builds up in the bloodstream, the cells become starved for energy since they do not have access to the glucose and in short term and long term frequent glucose build-up speeds the acidity of the blood, hurting several of the body’s organs, such as the eyes and kidneys.

TYPES OF DIABETES

Gestational diabetes could occur in women who are the age 24 years old or older, but certain women have increased risks in developing gestational diabetes. Nerve damage can cause your hands and feet to hurt, tingle or feel numb. The two key types are the Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. Type-1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes since it affects children. There are many types of diabetes and each one differs from each other. Finally, the pancreas can weaken from working overtime to create more insulin and can no longer be able to create enough to keep a person’s blood sugar levels in a regular range.

DIABETES TREATMENT

To help your condition, eating healthy and sustaining a balanced diet will help you feel better. With correct treatment, people who have type 1 diabetes can expect to live longer and healthier lives. For type 2 diabetes, begin by eating healthy foods, and include physical activity in your every day routine and continue a healthy weight. Stay at a healthy weight and maintain a good body weight will help you keep your body going and have better energy levels.

ALTERNATIVE DIABETES CURES THROUGH THE HERBAL WAY

If diabetes is not treated, it could lead in complications like renal failure, impotence, hypoglycemia and a nervous breakdown. Once we struggle taking in sugar, diseases like diabetes may be at hand. Although this can mean future medications, there are other possible ways on how alternative diabetes cures could help you. Carbohydrates can be found in foods like pasta, rice, cereals, bread and potatoes. To name a few herbal cures, people who use bitter melon (ampalaya) or momordica charantia usually use these cures imported from the Orient. As we all know, it is still true that prevention is always better than cure. In order for the glucose to get through inside our cell, it needs the help of insulin (which is produced by the pancreas).

Does anyone out there have type 2 diabetes? Not to be confused with type 1 diabetes, which is basically juvenile diabetes. Type 2 normally comes on later in life. It stinks but it’s main cause is being overweight (yes, I am a little overweight myself). As you gain weight through the years, fat settles in around your pancreas, squeezes it therefore causing it not to produce or put out insulin like it’s supposed to do.

The only solution, besides surgery, is to LOSE THE WEIGHT! I hate diets as much as the next person but if your life depends on it, you’ll think long and hard about it. Don’t think of it as a diet, just focus on eating healthy, making good choices and before you know it you’ve dropped a pant size or maybe two.

After this happens your pancreas will start to relax and all of the sudden guess what, you don’t need a pill or insulin shot to control your blood sugar. You feel better. You have more energy. You can get out of bed without hitting the snooze fifteen times. It’s truly a life changing event.

The most important thing to do is don’t stress out about it. What does stress do, for many of us, it makes us eat more and proceeds to skyrocket the scales. So just relax, take it one day at a time and keeping up with your eating habits won’t feel like a job. It will be just a normal way of life.

My final thoughts: For those of you out there with type 2 diabetes or who may be at risk, please take care of yourselves. Get checked and do what the doctors tell you to do. Unfortunately, there will come a time in the life of most diabetics where they will be faced with tough decisions. All you have to do is manage it and you will beat it!