Essential Information About Diabetes

April 30th, 2008 diabetes Posted in blood glucose monitors, diabetes diets, diabetes drug, diabetes information, diabetes medications, diabetic diets, diabetic meals, diabetic medication, diabetic medications, glucose diabetes, medical billing certification, medical coding Comments Off

It is estimated that globally the number of people suffering from the diabetes disease falls within the range of close to one hundred and fifty million excluding new infections. Health officials basing on the above indicators are now convinced that the diabetes trend now satisfies all the conditions of a full-scale epidemic and hence they have gone ahead to declare it as such, alongside renewed measures to launch a relentless combat assault against it.

In this article, the reader will be treated through an elaborate discussion of the nature of the disease, the causative factors and its management in line with the current information about it.

Diabetes is a chronic disease arising by either the failure of the body system to secrete the hormone insulin. The second factor could be that either the body system generates insufficient quantities of the hormone or in the reverse case the insulin secreted is being resisted by the body, hence an inability of the hormone to discharge its functions. The insulin hormone facilitates the conversion of glucose into readily usable energy for the cells to provide the energy demands of the body.

What happens in an insulin defect is that, instead of glucose being broken into simple sugars to be used by the cellular system, it rather experiences a wholesale spillage into the blood stream thus raising the sugar concentration of the blood.

This state of high sugar content in the blood is termed hyperglycemia. The body system in its quest to restore the internal fluid chemistry to its optimum level goes through the filtration process in collaboration with the kidney (filtration organ). The kidney after going through the filtration cycle then excretes out the excess unwanted sugars through the urinary system.

The inevitable consequence of the deliberate deprivation of the body system of the much needed energy requirement is a woeful drop in energy levels, which is instead needed to serve the body`s combustion needs. Consequently, it then affects the ability of the sufferer to engage in highly physical activities, this is one of the many visible signs of the onset of the diabetes disease.

In the broadest sense, this is about the disease. However, due to the complexity of the disease it is classified into three major categories, in order to increase the chances of managing it efficiently. Depending on whether the body is incapacitated to secrete the insulin hormone or a general resistance by the body system to the performance of the hormone, then it satisfies the classification criteria for either Type I or Type II respectively. A third diabetic group though very subtle is the result of a defect or an anomaly in a pancreatic tissue responsible for the production of the insulin hormone. This state is a result of several factors that can include the side effect of a known malady of the pancreas or a previous experience of trauma suffered by the pancreas.

In any case, both Type I and Type II continue to exhibit similar visible signs such as:

  • High affinity for water, which is not associated with any strenuous physical activity or an increase in external environmental temperatures resulting in perspiration couple with persistent unexplained acute hunger;

  • Progressive general weight loss;

  • A fall in general energy levels;

  • Continues and frequent urinating.

This disease is generally not contagious, which means it cannot be transmitted from a carrier to a non-carrier. In some cases, it is known to be part of genetic condition, and indeed, in recent times unhealthy lifestyles have been identified to be a trigger factor of the disease. Bad eating habits that cause obesity have an intricate connection with a high chance of developing a diabetic condition.

Should you observe any of these symptoms, the wisest action to take is to immediately see a doctor who will order a laboratory fasting plasma glucose test to ascertain your blood sugar level. It is gratifying to note that, though there is no known permanent cure for diabetes it can be rightly managed medically to enable a patient lead a normal live.

Under the limitation of current medical technology, oral medication, advice with regard to proper dietary management, some regular physical exercises, and the administration of artificial insulin are the known treatment choices available to patients to date.

Undiagnosed and untreated diabetes can pose a mortal danger to any body, to this end it is highly recommended that as far as practicable people should seek to know the state of their blood sugar level. It is a sign of responsibility towards our personal health status.

Do you want to know about Natural Cure Of Diabetes? If yes then feel free to visit Diabetic Health Supplement

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Natural Prevention Of Diabetes

April 30th, 2008 diabetes Posted in Diabetes supply, diabetes information, diabetes medications, diabetes nutrition, diabetes test, diabetes testing, diabetes treatments, diabetic blood sugar, diabetic diets, diabetic meals, diabetic medication, diabetic medications Comments Off

Prevention is always better than cure. Many of the known diseases as diabetes can always be prevented at very little cost, if it is going to be measured against the amount spent in treatment. Thisarticle incidentally is based on the wisdom of achieving a healthy life by avoiding the factors that can compel you to seek the help of a doctor. I will dedicate the paragraphs below to discuss each of these principles in full detail.

Adopt good eating habits

We live in a day and age in which junk foods have covered over eighty percent of the shelves of all the known fast food joints. The pressures of our daily activities hardly leave us with any time to responsibly consider what we consume as food. Eating to fill the stomach or grasping anything that looks palatable should not be the deciding factor in your choice of food. Good food should contain a good balance of all relevant nutrients in the right proportions to ensure that after digestion and absorption the body system will derive what it needs to keep it functioning at optimum capacity.

In addition, food should be prepared and consumed under the highest standards of hygiene. This means, where possible vegetables and groceries that are vulnerable to contact from an endless list of pathogens should be properly cleaned before consumption.

As far as practicable, it is recommended that the fat and cholesterol content of our diets should be at the lowest level possible. The connection between high cholesterol in the human system and the vulnerability to cardiovascular diseases has being established beyond thought.

Obesity

In recent times due to poor nutritional information, people consume large quantities of food rich in calories, which the body is unable to use. Examples of such food include, candies, chocolates, sweet cookies, ice creams and a host of others. The human body through its own internal mechanism absorbs just the exact quantity of glucose needed to meet the energy demands of the system. Surplus glucose is converted into fats and stored under the skin layer. Fats pose a mortal danger to the human system when it blocks major vessels and arteries to impede the smooth distribution of blood from the heart to other parts of the body and back to the heart. People suffering from obesity should subscribe to a workable weight loss program, which can begin by getting more nutrition education coupled with the resolve to diligently endeavor to exhibit greater responsibility in matters regarding their diets. Finally, conscious efforts should be put in place to avoid reaching to a state of obesity.

Increase physical activity

Our modern world is driven by mechanization and technology to such an extent that it is increasingly becoming easier to do the very basic things in life with just very little or no effort at all. Inasmuch as the modern gadgets exist to enhance the human welfare, in their extreme stages can bring side effects that are costly to the health of man. As a mater of principle, it is advised that, engaging in regular physical activities such as jogging, walking, swimming etc enable the skeletal and muscular system to be set to work. As these systems work, the energy demand by the body cells to keep pace with the said physical activity, results in the burning of excess glucose stored as fats and increase in blood circulation. As this process becomes a regular routine, then you are reducing your vulnerability to cardiovascular diseases by a significant margin.

Quit unhealthy habits

Alcohol and substance use and their abuse is a major threat to a healthy living. Tobacco as a single entity is known to contain thousands of chemicals; chiefly among them is nicotine that undermines the quality of life a person can live. Statistically, over fifty thousand people globally die from tobacco related complications such as respiratory diseases and cancer every year. People addicted to the more dangerous illicit substances as cocaine and marijuana are known to have an over seventy-five percent likelihood of suffering from mental diseases than non-drug users. Closely related to the drug menace is alcoholism and its attendant social and health problems. Regular alcohol intake puts a strain on the liver, which if allowed to persist can result in serious and even terminal liver infections.

When it comes to matters concerning your health, you cannot afford to make any compromise.

Do you want to know about Natural Cure Of Diabetes? If yes then feel free to visit Diabetic Health Supplement

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D-chiro inositol in treatment of diabetes type 2

April 30th, 2008 diabetes Posted in Diabetes supply, blood glucose meter, blood glucose monitors, diabetes diets, diabetes drug, diabetes information, diabetes medications, diabetes nutrition, diabetes test, diabetes testing, diabetes treatments, diabetic blood sugar, diabetic diets, diabetic meals, diabetic medication, diabetic medications, diabetic socks, diabetic supplies, diabetic supply, free glucose meter, glucose control, glucose diabetes, medical billing certification, medical coding, medical transcription, sugar diabetes Comments Off

Many people have heard about d-chiro inositol as a simply white powder or a simple compound. However, d-chiro inositol is an important component of the membranes of your cells and it is vital doing many biological processes in your body, d-chiro supports a number of essential “signaling molecules” that instruct cells how to behave. D-chiro inositol is an investigational agent that increases sensitivity to insulin. It has shown been promising treating people with less severe diabetes and women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

D-chiro inositol is found in a monomethylated or glycosylated form in legumes - especially in buckwheat -, beans and other plants and in complex structures, such as microorganisms. If you eat food containing d-chiro inositol, you will reduce efficiently high blood sugar levels.

D-chiro inositol has proven to influence the action of insulin in women who have insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia due to a d-chiro inositol deficiency. The amount of this one in muscle has been shown to be lower in subjects with type 2 diabetes than in normal people. However, there is one big problem; D-chiro inositol is not commercially available, neither as a drug nor as a nutritional supplement.

D-chiro inositol supplementation is generally well tolerated. Gastrointestinal effects such as nausea or diarrhea are occasionally reported with high doses used. However, no toxicity has been reported.

Nevertheless, pregnant women using d-chiro inositol may stimulate uterine contraction.

People affected by depression may suffer symptoms of bipolar disorder because of this agent, if you are taking antidepressant such as: fluoxetine sertraline, paroxetine, fluvoxamine and italopram, is recommended that you ask for doctor advise, the same with 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor agonists, such as sumatriptan, because d-chiro inositol might increase the depression effects.

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Bad Food for Diabetics - Have You Excluded Them From Your Diet?

April 16th, 2008 diabetes Posted in diabetic blood sugar, diabetic diets, diabetic meals, diabetic medication, diabetic socks, diabetic supplies, diabetic supply Comments Off

There’s no one diet for diabetes. General guidelines exist, such as “eat less fat and saturated fat” and “eat more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.” Your diabetes meal plan must be based on your individual needs. When it comes to what to eat and what not to eat for diabetics, advice is abundance. With so much well meaning advice from various sources, it can be difficult to determine what food you should be including as part of your diabetic diet. Instead of what we should eat, why don’t we start with the types bad food for diabetics?

Basically, a diet low in saturated fat with well controlled blood glucose levels that incorporates weight control, exercise and fewer refined sugars is recommended. Controlling blood glucose levels with diet, and in some cases medication, is the key. To keep blood sugar levels under control, a diabetic diet strikes a balance among the carbohydrates, fats, and protein you take in. In addition, a 1,500-calorie diabetic diet restricts calories and fat. These fruits helps to control blood sugar, levels. Due to their low glycemic index, they promote a gradual increase in the blood sugar level which is highly beneficial to diabetics.

Carbohydrates encompass a broad range of foods, including table sugar, fruits and vegetables, and grains such as rice and wheat. Carbohydrates (be it potato or table sugar) typically take from five minutes to three hours to digest, whereas protein takes three to six hours and fat can take eight or more hours. That’s why different foods have different effects on blood sugar, such as why ice cream (higher in fat) raises blood sugar levels more slowly than potatoes. Carbohydrate choices should come from whole grains breads or cereals, pasta, brown rice, beans, fruits and vegetables. Increasing dietary fiber is a general guideline for the entire population rather than specifically for people with diabetes. Avoid simple, processed, and concentrated carbohydrates. Highly processed carbohydrates in packaged food such as, fast food, white bread, and white flour products, have a high glycemic index that causes spikes in sugar levels. Sugar and refined carbohydrates are undeniably linked to diabetes.

Beware of sugar-free cookies and other products made for diabetics. Even though they’re sugar-free, they may contain trans fats or have more fats than their sugary counterparts. Sugary foods are fattening. Many foods that have a lot of table sugar are very high in calories and fat. Sugar-free candy as well as as other products using the term “sugar-free” should be evaluated for total carbohydrate content. Sugar alcohols, though listed by their weight content within the food as listed in the Nutrition Facts panel, are not metabolized (broken down and used for energy) the way true sugars are.

If you have alcoholic drinks on an empty stomach, they can make your blood glucose level go too low. Alcoholic drinks also can raise your blood fats. Many people do not realize that milk can raise the blood sugar, because it doesn’t taste sweet?, but it does contain lactose, which will turn to glucose. One container of sugar free, fat free yogurt is also equal to one carb choice.

Eating good quality foods that are high in nutrients and fiber can help normalize blood sugars. Working with a doctor and being vigilant about diet can make a difference in the long-term health of a person living with diabetes. Eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables may satisfy sugar cravings without jeopardizing sugar levels; the fiber in fruits, vegetables, and grains can regulate how quickly sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream.

The ideal diet for people with diabetes aims to maintain a balance between sugars, fiber, fats and salt. No foods are completely forbidden but some foods, especially sugars, fats and salt need to be consumed in restricted quantities. Learning about Diabetes and making the right lifestyle changes, can help you maintain blood glucose and blood fat levels as close to normal as possible, as well as maintaining a reasonable body weight. All of these factors will help you to reduce the risk of developing the serious complications of Diabetes. Fat should be removed before cooking.

Following diabetic restrictions does not mean boring and mundane diet. Knowing what to eat and how much is the key to a healthy diabetic diet. Visit FreeRecipesForDiabetics.com to get free recipes for diabetic diet, meal plans, diabetic food grocery list as well as diabetic diet tips.

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Diabetes Treatment With Vitamins

April 16th, 2008 diabetes Posted in Diabetes supply, diabetes diets, diabetes drug, diabetes information, diabetes medications, diabetes nutrition, diabetes test, diabetes testing, diabetes treatments, diabetic blood sugar, diabetic diets, diabetic meals, diabetic medication, diabetic medications, diabetic socks, diabetic supplies, diabetic supply, free glucose meter, glucose control, glucose diabetes, medical billing certification, medical coding Comments Off

Diabetes is tagged as the silent killer disease. This is due to the fact that almost all of the patients suffering from this disease rarely know that they have it at all. Diabetes rarely exhibits symptoms. More often than not, patients would feel nothing wrong with them. There won’t be notable changes in their bodies and so they never address the disease until after it is too late.

Right now, there are quite a number of medications that were developed to manage the effects of diabetes in a patient. However, the actual cure is yet to be found. Medical doctors around the world claim that the medicine that could totally wipe out this disease is still in the development stages.

Since doctors can’t fully assure their patients that they can treat them from diabetes, people are constantly looking and trying other methods of treatment. Currently there are a number of natural remedies for diabetes out in the market. But still, the most effective of it all are vitamins and minerals.

Patients don’t die due to diabetes. It is the complications of the disease that affect them most. And this is exactly where vitamins play a very crucial role. Adding the right types of vitamins to your diet would provide you with relief from diabetes and its symptoms. Hopefully, you can maintain that healthy condition throughout your lifetime.

Vitamins C, E, A, and B are very good for diabetic patients. Each of these vitamins has their own role to play inside the person’s body. These vitamins could help a lot in regulating sugar production and energy exertion.

Vitamin C for Diabetes

Vitamin C is the vitamin that can save cells from dying. Diabetes doesn’t really cause death. What brings rise to a severed medical condition are the complications of the disease. The role of Vitamin C for diabetes patients is to prevent cells from converting sugar into sorbitol, which is another type of sugar but in alcohol form. The build-up of sorbitol in the body could lead to kidney and nerve damages.

Diabetes Treatment with B Complex Vitamins

If there were one disease that could be treated by the B complex Vitamins, it would be Diabetes. Almost all B complex vitamins contribute in alleviating its nasty effects in the body. Niacin, folic acid, thiamin, and Vitamin B6 play a role in converting starches and sugar to energy. Deficiency of the B vitamins would only cause increased sugar content in the body. A complete B vitamin supplements should help your body in managing the disease.

As such, it is strongly recommended that foods rich in these vitamins should be taken regularly. Eat good amounts of fruits and vegetables to ensure that your body gets the necessary nutrient you need each day. However, it is also important that you tell your doctor the type of diet you are following. Doctors need to monitor a diabetic’s food consumption and weight for better disease management.

Examples of food items that you should take are green leafy vegetables, fruits, wholegrain, nuts, and dairy products. Ask your doctor how much and how often you can eat these foods. It should depend upon your body mass index and your way of living.

Vitamins are the perfect supplements of the commercial medicines that your physician prescribes. Keep in mind that full recovery form diabetes is attained faster if you continue taking your prescription medicines and not abandon them in favor of the natural remedies.

The author is the owner of VitaminBag - http://www.vitaminbag.com For more information about vitamin treatments for Diabetes visit http://www.vitaminbag.com/treatment/diabetes.aspx .

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What Doctors Don’t Tell Diabetics About LDL Numbers

March 31st, 2008 diabetes Posted in Diabetes supply, diabetes diets, diabetes drug, diabetes information, diabetes medications, diabetes nutrition, diabetes test, diabetes testing, diabetes treatments, diabetic blood sugar, diabetic diets, diabetic meals, diabetic medication, diabetic socks, diabetic supplies, diabetic supply, sugar diabetes Comments Off

American standards of medical practice dictate that almost every diabetic will eventually be placed on a cholesterol-lowering statin drug, as soon as blood tests come back with an LDL number over 100 mg/dl two times in a row. But most diabetics, and many doctors, don’t realize that standard blood tests don’t even measure LDL, they estimate it.

While the numbers diabetics get with the lab reports tell them total cholesterol, HDL, and triglycerides, the LDL number is a guestimate. That’s because low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is lighter, bulkier, and harder to measure directly, so labs make a quick and dirty approximation as follows:

Total cholesterol - HDL - 1/5 of triglycerides = Estimated LDL.

We tend to think of cholesterol as either HDL (”good”) or LDL (”bad”), but there is also another form of cholesterol, VLDL, or very low density lipoprotein. Cholesterol is actually an essential substance, not a poison. Every cell in the body is lined, in part, with polymers made with cholesterol. Brain tissue requires enormous amounts of cholesterol. Cholesterol protects the “insides” of cells from oxidating chemicals “outside.”

Most of the body’s cholesterol is made in the liver. Only about 15 per cent, typically comes from food. Larger, lighter particles of cholesterol are progressively stripped down and used, VLDL to LDL to HDL, but only the LDL can become oxidized and trapped in the linings of blood vessels. And not all the LDL poses an atherosclerosis risk. The form known as apo-B can form plaques. Apo-A does not.

But how does this explain why diabetics are so often prescribed statins for cholesterol?

Let’s say you take your diagnosis of diabetes seriously, and you work hard to get your sugars down. You diet, you exercise, you take medication. You lower your blood sugars and your body has less excess glucose to turn into triglycerides.

Let’s take another look at that equation:

Total cholesterol - HDL - 1/5 of triglycerides = Estimated LDL.

If you lower your triglycerides, you raise your estimated LDL.

That would be fine if VLDL always equalled 1/5 of triglycerides, but it doesn’t. As you get better and better control over your diabetes, your LDL estimates are going to appear to go up, whether there’s more LDL in your bloodstream or not. Many diabetics are prescribed statin drugs they don’t need because it’s easier to write a prescription than to run another blood test.

Be forewarned that direct measurement of your LDL can cost more than all the other blood tests for your diabetes exam put together. If the test comes back that you do not really need a statin, however, the blood test pays for itself in about four months–and you will not be needlessly exposed to any side-effects of statin drugs. Even better, a doctor who takes the trouble to measure your actual LDL is far more likely to respect all the effort it takes for you to control your blood sugars.

 

Robert Rister also wrote Could Curcumin Lower Cholesterol? and Red Yeast Rice for High Cholesterol

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What Doctors Don’t Tell Diabetics About Fats And Carbs

March 29th, 2008 diabetes Posted in diabetes nutrition, diabetic diets Comments Off

If you recently have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, chances are your nutritional advice has fallen into one of two mutually exclusive categories:

  1. Eat fewer carbs. Your body turns almost all carbohydrates into glucose either quickly or slowly, so to get your blood sugar levels down, eat less carbohydrate.
  2. Eat more carbs. You have diabetes because you are overfat, so replace the fat in your diet with carbohydrate.

It’s enough to make you wonder if doctors and nutritionists really know how to treat diabetes, but there is, despite what you may hear from true believers in one kind of diabetes diet or another, value in both approaches.

The idea that diabetics should eat less carbohydrate makes inherent sense. Diabetes is a condition in which either the body is not making enough insulin or insulin does not work effectively. If you are not going to inject insulin or take drugs that sensitize cells to insulin or use medications that force the pancreas to produce more insulin, it makes sense to give your insulin less to do.

In type 2 diabetes, at least in the earlier stages, the body can produce insulin slowly, but not fast enough to take care of a “dump” of carbohydrate from a high-carb meal. For these diabetics, it makes sense to eat a different kind of carbohydrate, the more slowly digested carbohydrates associated with low-glycemic index foods like whole grains and vegetables. Even whole grains and vegetables, however, add up, and there are no “freebies.” Too many turnips can raise blood sugars as much as too much cake, only much more slowly.

But what if you ate almost no carbohydrate at all? Wouldn’t this be even better for getting blood sugars down?

There is a growing number of doctors and diabetics finding success with diets that allow 1/10 to 1/5 as much carbohydrate as suggested by the American Diabetes Association. The body still needs insulin to move glucose into cells, because about 23 per cent of the amino acids in high-protein foods are eventually transformed into sugar. The body does not need as much insulin, however, and blood sugars do not swing up and down as they do on high-carb diets, even “good carb” diets. And fats do not turn into blood sugar.

The problem comes when diabetics try to mix the two approaches, eating both high-fat and high-carb, or alternating high-fat and high-carb. If you eat a meal that’s mostly carbohydrate, the liver will sense raising blood sugar levels and stop converting its stores of glycogen into even more glucose. If you eat a meal that is high in both fat and carbohydrate, the liver will not sense the load of glucose and stop releasing sugar. This is because the liver is “blinded” to glucose levels by the fatty acids released in the digestion of fatty foods.

A high-fat meal can cause excess production of glucose by the liver for as long as seventy-two hours. And in those seventy-two hours, elevated levels of sugar in the bloodstream can “turn off” muscle cells in ways that make them less sensitive to insulin the next time the diabetic eats any kind of meal, either high-carb or high-fat.

This principle is why both vegan raw foods diets and Atkins-style diets work for getting blood sugars down, provided any food that is consumed is consumed in moderation. The good news is, diabetics who manage to keep both blood sugar and blood fatty acids low for 72 hours begin to repair insulin sensitivity, sometimes to the level of people who do not have diabetes, whichever approach they use.

Robert Rister also wrote Have Scientists Discovered a Diabetic Fat-Burner? and Reduce Risk of Diabetes by Eating Veggies.

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