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Understanding Type One Diabetes

August 22nd, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

Glucose is a simple sugar, monosaccharide, which is deemed as the most critical carbohydrate in terms of providing energy for biological functions. In the human body, glucose works with the body’s insulin, a hormone, which in turn helps to build glucose transporters to the cells within the body. This glucose enters the cells and provides the necessary energy for the health of each individual cell.

If this process is inhibited, in regards to the production or use of insulin, an individual is said to have a diabetic condition. If the body is unable to utilize the insulin that is produced by the pancreas it is called Type Two Diabetes. If the pancreas produces zero amount of insulin this condition is known as type one diabetes.

Often type one diabetes is seen in children and younger adults. For this reason, type one diabetes was often referred to as Juvenile Diabetes. Type one diabetes, although a serious condition, is a disease that can be managed. Therefore, it is important to know how to identify this disease, being aware of the complications of this disease when left untreated and understanding the treatment involved.

Knowledge Is Power

If your family has a history of diabetic conditions it is important to know what the early warning signs are of type one diabetes. This information can be gained from your medical professional, library or searching the vast resources available through the Internet.

Early warning signs of type one diabetes can include frequency of urination, an insatiable thirst, severe hunger, unexplained weight loss, weakness and malaise, blurry vision, irritableness and vomiting. If you or your love one exhibit these early warning signs of type one diabetes it is important to get medical attention as soon as possible.

Complications

If left unchecked and untreated, type one diabetes may lead to more severe complications. Those complications may include disease of the heart, stroke, damage to the kidneys and possible blindness

Treatment

Because there is no production of insulin by the pancreas, the treatment for type one diabetes is introduction of insulin to the affected individual. Available to the affected person suffering from type one diabetes are over 20 types of products that provide the needed insulin to the individual.

These varying types of insulin products are designed to meet the individual lifestyle and medical condition of those with this malady. The attending physician will prescribe the appropriate insulin product that best suit the diabetic’s need. Those variables include the level of the person’s blood sugar, how soon the insulin begins to go to work, what are the peak times that insulin is required, the duration at which the insulin remains effective with in the body, etc.

Having Your Cake And Eating It Too - Diabetes And Sugar

August 20th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

High levels of sugar and diabetes don’t mix. If you have diabetes and miss the sugar in your former diet then consider looking into sugar substitutes or sugar-free candies so that you can have the sweetness of sugar and control your diabetes more easily at the same time. For those who are newly diagnosed or are worried about whether or not they may have symptoms of diabetes, you can visit endocrineweb.com for more information on the disease itself.

Sugar Is Not Completely Taboo

Although doctors used to say that people with diabetes couldn’t consume sugar and sweets at all, the no-sugar stance has softened. People now understand that the human body breaks complex carbohydrates like starches down into the form of sugar usable by the body, glucose, as part of the normal metabolic process. If you eat grains, corn, or bread for example, it will be converted glucose in the end. It’s just a matter of how quickly it enters your bloodstream.

What this means is that you can have diabetes and still enjoy sugar in the form of donuts or chocolate bars. However, you must maintain strict blood glucose levels by cutting back on others foods and taking insulin. Always, always consult your doctor first and ask if your diet can be adjusted and how to go about it safely.

Sweet Sugar Substitutes

You may be leery of going back to pure sugar and want to avoid common sugars like fructose (fruit sugars) or sucrose (table sugar). If you are, consider trying a sugar substitute instead. Common substitutes like Nutrasweet or saccharin can replace sugar in your coffee or tea.

However, neither Nutrasweet nor saccharin is suited for baking or cooking. On the other hand, Splenda (chemical name: sucralose) can be used for making baked goods, but it still doesn’t work quite as well as real sugar. Just be aware that some Splenda products do have sugar in them, so read the label carefully.

Another option to consider is a sugar alcohol like mannitol and so forth. While sugar alcohols do partially convert into sugar, unlike Nutrasweet, saccharin and Splenda, the amount is fairly low and much of the sugar alcohol remains in an unabsorbed form. Sugar alcohols are usually used by manufacturers of candies and so forth.

Be warned: If you consume a candy or food product containing a sugar alcohol, it may cause cramping, bloating, or other intestinal upset. In summary, diabetes doesn’t mean the end of your life, and it shouldn’t keep you from enjoying your favorite things. If you practice moderation, follow your doctor’s instructions, and take your medication, you can have your cake and eat it too.

A Few Common Signs Of Diabetes

August 18th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

Diabetes mellitus may occur and yet, there may be no symptoms and Type 2 diabetes is a slow developing form of diabetes. It is common for people to have it for many years, before it can be diagnosed. Even when symptoms do manifest them, they will vary from instance to instance, though two symptoms are frequently spotted in people and these are higher thirst as well as urinating frequently. The reason behind these signs of diabetes is excess glucose circulating in the body which sucks from water from tissues and causes a person to feel dehydrated. The result is that a person needs to drink a lot of water in order to quench this thirst and that in turn, causes a person to urinate frequently.

Warning Signs Of Diabetes

Warning signs of Diabetes Mellitus are flu-like symptoms, weight gain or loss, blurred vision; slow healing sores or recurrent infections, nerve damage and red, swollen and tender gums. Diabetics may often feel like they have been struck with a viral illness that results in fatigue, weakness as well as loss of appetite. This sign of diabetes emanates from when sugar is unable to reach the patient’s cells and leads to tiredness as well as weakness.

The next sign of diabetes is weight gain or weight loss, which happens when the body tries to compensate for lost fluids and sugar and results in the patient eating more than usual and the opposite may also happen. It can also happen that the patient eats more than is required and yet loses weight because his or her muscles do not get enough glucose as is the case with Type 1 diabetes.

When a person has high levels of blood sugar, it causes the fluid to be pulled out of the tissues of the body that includes the lenses of the eyes and blurred vision is yet another sign of diabetes. Treating diabetes and lowering the blood sugar should help restore vision, but diabetes may even cause blindness.

Another sign of diabetes is that it will affect the patient’s ability to heal as well as ward off and fight infections. Because of diabetes, women may have bladder and vaginal infections. The consequences of excess blood sugar can be devastating for diabetics and another sign of diabetes is when there is loss of sensation or tingling feeling in the hands and feet, which may be the result of nerve damage. Damage to the nerves that help produce erection in men can cause sexual dysfunctions in males and this is another sign of diabetes.

Diabetes insipidus is another diabetic condition and also results in excessive urination and feelings of increased thirst but is not the same as diabetes mellitus. The main cause of this type of diabetes is not blood sugar but a hormone disorder that does not allow the kidney to retain and conserve water.

Preventing Pre Diabetes

August 16th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

pre diabetes is a condition where a person has glucose levels that are higher than is normal but not high enough for diabetes to be diagnosed. pre diabetes is a step before type 2 diabetes, a disease that brings plenty of health complications and requires lifestyle changes and constant management for a person to have a good quality of life. The scary thing about pre diabetes is the lack of symptoms. A person may never experience anything that would make them think that something is amiss. However once symptoms such as increased thirst, blurry vision and unexplained fatigue develop you could already be suffering from diabetes.

Get Tested

The only way to tell if you have pre diabetes is though testing. There are currently two tests that you can take to determine if you have this condition. The fasting plasma glucose test or the oral glucose tolerance test will tell your doctor if you have pre diabetes. This simple test will then help you take preventative steps against developing type 2 diabetes. Although some people may only be able to delay diabetes, in most cases it is possible to prevent diabetes. Anyone who is in their mid forties and overweight should take either of these tests to determine their blood glucose levels.

What To Do Next

If you find that you do have pre diabetes there are steps that you can take to stop the onset of diabetes. In fact once you find out you have pre diabetes you should do something about it. This is because you have the chance to completely prevent diabetes from occurring. One of the first steps to take is to increase your physical activity.

Rather than the usual 20 minutes three times a week that is commonly advocated, 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five times a week is advised. Continuous physical activity that can be done everyday is better than occasional vigorous exercise. Activities such as power walking, swimming, light aerobics or even dancing are good starting points.

Another step you should take is to target losing five to ten percent of your total body weight. Losing weight can be very daunting and especially frustrating if you have tried before and never reached your ideal weight. The key here is to take things slowly. Although you may not be able to reach your ideal weight in the short term a loss of five pounds is helpful at this stage.

Once you have lost the first few pounds use it as motivation to keep going knowing that you can keep losing small amounts of weight. It is very important to try and do all you can to lose weight and keep active once you have a diagnosis of pre diabetes. If you are pro active and continue to take care of your health it is possible to reverse your blood glucose levels to a normal range and completely bypass the possibility of diabetes.

Juvenile Diabetes Symptoms - The Facts

August 14th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

Juvenile Diabetes Symptoms are often not recognised due to misconceptions and myths about this disease. People often confuse Juvenile Diabetes, which is actually type 1 diabetes, with late onset diabetes that is type 2 diabetes. People often associate diabetes with obesity and bad eating habits. However Juvenile Diabetes is not cause by lifestyle habits such as poor diet and physical inactivity. The cause of juvenile diabetes is still unknown but it is known to result when the body attacks the beta cells that produce insulin. Once this happens the body stops producing insulin and the symptoms have a relatively quick onset.

What To Look Out For

As mentioned earlier, juvenile Diabetes Symptoms are completely different from the type of diabetes affecting adults. One of the first symptoms of juvenile diabetes is frequent trips to the bathroom. When the body stops producing insulin there are increased levels of glucose in the blood. To get rid of all this excess glucose the kidneys then respond by producing more urination.

The second symptom to look out for is an increase of water intake. A child who is frequently making trips to the bathroom will feel thirsty all the time and so to counteract the first symptom will drink more water than usual. It is easy to miss these two symptoms as you might think your child is going to the bathroom all the time because of all the water he is drinking when in actual fact the opposite is true.

The most obvious symptom of juvenile diabetes is dramatic weight loss. You might think that a child who has an increase in weight would have diabetes. Obesity and diabetes are links found in type 2 diabetes. Weight loss in a child suffering from juvenile diabetes is due to insufficient levels of glucose being used to feed the cells in the body. The body is starving. Another symptom that is linked to weight loss is constant hunger. Because the body is not being fed your child will be complaining of being hungry all the time.

Immediate Testing

Juvenile diabetes symptoms happen very quickly and develop over a period of weeks and months. If such a sudden change in behaviour happens it is best to have your child screened immediately. This is because left untreated juvenile diabetes symptoms can be deadly. Even if you may feel like you are overacting a combination of the above symptoms is an indicator that something is wrong with your child.

Four Tips On Managing Diabetes

August 12th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

Diabetes is a medical condition that involves the pancreas and its secretion of insulin. Specifically, for the individual who is suffering diabetes, there is an unacceptable heightened level of glucose within the bloodstream. This extreme level of glucose is due to the inability of the pancreas to manufacture the appropriate amounts of insulin or the body’s rejection of insulin provided by the pancreas and liver. Insulin is the hormone that properly breaks down the glucose within the bloodstream so that the individual cells within the body can utilize the glucose for energy.

Those who have diabetes are called diabetics. This malady can range in severity within the diabetic. If a person has Type Two Diabetes, control of the condition may be managed. In type one diabetes the injection of insulin is indicated.

Regardless of what level of diabetes the diabetic may be experiencing, there are ways of managing diabetes. Those managing actions, in addition to the possible use of medication, are oversight by medical professionals, diet, exercise and engaging the mind.

Medical Care

The first critical step in managing diabetes is to be under the care and supervision of a medical professional. Diabetes is a serious disease regardless of the severity of the disease. Without proper oversight of medical professionals the diabetic’s condition may worsen and complications may lead to the loss of eyesight, extremities or the individual may experience diabetic shock. Diabetic shock can be deadly.

Once the severity of the diabetes has been established by the person’s physician, treatment will follow. This treatment may require the injection of insulin.

Diet

Other medical professionals that will aid in managing diabetes are dietitians. These clinicians can suggest a dietary plan to aid in managing diabetes. Generally, these diets are personalized and take into consideration the age, gender, profession and condition of the diabetic. A diabetic’s diet generally consists of wholesome foods such as pasta is grains, cereals, fruits, vegetables. Not only will a Diabetic Diet control the sugar intake but also will help to aid in weight control.

Physical Activity

Another important factor in managing diabetes is making sure that the diabetic adheres to a regular physical activity program. Physical activity that requires no exercising equipment and can be accomplished regularly is walking.

In addition to being a natural form of exercise, that can be accomplished in the early or evening hours, walking can be accomplished throughout the day. Often, by taking the stairs instead of the elevator or walking to a grocery store will meet the exercise requirements to manage diabetes.

Adhering to a daily routine of exercising will help to managing diabetes by keeping the weight under control. Also, the increased level of exercise will help to control blood sugar levels and benefit the cardiovascular system of the body.

The Mental Aspect

When managing any illness it is important not to neglect the power of the mind. Giving attention to your mental state is just as an important component in managing diabetes as is diet, exercise and being under the care of a physician.

Ways to keep positive about your treatment and keep you on track include the use of mental exercises such as manifesting and affirmations. Also, the best defense is a good offense. Therefore, learn all you can about diabetes. You will find that this will help you to overcome any fears associated in living with this condition. Also, seek out the support of diabetes support group.

Juvenile Diabetes Symptoms - The Facts

August 8th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

What To Look Out For

Immediate Testing

A Chronic Disease Called Juvenile Diabetes

August 8th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

Many people know about type 1 diabetes but do not know about Juvenile Diabetes. In fact, Juvenile Diabetes and type 1 diabetes is one and the same. This type of diabetes is called juvenile diabetes because it starts during the childhood. The number of children suffering from juvenile diabetes is growing everyday.

Why Is The Juvenile Diabetes Dangerous For Children?

This root cause of this disease is actually originating from the malfunction of the autoimmune system of the body. The Beta cell in the body, which are produced in the Isles of Langerhans (pancreas) die or are too weak to produce the required insulin for the body. This is the direct result of a failure of the autoimmune system of the body. Hence, the juvenile diabetes is actually an outfall of the autoimmune system in a child.

Once the diagnosis is made, the problem is over. Insulin shots would be prescribed to regulate the sugar in the body of the juvenile diabetes patient, who will then lead a completely normal life. The patient usually is administered insulin by a family member – the child will sometimes need up to five shots per day to regulate the glucose in the body.

Of course, once the children are diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, they will need to be fed a special low starch and carbohydrate diet, to avoid sudden increase of sugar in the blood. The good news is that once the diet is controlled properly, the dependence on insulin becomes minimal.

Insulin was discovered in 1920 and it has become ever since a boon to diabetic patients all over the world. It is always advisable to have an information card in the pockets of the child (or in the form of a laminated id around the neck worn in the inside of the regular clothes) saying that he/she is suffering from juvenile diabetes and in case of any emergency the doctors should be aware of the fact.

Often, over-cautious parents tend to cut off the entire sugar intake, causing hypoglycemia where the child may faint, be delirious or go into coma. At that time, if the child is given insulin then this can cause death. Hence, it is a good idea to be very careful about the diet the child follows.

Maintain a healthy balance of sugar in his/her diet and have the sugar levels tested often. The insulin dosage should be given accurately and on time. Be in constant touch with the child’s doctor (or your family doctor) until you understand and master the problems caused by juvenile diabetes.

Gestational Diabetes Can Have Lasting Effects

August 6th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

Often considered the third type of the illness, Gestational Diabetes typically has its onset during pregnancy. While its effects may be reduced or disappear following giving birth, if left untreated during the pregnancy can cause harm to the fetus as well as to the mother. About two to five percent of pregnant women experience a temporary affect of gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

Expectant mothers who have Gestational Diabetes may experience increased thirst, excessive urination and other similar symptoms to Diabetes Mellitus, and the patient’s blood sugar should be tested frequently by the prenatal medical team. High levels of insulin getting to the fetus can cause large babies but has not been associated with birth defects.

Most defects manifest within the first trimester while the typical onset of gestational diabetes occurs during the second trimester. A woman may considered being at risk for gestational diabetes if they have had it during a previous pregnancy, the mother’s age, a family history of Type 2 diabetes mellitus or a previous pregnancy that result in an infant with a birth weight over nine pounds. In a majority of cases women with gestational diabetes develop Type 2 diabetes later in life, even if it seemed to have disappeared after giving birth.

Testing Needed For Accurate Diagnosis

A woman who is at risk for developing gestational diabetes should be tested between weeks 24 and 28, even earlier if there are more than one or two risk factors present and especially if they have experienced it during a previous pregnancy. There are a couple of glucose challenges physicians can use to determine if this form of diabetes might exist, before extensive testing is used for positive diagnosis.

There are a few risks associated with gestational diabetes for the infant including macrosomia, an increased baby weight, as well as jaundice, respiratory distress syndrome, low calcium and levels of magnesium as well as the increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life. For the mother, the risks include the potential to develop Type 2 diabetes later as well as high blood pressure.

If a physician determines the presence of gestational diabetes treatment will depend on the health of the mother, along with age, weight and the mother’s preference to treatment. It could consist of diet and exercise along with daily monitoring of blood sugar levels and in severe cases, insulin injections. Maintaining a set level of blood sugar as the aim of any treatment regimen.

Cooking Healthy With Diabetic Recipes

August 3rd, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

Healthy eating is important to everyone, but especially to people with diabetes as failure to maintain and appropriate blood sugar level can have disastrous effects on their health, creating long-term problems. Many with the disease realize the need for healthy eating and use diabetic recipes during all their meals.

One of the toughest aspects of preparing diabetic recipes is converting to the lifestyle and as with most diets people may fall off them occasionally. Being on a diet to lose weight can be hard enough, but being on a nutritional diet due to diabetes can be hazardous to your health if you fail to maintain your proper balance of foods.

One of the keys to being on a strict diet is understanding that sugar is sugar regardless if the source is added sugar or through sugar naturally occurring in foods. Over time this knowledge will help you make intelligent choices concerning your foods and the condiments you use on it as well as how to exchange different items in the food groups to maintain eating nothing but diabetic recipes.

Plan Meals Around Health Needs

Planning diabetic recipes is not that much different than other types of meals, with the obvious exception of greatly reducing the caloric and sugar content in the foods going into the meals. How many calories allowed per day will be determined by you and your doctor ad whether you need to lose weight, stay the same or maybe gain weight. What types of food in your diet will also be determined by the same three factors, but with diabetic recipes certain types should be avoided.

Since diabetes involves controlling the amount of sugar in the blood stream, reducing your sugar intake is a primary consideration in diabetic recipes as well as the starches and other naturally occurring food ingredients that your body converts into the sugar. Sure, it is great to have something sweet occasionally, and just about everyone can, as long as it is planned as part of diabetic recipes included into your diet.

Eating whole grain foods is better for you than processed foods, regardless of the reason it is part of your diet, as whole foods are processed by your body faster and more completely than processed foods, such as rice. Brown rice is highly recommended more than the processed white rice, regardless of what it is being used for, such as part of a main dish or a side dish.