The Diabetes Manager

Archive for December, 2008

Even though the recognized and simple tests have the ability to pick up high blood glucose levels, the results can be guaranteed without having one of several blood tests done in a laboratory to be completely sure either way: the more consistent tests are the fasting blood sugar test and, if necessary, the oral glucose tolerance test. Your results are assessed with your symptoms. If there are no major symptoms, you need a repeat blood test carried out on a different day.

Detecting Diabetes Symptoms

The accepted way to diagnose diabetes is by way of clinical blood tests. Under normal circumstances, diagnosing type 1 is quicker than type 2, simply because the signs and symptoms are generally more serious and develop much faster. For some people, detecting type 2 diabetes only happens when you notice an early sign of diabetes or similar issues. A perfect example is when problems with your eyes that get detected during an eye test.

Your symptoms of diabetes will be detected in the lab through a series of diabetes test: an arbitrary blood sugar test, a glucose drink tolerance test and a starvation glucose exam. The urine and fingerprick tests are not sufficient, in their current structure, to substantiate whether you have diabetes.

For a blood glucose result of 6 to 7 millimoles per liter, your levels are most certainly above average, but still below danger levels that would signify diabetes is the reason. The local doctor will cover the exact meaning of your results and what you need to take away from them.

Where Do You Go From Here

One of the main aims of diabetes care is to prevent long-term complications, so during the first 3 months from being diagnosed, the doctor will encourage you to sit frequent tests and check ups to keep an eye of your overall well being and that you’re successfully managing your diabetes. The test date is your 12 monthly test date, now known as you annual review date. If any potential issues are highlighted at your review, you can quickly receive the relevant type 2 diabetes diet plan suggestions.

Monitoring Your Body Mass Index

Your body mass index (BMI) is calculated. This tells you if you’re the correct weight for your height.

Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is particularly common in people with Type 2 diabetes. In the event that you suffer prolonged periods of high blood pressure, it will be suggested that you take various drugs to lower it.

See a Foot Doctor

Your health care provider can check your blood circulation from your feet and nerve supply and will help you take good care of your feet.

Testing Your Eyes

They look for blood vessel damage behind your eye using either a special eye camera or an ophthalmoscope.

Any More Tests?

Blood tests are performed to check that the thyroid, liver and kidneys are working efficiently, and your blood fat ratio is healthy. They will then do a HbA1c test which will determine what your blood sugar levels were during the last 2 months. You’ll also need to perform a urine test (a possible sign of early kidney damage).

After being diagnosed with diabetes, there are a whole host of lifestyle changes to consider, medicalinstructions to take into account, and

unfamiliar health care equipment to get a grasp of. Self-injections can be scary, not to mention having to learn different ways to eat. It can

be challenging, but there are paths you can take to

come up wth diabetes control solutions and make living with diabetes a little less stressful.

Don’t

panic. Increaseing stress is bad for your blood sugar and panicking only compounds the

situation. Stay relaxed,and in control. Request precise instructions on how to keep your diabetes under control can

also be useful. Ask him or her to include directions

on diabetic menu, medication, home blood sugar testing, and any other items you might

require.  Ask lots of questions from those in charge of your care. Don’t

assume anything as assumptions often get people in trouble!

Follow your doctor’s advice  by going to

your appointments, making sure you take your medicine on time, maintain good blood sugar levels and follow all directives, including those from ancillary specialists. If you ever feel your concerns aren’t being addressed, feel free to consult another doctor. 

Have a vision consultation as soon as possible.Glaucoma is a possibility when you have diabetes. Schedule an appointment with an ophthalmologist or optometrist who specializes in diabetic care. They can give you different glaucoma treatment options.  Keeping your blood sugar under control, after diagnosis, will lessen the chances of any serious ocular damage. get a cholesterol exam so that you can mitigate future problems. Diabetic nutrition can be tricky but it is manageable. If you need help with your diet consult a nutritional specialist. The right diet could be even better than medicine. Contact a dietician who has diabetics as a specialization.

Have your feet checked foot damage to the nerves can occur with diabetes making it harder for sores to get better. Have a look at your feet every day to make sure there is no redness, numbness, pain, cracking or any other type of discomfort.

Make sure your blood pressure is at a good level as complications resulting from high blood pressure include congestive heart failure and heart

disease. A program of diet and exercise

will also be helpful. Overweight individuals can have more severe diabetes

with added complications.

Be sure to get an influenza vaccine as your immune system may be

compromised by diabetes.  Obtaining pneumonia, influenza, and/or hepatitis

B vaccinations is highly recommended.

Have your cholesterol levels checked so that you can

maintain your cholesterol at good levels to help avoid future complications. Avoid lots of

carbs and sugar, we all love

our sweets, however sugar and carbohydrates have an adverse effect on blood sugar levels.

Maintaining a relatively sugar-free diet combined with regular exercise can be a great combination. Diabetic health can be a

hard thing to maintain but try to have at a minimum thirty minutes of daily exercise.

Walking is a great start and besides being fun anyone can do it.

Support groups can be a great help so join one if you can. The

experiences of others can be a great encouragement and help you

realize that you are not alone. They can help you to be strong! If you make a commitment to

control your diabetes, living as a diabetic will become easier. In no time at all, will be a

normal part of your life and you will adapt.

Type 2 diabetes occurs in the blood when the body is unable to produce enough insulin. People with this type of disease have to take insulin shots to break down the glucose and raise their insulin level. Suffers have to watch what they eat and develop a nutritional type 2 diabetes diet. A proper diet, as well as exercise and weight management will reduce the effects of type 2 diabetes. Excercise and losing weight will help you control type 2 diabetes. At any rate a type 2 diabetes diet can help reduce this disease.

Eating healthy can benefit anyone, whether they have diabetes or not. A type 2 diabetes diet simply reduces some of the foods that cause a rise in your glucose levels. A good place to start is by reducing simple carbohydrates. You should strive to eliminate refined carbs completely from your diet. Replacing them with complex carbohydrates and fibers are what you should. Consuming more simple carbs will help your body from having to produce insulin as quick. These types of foods include fibers, fruits and vegetables. Because they are rapidly broken down and easily digested by the body, they are excellent for type 2 diabetes diet. Diabetics will have a simpler time with this food because the insulin demand for these foods are low.

20% daily intake of protein is optimal for a type 2 diabetes diet. You do not want to eat more than 20% though. An essential component of a diabetic's diet is somewhere between 10 and 20 %, which is optimal. Fiber is also an important part of your diet. You should try to eat no less than 20 grams of fiber each day.

Additionally your daily caloric consumption should be less than 30% for fat intake. You should not eat more than 10% in saturated fats in any nutritional diet. The idea is to keep your type 2 diabetes diet as lean as possible. Saturated fats are prevalent in a lot of foods we eat particularly fast foods. The fewer saturated fats that are eaten will make you healthier and they are the best way to lose weight too.

You can simply treat type 2 diabetes. It is not easy to make a lifestyle change like exercising and eating properly. To achieve a goal of eliminating diabetes you should motivate yourself to become healthier.

Changing eating habits and beginning an exercise program has been proven to be an effective method of preventing the development of pre-diabetes. Also called impaired-fasting glucose, pre-diabetes is reversible; that is, sugar levels can be returned to normal with medication, diet, and exercise, meaning that a diagnosis means you can do something to ward off impending, full-blown diabetes. But, what exactly is pre-diabetes? It is the precursor to developing type 2 diabetes and refers to higher than normal glucose content in the blood.

The same risk factors for diabetes also hold true for pre-diabetes; that is, your race, your age, and your weight, to a lesser extent. Because persons of African, Native American, Latino, and Asian descent tend to have the predisposition towards diabetes, their race will also make them prone to developing pre-diabetes. Age plays a role, as the older you are, the more likely you are to develop pre-diabetes, especially if you fall into any of the previously mentioned racial groups.

Doctors can tell if you are pre-diabetic by performing two standard tests, namely the fasting test (FPG – Fasting Plasma Glucose) and the glucose tolerance test (OGTT – Oral Glucose Tolerance Test). The results of these tests will confirm whether you have pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, or if you are diabetes-free.

The FPG test is normally done in the morning, and the patient is advised not to eat anything after 10 PM the previous night. A higher-than-normal reading for the FPG is an indication that you have been insulin resistant for a while.

OGTT, the glucose tolerance test, is used to measure your blood glucose level after an overnight fast, but unlike the FPG, you are also given a glucose drink two hours after the test. Your blood glucose levels are then checked two hours later; if the range is between 140 and 199 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter), you will be considered pre-diabetic. These levels are also an indication that you may develop type 2 diabetes later on. 

If you are tested positively as having pre-diabetes, it is important to take annual tests so that you catch developed diabetes in its early stages. Early diagnosis is the easiest way to get the disease under control before too much damage has been done to vital organs.

Consistent diet and exercise can restore blood sugar levels to normal ranges. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends just thirty minutes per day of exercise, in addition to losing weight to help prevent the development of diabetes. Preventing or delaying the onset of diabetes is your responsibility; make the lifestyle changes necessary to improve your health today.

To learn more go to Diabetic Diet and at Managing Diabetes

Diabetes is a growing problem in most developed nations. Larger percentages of people are learning to live with diabetes. All these new diabetes cases are threatening to overwhelm the healthcare systems of these countries.

The key to diabetes avoidance is diet and exercise. A normal weight and plenty of exercise go a long way in avoiding the disease.

Avoidance aside, the next best thing is early detection of the disease. Not surprisingly, the sooner it’s diagnosed, the easier it is to treat. You are able to avoid medication and manage their condition through careful eating and consistent exercise.

Common diabetes signs include:

• Constant need to urinate. Increased urination is a problem because the glucose in the blood floods the kidneys. The kidneys use more water to eliminate the glucose, requiring many trips to the toilet.
• Constant thirst. unsurprisingly, diabetes patients are often thirsty. Constant urination is usually the cause, as the body seeks to replace the water taken out by the kidneys.
• Unwanted weight loss. This doesn’t always happen, but losing weight without trying is usually a sign that something’s incorrect in the human body. With diabetes, it can be due to the body breaking down muscle and fat cells for energy.
• Feeling fatigued and weak. Again, many diseases cause you to feel tired.
• Tingling in the limbs. As high sugar damages the nervous system, the patient develops neuropathy, problems with the limbs.
• Double vision. Excess blood sugar can affect the eye. Blindness and other eye problems are possible with untreated diabetes.
• Healing problems. Diabetes can make it more difficult for a body to heal. Cuts and infections can take longer than normal to heal.

If you suspect you might have diabetes, don’t hesitate! Go see your doctor. A simple blood glucose test will quickly tell the doctor if are at risk of developing diabetes. The sooner you know, the better off you’ll be in treating the condition.

Many people know that sugar and diabetes go hand in hand, but that’s about the extent of most people’s knowledge of the disease. With a healthy person, the body needs glucose in order to function properly, but sometimes it is unable to process the amount of sugar it receives from our diets. When the body is unable to process sugar efficiently, the person develops diabetes. Recognizing the symptoms of the disease at its earliest onset will help in effecting the necessary treatment.

Statistics just released by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that the prevalence of diabetes in the US population is expected to increase by at lease twelve percent by 2050. This figure becomes daunting when you realize that this represents an estimated 48 million people. However, you do not need to be a part of this statistic if you start eating right and exercising.

There are three types of diabetes mellitus:

• Type 1 diabetes
• Type 2 diabetes
• Gestational diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is the type of diabetes where the body is unable to produce any of the insulin it needs to function. Type 1 is an autoimmune disease; that is, the body is turning on itself. With Type 1 diabetes, it does this by destroying the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Once these cells are destroyed, the body can no longer produce insulin. Persons with Type 1 diabetes have to take insulin daily for the rest of their lives. Type 1 diabetes used to be known as juvenile diabetes because it is found most frequently in children and young adults.

Type 2 diabetes

This was formerly referred to as adult-onset diabetes, but even children can have type 2 diabetes.  With this type of diabetes, the body produces some insulin, but not as much as it needs to regulate sugar levels.

Gestational diabetes

This type of diabetes only affects pregnant women, hence, the name. It normally occurs late in a pregnancy and results from the hormonal changes taking place.

Risk factors for diabetes

Although genetics plays a role in determining who will develop diabetes, there are other factors that may indicate that you are at risk. These risk factors include being overweight, an inactive lifestyle, and your age. Hormonal fluctuations in pregnancy also increase your risk of developing diabetes later on.

Symptoms of diabetes

The main signs of diabetes include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Increased thirst and hunger
• Increasing need to urinate and increased quantity of urine produced
• Blurry vision
• Minor cuts and scratches take longer to heal than usual
• Losing weight without any apparent reason
• Being constantly tired

Treatment of diabetes

Typical treatment for diabetes includes:

• Medication (primarily insulin)
• Controlling and lowering your blood pressure
• Lowering your cholesterol levels (especially LDL)
• Exercising
• Losing weight

Changing lifestyle habits can be hard, but it is necessary if you get a diagnosis of diabetes. Being told that you have diabetes does not mean that your life is over, so take heart. What it means is that you must now pay attention to what you eat and increase your level of physical activity.

To learn more go to Diabetes And Pregnancy and at Information On Diabetes

There are a number of Acts that address the issue of discrimination against children and others with disabilities, especially in regard to education. In addition, you can help stop discrimination by educating the people who make decisions concerning your child. Sometimes situations of discrimination might arise out of the simple fact that many people aren’t aware of what they’re doing or saying. In many instances, the rights of the diabetic are abused simply out of ignorance.

Rights of the diabetic child

Sadly, the diabetic child may face challenges at school and at daycare just because of the condition. The diabetic child may be prevented from participating in sporting events even if they are good at what they do. 

The best way to deal with discrimination against the diabetic child is to educate the school or daycare community. The biggest reason for discrimination is normally a lack of knowledge. Once you let the offending parties know how to care for a child with diabetes, the issues should be put to rest. However, there will still be those who are afraid that something may go wrong and therefore prohibit the child from taking part in certain activities. In these instances, you may need mediation or even legal intervention. 

Discrimination and the diabetic adult

Workplace discrimination is one of the biggest challenges faced by the adult living with diabetes. Some adults may be bypassed for a promotion simply because they are diabetic and their employers feel that this may affect their performance.

Most, if not all, workplace anti-discrimination laws should address discrimination based on diabetes. However, you must be able to prove that discrimination really occurred and that it happened as a result of your illness.

Diabetics can operate a motor vehicle as safely as anyone else; the fact that a few may have complications while driving is not reason enough to discriminate against them. If someone with diabetes applies for a driver’s license, his or her case should be treated individually. What applies to one person living with diabetes does not necessarily apply to another. Not only do diabetics encounter discrimination when trying to get permission to drive, many also face it in the workplace as well.

People with diabetes have the right to own and operate a motor vehicle. Each individual should be assessed and medical records provided to highlight their medical history, as it concerns problems related to their illness. Only based on such a report should a decision be taken whether or not to issue a driver’s license.

Fight against discrimination by educating employers and school officials about diabetes and any complications that may occur. Fear is the driving force behind some of the discrimination diabetics face daily. Once others understand and know more about diabetes their attitude may well change. If all else fails, seek legal representation to protect your rights. Getting the assistance of people in the political arena to call for new legislations is also another great way to protect your rights.

To learn more go to Diabetic Diet and at Natural Cures For Diabetes

With proper management, the diabetic can successfully compete and excel in almost any sport he or she chooses, and in fact, physical activity can be good for keeping weight in check and overall health levels at good ones. Some of the sporting world’s most celebrated athletes have been diabetics. Arthur Ashe, Ty Cobb, and Joe Frazier are just three famous sports people. However, athletes with diabetes must make their coaches and other relevant personnel aware of their health status.

Athletes with diabetes compete in a wide variety of sports, including marathons, cycling, and football. What these athletes do, as should any person with diabetes wanting to compete in sports or exercise, is take responsibility for their disease. Taking responsibility means doing the following:

• Testing your blood sugar before you start playing and right after you stop
• Test every half hour while playing if the activity is intense
• If your blood sugar levels are too high, avoid playing until you have lowered them through medication
• Do not play immediately after eating.  A one-hour delay is advisable in most cases
• Wear proper-fitting shoes as diabetics tend to have poor circulation

The diabetic athlete needs to form a partnership with their doctor, trainers, and others that directly impact their activities. Coaches and first aid personnel need to know the symptoms of complications that can affect a diabetic athlete, such as hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. Believing that an emergency situation will never happen is irresponsible and can place others in a frightening situation while making them powerless to help you or control the problem.

The diabetic athlete should be in tune with his or her body, recognizing every signal that it sends. Seek medical help if you feel that something is wrong; it’s always better to err on the side of caution. It is a good idea to get a medic alert bracelet so that help can be given if the need arises. Getting the support of your doctor is necessary, as he or she can provide you will valuable medical information. Becoming involved with support groups can be a great source of encouragement, especially if you are an adolescent.

To learn more go to Diabetes Center and at Diabetes Support Group

No one, no matter how young or old, likes to hear that they are diabetic, but the truth is, diabetes strikes all different sorts of individuals and sometimes, without any warning or pattern that people can avoid. A positive diabetes test result is also difficult for your loved ones to hear and can be hard to cope with. However, being responsible for your own health despite having diabetes means you can still live a long and fruitful life.

Diabetes will impact other areas of your health if you do not control your blood sugar level. Everyone knows that diabetes can affect eyesight, result in poor circulation that can lead to foot problems or amputations, but it can also cause dental problems as well. Additionally, living with diabetes means that you should be aware of how it can affect your ability to drive, perform certain jobs, and even how you are tended to in case of a medical emergency or hospitalization.

Other health issues

Other issues of concern to the diabetic are their dental health, skin care, weight issues, and hospitalization. Not many diabetics realize that the illness can affect their teeth. The diabetic who practices good dental hygiene and keeps his or her blood sugar levels normal is at little risk of having major dental problems. Because of the special needs a diabetic has, if you are hospitalized for any reason, you need to ensure that hospital personnel knows your status. Wearing a medic alert bracelet can make the difference between life and death in the event of a medical emergency.

How to live with diabetes

The first step in learning to live with diabetes is learning all you can about the disease.  Armed with this knowledge, you can plan your life and activities to ensure that you control diabetes and let it control you. Once you have accepted the fact that you have diabetes, you need to be determined to do whatever you can to live a normal life. Having diabetes does not mean that you cannot have a family, play sports, or have a career of your choice.

A schedule is important to a diabetic who wants to be proactive in dealing with their illness. This means having set guidelines as to what are safe foods to include in meals and how much daily exercise is necessary. Also, to be able to access current, up-to-date information on diabetes, people with the illness should keep resource websites in a special place. Getting a meter to test your blood sugar level is also necessary.

To learn more go to Diabetes Nutrition and at Diabetes Support Group

Many people think that meals for the diabetic must be unappealing and unappetizing, but nothing could be further from the truth. Diabetics can eat pretty much everything the non-diabetic can. The difference in what a diabetic eats lies mostly in portion size. Also, it is advisable that the diabetic stick to a routine in terms of the time they eat and meal sizes, as any significant change can lead to unwelcome side effects. These side effects include lower- or higher-than-regular glucose content in the blood, which can have serious medical repercussions.

The diabetic should include lots of whole grain, vegetables, and fruits in lieu of simple sugars, (such as pastries), starches, and fats. In fact, these dietary guidelines are worth being used by anyone who wants to lead a healthier lifestyle, especially those wanting to lose weight.

Another dietary change that some diabetics may need to pay attention to is calorie counting. Counting calories is especially helpful for diabetics who take medication to keep their sugar level in check. Beginners should get the help of a dietician or nutritionist to learn how to count calories properly and the best combination of foods for each meal time.

Eating properly can make a diabetic feel limited and chained to habits they don’t necessarily enjoy by choice. A diabetic must eat certain foods and avoid others, but avoiding resentment at the constraints can be difficult. Mealtime for the diabetic can be livened up and made more exciting by using the exchange-system diet plan. This system allows for interchanging or replacing one food within a predetermined group for another of similar nutrients from the same group; that is, a potato for a cob of corn.

To reiterate, the most important parts of the diabetic’s diet are:

• Having set mealtimes, even for snacks, eating at the same time each day
• Eating the right-sized meals
• Eating a well-balanced meal, incorporating foods from all food groups as per the diabetic food pyramid. The diabetic food pyramid, unlike the regular pyramid, groups foods together based on their starch and fat content. As such, starchy vegetables are grouped with starches instead of other vegetables.
• Reducing your intake of fats and sugar
• Eating smaller portions

To remain healthy and keep blood sugar levels constant, the diabetic needs to follow their meal plan ensuring that they eat a nutritionally-balanced meal. The diabetic food pyramid is a great guide to use in determining what food groups to eat from and in what proportion. Diabetics should also eat smaller meals than they would under normal circumstances, all the while ensuring that their caloric intake is adequate.

To learn more go to Diabetes Center and at Diabetes Information