Diabetes

Meaning Of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus ( or ; or )—often simply referred to as diabetes—is a condition in which a person has a high blood sugar (glucose) level as a result of the body either not producing enough insulin, or because body cells do not properly respond to the insulin that is produced. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes

The inability of the body to produce, or the inability to metabolize, the human hormone insulin; Diabetes insipidus, usually a disorder of the pituitary gland, leading to a form of type II diabetes
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/diabetes

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By: Azuc Sangi

Published: May 10, 2007

Meal planning includes choosing healthy foods, eating the right amount of food, and eating meals at the right time. The American Diabetes Association and the American Dietetic Association developed 6 food exchange lists for the purpose of meal planning for people with diabetes as part of a diabetes diet. The 6 lists for a diabetes diet are: starch or bread, meat and substitutes, vegetables, fruits, milk or dairy, and fat. Every food on the list has approximately the same amount of carbohydrate, fat, protein, and calories for the amount given.

Any food on the diabetes diet list can be exchanged for any other food on the same list. The food exchange lists also show the number of food choices that can be eaten at each meal and snack. Using the foods on the exchange list (along with a personal meal plan designed by a registered dietitian or nutritional counselor) will control the distribution of calories throughout the day so that food and insulin will be balanced.

Meal plans for a diabetes diet differ depending on the type of diabetes. With insulin-dependent diabetes (Type I), consistency in the time meals are eaten and the amounts and types of food eaten is very important to allow food and insulin to work together to regulate blood-glucose levels. If meals and insulin are out of balance, extreme variations in blood glucose can occur. In non insulin-dependent diabetes, weight control is the most important principle in addition to a well-balanced diet. Consultation with a dietitian or nutrition counselor or your medical practitioner is an invaluable tool for planning meals and controlling a diabetes diet. They can also advise you on long term maintenance diet plans and make recommendations for regular exercise options.

Azuc Sangi is the owner of Diabetes IT which is a premier resource for diabetes information. for more information, go to http://www.diabetesit.com

Diabetes And Fitness

By: Will Twiner

Published: June 28, 2007

There are two main types of diabetes, type I and type II. Type I diabetes is characterized by the pancreas making too little or no insulin. An individual with diabetes type I will have to inject insulin throughout the day in order to control glucose levels. Type II diabetes, also known as adult onset diabetes, is characterized by the pancreas not producing enough insulin to control glucose levels or the cells not responding to insulin. When a cell does not respond to insulin, it is known as insulin resistance. When a subject is diagnosed with type II diabetes, exercise and weight control are prescribed as measures to help with insulin resistance. If this does not control glucose levels, then medication is prescribed. The risk factors for type II diabetes include: inactivity, high cholesterol, obesity, and hypertension. Inactivity alone is a very strong risk factor that has been proven to lead to diabetes type II. Exercise will have a positive effect on diabetes type II while improving insulin sensitivity while type I cannot be controlled be an exercise program. Over 90% of individuals with diabetes have type II.

Exercise causes the body to process glucose faster, which lowers blood sugar. The more intense the exercise, the faster the body will utilize glucose. Therefore, it is important to understand the differences in training with type I and type II diabetes. It is important for an individual who has diabetes to check with a physician before beginning an exercise program. When training with a diabetic, it is important to understand the dangers of injecting insulin immediately prior to exercise. An individual with type I diabetes injecting their normal amount of insulin for a sedentary situation can pose the risk of hypoglycemia or insulin shock during exercise. General exercise guidelines for type I are as follows: allow adequate rest during exercise sessions to prevent high blood pressure, use low impact exercises and avoid heavy weight lifting, and always have a supply of carbohydrates nearby. If blood sugar levels get too low, the individual may feel shaky, disoriented, hungry, anxious, become irritable or experience trembling. Consuming a carbohydrate snack or beverage will alleviate these symptoms in a matter of minutes.

Before engaging in exercise, it is important for blood sugar levels to be tested to make sure that they are not below 80 to 100 mg/dl range and not above 250 mg/dl. Glucose levels should also be tested before, during, after and three to five hours after exercise. During this recovery period (3-5 hours after exercise), it is important for diabetics to consume ample carbohydrates in order to prevent hypoglycemia.

Exercise will greatly benefit an individual with type II diabetes because of its positive effects on insulin sensitivity. Proper exercise and nutrition are the best forms of prevention for type II diabetics. It is important for training protocols to be repeated almost daily to help with sustaining insulin sensitivity. To prevent hypoglycemia, progressively work up to strenuous activity.

As with individuals with type I diabetes, carbohydrates should also be present during training to assist in raising blood sugar levels if the individual becomes low.

William is a personal trainer and runs http://www.myfightclub.com


Who Is At Risk Of Developing Diabetes?

By: Kathy Forcey

Published: October 29, 2009
Diabetes can creep up on us as we get older without us even realizing it. So it is important to know what the type 2 diabetes symptoms are, especially if you are in one of the risk groups for developing this disease.

Who is at risk of developing diabetes? Sadly enough diabetes is becoming a very common condition in the western world. We are all eating more junk food and spending more time in our cars rather than out in the fresh air. As more people are at risk now than ever before it is a good idea for anybody over 40 to have their blood sugar levels tested from time to time.

One of the major factors you are in control of in your battle is your belly. If you are overweight then you are at a increased risk, if you are clinically obese then the risk goes up even more and if all your excess weight is in your belly region then that increases the likelihood that you will develop diabetes even more.

While you can do something about your weight, you can't do anything about getting older. When you add middle aged and overweight together you really are increasing the likelihood that you will end up being diabetic at some point.

Middle aged, overweight with high blood pressure. That is a very common situation which often seems to affect Americans, it isn't made any better when you add diabetes into the mix. Which if you already have the first 3 things then there is a huge chance you will develop diabetes as well.

If you spend a lot of time sitting around then you are not helping to reduce the chances of developing diabetes. Your lifestyle choices really do affect your health. The good thing is that you can change your lifestyle without to much difficulty. Just get up and take the dog, or even someone elses dog, for a walk once a day or do something else to increase your level of exercise.

If you lose weight, improve your hypertension, reduce your reliance on medicine and then reduce your chances of developing diabetes as well surely you are on a all round winner aren't you?

About the Author:

Realistically most of us can really know for certain if we will develop diabetes it can be helpful to know most of the Causes of Diabetes that we can control. Diabetes is growing more common every year but there are things you can do to reduce your risk of developing it.

Diabetes Type 2 And Artificial Sweeteners

By: Dr. Jamie Fettig

Published: April 30, 2007

Diabetes Type 2 (adult onset)

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

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

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

The truth about supplements. I also share this and more with you in my free e-course that this article is a part of. Go to http://www.HealthyEatingDiet.com to get the full e-course. Dr. Jamie wants to help give you Permanent Results with his "non-diet." He is also giving you dozens of valuable free gifts to "ethically bribe" you into helping him make his new book, "The Ultimate Non-Diet" a #1 best seller. For details on the book go to: http://www.TheUltimateNonDiet.com/free

Gestational Diabetes

By: Andrew Palmer

Published: May 12, 2007

Gestational diabetes is a temporary condition that occurs during pregnancy. Pregnant women who have never had diabetes before, but who have high blood sugar levels during pregnancy, are said to have gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnancies, making it one of the top health concerns related to pregnancy.

What is the cause of gestational diabetes?
While no-one really knows the cause, there are some factors that is might increase the risk of developing gestational diabetes. These include:
# A family history of diabetes
# Obesity in the woman
# Having had gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy.
# Older maternal age (over the age of 30).
# A previous delivery of a large (greater than 9 pounds) baby .

What are the risks of gestational diabetes?
High sugar levels in your blood can be unhealthy for both you and your baby. If a woman had gestational diabetes during pregnancy, there is an increased risk of developing diabetes for both mother and child. Babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes have a greater change of developing diabetes, but there is also some other risks involved, such as macrosomia, or a "fat" baby. Babies with macrosomia face health problems of their own, including damage to their shoulders during birth, or a higher risk for breathing problems.

Treating gestational diabetes
In most cases, gestational diabetes is managed by diet and exercise, and goes away after the baby is born. But because gestational diabetes can hurt you and your baby, it is important to start treatment quickly. You should consult your doctor for special meal plans and scheduled physical activity.

There is no reason to panic
While gestational diabetes is a cause for concern, the good news with the correct diet and exercise, you can keep your blood glucose levels under control, and give a healthy start for your baby.

Andrew Palmer helps maintain Diabetesweb, an informational site on everything related to diabetes. Be sure to check it out if you need further information on gestational diabetes.

Fibromyalgia And Insulin Resistance

By: Jane Oelke

Published: May 19, 2007

Do you have symptoms that relate to an insulin imbalance? If you have fibromyalgia, look and see if you also have hypoglycemia, insulin resistance, or diabetes symptoms. These types of blood sugar imbalances can cause fibromyalgia pain to get worse. Blood sugar imbalances cause insulin absorption problems that can affect your health especially if you have fibromyalgia.

Insulin has many roles in the body. It maintains sugar levels in our cells where we create energy. If we cannot get sugar into the cells we become tired more easily. Overtime this can lead to hypersensitivity to pain that is associated with fibromyalgia.

Insulin is a storage hormone. Insulin builds muscle and stores amino acids from protein. Insulin also stores magnesium for future energy production. Insulin also takes excess glucose from carbohydrates and stores them as fat. Many people with insulin imbalances have excess weight, especially in the upper abdomen area. Insulin also controls salt and water retention in the body, and may contribute to rising blood pressures and imbalances in the cholesterol profile. Excess insulin will cause adrenalin to be secreted even when you are not stressed.

Reactive hypoglycemia, the first stage of blood sugar imbalance, occurs two to three hours after eating a high carbohydrate breakfast or lunch. Symptoms of reactive hypoglycemia are shakiness or tingling, pounding heartbeats, perspiring, and concentration problems. These symptoms occur because excess insulin causes adrenalin to be released.

We crave carbohydrates because we need energy. Yet when we eat carbohydrates, we stimulate insulin production. Insulin is supposed to move blood sugar into our cells, where it is burned as fuel. When there is an excess of insulin as well as an excess of carbohydrates, the excess carbohydrates are stored as fat in fat cells. The excess insulin also prevents the carbohydrates from being used for energy. You not only gain weight, but you are also prevented from losing these excess fat deposits because of the excess carbohydrates.

If it progresses toward insulin resistance you will have symptoms of excess body fat, high blood pressure, high triglycerides/cholesterol, fluid retention, dry skin, decreased memory chronic fatigue, irritability, mood swings, and sleep disturbances. These symptoms are very similar to associated conditions of fibromyalgia.

Insulin balances affect other areas of our metabolism. It slows our thyroid hormone conversion from T4 to T3. It affects the calcium absorption rate into our bones, and it affects how our muscles store sugar to burn for energy. When we burn sugar stored in our muscles, before burning fat, we get more muscle weakness and fatigue. This is why it takes a long time to recover after exercise or exertion.

Then cholesterol and triglyceride levels become more out of balance. You can measure the level of insulin resistance by looking at the ratio of Triglycerides / HDL. If the ratio is greater than 4.0 then you probably have an insulin imbalance.

How Do We Balance Insulin Levels? All carbohydrate foods stimulate the secretion of insulin. Use a Glycemic Index / Glycemic Load Chart found at www.naturalchoicesforyou.com to alter your diet to include more foods that take longer to digest, thus maintaining sugar and insulin balances better.

Use good fats, from fish oils, flax oils, and or olive oil to lower the glycemic level of any carbohydrates you do eat. If you eat breads or rolls, it would be beneficial on your blood sugar to put butter or olive oil on it, than to eat it plain. Incorporating essential fatty acids (the good fats) into your diet will help provide the fuel for building new muscles and will stimulate energy production.

Remember, insulin triggers an adrenalin response. So taking in anything that further stimulates adrenalin like coffee, tea and colas will make insulin resistance worse. Gradually reduce the level of caffeinated drinks in your diet and change over to pure water. Also, regular exercise will decrease the amount of insulin in your blood improving both blood sugar and insulin levels.

It is important to prevent blood sugar fluctuations as much as possible to avoid insulin problems. By incorporating these ideas into your daily life, energy levels will increase, and if you have fibromyalgia, you will have a much better chance of reducing your chronic pain level.

Dr. Jane Oelke, N.D., Ph.D. is Naturopath and Doctor of Homeopathy in southwest Michigan. She is the author of "Natural Choices for Fibromyalgia" and "Natural Choices for Attention Deficit Disorder". She is a professional speaker on a variety of natural health topics, and can be reached at DoctorOelke@aol.com and http://www.NaturalChoicesforyou.com

Do You Have Diabetes? Symptoms Of Diabetes And How To Address Them

By: Charlene Nuble

Published: May 19, 2007

Diabetes mellitus is a condition resulting from the pancreas’ inability to produce enough insulin, which is needed by the body to help create energy. A deficiency of or ineffectiveness of insulin leads to high glucose levels in the blood, thus, leading to this illness.

Diabetes has two types. Type 1 Diabetes usually occurs in young people and requires frequent insulin injections, while Type 2 Diabetes is experienced by older people and is not as dependent on insulin. Majority of those who have Type 2 Diabetes have been found to be either obese or overweight.

Diabetes usually runs in the family, so it’s best to know early on if you have it. The common symptoms experienced by someone who has diabetes include unusually frequent urination and hunger, constant thirst, rapid weight loss, tiredness, numbness in the feet and hands, recurrent skin infections, itching in private parts and blurred vision. When left unattended, diabetes could escalate to hyperglycemia, which develops from an excess of glucose in the blood, and leave the person temporarily unconscious, or, worse, cause severe infections, poor healing abilities, heart ailments and numbness from nerve damage.

The direct origins of diabetes, besides heredity, remain uncertain. However, several scientists believe that diabetes can also spring from an infection in the pancreas, a disorder in the autoimmune system and even from an unhealthy diet and lifestyle.

When you notice the signs that possibly point to diabetes, consult your doctor immediately. You will be subjected to tests to determine whether your blood sugar is stable and if there is a presence of diabetes. Your doctor will then recommend an appropriate exercise regimen and diet to temper the effects of diabetes, or, if needed, prescribe medication.

People diagnosed with diabetes should avoid sugars and control the intake of fats, carbohydrates and salt. A life long low-fat, high-fiber diet is ideal. Regular aerobic exercise also helps maximize the effect of insulin treatments. Some studies show that weight management and a proper diet are often enough to keep those with Type 2 Diabetes in check and even prevent people who are diabetes-prone from developing the condition. In alternative medicine, herbs like ampalaya and banaba have also been used to help treat diabetes.

For persons with a history of diabetes in the family and are over forty years old, blood should be checked for sugar levels two hours after a hearty meal. This procedure should be done at least twice a year, as several people have been found to have had diabetes for years without experiencing any of the symptoms.

Sadly, diabetes cannot be cured. But it can be controlled with life-long treatment. Therefore, to combat diabetes, regular check-ups, a healthy lifestyle and constant vigilance are in order.

Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR'S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.
EzineArticles Expert Author Charlene Nuble

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Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about diabetes, please go to: http://diabetes.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/



Diabetes Is Manageable

By: Paul Sanford

Published: May 23, 2007

It is estimated that over 18 million people over the age of 20 in this country have diabetes. Persons over the age of 45 and those considered obese according to the Bio Mass Index are in elevated risk categories for this potentially fatal disease. Once diagnosed the potential health conditions that may result are: partial to complete blindness, kidney disease, hypoglycemia and certain sexual and urological problems including erectile dysfunction in men. Despite all of these potential effects the truth is very simple—diabetes is manageable!

Without question, a diabetes diagnosis does in fact mean that you will live with the condition for the rest of your life but it does not mean an end to your life. Far from it. There are millions of people living very full and complete lives despite the condition’s very real potential to bring about serious consequences to one’s well-being. And don’t worry—a diabetes diagnosis does NOT mean that you need to worry about going in and out of the doctor’s office every other day either! With proper self-discipline, a thorough understanding of the disease and its effective treatment techniques, and especially with the proper equipment—this is a VERY manageable condition!

You will need to check your glucose levels every day and depending on your particular diagnosis insulin shots may be required to manage your blood chemistry effectively. Having a Glucogen emergency kit is definitely a good idea as well. So long as you do not make the mistake of thinking that this is not a serious condition that requires daily attention and of course always keep on hand all of the supplies necessary for proper treatment there is absolutely NO reason why any of your normal activities need to be discontinued! All of the medical supplies you need are available online and can be delivered to your home as needed. So if you have recently been diagnosed with diabetes just make certain to get those supplies and be certain to check your glucose level in regular intervals and take whatever additional steps your physician has advised—and above all else, go out there and live your life because diabetes IS manageable!

Copyright 2005 Paul Sanford

Diabetic Resources:
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