Diabetes and Your Heart

Diabetes has many complications, some leading to other serious health conditions. Heart health is one more reason to take control of your diabetes.

Keywords:
diabetes, diabetic, diabetic heart problems

Diabetes is one condition that must be treated as soon as it is diagnosed, even though in its early stages it doesn’t hurt, or cause inconvenience, or create any worrisome symptoms. But ignoring it is a mistake, because the blood sugar imbalance we diabetics live with can cause a variety of complications, even leading to other serious health conditions.

One major cause for concern is adverse effects on our hearts. Our unstable blood sugar levels can cause poor circulation—a big step on the road to heart problems. Here are some things to watch for.

Hypertension

Diabetes often goes hand-in-hand with high blood pressure, or hypertension. In fact, your doctor will tell you that diabetics must work to get their blood pressure down even lower than other people. While a systolic pressure (the top number) of 140 might be acceptable for the general population, we diabetics should aim for 130 or lower. It’s all part of the battle against possible heart disease.

Blood fats

Cholesterol and tryglycerides, or blood fats, also need to be kept lower in diabetics. Lots of fruits and vegetables, fewer packaged or fried foods are your best bets for dietary blood fat control. Throw out that frying pan!

Blood sugar

Blood sugar levels need monitoring too, as consistently high levels damage blood vessels and can lead to cardiovascular difficulties.

Weight level

And of course you know it’s important to maintain a healthy weight. Why is that particularly important for us diabetics? First, if you are overweight your heart muscle needs to work harder to pump blood through your system. This weakens your blood vessels, which are then more susceptible to damage from fluctuating blood sugar levels. It’s a vicious cycle you don’t want to create.

Your heart is the main engine of your whole body, so you need to do everything possible to keep it in good shape. For the sake of a healthy heart, take control of your diabetes.

Diabetes Management: Blood Glucose Meters

One of the great things about the Internet is that it’s created a global community for discussions of topics such as diabetes. You’ll find there are a number of forums that will allow you to talk to others facing your situation.

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with diabetes, one of your first steps will likely be to find a glucose meter. There are some things to keep in mind as you make your decision because this piece of equipment is likely to be part of you…

Keywords:
Glucose meter, blood, diabetes

One of the great things about the Internet is that it’s created a global community for discussions of topics such as diabetes. You’ll find there are a number of forums that will allow you to talk to others facing your situation.

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with diabetes, one of your first steps will likely be to find a glucose meter. There are some things to keep in mind as you make your decision because this piece of equipment is likely to be part of your life for the foreseeable future.

A glucose meter (or glucometer) is a medical device for determining the approximate amount of glucose in a drop of blood obtained by pricking the skin with a lancet. Glucose meters are portable and designed for use by ordinary people, especially those with diabetes.

There are now dozens of models of glucose meters. Typical features common to most. The average size is now approximately the size of the palm of the hand, though some are smaller or a bit larger. They are battery-powered. A consumable element containing chemicals which react with glucose in the drop of blood is used for each measurement. For most models this element is a plastic test strip with a small spot impregnated with glucose oxidase and other components. Each strip can only be used once and is then discarded.

Cost is a major issue for most people, but there’s good news if you have any kind of medical insurance. A glucose meter is typically considered to be a vital part of medical treatment and insurance companies often pay for a portion or the entire cost of the meter. At the same time, there is sometimes a limit on the amount the insurance company will pay, and that may severely limit your options.

While cost is naturally important, remember that you’re going to be living this life from now on. Finding a cheaper glucose meter that requires a more serious stick for blood may seem like the best option when you’re writing the check for the meter, but the tedium of the daily stick may negate that cost in the long run.

There are some companies out there that help with the cost of a glucose meter if you meet specific income guidelines. This may be a good answer if your quandary about which meter to buy is purely based on financial restraints. Remember that Medicare often pays on this important testing equipment as well. Your doctor, druggist or representative of a local medical supply company may also be good sources of information about how to find the best deals and how to get help paying for a glucose meter.

Finding a very inexpensive glucose meter may be the best answer to this situation. If the meter is accurate, it’ll get you through the initial period of adjusting your life to the regular testing of your blood sugar. Then take time to do some research into what’s hot and what’s not in glucose meters. You’ll find that some make absolutely ridiculous claims and you may have to ask some questions to find those companies that produce the glucose meter that will work best for you and your lifestyle.

Glycemic index diets can help to control blood sugar level

Study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition findings are that assessing a meal using the glycemic index, which lists the quality of carbohydrates contained in many common foods, appears to be a good way to predict the effect a meal will have on blood sugar levels, this is important information for diabetes patients.

Keywords:
glycemic index

Study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition findings are that assessing a meal using the glycemic index, which lists the quality of carbohydrates contained in many common foods, appears to be a good way to predict the effect a meal will have on blood sugar levels,this is important information for diabetes patients.

Dr. Thomas M. S. Wolever, of the University of Toronto and colleagues examined whether overall carbohydrate content and glycemic index of individual foods, as given in published tables, determined the effects of a realistic mixed meal on the blood sugar in normal subjects.

The team measured the responses to six test meals in 16 subjects in Sydney and eight meals in 10 subjects in Toronto, and then pooled the results. The meals varied in amount of calories, protein, fat, available carbohydrates and glycemic index score.

The blood sugar and insulin responses to the Sydney test meals varied over a 3-fold range. For the Toronto test meals, the blood sugar responses varied over a 2.4-fold range.

The team found no correlation between the blood sugar levels and fat or protein content of the test meal, but there was a significant correlation with carbohydrate content and glycemic index alone, which accounted for 88 percent of the variation in the blood sugar response.

This findings show that the glycemic index works and diabetes patients can use glycemic index diets but should be monitored and use thier prscribed theraphy.

Goji and Diabetes

Over more than 18 million people in the United States have diabetes. And nearly one-third of them are undiagnosed. This can be devastating, as diabetes is the main cause of kidney failure, limb amputation, and new onset blindness in American adults.

Discover how Goji can help cure diabetes.

Keywords:
goji juice, goji berries, diabetes

More than 18 million people in the United States have diabetes. And nearly one-third of them are undiagnosed. This can be devastating, as diabetes is the main cause of kidney failure, limb amputation, and new onset blindness in American adults.

People with diabetes are also two to four times more likely than people without diabetes to develop heart disease. In fact, 65 percent of diabetics die from heart attack or stroke.

Diabetes mellitus is a condition in which the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly. Glucose comes from the digestion of starchy foods such as bread, rice, potatoes, chapatis, yams and plantain, from sugar and other sweet foods, and from the liver which makes glucose. Diabetes is a disorder that affects the way your body deals with the foods you eat. Normally, carbohydrate foods are broken down into the sugar glucose, which travels in the blood (hence the name blood sugar) until it reaches your cells, where it is taken in and used for growth and energy. For this to happen, however, the hormone insulin must be present. Produced by the pancreas, insulin acts as a key that unlocks cells so that they can receive blood glucose.

Insulin works like a key to open the door of the cells so glucose – the fuel you get from food – can come inside and be converted into energy – cause serious complications and premature death. Insulin is vital for life. It is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps the glucose to enter the cells where it is used as fuel by the body.

The main symptoms of untreated diabetes are increased thirst, going to the look all the time – especially at night, extreme tiredness, weight loss, genital itching or regular episodes of thrush, and blurred vision.

In diabetes, either the pancreas may produce insufficient insulin, or the body has lost its ability to use it effectively (insulin resistance). Glucose builds up in the blood, overflows into the urine, and passes out of the body without fulfilling its role as the body’s main source of fuel.

Two types of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes develops if the body is unable to produce any insulin. This type of diabetes usually appears before the age of 40. It is treated by insulin injections and diet and regular exercise is recommended. Type 2 diabetes develops when the body can still make some insulin, but not enough, or when the insulin that is produced does not work properly (known as insulin resistance). In most cases this is linked with being overweight. This type of diabetes usually appears in people over the age of 40, though in South Asian and African-Caribbean people often appear after the age of 25. However, recently, more children are being diagnosed with the condition, some as young as seven.

Type 2 diabetes is treated with lifestyle changes such as a healthier diet, weight loss and increased physical activity. Tablets and/or insulin may also be required to achieve normal blood glucose levels.

The main aim of treatment of both types of diabetes is to achieve blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels as near to normal as possible. This, together with a healthy lifestyle, will help to improve wellbeing and protect against long-term damage to the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart and major arteries.

Managing Diabetes: Begin with the ABCs

The National Diabetes Education Program suggests that you reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by working with your health care team to monitor three critical factors, which they have named the Diabetic ABCs.

“A” is for the A1C test.

This is a number that shows how well your blood glucose has been controlled over the last 3 months. Bad glucose control can hurt your eyes, kidneys and feet. The goal for most people is an A1C of less than 7. It should be checked at least twice a year.

A 1998 research study showed that increased in blood pressure could be prevented significantly by goji’s master molecule polysaccharides. Polysaccharides are very long-chain sugar molecules that provide nourishment for macrophages, the large white blood cells which are an important component of the body’s defense system against invading microbes and the malignant cells which form tumors.

Four polysaccharides discovered in Goji berries have not been found in any other fruit. The Goji polysaccharides enhance the body’s production of human growth hormone (HGH), which helps build muscle and repair skin cells. The LBP polysaccharide complex unique to Goji berries has been found to be a powerful secretagogue – a substance that stimulates the secretion of human growth hormone (HGH) by the pituitary gland.

One research study in China showed that the LBP polysaccharide facilitated the proliferation of stem cells and increased the number of monocytes in bone marrow. The LBP polysaccharide helps the monocytes convert to matured leukocytes.

“B” is for blood pressure.

The goal for most people is 130/80. High blood pressure can cause heart attack, stroke and kidney disease.

“C” is for cholesterol.

Bad cholesterol (LDL) can oxidize and clog blood vessels, causing heart attack or stroke. Good cholesterol (HDL) helps to lower bad cholesterol. The goal for most people is LDL under 100 and HDL over 40.

Goji contains eta-sitosterol, which has been shown to lower cholesterol levels. Its antioxidants keep cholesterol from oxidizing and forming arterial plaques. Goji increases exercise tolerance, stamina, and endurance. It also helps to eliminate fatigue, especially when receiving from illness.

Could You Have Diabetes And Not Even Know It?

Almost one third of all people with diabetes don’t know they have it. The symptoms seem so harmless, like symptoms of just getting older.

Keywords:
diabetes, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes

Almost one third of all people with diabetes don’t know they have it. The symptoms seem so harmless, like symptoms of just getting older. This article goes into the different types of diabetes and some of the common symptoms of each to help you understand diabetes a little better.

In this article we’ll go over the three main types of diabetes. They are Type 1, Type 2, Gestational diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes

This type of diabetes has also been called insulin-dependent and immune-mediated diabetes. It occurs when your body can’t produce insulin. The immune system attacks insulin producing cells in the pancreas. This type of diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and was previously known as juvenile diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes increases the risk of other serious complications such as heart disease, nerve damage, blindness, and kidney damage.

Some of the symptoms include increased thirst, increased urination, weight loss even with increased appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fatigue, and absence of menstruation

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type that fails to be diagnosed. It progress slowly and causes symptoms such as skin infections, poor healing, kidney problems, and vision problems. It is ordinary that neither these complications nor the diabetes is diagnosed after years of mild symptoms.

The problem is usually that people have no severe symptoms and do not seek medical care at all. They just think of the symptoms as simply getting older. For this reason it is important to get regularly tested for diabetes in the most common age group (over 40’s). Less commonly a doctor may treat other diseases, without realizing to test for diabetes.

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes occurs during a woman’s pregnancy. Pregnant women who have never had diabetes before but have high blood sugar levels during pregnancy are said to have it. It affects 4 percent of all women during pregnancy.

Symptoms include Increased thirst Increased urination Weight loss in spite of increased appetite Fatigue Nausea and vomiting Frequent infections including those of the bladder, vagina, and skin Blurred vision.

Gestational diabetes can be missed in pregnancy. It usually starts with mild symptoms that often can be attributed to other things. It’s important to get tested during pregnancy because the high blood sugars from gestational diabetes can do harm to the baby and sometimes lead to other complications.

Even if you’re not pregnant, you should make it a priority to get tested. Many women have gestational diabetes and think about their symptoms as being usual during pregnancy. You never know, maybe it is, but it’s always a good idea to get tested.

If you’re having any of the symptoms for diabetes, it’s important to see your doctor. Even if you think it’s absolutely nothing. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Diabetic Diet Plans will help Combat Diabetes

If you are living with diabetes, one of the best ways to fight this disease is with a diabetic diet plan. This diabetic meal plan is based of the recommended foods found on the diabetic food pyramid. By following the suggested meal plan, you will be receiving the proper amounts of recommended nutrients which will ultimately help you fight the disease.

Keywords:
diabetic diets, diabetes, diabetic diet plans, diabetic foods, diabetic meals

If you are living with diabetes, one of the best ways to fight this disease is with a diabetic diet plan. This diabetic meal plan is based of the recommended foods found on the diabetic food pyramid. By following the suggested meal plan, you will be receiving the proper amounts of recommended nutrients which will ultimately help you fight the disease.

Today, there is a wide range of diabetic diet plans. Many doctors and researchers have researched and created countless plans for diabetics. They try to aim for foods that will be tasteful, yet provide the proper amount of nutrients. We all know a diet is not any fun when the food does not taste great!

Recent studies have shown an increase in diabetes over the past 10-20 years. With the large increase, it has created a huge demand for diabetic diet plans to help diabetics battle the disesase. Since diabetes affects all types of people and diverse lifestlyes, many types of diabetic diet plans have been created to suit these varying types of individuals.

Despite the varying lifestlyes of many diabetic individuals, all have one common goal. That goal is to battle this disease with the help of a diabetic diet plan. With the proper amounts of nutrients, individuals can make progress against diabetes.

Does Alcohold Decreases The Risk Of Diabetes?

Drinking Alcohol Really Does Decreases the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Among Older Women
It is absurd. For the longest time, we have believed that alcohol has no real benefits. However, recently, a study has found that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol really does decreases the risk of Type 2 Diabetes, and this is especially true among Older Women! There are 20.8 million children and adults in the United States, or 7% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 1…

Keywords:
diabetes symptoms,diabetes,blindness,kidney failure,immune system,Islet cells,insulin,Type 2 diabete

Drinking Alcohol Really Does Decreases the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Among Older Women
It is absurd. For the longest time, we have believed that alcohol has no real benefits. However, recently, a study has found that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol really does decreases the risk of Type 2 Diabetes, and this is especially true among Older Women! There are 20.8 million children and adults in the United States, or 7% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 14.6 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately, 6.2 million people (or nearly one-third) are unaware that they have the disease.

Recent studies have shown that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol (as compared to drinking too much alcohol or no alcohol at all) can lower the chances of getting type 2 diabetes. However, only a few studies on alcohol and type 2 diabetes have included women, and very few have included older women.

Previous studies on the effects of drinking moderate amounts of alcohol (1-2 drinks) and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes have mostly been done on men or both men and women who were younger than 55 years old. The researchers wanted to study how drinking alcohol affects older women’s (more than 50 years old) chances of developing type 2 diabetes. (see Diabetes Symptoms)

Questionnaires were mailed to the women in the study. The women were asked where they lived and if they had conditions that put them at risk for any other diseases. Waist and hip, height, weight, and blood pressure measurements were taken at the beginning of the study. Diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol were also reported if these conditions were diagnosed by a doctor. The questionnaire asked about how much each woman exercised and how much they ate.

The questionnaire also contained questions about how much alcohol the women drank, how often they drank, and what types of alcohol they drank, both currently and in the past. The researchers sent out two follow-up questionnaires every 3 to 5 years. These questionnaires asked the women whether they developed type 2 diabetes, what year they were diagnosed, who diagnosed them, and whether they were being treated by diet, drugs, and/or insulin.

Conclusion
The researchers found that blood pressure was lower in the women who drank moderately, but it increased in women who drank more. During the study, a total of 760 new cases of diabetes were diagnosed. The research shows, however, that drinking alcohol in moderate amounts did lessen the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This is rather significant piece of news as we can now safely drink our favourite wine and not feel guilty about it!

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes affects about four percent of all pregnant women although it is usually goes away after childbirth. Untreated gestational diabetes can lead to problems for both the mother and the child.

Keywords:
diabetes, diabetes supply, diabetes treatment, diabetes mellitus

This type of diabetes is a temporary form of insulin resistance that usually occurs halfway through a pregnancy. It results from excessive hormone production in the body, or the inability of the pancreas make the additional insulin that is needed during pregnancy in women with no previous history of diabetes. Without enough insulin, sugar builds up in the blood to high levels. This is called hyperglycemia.

Gestational diabetes affects about four percent of all pregnant women although it is usually goes away after childbirth. Untreated gestational diabetes can lead to problems for both the mother and the child. Although insulin does not cross through the placenta to the baby, sugar and other nutrients do.

Extra blood sugar goes through the placenta, giving the baby high blood sugar level. This causes the baby’s pancreas to produce extra insulin to get rid of the blood sugar, which can lead to microsomatia or a fat baby syndrome. Microsomatia develops because extra blood sugar and insulin cause the baby’s body to produce extra fat.

Babies with microsomatia are prone to other health problems including damage to their shoulders during birth. Because of the extra insulin newborns may have very low blood sugar levels at birth and may also have a higher risk of breathing problems.

The treatment of gestational diabetes should start quickly to prevent adverse effects to the mother and the baby. It should aim to keeping blood sugar level equal to those of pregnant women who do not have gestational diabetes. Treatment includes special meal plans and scheduled physical activity as well as daily blood sugar testing, so as to keep it under control.

For complete information on Gestational diabetes, diabetes supply, diabetes treatment, diabetes mellitus visit www.diabetesmellitus-information.com

Diabetes: Latino Kids May Develop Type 2 Diabetes Due To A High-sugar Diet

Diet is a quite important matter for diabetic people. Everything they eat may have a consequence positive or not in their disease evolution. According to researchers from Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, overweight Latino children show signs of beta cell decline, a precursor of type 2 diabetes because they are consuming lots of sugar especially in sugary drinks.

Keywords:
diabetes supply

Diet is a quite important matter for diabetic people. Everything they eat may have a consequence positive or not in their disease evolution. According to researchers from Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, overweight Latino children show signs of beta cell decline, a precursor of type 2 diabetes because they are consuming lots of sugar especially in sugary drinks.

Nowadays, statistics show that nearly one out of four Latino children in the United States is overweight, and the problem appears to be worse over the future. Obesity rates are increasing along with the incidence of pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes within overweight teens. Under a researchers’ report published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, high sugar consumption during childhood may play an important role in the development of diabetes in this population.

According to experts in preventive medicine, overweight and poor diet among these children could have disastrous consequences for minority health and the health-care costs for future generations, if they are left untreated.

The research called Study of Latinos at Risk (SOLAR) Diabetes Project is conducted by the research team from the Keck School. This project examined 63 overweight Latino children in Los Angeles from 9 to 13 years old and do not have diabetes.

Beta cells in the pancreas, experts explain, create the hormone insulin in response to sugar from food. Energy is something necessary to cells in the body’s tissues, so they need sugar, or glucose, and insulin helps cells grab and take up glucose in the blood.

Carbohydrates, High Blood Sugars, Diabetes – know the connection?

There is a strong connection between carbohydrates, high blood sugars and diabetes. Carbohydrates give your body the energy, or fuel, it needs to function properly.

Carbohydrates form glucose which can create high blood sugars and that’s where the problems start for diabetics. Understanding more about the connection helps to control your diabetes…

Keywords:
carbohydrates,high blood sugars,diabetes,diabetic

There is a strong connection between carbohydrates, high blood sugars and diabetes. Carbohydrates give your body the energy, or fuel, it needs to function properly.

There are two types of carbohydrates; simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are in foods such as fruit sugar, corn or grape sugar and table sugar. They are single-sugar molecules. Complex carbohydrates are the foods that contain three or more linked sugars. So carbohydrates create blood sugars and that’s where the problems start for diabetics. Understanding more about the connection helps to control your diabetes…

A Personal Experience

I am a diabetic type 2 and, at the moment, I control my blood sugars through tablets and diet. Blood glucose control is extremely important for any diabetic – it is the only way of minimising future health complications; heart disease; neuropathy resulting in amputations; kidney disease and early death.

Four years ago my A1C sugar levels were starting to get out of control – they weren’t massively high but were creeping up. My Doctor increased my medication – with no real satisfactory results, my blood sugars were all over the place; I could go from a high reading at night and be woken by a hypoglaecemic (low blood sugar) in the early hours.

Then I discovered the Atkins diet and, because I wanted to lose weight, I started to follow the low carbohydrate, high protein menus.

That’s when I discovered the real connection between complex carbohydrates, high blood sugars and my diabetes. Suddenly my blood sugars stabilised and it was because I was no longer piling in huge amounts of carbohydrate, which were pushing my blood sugars far too high.

This seemed to fly in the face of conventional advice on the right diets – complex carbohydrate rich – for diabetes. You see, I already understood I had to avoid sweet, sugary food – these contained simple carbohydrates. I hadn’t realised that the more complex carbohydrate of bread, potato and cereals affected my blood sugars as well.

But (there’s always a ‘but’ isn’t there?) the Atkins diet did not really suit me. I had constant diarrhea which was stressful and debilitating. So I came off that diet after 3-4 months and, of course, my blood sugars began to get out of control again.

But now I knew about the connection, all I needed to do was find the right program for me that followed the low carbohydrate principle.

And just recently, whilst doing research for my diabetes website, I discovered a program that suits me, and which I describe in more detail on my website for diabetics.

My advice to any diabetic and pre-diabetic, do your research! Understand the close connection between the complex carbohydrates you eat, how they affect your blood sugars and how it can make it difficult to control your diabetes. Once you understand that link, look for a diet or system that you can adapt to safely bring your blood sugars back under control.

Remember, too many carbohydrates (complex or simple) give you high blood sugar levels and if you have diabetes it means your body cannot cope with the additional overload.