Diabetes (mellitus, Type 1 And Type 2)
A A A Are There Home Remedies (Diet, Exercise, and Glucose Monitoring) for Diabetes? Diabetes is a condition characterized by the body's inability to regulate glucose (sugar) levels in blood. In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce enough insulin. People with type 2 diabetes can produce insulin, but the body is not able to use the insulin effectively. The cause of type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune reaction. Combinations of genetic risk factors and unhealthy lifestyle choices cause type 2 diabetes. The main diagnostic test for diabetes is measurement of the blood glucose level. Changes in lifestyle and diet may be adequate to control some cases of type 2 diabetes. Others with type 2 diabetes require medications. Insulin is essential treatment for type 1 diabetes. No effective approach yet exists to prevent type 1 diabetes. Prevention of type 2 diabetes can be accomplished in some cases by maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, sustaining a healthy lifestyle. Prediabetes is a condition that can occur before development of type 2 diabetes. Complications of any type of diabetes include damage to blood vessels, leading to heart disease or kidney disease. Damage to blood vessels in the eye can result in vision problems including blindness. Nerve damage can occur, leading to diabetic neuropathy. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a set of related diseases in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar (specifically, glucose) in the blood. The blood delivers glucose to provide the body with energy to perform all daily activities. The liver converts the food a person eats into glucose. The glucose is then released into the bloodstream from the liver between meals. In a healthy person, several hormones tightly regulate the blood glucose level, primarily insulin. Insulin is Continue reading >>
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Caring For Someone With Type 2 Diabetes.
How does your friend or family member feel about sharing personal information with you? Did you establish boundaries with each other? Have you discussed how your friend or loved one would like your help? Maybe it’s time to learn a little more about how both of you feel. Sometimes people find it hard to talk about their feelings. Ask the person you're caring for what you can share with others about his or her condition. After all, it's his or her diabetes. And ultimately, his or her decision. Think before you go public. Does the situation at hand really call for you making what may be a private matter public? When in doubt, hold off. Ask the person you’re caring for how he or she feels. That way, you may be able to avoid any misunderstandings. How does your friend or family member feel about sharing personal information with you? Did you establish boundaries with each other? Have you discussed how your friend or loved one would like your help? Maybe it’s time to learn a little more about how both of you feel. Take a back seat if possible. Try and let the person you're caring for handle things on his or her own. If he or she asks for your help, give your support. Respect for boundaries can go a long way in making a good working relationship between the 2 of you. Be aware of exceptions to these rules. Of course, there are times when it may make sense to skip this advice. For instance, if there is an emergency. What is the most considerate way to step in and help the person you care for? Are there more thoughtful ways for you to lend a hand? Ask what you can do to help. Don't assume you know. What you think the person you are caring for may need and what he or she actually needs may be very different things. Make it a joint effort. Join your friend or family member in Continue reading >>
Diabetes Type 2
Type 2 diabetes is more common in people who don't do enough physical activity, and who are overweight or obese. Type 2 diabetes can often be prevented or delayed with early lifestyle changes, however there is no cure. Common symptoms include being more thirsty than usual, passing more urine, feeling tired and lethargic, slow-healing wounds, itching and skin infections and blurred vision. People with pre-diabetes can reduce their risk of developing diabetes by increasing their physical activity, eating healthily and losing weight (if they are overweight). On this page: Diabetes is a condition where there is too much glucose (a type of sugar) in the blood. The body uses glucose as its main source of energy. Glucose comes from foods that contain carbohydrates, such as potatoes, bread, pasta, rice, fruit and milk. After food is digested, the glucose is released and absorbed into the bloodstream. The glucose in the bloodstream needs to move into body tissues so that cells can use it for energy. Excess glucose is stored in the liver, or converted to fat and stored in other body tissues. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas, which is a gland located just below the stomach. Insulin opens the doors (the glucose channels) that let glucose move from the blood into the body cells. It also allows glucose to be stored in the liver and other tissues. This is part of a process known as glucose metabolism. There are two main types of diabetes – type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where the body's immune cells attack the insulin-producing cells. As a result, people with type 1 diabetes cannot produce insulin and need insulin injections to survive. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, and affects 85 to 90 per cent of all people with diabet Continue reading >>
7 Scary Things That Can Happen When You Don't Treat Your Diabetes
7 Scary Things That Can Happen When You Don't Treat Your Diabetes Swallowing pills, checking your blood sugar all the time, or sticking yourself with needles full of insulin probably doesn't sound like your idea of a good time. But taking steps to keep your diabetes under control is your best shot at preventing a slew of frightening complications. If you don't take care of yourself, "diabetes complications typically start within 5 years; within 10 to 15 years, the majority of patients will progress to have multiple health issues," says Betul Hatipoglu, MD, an endocrinologist at Cleveland Clinic. Fortunately, eating a nutritious diet , exercising, and taking your medication may not only stop complications from progressing, but can also reverse them, she says. Need motivation to stick to your treatment plan? Here's what can happen when you slack off. Your cholesterol and blood pressure rise. Withtype 1 diabetes, your body stops producing insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar; withtype 2 diabetes , your body can't properly use the insulin you do produce. In turn, your HDL (or "good") cholesterol lowers, and your levels of harmful blood fats called triglycerides rise. Insulin resistance also contributes to hardened, narrow arteries, which in turn increases your blood pressure. As a result, about 70% of people with either type of diabetes also have hypertensiona risk factor for stroke, heart disease, and trouble with thinking and memory. (Add these 13 power foods to your diet to help lower blood pressure naturally .) Failing to control high blood pressure and high cholesterol, either with diet and exercise alone or by adding medications, accelerates the rate at which all your other complications progress, says Robert Gabbay, MD, PhD, chief medical officer at Joslin Continue reading >>
Taking Care Of Your Diabetes Every Day
There are four things you need to do every day to lower high blood sugar: Eat healthy food Get regular exercise Take your diabetes medicine Test your blood sugar If you have diabetes, you should try to keep your blood sugar level as close as possible to that of someone who doesn’t have diabetes. This may not be possible or right for everyone. Check with your doctor about what the right range of blood sugar is for you. You will get plenty of help in learning how to do this from your health care team, which is made up of your doctor, nurses, and dietitian. Bring a family member or friend with you when you see your doctor. Ask lots of questions. Before you leave, be sure you understand everything you need to know about taking care of your diabetes. Eat Healthy Food The foods on your diabetes eating plan are the same ones that are good for everyone. Try to stick to things that are low in fat, salt, and sugar and high in fiber, like beans, fruits, vegetables, and grains. Eating right will help you: Reach and stay at a weight that is good for you Keep your blood sugar in a good range Prevent heart and blood vessel disease Ask your doctor for the name of a dietitian who can work with you on an eating plan for you and your family. Your dietitian can help you plan meals with foods that you and your family like and that are good for you. If You Use Insulin Give yourself an insulin shot. Eat about the same amount of food each day at about the same time. Don't skip meals, especially if you’ve already given yourself an insulin shot. Your blood sugar may go too low. If You Don't Use Insulin Follow your meal plan. Don't skip meals, especially if you take diabetes pills. Your blood sugar may go too low. Skipping a meal can make you eat too much at the next meal. It may be better to Continue reading >>
Standards Of Medical Care For Patients With Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes is a chronic illness that requires continuing medical care and patient self-management education to prevent acute complications and to reduce the risk of long-term complications. Diabetes care is complex and requires that many issues, beyond glycemic control, be addressed. A large body of evidence exists that supports a range of interventions to improve diabetes outcomes. These standards of care are intended to provide clinicians, patients, researchers, payors, and other interested persons with the components of diabetes care, treatment goals, and tools to evaluate the quality of care. While individual preferences, comorbidities, and other patient factors may require modification of goals, targets that are desirable for most patients with diabetes are provided. These standards are not intended to preclude more extensive evaluation and management of the patient by other specialists as needed. For more detailed information, refer to Skyler (Ed.): Medical Management of Type 1 Diabetes (1) and Zimmerman (Ed.): Medical Management of Type 2 Diabetes (2). The recommendations included are diagnostic and therapeutic actions that are known or believed to favorably affect health outcomes of patients with diabetes. A grading system (Table 1), developed by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and modeled after existing methods, was utilized to clarify and codify the evidence that forms the basis for the recommendations. The level of evidence that supports each recommendation is listed after each recommendation using the letters A, B, C, or E. CLASSIFICATION, DIAGNOSIS, AND SCREENING Classification In 1997, the ADA issued new diagnostic and classification criteria (3). The classification of diabetes mellitus includes four clinical classes: Type 1 diabetes (results from β Continue reading >>
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Caring For Someone With Diabetes
Tweet Not everyone with diabetes requires specific caring for but certain people, notably the young and old may need help and support with managing their diabetes. Caring for a child with diabetes Children with diabetes will usually have type 1 diabetes which requires regular insulin injections. It is important that injections are taken at the right time, that the correct dose is given and the correct amount of carbohydrate is taken at appropriate times of day. The child’s parents will be able to advise on these matters. Note that some activities, such as exercise may have an impact on blood sugar levels. Any prolonged period of activity will tend to lower blood sugar levels. Periods of illness or stress may raise blood sugar levels. It is therefore important to recognise any symptoms of high and low blood sugar levels. Some children may be comfortable managing their own diabetes, however, it is recommended to be aware of the symptoms of low and high sugar levels and to ensure that they do not miss a scheduled meal or dose. For more detailed information on looking after a child with diabetes, see our section on diabetes and parenting Caring for a partner with diabetes If your partner had diabetes, it is well worth building an understanding of your partner’s condition. By understanding diabetes, you can put yourself in a better position to offer appropriate support. Tweet Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that results in hyperglycemia (high blood glucose levels) due to the body: Being ineffective at using the insulin it has produced; also known as insulin resistance and/or Being unable to produce enough insulin Type 2 diabetes is characterised by the body being unable to metabolise glucose (a simple sugar). This leads to high levels of blood glucose wh Continue reading >>
Type 2 Diabetes - Self-care
You may not have any symptoms. If you do have symptoms, they may include: Hunger Thirst Urinating a lot, getting up more often than usual at night to urinate Blurry vision Infections Trouble having an erection Red skin rashes in parts of your body Tingling or loss of sensation in your feet You should have good control of your blood sugar. If your blood sugar is not controlled, serious problems called complications can happen to your body after many years. Learn the basic steps for managing diabetes to stay as healthy as possible. Doing so will help keep the complications of diabetes away. Steps include: Also, be sure to take any medicine or insulin as instructed. Your provider will also help you by ordering blood tests and other tests. These help make sure your blood sugar and cholesterol levels are each in a healthy range. Also, follow your provider's instructions about keeping your blood pressure in a healthy range. Your doctor will likely ask you to visit other providers to help you control your diabetes. These providers include a: Dietitian Diabetes pharmacist Diabetes educator Foods with sugar and carbohydrates can raise your blood sugar too high. Alcohol and other drinks with sugar can also raise your blood sugar. A nurse or dietitian can teach you about good food choices. Make sure you know how to have a balanced meal with protein and fiber. Eat healthy, fresh foods as much as possible. Don't eat too much food at one sitting. This helps keep your blood sugar in a good range. Managing your weight and keeping a well-balanced diet are important. Some people with type 2 diabetes can stop taking medicines after losing weight (even though they still have diabetes). Your provider can let you know a good weight range for you. Weight-loss surgery may be an option if you a Continue reading >>
How To Beat Type 2 Diabetes With Diet And Lifestyle Changes
It's no secret that type 2 diabetes is on the rise in the United States and around the world. But if you've been diagnosed with diabetes, there's a lot you can do to improve your health — and the best place to start is likely by making some changes to your lifestyle. “Basic principles of good health like eating right, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight can be as effective as medicine in the management of type 2 diabetes for most people,” says Sue McLaughlin, RD, CDE, lead medical nutrition therapist at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha. That's backed up by the Look AHEAD study, a large clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The researchers found that over a four-year period, changes like eating a healthier diet and getting more exercise led to weight loss and improved diabetes control in 5,000 overweight or obese participants with type 2 diabetes. A December 2016 review in Diabetologia similarly found through 28 studies that participants who were able to achieve about 150 minutes per week of moderate activity lowered their risk of type 2 diabetes by 26 percent compared with nonactive participants. If you're ready to make positive changes to help control diabetes, here's how to get started. Improve Your Diet to Help You Treat Type 2 Diabetes Naturally Keeping close tabs on your diet is a major way to help manage type 2 diabetes. A healthy diet for people with type 2 diabetes includes fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables, whole grains, beans, lean meats, and low-fat or fat-free dairy. Focus on eating fruit and non-starchy vegetables, like broccoli, carrots, and lettuce, and having smaller portions of starchy foods, meats, and dairy products. Be especially careful about loading Continue reading >>
Caring For Your Body With Type 2 Diabetes
Moisturizer, toothpaste, a water bottle, and sunglasses: These might sound like things to pack for a weekend getaway, but they're actually an essential part of a diabetes hygiene plan that covers you from head to toe and keeps you healthy. That’s because, when you have diabetes, your blood vessels help transport glucose and insulin throughout the body. But when you have unmanaged high blood sugar, these blood vessels can also become damaged, which can in turn cause damage to various parts your body. So if you have diabetes, caring for your entire body is essential to help protect your overall health. Here's how to give yourself some serious TLC to help avoid many possible diabetes complications related to: Your skin. Getting enough water is important to good skin care with diabetes. That's because skin dries more easily with poorly controlled blood sugar, says Dianne Brown, CDE, a certified diabetes educator with the Adult Diabetes & Endocrinology Clinic, part of the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center at the University of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City. Dry skin is a concern because it can develop cracks. "This can allow bacteria to enter and cause a skin infection,” Brown says. Keep you skin hydrated and healthy by drinking plenty of water throughout the day, eating a diet that’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids, avoiding bathing in very hot baths and showers, using mild soaps, moisturizing immediately after bathing. If you do notice any skin problems, be sure to tell your doctor. Your eyes. Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of adult blindness, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Diabetes also increases your likelihood of developing cataracts and glaucoma. But there are steps you can take to help avoid eye complications related to diabetes. Continue reading >>
Understanding Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic medical condition in which sugar, or glucose, levels build up in your bloodstream. The hormone insulin helps move the sugar from your blood into your cells, which are where the sugar is used for energy. In type 2 diabetes, your body’s cells aren’t able to respond to insulin as well as they should. In later stages of the disease your body may also not produce enough insulin. Uncontrolled type 2 diabetes can lead to chronically high blood sugar levels, causing several symptoms and potentially leading to serious complications. In type 2 diabetes your body isn’t able to effectively use insulin to bring glucose into your cells. This causes your body to rely on alternative energy sources in your tissues, muscles, and organs. This is a chain reaction that can cause a variety of symptoms. Type 2 diabetes can develop slowly. The symptoms may be mild and easy to dismiss at first. The early symptoms may include: constant hunger a lack of energy fatigue weight loss excessive thirst frequent urination dry mouth itchy skin blurry vision As the disease progresses, the symptoms become more severe and potentially dangerous. If your blood sugar levels have been high for a long time, the symptoms can include: yeast infections slow-healing cuts or sores dark patches on your skin foot pain feelings of numbness in your extremities, or neuropathy If you have two or more of these symptoms, you should see your doctor. Without treatment, diabetes can become life-threatening. Diabetes has a powerful effect on your heart. Women with diabetes are twice as likely to have another heart attack after the first one. They’re at quadruple the risk of heart failure when compared to women without diabetes. Diabetes can also lead to complications during pregnancy. Diet is an imp Continue reading >>
Preventing Type 2 Diabetes
Perhaps you have learned that you have a high chance of developing type 2 diabetes, the most common type of diabetes. You might be overweight or have a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes. Maybe you had gestational diabetes, which is diabetes that develops during pregnancy. These are just a few examples of factors that can raise your chances of developing type 2 diabetes. Diabetes can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, and eye and foot problems. Prediabetes also can cause health problems. The good news is that type 2 diabetes can be delayed or even prevented. The longer you have diabetes, the more likely you are to develop health problems, so delaying diabetes by even a few years will benefit your health. You can help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes by losing a modest amount of weight by following a reduced-calorie eating plan and being physically active most days of the week. Ask your doctor if you should take the diabetes drug metformin to help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.1 How can I lower my chances of developing type 2 diabetes? Research such as the Diabetes Prevention Program shows that you can do a lot to reduce your chances of developing type 2 diabetes. Here are some things you can change to lower your risk: Lose weight and keep it off. You may be able to prevent or delay diabetes by losing 5 to 7 percent of your starting weight.1 For instance, if you weigh 200 pounds, your goal would be to lose about 10 to 14 pounds. Move more. Get at least 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days a week. If you have not been active, talk with your health care professional about which activities are best. Start slowly to build up to your goal. Eat healthy foods most of the time. Eat smaller portions to reduce the amount of calories you Continue reading >>
Type 2 Diabetes
Print Diagnosis To diagnose type 2 diabetes, you'll be given a: Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test. This blood test indicates your average blood sugar level for the past two to three months. It measures the percentage of blood sugar attached to hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells. The higher your blood sugar levels, the more hemoglobin you'll have with sugar attached. An A1C level of 6.5 percent or higher on two separate tests indicates you have diabetes. A result between 5.7 and 6.4 percent is considered prediabetes, which indicates a high risk of developing diabetes. Normal levels are below 5.7 percent. If the A1C test isn't available, or if you have certain conditions — such as if you're pregnant or have an uncommon form of hemoglobin (known as a hemoglobin variant) — that can make the A1C test inaccurate, your doctor may use the following tests to diagnose diabetes: Random blood sugar test. A blood sample will be taken at a random time. Blood sugar values are expressed in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or millimoles per liter (mmol/L). Regardless of when you last ate, a random blood sugar level of 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) or higher suggests diabetes, especially when coupled with any of the signs and symptoms of diabetes, such as frequent urination and extreme thirst. Fasting blood sugar test. A blood sample will be taken after an overnight fast. A fasting blood sugar level less than 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) is normal. A fasting blood sugar level from 100 to 125 mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L) is considered prediabetes. If it's 126 mg/dL (7 mmol/L) or higher on two separate tests, you have diabetes. Oral glucose tolerance test. For this test, you fast overnight, and the fasting blood sugar level is measured. Then you drink a sugary liquid, and blood s Continue reading >>
Patient Education: Care During Pregnancy For Women With Type 1 Or 2 Diabetes Mellitus (beyond The Basics)
INTRODUCTION Before insulin became available in 1922, women with diabetes mellitus were at very high risk of complications of pregnancy. Today, most women with diabetes can have a safe pregnancy and delivery, similar to that of women without diabetes. This improvement is largely due to good blood glucose (sugar) control, which requires adherence to diet, frequent daily blood glucose monitoring, and frequent insulin adjustment. This topic review discusses care of women with type 1 or 2 diabetes during pregnancy, as well as fetal and newborn issues. It does not address gestational diabetes, which is diabetes that is first diagnosed during pregnancy. (See "Patient education: Gestational diabetes mellitus (Beyond the Basics)".) IMPORTANCE OF BLOOD GLUCOSE CONTROL Glucose in the mother's blood crosses the placenta to provide energy for the baby; thus, high blood glucose levels in the mother lead to high blood glucose levels in the developing baby as well. High blood glucose levels can cause several problems: Early in pregnancy, high glucose levels increase the risk of miscarriage and birth defects. These risks are highest when glycated hemoglobin (hemoglobin A1C or A1C) is >8 percent or the average blood glucose is >180 mg/dL (10 mmol/L). In the last half of pregnancy and near delivery, high blood glucose levels can cause the baby's size and weight to be larger than average and increase the risk of complications during and after delivery (see 'Newborn issues' below). In particular, women with large babies are more likely to have difficulty with a vaginal birth and have a higher chance of needing a cesarean delivery. In the last half of pregnancy, women with diabetes are more prone to developing pregnancy-induced hypertension (preeclampsia) and an excessive amount of amniotic Continue reading >>
- Women in India with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Strategy (WINGS): Methodology and development of model of care for gestational diabetes mellitus (WINGS 4)
- Improved pregnancy outcomes in women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes but substantial clinic-to-clinic variations: a prospective nationwide study
- Relative effectiveness of insulin pump treatment over multiple daily injections and structured education during flexible intensive insulin treatment for type 1 diabetes: cluster randomised trial (REPOSE)
Top 10 Tips For People Newly Diagnosed With Type 2 Diabetes
twitter summary: Ten tips for newly diagnosed T2 #diabetes: act NOW for long-term benefits, use healthy eating, exercise, meds + structured blood glucose testing short summary: This article offers ten tips for people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes: 1) Know that developing type 2 diabetes does not represent a personal failing; 2) Start to take care of your diabetes as soon as you’re diagnosed (and even better, before, if you know you have prediabetes); 3) Recognize that type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease; 4) Keep in mind that food has a major impact on blood glucose; work to optimize your mealtime choices; 5) Exercise is a powerful and underutilized tool which can increase insulin sensitivity and improve health – use it as much as possible; 6) Use blood glucose testing to identify patterns; 7) Don’t forget that needing to take insulin doesn’t mean you failed; 8) Keep learning and find support; 9) Seek out the services of a Diabetes Educator; and 10) Review our Patient's Guide to Individualizing Therapy at www.diaTribe.org/patientguide. Know that developing type 2 diabetes does not represent a personal failing. It develops through a combination of factors that are still being uncovered and better understood. Lifestyle (food, exercise, stress, sleep) certainly plays a major role, but genetics play a significant role as well. Type 2 diabetes is often described in the media as a result of being overweight, but the relationship is not that simple. Many overweight individuals never get type 2, and some people with type 2 were never overweight. At its core, type 2 involves two physiological issues: resistance to the insulin made by the person’s beta cells and too little insulin production relative to the amount one needs. These problems can lead to high bl Continue reading >>
