17 Tips To Manage Diabetes In Hot Weather Or On Vacation

17 Tips to Manage Diabetes in Hot Weather or on Vacation

Summer brings special challenges for people with diabetes. These tips can help you safely manage diabetes in hot weather and when you’re on vacation.
The effects of heat are more strongly felt by people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes for several reasons:
Complications that are common for people with diabetes include damage to nerves or blood vessels. This damage means sweat glands cannot effectively cool the body. When the humidity is also high, sweat doesn’t evaporate and the body cannot cool itself. It’s easier for people with diabetes to develop heat exhaustion or heat stroke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Consider this to be a medical emergency and get help quickly.
They more quickly lose water from their bodies (become dehydrated) when it’s hot, compared to people without diabetes. They need to drink more fluids to keep blood sugar levels from increasing. High blood sugar increases the need to pee, making dehydration worse. Also, “water pills” (diuretics) used to treat high blood pressure can worsen dehydration.
Insulin use can change because hot weather changes how the body uses insulin. The CDC recommends testing your blood sugar more often, adjusting the insulin dose, and adjusting what you eat and drink.
Top tips for summer if you have diabetes:
Drink more fluids, especially water, even if you’re not thirsty. Waiting until you’re thirsty means you’re already dehydrated. Avoid alcoholic beverages and those with caffeine, including coffee, tea, energy or sports drinks and cola drinks. They can make you lose more Continue reading

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Diabetic by HbA1c, Normal by OGTT: A Frequent Finding in the Mexico City Diabetes Study

The agreement between glucose-based and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)–based American Diabetes Association criteria in the diagnosis of normal glucose tolerance, prediabetes, or diabetes is under scrutiny. A need to explore the issue among different populations exists.
All 854 participants without known diabetes had both oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and HbA1c measurements on the same day of the 2008 phase.
We found by OGTT normal glucose tolerance (NGT) in 512 (59.9%) participants, prediabetes [impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and/or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT)] in 261 (30.5%), and diabetes in 81 (9.4%). In total, 232 in the NGT group (45.3%) and 158 in the prediabetes group (60.5%) had HbA1c ≥6.5%. Body mass index, waist circumference, and blood pressure were significantly different among OGTT-defined diabetic status groups but not in the HbA1c-diagnosed group. We identified 404 participants in the NGT group with confirmed NGT throughout all phases of the Mexico City Diabetes Study. Of these, 184 (45.5%) had HbA1c ≥6.5%. In a vital/diabetes status follow-up performed subsequently, we found that, of these, 133 remained nondiabetic, 3 had prediabetes, 7 had diabetes, and 13 had died without diabetes; we were unable to ascertain the glycemic status in 5 and vital status in 23.
The patient was a 47-year-old Japanese man whose parents were first cousins. He lacked secondary sexual characteristics owing to normosmic CHH. Exon segments for the KISS1R gene in this patient were screened for mutations. Functional analyses were performed using HEK293 cells expressing KISS1R mu Continue reading

Sugar, Uric Acid, and the Etiology of Diabetes and Obesity

The intake of added sugars, such as from table sugar (sucrose) and high-fructose corn syrup has increased dramatically in the last hundred years and correlates closely with the rise in obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. Fructose is a major component of added sugars and is distinct from other sugars in its ability to cause intracellular ATP depletion, nucleotide turnover, and the generation of uric acid. In this article, we revisit the hypothesis that it is this unique aspect of fructose metabolism that accounts for why fructose intake increases the risk for metabolic syndrome. Recent studies show that fructose-induced uric acid generation causes mitochondrial oxidative stress that stimulates fat accumulation independent of excessive caloric intake. These studies challenge the long-standing dogma that “a calorie is just a calorie” and suggest that the metabolic effects of food may matter as much as its energy content. The discovery that fructose-mediated generation of uric acid may have a causal role in diabetes and obesity provides new insights into pathogenesis and therapies for this important disease.
Fructose-induced weight gain and metabolic syndrome
Experimental studies from the 1950s showed the peculiar ability of fructose to induce insulin resistance in laboratory rats. Today, fructose intake has been shown to induce all features of metabolic syndrome in rats, as well as oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, fatty liver, microalbuminuria and kidney disease (rev. in 1). Similar findings can be shown when animals are fed sucrose or high-fructose corn s Continue reading

Is Pumpkin Good or Bad for Diabetics?

Diabetes is a complicated condition. It can best be managed with a well-disciplined lifestyle, regular physical exercise, and a well-balanced, healthy diet. Hence, a diabetic is always concerned about what he or she should eat and what he or she should not eat. In this article, we shall analyze whether eating pumpkin is good or bad for a person who is suffering from diabetes. So, come and join in for the article “Is Pumpkin Good Or Bad For Diabetics?
Facts About Pumpkin
To begin with, let us look into some of the facts about pumpkin before analyzing the risks and rewards of including pumpkin in the diet of a person who happens to suffer from diabetes.
One cup of pumpkin is known to contain around 3 grams of fiber and 7.5 grams of carbohydrates. However, the vegetable is less starchy as compared to some of the other vegetables.
Pumpkin has a low-calorie content. The number of calories in the vegetable is just around 30 units
Beta-carotene is responsible for the orange color of the vegetable
The vegetable is known to be a rich source of several nutrients, vitamins, and minerals including iron, potassium, zinc, magnesium, vitamin A, as well as vitamin C.
Although the glycemic index is high at 75, it has a low glycemic load of 3 which means that it does not lead to an increase in the levels of blood glucose to a considerable extent when compared to other vegetables.
The following paragraphs explain the advantages and disadvantages of eating pumpkin by a patient who is suffering from diabetes:
Benefits of Including Pumpkin in a Diabetic Diet
The following are the advantages of Continue reading

Flu shot is key for people with diabetes

With predictions calling for a potentially bad flu season this year, doctors are urging people — particularly those with diabetes — to get vaccinated.
Many people with diabetes don't get a seasonal flu shot each year, according to the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE). Some people with the blood sugar disease don't realize they're at risk for flu-related complications. Others have misguided fears that the shot will trigger an adverse reaction, the group explained.
However, people with diabetes are more likely to develop serious flu-related health problems if they get the virus, the AADE cautioned. The group said the flu shot is a safe and effective way to prevent or reduce the severity of these complications.
"Reducing risks is one of the AADE's seven key self-care behaviors for managing diabetes, and getting the flu shot every fall is an excellent way of reducing the risk of getting sick," certified diabetes educator Evan Sisson said in an AADE news release. "It's widely available, it takes just a few minutes and it can make a real difference in your health."
Good hand hygiene is another important way to stay healthy and hopefully avoid the flu, the diabetes experts noted.
There are several ways a seasonal flu shot can benefit people with diabetes, according to the AADE. They include:
♦ Better disease management. The flu and other infections can raise blood sugar levels and disrupt a healthy diet plan. Avoiding the flu can help people with diabetes stay on track and manage the condition.
♦ Complication prevention. People with diabetes are more likel Continue reading