A Diabetes Self-Care Check List

Fall is around the corner, kids are heading back to school, and the winter holiday season is several weeks off. It seems like a good time to run a simple diabetes self-care diagnostic.
Here are ten things endocrinologists suggest people with diabetes should know or do to achieve optimal well-being. How many of them can you cross off your need-to-do list?
Self-Care Check List
Eye See. Though not everyone with diabetes will have vision complications, catching problems early increases the likelihood of successful treatment results. If you have not visited your ophthalmologist during the past 12 months, this might be a good time to make an appointment.
Choppers Check. Even if you haven’t noticed any teeth or gum problems, two dental exams per year are recommended for people with diabetes. When did you last visit your dentist?
Numbers Update. Knowing and understanding the implications of certain numbers helps those with diabetes make wise lifestyle choices. What is your latest A1c level, body mass index, waist circumference, weight, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and kidney function (creatinine, albumin) results? You can keep abreast of these numbers - and find out what they mean - by seeing a doctor or endocrinologist regularly.
Monitoring Mettle. Regular glucose monitoring is the only way to gauge how different foods and activities affect your blood sugar so that suitable lifestyle or medication adjustments can be made.
Feet First. Being at higher risk for infection and peripheral nerve damage means your feet require plenty of TLC. Examining them daily for bruises, cuts Continue reading

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Google and Sanofi Will Bring Diabetes Care to the Cloud

Google, along with French pharmaceutical company Sanofi, announced today a partnership that will help improve care for patients with diabetes.
According to Andy Conrad, head of Google's life science unit, technology can go a long way in helping treat both the minor and major complications that go along with having diabetes.
“Diabetics are far more likely to have heart attacks, they’re far more likely to have cancer, and they’re 15 times more likely to have their foot cut off because of vascular issues,” Conrad told Bloomberg Business. “If we could prevent strong and profound fluctuations in the levels of blood sugar, we could prevent most of the problems associated with diabetes.”
Analyzing blood sugar in real time
Part of the partnership will focus on ways to help physicians monitor patients' glucose levels in real time, which would improve daily management and help patients avoid complications.
Google is currently partnered with other companies, like Novartis and DexCom, to develop devices like Bluetooth-insulin pens and contact lenses that can detect blood sugar levels.
Devices that can upload data to the cloud, Conrad said, can help patients adopt a more preventative and proactive stance when it comes to managing diabetes with their doctors.
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," he concluded.
Source: Bloomberg Business
Image courtesy of nenetus/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Type 2 diabetes is different from type 1 diabetes in many ways. As its alternate name of adult-onset diabetes implies, it is usually only found in adults. However, the rate of childr Continue reading

Research Shows This One Plant Kills Cancer And Stops Diabetes

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Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia), also known as balsam pear, bitter gourd, or karela, is widely cultivated in many parts of Asia, Africa, and South America and has been used extensively used in folk medicines since old times as a herbal remedy for diabetes – specifically in India, China, and Central America. [1]
The fruit of the bitter melon vine is usually harvested while it is still light green to pale yellow in color, as it becomes bitterer as it ripens. The young fruits are then split or cut in half, and the seeds and pith taken out and discarded. The fruit is then prepared as a vegetable or as a juice and is packed with various nutrients including high levels of Vitamin C and some uniquely valuable phytonutrients.
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In recent times bitter melon has generated much excitement owing to its medicinal potential. For several years now animal studies have supported the hypoglycemic (glucose lowering) and hypolipidemic (cholesterol lowering) effects of bitter melon – indicating its potential as a supplement beneficial for diabetes, weight loss and more. [2][3][4][5]
The fruit is said to be helpful in treating viral diseases such as measles. Also, in many parts of Asia, especially in the Philippines, it is be Continue reading

Early Warning Signs of Diabetes That Most Medical Professionals Don’t Even Know

Diabetes is one of the dominant health issues of the modern era, and it affects more than 29.1 million people in America only. However, the biggest reason for this high number is the fact that people are not well educated about this disease, even though they think they know it all.
Namely, it is well known that diabetes affects the blood sugar and that diet can play a major role in its regulation. When it comes to its warning signs, most people know that it is manifested by excessive thirst, blurry vision, and inability to heal injuries. However, this is only a small part of it all!
There are other warning signs of this disease that you need to know it order to act on time if you are at increased risk of diabetes. In this case, you should change your lifestyle and make new lifestyle habits in order to regulate your condition, keep the disease under control and prevent further complications.
These are the diabetes warning signs that you need to know:
Improved vision
Your blood sugar levels may be elevated in case you need to take off your glasses in order to read, and your prescription is becoming stronger.
Namely, even though diabetes often weakens the vision, there are also cases when it can actually improve it, due to a change in the fluid levels in the eyes. Therefore, you should consult your doctor every time you notice a change in the vision.
Hearing loss
Your hearing may also be affected by this disease. A study by the National Institute of Health found that hearing loss may be experienced in the pre-diabetes stage, which is manifested by elevated sugar levels and 30% Continue reading

How Diabetes Contributes to Kidney Failure

Diabetes is the most common cause of kidney failure, according to the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) 2007 Annual Data Report.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD), the precursor to kidney failure, is considered comorbid (commonly coexisting) with diabetes.
Because of the increased risk of developing kidney disease, people with diabetes should be regularly screened for any evidence that they are developing kidney issues. Evaluation generally begins five years after diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes and immediately upon diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. After initial screening, annual screenings are recommended.
What Kidneys Do
The kidney's primary purpose is to filter impurities from the blood, which are then excreted in urine. The blood is also replenished by the kidneys, with necessary proteins and other substances added back. The kidneys release three hormones, including one that stimulates the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow and one that is the active form of vitamin D, which works in conjunction with calcium to maintain proper levels of calcium in the body. The third hormone helps to regulate blood pressure at proper levels.
How Diabetes Affects Kidneys
Diabetes has a significant impact on blood vessels, damaging the epithelial cells that line arteries, vessels and capillaries. This causes inflammation and increasing inflexibility of the vessel walls.
The filters in the kidney are made up of tiny blood vessels that are easily damaged. Accumulated damage to these vessels makes the kidneys less efficient at filtering and leads to retention of fluids and salts. Th Continue reading