How Uncontrolled Diabetes Damages Your Heart, Eyes, Kidneys, Nerves, Teeth And More

How Uncontrolled Diabetes Damages Your Heart, Eyes, Kidneys, Nerves, Teeth and More

Diabetes is a cluster of disorders characterized by high blood sugar levels that persist over a long period. It is one of the most common disorders of our time.
According to the International Diabetes Federation, 387 million people worldwide were living with diabetes by the year 2014.
In the U.S. alone, 29.1 million people have diabetes, out of which 8.1 million remain undiagnosed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Understanding How Your Body Works
Glucose is a type of simple sugar found in food. It is a major source of energy and is used by every living organism.
When you eat food, your digestive system breaks it down into glucose in the blood so your cells can extract energy from it and recharge themselves. At this point, the glucose is also called blood sugar.
Every cell of every organ in your body, be it the muscles, kidneys or the brain, relies on energy from glucose to perform its functions.
But how does this glucose reach the cells?
Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas that performs the crucial task of delivering glucose to the different cells.
So, how does all this relate to diabetes?
Understanding Diabetes
There are two major types of diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes
In Type 1 diabetes, the cells of the pancreas responsible for making insulin either fail to do so or create very little.
This keeps the glucose unused in the blood, and can ultimately cause an overload of blood sugar.
It is mostly diagnosed in young adults and children.
Type 2 Diabetes
This is the most common type of diabetes. Ninety percent of the adults suffering from dia Continue reading

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10 Superfoods To Curb Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that can gradually affect your entire system and almost every organ in your body including your kidneys, eyes, heart and more.
Paying close attention to your diet can make a big difference in whether you develop the disease or experience complications from it. In fact, one of the leading factors behind the development of Type 2 diabetes, along with many other chronic and degenerative diseases, is a poor diet.
Making some smart dietary choices can prevent or help control Type 2 diabetes. Some superfoods can control diabetes by stabilizing or even lowering your blood sugar level when eaten on regular basis in appropriate portions.
Even if you already take medicine for diabetes, it is essential to understand that what you eat and drink can greatly affect how well you manage the disease.
1. Cinnamon
Several components in cinnamon promote glucose metabolism and reduce cholesterol. Studies have shown that in people with diabetes; just one-half teaspoon of cinnamon powder per day can significantly decrease fasting blood glucose levels and increase insulin sensitivity.
There are many ways to add cinnamon to your diet. You can sprinkle some in your coffee, stir it into your morning oatmeal, or add it to chicken or fish dishes. You can also soak a medium-sized cinnamon stick in hot water to make a refreshing cup of cinnamon tea.
2. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a starchy vegetable that contains the antioxidant beta-carotene along with vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium and fiber. All of these help control blood sugar.
Diabetics can use sweet potatoes in place o Continue reading

Service dog saves sleeping boy with type 1 diabetes

A loyal service dog saved his 7-year-old ward when the boy’s blood sugar levels dropped quickly while he was sleeping.
In a Facebook post that’s gained over 330,000 likes, mom Dorrie Nuttal shared the story and a photo of the dog, black Labrador Jedi guarding over her son, Luke, who has type 1 diabetes.
“This is a picture of Jedi saving his boy. Saving him from highs and lows and from ever feeling alone,” Dorrie wrote in the March 3 post.
Five minutes before the photo was taken, Dorrie wrote, the family was asleep. Then Jedi jumped on and off the bed where Luke, 7, was sleeping and lay on Dorrie until she woke up. Jedi then bowed—his alert that Jedi’s glucose was too low.
Dorrie checked her son’s glucose monitor, and it read at 100, which was normal. Jedi still refused to get off of the bed. Suddenly, Dorrie realized the seriousness of the situation and pricked her son’s finger— the reading was 57, too low for the boy, who was recovering from a stomach bug.
“Luke was laying right next to me, just inches from me, and without Jedi I would have had no idea that he was dropping out of a safe range. He has never woken up on his own for a low in over 4 and a half years,” she wrote.
As a diabetic “alert dog,” Jedi has been trained for the last three years to detect a high or low level or blood sugar and notify humans. Owing to their sharp sense of smell, certain dog breeds that are fit for detecting bombs are also good at sniffing out hard-to-detect scents emitted by people who lack insulin, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Type 1 diabetes affects fewer Continue reading

Signs Of Dog Diabetes That You Should Never, Ever Ignore

If you have a precious pooch in your life, there’s a good chance you’ll do just about anything to keep him healthy or happy!
That’s why it’s so important for all dog owners to know how to spot the signs of diabetes in their pets.
After all, there are lots of people illnesses that dogs can’t get, and vice versa. Unfortunately, diabetes isn’t one of them.
Knowing doggy health symptoms is key to spotting all sorts of medical dilemmas early on.
Diabetes in dogs is very similar to diabetes in humans. Many of the symptoms are the same, and just like their owners, dogs with diabetes can either have type 1 diabetes or develop type 2 over time.
If you have a beloved dog who isn’t acting quite the way he used to, it’s a good idea to watch for these symptoms. Also, have a vet run exams as soon as possible to help get your pup the treatment he needs!
Scroll through to learn how to spot the symptoms of diabetes in dogs.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Flickr
Sign #1: Drinking Tons Of Water
Is your dog making constant trips to the water bowl?
It’s normal for dogs to drink plenty of water, but watch your dog closely to see if it seems like he just can’t get enough to drink.
If your dog suddenly seems excessively thirsty and is drinking huge amounts of water, it might be time for a trip to the vet.
Dogs with diabetes have too much glucose in their bodies, which absorbs water fast and leaves the pooch feeling constantly thirsty.
Sign #2: Needs To Go Out All The Time
We mentioned excessive thirst earlier.
Well, excessive peeing is the direct corollary.
Because the extra Continue reading

Johnson & Johnson developing stem cell cure for Type 1 diabetes

Johnson & Johnson and biotech company ViaCyte are exploring a possible cure for Type 1 diabetes with encouraging results, The Associated Press reports. The stem cell treatment involves turning embryotic stem cells into insulin-producing cells in a lab, and then putting them in a small capsule to implant under a patient's skin.
Patients with Type 1 diabetes cannot produce insulin. In a healthy person, insulin is made by the body in response to rising blood sugar levels after a meal. High levels of sugar in the bloodstream can lead to the damage of blood vessels, organs, and can even kill patients. Type 1 diabetes patients need to take frequent insulin injections as a result — something the insulin-implant produced by ViaCyte and Johnson & Johnson would render unnecessary.
Testing began on patients a year ago; they received a small dose of the insulin-producing cells in their implants and are to be closely monitored for two years. The companies reported that after 12 weeks, the patient's devices were working as expected with no side effects observed. Another several rounds of patient testing are expected before regulators will approve the device.
About 29.1 million Americans have diabetes, which includes 1.25 million with Type 1, or insulin-dependent, diabetes. Type 2 diabetics — whose bodies make insulin but use it ineffectively — are on the rise, as are Type 1 diabetics. Current treatment includes a strict diet, exercise, and multiple daily insulin injections and finger-prick blood tests. Jeva Lange Continue reading