Is Diabetes Genetic? Facts About Hereditary Risk

Is diabetes genetic? Facts about hereditary risk

Diabetes is a complex set of diseases with no single cause. Genetic factors make some people more vulnerable to diabetes, particularly with the right environment.
In addition, certain lifestyle factors can cause type 2 diabetes in individuals with no known family history.
This complex interaction between genes, lifestyle, and environment points to the importance of taking steps to minimize individual diabetes risk.
Is type 1 diabetes hereditary?
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, which means that it causes the body's immune system to attack healthy cells. It is often called juvenile diabetes because most people are diagnosed in childhood, and the condition then lasts their lifetime.
Doctors used to think type 1 diabetes was wholly genetic. Newer studies have shown, however, that children develop type 1 diabetes 3 percent of the time if their mother has the condition, 5 percent of the time if their father has it, or 8 percent if a sibling has type 1 diabetes.
Consequently, researchers now believe that something in the environment has to trigger type 1 diabetes.
Some risk factors include:
Cold weather. People develop type 1 diabetes in winter more frequently than summer. It is also more common in places with cool climates.
Viruses. Researchers think some viruses might activate type 1 diabetes in people who are otherwise vulnerable. Measles, mumps, coxsackie B virus, and rotavirus have been linked to type 1 diabetes.
Research suggests that people who develop type 1 diabetes may have autoimmune antibodies in their blood for many years before showing symptoms. As a result Continue reading

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Controlling the Dawn Phenomenon

Do you wake up with a blood glucose level that’s higher than when you went to bed? You might wonder how this could be. Is this “dawn phenomenon” serious, and what can you do about it?
Our reader Mishelle commented here, “I don’t eat [much] during the day. [I take metformin morning and night.] My blood sugar is still too high in the morning…sometimes 125–140ish.”
How can Mishelle’s glucose levels go up if she didn’t eat anything? She probably has a mild case of dawn phenomenon. Her glucose is going up from sources other than digested food. Some of it is produced by the liver from stored starch and fatty acids. Livers that produce too much glucose are one of the main ways diabetes causes high blood glucose levels. Other organs also produce small amounts of glucose. This is called “gluconeogenesis” for you science freaks out there.
Organs do this to keep blood glucose from going too low at night or other times of not eating. From about 2 AM to 8 AM, most people’s bodies produce hormones, including cortisol, glucagon, and epinephrine. All these hormones increase insulin resistance and tell the liver to make more glucose. The idea is to get you enough glucose to get out of bed and start the day. The whole process is apparently started by growth hormones.
Everyone has a dawn phenomenon. Otherwise they’d be too weak to get breakfast. But in people without diabetes, insulin levels also increase to handle the extra glucose. People with diabetes can’t increase insulin levels that much, so their early morning blood glucose levels can rise dramatically.
Ex Continue reading

How to reverse type 2 diabetes

Do you have type 2 diabetes, or are you at risk for diabetes? Do you worry about your blood sugar? Then you’ve come to the right place.
The disease diabetes (any type) means that you have too much sugar in your blood. This page will show you how to best check this.
You can normalize your blood sugar naturally as needed – without pills, calorie counting or hunger. Many people have already done so. As a bonus, a normalized blood sugar usually makes you healthier and leaner.
Table of contents:
A disastrous epidemic
Two types of diabetes
Normalize your blood sugar
Become your own evidence
A disastrous epidemic
What’s wrong? Why do more and more people become diabetic?
In the past, before our modern Western diet, diabetes was extremely rare. The disease is now becoming more and more common. Around the world, more and more people are becoming diabetic:
The number of people with diabetes is increasing incredibly rapidly and is heading towards 500 million. This is a world epidemic. Will someone in your family be affected next? Your mother, father, cousin, your child? Or you? Is perhaps your blood already too sweet?
Those affected by the most common form of diabetes (type 2) normally never regain their health. Instead, we take for granted that they’ll become a little sicker for every year that goes by. With time they need more and more drugs. Yet, sooner or later complications emerge. Blindness. Dialysis due to faulty kidneys. Dementia. Amputations. Death.
Diabetes epidemic causes inconceivable suffering. Fortunately, there’s something that can be done. We just need to see Continue reading

Symptoms of diabetes: Seven signs YOU could have the condition

The symptoms are not always obvious, and many people could be suffering with the condition for years before they learn they have it.
Every week 4,500 people are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes across the UK.
However, experts warn thousands could be living with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes.
The condition, which can be caused by being overweight and poor diet can cause blindness, limbs to be amputated - every week diabetes causes 150 amputations - and even kidney failure.
It has even been linked to a reduce life expectancy if the condition it not managed well.
People also need to ensure they look after their feet properly as high levels of blood glucose can cause foot problems.
This can stop nerves working so people might not feel when they have cut their feet or burned themselves.
The main symptoms of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are:
Urinating more often than usual - particularly at night
Excessive urination can be triggered by excess glucose in the blood which interferes with the kidney’s ability to concentrate urine.
Feeling thirsty
Kidneys have to work harder in people with type 2 diabetes. Puldisia is the term given to excessive thirst.
Diabetes.co.uk said: “If you feel thirsty all the time or your thirst is stronger than usual and continues even after you drink, it can be a sign that not all is well inside your body.”
If you feel thirsty all the time or your thirst is stronger than usual and continues even after you drink, it can be a sign that not all is well inside your body
Feeling tired
Feeling tired could be a symptom of many conditions - but it can be caus Continue reading

What are the ideal levels of blood sugar?

A blood sugar or blood glucose chart identifies ideal blood sugar levels throughout the day, including before and after meals.
Doctors use blood sugar charts to set target goals and monitor diabetes treatment plans. Blood sugar charts also help those with diabetes assess and self-monitor blood sugar test results.
What is a blood sugar chart?
Blood sugar charts act as a reference guide for blood sugar test results. As such, blood sugar charts are important tools for diabetes management.
Most diabetes treatment plans involve keeping blood sugar levels as close to normal or target goals as possible. This requires frequent at-home and doctor-ordered testing, along with an understanding of how results compare to target levels.
To help interpret and assess blood sugar results, the charts outline normal and abnormal blood sugar levels for those with and without diabetes.
In the United States, blood sugar charts typically report sugar levels in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). In the United Kingdom and many other countries, blood sugar is reported in millimoles per liter (mmol/L).
A1C blood sugar recommendations are frequently included in blood sugar charts. A1C results are often described as both a percentage and an average blood sugar level in mg/dL.
An A1C test measures the average sugar levels over a 3-month period, which gives a wider insight into a person's overall management of their blood sugar levels.
Blood sugar chart guidelines
Appropriate blood sugar levels vary throughout the day and from person to person.
Blood sugars are often lowest before breakfast and in the lead Continue reading