Risk Factors For Diabetes: Type 1, Type 2, And Gestational

Risk factors for diabetes: Type 1, type 2, and gestational

This article is about risk factors for diabetes mellitus. Usually just called diabetes, this is a disease that occurs when the body does not make or use insulin in the way it should.
Diabetes results in a person having too much of a type of sugar, called glucose, in their blood and not enough in their cells. At least 1 in 4 people with diabetes does not know that they have the disease.
Knowing risk factors for diabetes is very important for preventing the damage it can cause. If a person knows what these factors are, they can see a doctor early to find out if they have, or are at risk of, diabetes.
There are three main kinds of diabetes: type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. Each of these is briefly described below, along with their important risk factors.
Type 1 diabetes
In type 1 diabetes, the body makes no or very little insulin. It affects around 5 percent of those with diabetes. It is treated with either insulin injections or an insulin pump, along with diet.
The main risk factors for type 1 diabetes include:
Family history. Having a parent or sibling with type 1 diabetes increases the chances of a person having the same type. If both parents have type 1, the risk is even higher.
Age. Type 1 diabetes usually affects younger people. Ages 4 to 7 and ages 10 to 14 are the most common. Type 1 diabetes may occur at other ages, although it does so less often.
Genetics. Having certain genes may increase the risk of type 1 diabetes. Your doctor can check for these genes.
Where a person lives. Studies have found more type 1 diabetes the further away from the equator a perso Continue reading

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Morning to Night Diabetes Management

Good diabetes management depends on following a routine that runs throughout your day — from the time you get up until your head hits the pillow again at night. That's because blood sugar levels are in constant flux during the day. They rise after meals and taper off during physical activity. The key to successfully managing type 2 diabetes and its symptoms is to keep your blood sugar levels as stable as possible. That's where a routine comes into play. Here are diabetes management tips to help cover every part of your day:
In the Morning
Check your blood sugar. If you have type 2 diabetes, you should check your blood sugar level every morning before you eat anything, says Marjorie Cypress, CDE, president of health care and education at the American Diabetes Association. This gives you a good baseline idea where you stand and allows you to make adjustments throughout the day.
Eat breakfast. If you skip breakfast, you're already starting your day on the wrong foot. "Many people tend to skip breakfast, and it's one of the most important meals of the day," Cypress says. "You skip breakfast and you get hungrier and hungrier, and that's one of the reasons people tend to overeat later in the day." Eating regular meals will help keep your blood sugar levels steady, but skipping meals and then binging will cause spikes.
Give your feet a once-over. Diabetes can cause your feet to lose feeling because of nerve damage. In extreme cases, a person with diabetes can end up having to have a foot amputated if an unnoticed cut becomes severely infected. Check your feet for any sores or cu Continue reading

Best Herbs and Foods For Diabetes Prevention and Control

Diabetes is a chronic illness that is becoming very common nowadays due to the unhealthy diet and the sedentary lifestyle. The diabetes is a disorder where the levels of carbohydrates, sugar, fat, and protein increases. Diabetes can affect the various other organs of the body like the brain and the heart. But thankfully, diabetes can be controlled by eating diabetes friendly herbs and foods and by leading active lifestyle. Today in this post, we are going to discuss about some of the best herbs and foods for diabetes control.
If you are suffering from diabetes, or there is any diabetic in your family, I am sure you understand their pain. Even if diabetes can be controlled, life changes completely.
World Health Organization (WHO) has pointed out that about half of all deaths of the world population are caused by the rise in the level of blood glucose before the age of 70 years. WHO also projects that in 2030, diabetes will be the 7th leading cause of deaths in the world, and that’s a real threat. Today, more than 422 million people are living with diabetes, worldwide.
Researchers have estimated that the developing countries are more prone to diabetes in the world. In India, it is estimated that 33 million people are victims of this disease, and it will increase to 58 million by the year 2025. The rate of the people suffering from diabetes is increasing rapidly, and majority of the cases are from the urban areas.
Looking at the dangerous situation of the disease, and how fast it is spreading, it is better that you take proper care of your health, before it becomes a problem Continue reading

Stress, Lack of Sleep Can Increase Your Risk of Developing Diabetes

Developing type 2 diabetes as an adult is not only about eating habits. Several lifestyle factors — including stress — can put you at a greater risk of developing the disease.
In type 2 diabetes, you have too much sugar, also called glucose, in your blood. People with diabetes have problems converting food to energy.
After a meal, food is broken down into glucose, which is carried by your blood to cells throughout your body. Cells absorb glucose from your blood with the help of the hormone insulin and use it for energy.
Type 2 diabetes usually begins with insulin resistance, a condition linked to excess weight in which your body’s cells do not use insulin properly. As a result, your body needs more insulin to help glucose enter cells.
The impact of stress
Stress is one of the more overlooked factors that can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, says endocrinologist Mary Vouyiouklis Kellis, MD.
“Stress puts your body into a flight or fight mode. As a result, your levels of hormone such as adrenaline and cortisol rise. This can impact your blood glucose levels,” Dr. Kellis says.
“If you have pre-diabetes, these increases in blood glucose levels can’t be effectively lowered because you’re insulin-resistant,” she says. “As a result, over time, stress can increase a person’s risk to develop type 2 diabetes.”
Another problem with stress is that the increase in cortisol can make you want to eat more than you should, Dr. Kellis says.
People who stress-eat are more likely to gain weight. Carrying too much weight is one of the biggest risk factors Continue reading

Diabetes Awareness Month

One of the most prevalent diseases in Canada today, there’s a big chance that you or someone you know suffers from a type of diabetes.
There are multiple types of diabetes, which at its very simplest creates problems with the body’s pancreas and insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps your body control glucose—a simple sugar your body makes after eating starchy or sugary foods. Located behind the stomach, the pancreas is responsible for releasing insulin to help your body regulate the storage and usage of sugar. And that sugar doesn’t have to be basic table sugar… fruits, starchy vegetables, many carbohydrate-based grains and some dairy products like milk are all converted into sugars within the body. Diabetes occurs when the pancreas stops producing enough insulin or when the body doesn’t respond to insulin like it should.
Type 1 diabetes
Formerly called juvenile diabetes, type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and makes up only a small percentage of the total number of diabetes patients in Canada. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas fails to produce insulin on its own. With no insulin to help control glucose in the body, the glucose builds up within the blood instead of being used for energy. Those diagnosed with type 1 diabetes need insulin therapy and other treatments to help their body do what their pancreas can’t. Not caused by external factors (unlike type 2 diabetes), the reason for getting type 1 diabetes remains unclear and the disease is not preventable.
Type 2 diabetes
The form of diabetes that is becoming a worldw Continue reading