diabetestalk.net

The Genetics Of Diabetes

The Genetics of Diabetes

The Genetics of Diabetes

Why me? How did I deserve this? Am I to blame? These are questions that many people ask when diagnosed with a serious condition or disease.
Unfortunately, there’s no clear-cut answer when it comes to diabetes. Unlike some traits, diabetes doesn’t seem to be inherited in a simple pattern, and there is a lot of misinformation out there about its causes. (Have you ever had to explain that diabetes doesn’t happen because someone ate too much sugar?)
It’s apparent, though, that some people are born more likely to develop diabetes than others. We know that type 1 and type 2 diabetes have different causes, but genetics plays an important role in both types. People with diabetes inherit a predisposition to the disease, then something in their environment triggers it.
Identical twins are proof that genes alone are not enough, however. Identical twins have identical genes; therefore, they should have the same genetic risk for a disease—right? Not necessarily. Research has found that if one identical twin has type 1 diabetes, the other twin will get the disease about 50 percent of the time. For type 2 diabetes, that risk rises to as much as 4 in 5. In both type 1 and type 2, identical twins have a much higher risk of both developing diabetes than non-identical (fraternal) twins, which further supports the fact that genetics is involved.
So what are the causes of type 1 diabetes? Again, we know that genetics is involved. We also know that it’s not just one gene responsible, but many different genes, each of which contributes only a small part of the risk. Scientists have id Continue reading

Rate this article
Total 1 ratings
What Happens When You Go into a Diabetic Coma?

What Happens When You Go into a Diabetic Coma?

Diabetes comes along with a lot of complications and another such life-threatening condition that can affect both type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients is a diabetic coma. It is a situation, where the person although alive, cannot respond to any sights, sounds, or any other types of physical simulations. In this article, we shall know more about diabetes coma and what happens when a person slips into one. So, join in for the article “What Happens When You Go into a Diabetic Coma?”
What is Diabetic Coma?
Diabetic coma is a life-threatening condition caused due to either very high or very low glucose levels in a diabetes patient. It affects patients with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The major risk factors for this type of condition increases when you are on an insulin pump, have fallen sick and the blood sugar has risen dramatically, you have had a heart failure or a kidney-related disease, you have the habit of drinking too much of alcohol, or even when you have failed to manage your diabetes effectively.
In the following paragraphs, we shall study the symptoms and causes of this fatal condition in detail.
Symptoms of Diabetic Coma
Let us now look into the signs and symptoms which help us understand that a person is slipping into diabetes coma. As mentioned above, it can occur either in cases of hyperglycemia or very high levels of blood glucose or in the case of hypoglycemia or low levels of blood glucose. So, let us look into the symptoms of each:
Signs of hyperglycemia or high blood sugar
The patient experiences high level of thirst and urination
Stomach pain is ano Continue reading

Home blood glucose test: How to test for diabetes at home

Home blood glucose test: How to test for diabetes at home

Home blood glucose testing is a safe and affordable way to detect diabetes before it becomes a health issue.
Diabetes, especially in the early stages, does not always cause symptoms. Almost half of people with the disease don't know they have it.
For people already diagnosed with diabetes, a simple diabetes home test is vital in the management of blood sugar levels. It could even be lifesaving.
How to test for diabetes at home
Home blood glucose monitoring is designed to offer a picture of how the body is processing glucose.
A doctor might recommend testing at three different times, and often over the course of several days:
Morning fasting reading: This provides information about blood glucose levels before eating or drinking anything. Morning blood glucose readings give a baseline number that offers clues about how the body processes glucose during the day.
Before a meal: Blood glucose before a meal tends to be low, so high blood glucose readings suggest difficulties managing blood sugar.
After a meal: Post meal testing gives a good idea about how your body reacts to food, and if sugar is able to efficiently get into the cells for use. Blood glucose readings after a meal can help diagnose gestational diabetes, which happens during pregnancy. Most doctors recommend testing about 2 hours after a meal.
For the most accurate testing, people should log the food they eat, and notice trends in their blood glucose readings. Whether you consume a high or low carbohydrate meal, if your blood sugar reading is higher than normal afterwards, this suggests the body is having difficulty Continue reading

Myth: sugar causes diabetes

Myth: sugar causes diabetes

We all know the stereotype – if you’ve got diabetes, you must have eaten too much sugar. But, with this sweet ingredient found in so much of our food – and, recently, so many of our newspapers – what’s the truth about sugar? And how does it affect diabetes?
What is sugar?
Sugar is found naturally in fruit, vegetables and dairy foods. It’s also added to food and drink by food manufacturers, or by ourselves at home. The debate about sugar and health is mainly around the ‘added sugars’. This includes:
table sugar that we add to our hot drinks or breakfast cereal
caster sugar, used in baking
sugars hidden in sauces, ready meals, cakes and drinks.
Does sugar cause diabetes?
There are two main types of diabetes – Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
In Type 1 diabetes, the insulin producing cells in your pancreas are destroyed by your immune system. No amount of sugar in your diet – or anything in your lifestyle – has caused or can cause you to get Type 1 diabetes.
With Type 2 diabetes, though we know sugar doesn’t directly causes Type 2 diabetes, you are more likely to get it if you are overweight. You gain weight when you take in more calories than your body needs, and sugary foods and drinks contain a lot of calories.
And it's important to add that fatty foods and drinks are playing a part in our nation's expanding waistline.
So you can see if too much sugar is making you put on weight, then you are increasing your risk of getting Type 2 diabetes. But Type 2 diabetes is complex, and sugar is unlikely to be the only reason the condition develops.
If I have diabet Continue reading

Diabetes and Hypertension: A Position Statement by the American Diabetes Association

Diabetes and Hypertension: A Position Statement by the American Diabetes Association

Hypertension is common among patients with diabetes, with the prevalence depending on type and duration of diabetes, age, sex, race/ethnicity, BMI, history of glycemic control, and the presence of kidney disease, among other factors (1–3). Furthermore, hypertension is a strong risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), heart failure, and microvascular complications. ASCVD—defined as acute coronary syndrome, myocardial infarction (MI), angina, coronary or other arterial revascularization, stroke, transient ischemic attack, or peripheral arterial disease presumed to be of atherosclerotic origin—is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality for individuals with diabetes and is the largest contributor to the direct and indirect costs of diabetes. Numerous studies have shown that antihypertensive therapy reduces ASCVD events, heart failure, and microvascular complications in people with diabetes (4–8). Large benefits are seen when multiple risk factors are addressed simultaneously (9). There is evidence that ASCVD morbidity and mortality have decreased for people with diabetes since 1990 (10,11) likely due in large part to improvements in blood pressure control (12–14). This Position Statement is intended to update the assessment and treatment of hypertension among people with diabetes, including advances in care since the American Diabetes Association (ADA) last published a Position Statement on this topic in 2003 (3).
DEFINITIONS, SCREENING, AND DIAGNOSIS
Blood pressure should be measured at every routine clinical care visit. Patients found to Continue reading

No more pages to load

Popular Articles

  • Diabetes Awareness Month: Why is it so important to take your diabetes medication?

    As we mark Diabetes Awareness Month in November, it is perhaps good to start with a reality check. The fact is that too many Canadians are already very aware of diabetes, either because they are living with it, or know at least one friend or family member who is. The latest Statistics Canada data (from 2016) show that about 2.1 million Canadians have been diagnosed with diabetes (7% of the populat ...

  • Glaucoma And Diabetes: Can Diabetes Affect Your Eyes?

    People with diabetes are twice as likely to be at risk of having glaucoma compared to people without diabetes. We will first look at how the eye works, what glaucoma is, followed by the relationship between glaucoma and diabetes. Clara’s story Clara’s eyes were feeling tired all of the time. She was attributing the tiredness to her Type 2 diabetes, but she wasn’t too sure about it. That’s ...

  • Diabetes Complications in Dogs and Cats: Diabetes Ketoacidosis (DKA)

    Unfortunately, we veterinarians are seeing an increased prevalence of diabetes mellitus in dogs and cats. This is likely due to the growing prevalence of obesity (secondary to inactive lifestyle, a high carbohydrate diet, lack of exercise, etc.). So, if you just had a dog or cat diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, what do you do? First, we encourage you to take a look at these articles for an explan ...

  • Half Of Adults In The U.S. Have Diabetes Or Pre-Diabetes, Study Finds

    A national wake up call to intensify efforts to control the obesity crisis with added focus on diet, exercise and monitoring blood sugar According to a study published online in JAMA today, nearly 50% of adults living in the U.S. have diabetes or pre-diabetes, a condition where a person already has elevated blood sugar and is at risk to develop diabetes. Diabetes, a condition where blood sugar is ...

  • Diabetes in Dogs (Diabetes Mellitus)

    Diabetes in dogs is a common disorder and is similar to juvenile diabetes in people in which the pancreas cannot produce sufficient amount of insulin. This page looks at the symptoms, health risks, and treatment of this disease. It also discusses how to use some natural remedies such as herbs and supplements to help dogs with diabetes. Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) is a common autoimmune diso ...

  • American Diabetes Month – Is Type 2 Diabetes Reversible?

    Diabetes has become one of the largest medical issues of our time. According to CDC statistics given in January 2014, an estimated 29.1 million adults and adolescence living in the United States have diabetes. Of that number, 7.2 million are not even aware they have it. Roughly 5% of all diabetic cases fall into the category of Type 1 with the remaining majority being Type 2. The primary differenc ...

  • World Diabetes Day: 5 Top Food Myths Around Diabetes Revealed

    Its the World Diabetes Day today! The day which was initiated by International Diabetes Federation to spread awareness and promote better diabetes management amongst people who have been suffering from the condition. Diabetes is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by high blood sugar either because of the inability of the body to produce enough insulin or the inability to respond to the in ...

  • Say Goodbye To Diabetes With These Amazing Home Remedies For Diabetes

    Many common herbs and spices are claimed to have blood sugar lowering effects, it is often argued that use of natural therapies could reduce blood sugars. Read on to know about the home remedies for diabetes. 35 Shares Diabetes is a widespread and persistent problem and India, which is why India is called the world capital of diabetes. In general, there are two main types of diabetes - type 1 diab ...

  • Symptoms of EARLY diabetes: Five risk factors putting YOU on course for type 2 diabetes

    Prediabetes is also referred to by medics as borderline diabetes, is a metabolic condition. If undiagnosed or untreated, prediabetes can develop into type 2 diabetes; which is treatable but not easily reversed. Experts said it is a ‘critical stage’ in the development of diabetes because lifestyle choices - such as changing diet and exercising - can return blood sugar levels to normal. It is th ...

Related Articles