Healthy Life

It pays to know about diabetes. Did you know that over twenty-four million Americans are diabetic, and that over five million have not been diagnosed yet? Diabetes is a major cause of medical disability and retirement, of people having premature strokes and heart attacks, of amputations, and of winding up on kidney dialysis machines. It can significantly complicate pregnancy for both the mother and her unborn child. It is not yet curable. However, its symptoms and insidious damage can certainly be reduced with proper treatment.

Diabetes has been basically streamlined in its terminology, that is, there is Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. Type 1 occurs because the specialized cells, called beta cells, in the pancreas produce too little insulin. Insulin has to be injected into the skin or blood stream to make up for this lack. Otherwise the person has a generalized wasting disease, gaunt appearance, weight loss in spite of a voracious appetite, unquenchable thirst, sugar in the urine, and high levels of sugar in the blood. Type 2 diabetes occurs when insulin receptor cells, especially in fat cells, are desensitized and don’t utilize the insulin as they are supposed to do. There is often enough insulin present; it just doesn’t have its normal effect. Some experts refer to Type 2 diabetes as a disorder of lifestyle. The affected person may have it gradually develop along with, and as a result of, central obesity, hypertension, lack of exercise, improper diet and other similar aspects of a dysfunctional lifestyle.

Type 1 diabetes includes the subset of patients previously classified as juvenile onset diabetics. At various times between birth and adolescence the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas simply stop working. We know sometimes the predisposition for this to occur may be hereditary, or it may be due to infection by a specific virus, or it may occur for such reasons as cystic fibrosis damaging the pancreas. This type of diabetes tends to be the most brittle and hard to control. The person so afflicted may go from one crisis to another: one with the blood glucose too high to one where the glucose is too low. Both cases are life-threatening, and these patients tend to develop the earliest occurrences of cardiovascular disease with alteration in brain function, stroke, heart attacks, kidney failure, and peripheral artery disease. Type 1 diabetes is usually managed by an endocrinologist with specialized training and experience in beta cell function. In addition to diet and exercise, novel approaches such as insulin pumps for continuous insulin administration may be tried.

Type 2 diabetes is the one which affects the majority of diabetics. Medicines are prescribed which tend to reinstate insulin sensitivity and others that actually lower blood glucose. Sometimes it is necessary to add varying quantities of insulin. Metformin, which increases insulin sensitivity, is usually the first one prescribed in Type 2 diabetes. Other medicines, like sulfonylureas and thiazolidinediones, can be given in tablet form to lower blood sugar either directly or by causing the pancreas to produce more insulin.

The issue for the Type 2 diabetics is whether to be passive or proactive in the treatment of their condition. By passive I mean (a) you don’t follow a diabetic diet; (b) you don’t try to lose down to your ideal body weight; (c) you simply wait for one more pills to take care of your problem. Certainly pills are an important part of the treatment plan, but they don’t make up for all of it. You should talk to your doctor about an exercise program; you should work with a dietician about a diabetic diet. You should read every reliable thing you can about Type 2 diabetes. Knowledge is a key component in the quest for normal blood glucose with all its benefits. Work with your doctor on your goals of treatment, be honest and straight-forward with him concerning your efforts and problems, and make up your mind to be proactive.

Source : www.articlecity.com

Diabetes remains an epidemic in the U.S., but experts are now more concerned that certain populations may not be getting the right kind of treatment because of their ethnic and cultural beliefs.

Physicians can't use a one-size-fits-all approach to treating patients with diabetes; physicians, families and community leaders must work together to develop culturally specific programs, according to Dr. Kevin McKinney, Minority Health Affairs Committee chairman of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.

Cultural viewpoints of medicine and disease only compound the issue, said McKinney, who spoke at a recent American Medical Association media briefing on diabetes.

For instance, in some societies, religion influences one's physical and emotional well-being equally. When an illness occurs, a family may seek out the advice of a religious leader before consulting a physician, which would delay treatment and increase the risk of complications.

"Most people in these communities don't even know they're at risk," McKinney said. "They may know about diabetes and its effects, but they're unaware that living a healthy lifestyle can help reduce their risk."

McKinney stresses that education is the key to eliminating the prevalence of diabetes in certain communities and suggests programs that pair education with a cultural activity.

"Programs held at community and religious centers can focus on diabetes risk factors and some of the healthier approaches to traditional foods that may help in reducing those risks," McKinney said.

More than 21 million Americans now have diabetes - a number that experts say may climb as high as 31 million by the year 2050. Every 24 hours, another 4,100 people in the United States are diagnosed with the disease.

But despite these dire statistics, Dr. Frank Vinicor, director of the Division of Diabetes Translation at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says that the medical community is making great strides to combat this epidemic.

"We know that you do not have to develop type 2 diabetes if you're at high risk, and that if you do have diabetes, you don't have to lose your eyes, your feet or your heart," Vinicor said at the briefing.

The overall outlook for diabetes is beginning to improve, Vinicor said.

"The rates of amputations and end-stage kidney disease due to diabetes are actually beginning to fall," he said. "The preliminary data indicate that fewer people with diabetes are dying. So we're seeing some light at the end of the tunnel."

Source : www.readbud.com

The researchers all over the world are busy trying to find out the exact methods to manage diabetes. For, diabetes has assumed the settled form of a dreaded disease, not sparing children, pregnant women, adults and the old. The aged persons are the worst sufferers because it destroys the strength in their body at a rapid pace.

Scientists believe that environmental factors cause the immune system to destroy the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. When the insulin-producing cells are permanently destroyed, the only alternative for you is to provide insulin to the body through external resources such as injections! So, far no other remedy has been found!

There are two types of diabetes. Type I and Type II.

The former is incurable, and it will remain as your life-long partner- the most unreliable partner for that matter! Because many dreaded diseases are its likely companions. These dreaded companions will never shudder to attack you, should you be a bit less alert in taking care of your diabetes.

Type II is curable, it is reported that 9 out of 10 cases are successfully treated. There are certain preconditions however! You must have control over your diet and indulge in regular exercising. Consumption of alcohol as well as smoking is thoroughly prohibited. Body Weight Check is your watchword!

For type I, take 2 to 5 injections per day. Insulin has a dual function to play. It regulates both the blood sugar and the speed at which sugar moves into cells. But insulin is not to be treated as replacement for proper diet. The diet and exercise are the foundation stones for controlling diabetes. Insulin will have the favorable impact only after you take the necessary precautions.

With course of treatment of type I Diabetes, no chance can be taken. It is always to be considered as a dreaded disease and should be treated and respected as such. Some of the symptoms of your laxity of treating type I diabetes are continuous need to urinate, excessive thirst, weakness, coupled with tiredness, urinary tract infections, blurred vision and numbness in the feet.

If Type I diabetes is not treated and looked after properly, it is not a life and death situation, it is life or death, and chances for the later are more!

Source : www.readbud.com

Fats

The excessive use of fats has been linked to development of diabetes. A recent study at the University of Colorado Health Science Center, USA found that intake of an extra 40g of fat day increases the chances of developing diabetes by three times. Fat rich diet, especially one saturated with animal fat, seems to damage the insulin's effectiveness. Research at the University of Sydney in Australia measured the saturated fatty acids in the muscles cells of older non-diabetic men and the women undergoing surgery and found that higher the presence of saturated fatty acids in the cells, the greater the insulin resistance. On the other hand, higher tissue levels of polyunsaturated fats, particularly fish oil, indicated better insulin activity and lower resistance. Fish oil differs from animal fats in that fish oil contains polyunsaturated fatty acids. One of the fatty acids called omega-3 is especially good for the heart-it lowers cholesterol and protects from atherosclerosis. In fact, the researchers also reported that intake of omega-3 fish oil to the subjects effectively overcame their insulin resistance.

In another study, Jennifer Lovejoy, assistance professor at Louisiana State of University, USA, studied and the eating habits and insulin activity among 45 non-diabetic men and women. About half of them were obese and the remaining half of normal weight. In both cases, higher fat consumption increased insulin resistance. This indicates, says Dr. Lovejoy, that even normal individuals who decrease their insulin efficiency and boost their vulnerability to diabetes.

Meat and Meat Foods

One of the most important nutrition guidelines to follow is to "eat less saturated fat." A quick and simple way to do that is to eliminate meat products. They are high both in saturated fat and cholesterol content. People with diabetes have a greater risk of heart disease earlier in life. The practically useless calories added by saturated fats contribute to above normal body weight and obesity, putting a diabetic at greater of heart disease.

Flesh foods are extremely harmful for diabetes. They increase the toxemic condition underlying the diabetic state and reduce the sugar tolerance. Most diseases of the human body are caused by autointoxication of self-poisoning. The flesh of animals increases the burden on the organs of elimination and overloads and system with animal waste matter and poisons. Chemical analysis has shown that uric acid and other uric poisons contained in the animal body are almost identical to caffeine and nicotine, the poisonous, stimulating principles of coffee, tea and tobacco.

The renowned journal Lancet, reports that a patient of diabetes must be persuaded to consume less animal foods. However, in cold countries where meat and mat products constitute the bulk of the diet, patients of diabetes should limit their intake of animal products to eggs and white meal like fish and poultry. Even their use of should be kept to the minimum; all red meat and red meat products should be eliminated from the diet.

Source : www.readbud.com