information about diabetes war

Archive for the ‘blood glucose levels’ Category

Diabetes can be prevented or, in some cases, delay the start of diabetes by taking charge before it advances from what is known as the pre-diabetic stage to being a full-blown illness. Pre-diabetes refers to the stage where you have higher-than-normal blood glucose, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. Pre-diabetes can lead to type 2 diabetes if nothing is done to overturn the condition. A recent study called the Diabetes Prevention Program indicates that persons with pre-diabetes can stop type 2 diabetes from beginning, by increasing their physical activity and changing their eating habits.

Changing eating habits and beginning an exercise program has been proven to be an effective method of preventing the growth of pre-diabetes. Pre-diabetes can be reversed that is, sugar levels can be returned to normal with medication, diet, and exercise, meaning you can do something to ward off imminent, full-blown diabetes. What exactly is pre-diabetes? It is the sign to developing type 2 diabetes and refers to higher than usual glucose in the blood.

It is important to know that pre-diabetes can lead to type 2 diabetes, if left untreated. Fortunately, a recent study has shown that moderate exercise and a change to healthier ways of eating can help prevent pre-diabetes and possibly diabetes itself. Age also plays a role, as the older you are, the more likely you are to develop pre-diabetes

People whose ethic background includes African, Native American, Latino, and Asian are particularly prone to developing diabetes. If you belong to one of these groups and are older than forty-five, it would be a good idea to get tested for pre-diabetes or diabetes.

Doctors can tell if you are pre-diabetic by performing two standard tests, the results of these tests will verify whether you have pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, or if you are diabetes-free.

The test is normally done in the morning, and the patient is advised not to consume anything after 10 PM the previous night, you will then have the glucose tolerance test to measure your blood glucose level after an overnight fast, your blood glucose levels are then checked two hours later, if the range is between 140 and 199 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter), you will be considered pre-diabetic. These levels are also a sign that you may develop type 2 diabetes soon after.

If your test is positively as having pre-diabetes, it is essential to take annual tests so that you catch developed diabetes in its early stages. Early diagnosis is truly the easiest way to get the disease under control before too much harm has been done to vital organs.

Exercise can return blood sugar levels to normal ranges. Preventing or delaying the onset of diabetes is your responsibility; make the lifestyle changes needed to improve your health today.

Thirty minutes of reasonable activity joined with weight loss is recommended by the American Diabetes Association as the best way of minimizing the risk of becoming pre-diabetic. Even if you are not in the grouping of people that are more subject to pre-diabetes or diabetes itself, appropriate health care and physical activity are very important regardless.

Controlling your health is dependent on the changes you make in your daily way of life. While avoiding serious illness is one motivation to having a physical lifestyle, in general good health and long-lasting mobility are two other good incentives.

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by high blood sugar (glucose) levels, which result from defects in insulin secretion, or action, or both. Diabetes mellitus, commonly referred to as diabetes (as it will be in this article) was first identified as a disease associated with “sweet urine,” and excessive muscle loss in the ancient world.

Diabetes is a serious, lifelong condition that affects an estimated 20.8 million people. About 30 percent (6.2 million) do not know they have it. Each year, about 1.5 million people find out they have diabetes (1) and probably have had the disease for seven years before it was diagnosed.

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder affecting the way the body uses digested food for growth and energy. As a person eats, digestive juices break down the food into a simple sugar called glucose. Glucose is the main source of fuel for the body.

Types of Diabetes Mellitus:

Type 1 diabetes mellitus can occur at any age and is characterized by the marked and progressive inability of the pancreas to secrete insulin because of autoimmune destruction of the beta cells. It commonly occurs in children, with a fairly abrupt onset; however, newer antibody tests have allowed for the identification of more people with the new-onset adult form of type 1 diabetes mellitus called latent autoimmune diabetes of the adult (LADA).

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes:

· Increased thirst

· Increased urination

· Weight loss in spite of increased appetite

Type 2 diabetes mellitus was once called adult-onset diabetes. Now, because of the epidemic of obesity and inactivity in children, type 2 diabetes mellitus is occurring at younger and younger ages. Although type 2 diabetes mellitus typically affects individuals older than 40 years, it has been diagnosed in children as young as 2 years of age who have a family history of diabetes.

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes:

· Blurred vision

· Slow-healing infections

· Impotence in men

Genetic causes — Many people with type 2 diabetes have a family member with type 2 diabetes or conditions commonly associated with diabetes, such as high blood lipid levels, high blood pressure, or obesity. As an example, 39 percent of patients with type 2 diabetes have at least one parent with the disease. The lifetime risk that a first-degree relative (sister, brother, son, daughter) will develop diabetes is five to ten times higher than that of a person of a similar age and weight who has no family history of diabetes.

Complications:

People with diabetes may experience many serious, long-term complications. Some of these complications begin within months of the onset of diabetes, although most tend to develop after a few years. Most of the complications are progressive. The more tightly a person with diabetes is able to control the levels of sugar in the blood, the less likely it is that these complications will develop or become worse.

The eyes can be affected in several ways by diabetes mellitus. Diabetic retinopathy is one of the leading causes for irreversible blindness in the United States. This retinopathy can occur with either type I or type II diabetes mellitus, usually a decade or so after the onset of diabetes. Most persons with type I diabetes and many of those with type II diabetes develop some background (non-proliferative ) retinopathy. Proliferative retinopathy is more ominous and is more likely to occur when diabetes mellitus is poorly controlled.

Diabetes prevention is possible and is accomplished by lowering body weight by changing eating habits and consistent, regular exercise. Diabetes prevention is the focus of a huge international research effort. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent each year to reach this goal. Diabetes prevention is the best way to also make sure that this disease gets under control and does not continue to plague our nation. And by approaching diabetes prevention with open arms, you will be encouraging others to take that same step.

Diabetes prevention is of utmost importance because chronic hyperglycemia is a risk factor for CVD, and the risk starts to increase before the onset of clinical diabetes, according to Italian research. CVD prevalence in diabetic patients is 26-36% and heart attack fatality rates are greater in diabetic patients. Diabetes prevention is proven, possible, and powerful. Learn more about the risks for developing type 2 diabetes and the “Small Steps” you can take to delay or prevent the disease before it starts. Diabetes prevention is most likely to reduce the rate of growth of this diabetes burden on our health system. At- risk individuals can be identified and several interventions have proved to be effective in decreasing diabetes incidence.

Start by making small changes. For example, try to get 15 minutes of physical activity a day this week.

Weight gain occurs in subcutaneous fat stores rather than in the intraperitoneal fat stores that promote insulin resistance. Weight losing may be performed eating healthier and getting 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days per week. The secret is: do small steps that lead to big rewards. Weight is a factor in diabetes. If you are overweight, you are more at risk.

Weight loss is accompanied by reports of improved glucose control when orlistat is given to people with established diabetes [23]. The possibility that orlistat may prevent diabetes in overweight people was tested prospectively in the 4-year XENDOS trial (Xenical in the Prevention of Diabetes in Obese Subjects) [18].

Medications to help you quit smoking, lower your cholesterol,?and lower your blood pressure help reduce your risk of complications. Medical research has shown that pre-diabetes is entirely treatable, and that individuals diagnosed with pre-diabetes can stop the development of type 2 diabetes by making some lifestyle changes. In fact, pre-diabetes patients can even restore their blood glucose to levels that are considered normal. Medical information changes rapidly and while Yahoo! No health information on Yahoo!, including information about herbal therapies and other dietary supplements, is regulated or evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and therefore the information should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease without the supervision of a medical doctor.

American Indians and Alaska Natives are 2.3 times as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites of similar age. To respond to this rapidly growing problem, the U.S. Americans suffering from diabetes has doubled to more than 20 million, and that number is projected to double again by 2025. Diabetes has serious complications that are largely preventable with proper management and treatment.