Diabetes Treatment & Information

Recognizing the Signs of Type 2 Diabetes

In the United States, type 2 diabetes is becoming an epidemic. As of today, nearly 18 million people have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The frightening part of this statistics is that the numbers are on a rapid rise. A lot of this may be correlated to an increase in the number of people who are overweight. Being overweight is the most notable risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

Signs of Type 2 Diabetes

One of the first signs of diabetes is when you notice that your vision is blurred without any apparent cause. Rising blood glucose levels can cause blurred vision. This happens because the lenses in the eyes become swollen. The change in size of the lenses can cause the blurry vision.

Another sign of type 2 diabetes that you may notice is a decrease in feeling sensations in your feet or legs. If you have constant numbness in your feet, you may have had type 2 diabetes for many years without realizing it. This numbness occurs after years of nerve damage. The term for this diabetic neuropathy. Diabetic neuropathy usually takes about 5 to 10 years to set in after the onset of type 2 diabetes. Fatigue can be a symptom of many different health problems. For this reason, many type 2 diabetics may ignore their fatigue or dismiss it as being caused by something else.

One of the reasons many people misdiagnose their own fatigue is that modern day life is so hectic. We deal with such stressful activities in our daily lives, whether at home or at work, that we have become used to fatigue. But if you have any other symptoms of type 2 diabetes, you should not ignore fatigue as one of its symptoms. Those with type 2 diabetes suffer from fatigue because their cells are unable to use the glucose in their bloodstream. This is caused by how the body is utilizing insulin in the blood.

Genital itching is one of the least known signs of type 2 diabetes. Naturally, if you have STD, you’re going to have some genital itching. Or if you have an infection, you may have some genital itching. But if you have neither of these symptoms, it could be a sign of type 2 diabetes. If you do have an infection, this could also be a symptom of type 2 diabetes because the decreased function of the cells in your blood makes you more prone to yeast infections. Also, yeast infections are attracted to high levels of sugar in the blood.

Prevention is always better than cure. Many of the known diseases as diabetes can always be prevented at very little cost, if it is going to be measured against the amount spent in treatment. Thisarticle incidentally is based on the wisdom of achieving a healthy life by avoiding the factors that can compel you to seek the help of a doctor. I will dedicate the paragraphs below to discuss each of these principles in full detail.

Adopt good eating habits

We live in a day and age in which junk foods have covered over eighty percent of the shelves of all the known fast food joints. The pressures of our daily activities hardly leave us with any time to responsibly consider what we consume as food. Eating to fill the stomach or grasping anything that looks palatable should not be the deciding factor in your choice of food. Good food should contain a good balance of all relevant nutrients in the right proportions to ensure that after digestion and absorption the body system will derive what it needs to keep it functioning at optimum capacity.

In addition, food should be prepared and consumed under the highest standards of hygiene. This means, where possible vegetables and groceries that are vulnerable to contact from an endless list of pathogens should be properly cleaned before consumption. As far as practicable, it is recommended that the fat and cholesterol content of our diets should be at the lowest level possible. The connection between high cholesterol in the human system and the vulnerability to cardiovascular diseases has being established beyond thought.

Obesity

In recent times due to poor nutritional information, people consume large quantities of food rich in calories, which the body is unable to use. Examples of such food include, candies, chocolates, sweet cookies, ice creams and a host of others. The human body through its own internal mechanism absorbs just the exact quantity of glucose needed to meet the energy demands of the system. Surplus glucose is converted into fats and stored under the skin layer. Fats pose a mortal danger to the human system when it blocks major vessels and arteries to impede the smooth distribution of blood from the heart to other parts of the body and back to the heart. People suffering from obesity should subscribe to a workable weight loss program, which can begin by getting more nutrition education coupled with the resolve to diligently endeavor to exhibit greater responsibility in matters regarding their diets. Finally, conscious efforts should be put in place to avoid reaching to a state of obesity.

Increase physical activity

Our modern world is driven by mechanization and technology to such an extent that it is increasingly becoming easier to do the very basic things in life with just very little or no effort at all. Inasmuch as the modern gadgets exist to enhance the human welfare, in their extreme stages can bring side effects that are costly to the health of man. As a mater of principle, it is advised that, engaging in regular physical activities such as jogging, walking, swimming etc enable the skeletal and muscular system to be set to work. As these systems work, the energy demand by the body cells to keep pace with the said physical activity, results in the burning of excess glucose stored as fats and increase in blood circulation. As this process becomes a regular routine, then you are reducing your vulnerability to cardiovascular diseases by a significant margin. Quit unhealthy habits

Alcohol and substance use and their abuse is a major threat to a healthy living. Tobacco as a single entity is known to contain thousands of chemicals; chiefly among them is nicotine that undermines the quality of life a person can live. Statistically, over fifty thousand people globally die from tobacco related complications such as respiratory diseases and cancer every year. People addicted to the more dangerous illicit substances as cocaine and marijuana are known to have an over seventy-five percent likelihood of suffering from mental diseases than non-drug users. Closely related to the drug menace is alcoholism and its attendant social and health problems. Regular alcohol intake puts a strain on the liver, which if allowed to persist can result in serious and even terminal liver infections.

For people with diabetes maintaining a proper diabetic blood sugar levels is one of if not the most important thing in properly managing this life threatening disease. There are a whole list of complications and disorder that can and will occur in the diabetic with consistent high blood glucose levels. Controlling and managing these diabetic complications can be accomplished through proper diet, exercise, and medications.

Blood sugar levels fluctuate throughout the day and are affected by what you eat, insulin, and physical activities you may participate in. The problem with diabetes is your sugar levels stay high longer then they should and this is what your doctor will look for when making a diagnosis.

There are three different tests that your doctor can order that can be used to diagnose diabetes. Many times if the test ordered comes back positive your doctor will one of the other two tests to confirm the diagnosis. The American Diabetes Association recommends the following three tests in the diagnosis of diabetes.

1. The casual plasma blood glucose level test. This is used to diagnose in conjunction with the patient exhibiting the signs and symptoms of diabetes. This test can be done at any time of the day and is not dependent on when the last meal was consumed. If the plasma glucose comes back at or above 200 mg/dL then further testing may be needed.

2. The fasting plasma glucose level test. This is done after at least an eight hour fasting period in which the patient has not eaten anything. A positive test will show a plasma glucose of greater then 126 mg/dL.

3. The two hour oral glucose tolerance test. The patient will drink a syrupy glucose solution that contains 75 anhydrous glucose dissolved in water. After waiting two hours blood is drawn and if the glucose levels are at or above 200 mg/dL then a positive diagnosis is made.

Once diagnosed the diabetic must be made aware of the importance of maintaining good blood sugar control to mitigate the complications that this disease can cause. Only through self monitoring using a blood glucose monitor can this be accomplished. In fact a monitor is something no diabetic should be without. It gives the diabetic metabolic control and keeps the chances of hypo or hyperglycemia at a minimum.

A diabetic blood sugar level should be maintained in the 70 to 120 mg/dL range before a regular meal and should be in that range four or five hours after the last snack or meal. Blood sugar does rise after eating a meal or snack, this is normal, but it should drop to below 200 mg/dL two hours after eating. Tight control of blood glucose levels is an important part of any diabetes treatment program. Doing so lessens the chances of kidney disease, nerve damage, heart disease, and vision problems that this disease causes. source

Fast paced life of modern world has necessitated us to give only lower priority to nutrition. This is at a time when nutrition awareness of everyone is high. Instead of taking well cooked food items, fruits and juices, people go after carbonated drinks, fast ‘junk’ food, frozen and preserved food, microwave food. People also don’t take the time to enjoy and appreciate the food they eat. Today most of us just need any food that fills the belly for sometime.

This food habits have given rise to a variety of health problems. Significantly important one among them is diabetes. Ayurvedic principles tell us food is one important element that keeps a person in a balanced state of body, mind and soul. Taking healthy food translates into healthy body. Ayurvedic view on diabetes is no different. There are times when diabetes can attack without any warning sign. Ayurvedic food style combined with certain herbal applications helps one effectively manage his or her condition of diabetes.

High sugar level is the most dreaded thing about diabetes. Ayurveda recommends food items that don’t release excess sugar into the blood. Food items that are too sweet, ice cream, chocolate, friend food items, white flour, preserved food, fast food, junk food etc are to be avoided. Bad habits like smoking and drinking should be given up. Ayurveda recommends Ayurvedic herbal tea for diabetic patients. Replace sugar with honey or jaggery (thickened molasses - sarkkara) or better still palm jaggery (thickened palm molasses - karippatti).

The advantages or drinking more than eight glass of water everyday is not easily told in an essay. Drink a minimum of 8-15 glass of water in the day time. After sunset take only minimal quantities of water. Another thing is to drink plenty of water an hour before a meal and an hour after the meals. Drinking water close to meals dilute the digestive fire (in Ayurveda it is called pitta) and makes the process of digestion difficult.

Take fruits like grapes, fig, pomegranate, citrus fruits etc. Bitter melon (bitter gourd, karela) is used as medicine for diabetes. The point about Ayurvedic management of diabetes is never a hard task. All you will have to do is to incorporate Ayurvedic principles as your daily routine. Having healthy food and exercise regime itself can help one control his or her diabetes to a great extent.

Include turmeric and garlic as spices, bitter gourd as vegetable, triphala as a laxative and drinking lot of water as daily habit. These are not very difficult to follow. You can’t eat or drink all the food items you have. But living a sweeter life sometimes means giving up some sweet for tongue food items. source

There are many different scams online and off that promise to cure diabetes. These are cruel because, as of now, diabetes cannot be cured. It can, however, be treated and a person who is suffering from this disease can lead a long, full life.

Diabetes involves the lack of sufficient insulin that is needed to break down foods in the digestive system. As the foods cannot be broken down properly, the glucose remains in the blood and cannot pass through the system properly. This causes an elevation in blood glucose levels. The elevation in blood glucose, or blood sugars, causes the kidneys to work overtime in order to dispose of waste.

Symptoms of elevated blood sugars include excessive thirst and frequent urination. Anyone who is experiencing these symptoms should have themselves checked out for diabetes. Diabetes can only be diagnosed by a physician. A doctor will take blood tests in order to make a diagnosis.

Pre diabetes is a condition that occurs before diabetes. This is when the blood sugars are elevated but before the condition is full blown diabetes. A doctor can diagnose pre-diabetes. This can be reversed with a proper diet and medication. Full blown diabetes type II, however, cannot be cured.

Treatment for diabetes includes oral medications and insulin. The type of treatment that you need will be determined by the doctor and will depend on your condition. Insulin can be used with a syringe or with the use of an insulin pump. More people who use insulin are opting for the insulin pump that automatically controls the amount of insulin that goes into your blood.

There are several different oral medications used to treat diabetes. In most cases, a physician will prescribe a couple of different medications that can work in conjunction with one another to keep blood sugars at a moderate level. In addition to taking insulin or medication, a diabetic must also monitor his or her blood sugar on a daily basis. This is usually recommended after meals. A record of the blood sugar levels must be kept so that the doctor knows if the treatment he or she is prescribing is working. It may be necessary to adjust oral medication or insulin levels.

Treating diabetes is not difficult. It is more of an inconvenience than anything else. However, taking medication and monitoring your blood sugar only takes minutes a day and is well worth the effort. In addition to watching your blood sugars and taking medication, you can also watch your diet. Eliminating sweets from your diet and simple carbohydrates can help you maintain healthy blood sugar levels. When you combine a healthy lifestyle with medication or insulin, you can lead a full and productive life with diabetes.

Do not fall for any false promises when it comes to curing diabetes. Follow the orders of your doctor and treat this disease in a medical manner as it can be a matter of life or death. While diabetes cannot be cured, it can be treated and anyone with the disease can lead a long life. source