Author: Ellen

Gestational Diabetes

Ellen

During the pregnancy stage sometimes people affected by high blood sugar (glucose) levels and this condition characterized as gestational diabetes. In most cases this blood sugar or glucose level back to normal after delivery. In United States there are 3 percent to five percent pregnant people diagnosed by diabetes.

Causes

Some hormonal changes take place during pregnancy and that is the he major cause of the gestational diabetes. Certain hormones made in placenta (an organ that connects umbilical cord to uterus that helps to transfer nutrients to baby from mother) that involve with the insulin to manage blood sugar and this process is known as “insulin resistance”. During pregnancy placenta grows large and produce more hormones that increase the insulin resistance.

Generally, mothers’ pancreases are capable to produce more insulin say about three times than the normal amount to overcome the insulin resistance. In case, during pregnancy if the pancreas are not able to create enough insulin to conquer against the effects of increased pancreas then that leads to high sugar level. This whole process is the major cause of gestational diabetes.

Risk Factors

Some of the major factors that increase and develop the risks of gestational diabetes are – a woman being overweight by 20 percent or more than their real body weight is one of the major risk factors. Secondly, family history is other major risk. For instance, if a sibling or parent has diabetes then the woman has lot of risk to get diabetes in pregnancy. Pre-mature baby birth is another major risk factor for diabetes.

Apart from that if a woman has gestational diabetes in her previous birth also one of the causes for risk factors. Furthermore, having excess amniotic also one of the risks and this condition called as polyhydramnios.

However, development of gestational diabetes has no known risk factors in half of the women.

When and How to diagnose?

A woman needs to diagnose gestational diabetes between the weeks 24 and 28 of pregnancy because the insulin resistance occurs only during this stage. In case if a woman already had gestational diabetes or if a doctor feels there are chances for this diabetes than it is advisable to take the tests prior to 13th week of pregnancy.

The oral glucose tolerance test is ideal the screen test for gestational diabetes. This is a very simple test, just a woman needs to swallow sweetened liquid (which has 50g of glucose) as quickly as possible. This glucose can absorb by the body rapidly that in turn increase the blood sugar level in just 30 to 60 minutes. After 30 minutes from drinking the solution a laboratory person take the sample from the arm vain and diagnose whether she has diabetes or not.

Treatments

A woman needs to check blood sugar levels regularly during pregnancy and she also need to follow certain guidelines instructed by her doctor. Regular exercising and taking insulin also help to decrease blood sugar. These are some of the major things about gestational diabetes and pregnancy.

History of Diabetes

Ellen

Diabetes is a very ancient disease found in the human race — it was known in the year of 1552 B.C. Many people suffered from the condition of frequent urination and some others observed that the ants grouped around near the place where such people urinated. However, the physicians had no clues for this condition. After a few years, Greek as well as French physicians made us aware about the history of diabetes and the organs that are responsible for this disease. This disease was named as diabetes mellitus because of the sweet property of the urine. Some doctors used assistants for tasting the urine samples in order to identify its sweetness and diagnosed accordingly.

The diabetes was recognized as a disease but there was no progress in its causes. More than 200 years passed in the history of diabetes without any inventions regarding it. This disease was not even known to be a life-threatening disorder.

During the 1800s, a medical test was discovered which determined the sugar level in the urine of the diabetic patients. There was a progress in the treatments for diabetes regarding the doses to control the sugar level along with the diagnosis process. The physicians also prescribed a planned diet for the diabetic patients. In 1870, one of the French physician found that diabetes is dependent on the type of the food taken. He also prepared the diabetic food plan which included milk, fibrous food items and oats. Some of the patients were also advised for starving. But all these precautions did not completely relieve the patients from diabetes.

Then after, in the year 1921, there was a discovery of insulin which created the history of diabetes. There were no significant treatments of diabetes before the discovery of insulin. Dr. Banting, Dr. Collip and Professor Macleod made it possible to discover the nature as well as functions of insulin. First the experiments with insulin were made on the animals and then after, a young man was treated with insulin. The experiment was a great success which helped in identifying as well as treating the diabetes in a right way. Many researches were going on further on this diabetes and in 1940s; it was found that there is a link between the diabetes and other parts of the body like kidneys and eyes. The research studies proved that various parts of the body like kidney, eyes and skin can be affected if you are contracted with diabetes for long duration.

In 1959, two types of diabetes — namely Type 1 which is insulin dependent and Type 2 which is non insulin dependent was determined. The progress was going on and finally, many devices were developed which could precisely measure the sugar levels of the blood of the diabetic patients sitting at their homes.

Thus, the history of diabetes has taken a long way about 3500 years to get completely identified. There had been a ray of hope to get successful in curing the diabetes completely with the help of modern treatments and medicines.

How Can You Prevent Diabetes?

Ellen

Diabetes is considered to be the life threatening disease so it is very important to prevent it when detected. There is no cure which can completely eliminate this disease from your body. But, there are certain steps which can guide how to prevent diabetes.

One of the most important things to be followed in the prevention of diabetes is to maintain your body weight. Try to keep your body weight at a proper level in order to remain healthy. There are many cases found of diabetes in which overweight is the basic problem. The risk of dealing with the diabetes increases with the increase in the body weight. So, you need to maintain your weight at a healthy level.
How to prevent diabetes also depend on the physical exercises performed. If you are doing the exercises regularly, then there are much chances of reducing the diabetes from your body. It helps to keep your weight at appropriate level and maintains constant flow of blood in your body. As diabetes is considered to be a hereditary disorder, it is very important for you to perform proper physical exercise on regular basis to prevent the diabetes from getting inherited from any of your family members.

Right content of eating can also be one factor in deciding how to prevent diabetes. Take low fats and sugar in your diet. Stop taking the food products containing starch and glucose because high amount of both of these cannot be converted into energy by the naturally produced insulin.
Make a habit of body check up on regular basis as suggested by your doctor. The advantage of this is that you can be updated regarding the factors causing diabetes and can treat the disease in the early stage if detected. The check up of blood glucose is very important at regular intervals specifically after you cross the age of 45. Such check ups matter a lot when you already have a member with diabetes or family history of diabetes.

How to prevent diabetes is a question raised by most of the people in these recent times. Thus, they are recommended to take fruits and vegetables in proportionate quantities. From the studies, it has been found that the pigments giving veggies are very useful in encouraging the growth of insulin in your body.
One of the most important things is to maintain the blood pressure which plays a vital role in preventing the diabetes. It has been found that the people taking care in their diet also suffer from diabetes. This is due to high blood pressure. Therefore, ensure that you maintain a proper blood pressure.

In the concluding part, as diabetes is a serious disorder, you need to take right care for its prevention. If this disease is left untreated, then it can even lead to threatening death. Thus, take care in your diet, exercise, regular body check ups and maintain healthy body weight in order to stay away from diabetes. So, try to follow these steps to have a healthy and happy life.

How Do People Get Diabetes?

Ellen

Body’s inability to control level of blood sugar is the characteristic feature of the disease, diabetes which is actually a severe disturbance in the endocrine system of the body. This disorder is that situation where in the body stops using the insulin efficiently preventing further production of the insulin. It is an essential nutrient which is necessary for the proper function of the systems inside.

Diabetic patient are found in two conditions either high or low level of blood sugar. Both of them pose huge problems but hyperglycemia, high level blood sugar is much tougher than the latter one, basically because hormone insulin controls this particular system.

How do people get diabetes?

There are many reasons behind getting affected with diabetes. Certain factors, unknowingly, lead to the disease. One of the most common one among them is smoking. People who smoke are likely to get affected more than anyone else.
Poor diet is another common reason that causes diabetes in most of the cases. Fats and carbohydrates rich diet increases harm for the body, where in there would be less of efficient amount of nutrients and vitamins. Our pancreas gets affected with improper food habits resulting in lesser secretion of insulin. As a result, level of blood sugar raises on an increased rate. This can be controlled only by improving the diet intakes at right time, in right quantity. Obesity is another situation leading to diabetes. Many people themselves find out the solution for their question “how do people get diabetes” when they look at themselves. Obesity occurs out of various conditions and reason behind is not only excessive food intake. It can due to other bodily functions too. After getting affected by obesity, rise and fall in blood sugar level is not very far off situation. Both arise one after the other. Insulin system inside an obese person doesn’t perform proper functions which is the cause of diabetes.

Quit your habit of taking tensions. This is one of the most common reasons behind the disease. Stress and anxieties are hindrance to each one of us. Hectic work schedules generally raise the metabolic rate of the body. Subsequently arising grief alters the level of blood sugar leading to the problematic condition, diabetes. If you are searching for answer, how do people get diabetes and are already stuck in anxiety rich working, probably you might be the next target. Don’t think that if you don’t smoke and don’t have a fatty body, you are saved. Not at all, until and unless you don’t have a relaxed state of mind and proper control on your mental and physical activities you can also be the next target of the disease. Don’t just sit back and keep working. Move out and do some exercises, it will reduce the chances of diabetes in your body.

Whether you are already affected or are moving towards the problem, both conditisons are same. You need to control your activities and diet schedules and maintain a stick atmosphere to save yourself. Solution lies in your hands completely.

How Do You Know You Have Diabetes?

Ellen

Like any other disease, in the beginning stages, diabetes has no symptoms or has very mild symptoms or common symptoms that are very difficult to diagnose. These mild symptoms will not develop rapidly. In fact, they develop gradually — that is the reason we are not able to notice them.

Just because of this reason, it is advisable for people who are 40 or above to do the screening blood tests or pre-diabetes at least once in three years. If the people are overweight fewer than forty also advised to take these types of tests.

One of the main symptoms of the diabetes is having excessive thirst. People have the feeling that they can never quench their thirst. If a people notice this type of symptoms suddenly then it is advisable to take the possible tests as soon as possible. Remember prevention is always better tan cure.

Due to unquenchable thirst people drink plenty of water. With the result that leads to frequent urination, which is another major symptom or sign of diabetes. Note, especially this frequent urination happens mostly during night times and not day times.

Apart from unquenchable thirst and frequent urination people may have the symptoms of extreme hunger suddenly. If a person happen to feel this unusual hunger then it is advisable to pay proper attention as it is also the major symptom of this diabetes, especially if they feel hungry after few minutes of eating horse.

People feel extremely tired all the times as diabetes lead to fatigue. So, it is always advisable to pay proper attention to increased fatigue.

Irritability is another symptom of diabetes. Here, irritability means not the normal irritability that comes from stress or tired. It is a constant irritability without any clear reason. Encounter this situation also recommended to take proper attention.

You know diabetes has all the possibility to affect the clear vision. If people meet blurry vision or sudden vision changes it is advisable to go to doctor immediately. People need to take further possible tests to diagnose whether it causes by diabetes or some other reason.

Unexpected or unusual or abnormal weight loss is also another major symptom of diabetes. Apart from that sores that are slow to heal or recover is also the possible symptom and getting more infections than usual like urinary tract infections are some of the potential reasons of diabetic symptoms.

How to Prevent Diabetes?

Ellen

Diabetes affects a large number of people all around the world — especially in United States of America. There, it affects more than 40 million plus people. This disease is not only a chronic disease but it is also one of the most common diseases as well. Preventing diabetes is most important among all and so people are looking forward for the possible factors.

Before we analyze the significant role of fiber in preventing diabetes, we should know about what diabetes actually is. Due to plenty of fat in the body pancreas refuses to secrete insulin (secretion of insulin in to the tissue cells and muscles is must for normal body functioning, which is the role of pancreas as well) and this insufficient insulin leads to diabetes.

Now, let’s see how these fibers play significant in preventing diabetics. We all know that Fibers are indigestible remnants of plant cells and they are rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, beans and seeds.

The real role of the fiber is — it works in digestive tract to cut the huge amount of waste materials in intestine. As a result that gives an urge to have a bowel moment. This action of fiber is very much significant in preventing diabetes.

There are two types of fibers. They are — soluble fibers and insoluble fibers. We can easily classify these types just by dissolving them in water. The best example for soluble fiber is nuts, seeds, beans, apples, oatmeal, strawberries, pears, blueberries and so on. These food items dissolve in water.

Insoluble fibers do not dissolve in water and they play the great role not only in preventing diabetes but they also play great role in reducing colon cancer. Food items like barley, grains, cereals, brown rice, cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes and zucchini are rich in insoluble fibers.

In order to prevent diabetes everyone should ingest at least 30 to 40 grams of fiber every day. It is sad that Americans are taking just ten grams of fiber everyday.

Studies and researches say that taking 30 plus grams of fiber in a day are potential to prevent type diabetes and they also proves that taking plenty of fiber instantly decrease the amount of sugar that penetrate the bloodstream. For instance, in taking almonds, sesame seeds, yogurt and so on prevent the sugar from entering into the bloodstream at once.

Both soluble and insoluble fibers are very much effective in preventing all types of diabetes. Especially, in type II diabetes these fibers play a very great role.

However, this article is just the role of the fiber preventing diabetes. It is advisable not to take this as a medical prescription or treatment regimen or prescribed health care instruction or advice. However, make sure to consider these points of fiber if you are under going the process of preventing diabetes as it is very much effective in fact.

Is Diabetes Contagious?

Ellen

Diabetes is the disorder of the endocrine gland or to be more correct, of the entire endocrine system, during which the level of blood sugar inside the body increases disrupting other bodily actions going on inside. Basically, the pancreas that is an essential gland is unable to produce required amount of insulin and sometimes this level is even lower or negligible that the functioning of the body gets affected. It’s a truth that this disease is still listed among the incurable diseases, in spite of various medicines and treatments being available though the patient has to continue taking pills for lifetime.

Saying yes to “is diabetes contagious” is a very wrong belief spread all around in the society. It’s something very obvious that the problem would arise for the diseased patient to manage his daily chores and activities still the situations are very much under strong control and doctors have comfortable treatments.
Is diabetes contagious, is surrounded almost like a myth. It is a genetic disorder, being inherited by the way of blood lines. Something which is growing up on its own can be less disastrous than being attacked from outside. And surely a thing that affects from outside can be contagious but not diabetes. It doesn’t passes from one person to another. Any touch or smell or anything cannot result in causing diabetes to a person from another.

Is diabetes contagious? Yes it can be if you are still in the habit of eating more and more sweets without any precautions. People with low level of sugar are not restricted from eating sweets but they need to be careful over this. Eating can be really very harmful if you are not at all maintaining a regular exercise plan or are not so continuous over taking your medicines. Best way to be one the safe side even while you eat sweets can be to use artificial sugar solutions which can reduce the level of blood sugar alongside save you from variety of other diseases.

Is diabetes contagious with cold and flu? This is an age old belief about the disease. Many people believe that diabetic patients get cold and flu very quickly and their situation is chronic during that period. This is certainly untrue because the fact is diabetic patients are in normal condition just like any other person might be while getting affected by cold. Neither the condition worsens, not it is any how contagious. Diabetic patient is equally in the condition like anyone else might be especially in the current situation.
Lack of information and education about the various treatments and medication is leading to all that myths in the society. Diabetes is like any other disease with all pros and cons. Though being severe, it can be cured with adequate amount of exercises and medicines along with general and strict precautions. One can save himself/herself with proper control over eating habits and required measures very easily. Keep all myths aside and straight away move towards the solutions, you’ll get continue to live for long.

Is Diabetes Fatal?

Ellen

Diabetes mellitus disease has always been something that people are really afraid of for decades. This is related to how many people had died due to the diabetes mellitus disease.

The diabetes mellitus does give a bad impact to human body. Thus, some people consider the disease very fatal. But is diabetes fatal actually? The fatality of diabetes depends on the types and the treatments or medications provided for those people who suffer from this diabetes mellitus disease. If the diabetes mellitus sufferers are given inappropriate medications, then is the diabetes fatal? Yes, it sure is!

Before deciding if the diabetes is fatal, one should know in advance what diabetes really is. It is a disease that is triggered or caused by one’s having too much sugar in their blood. The sugar then, due to its excessive amount, cannot be absorbed by the blood cells which are supposed to absorb the sugar in the human body. People with diabetes will usually have sweet urine and they often experience excessive thirst as well.

The diabetes can be caused by the inability of the human body to produce the insulin hormone. The pancreas produces the insulin hormone which has the tasks to convert glucose or the sugar substance that we consume into the form of energy.

To determine how fatal a diabetes disease is, it depends on how good the people who suffer from this disease take care of themselves and how well they pay attention to their medications or treatments. There are a lot of diabetes sufferers out there who continue to live on even with their diabetes and lots of them are able to live just as long as those without the disease.

However, taking good care becomes really important when one gets the diabetes disease. Due to bad care taking, some diabetes sufferers even gradually lose parts of their bodies, starting from their toes, then they begin losing their feet and more of their body parts. Some even develop kidney failure.

So, for the people who suffer from the diabetes mellitus disease, it is recommended that they take very good care of themselves, take proper medications, eat proper diets and meet their doctors in charge regularly in order to live on even with the disease.

It is very important to bear in mind that not all of the people who suffer from diabetes mellitus disease will experience death due to the diabetes disease. The disease can be controlled, and it should be, and the people who suffer from the diabetes mellitus disease must not let the disease control them or their life instead.

The diabetes mellitus disease can affect other organs in the human body in case the disease is not taken good care of. It may cause the diabetes sufferers’ health to deteriorate. Nevertheless, it can be overcome with simply taking good care of the health of the sufferers.

Pathophysiology of Diabetes

Ellen

Pathophysiology is a branch of science which deals with the physical, mechanical and biochemical changes occurring in the body due to a disease. Diabetes has been one of those diseases that brings a lot of pathophysiological changes in the body.

The pathophysiology of diabetes varies according to the symptoms as well as complexities involved in the types of diabetes. There are three types of diabetes so its pathophysiology differs accordingly.
Let’s have a look on the recent studies regarding the diabetes pathophysiology amongst the American people. It has been noticed that approximately 65% of the American population is suffering from overweight and about 1/4th of its population has been the victim of diabetes. Amongst several countries of the world, India ranks first, China at the second position and America ranks third with the maximum number of diabetic patients. From the research work, it has been found that the root cause of diabetes is obesity which is related to epidemic.

People who are born after 2000 are noticed to be having the risk of diabetes which contains 39% of the female population, 33% of male population out of which about 50% may be Hispanic women. As per the medical check up and scientific facts, the cardiovascular diseases are happened to be due to the cause of fatalities.
The pathophysiology of diabetes of the Type 1 is due to the various types of virus present in the environment, stressful life, disposition in the genes and the way the beta cells of the pancreas get affected which in turn affects the production of insulin. The current generation gets the deficiency of insulin from their parents who are already diabetic.

Due to various pathophysiological factors, the diabetes is commonly found even at the age of 10 to 14 years in the recent times. Moreover, the people suffering from diabetes Type 1 at young age are intended to get completely diabetic at the age of 30.
The diabetic patient suffering from Type 2 is resistant to insulin. So, for such patients, the pathophysiology of diabetes is due to the environmental changes. Due to this, the body weight of the person is increased and there is great deposition of fats in the body. The belly fat is considered to be one of the most harmful fats.
The diabetes occurring amongst the children is not due to the genes but, by the habits that they develop as they grow older as well as certain environmental changes. When obesity is found in the children at very young age, then several substances are produced in the body which resists the insulin. Due to this, there is constant deposition of fat bodies in the body at wrong places. Such statistics in today’s times is found in the age group of 10 to 20.

Thus, the parents who are much knowledgeable about such situations should take proper care of their children and do not pamper them with chocolates or sweets as they contain high amount of sugar level. Also, do not allow your children to spend most of their leisure time in playing video consoles as they will not provide physical exercises to the children.

Preventing Diabetes

Ellen

Before scientists discovered the insulin hormone in the year of 1921, the diabetes mellitus type 1 was a very fatal disease which had always led to the death of the sufferers and it would only take about a few years to actually die. However, ever since the hormone was discovered, things have been going in a very different direction.
There is now actually a number of ways that people can do in order to keep away from the diabetes mellitus disease. The first way may be started by living a normal healthy life. This means that people should follow a plan for healthy eating besides doing exercises as well as taking insulin.

People should attempt to obtain well-balanced insulin within the food they eat and the lifestyle they live. The insulin intake amount that is recommended is the one which has a close link with the amount of food one consumes and that also applies to when you eat. Besides food, the daily activities one does should also pay attention on the intake amount of the insulin hormone.
Going to the doctor periodically for a check up on blood sugar level is as well recommended. The so-called A1C blood check is capable of telling how much the average glucose level in someone’s body is over a period of two to three months.

A good thing to do, and it is recommended, is to prevent the cardiovascular disease from developing in our bodies. Yet, a diabetic, those who suffer from diabetes, are more vulnerable to this kind of disease. Therefore, it is crucial for them to monitor their cholesterol level as well as blood pressure at a regular interval. But it is as well a good thing to do even for the non-diabetics.
There are several things that can help prevent cardiovascular disease — healthy food or meals, doing exercise and keeping down the weight. It is important to keep in mind that some diabetics may require medication for this.

People who smoke have a higher risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases. This is possible because smoking may cause a very serious effect to humans’ cardiovascular health. Due to this, a diabetic is strictly forbidden to smoke. If the diabetics or the people who suffer from this disease of diabetes mellitus did smoke, then it is about time they quit smoking in order to be able to get over the disease or at least to prevent the disease from getting worse.
If preferred, there are healthcare professionals who offer their services out there. They can provide guides on how to keep away from diabetes. In lots of other countries, though, general practitioner as well as family doctor and primary care physician are also offering this as a regular care coverage. Besides those practitioners whom are just mentioned, there are as well endocrinologists, nurses, diabetitians, pediatricians, cardiologists, internists, sports specialists, optometrists, ophthalmologists, podiatrists as well as many of the others that are available out there.

For pregnant women, obstetricians are the most appropriate people for them to see since they specialize in gestational diabetes. To give further help with this, there are as well pediatricians whose expertise is in caring for diabetic mothers’ infants.
The important points in keeping away from diabetes is that people should control their blood pressure, the glucose level that flows in their blood and the level of cholesterol contained in their body.