Survey

Prevent & Possibly Reverse

Lose Weight Now!

Diets & Meals

Miscellaneous

[?] Subscribe To This Site

There is Hope for People with Diabetes

Diabetes is the fourth or fifth leading cause of death in most developed countries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The approximate average of life expectancy reduction is 10 years in countries like USA. Life expectancy reduction is about 5 to 10 years in middle-aged people.

Info bits: According to International Diabetes Federation, every 10 seconds, a person dies from related causes. Every 10 seconds, two people develop this condition.

Your body breaks down the food you eat into sugars called glucose. Your blood brings the glucose throughout your body as energy supply. Your pancreas produces insulin to enable your cells to process glucose into energy. Due to some causes discussed below, your body's response to insulin and glucose goes wrong. You end up developing this illness.

Good news! This condition is something you can manage with proper nutrition, exercise, and healthy lifestyle.

You have the power to prevent and
perhaps reverse
the conditions and effects of diabetes.

Types

You are a type 1 diabetic (formerly called juvenile onset diabetes) when your pancreas cannot produce insulin. You are insulin-dependent. You need to take one or more insulin injections daily to stay alive and control the disease.

You are a type 2 diabetic (T2D) (formerly known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or NIDDM) when your pancreas cannot produce enough insulin or when your body (i.e., the cells in your muscles, liver, and fats) cannot effectively use it.

T2D comprises about 90% or more of the diabetes mellitus cases. This develops from insulin resistance to impaired glucose metabolism, and eventually T2D.

The third kind is gestational diabetes. This occurs during pregnancy and is temporary.

Informative Video on Understanding Diabetes

Detection

You can get a blood test, called a fasting plasma glucose test. It measures your blood sugar level after you have been fasting for 8 hours or more. Normal fasting blood glucose level is between 70 and 100 mg/dL. If your two separate blood test results fall in the range of 100-126 mg/dL, you have impaired fasting glucose (IFG). This is not type 2 diabetes (T2D) but has its associated risks. If your test results are greater than or equal to 126 mg/dL, you have T2D.

Medications and side effects

When people with T2D are unable to control blood sugar sufficiently with diet and exercise, medication can help. There are many types of drugs available, and they are often used in combination. Some stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin. Others improve the effectiveness of insulin or block the digestion of starches.

Medications for other health problems, like aspirin and antibiotics, have adverse effects on glucose metabolism.

High dose aspirin consumption can lead to glucose metabolism impairment in insulin-sensitive tissues.

Antibiotics in the fluoroquinolone family should be avoided by pre-diabetic and diabetic people especially those taking the anti-diabetic drug sulfonylureas and its derivatives.

Consult your doctor or health practitioner when taking medication.

Prevent complications

Diabetics should closely monitor their health. Take these steps in addition to those listed in prevention and possible solutions.

Measure and record your blood sugar levels daily. There are your target values.

Blood Sugar	before meals	70 to 130
Blood Sugar	1 to 2 hours after the start of a meal	less than 180
Blood Fat (lipid)	Total cholesterol	below 200
	LDL cholesterol	below 100
	HDL cholesterol	above 40 (men); above 50 (women)
	Triglycerides	below 150

Info bits: According to World Heart Federation:

If you control your blood glucose you can reduce your risk of a cardiovascular disease event by 42% and the risk of heart attack, stroke, or death from cardiovascular disease by 57%.

If you control your blood lipids you can reduce cardiovascular disease complications by 20% to 50%.

Complications of Type 2 Diabetes

You can develop complications related to erectile dysfunction, hypoglycaemia, kidney disease (nephropathy), kidney failure, sexual and urologic problems, stomach nerve damage, dental disease, high blood pressure (hypertension), dental disease, infertility, pregnancy complications, and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).

If you have high blood sugar together with hypertension, high levels of triglyceride and uric acid, low levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL or good cholesterol), you have developed metabolic syndrome (also known as insulin resistance syndrome). This presents a high risk of cardiovascular disease with T2D. Metabolic syndrome may co-exist with excess insulin level in the blood even before blood glucose abnormality is detected.

If you have T2D, you may eventually develop "beta-cell failure." The cells in your pancreas can no longer produce insulin in response to high blood sugar levels. You would need insulin injections or insulin pumps daily just like type 1.

T2D can damage your eyes. You can develop eye diseases like cataract, glaucoma, and retinopathy. The damage can be severe and cause blindness.

T2D can cause nerve damage or diabetic neuropathy. This causes foot wounds and ulcers and may lead to lower extremity amputation.

T2D accelerates plaque formation in your arteries causing atherosclerosis and even blockage. This can lead to heart diseases, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease.

T2D can damage nerves and blood vessels. You can have a silent heart attack without feeling the chest pain.

Info bits: According to World Heart Federation, if you have this condition, you are two to four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than people without it.

Info bits: According to WHO, two out of three people with this disease die of heart disease.

I’m sure you want to be free from this disease and all its complications. So take charge of your health now. Improve your diet and lifestyle. Get proper nutrition. Exercise. And be happy!