How Does A Person Acquire Diabetes

A Person Acquire Diabetes, How?

by: Charlene J. Nuble
Diabetes is a condition where the body, or to be precise the pancreas, loses its ability to create insulin, the chemical necessary to regulate blood sugar levels. As we take in food, a substance called glucose enters through the bloodstream, and it is insulin's role to make sure that that glucose is carried to different parts of the body, in turn fuels us with the energy we need. Diabetes is often considered as a silent disease, much like cancer and nearly five out of ten people are unaware that they have diabetes. 

So how did we get such a disease? A known fact about diabetes is that it can be hereditary, especially if a family member has a history of diabetes. Obesity is also one of the most common factors, leading to the lack of exercise and high blood pressure levels. US studies have shown that diabetes can also develop when a mother gives birth to a child who weighs more than 9 pounds.

There are two types of diabetes: The Type 1 diabetes inflicts mostly children when the pancreas completely loses its ability to secrete insulin. Common diabetic symptoms include excessive thirst, frequent urination and continued weight loss despite of excessive hunger. They begin to be insulin dependent and its dire results may also include blindness and amputation of certain limbs in the body. 

Type Two diabetes is far more common than Type One. Its symptoms may include those of Type One, but its leading concern is that nearly half of diabetics may not be able to have such symptoms and the cause of hereditary diabetes to children. They are often considered as non-insulin dependents, in which an excessive secretion of insulin passes through the bloodstream, causing the body to develop a high resistance to the chemical. The end result would be the high blood glucose content, which can be treated with regular exercise and a high protein diet of starch and carbohydrates.

Sadly, there is no absolute cure for diabetes of any type. The only recommendation from doctors is to prolong life, making sure that they would still continue to live normally. In the US alone, nearly 200,000 deaths per year has been reported due to diabetes. 

In order to cope with diabetes, it is important to maintain their weight and exercise regularly. Alcohol consumption can be regulated to its utmost maximum, better if cut out completely and smoking is an absolute health risk to both the lungs and diabetics. Regular visits to the doctor are an absolute must in order to check and make sure that their blood glucose levels are on tract. Family encouragement can also do wonders for those suffering from diabetes, helping them that there is always a way to surpass diabetes without the fear of death. It helps increase the quality of life among family members with diabetes.

Pre-Diabetes - The Calm Before the Storm

by: Luina Bay

Remember when the medical world identified pre-hypertension to better monitor your blood pressure? The new buzz: Pre-Diabetes concerns a similar condition pinpointing people who are at severe risk for getting diabetes. Because diabetes silently invades your body, early detection and corrective action are critically important. 

The goal with identifying pre-diabetes is to prevent the onset of diabetes from ever happening.

How do you know if you need testing for pre-diabetes? Good question. The truth is- You may not know. It's our human behavior to wait until our body produces a pain or ache before we visit the doctor's office. With pre-diabetes, noticeable symptoms like frequent thirst and urination may not occur until the disease has progressed and is already causing considerable damage to your body. Most Type 2 diabetics don't have symptoms because the onset of diabetes is so slow. 

Your physician can determine if you have pre-diabetes with two common tests. The fasting plasma glucose test (FPG) and the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Both require an overnight fast.

The good news is that you can likely prevent diabetes with early detection and proper care.

Don't wait 'til it hurts. Ask your doctor about diabetes and have your blood sugar checked several times a year.

Brief Overview Of Diabetes And Diet

by: Kathryn Whittaker

Diabetes has been around for centuries. There are presently sixteen millions diabetics in America, but eight million do not know that they have the disease. Today, diabetes is in third place as the cause of mortality, behind cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

Diabetes is caused by a disruption in insulin production in the body. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas when the level of blood sugar, glucose, increases – after a meal, most commonly. With the help of insulin, glucose moves from the blood into the cells. The cellular components turn the glucose into energy. When glucose does not enter cells, it stays in the blood and is filtered by kidneys which later eliminate it from the bloodstream. 

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when insulin in the body does not work as it should. Main symptoms of diabetes include excessive thirst, excessive urination, excessive appetite, fatigue, blurred vision, frequent and slow-healing infections including bladder, vaginal and skin. In men, diabetes may be accompanied by such symptoms as erectile dysfunction.

In order to timely recognize diabetes, everyone should be familiar with the different types of diabetes as well as with main symptoms of diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is a life-threatening condition which is less common. Those suffering with this type of diabetes need complete insulin replacement because the body does not make sufficient amounts of this essential hormone. 

The most common type of diabetes is type 2 diabetes, or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. 90f all diabetes cases in the US are diagnosed as Type 2.

There is also gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy due to specific hormonal changes in the body of the expectant mother.

Diabetes is often accompanied by obesity and high cholesterol and is a disease that often runs in families, so if one of your family members has it, you have a higher risk of developing diabetes too. Lack of activity, a diet rich in fats and processed products and obesity significantly increase your risk for diabetes. 

Diabetes can be prevented and controlled by amending your diet. When we eat a product that is rich in sugar, the pancreas starts to produce more insulin to turn the sugar into energy. Saturated fat is transformed by the liver into sugar, which triggers the same response of pancreas – more insulin, more energy.

When the body doesn’t use this energy, it stores it as fat in the liver, on the stomach and hips. The more sugar and fat we eat, the more “storage space” our body requires. 

However, when you switch to eating vegetables, cereals and other fiber-rich products cooked or seasoned with olive or grape seed oil, the pancreas does not need to produce any extra insulin. As a result, fat is not deposited in the body and the blood sugar levels remain stable. By avoiding sweet and fat-rich foods, blood sugar levels remains balanced which can delay the onset of diabetes and for those already diagnosed as diabetic can help them manage the condition.

Prevent Breast Cancer

Simple Steps To Prevent Breast Cancer Risk Disease

If young women take certain simple steps when they are adolescents, they may reduce risk of breast cancer later in life. A research suggests that puberty could be a crucial time for development of breast cancer.

Regular exercise is believed to delay the beginning of a girl’s first menstrual period. That is when the body creates hormones that stimulate the majority of breast cancers. According to a study, just 4 hours of weekly exercise can postpone hormone surges for up to 12 months. 

Four hours a week is not a large amount of activity for a girl. She can play dodge ball, play on the playground or ride her bike. Because exercise can lower hormone activity, it can reduce risk of breast cancer, even after a girl starts having periods.

One more way is cutting back on fat. Girl who cut her fat intake by only 6 percent lowered her estrogen and progesterone levels by at least 30 percent, according to a study. These theories are not really well tested and need more research.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, other than skin cancer. In the United States approximately 183,000 new cases are diagnosed and about 41,000 women die each year from cancer originating in the breast.

Recurrence of Breast Cancer?

Will My Breast Cancer Come Back?
Reducing The Risk Of Breast Cancer Recurrence After Surgery

 More than 215,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. For many of them, surgery to remove the tumor is just the first step in the battle against the disease, often followed by radiation and/or chemotherapy. After that, these women may need to decide with their doctor whether to have “adjuvant therapy”-medication to help prevent their cancer from coming back. 

When a woman’s breast cancer does come back or spreads to other parts of the body, she may be at greater risk of dying from the disease. Women whose breast cancer is detected in the nearby lymph nodes at diagnosis and those who receive chemotherapy after surgery are considered to be at increased risk for breast cancer recurrence. 

Post menopausal women whose early-stage breast cancer is hormone-sensitive have a new option as their first hormone therapy following surgery. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved Femara

Managing Diabetes Made Easier

The management of diabetes is progressively evolving. The latest medical and technological advances-including ones involving the Internet-have begun providing the 18.2 million Americans affected by this disease with the kind of freedom few dreamed of not all that long ago.

Diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body doesn’t produce or properly use insulin, a hormone needed to convert glucose into energy. Since over time the high blood sugar levels associated with diabetes-the nation’s fifth-leading cause of death by disease-can lead to complications of the eyes, blood vessels, nerves, kidneys and other organs, anything that would ease the typical daily regimen of insulin injections and the like would be most welcome by patients. 

According to experts at the Mayo Clinic, that “simplification” is exactly what’s happening. The Food & Drug Administration, for example, is in the process of approving both insulin patches and inhalants as alternative delivery methods to insulin injections. Breakthroughs in blood glucose monitoring that would allow continuous testing throughout the day are currently in development. 

And then there’s the Internet. Unlike in the past, the latest advances, treatment and disease management recommendations are now available on Web sites like Anchor2health.blogspot.com,  and countless others. Beyond that, people with diabetes are being helped in managing their disease through the conve-nient online ordering of necessary diabetic supplies, pharmaceuticals and equipment. 

Diabetes Diabetics No High Carb Diet

Diabetes Diabetics Should Not Have A High Carb Diet Due To Blood Pressure

New studies evaluating the effects of high-carbohydrate and high- monounsaturated fat diets indicate that patients with type 2 diabetes suffered of modestly raises blood pressure after being exposed to 14 weeks of a high-carbohydrate diet compared to a diet high in monounsaturated fat.

One diet consisted in a high-carbohydrate diet consisting of 55 per cent of calories as carbohydrate, 30 percent as fat, and 10 percent as monounsaturated fat. The other diet consisted in a high-monounsaturated fat diet deriving 40 percent of calories from carbohydrate, 45 percent from fat, and 25 percent from monounsaturated fat. 

The research compared the effect of two same-calorie diets among 42 patients with type 2 diabetes, who consumed each diet for 6 weeks, with about 1 week between the two periods. These patients were invited to continue the second diet for 8 weeks more. Eightof them continued on the high-monounsaturated fat diet and 13 continued on the high-carbohydrate diet. 

Findings after the first 6-week periods demonstrated that there were no significant differences between both diets in systolic or diastolic blood pressure, the upper and lower numbers on a standard reading, respectively, or in heart rate. 

After the 8 week-extension, diastolic blood pressure was 7 points higher than at the end of both 6-week phases, because of the high carbohydrate diet associated, and systolic blood pressure was 6 points higher, and heart rate was higher by 7 to 8 beats per minute. 

On the other hand, there was a significant lowering of heart rate compared with the end of the initial 6-week periods during the 8-week extension of the high-monounsaturated fat diet. There was almost no statistical significance between Systolic and diastolic blood pressure that were 3 to 4 points lower after 14 weeks on the high-monounsaturated fat diet.

Diabetes Diabetic Foot Ulcers Cured Vitamin A

Diabetes Diabetic Foot Ulcers May Be Cure By A Vitamin A Compound

A compound of vitamin A called topical Retin-A also known as tretinoin, mainly used to treat acne problems, enhances the healing of foot ulcers in patients with diabetes, according to a report of the Archives of Dermatology. 

Though previous studies showed that topical Retin-A was a bit helpful in enhancing wound healing in patients with diabetes and some results were discussed by different scientifics, a group of researchers tried to know if tretinoin really helped or not to these patients. 

The research was carried out with 24 volunteers who had diabetic foot ulcers but who showed no evidence of infection or circulation problems in their extremities. Some patients were assigned to 4 weeks of daily treatment with topical 0.05 per cent tretinoin solution meanwhile the control group was assigned to a treatment with a saline solution. Both groups were assessed every 2 weeks. 

The 22 volunteers who completed the study were affected by a total of 24 foot ulcers. 18 per cent of patients in the control group (2 of the 11 ulcers) and 46 per cent of patients in the treated group (6 of the 13 ulcers) achieved a complete healing at the end of 16 weeks. There was no statistical significance of adverse events, though some patients experienced mild pain at the ulcer site. 

The researchers were pleased with the results, although they were a bit concerned because tretinoin irritates and they thought that the patients would become so irritated that they wouldn’t be able to continue the research. However, this situation didn’t seem to be a problem in most cases, as they explained. 

A conclusion for the researchers was that they hope that diabetic foot clinics know about this and use Retin-A when other therapies that they use don’t work.

#Wellness: #Companies make millions off #lead-poisoned, poor. #blacklivesmatters #Longevity

This is the one of the heaviest stories I've read in years. A chilling reminder of how systemic practices perpetuate race and class inequity in the U.S. 

  First, you have thousands of poor folks of color poisoned by lead paint in places like Baltimore (including, it should be noted, Freddie Gray), thanks to the indifference of landlords, local housing authorities and elected officials, going back decades. This lead then impairs cognitive development (and is also correlated highly with criminal acting out by the way). 

Then when lawsuits finally seek to provide some measure of relief to the victims, companies swoop in and offer buy-outs of the victims' structured settlements, for pennies on the dollar, even though the terms of the agreements are both hard to understand (especially when cognitively impaired) and almost impossible for a desperately poor person to resist. When you're desperate, these kinds of deals probably look good to many folks. The "choice" they are exercising in taking the deals is no choice at all, in any meaningful sense. 

The fact that there are investors out there who make money buying up people's settlements -- when those settlements are the result of years of institutional racism and class oppression -- means there are people making serious bank directly BECAUSE poor black folks were poisoned. 
In other words, rich white people (and make no mistake, that's mostly who the investors are, given what we know about the racial demographics of investors generally) are profiting off of black pain. Directly. Not coincidentally. Not passively. Actively profiteering from the destruction of black lives. This is why we have to insist that Black Lives Matter. Because some folks clearly need a reminder.

How companies make millions off lead-poisoned, poor blacks

Structured-settlement annuitants are lured by quick cash to unload their future payouts for dimes on the dollar.

washingtonpost.com

Weight gain? Try Vitamin D.

Vitamin D deficiency causes weight gain

More than one of the most recent studies about weight gain has linked it to a vitamin D deficiency. A study reported by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN) (1) found that women whose blood levels of vitamin D reached healthy levels through supplementation during a diet and exercise program lost more weight than those whose blood levels did not. Another study, also published by AJCN (2), showed that the benefits of weight loss -- lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar and insulin levels, and lower blood lipid levels -- were increased in participants who took calcium and vitamin D during their weight-loss program. Still, another study, reported on at SCIENCE.NaturalNews.com (3), showed that people of Asian Indian decent were much more susceptible to obesity and insulin resistance when they were deficient in vitamin D.

The link between vitamin D and weight loss is not clearly understood. Some scientist speculate that special vitamin D receptors on fat cells tell them whether they should be burned as energy or stored as excess body weight. Receptor cells in the brain that control metabolism and hunger levels may need vitamin D to function properly as well.

Vitamin D has also been shown to reduce the systemic inflammation that is associated with being overweight. So, even if you cannot lose as much weight as you would like, having adequate vitamin D levels lessens the stress on your body and, therefore, the harmful effects of carrying extra body weight.

For years, the mathematical equation offered to those trying to lose weight seemed simple enough: Burn more calories than you consume. Piece of cake, right? Unfortunately, as with almost everything concerning the human body, it's not quite as simple as that. Over the years, more and more scientific evidence leaks out -- confirming what many of us have suspected all along -- that proves that weight gain and loss is affected by many, many factors. Among them: genetics, gender, age, hormones, stress levels, exposure to toxins and many health conditions. Even social and environmental factors can come into play.


Other vitamin D deficiency factors to consider

Besides weight gain, vitamin D deficiencies have been linked to many other diseases, some of which can also lead to gaining extra pounds. Low blood levels of vitamin D have been linked to depression, for example, and the fatigue and listlessness of depression can lead to inactivity which can, in turn, contribute to weight gain. Vitamin D deficiencies have also been linked to poor blood-sugar control in the body. This can contribute to both weight gain and the risk of developing diabetes.

Serious conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and multiple sclerosis (MS) have also been linked to inadequate levels of vitamin D, and the resulting inactivity can lead to weight gain which can, in turn, exacerbate the symptoms of both of these conditions. Both RA and MS are sometimes treated with prednisone, a corticosteroid whose side effects include weight gain.

The best sources

According to The World's Healthiest Foods (4), the best dietary sources of vitamin D include fatty fish such as cod, tuna, mackerel and salmon. Cow's milk and eggs also have vitamin D. Some mushrooms, especially if they've been exposed to ultraviolet light, are also a good source of this important vitamin.

While your skin can manufacture D from sunlight, many factors can slow this process: the season, the weather, how far north you live, pollution levels and even the use of sunscreen. Most people will need to take dietary supplements to reach the recommended levels.

Other weight-loss tips

There is no magic pill when it comes to dieting. Even though adding vitamin D supplementation to your routine can be a great first step toward shedding unwanted pounds, don't forget to make other sensible changes to your lifestyle as well. Try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise five or six times a week, for example. You should also cut processed sugars from your diet and eat lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. 

Replace animal fats in your diet, as well -- such as those found in red meat, milk and cheese -- with heart- and waistline-loving polyunsaturated and monounsaturated oils like those found in olive oil and avocados.

Diabetes and Insulin

Diabetes and Insulin

Diabetes is a condition in which the body either does not manufacture sufficient amounts of insulin or does not properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that is necessary for the transport of sugar from the blood stream into the cells for use as energy. Type 2 diabetes results when our bodies become insensitive to insulin and cause our blood sugar go out of balance. For this reason, we want to do everything we can to remain insulin sensitive. When we are insulin sensitive, our bodies do a much better job of moving glucose from the blood and into cells. 

Various herbs, foods, vitamins, and minerals have been shown to promote insulin sensitivity and help maintain proper blood sugar levels. Vanadyl sulfate increases the body’s insulin sensitivity. Gymnema sylvestre is a well known herb helpful in blood sugar control by controlling sugar cravings and nourishing the pancreas. 

Exercise also increases insulin sensitivity. People involved in athletics are known to require less insulin. Besides improving insulin sensitivity, exercise helps us to control our weight and reduce body fat. Weight control is a very important aspect in maintaining insulin sensitivity. 

Another important factor in maintaining proper blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity is a healthful diet. Complex carbohydrates found in most vegetables, apples, grains, and nuts are slow to digest. Slowing the process of digestion promotes healthy blood sugar levels and avoids the highs and lows associated with the intake of refined sugars. We should also avoid saturated fats. The healthy fats contained in fish, olive oil, and flaxseed help us to maintain insulin sensitivity. 

Type 2 Diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and results from insulin resistence. The above methods have been shown to be extremely helpful in maintaining insulin sensitivity, promoting lower blood sugar levels, and avoiding the complications associated with diabetes.

Get Rid Of Your Diabetes

Today, there are at least 20 million people living with diabetes in America and the sad part is that it is possible to prevent and heal pre-diabetes and diabetes type 2 naturally with balanced nutrition, and basic exercise.

People at risk of getting the disease drop by a staggering 60 percent if they manage to lose just 10 pounds by following a healthy diet and engage in regular exercise such as walking, according to a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine. (May 3, 2010). 

Pre-diabetes

This term means that you are at risk for getting type 2 diabetes and also heart disease. 

The good news is if you have pre-diabetes you can reduce the risk of getting diabetes type 2 and even return to normal blood glucose levels if you follow the guidelines in this article. 


Type 2 diabetes 

Formerly called adult-onset diabetes, this is the most common form of diabetes. This form of diabetes usually begins with insulin resistance, a condition in which the body cannot use insulin properly. People can develop this type of diabetes at any age and is usually associated with today’s modern lifestyle of fast food, stress and no exercise. 

Being overweight and inactive increases the chances of developing type 2 diabetes dramatically. Traditional treatment includes taking diabetes medicines, aspirin daily, and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol with prescription drugs.

But with modest weight loss and moderate daily physical activity, you can delay or even prevent type 2 diabetes and lead a normal life. Lets look at a few steps you can use straight away in your daily life that will make a big difference to your condition.

Strength Training – Researchers have reported a 23% increase in glucose uptake after four months of strength training. Because poor glucose metabolism is associated with adult onset diabetes, improved glucose metabolism is an important benefit of regular strength exercise.

Nowadays you do not have to live in a gym to put on functional muscle. Short High Intensity sessions performed once a week is all that is required to improve glucose metabolism and lose weight.

The strength training technique I use requires just twenty to thirty mins per week. Gone are the days of the five-day a week program with 6 to 12 sets per body part that, method has never worked. One short intense strength-training workout a week will elevate your metabolism more than you ever thought possible. 

The two main components of this technique are the intensity of the exercise and the recovery after the exercise. Infrequent, short, high intensity weight training sessions, followed by the required amount of time to recover and become stronger is what is needed to increase functional lean muscle and improve glucose metabolism. 

Nutrition – The way to lose body fat and maintain muscle is to have a food program for life. Quality food and more energy output are the basics you’ll need to go for. Bulk foods that fill you up and don’t fill you out, foods that are low in fat and sugar which aren’t refined should be the ideal.

Small frequent meals should be consumed during the day each containing a little protein to maintain muscle and energy levels. Foods with vital vitamin and mineral supplements should also be taken on a daily basis. A high quality broad-spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement should also be taken on a daily basis.

As before get the calories from high quality food but if you can’t, utilize a blender to make concoctions from skim milk with whatever additives you want to use, just as long as you keep count of the calories for your daily total.

Now use these blender mixtures and solid food for your daily feedings. Spread it out over many small meals a day instead of the traditional three meals a day. The way to keep track of weight loss is to buy a calorie counter and record your daily calorie intake for a week. 

Exercise – Fat is burned from the body when cells oxidize to release energy in the form of exercise. When the exercise is done slowly to moderately then the majority of energy is taken from the fat stores.

The key to effective aerobic training that burns off maximum fat is long-term consistency not intensity. It doesn’t matter if you run a mile, jog a mile or walk a mile you will burn exactly the same amount of calories.

The best exercise by far for the purpose of fat-loss is fast walking either indoors on the treadmill or outdoors. Other aerobic activities are the treadmill, bike, climber or any other training gear found in or out of the Gym.

You can do a lot to lower your chances of getting diabetes. By exercising regularly, reducing fat from your diet and losing weight can all help you reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes Glaucoma: Unexpected Blindness

Diabetes Glaucoma Put Millions At Risk For Unexpected Blindness

Unexpected sight loss is more common than you may think. Blindness often happens without prior warning signs and in people unaware they are at risk.

The two most common culprits of unexpected sight loss are diabetes and glaucoma. These diseases are known as the “sneak thieves of sight” because symptoms may not occur in the early stages. By the time a person realizes something is wrong, irreversible vision loss often occurs.

In fact, diabetic eye disease is the leading cause of blindness in adults. An average of 55 Americans go blind from the disease each day. The numbers threaten to rise sharply as diabetes becomes increasingly common due to poor eating habits, infrequent exercise and an aging population. One in three children born in the United States five years ago are expected to become diabetic during their lives.

Diabetes causes partial or complete loss of vision in as many as 70 percent of those who have it. Yet 30 percent of all people who have diabetes don’t even know they have it. Even people who know they have diabetes downplay the risks they face.

According to a survey of diabetics sponsored by Lions Clubs International, 60 percent were not worried about going blind or losing a limb. In reality, 74 percent of diabetics will develop serious complications that could lead to loss of sight or a limb or kidney failure.

Glaucoma, on the other hand, is a group of eye diseases that slowly damage the fine nerves that connect the eye to the brain. For most people, this damage occurs when pressure in the eye is too high. When these nerves are damaged, vision loss may result.

Glaucoma is the second-leading cause of blindness in the United States. But like diabetes, not enough people know about it: An estimated 4.2 million Americans have glaucoma but half are not aware of it.

Diabetes and glaucoma are especially prevalent among blacks and Hispanics. These groups are believed to have a genetic predisposition to the diseases and are much more at risk than Caucasians. Others particularly at risk for glaucoma are people over 60, those with a family history of glaucoma, diabetics and the very near-sighted.

The good news for those at risk is that a dilated eye exam can detect the two diseases and early treatment can prevent vision loss. Vision experts urge at-risk people to have regular eye exams.

Raising awareness of diabetic eye disease and glaucoma is key to preventing unnecessary blindness. Lions Clubs International works with Lions clubs, community groups and individuals to publicize the need for early detection and timely treatment of the two diseases. 

The Lions Eye Health Program provides materials for distribution at health fairs, senior citizen centers and similar gatherings. It also offers strategies for raising awareness of the eye diseases.