Have you been diagnosed with diabetes? Or do you have fear that you may develop it? In both cases you may be in the search of the factors that cause diabetes. There was a time when nobody was aware about the basic reason that causes diabetes. However the years of researches have revealed the exact answer of “what cause diabetes” and the ways to prevent diabetes.

Genetic Disposition: In the previous days the leading cause of diabetes was thought to be the genetic disposition. The recent studies have revealed that no doubt the genetic disposition is the cause of diabetes but it is not the leading cause.

Before jumping on to the leading cause of diabetes; I would like to explain what genetic disposition is. It means that if a person in his blood line has diabetes; specifically in the first blood line then he is at higher risk of developing diabetes.

Obesity: Now the reader must be wondering what the leading cause is. The leading cause of diabetes is obesity. When a person becomes overweight his body becomes resistant to insulin. This holds particularly true if the Body Mass Index (BMI) is more than 30 %. If for some reason you are unable to calculate your BMI; then an easier way is to measure the waist. The waist of the males should not be bigger than 40 inches and in case of female it must not be bigger than 35 inches. If your waist is bigger than the given inches then you are at an increased risk of developing diabetes.

Unhealthy Eating Habits: No matter a person is overweight or underweight; poor eating habits lead to diabetes. The healthy diet means that it should be full of dietary fiber and proteins or otherwise you are at an increased risk of diabetes.

Sedentary Lifestyle: Inactive physical lifestyle also leads to diabetes. A person must exercise at least three times in one week for around 30 minutes. Any type of exercise can be chosen from brisk walk to aerobic dances or even weight training.

Infections: Research studies have revealed that certain infections also lead to diabetes. Age is also one of the causes; as a person gets older the chances of developing diabetes increases. Further hypertension also leads to diabetes.

Medicines: There are certain medicines that “help” the body in developing diabetes. Examples are Olanzapine, Clozapine, Ziprasidone, Quetiapine and Risperidone.

So it is important to get tested for diabetes if any of the above mentioned condition applies to you.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body cannot produce insulin, a substance that is created in the pancreas and helps the body to break down glucose. Those who have diabetes have an too much glucose in their bodies as they are not able to break it down, and it passes through the body without being used by the body as a source of energy. For those who have been diagnosed with diabetes, insulin or medications are often part of their treatments, but there are exercises that can help them as well.

People who are overweight, especially those who fall into the obese category, are more at risk of getting diabetes. Regular exercise can help them to live healthier lifestyles after they are diagnosed with the disease, allowing them to lose weight. Exercise also helps diabetics lower their blood glucose levels and reduce stress, potentially allowing them to take less medication for their conditions. Exercise also increases circulation in their arms and legs, and reduces cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

When beginning you want to start with exercises that are less strenuous such as walking, swimming and biking, especially for those who do not exercise regularly and may have foot problems. When walking and jogging you want to wear shoes that fit comfortably and are appropriate for the activity. Before you start exercising you want to stretch for at least 5 minutes to avoid potential injury. You should start with 5 to 10 minutes of exercise a day, five days ? week.

The goal for people with diabetes, especially those who are trying to lose weight, should be to work up to exercising 30 to 45 minutes ? day, five days a week and to gradually work up to more difficult exercises.

You can split up the exercise sessions into10-minute intervals each day, for those who have busy schedules. A step above beginning low-impact exercises, such as walking and swimming, age aerobic exercises. These exercises include brisk walks, aerobics classes, ice skating and rollerblading. These exercises are effective because they can increase heart rates and improve breathing rates.

Other exercises include strength training and flexibility exercises. Strength training involves lifting weights which help build muscles, toughen bones and burn calories. Flexibility training involves stretching exercises helps make joints more flexible and prepares the body for other exercises, especially jogging and running.

Everyday activities can be part of people’s daily exercise routines. People can get ? workout while they are going shopping or spending time at home along with doing more strenuous exercises regularly. These activities include walking whenever possible, taking stairs instead of elevators and doing task around the house every day, such as cleaning, gardening and mowing the lawn.

If you are taking insulin exercises should occur after meals, not before. Also if your blood sugar level is above 240 mg/dL you should not exercise. If you exercise more than an hour after eating, it is important to be aware of the blood sugar level. If it is below 120 mg/dL, it is a good idea to eat an apple or have a glass of milk before starting to exercise to increase blood sugar levels, as they will drop while exercising. Food and drinks high in carbohydrates, such as bagels and fruit, tend to increase blood glucose levels.

As an adolescent you already have more than enough body issues to deal with, without the added hassle of having to control your type 2 diabetes in the face of mounting peer group pressure. The hard truth is that some of the cool food and drink that is around is downright bad for you, and you will really have to stand up for yourself if you are going to make progress. You may find it helpful to explain your situation to a few good friends, who will then be able to provide encouragement when you feel down.

The real key to managing type 2 diabetes as an adolescent is to increase exercise, and decrease sweets or carbohydrate portions. It has been established that one of the main culprits in obesity in children and adolescents is the various types of sweetened drinks. Do you know many soft drinks contain the equivalent of six to eight teaspoons of sugar, often in the form of corn syrup which is highly concentrated and fattening?

To be successful you need to adopt a regular management program. Here are a few tips to get you started:

• enjoy lots of fruit and vegetables to help build your energy. Snack on fruit sticks, not chocolate bars. You need protein for health and it also helps with blood sugar control, and water to keep you from dehydrating. If possible eat small regular meals each day rather than three big ones. Try to include some low-GI food in your meals and snacks… low-GI food will keep your blood sugar levels more steady and then you will not lose concentration or have a “fuzzy’ head
• you need to stay away from sugar. Learn how food labels work. References to fructose, glucose, sucrose, any other -ose or corn syrup all mean one thing… the product contains sugar and is not meant for you
• make exercise an enjoyable part of your program… just don’t do anything too hectic without first touching base with your doctor. Grab a friend to do aerobics with, or maybe swimming, walking, running or hiking together… what a great way to have some fun
• invent ways to go outdoors and get mild exercise in the fresh air. Just walking to the shops is a good start, walking the family dog is even better.

Controlling, even reversing type 2 diabetes while you are still an adolescent, definitely does not have to be all gloom and doom and you can find ways to make it fun too.

Type 2 diabetes is not the end of the world… it is true you didn’t ask for it and now you need to make a lot of choices that will affect your health today and in the future. But your health is your responsibility, you just have to adopt a healthy lifestyle… which you and everyone should be doing anyway.

There are 20.8 million children and adults in the United States, or 7% of the population, who have diabetes. American people diabetes rates have long been highest in the world. However, the question remains unanswered; can diabetes be reverted? Are there traditional or non-traditional methods to try?

Mike Fox, executive director of the Intertribal Bison Cooperative points out that eating elk decreased diabetes rates among American Indian tribes; the ones that restored bison herds and reintroduced it as meat in their diets have diabetes rates under 1 percent. Some tribes have been working restoring elks during 15 years - South Dakota Groups for example-.

Nevertheless, this study has not been validated yet and years coming will tell us if this elk-treatment could in some way be applied to a largest diabetic population. At time, we can follow some traditional ways to reduce high blood sugar levels.

A) Eliminating consumption of refined sugars and grains

B) Taking slowly point A, Do not quit unhealthy foods abruptly.

C) Getting off of antidepressant drugs

D) Increasing your consumption of plant-based fats

E) Taking quality nutritional products that provide minerals in natural and bio-available forms

F) Controlling blood sugar with herbs, spices and nutritional supplements

G) Picking up the habit of regular exercise

The most important aspect to consider, it is the fact that diabetes is reversible and no matter what you have heard before, you can and should try to control it with diet, medications or insulin, so you can start forgetting about being a diabetic forever.

Jiayu Liao, Riverside Assistant Professor of Bioengineering from University of California, discovered a small molecule that has been shown to control diabetes, this one was called as Boc5 and it can stimulate insulin function in response to high levels of glucose as well as reduce body weight by twenty percent.

This can be a future way of orally available insulin used to control diabetes and weight as well. The researchers reported in an article that appeared in the Jan. 16 edition of the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science titled “A nonpeptidic agonist of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptors with efficacy in diabetic db/db mice.”

Summing up and as you can see, it is a fact that years coming will bring us effective diabetes reversing techniques and treatments, doing a little bit each day against diabetes, it is the very best way to control this disease.

Intravitreal injections of the corticosteroid triamcinolone may slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy in people with macular edema, a clinical trial has found.

However, the researchers say that triamcinolone cannot be currently recommended for this indication in view of its potential to cause adverse effects, including cataracts and glaucoma.

The findings come from an exploratory analysis of data from a clinical trial in which 840 eyes from 693 participants with diabetic macular edema were randomly assigned to receive laser therapy or intravitreal triamcinlone acetonide 1 or 4 mg.

Laser therapy (also known as focal/grid photocoagulation), along with glycemic control, are the current standard treatments for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). However, laser therapy is inherently destructive and associated with adverse events, potential complications, and the progression of visual loss in around 5% of treated individuals.

In the current study, analysis of the primary endpoint showed that the cumulative probability of progression of retinopathy at 2 years was 31% in the laser group, 29% in the triamcinolone 1 mg group, and 21% in the triamcinolone 4 mg group. The difference between laser therapy and high-dose triamcinolone was statistically significant.

These differences were sustained at 3 years, remark Neil Bressler (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA) and fellow researchers writing in the Archives of Ophthalmology. This is particularly interesting since most eyes did not receive regular corticosteroid injections in the second year and less than 50% received any corticosteroids in the third year.

“Theoretically, it is possible the reduction in risk of retinopathy progression may have been even greater if intravitreal triamcinolone had been given more frequently between years 1 and 3 of follow-up,” the researchers suggest.

Importantly, however, they admit there are limited data from the scientific literature to support the hypothesis that anti-inflammatory medications such as corticosteroids reduce the risk for ocular progression toward the threshold of PDR. Furthermore, the treatment confers a significant risk for complications.

“Use of this intravitreal corticosteroid preparation to reduce the likelihood of progression of retinopathy is not warranted at this time because of the increased risk of glaucoma and cataract,” Bressler et al conclude.

“Nevertheless, further investigation with regard to the role of pharmacotherapy for reduction of the incidence of progression of retinopathy appears to be warranted.”

MedWire (www.medwire-news.md) is an independent clinical news service provided by Current Medicine Group, a trading division of Springer Healthcare Limited. © Springer Healthcare Ltd; 2009

Free abstract

Diabetic retinopathy is associated with visceral fat accumulation and insulin resistance in patients with Type 2 diabetes, study results show.

Futoshi Anan (Oita Red Cross Hospital, Japan) and co-workers explain that “increased visceral fat accumulation is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is associated with insulin resistance in healthy subjects and patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.”

Furthermore, the researchers add that “the presence of diabetic retinopathy is reported to be associated with insulin resistance in Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.”

Based on these observations, Anan and team hypothesized that increased severity of diabetic retinopathy is associated with visceral fat accumulation and insulin resistance in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The scientists studied 31 patients with Type 2 diabetes and 71 patients with both Type 2 diabetes and diabetic retinopathy, all of whom were Japanese.

Analysis of visceral fat levels and insulin sensitivity revealed that the risk for diabetic retinopathy was significantly, positively, and independently predicted by visceral fat accumulation and degree of insulin resistance. These associations remained after controlling for potential confounders, including age, gender, body mass index, waist circumference, duration of diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, blood pressure, and lipid concentrations.

The authors concede in the journal Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental that their study is limited because none of the patients underwent coronary angiography and so the potential influence of cardiovascular disease on the relationships between visceral fat accumulation and retinopathy could not be accounted for.

However, despite these and other limitations, they conclude that the findings provide early evidence for links between diabetic retinopathy and elevated levels of visceral fatty acid accumulation and insulin resistance, which deserves further study.

MedWire (www.medwire-news.md) is an independent clinical news service provided by Current Medicine Group, a trading division of Springer Healthcare Limited. © Springer Healthcare Ltd; 2009

Free abstract

Diabetes during pregnancy, also known as gestation diabetes is a condition that develops only during pregnancy. A woman who has not previously had diabetes may suffer from this during her gestation period. Research shows that two percent of pregnant woman suffer from gestational diabetes. It is important to keep gestational diabetes well under control to eliminate the chances of the mother and baby being affected in any manner. As pregnancy progresses, there are chances that blood sugar level may increase. The gynecologist has to refer the patient to a diabetes health care team to ensure proper care.

Usually the diabetes health care team is comprised of a diabetes specialist, diabetes educator, endocrinologist and a dietitian. This team will work together and help the pregnant woman keep her blood sugar level under control. They may adjust the diabetes treatment in between, according to the progress or deterioration shown by the patient. The main aim of any pregnant woman is to deliver a healthy child. This can be achieved only when she is fit and healthy throughout the pregnancy period. Diabetes during pregnancy is not dangerous or alarming. It just needs proper care at the right time.

Diabetes is a condition where enough insulin is not secreted or the secreted insulin is not utilized in a proper manner. During pregnancy, various hormones block the action of insulin. To cope up with the changes that occur during pregnancy, your body needs to produce more insulin. When your body is not able to produce, the extra amount of insulin needed then you gradually develop gestational diabetes. This type of diabetes generally begins only in the second phase. Diabetes during pregnancy usually disappears after the birth of the baby. If the diabetes continues after childbirth it means that diabetes was already in existence even before pregnancy.

Cause for diabetes during pregnancy. There is no specific cause for developing diabetes during pregnancy. But people with the following history are prone to gestational diabetes or diabetes during pregnancy.

• Already had a stillbirth
• Family history of gestational diabetes
• Given birth to a large baby weighing more then 4.5 kg in the earlier delivery
• Obesity or over weight
• Have ovary syndrome

Symptoms for diabetes during pregnancy. There is no specific symptom for gestational diabetes. But few may experience certain symptoms include

• Frequent urination
• Tiredness
• Increased thirst

Any pregnant woman will experience these actually normal symptoms. Therefore, it is always better to check blood sugar levels every month during pregnancy as there is no specific symptom.

Treatment for diabetes during pregnancy: There are nursing homes with specialized doctors and nurses who take extremely good care of diabetes during pregnancy women. Women with gestational diabetes need to have frequent antenatal appointments. If a pregnant woman is diagnosed with gestational diabetes, it is essential to take regular blood sugar tests to monitor the levels. It is important to be extremely careful about the diet. It is necessary for the woman affected by gestational diabetes to be active in order to keep the blood sugar level normal.

Type 2 diabetes, traditionally a problem for people later in life, has been appearing rapidly in children. The appearance of type 2 diabetes in children goes hand-in-hand with the increase in childhood obesity. Unfortunately poor nutritional habits combined with an exercise-free lifestyle has led to the doubling of obesity amongst children ages 6 to 11 during the past twenty years.

Your child or grandchild may already be quite seriously affected before you realise what is going on. For this reason alone parents and carers need to watch carefully for any developing signs that could alert them to the possibility of type 2 diabetes

Like adults, children with type 2 diabetes can develop symptoms slowly over a long period. These might include:

• frequent trips to the bathroom
• increased thirst… high blood sugar levels robs moisture from body tissues, making your child drink more water
• tiredness during waking hours… remember that blood sugar is not able to enter the cells so therefore the cells are receiving no energy or fuel
• increased hunger
• occasional blurry vision… vision blurs because the lenses in your child’s eyes need to adjust to the changes in his blood sugar levels
• sores that heal very slowly and frequent infections… type 2 diabetes causes chemical imbalances that can impair the ability of your child’s body to repair itself
• discolored skin… a velvety darkening of the skin, especially under the arms and on the back of the neck, called acanthosis nigricans. The place to check is in the folds.

Bear in mind that these warning signs do not develop suddenly, the condition itself progresses slowly. The changes creep up on you so gradually that you get used to them almost before you notice any change.

What to do if you think there might be a problem: The important thing is do something about it right away… even if your child does not have type 2 diabetes, it is best to have these signs checked out. When you see your health care provider, insist on a simple blood test that will determine whether or not your child has high blood sugar levels.

If this is not the problem, find out what else is causing the signs you noticed. If it is type 2 diabetes it can be controlled and often can be reversed. A healthy diet for children with type 2 diabetes consists of:

• five to nine servings of vegetables and fruits each day
• several servings of whole grains
• some low fat dairy products
• small portions of lean protein
• and a little fat

Often the parents of obese children are also overweight so this is a nutritious eating plan for the whole family to follow.

The important thing is to keep a handle on it so that your child can enjoy a long and happy life. If you achieve that, you have done your job well.

Long-term consequences of type 2 diabetes resulting from ongoing high blood sugar levels as well as uncontrolled blood pressure and cholesterol levels can result in severe complications, including permanent damage to your feet. Actually it takes a long period of time for complications to develop… as much as ten years. This gives you plenty of time to prevent complications developing. However after a while the changes will be fixed and irreversible.

The most common problems experienced by people with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes are problems related to their feet. Feet are particularly vulnerable because of the hammering they receive over time. Our feet were made to walk on uneven grass and dirt not on flat hard surfaces such as concrete… this over times breaks down the joints in your feet.

Several things can go wrong due to high blood sugar levels, these include:

• reduced sensation meaning that you no longer receive warning signals when bumping your feet or standing on sharp objects
• reduction in the quality of the sweat secretions and natural body oils that keep the skin on your feet lubricated

If untreated, these factors will result in further uncharacteristic pressure on joints, skin and bones when walking.

As you can no longer feel your feet properly, damage occurs which may lead to a breakdown of the skin on the soles of your feet… typically open sores that will not heal. Because type 2 diabetes erodes your body’s natural healing capabilities these sores may turn gangrenous, which will in turn be difficult to treat because blood flow has become so poor that antibiotics can no longer reach the heart of the problem.

It is one of the great diabetic tragedies that so many sufferers end up with amputated legs, just because they neglected to carry out daily inspection of their feet… daily inspections are the key to heading off foot problems. Keep a watch out for:

• dry skin on your feet
• loss of hair on your feet
• cold feet
• no foot pulse
• redness of your feet when they are hanging down

Using a magnifying glass or a mirror, check the top and bottom of your feet… a thorough examination should only take a minute. If you have difficulty doing this yourself, ask your partner to help you.

Not everyone with type 2 diabetes has small vessel disease in their feet, but this is a common site for problems to appear. Records show an estimated 15 per cent of people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes will develop a serious foot problem at some time in their lifetime.

It is a hard truth of life to be diagnosed with diabetes. It is a single moment that changes the whole life of the person. In order to manage and control this chronic condition and signs of diabetes one must keep the level of blood sugar in control. The most critical part of the treatment of diabetes is to make healthier and smarter food choices.

So if you are in search of some best diabetic meal plan then the below mentioned 10 healthiest foods will be worth reading for you to control signs of diabetes. The following passages will also help you to design a perfect meal plan for diabetics.

Fruits

1) Apple: It is well known that diabetics are prohibited to eat white foods however apples are exception here. Apples are helpful in reducing the insulin requirement of the body. Apples have a higher content of pectin. It is an agent which aids to detoxify the body. The pectin content and the detoxification property have made apple one of the best foods for diabetics.

2) Pomegranate: This fruit is being largely consumed in Middle East, Balkans and Caucasus. Now the popularity of this fruit is also spreading in North America. The basic reason of its popularity is that in spite of being sweet it does not affect the level of blood sugar. Studies have revealed that daily consumption of pomegranate juice reduces the risk of atherosclerosis.

Spices

3) Cinnamon: It is a wonderful spice for controlling diabetic symptoms. It has a higher content of MHCP. This content helps the fat cells to effectively respond towards insulin. This better response towards insulin of fat cells helps in reducing and then maintaining the level of blood sugar.

4) Garlic: Garlic is a herb which helps in diabetes control. Research studies have revealed that it can significantly lower down the level of blood sugar.

Breakfast Food

5) Oatmeal: Though it is a carbohydrate but it is one of the types of carbohydrates a person can consume. It is high in its fiber content so it is absorbed in the bloodstream slowly. It prevents the formation of spikes after having breakfast.

Vegetables

6) Spinach: Green and leafy vegetables like spinach are best vegetables for diabetics

7) Green Beans: It provides the best combination of been content and green vegetable content.

Broccoli: Another best example of leafy green vegetable is broccoli. It is rich in dietary fiber and low in carbohydrate. This has made it the best choice fir diabetics.

Proteins

9) Poultry: Any form of poultry is good but still it is suggested to select the lean proteins.

10) Nuts: It is important to note that diabetic diet plan must contain a large portion of proteins. The bed time snack should also be in the form of protein. The protein snack enables the body to maintain the blood sugar level throughout t night. The best choices are nuts of any kind.