Complex carbohydrates, also known as starches, may not be as healthy for diabetics as previously thought. Emerging research is challenging the conventional wisdom that complex carbs have minimal effects on blood sugar and, as a result, are diabetic-friendly.

Experts now agree that both types of carbohydrates, simple and complex, have similar effects on blood sugar levels. Traditionally, experts attributed the length of a carbohydrate to its complexity…the longer it is, the more complex it is, and the less effect it has on blood sugar levels.

Emerging Research Reveals a Different Story

Advancements in screening tests for diabetes, fasting insulin and insulin tolerance testing, demonstrate that some long-chained carbohydrates can significantly effect blood sugar levels. So what else determines the complexity of carbohydrates and, ultimately, their effect on blood sugar?

This is really important to figure out. Improving sugar metabolism (and preventing sugar spikes after meals) defines one of the diabetic diet guidelines that helps to optimize control.

It turns out that the overall shape, not just length, determines carbohydrate complexity. The more “bulky” the carb, the more complex. What makes it bulky?

A carbohydrate with several small fibrous side-chains attached to its main structure makes it bulky, or complex. The fibrous side-chains make it very difficult to digest the carbohydrate. It takes your body a long time to degrade the complex carbohydrate into glucose…the main fuel source for humans.

What You Need to Know

The longer it takes for a carbohydrate to digest, the less effect it has on blood sugar levels. Diabetic-friendly complex carbohydrates are long, bulky and full of fiber!

We have put together an up-to-date list of diabetic-friendly carbohydrates. The three categories are:

1. Good Carbs = High in fiber, minimal effect on glucose, 35-40 grams per day

2. Bad Carbs = Moderate fiber, moderate effect on glucose, >10 grams per day

3. Ugly Carbs = Low fiber, significant effect on glucose, 0 grams per day (do not eat)

According to the online edition of Time Magazine, the November 27, 2009 edition, researchers at the University of Chicago estimate that the number of diabetic Americans will double in the next 25 years.

Currently, 23.7 million Americans are diabetic. This number is expected to rise to somewhere near 44.1 million by 2034. Medical and pharmaceutical costs are expected to triple from the current $113 billion to somewhere near $336 billion. Researchers caution that these estimates may be too conservative. University of Chicago researchers say the figures they published in the December 2009 issue of Diabetic Care are estimated, based on current obesity levels remaining fairly constant over the next 30 years. The study authors based their figures on the obesity trends coming into a plateau, then declining by 2033. If research estimates are inaccurate the number of cases and their resulting costs could escalate.

Past estimates grossly underestimated how fast the surge in new diabetic cases would grow. Researching is showing a growing correlation between obesity, high blood pressure and high blood sugar. If the trend continues, we will have a health crisis on our hand of mammoth proportions. Currently, there are two million American who weigh over 500 pounds.

It is curious how such alarming numbers come about because Diabetes is one of the most easily preventable chronic diseases. Unfortunately, we eat too much of the wrong foods, we get too little exercise and sleep and we do not manage stress well.

Until each of us is motivated to look after our own health and eat in a more sensible way, we will become a nation of diabetics or those waiting to become one.

Influenza is more dangerous for diabetics than it is for others. Why is this so? Any kind of sickness raises blood-sugar levels in diabetics. In fact, an Illness can prevent a diabetic from eating properly, which further affects blood-glucose levels. Diabetes compromises the immune system by causing people to become more vulnerable to severe cases of the flu, (Centers for Disease Control (CDC)). Diabetics who contract the flu usually get very sick, a lot sicker than other people who get the flu. In many cases, diabetics with the flu end up in the hospital.

People with diabetes can help keep themselves safe from the flu by getting a flu shot yearly, provided that they are not allergic to it, like many people are. The flu is definitely not good for everyone. Many people complain of getting sick after taking the flu shot. However, for the most part, it is very good in preventing the flu. It is recommended that everyone with diabetes, even pregnant women, should get a yearly flu shot, and the best time to get one is in October or mid-November before the flu season begins, (CDC).

According to the CDC, if one has diabetes, a flu shot can be the difference between life and death. In addition to the influenza vaccine, diabetics should also get the pneumococcal vaccine along with the Tetanus/Diphtheria (Td) Toxoid vaccine. All measures should be taken to stay as safe as possible from infections.

There are some important measures one can take to avoid getting sick. Washing hands regularly is a very good practice in stopping the spread of influenza and other infections. One should avoid contact with sick people. Influenza for example is thought to spread from person-to-person through coughing, sneezing, or contact with infected people. If one is feeling under the weather, the CDC recommends that one should stay home from work or school to limit contact with others to keep them from getting sick also.

Regardless of the circumstances, diabetics should continue taking their medications (pills or insulin), even if they cannot eat while sick with the flu. Health care providers may at times advise diabetic patients to take more insulin during sickness, depending on the situation, (CDC).

Very close supervision should be employed by diabetics when they are experiencing any form of sickness. Here are some critical steps to follow in the case of illness: test blood-glucose levels every hour–all results should be recorded and monitored; drink extra (calorie-free) liquids, and try to eat normally; if eating normally isn’t possible, eat soft foods and liquids containing the same amount of carbohydrates one normally consumes; weigh oneself every day-losing weight without effort could be a sign of high blood-glucose; and check body temperature every morning and evening–an onset of fever could be a sign of infection, (CDC).

One should call her or his health care provider or go to the emergency room if any of the following occurs: feeling too sick to eat normally-unable to keep down food for more than 6 hours; episodes of severe diarrhea; losing 5 pounds or more; body temperature is over 101 degrees F; blood-glucose is lower than 60 mg/dL or remains over 300 mg/dL; experience moderate or large amounts of ketones in urine; feeling sleepy or unable to think clearly; and having trouble breathing, (CDC).

Diabetics have to be extra careful when it comes to the flu because diabetes itself compromises the immune system of diabetics. Therefore, prevention of the flu is the best medicine. Although the flu shot doesn’t agree with everyone, it is still the most effective remedy against the flu. So, all efforts should be made in getting a flu shot every year.

Please visit the CDC for more information on diabetes and influenza.

If weight loss is essential for people who are obese, it is more so for those affected by diabetes. And if a person is obese and has diabetes at the same time, then weight loss becomes mandatory. If you are obese or have diabetes or suffer from both conditions, you need to follow a program to burn stomach fat at a faster pace. If you had already made an attempt to lose weight and had failed, you can try some of the sure fire methods outlined below to lose weight naturally as well as in a more consistent manner:

? First of all, consult with your physician or dietitian before attempting to follow any program. With their assistance, set a short-term goal which would be easy for you to achieve. Attempt to lose 5% of your weight initially. Setting small goals and achieving them would motivate you and help you stick to the program.

? Start following a physical exercise program recommended by your physician. Physical exercise increases your body’s metabolism and helps you to lose more weight quickly. If working out at the gym or outdoors is difficult for you, you can use your backyard to do your workouts. Once exercise becomes a part of your daily routine, you will feel awful even if you skip a single day.

? Avoid all junk food and stick to a healthy diet prescribed by your physician or dietitian. This would really help you to burn stomach fat faster. The diet would also go a long way in treating your diabetes as well.

? A good night’s sleep is also extremely important for your body when it is losing weight. Going to bed early will help your body to get adequate rest. You can also wake up fresh the next morning and follow your daily exercise routine to burn stomach fat. On the other hand, going to bed late or cutting down on sleep can lead to more health problems.

Once your body and mind become accustomed to the idea of living a healthy lifestyle by exercising daily to burn stomach fat and following a healthy diet to combat your diabetes, you will begin to start losing weight in a more consistent manner, which is one of the safest methods for people suffering from diabetes.

When people with type 2 diabetes are advised on how to control their diabetes… the type of food they eat and the amount of exercise they should do each week, predominates in the conversation. Up until now sleep is usually not mentioned but according to research, sleep might be another important factor.

A study at the University of Chicago looked at sleep and glucose tolerance in eleven non-diabetic people, average age 40, who were overweight and under-exercised. They averaged slightly less than eight hours of sleep each night.

• for fourteen nights they were allowed to sleep for eight and a half hours, and
• for fourteen nights they were allowed to sleep only five and a half hours
• no exercise was permitted, and
• junk food was provided

During the two weeks of being sleep deprived, the volunteers had higher blood sugar levels and showed less sensitivity to insulin.

Another study at the same institution found similar results in younger, leaner volunteers. Nine people between the ages of 21 and 30 were allowed to sleep for eight and half hours for three nights in the lab. When the subjects went into deep sleep, sound was used to make them sleep more lightly. A glucose tolerance test was given and blood insulin levels were measured. It was found that sensitivity to insulin decreased by 25 per cent. In eight of the subjects, insulin production did not increase, causing their blood sugars to rise by 23 per cent.

Sleep apnea, or stoppage of breathing for 10 seconds or more during sleep, is common among diabetics. About 40% of men with type 2 diabetes also suffer sleep apnea, and that number goes up to 61 per cent for men over 65.

Lack of sleep or at least deep sleep, may cause imbalances in substances like catecholamines and the hormone cortisol in your body. Catecholamines and cortisol prepare your body for the ‘fight or flight’ response, and one way they do this is by raising the blood sugar level. This is one possible mechanism for a connection between lack of quality sleep and type 2 diabetes.

Like type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea is a disorder that people who have it, often don’t recognize.

Symptoms include:

• tiredness
• waking up tired
• lack of energy
• headaches, and
• falling asleep without trying to, such as when reading or watching television.

A lack of quality sleep places you at an increased risk of several health problems. If you are type 2 diabetic it will make weight loss and control of your blood sugar levels much more difficult. Not getting enough sleep on a regular basis makes your body less sensitive to insulin which puts you at an increased risk of weight gain.

Diabetes is a horrible disease that many people have to suffer with throughout their lives. Not only is it a disease that is concerning for future health issues, but it can be a very expensive illness to have. The average person who has diabetes will incur more than $13,000 in medical costs each year. Compare that with a person without diabetes who may only incur $3000 in costs each year and you can see how it can become a financial burden. This is why finding low cost diabetic supplies is so important to people who cannot afford the high cost of treating their disease.

Finding these supplies can be difficult unless you know where to look. Some low cost diabetic supplies are given to people who cannot afford them at full price by groups affiliated with health insurance companies. Some of these companies will send out free samples or initial supplies to diabetics but you do want to make sure that you are covered by health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. Medical companies will offer free or low cost diabetes supplies including blood glucose monitors and the accessories that go with them. Sometimes they can even be shipped to your home for free.

Another great way to find low cost diabetic supplies is by looking online. Even if you cannot find free items, you can often find discounted diabetic supplies just by doing a search in Google. Usually, this will involve calling or e-mailing the company and having your doctor fill out a few simple forms. These companies are there to provide quality information and assistance to people who need it.

Your doctor may also be able to direct you to low cost diabetic supply information. Many doctors participate in programs which allow you to get discounted or free materials to help you with your diabetes especially when you are first diagnosed. Some of the diabetic supplies that you can get are test strips, lancets, syringes and testing meters.

Finding free diabetic supplies can make all the difference in the world to someone who cannot afford to maintain their health while dealing with diabetes. By doing some simple research, you will be able to find free resources that can help you save money and improve your health.

Diabetes is one of the fastest growing lifestyle diseases that have affected millions of people around the world. This disease affects the overall health of patient and is also responsible for gradually affecting various parts of the body. Diabetics are known to suffer from serious foot problems. Foot problems start when the nerve cells stop working and the feet loses all sensation.

This loss of sensation can be very dangerous since the patient cannot feel anything even if he hurts his foot or has some sort of an injury. Since there is poor blood circulation this injured foot also takes a long time to heal which may in turn result in a severe infection. Due to these reasons diabetics need to take special care of their feet. For this purpose special diabetic socks have been designed to keep the feet dry and well protected.

These diabetic socks are more comfortable and offer a snug fit which keeps the feet well protected. They are made from cotton and have a good deal of elasticity that makes it easy to wear. These socks are soft and skin friendly which ensures that the feet is well protected and also that the blood flow is not restricted in any manner due to the socks being too tight. The material used for the same is hypoallergenic and breathable fabric. They do not have any wrinkled seams and neither do they have any harmful dyes that might cause skin allergy. There are no toe seams in these socks that may cause any injury to the toe while the toe area is also broader as compared to normal socks that allows the toes some area to move.

Diabetic socks are different from normal socks in a way so that they can offer greater comfort and protection to the delicate feet of a diabetic patient. It has been proved that use of thick socks combined with cushioned shoes help prevent foot injuries in diabetics. If feet are kept well protected then it prevents serious injuries which in case of diabetic patients might lead to infection and in the end, amputation. So if you are a diabetic patient or have a diabetic patient in the family, ensure that the feet gets regular exercise and are properly taken care of. When purchasing a pair of diabetic socks, you can look for the reputed companies which sell special superior quality diabetic socks which are meant for patients.

The most important things to take into account before it can go on a diet or exercise plan, you should always consult your physician for proper medical care. Now I understand that many people believe that this statement is nothing more than the companies to avoid the risk of lawsuits, but there are always some things you should ask your doctor before you can submit to any diet or exercise schedule.

The first thing you need to ensure that the physician previous knowledge on the type of diet you want to go in the future. A detailed discussion with your doctor on this issue will give you a great insight about the effectiveness of a certain diet as the doctors will tell you about the experiences of the other people who have used these diets previously.

The biggest concern for many people is that if they are to be limited in the amount of physical activity. The truth is that doctors will ask you to go out and participate in physical activities as much as I can, but there are some cases where it is recommended to stay away from the laborious activities, unless it has lost some weight.

Talk about this issue, many ask the question, how often they have to visit the doctor when they started taking drugs. Now you have to take into account the fact that when you are pre-diabetic condition, the level of glucose in the blood are constantly changing. So you have to ensure that when you are under medical treatment, you visit your doctor frequently and that is what most doctors recommend.

The important thing that you need to keep in mind is that there are a lot of factors that drive people to lose weight of get rid of the pre-diabetic condition. Doctors might tell the people that, in case they are over weight they can get diabetes, if they have the pre-diabetic condition, they can develop this condition into the type 2 diabetes. So you need to make sure that you follow all the important tips that are given by the doctor alongside the diet.

Keeping all of the above tips in mind, you need to make sure that you always and I mean always tell each and everything that your doctor should know in order to give you the best medical treatment.

Diabetic patients at greater risk for common infections

Most of us who are diabetic are well aware of the several really serious complications and risks that we might face in the longer term, possibilities that I hate to even think about, such as the increased risk of heart disease, vision loss, kidney failure. And there are others, but they are not inevitable and the worse can possibly be avoided if we can get our blood glucose levels under control.

Perhaps less serious but uncomfortable nevertheless

Diabetes is also associated with it a number of less serious but uncomfortable ailments that can easily be ignored and neglected and go untreated, at least for a while. And some of these occur more often in the case of the diabetic whose blood sugars are out of control. Being out of control describes the situation where the glucose levels in the blood are consistently above the accepted levels, not a good situation in any event.

In an earlier article, Diabetes and Dental Hygiene, reference was made to gum diseases in the mouth, gingivitis, periodontal disease, and thrush, a form of yeast infection also called candidiasis, usually the result of the high glucose levels that provides a ready source of nutrients for the many families of bacteria or fungi that can live in our bodies but are normally kept in check by our own disease fighting immune systems. But when the immune system is weakened it allows the bacteria to take over and a result is the infection.

Balinitis, another male diabetic yeast infection

There is another yeast infection, called Balinitis, to bring to your attention. Affecting male diabetics, not well known among doctors it seems, if my own personal experience is anything to go by. When I first described my irksome condition vividly to the doctor treating me for diabetes, he seemed unsure and then decided to send me to a urologist. After inspecting me, the urologist also seemed baffled and, from his comments was, I think, concerned it might be cancer related and so he cauterized it - what an experience that was! Can you imagine it?

Cauterization is the process of burning or searing an affected area by burning with a device, I think with an electric current in my case. I won’t elaborate here, but balanitis affects the male genital area, that reference will be enough for you to recognize whether you have it and I will leave you to look it up and get the details yourself.

Anyway, showing no improvement at the time of a follow up a week or two after the cauterization, the urologist pondered a while and then decided to send me to a dermatologist, fortunately practicing in the same building, who saw me the same day. When the dermatologist made his inspection he too was puzzled, did not recognize the condition, but finally after carefully peering at the appropriate area said, “I think it must be a yeast infection” and at that gave a prescription for an ointment that did help to a degree but the condition never totally disappeared.

A year or two later, when the condition flared up again I had by then used up all the ointment and had moved to a new town with a new doctor. Also I had identified the ailment myself when reading the diabetes literature. As soon as I asked my new doctor for ointment to treat my complaint known as balinitis, he immediately knew the condition and prescribed an ointment, an anti-fungal I believe, called. Miconazole Nitrate (MCL). That ointment has been fairly effective, the condition needs to be carefully watched, but it is much better.

In spite of my own experience with doctors, I read elsewhere that the condition should be recognized immediately and that treatment can clear it up in 3 to 5 days.

Caution

Balanitis does sometimes affect non-diabetics and there are some more serious forms of the disease. There is significantly more important information available than my brief and simple description given here and I urge anyone who is concerned to check more deeply into the condition and locate the full details relating to balanitis, or any other genital ailment for that matter,

Raising awareness

My purpose with this article is to raise awareness of such ailments so that if they should occur a doctor may be consulted without delay, minimizing the effects. And to again emphasize that diabetic patients are at greater risk for several such common infections, especially if blood glucose levels are elevated beyond normal for too long a period of time, allowing creation of an environment that enhances the growth of harmful organisms such as fungi, bacteria and viruses.

Like most diabetics, you might as well be shocked to know that you are actually suffering from diabetes when you haven’t experienced any diabetes signs and symptoms. You must have never understood or felt any change in your system or in your body, since there aren’t many such changes occurring with diabetes. You have always felt good about yourself until of course you were diagnosed with diabetes.

Diabetes isn’t characterized by any telltale sign or symptom. However, there are certain conditions that have been associated with diabetes and that seems to be a sign. As there is no defined diabetes cause, the symptoms are mostly vague or usually an indication of some other disease. Lack of any prominent symptoms and slow emergence of the condition are the two main reasons why diabetes is often left undetected for long.

There are two classic diabetes signs and symptoms that develop out of persistently higher levels of blood glucose - frequent urination and increased thirst or desire to drink water. Also, there are many other relevant symptoms of the condition that must not be ignored:

Frequent Urination or Polyuria: Frequent urination is one of the early signs of diabetes. It mainly happens due to increased water intake, which is again a symptom of the diabetes.

Increased Thirst for Water or Polydipsia: Because excessive sugar tends to build up in the bloodstream when a person is suffering from diabetes, water is pulled from tissues. This makes you thirsty more frequently and that leads to more water consumption, which eventually is responsible for frequent urination.

Flu-like Symptoms: Symptoms of flu are quite common with diabetics. The feelings are almost like viral illnesses that include symptoms such as, weakness, fatigue, and body ache and appetite loss in some cases. As sugar is the main fuel of the body, it fails to enter your cells when you are having diabetes, thus failing to do its usual job. This leads to tiredness and weakness.

Increased Hunger: Intense hunger is triggered due to diabetes as the body does not contain adequate insulin for moving sugar into the cells. This makes your organs depleted due to lack of energy and you start feeling hungry.

Rapid Weight Loss: Despite eating plenty of foods, which is unusually more than what you eat to kill your hunger, you are likely to lose weight rapidly. As the body fails to use glucose properly, it tends to use the alternative fuel sources stored in the muscles and fats. The body burns more calories as too much of glucose is lost through urine.

Vision Problems: Diabetes can affect your eyesight, thus creating problems with vision. Blurred vision is very common with diabetics. As the blood sugar levels are high, the fluids contained in the eyes are pulled from your lenses, thus giving a blurred vision. Higher levels of blood pressure can also lead to the development of small blood vessels in the yes that bleed.

Frequent Infections: Diabetes prevents infections from healing quickly and also makes a person more vulnerable to sores and chronic infections. The sores once caused become increasingly difficult to heal.