Diabetes is a serious disease that occurs due to lack of insulin in body. The insulin is hormone that helps in extracting glucose from blood, thereby providing energy to body. If this function does not take place due to some reason, resulting disease is termed as diabetes. It is more prevalent among obese and middle aged population. Diabetes is a serious ailment that makes human body susceptible to other diseases. Treatment for diabetes is available. However, it is very crucial to identify the type of diabetes the patient is suffering from. Medication for one type is ineffective and could even be harmful to other types. Hence, it is important to know about major forms of diabetes. Mainly there are mainly three types of diabetes. Let us seek more information about them.

a. Type 1

This is also known as juvenile diabetes or insulin dependent diabetes. In this case there is no production of insulin inside the patient’s body. In a normal person insulin is produced by beta cells present inside pancreas. But in Type 1 diabetes, these beta cells are destroyed and result in failure of insulin release. To treat such patients, insulin shots and other medication is given to add insulin into patient’s body. This occurs mostly in children and comprises 5-10 % cases of diabetes. The beta cells are destroyed by body’s own immunity system or environmental exposures.

b. Type 2

In this case the body does not respond to insulin released by beta cells in pancreas. It could be due to the insufficient low production or underutilization of insulin. It is called insulin independent type as well and occurs mostly in overweight adults. The blood pressure and cholesterol levels are also higher in patient suffering from this type of diabetes. To cure this, exercise and controlled dieting are advised initially.

c. Gestational Diabetes

This form occurs in women at time of pregnancy. It resembles Type 2 where body does not know how to use insulin. This type of diabetes gets cured on itself after childbirth. There are chances of Type 2 diabetes occurring in females in future and the child may also develop diabetes.

There is one more type of diabetes. Earlier it used to be considered as Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. But now it has been named as a separate form of diabetes. It is called Type 1.5 diabetes. It is a combination of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. It is called latent autoimmune diabetes in adults. It has features of both types of diabetes including underutilization of insulin and destruction of beta cells.

Now we are armed with better knowledge about diabetes and its types. It is possible to live a normal life with diabetes provided we take proper medication and precautions. Best caution is to eat healthy and exercise a lot.

Diabetes is a very common disease among almost, if not, all countries across the globe. Morbidity and mortality rates are enough evidences of how this disease has affected quite a lot of people even in cases when it is not the main source of death, there were complications with diabetes found among most patients. With such debilitating and serious effects, it is important to be able to make use of diabetes management effectively.

Defined as a medical condition revolving around the body’s reaction to insulin, diabetes actually is of two types. Basically, the pancreas produces insulin, which is the reason why cells can absorb glucose for the purpose of turning it into energy. In the absence of insulin or when there is insufficient amount of it, glucose tends to get accumulated in the blood. This can result to different complications.

People with diabetes tend to experience frequent hunger and feeling of being thirsty. They also urinate more frequently than the usual. Weight loss, eyesight problems and feelings of fatigue and irritation can also be observed. Another very popular signs of diabetes is the slow healing of cuts, bruises and other wounds. Skin, gum, bladder and other infections tend to reoccur.

These symptoms might not occur all at the same time. In fact, there are cases where only one of these is observed. One should be constantly on the lookout for irregularities in the bodily functions in order to avoid going past certain symptoms that might be related with serious diseases such as diabetes.

It is a trusted fact that prevention has always been better than cure no matter what diseases they come in. Statistics show that the onset of type 2 diabetes is during adulthood, but in the recent years, obesity rates grew tremendously, and diabetes grew hand in hand with it. The most effective way to avoid having diabetes is to maintain a healthy obesity-free lifestyle.

For those with diabetes, there is a great need for a complete lifestyle makeover. One of the basic things to do is to incorporate regular exercise into one’s daily activities. The goal with this is to burn as much glucose as possible since insulin, the main one responsible for such, cannot fully live up to its purpose. More so, one should be wary of his own body weight. Obesity is highly associated with the development of diabetes.

Another change that should be taken is regarding one’s diet. Although the no-sugar diet is a myth, it is still very important for a person with diabetes to refrain from consuming much sugar. The idea is to have a healthy and balanced diet. The body still needs sugar, but it takes much insulin to break it down into energy. For a healthier diet, one can incorporate high fiber foods items as well as soya products. As a matter of fact, scientific studies can back up the good effects of such a diet on diabetes patients.

The management of diabetes takes as much effort as other serious diseases. However, all of these are worth it considering the positive results in the end.

When you are diagnosed with diabetes, it can seem like everything is changing. One question many patients have is whether they are still allowed to consume alcohol with diabetes.

Many patients have to give up a number of their favorite foods and change their exercise and lifestyle habits. In addition to being somewhat stressful, all these changes can also feel like a burden. Feeling as though you need to call your doctor before you does anything can seem overwhelming and many patients are unaware of what is on the list of do’s and don’ts. It is also the same with diabetes and alcohol.

This question, like all diabetes questions, has no single answer. The answer to this question depends on the severity of your diabetes as well as your current health and blood sugar levels. The American Diabetes Association states the following: “When your blood sugar is controlled and well established and you do not have complications, conditions, or medications that are affected by alcohol consumption, then modest amounts of alcohol with your diabetes can be a part of your diet plan”.

It is important to understand that if you drink alcohol with diabetes, your body is at increased risk for certain conditions. This does not mean that you may not have a drink, but there are precautions you should take. Understand that when you drink, your liver slows the glucose release in order to metabolize the alcohol in your blood stream. This means that drinking, especially after an insulin injection or without eating, can result in low blood sugar.

It is also recommended that patients with diabetes adhere to the recommended guidelines of one beer, one glass of wine, or one shot of liquor for women per day and two for men. For adults over the age of 65, diabetes and alcohol should be limited to one drink per day regardless of gender. This helps to reduce the risk of complications significantly. If you want to know more about whether you should or can drink with your diabetes, contact your doctor. While these guidelines are intended as a general rule of thumb, only your doctor can tell you what is best based on your symptoms and risk factors.

Changing your life due to diabetes is very stressful, but once your symptoms are under control, you will likely find yourself able to sit back and enjoy a drink with friends. Managing your symptoms and treating your body well is important, but talking with your doctor can help you ensure that you do not have to eliminate all things that you enjoy, such as having a drink with loved ones. Diabetes and alcohol can be a possibility, only with well controlled diabetes symptoms

The symptoms of diabetes are similar in children and adults. The symptoms in both often go unnoticed. The different types of Diabetes are Type 1, an autoimmune disease, and Type 2, caused by insulin resistance. Type 1 diabetes usually develops in children and Type 2 in adults. However, the recent rise in obesity in children is making Type 2 a more common problem. Both types of diabetes have the same symptoms even though the cause is different.

The most noticeable symptoms of Diabetes in both children and adults are increased thirst, frequent urination, increased hunger, and fatigue. These symptoms are easily attributed to other causes, which is why people sometimes go undiagnosed. The increase in thirst and urination are caused by excess sugar in the blood stream. To counter the high blood sugar, the body pulls fluid from the tissues, resulting in thirst. Frequent urination results from the diabetic drinking more fluids to counteract the thirst. The increase in hunger is a direct result of the body not having enough insulin available. Muscles and organs do not get enough glucose if there is not enough processed because of insulin levels and then hunger occurs. Fatigue sets in when the body is deprived of the glucose it needs for energy. Other symptoms one should be aware of are blurred vision, decreased healing capability, and patches of darker colored skin.

Type 1 Diabetes will require treatment with insulin and the close supervision of a doctor. Type 2 Diabetes can often be managed, and prevented, with appropriate diet and exercise. People at risk for Diabetes or that develop any of the symptoms at any age, should seek out a medical diagnosis and treatment.

Is there a connection between diabetes and gum disease? The simplest answer is yes. However, nothing is ever so simple and it pays to take a closer look at this potentially threatening link. By themselves, gum disease and diabetes are already devastating. Having one can make the other worse, and there is no need to allow that to happen.

Diabetic control is one reason for this connection. In many cases, gingival disease is considered to be a complication of diabetes, and diabetic control is the direct link. Basically, if your control over your blood sugar is poor, you are at a higher risk for gum disease. In fact, you may even be more at risk for losing your teeth from the disease.

However, if you have diabetes but have strong control over your blood sugar, you may be in significantly better shape than someone who does not have strong control over this area. Be careful.

Another diabetic complication is thicker blood vessels. This is another complication which can make you more at risk for getting periodontal disease. Basically, thicker blood vessels makes it more difficult for nutrients to flow in and harmful waste products to flow out. The direct result of this is the reduced ability of the gum tissue surrounding your teeth to fight off infection.

Bacteria causes gum disease in the first place. Bacteria love sugar - especially glucose. Of course, if you have diabetes, you see the problem here. The bacteria which can cause gum disease will be attracted to the glucose in your body.

Smoking increases the risk of getting periodontal disease when you have diabetes as well. A smoker who has diabetes is many times more likely to get gum disease than a smoker without diabetes.

What can you do to break this link? Take your medication, in the case of thickening vessels. Maintain strong, solid control of your blood sugar. Do not smoke. Visit your dentist regularly. Of course, brush twice a day and floss. However, these measures alone may not be enough to prevent the occurrence of gum disease. Be sure to follow the links below to learn more about this disease.

Being diagnosed with diabetes is not the end of the world. It is true that you need to be more careful and pay more attention to what you eat, but you can still eat a wonderful, varied, and delicious diet. Once diagnosed with diabetes, managing your illness is the key to living a long and fulfilling life. With some forethought and planning, you can devise a diabetes menu that is exciting, tasty and good for you.

The great thing about a diabetes diet is that it’s basically the same with a non-diabetic diet if it were a healthy one. The difference is that diabetics consume fewer carbohydrates to ensure optimal blood sugar levels.

Carbohydrates are foods which break down into sugars during digestion. Carbs have, by far, the greatest impact on your blood sugar. Fat plays only a minor role in short-term blood sugar levels. Protein takes several hours to show up as blood sugar, so it also plays a very minor role in short-term blood sugar control. Diabetics must pay close attention to their dietary intake, portion sizes, and meal frequency. What you eat, or more specifically, the carbohydrates in the food you eat are the body’s main source of glucose.

To overcome the specific challenges your body experiences because of the disease, you should talk to your doctor or health care provider. Discuss your needs and wants with a professional. A registered dietitian or nutritionist should be able to help you come up or devise a diabetes menu plan that fits your preferences and lifestyle.

They say misconceptions can kill. Well, Diabetes misconceptions have killed and will continue to kill many for years to come. We know so much about diabetes. We get information from many sources. From TV, from magazines, from the internet, from a neighbor, from the barber and from many other reliable and not-so-reliable sources.

This is precisely the reason why despite the fact that we know so much, still many more keep dying from this disorder. Because we fail to filter the chaff from the grain. And if we want to avoid Diabetes complications, we have to correct our deep-seated misconceptions.

1.”I’m not fond of sweets.”

Although a penchant for sweets will hasten your membership to the Honey Club, an aversion to it does not guarantee immunity from the disorder. First of all, sugar can be found NOT ONLY in sweets. ALMOST ALL the carbohydrates we take will be converted into sucrose (table sugar) by our intestinal enzymes and ultimately into glucose (blood sugar) before being absorbed into the blood. This would include bread, rice, root crops, and even unripe fruits. So, if your attention is focused only on sweets, you’ll have been shot from behind and you’ll never know what hit you.

2. “We don’t have a history of Diabetes!”

It would be difficult to trace all our relatives up to the 4th degree. And although advances in travel have made migration easier, it has also made recognition of distant relatives more difficult, and increasingly irrelevant. Until we find the need to trace our lineage.

3. “My blood sugar was normal last year.”

With the average western diet these days, yearly blood sugar monitoring is probably inadequate to guard against the onslaught of Diabetes in any individual. And besides, by the time your blood sugar goes up, Diabetes has been doing damage to your tissues for the past 10 yrs. An increase in blood cholesterol leading to hardening and narrowing of the arteries begins years before the blood sugar even starts to go up. It’s a Trojan Horse that does the damage while you snugly sleep, oblivious to the web of complications that this illness cunningly weaves.

4. “My cuts easily heal.”

Just like in No. 3, delayed healing of wounds is a late complication of Diabetes. So why wait to be a candidate for amputation? Landmines have done enough damage to innocent lives.

5. “My urine sugar is normal.”

Sugar in the urine is an effect of “filtration overflow”. When the sugar in the blood exceeds the kidney’s capacity to filter it, the sugar overflows into the urine. So in kidneys with high filtering capacity, the urine sugar may be negative in spite of a very high blood sugar. Are you going to wait for the bucket to spill before turning off the tap?

There are many other misconceptions regarding this terrible disease. Too many, in fact to occupy too many Ezine articles. But I suppose I have made my point. And if we are able to change our notion of this terrible disease, we might be able to transform our reaction to it from that of “What’s in it for me?” to “What can we do?”.

So if we think that we are exempted from this dreaded disease, that would be another misconception. Why don’t we take more time to learn more about it? And with the right information, we might be lucky enough to indeed get exempted.

One of the main contributors to the increase of type 2 diabetes is lack of exercise. Over the past years, people have gotten lazier with all the new technology advances, that there are millions of people that don’t ever exercise or get any physical activity in their life. This has caused the rates of people being diagnosed with the disease to increase dramatically.

Type 2 diabetes is when the body does not produce enough insulin for the body to function properly or the insulin that is produced is ignored by the body instead of being used. When the body does not have enough insulin, it is not able to produce energy, which is needed to keep the body working properly. Insulin is what lowers the blood sugar levels since it transforms the glucose into energy, but when a person has diabetes the blood sugar levels rise since no insulin is being used. People with type 2 diabetes can suffer from serious medical complications such as heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, and amputations of the limbs.

Although there may be some other factors in getting type 2 diabetes, such as genetics, the number one reason for a person being diagnosed with the disease is that they are obese or overweight. This is one of the reasons why exercise is so important when it comes to managing the disease. Just losing a small amount of weight through a healthy diet and regular physical activity can have a dramatic effect on your body. It can lower your blood sugar levels and help you to keep your diabetes under control.

Exercise also have some other great benefits to it for people who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or that are pre-diabetic. Regular, moderate, exercise can lower blood sugar levels. Since the body needs glucose (energy) to be able to workout, when you exercise you take can lower your sugar levels since you are burning them off with the work. The American Diabetes Association has recently approved a workout and lifestyle program called Kathy Smith’s Project:YOU! Type 2 which includes approved workouts for people with diabetes. These workouts are specifically geared towards people with type 2 diabetes so that they can lower their blood sugar levels while getting fit and losing weight. Project:YOU! Type 2 also comes with a nutritional guide with recipes to help with the diet aspect as well.

Some of the other benefits of regular physical activity for people with this disease are:

* Improves circulation and lessens the chance for heart disease or a heart attack. * Increases your energy level * Lowers your blood pressure * Improves your muscle strength * Reduces stress and anxiety

The best way to manage type 2 diabetes is to get on a regular exercise plan like Project:YOU! Type 2 and maintain a healthy and balanced diet. Then you can live a long and happy life and be in control of your body.