DirectoryDiabetes.com is designed to help its users get more information on diabetes drug, diabetes symptoms, types of diabetes, diabetes treatment, diabetes prevention, and diabetes cures.
Home  |  About

Posts Tagged ‘Health’

Type 2 Diabetes and Self-Monitoring Blood Sugar Levels!

Monday, August 2nd, 2010

Not sure what Type 2 diabetes is? Well to start with, even if you have just been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes,

you have probably been living with it for many years. Often it is not diagnosed until it is found by a routine blood

test, or maybe by a symptom such as a slowly healing infection. The symptoms of Type 2 diabetes can be so

subtle they slip past the radar, pretty much unnoticed in an otherwise healthy person.

Type 2 diabetes is different to Type 1, in that there is plenty of insulin. During the 1950′s medical researchers

discovered insulin resistance and so Type 2 diabetes was born. Insulin resistance is where, although there is

plenty of insulin in the bloodstream, the cells no longer respond to the body’s insulin.

Type 1 generally develops in childhood or in young adults, and occurs when the body’s white blood cells attack

the cells of the pancreas and destroys it’s ability to produce insulin. Therefore very little or no insulin is produced.

In both cases glucose is unable to enter the cells, therefore, in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes blood sugar levels

rise and there is too much sugar in the bloodstream. The key thing is to control these levels and bring them back

as close to normal as possible.

Your diabetes care plan will include learning how to monitor your blood sugar levels each day. Blood sugar

testing is one of the most important self-management tools you can ever have as it allows you to know exactly

where your blood sugar levels are at any given time. This means you will be able to spot problems pretty much

straight away.

Suggested Times to Monitor Your Blood Sugar Levels:

* when you are newly diagnosed
* if you give yourself insulin injections it is ideal to check before every meal and at bedtime
* if you start a new medication
* if you start reducing calories, reducing starches and carbs, you may want to check before and after some

meals to see the effect
* if your blood sugar levels are between 75 to 125mg/dL (4 to 7mmol/L) and you are taking oral medications,

or following a diet and exercise plan, test your blood sugars twice daily
* when you blood sugar levels become stable, your doctor may suggest testing three times a week, rotating

the times around
* if you eat foods not usually in your diet or
* if you exercise, be sure to test your sugar levels then to see if it’s really working

It’s rare for people with Type 2 diabetes to experience low blood sugar reactions, which can include fainting at

unfortunate times, such as while driving. Exceptions to this may include diabetics who are taking hypoglycemic

drugs and particularly those who are taking insulin.

Blood Sugar Levels:

* non-diabetics usually have levels between 80 to 100mg/dL (4 to 5mmol/L)
* diabetic’s blood sugars can bounce around during the day but tend to follow a trend
* illnesses or infections can raise blood sugars
* it’s normal to have up/down swings but if levels are high for long periods, there’s the possibility of

complications
* levels will vary for every diabetic and so will the control… it depends on the age of the diabetic

The American Diabetes Association suggests:

* fasting levels or preprandial (before meals)… 90 to 130mg/dL (5 to 7.2mmol/L)
* two hours postprandial (after eating)… below 180mg/dL (10mmol/L)
* just before bedtime…100 to 140mg/dL (5.6 to 7.8mmol/L)

Aging With Diabetes

Monday, September 7th, 2009

Diabetes is a disease that you can get if you do not eat right or take care of your body. Genetics play a part in diabetes as well. In fact, hereditary is a hard cause of the problem. The disease can cause blindness. The disease can lead to amputation of legs, or feet. Diabetes is a disease that when your body does not produce enough insulin to break down sugar in the bloodstream. Diabetes includes two types, yet various levels are considered. Diabetes includes Diabetes Insipidus and Mellitus.

The first diabetes is where your body is incapable of producing enough insulin to do what its supposed to do. This type of diabetes is treatable. You will need medications, exercise and strict diet to maintain your health. Diabetes Mellitus has five types. Each type results from insulin interruptions whereas the system is disrupted. The disruption causes chaos within the body’s ability to function. The body cannot act naturally and it takes insulin shots to treat this condition depending on the type.

If you go to your doctors on a regular basis, your doctor will monitor your health. If you have family history of diabetes, let your doctor know so he/she can conduct random testing. A glucose test is necessary to find diabetes. Blood lab tests are useful also to spot diabetes. Drinking but not filling your thirst quench. If you feel fatigue often and don’t know, then you should be tested. Diabetes, depending on the type makes a person feels weak, endure pain, lose weight, gain weight, etc. The disease is so confusing to the bodily functions that it doesn’t know the direction to head.

No one has control over disease but you. If you adhere to regular checkups, the doctor can spot the disease at an early stage, which the disease then can be managed. You need to eat right and do excises daily to help maintain your weight, since diabetes takes delight in feeding the disease to the point of death. What happens to those with diabetes? Unfortunately, the disease is not partial. The disease targets young and old alike. Once the disease develops it puts the person at risk of blindness.

Some people lose their legs or other limbs resulting from diabetes. Most people with diabetes are at risk of kidney failure. If you already have diabetes then listen to your doctor and follow all instructions. One of the top recommendations to diabetes patients is to consume much fluids. Your body is losing fluids as diabetes drains your bodily organs of its natural elements. You will also need to avoid saturated fat foods and basic sugars. In addition, your doctor will need to test you regularly to control your illness.