Cyndrome

Archive for October, 2011

Diabetes creeps up on a person bit by bit and then all suddenly, the pancreas and other body parts refuse to function properly. This post on our diabetes blog has been written to help you understand the diet end of controlling this illness.

There are millions and millions of people around the globe showing diabetes symptoms, and most of them are not even aware of it.
People with this illness cover a wide range of ages, right from infants going up the elderly. As they carry on with their lives as diabetics it begins to slowly consume them. In the end all it needs is a balance of diet, exercise and insulin. Balance is the key to a diabetic leading a good life.

The biggest challenge a diabetic faces is maintaining the proper diet. The diet for every diabetic needs to be balanced to that individual’s requirement. Many of the foods eaten are generally converted into a type of sugar called glucose in the process of digestion. The blood then carries glucose through the body. Insulin then turns glucose into quick energy or it is stored. In diabetics, the body either does not make an adequate amount of insulin or it cannot use the insulin properly. Thus excessive glucose builds in the bloodstream.

Food to avoid when you have diabetes

Food that helps when u have diabetes

Bitter Gourd (lowers the blood-sugar levels effectively)

Fenugreek

Cinnamon Solution (Boil cinnamon sticks and drink water)

Flaxseed

Fiber (apples, soybean, oatmeal etc)

Onions

Garlic

More suggestions to control diabetes

Keep an eye out for particular diabetic recipes to help you follow a healthy diet.

Eat similar quantities of food at the same time every day.

Include starchy foods such as dried beans to increase their intake of starch.

Consume lots of fruit and vegetables for soluble fiber.

Manage and keep your weight under control.

Control your carbohydrates.

Diabetes also known as diabetes mellitus is classified as a metabolism disorder. Diabetes occurs when the body produces no insulin, low insulin or when the cells are incapable or cannot accept insulin, this hormone is produced in sufficient quantity by the pancreas. The food consumed by the body is turned into glucose the primary fuel of the body, glucose enters the cells when insulin is present, however in the absence of insulin the cells are unable to accept glucose thus the excess sugar is passed through the system in the form of urine.

This disease leads to several future complications such as adult blindness, end-stage renal disease (ESRD), gangrene, amputations and in severe cases can lead to coma.

The types of Diabetes can be classified into the following three

Diabetes Type 1 – The patient produces no insulin at all.

Diabetes Type 2 – The patient doesn’t produce enough insulin, or is not working properly.

Gestational Diabetes – The patient develop diabetes just during her pregnancy.

Diabetes Types 1 and 2 are chronic medical conditions which means that they are persistent and perpetual.

Classification of Antidiabetic Drugs

Due to such risks patients must ensure to receive long-term and often lifelong treatments to maintain the stability in their blood sugar, thus reducing the risk of further complications.

Antidiabetic drugs can be classified into two categories:

Insulin injections

These injections are used to control the high blood sugar by providing the body with the amount of insulin which the body was naturally supposed to create, thus these injections only control blood sugar and does not cure it. These injections are required by people suffering from Type 1 diabetes or in people who have Type 2 when it cannot be controlled with oral medications alone. Ensure to follow your doctors prescriptions to the letter, do not alter or change your prescribed dose or change your insulin brand without consulting your doctor.

Oral anti diabetic drugs

This type of drug is mostly suitable for adult patients. There are mainly two types of oral anti diabetic drugs:

Sulphonylureas

This is one of the oldest type of drugs used to treat Type 2 diabetes, this drug stimulates the pancreas to release more insulin into the blood stream and thus increases insulin secretion. There are several “generations” of this classification of medicines. Second and third generations are more widely prescribed today.

First generation: Orinase, Tolinase and Diabines

Second generation: Glucotrol (glipizide), Glucotrol XL (extended-release glipizide), Micronase or Diabeta (glyburide)

Third generation: Amaryl (glimepiride)

Biguanides Metformin

Januvia (sitagliptin phosphate): The first of the DPP-4 inhibitors to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Januvia is an oral medication which is taken once a day, either alone with diet and exercise, or in combination with other oral diabetes medications.

Diabetes – Life Adaptations

However with the use of such drugs, it becomes important for the patient to undertake a few changes in his lifestyle, such as sticking to the dosing schedule and the diet prescribed by the doctor or dietitian. Avoid high-calorie and fatty food

• Conduct regular urine and blood tests to evaluate the progress of your conditions.

• Maintain personal hygiene to prevent complications such as skin infections.

• Quit smoking and alcohol.

• Eat the right amount at regular intervals. Do not delay mealtimes.

• Last but far from least,consistent exercise is critical to managing diabetes and avoiding complications.

Identifying symptoms of gestational diabetes could be difficult because symptoms are often mild or non-existent. As a matter of fact, most women with gestational diabetes do not experience any symptoms at all. The nature of pregnancy itself is an added complication. The body is expected to change during a pregnancy, so it is easy to fail to notice some of the symptoms that could be signs of diabetes. Women who are at risk should be checked for diabetes, regardless of whether or not they are showing any symptoms.

Gestational Diabetes is only temporary, it withdraws after pregnancy. But once you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, the odds are that it will return in the future. It is far from easy to tell whether the woman has gestational diabetes or type 2 diabetes.

What causes Gestational Diabetes

A precise cause for diabetes during pregnancy has not as yet been identified. Nevertheless, as revealed by research, the hormonal imbalance caused during pregnancy may be a possible trigger. Autoimmunity, obesity and single gene mutations are also observed as triggers for diabetes during pregnancy. Hormones produced during pregnancy interfere with insulin action and the entry of glucose into cells. The result is that glucose remains within the bloodstream and the levels rise, consequently the need for more insulin is generated.

Gestational Diabetes Symptoms to look out for

• Nausea and vomiting
• Fatigue
• Frequent infections
• Blurred Vision
• Increased thirst
• Increased urination

Diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes

Glucose tolerance tests can be used to diagnose Gestational diabetes, the test is carried out the morning after a night of fasting. Your doctor will give you a solution of glucose to drink and take blood samples at intervals to see how your body reacts to the glucose over a period of time.

During pregnancy, if you are at a risk of contacting diabetes, your midwife or your doctor will offer you a glucose tolerance test between twenty four and twenty eight weeks. In case you had contacted diabetes at an earlier pregnancy you will be offered a glucose tolerance test at eighteen weeks, after this test if everything seems normal you will be offered another test between twenty four and twenty eight weeks.

Controlling Gestational Diabetes

Although available on most websites or a good medical blog, treatment plans formulated by Health Care Providers definitely help women with gestational diabetes have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. Blood glucose levels must remain in the target range. A precise plan must be designed specific to the woman’s needs, so she can stay healthy even with gestational diabetes.

Here are some general tips on controlling gestational diabetes

• Control Blood Sugar Levels
• Healthy Food
• Disciplined, moderate physical activity
• Keep Weight under control

Mild exercise, such as swimming (slow) and walking, can help you in getting your gestational diabetes under control. No exercise regimen, however, should be undertaken without consulting your health-care team. If you’re already following one, let your health-care team know anyway, as they can fine tune your regimen to best manage your gestational diabetes condition.