Helpful Diabetes Information

Diabetes is a disease that is highlighted through the abnormal blood sugar mark in the body. It is characterized by either high or low rate of insulin or the improper use of insulin in the body.

Insulin plays a vital role in digestion. It is produced by the pancreas for the production of glycogen and the synthesis of protein. If there is high insulin in the body, this may result to the destruction of body tissues targeting organs such as the heart and kidneys and also the nerves as well. It could also result in blindness. Symptoms include blurred vision, constant thirst, frequent urination, tiredness and weight loss.

Diabetes can be triggered by the intake of various drugs. It can also be a syndrome of various other diseases that causes hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia. Heredity may be the major cause of diabetes. Parents with type 2 diabetes would spread this disease to their children. The type of lifestyle and environment also play a role in furthering this disease.

You will find three main types of diabetes namely Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational Diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes can also be known as insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) or juvenile onset diabetes. It is characterized by the low production of insulin or the non-production of insulin from the pancreas. Without insulin, sugar builds up in the body and the blood leading to the destruction of organs and nerves. To handle this type of disease, patients are required regular injection of insulin in the body. Diet management also require control on sugar intake to handle levels of blood glucose.

Type 2 Diabetes is also referred to as non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or adult onset diabetes. The blood glucose increases due to insulin resistance and defect insulin production. This could also result to heart and kidney complications. In extreme cases amputation of the lower extremities would be required as a result of poor blood circulation and damage of the limbs. Control over this disease requires exercise, insulin injection, medication and diet management.

The other type is the Gestational diabetes commonly affecting pregnant women. When pregnancy is over, this type is easily managed. However, otherwise managed properly, it could result in the development of Type 2 Diabetes.

Diet management for persons with diabetes include less intake of simple carbohydrates. Leafy vegetables are required for intake. Regular exercise is essential to reduce blood sugar level and weight loss. Doctor consultation is advisable. See more facts at http://diabetes-type.org/.

Noninsulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus is also popularly referred to as Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. It is the most common form of this type of condition. In NIDDM, the pancreatic beta cells produce insulin. In fact, when the blood insulin level is measured, it might be found to be low, normal, or high. However, you will find abnormalities of insulin secretion in conjunction with abnormal responses to insulin at the cellular level.

If you have this sort of metabolic condition, you are not dependent upon exogenous insulin for survival, but may need its administration for optimal charge of hyperglycemia. It is unlikely that the patient will develop ketoacidosis except during unusual periods of stress, such as those caused by severe infections, trauma or surgery.

The presence of elevated blood glucose levels despite the normal levels of insulin indicates that the insulin is not working properly. This condition referred to as insulin resistance and is the major problem in Type 2 Diabetes. The following may be reasons why this problem occurs.

First of all, there may be a defect in the beta cell. You may don’t have the first phase of insulin release in response to the elevation in the blood sugar level. This defect leads to a prolonged rise in the glucose levels before this rise can be balanced by the effect of insulin. The prolonged blood sugar elevation serves as a constant stimulus to the secretion of insulin. This may lead to decrease the number of insulin receptors which ends up in insulin resistance.

It can also be due to the defect in the uptake of glucose by peripheral tissues. Insulin binds well to the receptor sites, yet the insulin effect is deficient. Thus, the metabolic defects can be found beyond the receptor in the metabolic pathway. Even in the absence of diabetes, obesity causes insulin resistance. This happens through receptor and post receptor defects. Take a look at more facts at http://diabetes-type-2.com/.

Many factors are taken into consideration when planning a diabetic diet with the patients as well as their families. The meal plan must be a permanent part of their lives. Dietary compliance is going to be improved if the meal plan is compatible with their previous habits and preferences. Under these constraints, the diet plan must be individualized for each patient.

Some factors that need considering for diabetes treatment especially on the aspect of meal planning include savings and social life. You must only buy the type of food that is fit for your budget. You can refer to an exchange list so that you will know what foods would be preferable based on your income. Your social life is a vital factor because you might be keen on attending a lot of events. You must understand how to make adjustments with your diet when joining such.

Your work situation and activity levels will also be very necessary. You have to remember that stress and exertion can transform the levels of blood sugar in the body. The amount of food and the frequency of the meals that you will take will depend on your workload and activity level you do every day.

You must also consider your family size and the family meal habits. You have to remember the food that your family cooks will also be affected. The good thing about a diabetic diet is it just follows a healthy diet plan. You can stick to what you used to eat and get rid of the processed foods that you love to have on the table.

Lastly, you have to remember to check out the availability of food inside your locality. Make sure that you see to it the foods on your list are available in your market. These would be easier for you to prepare your meals.

Monitoring blood glucose makes it possible to determine whether normal blood glucose levels are being achieved. An adverse urine glucose test does not differentiate between a fasting blood glucose level of 155 mg/dL and a normal fasting worth of 100mg/dL, because both are usually below the renal threshold. Some who have higher thresholds may have even higher blood glucose levels no matter negative urine glucose tests. Furthermore, hypoglycemia can’t be detected with urine glucose testing. Thus, urine testing for glucose simply does not enable one to ascertain whether the blood glucose level is within or below normal limits. Blood sugar testing also avoids many of the other factors that compromise the worthiness and usefulness of urine testing.

With the emphasis on normalizing blood glucose levels in Diabetes Mellitus, there has been a concurrent emphasis on blood glucose testing. This technique can be performed in any setting and offers you the hope of excellent control for as much of the time as possible. It fosters a sense of control over the disease condition, contributing to your sense of well-being. It provides immediate feedback concerning the effects of changes in diet, exercise, and medication, thus serving as a powerful patient education tool.

A number of products are currently available for monitoring the level of blood sugar. All blood glucose test strips use a reagent pad that reacts with glucose. A small amount of the capillary blood is placed on the pad, which then changes color based on the amount of glucose that is present. Answers are available in about three minutes. The reacted strip could be visually compared to a color chart, or it may be placed in a meter that will appraise the color change and display a numerical value for that level of blood glucose.

In Type 1 Diabetes, the blood glucose level ideally should be measured before you eat and before the bedtime snack. A monitoring regimen should be established which is acceptable to the patient concerned. Monitoring ought to be performed when hypoglycemia is detected. This can be a very important diabetes information that you need to learn. Visit http://diabetes-info.org/ for very important facts.

Insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus is also popularly known as Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. In IDDM, the pancreas secretes negligible levels of insulin. It has been shown these patients have lost the beta cells from their pancreatic islets of Langerhans.

There are a lot of causes of diabetes type 1. The cause of beta cell destruction may be related to genetic, autoimmune and viral factors. There’s a genetic predisposition to such metabolic condition. It has been found that the patients have a superior incidence of certain human leukocyte antigens. In identical twins, if one twin has Type 1 Diabetes, there is a 50% chance that the other twin will either have or develop it. The proven fact that this coincidence is only 50% suggests that non genetic factors are also important.

It is thought that autoimmune factors have a role. Circulating antibodies to islet cells can be found in most patients at the time of diagnosis. Certain lymphocytes called killer T cells are involved in the destruction of the cells that produces insulin. Moreover, there is a greater incidence of Type 1 Diabetes after infections by certain viruses, such as mumps and coxsackie. This has led to the notion that viral infection may have a role in beta cell destruction.

Start of the condition is typically abrupt and related to Diabetes Type 1 symptoms which involve excessive urination or polyuria, excessive hunger or polyphagia, excessive thirst or polydipsia, rapid weight loss and weakness. This syndrome may be present prior to diagnosis for a period ranging from a few days to 2 months. In persons who’re in the process of developing Type 1 Diabetes, the metabolic derangements may be precipitated by pregnancy, emotional stress, illness, or other physical stressors.

These are just a few details that you must learn about the first kind of the metabolic condition called Diabetes Mellitus. Learn more facts at http://diabetes-type-1.org/. You will be able to get more details about this metabolic condition. It will help you manage the disease and prevent any complications.