DietaCerta

Archive for the ‘Diabetes’ Category

The bulk of illnesses can be prevented and diabetes isn’t an exception excepting type one diabetes which is assumed to be caused by genetic factors. There are several ways to identify diabetes symptoms. Some researches suggest that breastfeeding might reduce the risk of type one diabetes but as yet there is not any decisive evidence.

Type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes can be stopped with healthy way of life which is also needed for successful management of all sorts of diabetes. Risk signals for type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes symptoms are quite well known. If you have corpulent issues, raised blood pressure, high blood cholesterol levels, if you’re physically inactive or have a relative with diabetes you are at larger risk to develop type two or gestational diabetes when pregnant. The best diabetes prevention is smart diet that suggests eating tons of fruit and veg as well as reduced intake of foods loaded in calories and fat to about thirty p.c of your total daily consumption of calories.

One 0.5 your total daily calorie consumption should consist of carbs with a low glycemic index : the majority of fruit and veg ( apart from potato and water melon ), legumes, whole grains, pasta, nuts, as an example. As well as healthy diet you need to not forget to be physically active – about thirty mins for most days in the week will do. That’s a potential diabetes symptom. If you have been physically inactive for a longer time you are advised to exercise for ten mins three times each day. With healthy diet and sensible exercise you’ll be also lose unwanted kilos and maintain a good body weight which is also intensely crucial in hindrance of diabetes.

Gestational diabetes is a condition characterized by high blood sugar levels which affects exclusively pregnant women without previously diagnosed diabetes. It affects about 4% of pregnant women commonly in the last half of pregnancy, while the reason why some women develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy and the others do not are not exactly known. Gestational diabetes diabetes usually does not represent any serious health risks for the mother but it can severely affect the health of the baby if not treated.

Hormones produced during pregnancy are believed to be the main cause of gestational diabetes, while women with overweight problems, with family history of diabetes or personal history of gestational diabetes, older than 25 years of age and women of some races/ethnic groups – African-American, Native American, Hispanics and Asian-American are at greater risk to develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy. The majority of women with gestational diabetes exhibit no symptoms but some women might experience increased urination and thirst, fatigue, blurred vision and frequent urinary bladder and yeast infections.

Gestational diabetes must be treated, while many women successfully control the blood sugar levels with healthy diet and adequate physical activity. However, sometimes are required oral medications or insulin injections. After delivery, gestational diabetes improves or completely disappears but it is important to keep in mind that women who had gestational diabetes during pregnancy are at greater risk to develop type 2 diabetes. For that reason it is highly important to continue with healthy diet and adequate physical activity as well as to control healthy body weight after delivery.

The majority of diseases can be prevented and diabetes is no exception except for type 1 diabetes which is believed to be triggered by genetic factors. Some researches suggests that breastfeeding might decrease the risk of type 1 diabetes but so far there are no conclusive evidence. However, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes can be prevented with healthy lifestyle which is also required for successful management of all types of diabetes.

Risk factors for type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes are well known. If you have overweight problems, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol levels, if you are physically inactive or have a relative with diabetes you are at greater risk to develop type 2 or gestational diabetes during pregnancy. The most effective diabetes prevention is healthy diet which means eating lots of fruits and vegetables as well as reduced intake of foods high in calories and fat to about 30% of your total daily calorie intake. At least one half of your total daily calorie intake should consist of carbohydrates with a low glycemic index: the majority of fruits and vegetables (except for potato and watermelon), legumes, whole grains, pasta, nuts, etc.

In addition to healthy diet you should not forget to be physically active – about 30 minutes for most days in the week will do. However, if you have been physically inactive for a longer period you are recommended to exercise for 10 minutes three times a day. With healthy diet and regular exercise you will be also lose excess pounds and maintain a healthy body weight which is also highly important in prevention of diabetes.

All types of diabetes require medical supervision, while both type 1 and type 2 diabetes and often also gestational diabetes require oral antidiabetes medications or insulin injections. Without oral medications or insulin injections diabetes lead to serious complications, while type 1 diabetes is fatal if left untreated. However, taking oral medications or insulin injections is not enough for successful management of diabetes.

Diabetes treatment requires taking of oral medication or insulin injections as well as change of lifestyle, especially of diet and exercise habits. Healthy diet is crucial for successful diabetes management and should mostly consist of foods with low glycemic index (high in carbohydrates which break down more slowly: most fruits and vegetables (with exception of potato and watermelon), legumes, nuts, dairy products, pasta, whole grains, etc. and avoid foods with high glycemic index (high in carbohydrates which break down very fast) such as sweets, white bread, cornflakes, breakfast cereals, write rice, etc. It is also highly recommendable to reduce intake of saturated fats and alcohol and to quit smoking. You can stabilize blood sugar level with proper nutrition and there is no need to eat food for diabetics if knowing and avoiding foods with high glycemic index. However, before making any drastic dietary changes you are highly recommended to consult with your health care provider. You also should not use any herbal remedies or dietary supplements before consulting with your health care provider either.

The World Health Organization estimates that more than 220 million people worldwide have diabetes and that the disease is responsible for over 1 million deaths. If left untreated type 1 diabetes can be fatal, while type 2 diabetes can cause serious complications including cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, nerve damage, cataract which can lead to blindness, poorly healing wounds and eventually gangrene as well as shorter life expectancy. Untreated gestational diabetes can seriously affect the health of the fetus.

There is no cure for diabetes and it cannot be reversed with exception of gestational diabetes which might disappear after delivery although women with history of gestational diabetes are at greater risk to develop type 2 diabetes. All types of diabetes can be successfully managed with a combination of healthy diet (very helpful might be low glycemic index foods), regular exercise for at least 30 minutes most days of the week, weight loss, self-monitoring blood sugar levels and taking oral medications in type 2 diabetes or insulin injections in type 1 diabetes. Insulin therapy is also required in type 2 diabetes when not responding to oral medications. Gestational diabetes is usually treated with dietary changes and regular exercise, while some women need to take antidiabetic medications as well.

Oral medications and insulin injections alone are not sufficient to successfully manage the disease. Diabetes management is a lifelong process which requires good education and compliance of the patient.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes – about 90% of people with diagnosed diabetes suffer from type 2 diabetes. It most commonly affects people older than 40 years of age and the number of patients including children is rapidly rising, while the World Health Organization projects that the number of diabetics will double until 2025. Type 2 is less severe than type 1 diabetes but if left untreated it can cause severe health risks and can be life-threatening as well.

Why some people develop type 2 diabetes and the other do not is not yet completely understood, while factors which increase the risk for type 2 diabetes are overweight, inadequate physical activity, age (people older than 40 years of age), some races and ethnical groups (African-American, Hispanics, Native American and Asian-Americans), family history of type 2 diabetes and women with history of gestational diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is caused by failure of the body to respond to its own insulin – often referred as insulin resistance or failure of the pancreas to produce required amounts of insulin which leads to increased glucose blood levels. Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes develops gradually and besides increased blood sugar levels there might be no other signs and symptoms. Thus many people were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes with random blood sugar tests. Symptoms which might occur in type 2 diabetes are similar to those in type 1 diabetes: frequent urination and extreme thirst, unexplained weight loss, extreme hunger, fatigue, blurred vision and poorly healing wounds.

Like type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes requires treatment – taking of one or more medications, healthy diet and regular exercise and monitoring of blood sugar levels.

Type 1 diabetes, also known as insulin-dependent diabetes and juvenile diabetes is the severest type of diabetes which commonly affects children and adults younger than 35 years of age although it can occur at any age. It is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces insufficient amounts or no insulin. Type 1 diabetes cannot be cured but it can be successfully managed.

Type 1 diabetes is caused by destruction of the insulin producing cells in the pancreas by the immune system. Why the immune system destroys its own insulin producing cells is not exactly known, while factors which increase the risk are believed to be genetic factors and some viral infections. Without insulin the cells cannot use nor properly store glucose which accumulates in the blood and afterwards begins to appear in the urine which causes the most distinctive symptoms of type 1 diabetes – frequent urination and extreme thirst. People developing type 1 diabetes might also experience the following symptoms: unexplained weight loss, extreme hunger, fatigue and blurred vision. Symptoms develop very rapidly, commonly in few weeks or months and if left untreated high blood sugar levels can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening complication which can cause coma and death.

People suffering from type 1 diabetes must take insulin injections for the rest of their lives but successful treatment of type 1 diabetes also requires change of lifestyle – healthy diet and adequate physical activity. Highly important is also regular monitoring of blood sugar levels (glucose levels) using glucose meter.

The cause of all types of diabetes is production of insufficient amounts of insulin, failure of the body to respond its own insulin or both. Why the pancreas fails to produce the required amounts of insulin or why the body does not respond to the hormone which plays the crucial role in the use and storage of glucose is not exactly known. Unlike the causes, factors which increase the risk of developing diabetes are known.

Type 1 diabetes is more likely to affect children and young adults who have a family history of type 1 diabetes. Besides genetic factors some viral infections are also believed to increase the risk of type 1 diabetes.

The following factors are believed to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes:
- Overweight.
- Lack of physical activity.
- Family history of type 2 diabetes.
- High blood pressure.
- High blood cholesterol levels.
- Age. The vast majority of people suffering from type 2 diabetes are older than 40 years of age which is probably due to reduced physical activity and weight gain.
- Race. It is not known why people of some races and ethnic groups are more susceptible for type 2 diabetes than the others. However, diabetes prevalence is greater among African-American, Hispanics, Asian-American and Native Americans.
- History of gestational diabetes. Women who developed gestational diabetes during pregnancy are at greater risk to develop type 2 diabetes after delivery.

Factors which increase the risk of gestational diabetes during pregnancy are:
- Overweight.
- Certain races/ethnic groups like in type 2 diabetes.
- Family history of type 2 diabetes or personal history of gestational diabetes.
- Age. Pregnant women older than 25 years of age are at greater risk to develop gestational diabetes.

The cells without insulin either because of deficiency or insulin resistance cannot use the glucose which accumulates in the blood and causes different symptoms and health problems. The symptoms of type 1 diabetes develop very rapidly within weeks or months, while the signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes occur very slowly or can be completely absent. Thus many people are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes with random blood sugar tests.

When the cells do not properly use the glucose a person usually experience tiredness, dizziness and/or hunger. Type 1 diabetes can also result in the unexplained weight loss, which might also occur in type 2 diabetes. The glucose is excreted in the urine which causes frequent urination, extreme thirst and dehydration which are the most typical symptoms of diabetes. Common symptoms of diabetes also include blurred vision, slow-healing wounds, fatigue and frequent urinary bladder and yeast infections. If left untreated type 1 diabetes leads coma and death. Type 2 diabetes is not fatal but it left untreated it can cause severe health risks such as cataract which can lead to blindness, cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, poorly healing wounds which can lead to gangrene, several types of nerves damage and some other complications. Women with gestational diabetes commonly do not experience any symptoms but sometimes occur increased thirst, frequent urination, blurred vision and frequent urinary bladder and yeast infections.

Symptoms of diabetes greatly vary from person to person but it is highly important to make an appointment at your health care provider as soon as possible if you or your child have any of the mentioned symptoms.

There is no consensus between the health experts about the types of diabetes and thus some claim there are only two basic types of diabetes – type 1 and type 2, while the others have also defined the third type – the gestational diabetes which affects only pregnant women and is similar to type 2 diabetes in many aspects. In addition to the mentioned types sometimes also occurs the term prediabetes which refers to the increased blood sugar levels but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. Prediabetes commonly leads to type 2 diabetes but if treated early it can be reversed sometimes even without use of medications.

Type 1 diabetes which most often affects people younger than 35 years of age, most commonly between 10 and 16 years of age is the severest type of diabetes and is fatal if not treated. It is characterized by the body’s failure to produce insulin. Its treatment bases on regular insulin injections and for that reason it is often also referred as insulin-dependent diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes and usually affects people older than 40 years of age. It develops gradually and is commonly caused by improper use of insulin by the cells although type 2 diabetes can be also caused by insulin deficiency. At greater risk of type 2 diabetes are mostly people with overweight problems, high blood pressure, inadequate physical activity, family history of diabetes and women who developed gestational diabetes during pregnancy.

Gestational diabetes greatly resembles type 2 diabetes but it exclusively affects pregnant women. After delivery it usually improves or disappears but women with gestational diabetes history are in greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes.