About Diabetes

mommy of a 10 month old. asked:


I have just found out that I have gestational diabetes and I am over 37 weeks pregnant. It has gone undiagnosed and we have found out that I why my baby is so large. She is already 8 pounds 12 ounces based on the ultra sound. They won’t let us induce until at least 39 weeks. I have been eating healthy but not healthy for someone with gestational diabetes. My concerns are now with my baby and I want her to be healthy. Any personal expieriences would be great!

Patrick

Juliet Cohen asked:


Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Diabetes means a disease where people have too much sugar in their blood. The three main types of diabetes are type 1 diabetes , type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease results when the body’s system for fighting infection (the immune system) turns against a part of the body. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes usually develop over a short period, although beta cell destruction can begin years earlier. Symptoms include increased thirst and urination, constant hunger, weight loss, blurred vision, and extreme fatigue. The most common form of diabetes is type 2 diabetes. About 90 to 95 percent of people with diabetes have type 2. This form of diabetes is associated with older age, obesity, family history of diabetes, previous history of gestational diabetes, physical inactivity, and ethnicity. About 80 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight. The symptoms of type 2 diabetes develop gradually. Symptoms may include fatigue or nausea, frequent urination, unusual thirst, weight loss, blurred vision, frequent infections, and slow healing of wounds or sores.

Diabetes is not contagious. People cannot “catch” it from each other. About 3 to 8 percent of pregnant women in the United States develop gestational diabetes. The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles. There are 20.8 million children in the United States, or 7% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 14.6 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately, 6.2 million people (or nearly one-third) are unaware that they have the disease. Diabetes mellitus is a disease where people have too much glucose (a kind of sugar) in the blood. Glucose level in the blood is controlled by several hormones. Hormones are chemicals in your body that send messages from cells to other cells. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas. Diabetes is likely to be underreported as the underlying cause of death on death certificates. About 65 percent of deaths among those with diabetes are attributed to heart disease and stroke.

Obesity is the single most important risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Between 80% and 90% of people with diabetes are overweight–that means they weigh at least 20% more than the ideal body weight for their height and build. More than 40 percent of people with diabetes have abnormal levels of cholesterol and similar fatty substances that circulate in the blood. These abnormalities appear to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease among persons with diabetes. Nearly 40 percent of the women who have diabetes during their pregnancy go on to develop type 2 diabetes later, usually within five to ten years of giving birth. Diabetes prevalence in the United States is likely to increase for several reasons. First, a large segment of the population is aging. Education is important for both types of diabetes. Diabetics must learn about diet. Diabetics must also be careful about exercise. Exercise is important to stay healthy. High Cholesterol or other fats in the blood and Impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose can precede the development of type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes Treatment Tips

1. Medicines, diet, and exercise to control blood sugar and prevent symptoms and complications.

2. Type 1 diabetes mellitus is treated with insulin, exercise, and a healthy diet.

3. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is first treated with weight reduction, a healthy diet and regular exercise.

4. Gestational diabetes is treated with insulin and changes in diet.

5. Alcohol use Try to have no more than 7 alcoholic drinks in a week and never more than 2-3 in an evening.

6. Smoking: If you have diabetes, and you smoke cigarettes or use any other form of tobacco, you are raising your risks markedly for nearly all of the complications of diabetes.

7. Diet: A healthy diet is key to controlling blood sugar levels and preventing diabetes complications.

8. Drink extra fluids that do not contain sugar before, during, and after exercise.

Michele

Marty asked:


I was writing my application essay for college and I am going to do it on a life changing experience. I have had type 1 diabetes since February and I was wondering if anybody had any suggestions on how it has changed your life.

Rita

Eileen asked:


Im pregnant & the last test they want to do on me is the blood work to test for diabetes. I dont want to have that test taken, so I dont know what to do because she said every pregnant women has to take it. Can anyone help?

Jason

seb t asked:


I try to control my diet and do moderate exercise every alternate days for about 20 minutes. It is difficult to manage my diabetes, friends say having diabetes supplement is another way. Any suggestions.

Deborah

JazyJas asked:


Both my husband and sister in law have type 1 diabetes. My husband develop type 1 diabetes when he was 5 years old, but his identical twin did not. His younger sister developed type 1 diabetes when she was 12 years old.

Natalie

dipelli asked:


In other words, is it likely to have prediabetes or diabetes if nobody in your family has it?
While I’m at it, is prediabetes/diabetes common in teenagers?

Emily

ysl000777 asked:


I currently am writing an article about diabetes. I have been searching and reading many evidence-based articles. However, I’d like to hear your own opinion on diabetes type 2.

Lucille

Ronald Godlewski asked:


Almost everyone knows someone with diabetes. From 1980 through 2004, less than one-quarter of a century, the total number of Americans with diabetes more than doubled! Estimates show that about six percent of the American population or about 18.2 million Americans suffer from this life-long illness. And about 6 million of those people haven’t been diagnosed yet.

The causes of diabetes are well known. Diabetes is a condition that occurs when the body has lost its ability to regulate the levels of glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream. This is usually due to some interruption in the production of insulin. Insulin is the hormone in our body that lowers blood sugar levels. Without the hormone in our body, our blood sugar levels increase to dangerously high levels. Since all the organs in our body rely on a steady supply of glucose so they can function properly, any disruption blood sugar levels can have dire consequences. Diabetes often leads to blindness, heart and blood vessel disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputations, and nerve damage.

There are two major types of diabetes - Type 1 which is often called juvenile diabetes and Type 2 which is often called adult diabetes or adult-onset diabetes. Although diabetes can strike at any age, Type 1 diabetes usually strikes children and young adults. In Type 1 diabetes, cells in the pancreas called beta cells, these are the ones that make insulin to control blood sugar levels in our body, do not function. So in order to maintain or manage blood sugar levels, people with Type 1 diabetes must inject insulin or have it delivered by a small pump into their body. In effect, they must supply the insulin that the beta cells in their pancreas are not supplying. Type 1 diabetes accounts for about five to ten percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is more common than Type 1. Type 2 diabetes generally affects adults. Type 2 adult diabetes usually begins as the body starts to resist the effects of insulin - sometimes called insulin resistance. The body just doesn’t use the insulin it makes effectively or efficiently. This inefficiency puts extra demands on the pancreas where insulin is made by the beta cells. Over time, the pancreas and beta cells can’t keep up and gradually begin to lose the ability to make insulin at all.

The American Diabetes Association estimates that nearly 6 million Americans are currently living with undiagnosed diabetes. The effects of an adult with diabetes may first appear as problems with their vision, nerves, kidney failure, heart attack, or stroke. It isn’t until these life threatening conditions occur that they realize they have been living with the chronic disease of diabetes. The symptoms of an adult with diabetes and the symptoms of a child with diabetes are recognizable: excessive thirst, craving for sweet foods, passing urine frequently, tiredness and weight loss. Although the onset of Adult Type 2 diabetes is gradual, the onset of Juvenile Type 1 diabetes is usually very rapid and sometimes life threatening when they first appear.

Why would anyone develop Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes? Can diabetes be passed down? The answer is maybe. Genetics and other family histories are being examined to determine whether Type 1 or Type 2 are hereditary, but the cause of Type 2 diabetes is more associated with lifestyle habits. Type 2 diabetes is often seen in people who don’t exercise, are obese, have a poor diet, and lead stress-filled lives.

Diabetes is ranked as the sixth leading cause of death in the United States but may be underestimated. The reason is that more than 60 percent of those with diabetes often die as a result of heart disease or stroke. And it is the heart disease or stroke that is listed as the cause of death. Because the causes of Type 2 diabetes are associated with lifestyle habits, there may be a NATURAL TREATMENT for Type 2 Adult Diabetes. There may be a natural treatment for the CONTROL of diabetes.

Here are three natural lifestyle habits to prevent, control, and treat diabetes.

1. Maintain a healthy weight. 90 percent of all people diagnosed with diabetes are overweight. According to the American Diabetes Association, even 5 to 10 percent reduction in body weight can result in a tremendous reduction in the risk or severity of diabetes. For most people, that’s only a loss of 10-20 pounds.

2. Exercise. Physical activity can lower your blood sugar (glucose) and help insulin work better for your body. That means your body is less susceptible to the development of diabetes. If you’re trying to lose weight as a natural way to prevent, control, or treat your diabetes, a combination of physical activity and wise food choice can help you reach your target.

3. Nutrition. Eating habits contribute significantly to the current increase in diabetes. Over the past 50 years, people have been eating more and more carbohydrates and sugar-filled foods. Eating a lot of carbohydrates each day puts stress on the pancreas which must work harder to maintain blood sugar levels. As the pancreas degrades, and you continue to eat the carbohydrates, you make yourself prone to Type 2 diabetes.

Maintaining a healthy weight, regular exercise, and proper nutrition are important. They are three natural lifestyle habits that you can do today to prevent, control and treat diabetes. Eating healthy and getting the proper nutrition means a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water and taking a nutritional supplement. Taking a nutritional supplement on a regular basis ensures you are getting all the vitamins and minerals your body needs, including your pancreas, to rebuild, regenerate, and operate at peak performance levels.

Dorothy