Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Diabetes Articles - Digital organizers may help diabetics with diet
Diabetes Articles.
Digital organizers may help diabetics with diet.
New research suggests that handheld digital organizers could help people with diabetes follow a "low-GI" diet -- a potentially effective but complicated eating plan for controlling blood sugar.
The small pilot study found that type 2 diabetics showed better blood sugar control after they were given a personal digital assistant (PDA) equipped to help them follow a low-GI diet.
GI, or glycemic index, refers to the effects a particular food has on blood sugar levels. Foods classified as high-GI, such as white bread and potatoes, tend to trigger a sharp, rapid rise in blood sugar, and some research suggests that limiting high-GI foods could help people manage or even prevent type 2 diabetes.
However, the true usefulness of the low-GI diet is not yet clear, and one of the criticisms of the eating plan is that it's just too complex.
That's where the PDA could come in, said the lead author of the new study, Dr. Yunsheng Ma of the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester.
The 15 adults in the study received nutritional counseling on low-GI eating and then used PDAs with specialized software to help them keep track of their overall GI for the day. They could look up the GI score for a food before they ate it, and the software kept a log of their meals and GI scores for the previous 30 days.
The focus was on controlling overall GI for the day, rather than "forbidding" white bread or French fries, Ma explained.
After six months, the researchers found, patients' HbA1C -- a measure of long-term blood sugar control -- had dipped by 0.5 percent, on average. Calorie intake, body weight and blood pressure also tended to decline, Ma's team reports in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
While he called the findings "encouraging," Ma said that further studies are needed to prove that the digitally-assisted diet is responsible for the positive changes, and to show that there are long-term benefits for diabetes control.
SOURCE: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Digital organizers may help diabetics with diet.
New research suggests that handheld digital organizers could help people with diabetes follow a "low-GI" diet -- a potentially effective but complicated eating plan for controlling blood sugar.
The small pilot study found that type 2 diabetics showed better blood sugar control after they were given a personal digital assistant (PDA) equipped to help them follow a low-GI diet.
GI, or glycemic index, refers to the effects a particular food has on blood sugar levels. Foods classified as high-GI, such as white bread and potatoes, tend to trigger a sharp, rapid rise in blood sugar, and some research suggests that limiting high-GI foods could help people manage or even prevent type 2 diabetes.
However, the true usefulness of the low-GI diet is not yet clear, and one of the criticisms of the eating plan is that it's just too complex.
That's where the PDA could come in, said the lead author of the new study, Dr. Yunsheng Ma of the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester.
The 15 adults in the study received nutritional counseling on low-GI eating and then used PDAs with specialized software to help them keep track of their overall GI for the day. They could look up the GI score for a food before they ate it, and the software kept a log of their meals and GI scores for the previous 30 days.
The focus was on controlling overall GI for the day, rather than "forbidding" white bread or French fries, Ma explained.
After six months, the researchers found, patients' HbA1C -- a measure of long-term blood sugar control -- had dipped by 0.5 percent, on average. Calorie intake, body weight and blood pressure also tended to decline, Ma's team reports in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
While he called the findings "encouraging," Ma said that further studies are needed to prove that the digitally-assisted diet is responsible for the positive changes, and to show that there are long-term benefits for diabetes control.
SOURCE: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Diabetes Articles.The Charcot Foot Condition - A Little Known Diabetes Complication
Diabetes Articles.
The Charcot Foot Condition - A Little Known Diabetes Complication
Charcot Foot disease is a little known complication that can affect anyone who has diabetes. This condition also occurs in non-diabetic patients too, but diabetics can be more prone to this disease due to a diabetic complication known as neuropathy (nerve damage) Nerve damage can stop someone from feeling pain, so the foot can get injured without the person being aware that something is wrong.
The Charcot Foot condition is a very serious condition. Joints and bones can literally be crushed without being known to the sufferer. Imagine breaking your foot and not knowing that it’s broken due to no pain being felt. As time wears on, those broken bones (and sometimes joints) can suffer irreparable damage, with the person walking on the foot normally instead of the foot being in a cast and trying to heal.
Once this damage happens the foot can become misshapen, become dislocated, warm to the touch, and the arch of the foot can literally collapse. The Charcot condition is often called a “silent” disease since a sufferer might not know there is a problem until massive damage has occurred.
Treatment for this condition, traditionally has been to apply a cast so the fractures and dislocations can heal. The foot would be immobilized for a long period of time (often a year or more). Surgery, although done in some cases is ruled out for many patients due to an increased risk of the foot not healing properly.
Some patients must wear a special brace on their foot/leg in order to be able to walk with the Charcot condition present. It’s extremely important for the foot to stay as stable as possible in order to avoid future additional damage such as ulcers, infection and amputation.
A Charcot Foot (also called a Charcot Fracture) can bring devastating changes to a person’s life. Day-to-day activities can be limited and the person might find themselves immobilized for long periods of time, sometimes having to use a wheelchair to get around. Often people can go back to work after treatment with limitations and/or corrective shoes/braces.
by Belver Ladson at http://www.articlecity.com
The Charcot Foot Condition - A Little Known Diabetes Complication
Charcot Foot disease is a little known complication that can affect anyone who has diabetes. This condition also occurs in non-diabetic patients too, but diabetics can be more prone to this disease due to a diabetic complication known as neuropathy (nerve damage) Nerve damage can stop someone from feeling pain, so the foot can get injured without the person being aware that something is wrong.
The Charcot Foot condition is a very serious condition. Joints and bones can literally be crushed without being known to the sufferer. Imagine breaking your foot and not knowing that it’s broken due to no pain being felt. As time wears on, those broken bones (and sometimes joints) can suffer irreparable damage, with the person walking on the foot normally instead of the foot being in a cast and trying to heal.
Once this damage happens the foot can become misshapen, become dislocated, warm to the touch, and the arch of the foot can literally collapse. The Charcot condition is often called a “silent” disease since a sufferer might not know there is a problem until massive damage has occurred.
Treatment for this condition, traditionally has been to apply a cast so the fractures and dislocations can heal. The foot would be immobilized for a long period of time (often a year or more). Surgery, although done in some cases is ruled out for many patients due to an increased risk of the foot not healing properly.
Some patients must wear a special brace on their foot/leg in order to be able to walk with the Charcot condition present. It’s extremely important for the foot to stay as stable as possible in order to avoid future additional damage such as ulcers, infection and amputation.
A Charcot Foot (also called a Charcot Fracture) can bring devastating changes to a person’s life. Day-to-day activities can be limited and the person might find themselves immobilized for long periods of time, sometimes having to use a wheelchair to get around. Often people can go back to work after treatment with limitations and/or corrective shoes/braces.
by Belver Ladson at http://www.articlecity.com
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Diabetes Articles. Pre-Diabetes: "Check Engine" Warning Light
Your car has an early detection system and so does your body. Take 3 minutes to read this article and learn how you
can save yourself a life time of aches, pains, and costly medical bills.
Have you ever had the "Check Engine" warning light come on in your car? Most newer cars have a system that monitors the performance of your car. If something is not working
properly, the "Check Engine" light usually comes on.
The good news is that this "pre-warning" system can help you avoid costly damage, which may be occurring with your vehicle, by detecting small problems before they become big
problems. However, the only way to be certain is to have your car inspected by an expert mechanic when the "Check
Engine" light comes on.
Did you know that your body has a "pre-warning" system?
With many diseases, your body will start producing symptoms such as aches, pains, fatigue, frequent thirst, and so on. These symptoms are your body's "Check Engine" light, warning
you about problems.
However, with diabetes, pre-warning signs don't always show up so easily. The medical community is calling it:
"Pre-Diabetes".
Today, roughly 41 million Americans have pre-diabetes which left undetected and untreated, progresses into full-blown diabetes.
The challenge with pre-diabetes is the fact that the condition doesn't like to reveal itself with noticeable symptoms. Because there are few, if any symptoms, most people will not bother having screening tests performed. With pre-diabetes, noticeable symptoms like frequent thirst and urination may not occur until the disease has progressed
and is already causing considerable damage to your body. Most Type 2 diabetics don't have symptoms because the onset of diabetes is so slow.
Don't wait for your "Check Engine" light to come on. Have your blood tested. Call your doctor today and make the appointment.
The goal with identifying pre-diabetes is to prevent the onset of diabetes from ever happening.
Your physician can determine if you have pre-diabetes with two common tests. The fasting plasma glucose test (FPG) and the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Both require an overnight fast.
The good news is that you can greatly improve your odds and likely prevent diabetes with early detection and proper care.
Don't wait 'til it hurts. Ask your doctor about diabetes and have your blood sugar checked several times a year.
by David Anderson at articlesfactory.com
Your car has an early detection system and so does your body. Take 3 minutes to read this article and learn how you
can save yourself a life time of aches, pains, and costly medical bills.
Have you ever had the "Check Engine" warning light come on in your car? Most newer cars have a system that monitors the performance of your car. If something is not working
properly, the "Check Engine" light usually comes on.
The good news is that this "pre-warning" system can help you avoid costly damage, which may be occurring with your vehicle, by detecting small problems before they become big
problems. However, the only way to be certain is to have your car inspected by an expert mechanic when the "Check
Engine" light comes on.
Did you know that your body has a "pre-warning" system?
With many diseases, your body will start producing symptoms such as aches, pains, fatigue, frequent thirst, and so on. These symptoms are your body's "Check Engine" light, warning
you about problems.
However, with diabetes, pre-warning signs don't always show up so easily. The medical community is calling it:
"Pre-Diabetes".
Today, roughly 41 million Americans have pre-diabetes which left undetected and untreated, progresses into full-blown diabetes.
The challenge with pre-diabetes is the fact that the condition doesn't like to reveal itself with noticeable symptoms. Because there are few, if any symptoms, most people will not bother having screening tests performed. With pre-diabetes, noticeable symptoms like frequent thirst and urination may not occur until the disease has progressed
and is already causing considerable damage to your body. Most Type 2 diabetics don't have symptoms because the onset of diabetes is so slow.
Don't wait for your "Check Engine" light to come on. Have your blood tested. Call your doctor today and make the appointment.
The goal with identifying pre-diabetes is to prevent the onset of diabetes from ever happening.
Your physician can determine if you have pre-diabetes with two common tests. The fasting plasma glucose test (FPG) and the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Both require an overnight fast.
The good news is that you can greatly improve your odds and likely prevent diabetes with early detection and proper care.
Don't wait 'til it hurts. Ask your doctor about diabetes and have your blood sugar checked several times a year.
by David Anderson at articlesfactory.com
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Coping with Diabetes
Diabetes Articles. Coping with Diabetes
Every day, in the United States, more than 2000 new cases of diabetes are diagnosed. Type II diabetes, the most prevalent form of diabetes worldwide, often shows few or even no symptoms!
After eating, food is broken down into what is known as glucose, a sugar carried by the blood to cells throughout the body. Using a hormone known as insulin, made in the pancreas, cells process glucose into energy.
Because cells in the muscles, liver, and fat do not use insulin properly in the body of a person with type II diabetes, they have problems converting food into energy. Eventually, the pancreas cannot make enough insulin for the body's needs. The amount of glucose in the body increases, and the cells are starved of energy.
This starvation of the cells, paired with the high blood glucose level can damage nerves and blood vessels. This leads to complications such as kidney disease, nerve problems, blindness, and heart ailments.
There are a lot of factors that can help to attribute to diabetes cases - lifestyle, environment, heredity - and those who are at risk should be screened regularly to prevent diabetes. Those that are already diagnosed with diabetes should aim to keep their glucose level under control.
But how do you know if you have type II diabetes? After all, it has few symptoms, often no symptoms in some patients. However, if you notice an increased thirst or hunger, a change in weight, or blurred vision, getting tested for type II diabetes is necessary, as only your doctor will be able to help you find the treatment steps necessary to being able to manage your life with diabetes.
Simple changes such as eating right, managing your weight, and keeping your blood sugar level under control may be enough. However, you doctor may prescribe diabetes-regulating medications to assist you in controlling your type II diabetes.
Diabetes is a serious ailment with extreme consequences if it isn't treated properly. But if you follow your doctor's advice and maintain both your lifestyle and blood sugar levels, you can help to prevent the more serious consequences from occurring.
This article is for information purposes only and is not meant to treat, diagnose or prevent any ailment or disease. See your physician for proper diagnosis and treatment.
by Amanda Baker at articlecity.com
Every day, in the United States, more than 2000 new cases of diabetes are diagnosed. Type II diabetes, the most prevalent form of diabetes worldwide, often shows few or even no symptoms!
After eating, food is broken down into what is known as glucose, a sugar carried by the blood to cells throughout the body. Using a hormone known as insulin, made in the pancreas, cells process glucose into energy.
Because cells in the muscles, liver, and fat do not use insulin properly in the body of a person with type II diabetes, they have problems converting food into energy. Eventually, the pancreas cannot make enough insulin for the body's needs. The amount of glucose in the body increases, and the cells are starved of energy.
This starvation of the cells, paired with the high blood glucose level can damage nerves and blood vessels. This leads to complications such as kidney disease, nerve problems, blindness, and heart ailments.
There are a lot of factors that can help to attribute to diabetes cases - lifestyle, environment, heredity - and those who are at risk should be screened regularly to prevent diabetes. Those that are already diagnosed with diabetes should aim to keep their glucose level under control.
But how do you know if you have type II diabetes? After all, it has few symptoms, often no symptoms in some patients. However, if you notice an increased thirst or hunger, a change in weight, or blurred vision, getting tested for type II diabetes is necessary, as only your doctor will be able to help you find the treatment steps necessary to being able to manage your life with diabetes.
Simple changes such as eating right, managing your weight, and keeping your blood sugar level under control may be enough. However, you doctor may prescribe diabetes-regulating medications to assist you in controlling your type II diabetes.
Diabetes is a serious ailment with extreme consequences if it isn't treated properly. But if you follow your doctor's advice and maintain both your lifestyle and blood sugar levels, you can help to prevent the more serious consequences from occurring.
This article is for information purposes only and is not meant to treat, diagnose or prevent any ailment or disease. See your physician for proper diagnosis and treatment.
by Amanda Baker at articlecity.com
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Bodybuilding with Diabetes
Diabetes Articles. Bodybuilding with Diabetes
The symptoms of diabetes may begin slowly and hard to identify at first. They may include fatigue, frequent urination, excessive thirst, and a feeling of becoming sick. When there is extra glucose in the blood, one way the body gets rid of it is through frequent urination. This loss of fluids can cause excessive thirst. Diabetes can also cause other symptoms such as blurred vision, slow healing of skin, sudden weight loss, genital itching, and gum and urinary tract infections.
People who suffer from diabetes must take extra precautions when wanting to exercise. These people should not exercise outside on very hot or humid days due to the increased risk of heat stroke or exhaustion. If you are exercising in warm weather , dress in loose-fitted clothing or special fabrics that promote heat loss. To prevent dehydration, drink a cup of cold water before and after exercise. If your exercise session lasts longer that thirty minutes or if you sweat alot, drink water during your workout. Make sure that you know the warning signs of heart problems such as jaw, arm, and chest pain, dizziness, nausea, irregular pulse, and unusual shortness of breath during exercise. Exercise, along with good nutrition, helps decrease body fat, which helps normalize glucose metabolism. Exercise also helps lower coronary risk factors such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong disease which occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. Without adequate insulin, glucose builds up in the bloodstream leading to increased hunger. In addition, the high levels of glucose in the blood causes the patient to urinate more, which also causes excessive thirst. Within five to ten years after diagnosis, the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas are completely destroyed and no more insulin can be produced. Type 1 diabetes can happen at any age, but it usually begins with people under the age of twenty-five. The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown and only accounts for around 5 percent of the new cases formed each year. Previously known as noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. 90-95 percent of people who have diabetes have type 2. People with type 2 diabetes produce insulin, but either do not make enough insulin or their bodies do not use the insulin it makes. Type 2 diabetes typically occurs after the age of forty years. A resistance to insulin develops, often accompanied by excess weight and leaving the pancreas unable to produce enought insulin to compensate. Hypoglycemia is the clinical syndrome that results from low blood sugar. The symptoms of hypoglycemia can vary from person to person which can become severe enough to need treatment. Classically, hypoglycemia is diagnosed by a low blood sugar with symptoms that resolve when the blood sugar returns to a normal range. While patients who do not have any metabolic problems can complain of symptoms suggestive of low blood sugar. Hypoglycemia usually occurs in patients being treated for type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Patients with pre-diabetes can also have low blood sugars on occasion if their high circulating insulin levels are further challenged by a prolonged period of fasting. Living with diabetes is not fun, but by taking preventative care of yourself, you can do the things you want to do in life. Exercise and proper nutrition are very important to steps in recovery and you never know, maybe you didn't have diabetes after all, you just needed a lesson in nutrition.
by Zach Bashore at articlesfactory.com
The symptoms of diabetes may begin slowly and hard to identify at first. They may include fatigue, frequent urination, excessive thirst, and a feeling of becoming sick. When there is extra glucose in the blood, one way the body gets rid of it is through frequent urination. This loss of fluids can cause excessive thirst. Diabetes can also cause other symptoms such as blurred vision, slow healing of skin, sudden weight loss, genital itching, and gum and urinary tract infections.
People who suffer from diabetes must take extra precautions when wanting to exercise. These people should not exercise outside on very hot or humid days due to the increased risk of heat stroke or exhaustion. If you are exercising in warm weather , dress in loose-fitted clothing or special fabrics that promote heat loss. To prevent dehydration, drink a cup of cold water before and after exercise. If your exercise session lasts longer that thirty minutes or if you sweat alot, drink water during your workout. Make sure that you know the warning signs of heart problems such as jaw, arm, and chest pain, dizziness, nausea, irregular pulse, and unusual shortness of breath during exercise. Exercise, along with good nutrition, helps decrease body fat, which helps normalize glucose metabolism. Exercise also helps lower coronary risk factors such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong disease which occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. Without adequate insulin, glucose builds up in the bloodstream leading to increased hunger. In addition, the high levels of glucose in the blood causes the patient to urinate more, which also causes excessive thirst. Within five to ten years after diagnosis, the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas are completely destroyed and no more insulin can be produced. Type 1 diabetes can happen at any age, but it usually begins with people under the age of twenty-five. The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown and only accounts for around 5 percent of the new cases formed each year. Previously known as noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. 90-95 percent of people who have diabetes have type 2. People with type 2 diabetes produce insulin, but either do not make enough insulin or their bodies do not use the insulin it makes. Type 2 diabetes typically occurs after the age of forty years. A resistance to insulin develops, often accompanied by excess weight and leaving the pancreas unable to produce enought insulin to compensate. Hypoglycemia is the clinical syndrome that results from low blood sugar. The symptoms of hypoglycemia can vary from person to person which can become severe enough to need treatment. Classically, hypoglycemia is diagnosed by a low blood sugar with symptoms that resolve when the blood sugar returns to a normal range. While patients who do not have any metabolic problems can complain of symptoms suggestive of low blood sugar. Hypoglycemia usually occurs in patients being treated for type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Patients with pre-diabetes can also have low blood sugars on occasion if their high circulating insulin levels are further challenged by a prolonged period of fasting. Living with diabetes is not fun, but by taking preventative care of yourself, you can do the things you want to do in life. Exercise and proper nutrition are very important to steps in recovery and you never know, maybe you didn't have diabetes after all, you just needed a lesson in nutrition.
by Zach Bashore at articlesfactory.com
