Sherry Chandy asked:


Winter is just around the corner so I thought I’ll put up an excerpt from a conversation that I had which would be helpful to diabetics during winter time.

Does climate in any way, direct or indirect, affect diabetes? Warm and Cold temperatures have no direct effect on diabetes control but can affect it indirectly. While your blood sugar doesn’t go up or down in response to hot or cold outdoor temperatures, it does have an impact on eating and exercise habits, which is a key factor in controlling your blood sugar levels. In warm temperatures, the body can be stressed due to heat and high humidity. And this can throw the blood sugar levels out of control. For those who are on insulin, storing it becomes a problem in warm climates as improper temperatures can destroy insulin and it won’t work effectively if it is not stored correctly. Winter season according to some studies is a cause for depression and anxiety, which is a stressful state for the body and stress can in turn, affect blood-sugar levels. Generally people tend to eat more during winter. They also snack more. In such circumstances should diabetics take special precautions? Only disciplined and responsible eating can help a diabetic control their blood sugar levels. There is no real harm with snacking when you are hungry but the key is to snack on healthy alternatives that only a good dietician can guide you on. During winter, it is sometimes difficult to exercise because of the cold. Diabetics are supposed to regularly exercise. What do they do? For those who find it difficult to exercise in the cold they can try other options such as: Heated pools: Swimming in a heated pool is a great way to stay active in cold weather. Swimming is an ideal full body exercise for those who have a lot of weight as they can exercise without risking damage to their joints. Working out at a Gym: Gyms offer many ways to keep moving indoors, from aerobics classes to weight machine circuits. Winter might also be a good time to test a trial membership. Studies have shown that weight training in diabetics helps tone muscles and keeps bones strong and healthy.Exercising at home: It’s easy to be active even without leaving home.Housework: Routine house work can be exercise, and you will end up with a neat and tidy house in the bargain. Playing fast-paced music may also help.Exercise videos: Videos can help people stay focused, teach new moves and provide good warm-up and cool-down periods. Exercise videos made especially for people with diabetes are available. Online videos are available which people can easily download and use. All people who exercise need to remember to drink clean water or electrolyte replenishing fluids and avoid sugary drinks. In places like Delhi, Chandigarh, Jammu temperatures dip to near zero and in south in Hyderabad and Bangalore, the temperature goes below 10 degrees C. What are the precautions that diabetics should take in terms of skin care, diet, sleep, protection etc. Winter brings special challenges to people with diabetes. Keep yourself warm. Wear layers of clothes. Staying warm requires that you trap warm, dry air next to the body.Watch your weight. Winter can mean an extra 2-5 kilos for many people. This is risky as weight gain increases your risk of heart disease.Diabetes-related circulation and nerve problems can mean icy cold feet. Don’t use hot-water bottles, but rather just wear layers of socks to keep your toes warm.Drink lots of water as people who are dehydrated will send their sugar levels upStay relaxed as stress leads to high sugar levels. For those whom stress is a routine occurrence, they should learn and practice relaxation exercises to combat stress.Don’t ever guess your sugar levels. Sometimes we all feel lazy and guess our sugar levels instead of testing it on the glucometer. This is not the recommended option. Always test your blood sugar levels and then take your medicines. Every once a year show your doctor how you test your blood sugar and confirm that you are doing it correctly.When the weather gets cold, old aged individuals who have a decreased ability to control body temperature and a less body fat have more chance to face a drop in body temperature. Such people and their care takers should take more care to prevent this from happening. Are diabetics more vulnerable to extreme cold conditions? There is not much difference in terms of vulnerability to cold for a normal diabetic compared to a normal person. But those diabetics who have begun to lose sensation in their hands and feet need to be very careful as the cold can cause damage to the hands or feet areas and the person won’t even feel the damage at the time. This is also a season when people tend to consume alcohol more to ward off cold. Is alcohol harmful to diabetics even in limited quantity? Is there any threshold limit? Contrary to popular belief alcohol does not keep you warm. It actually makes you lose more heat than usual. This is because it dilates blood vessels and in winter dilated blood vessels allow more heat to escape from the body compared to normal. Another thing for diabetics to remember is that alcohol reduces your blood sugar levels quite quickly so always eat some healthy snacks along with your drinks. The safe threshold limit is one drink for a woman and two drinks for a man per day. Anything more will have cancel out any beneficial effects of alcohol on the body. In case people eat more and also occasionally drink, how often should they go for check ups? Normally the doctor who is supervising your diabetes treatment will decide who often you have to visit him. In addition to those normal visits that can be once in a week to once in a month or even once in 3 months, you have to visit other specialist doctors one in a year or in case you have any problems more often. What about juvenile diabetics and winter? Any special care or precautions to be taken?  Juvenile diabetic is an older term for Type 1 diabetic. There are clinical studies that have found that environmental triggers contribute to the onset of diabetes in people. More people are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes during winter months as well as in colder climates in general, so cold weather is a suspected environmental trigger for developing type 1 diabetes. Therefore to sum it up Type 1 diabetics should follow all recommendations for the control of blood sugar levels that all diabetics should follow. Any other comments, suggestions for our readers? winterOnce in a month or even once in 3 months, you have to visit other specialist doctors one in a year or in case you have any problems more often.

Anthony

Alison Stevens asked:


The symptoms of type 1 diabetes are often not easy to recognize and many people live with it for a long time before becoming aware that they are diabetes sufferers.

Type 1 diabetes is also known as insulin dependant diabetes, diabetes mellitus and / or juvenile diabetes. It is a chronic, i.e. lifelong, disease that accounts for approximately ten per cent of total diabetes cases in Europe and North America. It is an autoimmune disorder that occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce sufficient insulin to regulate blood sugar levels appropriately.

Type 1 diabetes can affect both adults and children but is frequently called juvenile diabetes because it represents the majority of the childhood cases of diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes Symptom

Without an adequate supply of insulin glucose builds up in the bloodstream instead of being used by the cells. The body is unable to use this excess glucose for energy despite the high levels in the bloodstream which can lead to an increase in both hunger and fatigue. Another type 1 diabetes symptom is frequent urination, which in turn will lead to excessive thirst.

It can take some years, but eventually the insulin producing beta cells of the pancreas are completely destroyed by the body’s own immune system. Once no more insulin is being produced it needs to be supplied from another source, often insulin injections, in order to help the body function properly.

Other specific type 1 diabetes symptoms are:

* weight loss despite normal or increased appetite

* blurred vision

* nausea and vomiting

* abdominal pain

* fatigue

* absence of menstruation in women

Diagnostic approach

* urinalysis shows glucose and ketone bodies in the urine

* fasting glucose level of 126 mg/dL or higher

* random (non fasting) blood glucose level exceeding 200 mg/dL (should be confirmed with a fasting glucose test)

* insulin test

* C-peptide test low or undetectable levels of the protein C-peptide, a by-product of insulin production.

Treatment and care

Occasionally a newly diagnosed diabetes patient may require hospitalization to initially regulate insulin levels. However, since diabetes is a chronic disease the emphasis will be on managing both the short and long term diabetes-related problems. Patient education plays an important role in the ongoing management and dietary changes are almost always necessary together with self glucose monitoring and long term glycemic control.

A long term goal is to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke as diabetes sufferers tend to be at higher risk. Lifestyle changes are often required to manage this risk. Increased exercise, stopping smoking and an appropriate diet are all required. These changes can allow a sufferer to take control of their disease rather than allowing the diabetes to take control of them.



Morgan

Groshan Fabiola asked:


It is well known that a person suffering of diabetes has special needs regarding food and diet.

One of the most valuable fruits used in the diabetic’s diet is the apple. Apples contain in their rind and pulp a high level of pectine, which supplies the galacturonic acid needed in the process of cleaning the body of harmful substances. It also decreases the body’s need of insulin by 35%.

Besides pectine, apples also contain vitamin B1, which has an important role in preventing brain damages during diabetic acidosis, and reverses a complication that appears in diabetes: the neurosis. This complication can be relieved by administering high doses of vitamin B1.

Another valuable fruit is the grapefruit, a citrus fruit. Besides its appetizing properties and its refreshing qualities, studies have proved its usefulness in decreasing the level of sugar in the blood if taken two weeks, three times a day. Associated to this diet, consume of sweets, chocolate, and fats should be reduced and replaced with consume of more vegetables and fruits.

Other anti-diabetes fruit is The Jambul Fruit (also known as the rose apple) which grows in India, used at first by natives. It has a strong effect on the pancreas, checking the wrong transformation of starch into sugar in case of increase production of glucose.

The fruit is mostly used for its seeds which are dried, powdered and then mixed with water. This drink taken three times a day controls the level of sugar in the blood, allays thirst and prevents excessive *********.

In Ayurveda another treatment is considered to be useful in diabetes: the use of white ash from the inner bark of jambul tree, crumbled in the mortar, strained and then bottled. The treatment consists in giving the patient in the morning, on an empty stomach two grams of the ash and then the same in the afternoon. It is considered that this treatment controls excessive ********* that affects most of the diabetics.

An equilibrate diet, based on vegetables, fruit and juices, and with less fats and sweets, associated with an active lifestyle, quitting smoking, self measuring the level of sugar in the blood and losing weight could control the diabetes and allow the patients to live a normal life.

For more information about diabetes causes, diet, treatment and home remedies, visit http://www.diabetesmellitus-information.com

So, if you want to find out more about juvenile diabetes or even about diabetes mellitus please follow this link http://diabetes-info-center.com/



Stacey

Rich jammes asked:


Type 2 diabetes can be a “silent” disease, which means that you may have it and not know you do. One of the most common things that occurs with type 2 diabetes is that you may begin to experience symptoms such as tingling in your fingers or toes (neuropathy), blurred vision, or chest pains or shortness of breath. Again, as with any troublesome symptoms, you should see your doctor.

Diabetes is a condition that occurs when the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin. Some people are born with this condition or has the onset of diabetes at an early age. This is called juvenile diabetes or type 1. Type 1 diabetes usually requires insulin injections. The onset of diabetes later in life is called type 2. Type 2 diabetes can be treated and in most cases prevented with simple lifestyle changes.

The chronic condition associated with the way the body metabolizes glucose (sugar) is called diabetes. When the disease surfaces in adults or involves non-insulin dependency, this form of the condition is known as type 2 diabetes. Although type 2 diabetes is often preventable, an increasing amount of people is developing diabetes symptom and signs, as a result of a growing obesity problem throughout the United States.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes can be a “silent” disease, which means that you may have it and not know you do. One of the most common things that occurs with type 2 diabetes is that you may begin to experience symptoms such as tingling in your fingers or toes (neuropathy), blurred vision, or chest pains or shortness of breath. Again, as with any troublesome symptoms, you should see your doctor.

Type 2 diabetes can develop at any age however is most common to appear during adulthood. Type 2 diabetes is caused by an insulin resistance; basically the body is unable to react properly to insulin. This resistance to react is caused by many factors which include age, obesity and having a high blood sugar throughout a long period of time.

Causes of Type 2 Diabetes

There are many causes for diabetes, which means that are many reasons why a person can develop diabetes type 2. The most common of all the factors that cause diabetes is genetics. Almost a half of the people who suffer from diabetes type 2 are brothers and sisters and one in three children of the same family will eventually suffer from diabetes. The second strongest cause of developing diabetes is obesity. That and an intake of many calories are the second and third of the diabetes causes. Almost a third of all people that suffer from diabetes type 2 have antibodies to the islet cells, which produce insulin. These cells so vital in diabetes can be detected in the blood. If the islet cells do not work properly, your body will not get enough insulin.

Type 2 diabetes results from a combination of defective insulin secretion and insulin resistance or reduced insulin sensitivity. Although the exact cause for type 2 is unknown, it seems that central obesity predisposes people for insulin resistance, possibly because of hormone secretions that impair glucose tolerance. Fifty-five percent of individuals with type 2 diabetes are obese. Aging and family history also seem to play a role in the onset of this type. Type 2 diabetes is first treated by diet and exercise, which can restore insulin sensitivity. Some diabetics can control their glucose levels just by these natural methods. If this doesn’t work, the next step is treatment with oral ant diabetic drugs. If the oral medications fail, insulin therapy will be implemented.



Gloria

Jack Stanley asked:


Although there are three different types of diabetes, the first series of symptoms to experience are usually those of hyperglycemia, or an excess of blood sugar (glucose), which is the first indicator ‘ is something not quite right.

Symptoms of hyperglycemia May include blurred vision, fatigue, increased thirst and appetite and increased *********.

In type 1 diabetes, the onset of hyperglycemia can be abruptly because of fact, the pancreas does not produce any insulin at all, or virtually no insulin at all. In other words, there is absolutely no outlet for glucose levels that just build and build quickly. Type 1 diabetes is extremely dangerous and can lead to death. There was a time known as juvenile diabetes because it generally affects young people, and symptoms should not be ignored and doctors should be consulted immediately as a matter of urgency.

For type 2 diabetes, hyperglycemia May take considerable time to develop to the point symptoms can be felt and noticed. Many people go through their whole lives unaware that they have type 2 diabetes, and take a large number of symptoms as merely be signs of aging, especially as type 2 diabetes affects generally middle-aged adults to leave, hence its old name of diabetes for adults. In relatively recent years, due to the volume of children developing type 2 diabetes due to poor diet and obesity (the leading causes of type 2 diabetes), the name became simply type diabetes 2.

As the symptoms of high blood sugar in type 2 diabetes can be extremely subtle, many people are completely unaware they have diabetes at all. In type 2 diabetes is caused by one of two factors, the first factor is a lack of insulin production in the pancreas, the second being a condition known as “insulin resistance”. This is where the body begins to reject the admission of insulin, bringing the glucose. Therefore, a person’s body does not become starved of glucose as fuel, but the accumulation starts glucose in the blood, which has no outlet. The body May attempt by some hunting glucose from the body through urine.

May gestational diabetes perhaps the most difficult form of diabetes to detect because the symptoms are so similar to a pregnancy, it can be almost impossible to make a difference. For example, fatigue, increased appetite and thirst and increased *********.

Gestational diabetes is usually a temporary form of diabetes that disappeared shortly after pregnancy, but May leave the mother and children vulnerable to the ongoing development of type 2 diabetes in the future.

Another concern gestational diabetes is the damage it can do for the baby, which May be respiratory or heart problems, stillborn or died shortly after birth. The absence of treatment, gestational diabetes can also be a contributing factor in health problems that the baby reaches adulthood, such as chronic obesity.

If you think you’ve felt even slightly any of these symptoms of hyperglycemia, it is very important that you see your doctor as soon as possible. Diabetes is a disorder not you want to guess yourself, because it can be fatal, especially in the case of type 1 diabetes.

Although diabetes can be a very dangerous disease, the diagnosis, it is extremely treatable. The most important things for a diabetic to do so are to take any medication prescribed and monitor blood sugar levels regularly. If you’ve been told by your doctor to take with you an emergency insulin / glucose kit, you should do so at any time since May it not be fatal. Other factors include a lot of exercise to help regulate glucose levels and a healthy diet and balanced.



India