Healthy Eating by Mark Ransome

October 29th, 2008 by admin

Healthy eating is difficult to achieve because we have so many health factors to consider and food choices to make. We know antioxidants are good for us so we want to eat lots of colorful fruits and vegetables because they contain phytochemicals like carotenoids and flavonoids which neutralize the free radicals that cause the age-related degenerative diseases. We know that we may not get all the antioxidants that we need in our food so we take supplements to ensure an adequate supply of antioxidants. But what about the actual food we eat. One of the major problems with our modern diet is that the food we eat is a tasty combination of saturated fats and highly processed and quickly digested carbohydrates. However in the last several years, people have become so concerned about fats in their diet that they have substituted carbohydrates and avoided even the good unsaturated fats in lean meat, olive oil and other plant oils. Now everybody seems to be eating a medium- to high-carbohydrate diet without giving proper attention to the type of carbs that they eat.

Not all carbohydrates behave the same in our bodies. We have been told for years to avoid simple carbs like honey and white bread and eat complex carbohydrates that our body doesn’t digest and turn to glucose as quickly. However determining whether a food containing carbohydrates is absorbed and raises our blood sugar quickly or slowly is not at all intuitive. Scientists have done a lot of rigorous testing over the past several years and have found that white bread and baked potatoes raise our blood sugar level much faster than honey, jams and chocolate bars. These scientists developed a numerical index called the Glycemic Index or GI to compare the ability of different carbohydrate containing foods to raise the body’s blood sugar levels – or in other words the speed of conversion to glucose. GI values are determined by feeding human subjects who have fasted overnight a fixed amount of the food and then measuring their blood glucose levels at fixed intervals of time. Pure glucose is set at 100 and then other foods are compared to this profile. Testing is time consuming and the tests have to be averaged for a number of individuals. However these studies have yielded some surprising results such as the fact that the starches in rice, bread, potatoes and many types of cereals were absorbed and raised blood sugars very quickly but the sugars in fruit, candy, chocolate and ice cream did not result in prolonged rises in blood sugars. In other words many of the starchy foods had a much higher Glycemic Index than many of the sugary foods. Needless to say these results seem counter intuitive and have caused a lot of controversy in the food industry. The rate of absorption is very dependant on how the carbs are bound up with the food fiber and the particle size. For example less gelatinized products like al dente spaghetti and oatmeal have lower GI values and stone ground flours have lower GI values than finely ground flours. The fibrous coat surrounding beans and seeds stop enzymes from getting at the starchy carbs inside and will slow the digestion of grainy breads, legumes and barley. The acidity of foods also slows down digestion and vinegar, lemon juice, pickles and sourdough bread will result in lower GI meal values.

The Glycemic Index is important not only to diabetics but also to non-diabetics because we need to know what foods will keep our blood sugars on an even keel and not raise them too high and then have them plummet down again causing hunger. The slow digestion of low GI foods and the gradual rise and fall in blood-glucose response helps people with diabetes control their blood sugar levels and increase their sensitivity to insulin. Low GI foods will help healthy people delay hunger pangs and promote weight loss in overweight individuals. In addition low GI carbohydrates can reduce blood cholesterol levels and also reduce our risk of heart disease. High blood glucose spikes can result in oxidative stress leading to the formation of plaque that can cause atherosclerosis and even blood clots. So keeping our blood sugar levels fairly level and low seems like what we should be trying to achieve through healthy eating. How do we go about achieving this?

The first step is to look at what carbohydrates we are consuming and the GI levels of the meals that we are eating. Then we should try and ensure we have at least one low GI food in each meal to keep the overall meal GI close to 50. Most fats and proteins have no effect on the GI level of our meal because they don’t contain carbs. However watch out for saturated fats and too many calories. Let’s look at some meals and see what substitutions we could make. The GI values are shown in brackets.

Breakfast

Cut back on Corn Flakes (92), Rice Krispies (82) and substitute All-Bran (32) or switch to a cereal based on oats, barley or bran. Stop eating white bagels (72), white bread (70) or whole-wheat bread (77) and switch to pumpernickel (50) or sourdough (55). Fruits are mostly low GI foods and surprisingly orange juice (46) is very good.

Lunch and Dinner

Eat your colored vegetables and make your salad dressings with olive oil and vinegar. Avoid parsnips (97) and substitute pastas like al dente white spaghetti (38), linguini (46) or macaroni (47) for Instant white rice (87) and potatoes – baked (85), red-skin peeled and boiled (88). Except for parsnips and potatoes most vegetables have a low GI value.

Additional information on GI values can be found at the University of Sydney website www.glycemicindex.com/ or in the “The New Glucose Revolution: Shopper’s Guide to GI Values 2006.

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The Way Your Body Reacts To Antioxidant Foods

October 29th, 2008 by admin

The Way Your Body Reacts To Antioxidant Foods

Even though a lot of people don’t actually realize it, a lot of antioxidant foods that we consume are from vegetables. Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, and peppers are all excellent choices with some great benefits for your body. When consuming vegetables, you should always go for those that are rich in color, as they are high in what is known as phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are nutrients found in the skins of several fruits and vegetables, which give the food color as well as flavor and scent. Phytonutrients are quite simply the best types of antioxidant foods that you can find anywhere. If you are looking for a supplement value, the coq10 offers you a high level of antioxidant value. Although fruits and vegetables are the best sources for antioxidants, the problem with them is that they are produced by the use of chemical herbicides, pesticides, and different types of fertilizers. Over the years, studies have shown that fruits and vegetables which are organically grown are high in antioxidants, and boast a much higher concentration than those that have been produced commercially. In the busy world of today, it can be very tough to eat like we should, nor can we eat organic fruits and vegetables all the time. If you can’t or don’t have access to organic fruits or other sources of antioxidant foods, you should look into nutritional supplements that offer you the phytonutrients you need in your diet. Supplements that contain phytonutrients do have advantages when compared to certain fruits, such as carrots - which can elevate your blood sugar level to a very high level. Phytonutrients found in supplements are the extract of pigments where nutrients are concentrated, meaning that they draw the best from antioxidant foods, leaving the calories and sugar behind. Don’t get the wrong idea here, fruits and vegetables are indeed good for you. They are high in antioxidants, although those that are produced commercially generally come with chemicals and such that aren’t so good for you. Canned fruits and vegetables come with high levels of sugars and calories, which antioxidant supplements don’t have. The supplements offer you the levels you need, without any chemicals, sugars, or calories. This way, you don’t have to worry about consuming anything that isn’t good for you. No matter how you look at it, healthy eating for your body starts and end with foods that contain antioxidants. There are several types of foods that contain antioxidants, although fruits and vegetables contain the most amounts. Steak and meat are also great sources of antioxidants, along with other great benefits, such as protein. Anytime you can’t get foods that contain antioxidants - you can count on supplements to deliver the amount you need to stay healthy.

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Healthy Weight Loss - Top Weight Loss Tips

October 28th, 2008 by admin

Healthy Weight Loss - Top Weight Loss Tips

These days, you would find a huge variety of crash diets that claim to cut down a considerable amount of weight from your body in just a matter of few days or week. Most people tend to give in to these promises and spoil their overall health. The fact is that you lose weight quickly when on a crash diet, however, the weight comes back soon at your door once you start following your regular diet. Hence, going on a crash for weight loss is not a wise thing to do. Here are some cool and easy tips to help you lose your weight without going on a crash diet or making you starve.a) Tip 1 - Don’t skip breakfastPeople tend to skip breakfast. They don’t realize that breakfast is the most important health routine. You should go for a fuller and healthier breakfast. If you skip your breakfast, there are chances that you crave for food during the day time. b) Tip 2 - Avoid eating before bedIt is best to avoid eating before just before going to bed. In fact, don’t have anything for at least one hour before going to bed. c) Tip 3 - Eat at least five serving of fruits and vegetables Fresh fruits and vegetables are great option to keep you fit and healthy minus the fat. Fruits and vegetables are packed with beneficial fibers, vitamins and antioxidants. These have a tendency to fill up your stomach fast so that you feel fuller throughout the day. d) Tip 4 - Portion size Have an exact idea of portion size. One serving of pasta really means ½ cup of cooked pasta. Remember that most restaurants serve a pasta dish with almost four serving of past. This will make you gain a lot of weight.e) Tip 5 - Never skip mealsEating a small amount of frequent meals will help you balance your calorie intake. It also works towards keeping your blood sugar level balanced. Don’t eat three big meals. Try to eat 3-5 small meals though out the day.f) Tip 6 - Food substitutesYou need to substitute certain food items to cut down on a considerable amount of fat and calories going in to your body. Try to substitute fruits such as watermelon, peaches, oranges, bananas etc. for candies and cookies. Substitute honey for sugar and carob powder for chocolate. The taste is good and calories going in to your body would be considerably low.g) Tip 7 - Don’t over restrictRestricting yourself will result in over indulgence. Try to include foods that you like but make sure that you cut down on the amount of intake. This will save you from overindulgence and keep your weight under control. h) Tip 8 - Cereals fortifiedCereals make treat breakfast option and provide you the nutrients required by your body. i) Tip 9 - Weighing machine Keep on weighing yourself to have a check on the amount of weight you lose. Losing some grams on a daily basis will give you the confidence to continue with your regime.j) Tip 10 - Exercise Don’t make any excuse for not exercising. All your diet plans would fail to achieve results if you don’t indulge in quality work out. Don’t give up. All the best!

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Using Information From Testing

October 28th, 2008 by admin

Using Information From Testing

Perhaps clearer explanations of management methods are needed. There are several methods of managing insulin, as follows: Method 1: Complete Management by the Physician The physician mayor may not have the patient do self-blood-sugar monitoring. Whatever the testing methods used, all data are brought to the physician, who makes all decisions on changes in insulin and food. Method 2: Sliding Scale With this method the patient is allowed to make decisions on daily changes in insulin based on tables of blood,sugar values and insulin to be injected or withheld. The sliding scale has two major defects. First, insulin is given after the fact-that is, a blood, sugar level at noon, for example, does not predict the insulin needed for the next 4 to 6 hours, but rather reflects the insulin needed 4 to 6 hours ago. You are thus always 4 to 6 hours behind and on a roller coaster of control. The other defect is that there is a cutoff point of blood sugar below which no insulin is given. It must be remembered that Regular insulin lasts only 6 hours (and Lispro, only 3 hours), so even when there is a low normal blood,sugar level, some insulin must be given to cover the time when the previous dose has run out. Method 3: Algorithms Algorithms are formulas for changing insulin. They are similar to the sliding scale, except that the formulas are superimposed on a background of two or more doses of intermediate (NPH or Lente) or long, acting (Ultralente) insulin. Regular insulin at mealtimes and/ or in the evening is changed on a formula basis, depending on the blood sugar at the time. The major defect of this system is that insulin is again given after the fact. The system can be made to work, however, by choosing the amount of supplemental insulin based on changes in the food intake or activity levels or on the consistent need to add extra insulin to the previous dose. An example of the latter management is as follows: Suppose a person is taking a mixture of NPH and Regular for breakfast, with Regular for supper and NPH at bedtime (a common regimen), and he or she has persistently high blood,sugar levels before breakfast. This person has an algorithm to increase the morning Regular insulin by one unit for every 50 mg that the blood sugar is elevated over 150 mg/dl (8 mmol), and would thus increase the morning Regular if this elevated blood sugar occurred. However, the problem of the increased fasting blood sugar means there is a need for more NPH at bedtime, not for more Regular insulin in the morning. An increase in morning Regular may cause a reaction later in the day. If the algorithm is used, the extra Regular insulin given in the morning should be called supplemental insulin and recorded in the logbook separately. If the problem is recurrent (several days in a row), then the “supplement” should be added by increasing the evening NPH rather than by taking the Regular continually as a morning supplement. Method 4: Patterned Glucose Approach In this method, a basic two “three” or four, dose insulin regimen is prescribed, and blood sugar is tested four times (either fasting and 2 hours after each meal, or premeal and at bedtime) for three consecu, tive days. The pattern of blood,sugar values is then analyzed, and the appropriate insulin or insulins are altered prior to the time of altered blood,sugar levels. Example: the person is taking NPH/Regular before breakfast, Regular before supper, and NPH at bedtime. The blood sugar is tested after breakfast or pre, lunch, after lunch or pre,supper, after supper or bedtime, and before breakfast. A target range of blood,sugar values for each time period is prescribed, and the achieved values over the three,day period are compared with the target. If the pre-breakfast blood,sugar level is too high or too low (our acceptable target is 60-120 mg/dl [3-7 mmo1]), the NPH given at bedtime is changed. If the level after breakfast or pre-lunch is out, side the target range (70-150 mg/dl [4-8 mmol]), then the morning Regular is changed. If the afternoon blood sugar is off (70-150 mg/dl [4-8 mmol]), then the morning NPH is changed. If the evening blood sugar is off (70-150 mg/dl [4-8 mmo1]), then the supper Regular insulin is changed. If a different insulin regimen is used, the same principles apply-just remember that Regular insulin acts during the 4 to 6 hours after it is given and peaks in 2 to 3 hours; NPH or Lente acts during the 12 hours after it is given, with the peak action time at about 6 to 8 hours after injection. By understanding when a given insulin peaks and what its duration is, you can know when to check your blood sugar and how to use the results to change the insulin dose. Excellent control can be achieved in this way.

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Brain Damaging Habits by Fatima Jiwani

October 28th, 2008 by admin

1. No Breakfast

People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level. This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.

2. Overeating

It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.

3. Smoking

It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer disease.

4. High SUGAR consumption

Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.

5. Air Pollution

The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body. Inhaling polluted air decreases the supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.

6. Sleep Deprivation

Sleep allows our brain to rest. Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells.

7. Head covered while sleeping

Sleeping with the head covered, increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging effects.

8. Working your brain during illness

Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in effectiveness of the brain as well as damage the brain.

9. Lacking in stimulating thoughts

Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lacking in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.

10. Talking Rarely

Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain

The main causes of liver damage are:

1. Sleeping too late and waking up too late are main cause.

2. Not urinating in the morning.

3. Too much eating.

4. Skipping breakfast.

5. Consuming too much medication.

6. Consuming too much preservatives, additives, food coloring , and artificial sweetener.

7. Consuming unhealthy cooking oil. As much as possible reduce cooking oil use when frying, which includes even the best cooking oils like olive oil. Do not consume fried foods when you are tired, except if the body is very fit.

8. Consuming raw (overly done) foods also add to the burden of liver.

Veggies should be eaten raw or cooked 3-5 parts. Fried veggies should be finished in one sitting, do not store.

We should prevent this without necessarily spending more. We just have to adopt a good daily lifestyle and EATING HABITS. Maintaining good eating habits and time condition are very important for our bodies to absorb and get rid of unnecessary chemicals according to ’schedule.’

Because :

Evening at 9 - 11 PM : is the time for eliminating unnecessary/ toxic chemicals (detoxification) from the antibody system (lymph nodes). This time duration should be spent by relaxing or listening to music. If during this time a housewife is still in an unrelaxed state such as washing the dishes or monitoring children doing their homework, this will have a negative impact on health.

Evening at 11pm - 1 am: is the detoxification process in the liver, and ideally should be done in a deep sleep state.

Early morning 1 - 3 am: detoxification process in the gall, also ideally done in a deep sleep state.

Early morning 3 - 5 am: detoxification in the lungs. Therefore there will sometimes be a severe cough for cough sufferers during this time. Since the detoxification process had reached the respiratory tract, there is no need to take cough medicine so as not to interfere with toxin removal process.

Morning 5 - 7am: detoxification in the colon, you should empty your bowel.

Morning 7 - 9 am: absorption of nutrients in the small intestine, you should be having breakfast at this time. Breakfast should be earlier, before 6:30 am, for those who are sick. Breakfast before 7:30 am is very beneficial to those wanting to stay fit. Those who always skip breakfast, they should change their habits, and it is still better to eat breakfast late until 9 - 10 am rather than no meal at all.

Sleeping so late and waking up too late will disrupt the process of removing unnecessary chemicals.

Aside from that, midnight to 4:00 am is the time when the bone marrow produces blood.

Therefore, have a good sleep and don’t sleep late.

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Are You Overweight but Do Not Have a Diabetes Diagnosis? You Are Lucky! Part I

October 28th, 2008 by admin

Are You Overweight but Do Not Have a Diabetes Diagnosis? You Are Lucky! Part I

Researchers don’t have to rack their brains to figure out the whys and wherefores of the high Diabetes type 2, also known as Diabetes Mellitus, incidence that plagues us nowadays because the reason is quite obvious: our lifestyle. In general, our diet, our level of activity (none in many cases) and our size, have taken a turn for the worse and Type 2 Diabetes is the price many of us will end up paying for it. The good news is that neither your lifestyle nor your risk of developing diabetes is cast in stone. You can stop diabetes by being physically active, following a balanced diet, and losing weight.Metabolic syndrome or syndrome XIn addition to physical inactivity and obesity, two major risks for diabetes, we cannot forget other health risks such as high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, resistance to insulin, and low levels of HDL cholesterol , the good guy, that contribute to the alarming number of diabetes cases. All these health conditions form the Metabolic Syndrome or Syndrome X, a dangerous cocktail that according to many studies done during the last few years is a major risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.Who is at risk for Diabetes Type 2? To know if you are at risk for diabetes type 2 or diabetes Mellitus, check the following lines:1. Your waist measures over 90 centimeters (35 inches) if you are a man, or 80 centimeters (32 inches) if you are a woman2. Your blood pressure is over 120/80 mmHg3. Your fasting blood sugar level (early in the morning, before having anything to eat) is over 100 mg/dl4. Your LDL cholesterol level is over 100 mg/dl5. Your HDL cholesterol is below 60 mg/dl6. Your triglycerides level is over 150 mg/dlIf you have three or more of the above conditions, it means you have a metabolic syndrome and, as a result, a higher risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or other pathologies.Preventing obesity is crucialAccording to the International Diabetes Federation, 80 percent of the people who have Diabetes Type 2 were overweight at the time of the diagnosis. So, if you are overweight but you have not had a diabetes diagnosis, you are lucky. However, be on the alert because those extra pounds can result in a pre-diabetes type II condition before you realize it. To know if you need to lose weight, check your Body Mass Index (BMI), an index of a person’s weight in relation to height. It is determined by dividing the weight (in kilograms) by the square of the height (in meters).Key results:BMI

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Check the Level of Sugar in Blood!

October 27th, 2008 by admin

Check the Level of Sugar in Blood!

Killer diseases like hypoglycemia and diabetes develop due to sugar. Although sugar is beneficial in providing a temporary boost of energy, too much of intake can disturb the organs and glands that regulate blood-sugar levels. Even if you do not add sugar to your food, you are still consuming a tremendous amount of it if your diet contains a lot of prepared foods. You must restrict the consumption of sugar to control your blood sugar level and stay healthy. If you wish to restore your healthy blood-sugar levels then you must refrain from all forms of sugar which includes sucrose, glucose, maltose, corn syrup, honey, maple syrup, barley malt, and molasses. Here are some of the important ways that you can adapt to control blood sugar levels in your body:• Try to consume more of the unprocessed sweetness of fresh fruits and sweet vegetables such as yams, carrots, and winter squash. This will be a good alternative and your craving for sugar will diminish.• Refrain from the refined carbohydrates such as breads and pastas made from white flour and white rice. These are rapidly broken down into simple sugars in the body. Stimulants such as caffeine that strain the adrenal glands must also be avoided. • In order to maintain and check the blood-sugar levels, it is advisable that you eat a diet high in fiber, especially soluble fiber. This slows down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates and therefore controls the rapid rise in blood sugar levels. Soluble fiber also keeps the pancreas from secreting too much insulin. It does so by enhancing the cell sensitivity to insulin and improving the use of glucose by the liver.• Try to include at least 35 grams and preferably 50 grams of fiber each day in your diet. You can also take one to three teaspoons of a fiber supplement with a glass of water twice daily before meals.• Protein is also an essential element that helps in the proper functioning of the adrenal glands, pancreas and liver. It also acts as a substitute and prevents the cravings for high-carbohydrate foods. It is safe too as protein does not stimulate the release of insulin as do carbohydrates. It helps in controlling and stabilizing the blood-sugar levels. • Another good way of stabilizing the blood-sugar levels is eating frequent small meals. Do not skip meals or stay empty stomach for more than 3 hours. Regular and healthy meals will help checking the blood sugar levels in the long run.

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7 Natural Metabolism Boosters To Lose Weight Fast And Safely

October 27th, 2008 by admin

7 Natural Metabolism Boosters To Lose Weight Fast And Safely

1. 7-9 Hours Of SleepGetting plenty of sleep (7-9 hours is recommended) has a tremendous effect on your metabolism. Sleep affects hormones that regulate appetite and metabolism. If you are not getting enough rest, chances are you will notice an increase in your appetite, and a decrease in your metabolism. The basal metabolic rate, or BMR, is a measure of the rate at which a persons body burns energy, in the form of calories, while they are resting. In order to increase your BMR, read the remaining 5 metabolism boosters.2. Eat Several Small Meals DailyAnother metabolism booster is to eat several small meals daily (6 is recommended) instead of the usual 2-3 large meals. These meals can be simply an apple to a salad, sandwich (chicken, tuna on whole grain wheat, etc.), etc. Eating several small meals daily will keep your digestive system active, thus boosting your metabolism to burn fat faster. It’ll also keep your blood sugar level constant.3. Green TeaAhhh, behold the power of this popular drink. Researchers say that substances found in green tea known as catechins may trigger weight loss by stimulating the body to burn calories and decreasing body fat. I recommend 1-2+ cups daily.4. Drink Ice Cold Water Drinking ice cold water is not only a refreshing beverage on a hot summer day or after your workout, but is very important to boosting your metabolism, burning fat, and your overall health. It is recommended that you drink at least a gallon of ice cold water a day. Forget those measly little 8 cups that you hear so much about, get yourself a gallon container and get to chugging!5. OxygenOkay, I know you’re thinking - “Oxygen? If I didn’t have oxygen, I wouldn’t be reading this article!!” Let me explain. When I say oxygen, I’m talking about breathing exercises. With breathing exercises, you will be delivering fat-burning oxygen to your cells, increasing your metabolism, burning fat, and increasing energy. A simple exercise to do is to take a deep breath through your nose and hold it for 4 seconds, and then exhale through your mouth for 2 seconds. Repeat this exercise 10 times in one session. It’s recommended to do 3-4 sessions a day. You’ll notice afterwards a nice quick boost of energy and stress relief instantly! 6. Lift WeightsWhen people think about losing weight and burning fat, the first thing they think about when it comes to exercising is aerobics. Lifting weights is incredibly important to your fat burning and weight loss efforts. Building lean muscle burns calories…even while resting! Combine resistance training along with cardio exercises for an effective boost in your metabolism to burn fat and lose weight.7. Spice It UpSpicy food has been shown to boost your metabolism, burn fat, and keep it from building in your body. The best spicy food would be chili peppers. Chili peppers decreases fat deposits in your arteries and also has been shown to decrease your cholesterol level. Increasing your metabolism will do wonders for your weight loss, fat burning, and overall health improving efforts.

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Complete Information on Diabetes mellitus with Treatment and Prevention

October 27th, 2008 by admin

Complete Information on Diabetes mellitus with Treatment and Prevention

Diabetes mellitus is the blood sugar level is high is unusual chaotic because the body does not produce the enough insulin. Normally, blood glucose levels are tightly controlled by insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. Insulin lowers the blood glucose level. When the blood glucose elevates, insulin is released from the pancreas to normalize the glucose level. In patients with diabetes, the absence or insufficient production of insulin causes hyperglycemia. Diabetes is the most significant cause of adult blindness in the non-elderly, the leading cause of non-traumatic amputation in adults, and diabetic nephropathy is the main illness requiring renal dialysis in the united states. Therefore deficiency of insulin or the insensitivity of its receptors plays a central role in all forms of diabetes mellitus.Severe or recurring pancreatitis and other diseases that directly damage the pancreas can lead to diabetes. As outlined above, in patients with diabetes, the insulin is either absent, relatively insufficient for the body’s needs, or not used properly by the body. All of these factors cause elevated levels of blood glucose. People with diabetes may experience many serious, long-term complications. Some of these complications begin within months of the onset of diabetes, although most tend to develop after a few years. Most of the complications are progressive. Elevated levels of blood glucose lead to spillage of glucose into the urine. People with diabetes often develop bacterial and fungal infections, typically of the skin. When the levels of sugar in the blood are high, white blood cells cannot effectively fight infections. The diabetes can cause a lot of complications. The sharp complications can prevent if the sickness is not sufficiently checked. Diabetes mellitus is characterized by disordered metabolism and inappropriately high blood sugar resulting from either low levels of the hormone insulin or from abnormal resistance to insulin’s effects coupled with inadequate levels of insulin secretion to compensate. Diabetes is also an important factor in accelerating the hardening and narrowing of the arteries, leading to strokes, coronary heart disease, and other large blood vessel diseases. This is referred to as macrovascular disease. The characteristic symptoms are excessive urine production, excessive thirst and increased fluid intake, and blurred vision. These symptoms are likely to be absent if the blood sugar is only mildly elevated. Poor healing of wounds, particularly of the feet, can lead to gangrene, which may require amputation. The diabetes mellitus present is one kind of old disease, has not treated, and the medical service must be essential with emphasis is avoiding the possible short-term as well as long-term with diabetes related problems. Diabetes screening is recommended for many people at various stages of life, and for those with any of several risk factors. The screening test varies according to circumstances and local policy, and may be a random blood glucose test, a fasting blood glucose test or an even more formal glucose tolerance test. Adequate treatment of diabetes, as well as increased emphasis on blood pressure control and lifestyle factors, may improve the risk profile of most aforementioned complications. Another treatment option is the use of the insulin pump with some of the most popular pump brands being: cozmo, animas, medtronic minimed, and omnipod.

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Diabetes Care – How to Avoid Serious Complications

October 27th, 2008 by admin

Diabetes Care – How to Avoid Serious Complications

Since diabetes is a chronic disease, it does not have any permanent cure. With proper care and treatment, one can expect to live a long and happy life with this disease. One should remember that if not cared properly, this disease will lead to several complications.A) Diabetes is a lifelong responsibility. In order to make you aware of the consequences; here are some effective ways to avoid serious complications.a) Step one:This is an important step wherein, we would like you to know that the most crucial thing to do is to make a commitment to manage your diabetes. First, visit the members of your diabetes care team. Fix an appointment with the doctor, nurse, dietician and educator. This will help you learn the basics of diabetes care and offer great support. It is you who are going to manage the disease. The best way is to learn the basics. Make sure that you eat really healthy and take part in most of the physical activity as a part of your daily routine. You should consistently monitor your blood sugar level and follow doctor’s instruction for keeping blood sugar level healthy and within your target range. You should not be afraid to ask for help from your diabetes treatment team when you require it.b) Step two:Schedule all your appointment and go for regular eye examinations. Never ever neglect your physicals or routine eye exams. During all your physical visits, the doctor will analyze for any complications related to diabetes that you experience such as kidney damage, heart disease, nerve damage and certain other medical problems. Make sure that your eye care specialist checks for all signs of cataracts, retinal damage and glaucoma. c) Step three:You should visit regularly for your vaccines. These are really important as compared to any other step that you take. You need to ask your doctor about flu vaccine, pneumonia vaccine and other vaccines such as tetanus shot, 10-year boosters, hepatitis B vaccine. The doctor may recommend the vaccines according to your health condition. d) Step four:Another important step that you need to take is to take good care of your teeth. This is because diabetes has the tendency to make you prone to gum infections. Make sure that you brush your teeth twice a day, go for dental exams regularly and floss your teeth once in a day. e) Step five:Pay special attention to your feet. High blood sugar has the tendency to damage the nerves in your feet and reduce blood flow to your feet. If you leave your feet untreated, blisters and cuts can take shape of serious infections. Follow the steps given below to prevent foot problems.1. Wash your feet in lukewarm water.2. Dry your feet gently3. The area between the toes should be given special attention.4. Keep your feet moisturized.5. Check your feet for any sores, swelling, blisters and redness.6. Rush to your doctor for any feet problems.B) Some crucial steps to followa) Cholesterol and blood pressure should be under control.b) Take an aspirin daily.c) Abstain from smoking.d) Drink alcohol only occasionally.e) Make some efforts to reduce stress.

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