Diabetes Consequences

There are many illnesses that result from diabetes. The primary concern is that there is cell degeneration. This occurs because the lack of insulin makes the cell dry up and brittle as it does not have the necessary power to maintain its normal processes. This is because the hormone insulin helps the cell to metabolize glucose for its use.

Another job of insulin is it is able to regulate the amount of glucose that is present in the body. An insufficient amount or complete lack of insulin in the body would result in the blood glucose levels that are high.  Here are some of the results of an imbalance in the insulin levels in the body.

• When glucose levels are too high in the body, the result would be a chemical imbalance in the body. There would be deep emotional pain, depression or stress felt by the individual as the liver and pancreas lose control of the amount of glucose in the body. This can also result in dizziness and later on unconsciousness.
• When glucose levels are too low, because of an oversupply of insulin, the individual experiences fatigue, weakness, hunger, heavy perspiration and anger. Here dizziness also occurs, as the body is unable to provide the necessary energy for its normal processes.
• Diabetes also slowly causes degeneration of the eye function. This is called diabetic retinopathy. This is the result of the degeneration of the retinal nerves of the eyes. Also, the blood vessels towards the eyes burst because of the thickened character of the blood because of the oversupply of glucose.
• Diabetes affects the liver functions. With the oversupply of glucose in the bloodstream, the liver works double time to keep the balance. Thus a sudden increase or spike in the blood glucose levels affects the retina and this causes blurred vision. The repeated blurring of the vision is a portent of further damage to the eyes due to diabetes.
• Diabetes causes problems to the cardiovascular system. The veins towards the heart are clogged because of the thickened blood and the smaller veins because of the diabetes. This means the blood rich with oxygen cannot travel fast and properly throughout the body, leading to a form of dizziness for the individual.

Dizziness and Blurred Vision

Dizziness relates to the body’s equilibrium and this is highly dependent upon the body’s central nervous system. This together with the inner ears, eyes and sensory receptors in the skin, muscles and joints add up all the necessary information for the proper sense of balance of the body. Diabetes affects the nervous system of the body by cellular degeneration. The incomplete information makes the individual dizzy during bouts of high glucose levels.

Blurred vision is one of the early symptoms of diabetic retinopathy. The retinal nerve of the eyes degenerate slowly because of the inadequate supply of nutrients to the eyes and the cellular decay caused by the cell’s inability to process glucose. Also, the blood vessels of the eyes also degenerate because of the thickening of the walls of the veins and the overall increase in viscosity of the blood. These are the effects of the body’s inability to produce insulin for the proper management of glucose in the body.

Dizziness and blurred vision are symptoms of both short term and long term blood glucose problems leading to diabetes. These two symptoms are a result of hyperglycemia, which is one of the general consequences of diabetes. This is a result of having too little or inadequate insulin in the body. Another cause is despite the presence of insulin, the body is unable to metabolize the hormone.

If you experience blurriness in vision at any given time especially after a meal, it would mean that there is too much glucose in the bloodstream. Conversely, there is too little insulin present to regulate this problem as the liver goes on overdrive to process the extra glucose. This can be easily remedied by taking insulin intravenously or antidiabetes medication.

On the other hand, if you experience dizziness when you stand up, difficulty in breathing or even sudden unconsciousness, you have been carrying a very high glucose level for quite sometime. This is a very dangerous situation because the liver and pancreas has been unable to regulate the amount of glucose in the body and the major organs are already feeling the crush of diabetes.

What Should Be Done if these Symptoms are Experienced

Here are the steps to do when you suddenly have blurred vision or sudden dizziness.

• Do have your blood sugar level checked. Even if the results come out normal, you may be at the pre-diabetic stage so you need to have your blood checked by ketones and glucose. The presence of ketones, you may be experiencing diabetic ketoacidosis.
• Manage your diet and avoid high sugar content food and beverages. This would help lower the glucose levels in the body by decreasing the amount of sugar and carbohydrate intake.
• Medicate properly. Double check with your physician as to the timing and dosage of your medication as this affects one’s glucose levels.
• Make exercise part of your lifestyle. This is the most natural way to reduce blood sugar but you would need proper advice from your doctor if you have diabetic ketoacidosis.

So if you suddenly feel dizzy when getting up or have blurred vision after a meal, immediately go to the doctor for a check-up. This is the best move you would probably make in the determination if you are a diabetic and if the dizziness and blurred vision is a symptom of the pernicious disease called diabetes.

Diabetes results in cellular degeneration. This is because the cells do not have the insulin to process the necessary to turn glucose into the requisite fuel for the body. Also, the hormone insulin helps the body regulate the amount of glucose in the blood. Insulin helps the liver in excreting the excess glucose in the body. If the glucose levels were not regulated properly, then the body would result in a lot of problems. These are some of the health issues that occur when an individual has diabetes.

• Neuropathy develops in diabetes sufferers. Neuropathy develops as the diabetic cellular degeneration affects the body’s nerves. The first symptom is insensitivity or a loss of the ability to feel pain, heat and cold. Thus, the diabetic can suffer from neuropathy and unable to feel anything minor cuts, scrapes, blisters or pressure sores. These minor injuries, if left untreated would result in complications exacerbated by diabetes.
• Diabetes results in further complications in the body’s vascular system. One of the consequences of diabetes is that there is poor oxygen intake and nutrition in the cells of the body. These include narrowing of the arteries resulting in poor circulation leading towards the feet. When this happens, this leads to swelling and dryness of the feet. What is important is to keep circulation going in order to keep the healing process going and without it the feet can suffer from ulcers, infections and serious foot problems.

The Illnesses Resulting from Red Spots on the Feet

The first sign of blood circulation problems is the occurrence of red spots on the feet. These, when left unattended and unmanaged, would result in any of the following illnesses to attack the feet.

• Acanthosis Nigricans is a condition that results in darkening and thickening of the skin. This appears as patches of tan or brown skin that appear on the sides of the neck, armpits and groin area, or even the hands, elbows and knees. This is one of the signs of pre-diabetes in the individual.
• Atherosclerosis is the condition that narrows the blood vessels by the thickening of the vessel walls. These walls thicken because of the lack of oxygen, which is a result of diabetes cellular degeneration.
• Bacterial infections risks are increased when an individual has diabetes. The body’s recuperative powers are severely hampered. These infections include styes, boils, carbuncles and other parts of the skin. Since the cells become dry because the cells cannot properly metabolize the fuel needed for its recuperation.
• Diabetes Blisters or bullosis diabeticorum are blisters that occur on diabetics. These blisters look similar to burn blisters and they present themselves on the fingers, hands, toes, feet, legs or forearms. Usually these blisters are painless and heal on their own. This results from diabetic neuropathy and this can be held under control by managing the blood glucose level in the body.
• Digital sclerosis is the condition that skin on the toes, fingers and hands become thick waxy and tight. The treatment for this is maintaining blood glucose levels and having lotions moisturizers to soften the skin.
• Eruptive Xanthomasis occurs when glucose levels in the blood are too high and these results in firm, yellow pea-like bumps on the skin. The bumps are surrounded by red halos and itchy and are found on the arms, legs, buttocks and backs of the hands.
• Necrobiosis Lipoidica Diabeticorum is caused by changes in the blood vessels and generally affects the lower legs. The affected areas become raised, yellow and waxy in appearance with a purple border. It is itchy and painful and if the sores break open, there is a need for immediate medical attention.
• Vitiligo affects skin coloration as the skin color pigment cells are destroyed resulting in discolored skin. This happens normally with Type I diabetes and sadly, there is no specific treatment for vitiligo.

The Way to Prevent Red Spots from Diabetes

The very first manner in diabetes management is an awareness of the effects of the disease in the lower extremities. This is because the neuropathy first occurs in the area and the vasculitis, due to gravity the build up occurs in the feet. Here are some of the proper steps to be undertaken for diabetics regarding red spots from diabetes.

1. When you observe color changes in the feet, then you must immediately seek medical attention. Paleness or bluishness of the toes means there is a decrease of circulation. If there is black skin on the feet, it means there is dead tissue and redness with streaks is a result of infection.
2. If there is abnormal swelling, then there may be an infection or poor circulation. Other symptoms include extreme tenderness and an unnatural increase in foot size.
3. If the feet or extremities are warm to the touch, it means that an infection has commenced. On the other extreme, coolness means a decrease in circulation from the inability to pump blood into the area.
4. When the feet are prone to sensations of pins and needles, numbness, tingling, burning or the lack of overall feeling, then nerve damage may be occurring which is a result of neuropathy due to diabetes.
5. When there is dryness of the skin’s feet and skin, and pressure occurs on the feet, the most common result would be ulceration of the diabetic foot or attack of infectious bacteria on the area.

These are but some of the illnesses that may occur from simple red spots at the feet. The most important things are the maintenance of blood glucose levels and proper hygiene to forestall the complications brought about by diabetes.

As you can see, diabetes medication and management is a full time occupation. Too many factors also come into play such as to the correct reading of the blood sugar level using a blood sugar meter, the correct dosage needed to be administered, the presence of other bacteria in the needles and syringe. These factors increase the risk and propensity for error and instead of helping manage the disease may even lead to many other complications for the individual. The risk is further increased by the fact that the lack of immediate medication leads to both immediate and long-term issues. So, by not doing and incorrectly managing and medicating diabetes, the sufferer only increases the risk of the grave condition progressing much more rapidly.

The Future is Now for Diabetics

The medical world is now in the process of developing many new technologies to manage diabetes. Aside from the many drugs in development, the many studies determining the cause for diabetes, there have been technological strides made for the management of diabetes. Here are some of the newest technologies that have been discovered that help in diabetes medication and management.

1. Pancreas Transplants. This has been tried in a number of type I diabetes patients and the study for its eventual development is ongoing. There have been reported cases of positive responses by diabetes sufferers to the transplanted pancreas. This positive results include the ability to produce their own insulin hormone. The major drawback is still the body’s autonomic rejection of the transplanted organ, which can easily be managed by taking anti-rejection medication. Between a lifetime of insulin injections and taking anti-rejection medication, this avenue is very appealing to many seeking to use this as their avenue for diabetes management.
2. Nanotechnology. This is very cutting edge technology as it is basically the creation of tiny microscopic devices and elements that would assist in the proper functioning of the pancreas or be the means to produce the amount of insulin required by the body. By making these nanobots part of one’s system, it would make the insulin production in the body and remove the need for intravenous means to address insulin requirements.
3. Wireless Technology for Diabetes Management. Here, the blood sugar meter would send information to the insulin pump to inject the right amount of insulin into the bloodstream. This removes the many steps that diabetics go through in getting a blood sample, measuring it, calculating the required dosage, measure the dosage and then injecting it into the body. Here the diabetic would only need to provide a blood sample and the blood glucose meter and insulin pump would do the rest of the work.
4. Optical Screening Devices for Diabetes. The regular way to determine if an individual is suffering from either pre-diabetes or actual diabetes is through blood glucose laboratory tests after fasting. Blood is then drawn out and the sample is run through tests to determine if the blood donor is on the borderline of contracting diabetes or already has it. This is both a costly and painful procedure and the new technology of optical screening removes the need for a blood sample and laboratory tests. The device uses differing wavelengths of light under the arm to isolate a protein in the skin called advanced glycation endproducts. These AGEs are present in diabetes sufferers and the presence of these end products in the skin signifies the predisposition or actual presence of diabetes. This is also helpful to prevent the development of the disease in the individual, if the diabetes is diagnosed in its earliest stages.
5. Portable Insulin Pumps in Everyday Items. A student from Germany by the name of Nicole Schmiedel has designed and developed an insulin pump that doubles as a wristwatch. The watch is self powered by a piezo electric transducer and the insulin pump gets its own power from this system. The watch contains insulin good for two to three weeks by the Type I diabetic. The pump is attached to the user with a thin tube and needle inserted under the skin to allow the insulin to flow freely into the bloodstream without ever needing injections again.

These devices and techniques are important for the health and comfort of the diabetes sufferer. It provides the means for the individual diabetes sufferer to maintain a normal lifestyle despite having to be limited by the management of the disease.

The Promise of New Technologies

The identified developments for diabetes medication and management are still in the design stage, but the research has already put the system in place. The next hurdle to manage is the cost of producing these promising devices for diabetics worldwide. These are but means to alleviate the condition of diabetes sufferers and to make them able to be regular people not hindered by the responsibilities and obligations of the disease. These devices would still incur cost for diabetics and diabetes sufferers have one of the highest medical bills. Ultimately, the goal is to find a cure for the condition but in the meantime, these new technologies serve to make diabetic life easier in day-to-day medication and management in the long run.

Even with diet control and exercise, the body’s blood sugar still rises because of the body’s autonomic responses. These are some of the instances that blood sugar spikes occur in the body.

1.      The Food You Eat. One of the most effective ways to manage diabetes is by having the proper diet specially suited for diabetics. But what you eat is not the complete story as how much you eat and the time you eat is also a factor in the increase of blood sugar in the body. Here are some of the factors that come into play as a result of the food you eat and its consequent blood sugar spikes.

·         The amount of food you eat is major consideration as the more food you eat, the higher the blood sugar levels would be. This is because so much more glucose is extracted from the food and ends up in the bloodstream.

·         The blood sugar level is highest an hour after you eat as this is the amount of time that the glucose is extracted from the body. This time is also the time you feel drowsy after a heavy meal as the body focuses on the processing of the glucose as a full time job.

·         Eating too many carbohydrates would surely result in a blood pressure spike. So keeping carbohydrate intake at an even keel would definitely keep your blood sugar levels the same throughout the day. When digested, carbohydrates become glucose and excessive carbohydrate intake results in spikes in the blood sugar levels.

·         The amount of food and the intake of medication also is a factor to consider in blood glucose levels. Too little food may lead to hypoglycemia while too much food would result in hyperglycemia. So to be able to properly manage the blood sugar levels, eating properly in the right amounts is the key to keep blood glucose levels balanced.

2.      Exercise also affects blood sugar levels. As you exercise, the demand for glucose as an energy source increases throughout the body. Thus by working out, the glucose level on the body is burned up and thus insulin levels need not be too high to maintain the proper and healthy glucose levels. But the problem is that even if the exercise regimen is done, the blood sugar levels are high since there is no insulin to taper down the glucose levels from workout mode to regular mode. This results in the increase of the glucose levels in the bloodstream.

3.      Other Illnesses influence the blood sugar levels. When there is an infection in other parts of the body, the body reacts by producing hormones to help in combating the infection and recuperation of the body. These hormones raise your blood sugar level by negating the effect of insulin on the level of blood sugar level. Though there is a path towards healing, but affects the diabetes management regimen in the long run.

4.      Alcohol Ingestion. The liver stores excess glucose in the bloodstream. When the body’s blood sugar level decreases to low levels, the liver releases the stored glucose. So when your body has to metabolise the alcohol in the bloodstream, the liver has to release the stored glucose thus causing the blood sugar levels to spike dramatically.

5.      Stress increases blood sugar levels. When stress overwhelms the individual, the individual would tend to exercise less, eat with abandon or even ingest greater amounts of alcohol. These unhealthy practices results in hormonal imbalance in the body leading to increased sugar levels in the blood.

6.      The Dawn Phenomena. This is a natural bodily phenomenon that occurs in the body while one is asleep. When in deep sleep, the body does not require insulin to regulate and metabolise glucose in the blood. Then, by the time you are about to awake for the new day, the body floods the body with stored glucose to be used during the day. It is also at this time that insulin inhibitors are produced to negate the effect of insulin on the body. Thus, the dawn phenomena are the body’s own way of increasing glucose in preparation for the day ahead.

7.      The Somogyi Effect. This is also called rebound hyperglycemia. Like the Dawn Phenomena, high blood sugar levels are caused by high carbohydrate intake the night before. This is mainly due to the activities prior to bedtime, such as eating before bedtime or not having much to eat at bedtime. In both cases, the body floods the system with insulin to counteract the increased glucose in the body prior to bedtime. This results in low blood sugar while at rest and then the dawn phenomena kicks in. On the other hand, too little to eat inhibits the presence of insulin making for the higher and more significant spike in the blood sugar levels at the onset of the Dawn Phenomena.

The Rise and Fall of Blood Sugar Levels

As can be seen, the blood sugar level rises and falls due to many factors. Some are caused by the diabetic’s own actions or the body’s autonomic functions. So what can be done to keep blood sugar levels from rising or spiking? Only those causes that are actively performed can be controlled. These include eating right, regular blood glucose level checks and avoiding alcohol. Other externalities such as stress and infection need also be managed properly to prevent blood sugar spiking. As for the Dawn Phenomenon, immediate checking of the blood sugar level upon waking up can help in keeping the blood sugar spike in check. As for the Somogyi effect, you would need to review what you eat before going to bed to keep the danger of blood sugar increases from occurring. 

In the United States, the Center for Disease Control in 2005 has determined that there are twenty one million Americans, or roughly seven percent of the total population, suffer from diabetes. This is only the tip of the iceberg for as much as one third of these diabetics do not even know that they suffer from the disease. Much worse, there are forty one million people who are predisposed or prone to contract this dreaded disease. Their condition is named as pre-diabetes, which left unmanaged would develop into Type II diabetes and other conditions such as heart disease and stroke.

The study of the International Diabetes Federation in 2006, as presented by its President, Professor Martin Silink, has determined that diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and the risk increases with age. In this latest study, over 21% of Americans aged sixty or more are more prone to have disease compared to only 2% for people aged between twenty to thirty nine years of age and ten percent for those between the ages of forty to fifty nine years of age. The study further reported that the United States spends about $132 billion dollars each year for the disease, where $92 billion is in direct medical cost and the rest is due to losses for productivity and other costs.

The Situation in the Third World

The numbers of diabetics in the third world is much worse than in the developed world. In many developing areas in Asia and Africa, diabetes is a death sentence. In developed countries, diabetes sufferers have access to insulin, which helps in the regulation of the blood glucose levels in the body. In Africa, a diabetes sufferer does not have this opportunity to have the insulin. In a year, the African may die. In a developing country like Mali, the cost of insulin is the hurdle for diabetes sufferers. At most, a diabetic in Mali would die within two years.

There are many factors behind the fast increase in the number of diabetics in the world. The three main factors that determine the presence of the disease are lifestyle, diet and genetic predisposition. The rapid modernization and industrialization allows the individual more time for leisure thus lessening physical activity. This leads to increased food consumption leading to weight gain and obesity. This takes its toll on the body by stressing the body’s organs, which includes the necessary insulin to regulate the amount of blood sugar. This leads to Type II diabetes and it is borne by the progress of men.

The Analysis of Statistics

There are two types of diabetics, the first being Type I diabetes or also known as juvenile diabetes. Here, the body is unable to produce the hormone insulin as the body kills the insulin producing cells in the pancreas. The second type is called Type II diabetes or diabetes mellitus. This is also called onset diabetes because the body is unable to produce the requisite amount of insulin to process the oversupply of glucose in the bloodstream. This oversupply of glucose leads to many conditions that weaken and lead to organ failure.

Between the developed countries and the developing countries, the numbers of diabetes sufferers are different. In developed countries, there is a greater prevalence of Type II diabetes compared to the developing world’s numbers. This is because the diet of the developed world s rich in carbohydrates when digested becomes glucose in the body. With the modern conveniences of the developed world, the sedentary lifestyle has become the way of life for the Westerner. The body is unable to process the excess glucose in the body thus leading to complications within the body. The pancreas is unable to sustain the high levels of insulin needed, which leads to cell and organ degeneration.

In developing countries, the lack of diagnostic facilities is one of the major causes for the proliferation of the disease. The numbers of juvenile diabetes is one of the causes for deaths in many diabetes sufferers in the third world. Adult onset diabetes is not as prevalent compared to the onset diabetes numbers in the first world.

The Way to Curb the Statistics for the Future

There are ways to combat the spread of diabetes, be it juvenile or onset diabetes. It need not be as expensive as what the United States spends yearly on diabetes care and medication. The cornerstone of this thrust must be prevention and here are the steps to go about curbing the statistics on diabetes.

• Get tested. Testing need not be an expensive activity as many hospitals provide a myriad of tests to determine predisposition for diabetes, the occurrence of pre-diabetes or the actual contraction of the disease.
• Eat Healthy. One of the preventable causes of diabetes is diet management. Type II diabetes has been said to be exclusively caused by poor diet rich in carbohydrates. By curbing on the ingestion of carbohydrates and instead have a protein rich and high fiber diet makes for the prevention of the development of diabetes as a disease.
• Exercise Regularly. By making exercise as part of your daily routine, you end up burning more glucose in the body that effectively lowers the supply in the body. This helps the body in the glut of glycogen and makes you healthy and well as a whole.

Proper Foot Care and Hygiene

These problems may seem minor enough during the early stages of the diabetic condition. The first sign that there is a problem is when a wound fails to heal properly after some time. The best way to avoid this simple problem to add on as a complicated condition is by improving personal hygiene. These include proper foot and skin care, even proper dental hygiene is important in the prevention, identification and proper treatment of diabetes. There are seven basic tips to include in a diabetic’s routine to prevent the occurrence of skin disease leading to ulcers.

• Keep yourself dry. Towel dry as thoroughly as possible after baths and washing, paying special attention to the space between one’s toes. Also, changing socks and shoes also helps prevent the proliferation of fungus in the foot region. Another area that needs to be kept dry is where skin touches skin as these areas are prone to fungal growth.
• Examine your feet daily. Check your feet for redness, fungal infections such as athlete’s foot, nail conditions, cut, scratches, sores and calluses. It is best to examine them before you wear shoes for the first time each day to be able to take the necessary steps to prevent complications on these foot problems.
• Take care of your skin. The use of creams for the feet help in the prevention of calluses and sore spots. These keep moisture in to prevent the skin from becoming dry, much like what the commercials say. The best time for this regimen of foot care would be after you shower or bathe.
• Feet care is a must. You need to take care of your feet but when taking a pedicure, remind your manicurist as to your diabetic condition. This allows them to be more careful as to foot care and they would observe any unhealthy changes as to the condition of your feet. Also, ask them to cut nails straight to avoid the occurrence of ingrown nails and prevent calluses from building up.
• Wear the right shoes. Making the choice of comfort over style as to shoes is the best way to manage diabetes. Shoes that rub, pinch or cause blisters or calluses are the sure fire ways of complicating matters for diabetics. Also, socks help in protecting the feet from the pounding of the shoes.
• Avoid scratching. Scratching on dry skin or mosquito bites will result in skin breaking and wounding. Break the habit of scratching what itches because if you do, you can open a wound, cause an infection resulting in an ulcer.
• Seek immediate treatment. If you are a diabetic, the smallest scratch or wound or swelling needs to be treated immediately to avoid complications from occurring. Apply antibiotic cream on open wounds and cover it to avoid further irritation. Use antifungal cream at the first sign of an infection. If there is redness on your feet due to friction, identify it right away to prevent it from becoming a wound.

The Medical Causes for Diabetic Ulcers

Diabetes, be it onset or juvenile, results from the lack of or improper production of insulin in the body. Insulin is the hormone that regulates the amount of and use of blood glucose levels in the body. The lack or of improper management of blood glucose levels result in damage to nerves, kidneys, eyes and the blood vessels. This also results in the impairment of the body’s immune system. And when the extremities are attacked by fungal infections that left unattended may result in serious infections.

Another part of the body that are impaired by diabetes is the nervous system. The sweat and oil production of the extremities are impaired, resulting in the lack of lubrication on the skin. This makes for skin dryness and with the normal wear and tear of the feet, breakage occurs that may result in sores and ulcers.

The body’s blood vessels are also impaired with diabetes, and this taken together with the compromised immune system makes the sore very difficult to manage and heal. The open skin allows for bacterial infection to occur. When this happens, the connective tissue, muscles and bone infections would soon follow. This can develop into gangrene because of the poor blood flow and the lowered immune system. Antibiotics cannot reach the affected area resulting in the spreading of the gangrene all over the foot. This would lead to the medical decision of whether to amputate the foot or not to prevent the further spread of the infection throughout the body via the bloodstream.

The Habits for Diabetics and Foot Care

The proper care for the feet of diabetics requires a special regimen. This is because of the special condition that the diabetic undergo. Here are some of the tips that can be used at the end of the day for the diabetic.

• Wash your feet with warm and not hot water. One of  the problems with diabetes is the condition known as peripheral neuropathy or the inability to feel sensations in the arms and legs or sharp pains in your feet, making it too sensitive even to the slightest touch and pain ensues. The warm water helps the nerves become sensitive and also kills the bacteria that may inhabit in the area.
• Avoid going barefoot. Skin exposed makes for the risk of wounding and abrasion is heightened by being barefoot. Wearing thick socks and allowing the feet to breathe after a day of being kept allows for better feet care.
• Do low impact exercises. Many exercises result in increased stress on the feet, and this can be a graver problem for diabetics. Turn to other low foot impact exercises such as swimming, cycling, yoga or tai chi for your exercise needs to relieve the stress on the feet.

The Science of the Diabetic

The main problem of diabetes sufferers is the inability to produce enough amounts of the hormone insulin for the body to utilize. Insulin helps in two ways. Its first function is to maintain the amount of glucose in the blood. If there is too much insulin, the body, through insulin safely metabolizes it into waste. The hormone’s second function is the use of the glucose in the bloodstream into fuel for use by cells. This hormone is produced by the beta cells of the pancreas. Thus, the absence or low quantity of the hormone insulin in the body creates a myriad of problems for the condition known as diabetes. The cells are unable to process glucose as a fuel thus making them unable to function properly and eventually die. Cellular degeneration makes for one of the most dangerous conditions in the body. Secondly, if the amount of glucose in the blood is left unregulated, then the blood becomes thicker making for problems in the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood and the clogging of blood vessels for the individual diabetic.

There are two kinds of diabetics. The first one is called Type I diabetes or more popularly known as juvenile diabetes. In this kind, the body’s pancreas has no beta cells to produce insulin. Thus, there is no insulin produced and instead the body kills the beta cells in the pancreas. The second one is called Type II diabetes or onset diabetes. In this kind, the body is unable to produce enough amounts of insulin to help in the regulation of the amount of glucose in the blood or blood sugar. Both create the medical problems that have long been associated with diabetes.

How Diabetics Survive

Currently, there is no known cure for diabetes. All that can be done now is the identification of diabetes sufferers and provide external means to control the amount of blood sugar. The blood sugar level is directly related to the diet of the individual. As one eats, the body breaks down the chemical content of the food through the process of digestion in the body’s gastrointestinal system. As the food is broken down, the nutrients are taken from the food and absorbed by the intestines. It is from this area that the sugar content of the food is taken from the food and absorbed into the blood stream. Normal people, through the healthy pancreas, can moderate the amount of glucose in the blood by the production of insulin. This is the step that is lacking in diabetes sufferers and it is at this point that many of the diabetics’ problems arise.

Once diagnosed, the intervention often done is through monitoring of the blood sugar, ingestion of insulin and through dietary changes.

The Diet of the Diabetic

The diet of the diabetic is very basic. The sugar and carbohydrate levels of the food needs to be controlled so that the body does not go into hyperglycemia, or sugar overload. Here are some of the ways that diabetics can control their condition through their diet.

·         Choose what you eat. Being conscious and vigilant about what you eat helps in being healthy despite diabetes. Avoiding sugary sweets, high carbohydrate food and starchy ingredients would surely be a big help in keeping your glucose level in check. By seeking out the advice of a dietitian or nutritionist, you can determine what can be considered as safe food for your condition.

·         Watch what you drink. Many drinks available in the market contain sugar or sugar substitutes that can present many problems for your condition. Alcoholic beverages are definite no-nos for your diabetes. The safest drink is still water so keeping hydrated at all times would help your body metabolize the glucose levels in the body.

·         Regulate snacking. This is one of the major culprits in sudden sugar and carbohydrate levels in the body. By finding low sugar and low sodium snacks high in fiber, you can still assuage your snacking urges yet keep healthy as a diabetic.

Keeping a Healthy Diet

So with all the advertisements and the food places that offer rich gastronomic pleasures, how can a diabetic keep a healthy diet? The first step in this uphill climb is the acceptance that the condition exists and one needs to undertake steps to keep healthy. After this acceptance is the realization of the need to find food that is acceptable to the diabetic condition. The basics would be avoiding food high in sugar and/or carbohydrates as these are the main sources of excess glucose in the body. What is needed is not the absolute disavowal of these kinds of food, but the moderate ingestion of these kinds of food. Pasta, pizza, cakes, pies are some of the foods that need to be eliminated from a diabetic’s diet. Also, some types of food preparation need to be avoided, such as caramelization and other food techniques that infuse high sugar content into the food. This is one of the most important steps that one needs to undertake to make one’s diet safe for diabetes.

So, what is the secret of diabetes diets? The science in the diabetes diet has been formulated, dissected and discussed by many professionals and experts. There is so much information available as to the proper diet programs for diabetes. The biggest secret is the acceptance of the condition as part of one’s life and acknowledging the need for its management and care. By accepting the condition, the hard life of diabetes diets is much easier to bear and one would be more vigilant in making the right decisions for one’s health.

What is Laser Eye Surgery

This new fangled surgical procedure of the eye is called LASIK. The acronym stands for Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. It is a surgical procedure that reshapes the cornea with the use of an excimer laser to correct nearsightedness or farsightedness. In normal people, Laser eye surgery is the least invasive and most accurate procedure to treat problems with the eye. With diabetics through it is a whole different problem altogether.

The Issues with Diabetes and Eye Health

Medical practitioners have long determined that blood glucose levels have an effect on the vision. Major changes in the blood glucose level in diabetics have known to result in blurry vision despite new contact lenses or glasses. Thus, the inherent problem of visual alterations as a result of changes in blood sugar levels may only be addressed by external temporary means, such as changing lenses or glasses. Laser eye surgery is a much more permanent procedure and cannot be adjusted to the changes in one’s blood sugar level.

Another problem with Laser eye surgery and the diabetic is the slow healing rate of the diabetic. This is one of the results of the body’s inability to process glucose for recuperative means because of the absence or low supplies of the hormone insulin in the body. With this problem, the result is slow healing of the cornea, which may even lead to imperfect healing. The results can be delayed or even persistent epithelial defects, neuropathic alteration and corneal erosion as a result of the diabetes condition. Or Laser eye surgery may even exacerbate the diabetic retinopathy of the individual instead of actually healing it.

The surgery may result in further damage to the retina because the retinopathy cannot be reversed and the remaining healthy cells are damaged by the surgical procedure. Since it is a form of surgery, suction is needed to remove the blood from the area and the surgeon uses suction for this. This suction can produce increased pressure in the eye and injury results in the other parts of the eye. Any injury on a diabetic is a difficult event since the rate of healing of a diabetic is much slower than a normal individual.

Is Laser eye surgery Recommended for Diabetics

Laser eye surgery, after review of its effects, is not automatically available to diabetics as a procedure for eye treatment. There are many medical issues associated with diabetics that are magnified in the small confines of the eye. So long as the diabetic complies with all the requisites identified below, Laser eye surgery may become an option in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy.

·         The first requirement is that the diabetic condition must well be under control before even considering Laser eye surgery. If the blood glucose levels are not evenly managed, then this can result in shifts in the vision of the diabetic. This leads to improper visual correction being performed by the Laser eye surgery.

·         The second requirement prior to consideration for Laser eye surgery is that there is no pre-existing diabetic ocular complication that can be affected by the surgical procedure. The conditions sought avoided here includes an unhealthy ocular surface, cataracts, any form of retinopathy, fragile retinal vasculature or neovascularization as a result from diabetes. Should any of these conditions be present, then the eye surgery should not be performed.

·         The third requirement is a thorough eye examination to be conducted prior to the Laser eye surgery procedure. The tests include a detailed retinal exam, close examination of the eye with a slit lamp, tear film and epithelial tests are but some of the tests that a diabetic undergoes prior to consideration for the Laser eye surgery. These tests drastically lower the rate of complications that are risked by diabetics who undergo Laser eye surgery.

Laser eye surgery Is still an Option

Since Laser eye surgery is one of the most modern advances in eye treatment available today, it has been used even on diabetic patients without regard to the pre-existing conditions inherent in the patient. This unbridled use of the surgical procedure has resulted in a 47% complication rate for diabetes sufferers after undergoing LASIK. Now, after the due realization of these facts, many surgeons have taken a second look in the use of Laser eye surgery procedures on diabetics. This has resulted in much more stringent requirements and baselines before even being considered for the procedure.

On your part, should you insist on availing of Laser eye surgery and you are a diabetic, here are some tips on how to comply with the stringent standards to be considered for laser eye surgery.

• Eat a well balanced and sugar controlled diet.
• Have your eyes examined regularly to forestall any changes that may occur
• Keep your blood pressure at normal levels.

Not only are these healthy tips for your everyday life, but also these become much more important for you should you need laser eye surgery. If you do qualify for laser eye surgery, this would help you in the long run for your quick recovery and recuperation.

The blood glucose level normally increases after one eats a meal. This increase triggers the pancreas to produce the hormone insulin to help in the regulation of the blood sugar level and assist in the use of glucose as fuel for the cells. In diabetics, there is no or an insufficient amount of insulin produced thus making the amount of glucose in the blood too high. Too high a blood glucose level in the body makes the blood thicker, taxing the heart to pump the blood throughout the body. Also, too much blood glucose in the blood makes for the inability of the blood to carry other important chemicals such as oxygen and other nutrients. The kidneys and liver are also overworked since the insulin helps in the easier excretion of the glucose from the bloodstream. Without insulin, these organs degenerate since there is no fuel to work with and the glucose becomes thick in the excretory organs. This is not a one-time deal like a heart attack or stroke. Diabetes wears away the organs abilities slowly, thus building up to organ failure in the long run. So for diabetes sufferers, it is important that blood glucose is monitored in order to avoid grave complications to occur in the long run.

How Blood Glucose Monitoring is Done

There are simple ways to do blood glucose monitoring and there are the laboratory ways. Here are some of the sample blood glucose monitoring techniques in use today.

• Observing your body. If a small wound takes more time than usual to heal or if your urine is more yellowish than usual, then there may be something wrong with you. These observations do not automatically mean you have high blood glucose content but are some indications that there may be a problem with your body.
• The blood sugar strip test. This is easily done by having an electronic device that undertakes blood sugar monitoring. By pricking the side of the fingers and having a couple of drops of blood on a special strip to be run through the device, you can have a reading as to the blood sugar level you have. This is not a very accurate measure of the amount of blood glucose but it provides the tester an idea of whether the blood sugar level is very high at any given time.
• The Urine Test. This is one of the laboratory ways in blood glucose monitoring. If one has too high a blood glucose content, the kidneys work doubly hard to disperse the excess levels causing the production of microalbuminuria. When there is the presence of this chemical, the kidneys have reversed their processes. Instead of excreting the excess glucose, vital protein is excreted. This is a positive sign that diabetes is already a condition that needs to be addressed.
• The Hemoglobin A1c test. In this test, a sample of blood is drawn from the vein and by measuring the hemoglobin level and from there one can determine if the condition is present in the sample. A blood level of 7% or less would indicate good glucose control meaning insulin levels are within normal levels. A hemoglobin A1c test result of more than 8% would indicate too high blood glucose levels in the body thus the need for intervention to control it.
• The Fasting Plasma Glucose Test. This is a laboratory test where the subject is required to refrain from eating or drinking anything for at least eight hours. Then, blood is drawn to determine the blood glucose level present. The median for the determination of diabetes is 126 mg/dL. This means there are 126 milligrams of glucose in every deciliter of blood. Anything higher than this means that blood glucose is not properly metabolized by the body and is thus being retained in the blood stream. This is one of the most reliable ways of blood glucose monitoring to determine diabetes.

Blood Glucose Monitoring in your Home

Not everyone has the means or the access to the tests that would surely indicate the level of blood glucose present. For diabetes, this is a crucial aspect of their daily lives. Thus, blood glucose monitoring is essential for diabetics living at home. Here are some steps to help in the overall habit of blood glucose monitoring of a diabetic while at home.

• Watch what you eat. The first step in blood glucose monitoring is in the diet that a diabetic has each day. By limiting the amount of sugar and carbohydrates in the diet, then the blood glucose levels are necessarily limited to low levels.
• Read up on the condition. Knowledge is one of the most effective medications for the diabetes sufferer. Educate those around you as to the condition so that they can easily adjust to the peculiarities of the condition.
• Keep the meter and supplies well stocked and well at hand when at home. By having a blood sugar monitor, an ample amount of strips and lancets for your device, you can be an active blood glucose monitor for yourself or for your loved one.
• Include the monitoring regimen into the daily habit. Make the blood glucose monitoring exercise as part of the daily routine so that the levels are examined thoroughly and regularly.
• Proper execution of the blood glucose monitoring technique. This step is vital to be able to determine with a bit of accuracy as to the blood sugar level of the individual. Pricking the sides of the finger and placing an ample amount of blood on the strip is as important as having a clean device repetitively used. The reading is important to gauge the blood sugar levels of the diabetes sufferer.

The Signs of Obesity

There is a way to determine if an individual is obese. This is called the measurement of one’s Body Mass Index or BMI. The BMI is a combination of an individual’s height and weight to determine if your weight is dangerous to your overall health. Having a BMI measurement of thirty (30) or higher places you at risk of many of the conditions associated with obesity. There are many body mass index tools available online to see if you fall within the healthy levels or are in the danger zone.

Another sign of obesity is your overall body structure. Those who carry much fat around the middle instead of the hips are more likely to be considered obese. In women, having a waist size of 35 inches makes the woman susceptible to obesity related diseases. In men, having a waist size of 40 inches or more increases the likelihood in contracting obesity related conditions.

One more sign of obesity may be genetic in nature. If you have family members who are considered as obese, then you may have the predisposition for the disease. This trait taken together with one’s eating and lifestyle habits can lead one down the road towards obesity.

Obesity is a cause for Diabetes

In a study conducted by scientists at the Eleanor Roosevelt Institute at the University of Denver, the biochemical connection between Type II diabetes and obesity has been found increasing the causal link between the two diseases. The study was published in the December 2003 edition of the Journal of Endocrinology and showed in laboratory tests in mice that the presence of a hormone in obese mice results in diabetes. The hormone is known as MSH and it is also present in humans. The study determined that the obese mice without the MSH hormone do not develop diabetes. Also, by administering the MSH hormone into healthy mice, resistance to insulin develops and blood sugar levels are affected. These results indicate that MSH is a factor in the development of Type II diabetes.

The study though was made on mice, so this begs the question, is the same phenomena applicable to humans? The duplication of the condition in humans can occur since it is the PMOC gene that produces the hormone MSH. This gene is also present in humans thus the condition can present itself in humans. According the study’s lead author, Dr Miles B Brennan, the study proves that high levels of the hormone MSH in humans may more likely lead to diabetes in obese people, compared to those with low MSH levels. The beneficial effect of this study is the possibility of finding preventive treatments for diabetes rather than just management of the disease by the intake of insulin.

The Current Status of Obesity and Diabetes

As further studies are being made on obese people and the number of diabetics amongst them, the bond between obesity and diabetes is further determined and established. The empirical evidence does not only lead to the conclusive co-relation between the two but also the degree of causality can be further established.

In the past decade, there has been an alarming increase in the number of obese people in the world. This is because of the increased consumption of foods that are high in carbohydrate and sugar content. There is also a great increase in the intake of high sugar content carbonated drinks making for more glucose in the bloodstream than what is normally needed. Also, the increasing modernity of the world has further entrenched a sedentary lifestyle in many causing people to be less active in their own lifestyles. The increased food intake with the lack of exercise results in fat being stored in the body. Too much fat in the body results in obesity as the body becomes too engorged in glucose that could not easily be processed, as the influx is greater than the capacity to metabolize the glucose. The pancreas is taxed and the presence of too much glucose in the body creates a condition known as insulin tolerance. This means that the glucose levels in the body have become customary so that there is a greater need for insulin in the body, which the overworked beta cells in the pancreas cannot make anymore, resulting in diabetes mellitus.

What Can Be Done for Obesity and Diabetes

Diabetes Mellitus or Type II diabetes is a preventable disease. Here are some of the sure steps in preventing Type II diabetes from developing in you.

• Healthy eating. Eat well-balanced meals in regular portions is the first step in preventing obesity and diabetes to occur. This means eating high protein and high fiber food and cutting down on high carbohydrate, high fat and high sugar food can help in making your body normal instead of obese.
• Exercise regularly. In order to burn up the excess fat stored in your body, exercise regularly. The exercise need not be a whole day affair but brisk walking can burn up the stored fat in the body to help in your overall metabolism.

Get Regular Check ups. Regular blood sugar monitoring and weight measurements can help in determining if you are obese or not. Also, this determines your body’s ability to metabolize blood glucose and foresee if you are on your way to contracting diabetes mellitus.