Posts Tagged ‘diabetes mellitus’

How to Control your Blood Sugar in Diabetes

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Posted 06 Mar 2011 — by admin
Category Diseases and Conditions, Home Remedies, Keeping Healthy

Diabetes is a costly disease. Aside from the expensive medications, the greatest cost of the illness is your life. Since health complications are very common among diabetic patients with uncontrolled blood sugar, you need to learn how to manage the illness to live a close to normal life.

Diet Modification

Diabetes is due to an insufficient amount of insulin in the body. As a result, the blood sugar remains elevated. To manage your condition, your food intake is very crucial. Stick with your diabetes meal plan which includes more vegetables, less carbohydrates and less fat. Although fruits are advisable, you must take them in moderation especially the sweet types. For your protein needs, you can get them from fish and soya beans.

Physical Activities

Aside from the diet regimen, you must also engage in physical activities. Brisk walking and jogging are great examples of exercises. The physical activity helps you maintain a healthy weight and keeps your heart in good condition as well.

Stop Smoking

One of the major complications of uncontrolled blood sugar is a heart problem. If you are diabetic and a smoker, your risk is twice higher than a regular individual. A good way to manage your diabetes is to quit smoking as soon as possible.

Pointers for Diabetic patients:

  • Take extra care of wounds. Bacterial growth is favored by diabetes patients because glucose or sugar is a nutrient for the growth of bacteria. If wounds get infected, they do not usually get well rapidly. Do not ignore even a small wound because once it gets infected, you may have your limb amputated because of incurable gangrene.
  • Carbohydrates when metabolized become simple sugars, and they add to the blood glucose/sugar concentration of the blood. So remember to cut not only on sugars but carbohydrates as well.
  • Lead a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle means proper nutrition, sufficient sleep, large amount of hydration (water intake) and a lifestyle free from drugs, alcohol, caffeine and cigarettes.
  • Diabetes is a complex condition affecting all the organs of the body, so you must ascertain that a general check-up is done regularly.
  • Laboratory diagnostic exams, like Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) or Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT,) should also be performed as needed, or annually at the most. Do not presume that you are well just because you do not feel anything. There are several asymptomatic conditions which only show symptoms when they are already serious.

The above-mentioned are essential facts that you should remember, if you want to manage your blood sugar and diabetes effectively.

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Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Symptoms

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Posted 07 Aug 2010 — by admin
Category Clinical Chemistry, Diseases and Conditions

By: Johanna Vallo

Below are signs and symptoms manifested by individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus:

* Hyperglycemia – increased blood glucose to 200 mg/dL or higher secondary to lack of insulin or the cells of the body do not react properly to insulin, insulin resistance.

* Increased urinary frequency – glucose leaks into the urine and the weight of sugar in the urine triggers urge to urinate.

* Increased thirst – due to frequent urination dehydration occurs and thirst receptors are activated.

* Weight loss

Some of the major complications of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus are listed below:

* Retinopathy – blurring of vision may occur due to continuous increased pressure in the veins and arterioles of the retina.

* Nephropathy – destruction of the nephrons secondary to the heavy weight of the sugar continuously passing through the kidneys’ filters.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus can be managed by diet and lifestyle modification. For a complete diet modification consult a licensed dietician or your doctor. Light exercises and weight loss can also slow or prevent the progress of the disease.

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Protect your Unborn Baby – Watch out for Diabetes during Pregnancy

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Posted 13 May 2010 — by admin
Category Diseases and Conditions

By:  Engracia S. Arceo, MPH , RMT

Pregnancy is one of the most exciting stages in a woman’s life. The wonders of carrying another human being inside your womb are unexplainable. Whenever your unborn child moves, you feel the entire movement in your tummy. You know that a miracle of life is happening inside you. Your body is the temporary sanctuary of your little angel. Therefore, you have to take care of it. Any disorder you experience has a direct effect on your child. For many pregnant women, diabetes during pregnancy is their worst enemy. If you are pregnant and you think you have the illness, here are the things you should know about the condition.

The Illness

Diabetes during pregnancy or also known as gestational diabetes is a common problem for women. It affects 3% of most pregnancies. Doctors often diagnose it during the 24th to the 28th week of gestation. It occurs to women without previous manifestation and diagnosis of diabetes. High blood glucose level characterizes the condition. Although sugar in the urine is not a common sign, some women may exhibit it.

The Cause

Experts cannot pinpoint one definite cause of diabetes during pregnancy. They say that it is a combination of several factors. It is common to women who have a family history of the disease. During pregnancy, the placenta releases hormone in the blood that counteracts with the effect of insulin. Because of the interaction, the body has less ability to control the blood glucose level. As a result, the pregnant woman can experience a shoot up in the sugar level. Other contributing factor is the diet of a woman. Some think that because there is another human being inside, they have the excuse to overeat. Women who become overweight are at higher risk of developing diabetes during pregnancy.

The Diagnosis

When a woman with family background of diabetes or a woman who reaches an alarming weight gain, her doctor will recommend the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The laboratory procedure is advisable during the 24th to 28th week of gestation. In the procedure, the medical technologist will extract blood to determine your fasting blood sugar level. Right after the first blood extraction, they will ask you to take oral solution of glucose. On the first, second and third hour after the glucose intake, they will again withdraw blood from you. Bt analyzing the sugar content of in your body and comparing it to a reference value, your doctor can have an idea whether you have the illness.

The Treatment

If you are positive for the diabetes during pregnancy, then your doctor can refer you to an endocrinologist. Together, they will monitor your condition. Oftentimes, they will require you to watch out your food intake.

The Effect

Diabetes during pregnancy has serious complications for your unborn child. Your health problem causes the immature pancreas to overwork. Most babies born from mothers with diabetes are overweight due to the excess glucose in their body

Diabetes during pregnancy is a serious condition you should never take for granted. The earlier the diagnosis, the better will be your prognosis and the less its effect to your baby. To avoid any complication, make it a habit to have prenatal checkups during your pregnancy.

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Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus the Juvenile Diabetes

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Posted 23 Apr 2010 — by admin
Category Clinical Chemistry, Diseases and Conditions

By: Ireen B. Banasan, BSC

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus is also called “juvenile diabetes” for it occurs in an early age. It is also known as Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM) because the islets responsible for producing insulin are damaged or destroyed maybe secondary to previous viral illness or to trauma thus, no insulin is produced at all. This type of Diabetes is often treated with insulin replacement.

The Pancreas Insulin

The pancreas is a yellowish, fish-shaped organ located at the upper abdomen.  It has two secretory functions : endocrine and exocrine.  Its endocrine function is to secrete insulin.

Specifically, insulin is secreted by the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans. The Insulin is like a carrier of blood glucose. It is like a “key” so glucose can enter the “doors” of the cells of our body and be used as energy for our daily needs. Without insulin, the glucose we take in cannot be used by our body to produce energy. Thus, the glucose stays in the blood.

Pathophysiology

In the case of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, there is a complete destruction of the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans which causes no insulin production. Since insulin is essential to glucose utilization, glucose stays and builds up in the blood stream causing hyperglycemia, or excess glucose in the blood. This excess glucose puts pressure to the kidneys and eventually leak into the urine. Due to the weight of glucose in the urine, urination is triggered so frequent – polyuria. Dehydration from frequent urination results to excessive thirst called polydypsia. And since glucose is not utilized by the body a person with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus is always hungry, a sign called polyphagia. Chronic Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus can lead to complications such as hypertention, retinopathy, and renal failure. Untreated Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus can lead to Diabetic Ketoacidosis. Diabetic Ketoacidosis results from rapid catabolism of fats. Since glucose cannot be utilized as a source of energy, fat breakdown is an alternative energy source. But fat catabolism has ketone byproducts, accumulation of which leads to Diabetic Ketoacidosis.

Below are signs and symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

  • hyperglycemia
  • polyuria
  • polydipsia
  • polyphagia
  • glucose in urine
  • weight loss

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Myths About Diabetes Mellitus

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Posted 21 Feb 2010 — by admin
Category Clinical Chemistry

Fictitious beliefs and half-truths should be categorized for  diabetes mellitus (DM), because the condition precipitates several serious illnesses that could cause death. People should become aware of these myths and classify them from the facts.

Here are some common myths about diabetes mellitus that the public should know about:
1. All diabetic patients are obese and over weight.

Not all persons with diabetes are fat. Persons with type I diabetes mellitus are usually thin, while type II DM (Diabetes Mellitus) persons are usually obese. The weight and size of a person does not indicate whether he/she has DM or not. Only a blood test could determine whether a person is diabetic or not. An FBS (Fasting Blood Sugar), RBS (Random Blood Sugar) or 2-HPPT (Two Hour Post Prandial Test) should be performed in the clinical laboratory to determine this.

2. Diabetes is curable.

Diabetes is a lifetime condition. Once you have it, it will stay. Diabetes can only be properly managed and controlled. This is because uncontrolled DM can cause irreparable damage to all of your organs, your eyes (retinopathy), your kidneys (nephropathy), and the central nervous system (neuropathy). , so when your blood glucose levels go back to normal, do not assume that you are “cured” already, and start going back to your eating binges.

Your observance of proper diet and exercise should be a lifetime process. Although the DM genes may skip a generation or two, it will always appear down line in your family’s lineage.

Scientists are now trying to find a way to alter the genetic composition of a DM person so that the genes would not be passed on from one generation to another. If this happens in your lifetime, then you are lucky!

3. Diabetes is only caused by the lack or absence of insulin.

This is not always the case. Although people know that DM is the insufficiency and lack of insulin and is not acquired from eating too much sugar, people should also be aware that one of the symptoms of DM, which is hyperglycemia (elevation of blood sugar), could be the result of the increase secretion of the hormones glucagon in the alpha cells of the Islets of Langerhans and adrenaline in the adrenal medulla. These secretions can be triggered by caffeine, stress, and emergency situations.

4. Minor wounds would not pose a potential danger for a diabetic person.

A sad fact is that even a small pedicure or manicure wound could cause a gangrenous feet to be amputated. Any wound no matter how small it is should never

be taken for granted. Diabetic patients usually have wounds that have difficulty healing, so they are more prone to infection.

Infection often comes from pathogenic microorganisms like Clostridium perfringens which causes gangrene (necrotization or death of body tissue.) When the tissues or cells die in one part, then it has to be amputated or this will infect all of the parts of the body and would cause inevitable death. If the gangrenous part is amputated, then the rest of the body would be spared.

5. Only sugar and sugar containing foods should be minimized in a diabetic patient’s diet.

This is a half-truth. People should be aware that the most predominant carbohydrate in the bloodstream is glucose. Glucose is a simple sugar generally called a monosaccharide. Glucose comes, not only from sugar, but from a variety of bland foodstuffs like bread, rice (yes, rice!) pasta (even plain pasta), potatoes and many unsweetened foods. This is because glucose is the end product of the metabolism of any carbohydrate in which rice and the rest are included.

Excessive fat intake also could exacerbate the condition. The dietary fat could be stored as triglyceride and would add to the obesity of the person. It should be remembered that losing weight is one good management control for DM patients. So when the doctor tells you to limit your rice and fat intake, do so.
6. All sweet fruits should be avoided as they contain high levels of sugar.

Not all fruits have high sugar levels. Apple, grapefruit, strawberries, papayas, watermelons are examples of fruits good for diabetic persons. These however should be taken in fresh and not in the form of juices or shakes as these preparations have high artificial sugar content. It should be noted that there is also high fiber content with these fruits and are therefore healthy for the body.
Old myths may be proven false eventually but new myths are generated in return. People should have wisdom in distinguishing the two through proper information and education. Do not believe everything you hear through the grapevine. Take time to read good reference materials and be informed!

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