To understand diabetes you must know how the body works. Knowing what changes your body goes through, will help you better understand why complications happen. Our bodies break down the food we eat during digestion. Food is broken down to three groups, proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Meat, fish, eggs, and other dairy products give us the protein we need. Fats are found in vegetable oils, meat, cheese, and some dairy products. Carbohydrates find their way into our bodies through starches and sugars. Bread, pasta, fruits, and vegetables all have starches and sugars.

Our carbohydrates then break down into blood sugar, this glucose gives us the energy that we need in our body. The energy we need to take a brisk walk, run after a child, or take an aerobics class, all comes from carbohydrates. Blood sugar needs the help of insulin to absorb the glucose. The pancreas puts out insulin and other enzymes important for digesting food. The pancreas is found near the stomach. The pancreas also may stop working because of alcohol abuse, disease, or if removed by surgery.

A diabetic’s body may produce little or no insulin, or the cells become insulin resistant. Glucose will back up into the body if cells don’t absorb blood sugar. The body will then get rid of the excess through frequent urination. That is one of the first symptoms of diabetes. Untreated diabetes causes severe complications, and many who are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes already suffer from some form of complication.

When our body can’t regulate the glucose in our blood, diabetes is the result. The pancreas produces insulin and insulin allows the glucose to flow into the liver, muscles, and fat cells where it’s used for fuel. When someone suffers from diabetes, the glucose in the blood can’t move to the cells and even harms some organs and tissues because of the high levels of glucose in the bloodstream.

When the body doesn’t produce insulin, or doesn’t produce enough to regulate blood glucose levels, Type 1 diabetes is the result. About ten percent of diabetics in the United States have Type 1 diabetes. Also known as juvenile onset diabetes it usually is diagnosed during childhood or early adolescence. It can occur in adults if the pancreas has been destroyed or removed. Diabetics who are Type 1 need daily insulin to stay alive.

About 90 percent of diabetics have Type 2 diabetes. The body resists the insulin the pancreas produces in these diabetics, and usually is discovered in adults after the age of 45. It’s possible for younger patients to have Type 2 diabetes, and some patients diagnosed will need to use insulin daily. Weigh loss, exercise, change of diet and oral medications are used to control Type 2 diabetes.

The statistics of Americans who have diabetes is staggering. About one third of these people do not even know they have diabetes. Damage to the body may occur before the disease is diagnosed. If you have a family history of diabetes, be aware of the symptoms. If you show signs of diabetes, increased urination, increased thirst, and a sudden weight gain or loss, you should contact your family doctor.

Continuous glucose monitoring is giving hope to thousands of diabetics today. A new experimental gadget is now available that checks a diabetic’s blood sugar and lets them know if it falls to a dangerous low. Researchers have been searching for the gadget for years. Monitoring devices are now coming on the market and by late summer will be available in the United States.

Although the monitors are not as accurate as blood tests but researchers are hoping that within a couple of years it will allow a diabetic to forgo sticking their finger to test for blood glucose levels. If the monitor signals that blood sugar levels are low, it is necessary to take a blood test for confirmation. The monitors are also slow to show rapid changes that occur, especially when you exercise. This monitor is working to make finger lances outdated for all diabetics.

Those who have used the monitors report little discomfort. A patch worn on the abdomen may hurt when it goes on because there is a tiny wire placed under the skin to measure the glucose in cell fluid. Once the patch is on, it is comfortable to wear and sends information to a receiver. The receiver is about the size of a cell phone. A patch can be worn for several days before changing.

Just imagine what this can do for the health of diabetics! The ability to control blood glucose levels gives us the ability to also control the chronic complications that diabetes can cause.

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is looking at the reports with interest. They believe that we are the verge of a new era in controlling or erasing diabetes. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation raise funds for research from bake sales, and diabetes marches all across the country. They are looking for funds to continue research on these new monitoring devices by showing how they will affect hospitalization because of kidney disease, heart problems, or other complications. The JDRF believe that car accidents can be reduced because of the accidents that are caused by impaired diabetics.

Researchers are working toward pairing the new monitoring device to insulin pumps. These pumps have been on the market for years and could reduce the time needed for controlling diabetes to a minimum. One such product has already been approved on April 13 and is offered for sale now. The monitoring portion of the device will not be available until later this summer, so it isn’t fully automatic yet, but it is promising news for those who are trying to control Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.

This device, which is being made, is in reality an external, artificial pancreas and controls blood sugar levels for days. The diabetic would need to program in meals that are coming up and exercise. Scientists and researchers have been working on developing a glucose-monitoring device since the early 1960’s. They now believe they are close to that goal.

There are many health problems that are associated with diabetes. This chronic illness can cause high blood sugar levels, which in turn can lead to the damaging of your nerves and your blood vesssels. This side-effect can cause trauma in many parts of your body, and it’s important to know about the risks that you run when your blood sugar level is high.

Nerve damage is one of the common risks associated with high blood sugar levels. Known as diabetic neuropathy, this is a problem that makes it troublesome for your nerves to send the messages it needs to send to your brain and numerous other parts of your body. Prolonged nerve damage can cause a lack of feeling and a general numbness of the affected body part. A feeling of tingling that is painful is also possible from nerve damage. Diabetic neuropathy most often affects the legs and the feet of the afflicted. When this occurs, people can sometimes not realize that they have sores on their feet. This can lead to an infection which, if bad enough, may result in a need to amputate the foot. For this reason, it is important for those that are suffering from nerve damage to regularly ensure that there are no open wounds or sores on their feet or legs.

Eye problems are another issue that may be caused by extended diabetic problems. Since high levels of blood sugar can cause damage to blood vessels, the blood vessels that are found in the retina are susceptible to damage. When this damage occurs, a condition known clinically as diabetic retinopathy is taking place. The weak blood vessels may leak fluid, causing a swelling in the eye that may blur the affected person’s vision. The worse retinopathy gets, the more distended the retina becomes from the rest of the eye, which can eventually lead to full blindness. If the problem is found early, there are laser treatments that can be used to slow down the retinopathy. If you are experiencing blurred vision for over 2 days, have a sudden loss of vision or feel pain in your eye, it is important to check with a doctor for diabetic retinopathy. Early detection is key to containing the problem.

Kidney damage also may be caused by a high level of blood sugar. There are blood vessels in the kidneys which can be damaged by diabetes, resulting in an inability for the kidneys to filter out bodily waste. Known clinically as diabetic nephropathy, this problem can be diagnosed by a detection of protein in your urine. Diabetics are encouraged to go in to a clinic yearly to test for this problem. If diagnosed, health care professionals can give you medications which can help to contain the kidney damage. In advanced cases of nephropathy, a dialysis of the kidneys may need to be regularly performed. Kidney transplants are also used to treat serious nephropathy conditions.

One more complication of diabetes is the increased risk of heart attack and stroke that comes with the condition. This risk is increased when the diabetic is overweight, smokes, has high blood pressure levels, or has a family history of heart problems. Early diagnosis of these problems are key to getting through them, so it is important to check regularly with a doctor to ensure your health.

Most of us experience some stress in our lives. Those people who have Type 2 diabetes have a harder time keeping their blood glucose at the right level when they are under stress. This cycle of stress, not taking care of your diabetes, and the resulting poor health can hurt your quality of life and cause complications that can be life threatening. A combination of high stress and diabetes can cause cardiovascular problems, kidney disease, blindness, and amputation of limbs.

Managing your stress level is an important factor in preserving a healthy quality of life. There are many ways to reduce stress. Some will exercise, use prayer and meditation, and breathing techniques to lower stress. Biofeedback is another form of therapy. It measures the stress level in the body through body temperature and muscle tenseness and helps a person deal with stress when they recognize the symptoms. Recently studies have been made to discover if biofeedback could be paired with relaxation techniques to lower their blood glucose levels.

We already know that patients who have extra stress also have problems controlling their blood sugar levels. They often are unable to control their eating habits, or maintain an exercise plan because of stress. The results often are uncontrollable blood glucose levels, then sickness, and acute complications.

Using relaxation methods and biofeedback to recognize the signs of stress, patients have been able to change their responses to stress. That also helps control glucose levels. When a person becomes stressed, the body releases a chemical called cortisol. That chemical keeps the body from absorbing insulin properly. Patients who were educated about stress in their lives didn’t do as well as controlling their levels as the patients who also went through biofeedback and relaxation therapy. They found that those who had relaxation therapy and biofeedback also lowered muscle tension, anxiety, and depression.

This gives us one more good reason to control stress in our lives. Do you recognize your body signals for stress? Do your muscles tighten in the shoulders and neck? Maybe you have a hard time taking deep breaths. Maybe you clench your teeth, or feel hot all the time. Whatever your body tells you when it is stressed, you need to use the signs to start relaxation techniques.

We know what stress can do to our bodies, and our mental health. How do we release stress? One of the best ways to ease stress is to exercise. Exercise will benefit in more than one area. It will help you lose weight, lower your blood glucose levels, and reduce feelings caused by stress. If something at work is causing you stress, try to stand up from your desk, or take a short walk. Exercise will have many wonderful benefits to your over-all physical and mental health.

Using relaxation techniques will help reduce the risk of complications. Exercise is just one way to relax. Listening to music, praying or meditating, and breathing exercises can also help release tension and stress from your body.

There are many innovations for diabetes patients, among them the continuous monitoring device, the insulin pump, and new inhaled insulin treatments. These are great advances for those who have been diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Among the new treatments for diabetes is a special diet that lowers blood glucose levels. The New England Journal of Medicine reports both a new ADA diet and an experimental diet. The ADA diet did keep blood sugar levels under control, but the new experimental diet reduced levels by 10 percent. The experimental diet includes 50 grams of fiber each day. This is about seven or eight servings of fruit and vegetables or other high fiber foods.
This is about twice the recommended fiber intake from the American Diabetes Association.

Another new product for diabetics are the bars and drinks that are readily available for diabetics to improve blood level controls and help avoid nighttime hypoglycemia. They are quick and easy to use, a great take along when you are a busy person. They also can be used as part of a meal, or used before or after exercise to keep your levels under control. Some of these bars and drinks are starch resistant or uncooked cornstarch, which help the body slow the digestion process. Another bar contains high fiber content, which effectively acts like a second pill for controlling blood glucose levels. These new snack bars and drinks can be handy to use if you are away from home, and often contain many more vitamins and minerals than snacks you normally consume.

You must plan your snacks to be just that, a snack, and not another meal. If you are eating the proper amount of snacks at the same time each day, it will keep you from overeating when you sit down to a regular meal. Snack bars and drinks are a healthy alternative to your normal snacks and may keep you from overeating at snack and mealtimes.

There is a cost factor when considering snack bars and drinks for diabetics. The individual products usually sell for around $1.50 per bar or drink, so can run into some extra money. There are various companies making a large variety of tasty snack bars and drinks. You will need to verify they are helping your blood sugar level, so testing before and after eating a snack bar is recommended. You must check blood sugar levels again after three to four hours to check what your blood sugar levels are.

Once you have determined that these bars or drinks work for you, keep several on hand, or with you when you are away from home. They make a good snack, or a meal substitute. They have slower acting carbohydrates and won’t bring your sugar levels up as fast as regular sugar carbohydrates. You should limit the amount you consume each time, as they do have calories, and too many calories can feed your weight problems.

Try not to use these bars or drinks as extras; just use them as something handy for a healthy snack or meal substitute.

Caring for your health is an important part of living with diabetes. It can seem overwhelming and a burden to fit diabetes control into your schedule. It is important to take your medicine at the same time each day, exercise, and check on your feet. What can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle and enable you to live with your diabetes? Here are a few ways to help.

The most important item on this list is to check your blood glucose levels. This is the way to prevent complications from diabetes and stay healthy. The levels should be below 120 mg/dl before meals, and 180 mg/dl after meals.

Take your medications as prescribed by your doctor. They should be taken as ordered and at the same time each day. These medications should be taken close to your regular meal times.

Drink at least 64 ounces of water each day. Any decaffeinated beverage can be counted as part of your water intake. Be careful of how much alcohol and caffeine you take in during the day.

Make sure your diet includes carbohydrates, fats (good fats), and lean protein. Eat plenty of fresh vegetables. A healthy diet will also reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and other serious diseases.

You should include a multivitamin in your healthy living plan. It is important that the vitamin includes antioxidants, betacarotenoids, zinc, and selenium.

Take care of your feet if you have diabetes. This doesn’t sound like a big problem, but it can be if you have sores on your feet and they become infected. Check your feet carefully after a bath, or before you go to bed. Use a mirror to check the soles of your feet. Wash and dry them carefully, especially dry between the toes thoroughly. If you use lotion on your feet, do not use lotion between your toes. You will need to see a doctor if you have a sore that doesn’t begin healing in a couple of days. Wear shoes and socks that are the right size for protection of your feet.

Brush and floss your teeth to help avoid gum disease. Gum disease is often associated with diabetic patients. High cholesterol and cardiovascular disease are also linked to gum disease.

Be sure to sleep the necessary hours for your body. It has been proved that lack of sleep can contribute to Type 2 diabetes. The recommendation is to sleep between seven to eight hours a night. Keeping regular hours will help as well. Go to bed an nearly the same time each night, and get up at a regular time each morning.

Exercise. Exercise. EXERCISE. Get your body moving, it will help you deal with stress, reduce your blood glucose levels, benefits your heart, lowers cholesterol and will aid in elevating your mood. Take a walk, play a round of golf, march in place during commercials. Even walking slow is a benefit. Some exercise is better than no exercise at all. Get up, get moving, and get healthy!

Some women are more prone to developing Type 2 diabetes because of an under recognized condition called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Known as PCOS, this disease affects from six to ten percent of women who are of childbearing age. PCOS usually causes severe weight problems, and this extra weight is usually carried around their abdomens. Improving insulin sensitivity in women with polycystic ovary syndrome is important to help reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Women with PCOS should be following a healthy eating program, and doing at least a moderate amount of exercise each week. This will not only help to prevent cardiovascular disease and diabetes, it will also help with the symptoms of this disease.

What about those women who do eat right and exercise and still do not lose weight? Studies prove that even if you are not losing weight, exercising still has healthy benefits. Exercise affects how the body metabolizes carbohydrates (glucose) in women with PCOS who have not yet developed diabetes. Exercise improves insulin sensitivity and helps prevent diabetes from developing. When our body becomes less sensitive to insulin, our pancreas will try to compensate and produce even more insulin. By even having a moderate exercise program, we will help our bodies improve insulin sensitivity.

Walking is a great way to start a new exercise program. Women who walk report feeling better, sleeping better, and moods do not shift as intensely. Before you start any exercise program, you should always talk to your doctor. He may have advice on how much exercise you should start with, or give cautions based on your medical history. If you are going to start a walking program, start with a good pair of walking shoes. Start out slow, studies show that even a slow paced walk is good to your health. As you continue your program, you will probably find your stamina builds up and you can add more distance to your walk.

If you have symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome such as irregular menstrual cycles, problems with acne, excessive body, and face hair, you may have PCOS. You should contact your doctor for treatment. These symptoms are caused by a hormone imbalance. He will help you control the condition and prevent you from having complications such as heart disease, infertility, endometrial cancer, and diabetes.

Losing weight is important to women. Not only for the health benefits, but for improved self-esteem and more energy. There are several ways to start an exercise program; all you need to do is search for the one that is right for you. You may choose to ride a stationary bike, swim, walk, or dance. Even if you don’t lose weight, you will still be benefiting your body. Moderate exercise will help with tension, sleeping, mood swings, and make your heart and vascular system healthier.

Remember, even if you have a hard time losing weight, just adding a moderate amount of exercise in your day will give you many healthy benefits, including a lower risk of developing diabetes.

Studies by the Harvard School of Public Health show that men consuming higher levels of dairy foods had a nine-percent less risk in developing Type 2 diabetes. Forty one thousand men were tracked for twelve years. They had no prior history of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or cancer. They filled out questionnaires, surveys on other health related topics, and exercise to discover if consuming more dairy foods reduced the risk for diabetes. They found that men who ate higher levels of dairy products had a lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Of the 41,000 plus men who took part in the survey, just over 1200 were documented as new cases of diabetes. The study also determined that these men were not having two servings of low fat dairy products each day.

This is significant, because there are an estimated 41 million Americans who have a weakened glucose tolerance which lead to a higher risk of diabetes. This inability to tolerate glucose will continue to rise as our population ages, we grow heavier, and we don’t get the right exercise levels.

Two servings of dairy products a day resulted in a nine-percent drop in risk of diabetes for each serving consumed. The study decided the most benefit came from consuming products that were labeled low fat. Two servings are recommended for most individuals who do not have other health issues that involve dairy products.

Skim milk made a significant difference in the statistics but other low fat products as well as ice cream contributed to the lower risk percentage. Just think, low fat ice cream and reducing the risk of diabetes! Many dairy products on the store shelves today that are labeled low fat and still have wonderful taste. Take a moment to roam in the ice cream section of your favorite grocery store. Look at labels, and then pick a low fat product up and take it home. You may be pleasantly surprised at the quality and taste of the product.

Other considerations for reducing the risk of developing diabetes will depend on your over-all diet, exercise plan, and weight related precautions. Since diabetes is largely associated with overweight and obesity, it pays to look at ways that will not only help us lose weight but decrease the risk of developing this disease as well.

Type 2 diabetes currently affects over 16 million people just in the United States and about 135 million people around the world. Managing the disease takes time, care with diet and usually medications. The primary need for lowering the statistics of diabetes is prevention. Taking proper steps to remain healthy, eating the proper foods, getting the required amount of sleep, and exercising at least five times a week goes a long way toward preventing diabetes.

The role of dairy products in our diet is well documented. Studies will continue in this area to supplement the reports already gathered. The nutrients found in dairy products are important to our over-all health, and as this study concludes, could reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes, especially for men.

If your teenager has just been diagnosed with diabetes, it takes the medical team, family members, and even professional counselors to help them cope. At this important stage of their life, they are already struggling with independence, breaking away from parents, hormonal changes, and emerging sexuality. A diagnosis of diabetes can tear away the fragile self-esteem a teen may have. It can make the world even more confusing, and without enough support, it could result in depression. The support your teen receives at this critical time of their life will have a huge impact on how your teen adjusts to the diagnosis.

The fears and feelings that come with the diagnosis of diabetes will affect the teens but also the parents. They may be learning new methods, start healthier diets, and learn to control the disease. Parents and teens both may not be allowed to voice their concerns, their anger, and even grief. They may be so pushed to learn control methods, how to give injections, warning signs to look for, and the complications that could occur, they may not have time to grieve for the life they would have lived. It’s ok for teens and parents to ask, “Why me? Did I do something that caused the disease in my child? Did I eat too many sweet foods?” If these questions are not addressed and answered, it may make it difficult for both parents and teens to cope with their diagnosis. Teens may look to their parents for answers, and parents may be so overwhelmed they have a difficult time answering the questions teens have.

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation sponsors and on-line support team made up of both adults and other teens that have diabetes. A person-to-person team will help support teens and parents while facing the challenges of learning to control blood sugar levels. There may be local groups that you can join to get personal support locally.

More than anything else, teenagers need to be given hope and hear messages of optimism. They are struggling with their own identity, fitting in with their peer group, and struggling to show their independence. Now more than ever, they need the love and support of those who have already experienced what is happening to them. Positive examples should be put in front of them; they need optimism at this point. They need to believe that they can still have a healthy and fulfilled life or they may slip into depression. If that happens, it will make it even more difficult to cope with controlling their blood sugar levels.

If your teen starts sinking into despair, you need to stay positive. There are new techniques being developed every year and the cure for diabetes could be just around the corner. Talk to them about the many famous and successful people that have lived their dream even with having the disease and complications of diabetes. Our teens are at the point in their life where they are looking for the future, if they need help with emotional issues, please contact a trained specialist to help them and you cope with this disease.

Do you need some help with cooking healthy meals for your diabetic condition? There are plenty of delicious meals that can be made to focus around the diet of a diabetic. You should strive to make meals that contain starches, fruits, and vegetables, while keeping the usage of simple sugars to a minimum. Healthy eating is of utmost importance to a diabetic, as maintaining blood sugar levels and keeping your weight in check are two key factors of health. In addition, cooking healthy foods lowers your risk of heart disease, a condition that is often faced by those with diabetes.

When cooking, there are some simple things that you can do to help your meals be both nutritious and delicious.
- When a recipe calls for oil, butter, or shortening, substituting vegetable oil spray can be a great idea.

- When purchasing meats, you should try to buy some of the more lean cuts. Sirloin steaks are known to have a very low fat content and are recommended for those with diabetes.

- Broiling, roasting, or stir-frying your meats is a great idea as it helps to keep the meal healthy.

- When buying chicken or turkey, try to purchase it skinless, or remove the skin before cooking.

- Fish and vegetables are often eaten with butter. As a substitute, try using a slice of lemon or lime to season your meal.

- Cereal should be eaten with skim or 1 percent milk. This helps to lower the fat you intake without causing much of a dietary change.

- As opposed to vegetable oil, using canola or olive oil can be a healthy alternative.
- Whole grain cereals and breads are a great source of carbohydrates with a host of nutrients. Eat them as often as possible.

These are just some basic guidelines for which you should base recipes for diabetics off of. If you are looking for specific recipes to cook for those with diabetes, the internet can be a powerful tool. The website www.diabetes.org offers a Recipe of the Day, as well as a categorized listing of available recipes, ranging from appetizers to desserts.

With a range of recipes this wide, there is no way that you should feel limited in your dining decisions. If afflicted with diabetes, speaking to a dietitian can be a great first step in establishing a proper diabetic diet. Nutritionists can also offer help in this matter. If you need to find someone who can teach you about healthy dieting for diabetes, you can contact the American Association of Diabetes Educators, which can be found at the URL www.aadenet.org. This site features an interactive engine which allows you to put in exactly what type of diabetes educator you are looking for, as well as the state or Zip Code in which you live. It then pinpoints available nurses, dietitians, doctors, and other health care professionals that will help you to make informed decisions regarding your diabetes. If unable to access the web, you can give them a ring at 1-800-338-3633. Bon appetite!