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Symptoms of Diabetes
Signs that you may be diabetic
Diabetes occurs when your blood sugar rises too
high because your body doesn't produce enough of
the hormone insulin, or the insulin doesn't work
correctly.
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Frequent infections, or wounds that don't
heal.
Blurred vision.
Numbness or tingling in hands and feet.
Dry, itchy skin.
If you have any of these symptoms, visit your
doctor to be tested for diabetes, especially if you
are 45 or older.
Insulin, made by the pancreas, helps body cells
absorb sugars from food.
Here are some common warning signs of diabetes,
courtesy of the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services:
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Excessive thirst and urination.
Feeling very hungry frequently.
Feeling very tired.
Unintentional weight loss.
Gestational Diabetes
Overview
Definition
Gestational diabetes is a condition characterized by
elevated blood sugar brought on by pregnancy. The
condition affects 4 percent of all pregnancies in the
United States each year, according to the American
Diabetes Association.
The condition affects the mother in late pregnancy usually beginning sometime around weeks 20
through 24 - after the baby is formed. Gestational
diabetes can hurt the baby if not controlled. The
blood sugars of most women return to normal after
they deliver. However, they are at risk of again
developing gestational diabetes with subsequent
pregnancies. Other women go on to develop type 2
diabetes and require treatment for the rest of their
lives.
© HealthAtoZ.com
Sources: HealthDay
Prognosis
The good news is that gestational diabetes often
can be controlled with diet and exercise. But for a
few women, the condition may require insulin
injections. Gestational diabetes ends once the
pregnancy has ended, but it increases the risk of
the mother developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
There is also a higher chance for developing the
condition in later pregnancies.
If you have gestational diabetes, the American
Diabetes Association recommends that you get a
glucose screening at least six weeks after you
deliver. If your glucose level is normal, you can wait
up to three years to get another screening. If your
post-partum glucose level is not normal, you should
get annual glucose screenings to follow up.
© HealthAtoZ.com
Sources: HealthDay
Don’t Let Diabetes Get You
Down: Preventing a Low
Blood Sugar Emergency
By Laurie Sammeth, HealthAtoZ Writer
One minute you're feeling fine and the next you're sweaty,
shaky and dizzy. If you have diabetes, you might be having
symptoms of low blood sugar. This condition is called
hypoglycemia. It's important to recognize and treat low
blood sugar symptoms right away. Quick action can prevent
an emergency.
What is a low blood sugar emergency?
Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is sometimes called "an
insulin reaction". It can develop quickly and can lead to a
sudden loss of consciousness. It may occur if you:
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Have too much insulin in your body
Don't eat enough
Exercise too much
Take certain medicines
Be on the lookout for warning signs
Learning to recognize warning signs of hypoglycemia may
help you avoid a low blood sugar emergency. These signs
may vary from time to time. They can also differ from
person to person. They include:
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Low blood sugar levels
Dizziness
Shakiness
Sweating
Heart palpitations (heart pounding)
Hunger
Pale skin
Trouble concentrating
If you have had diabetes for many years, you may not
always be able to recognize the subtle signs of
hypoglycemia.
This
is
known
as
hypoglycemic
unawareness. It occurs more in people who have
neuropathy (nerve damage) caused by diabetes, or who
take certain medications for heart disease or high blood
pressure. Although you may not feel the physical symptoms
of low blood sugar, you may still have mental symptoms of
hypoglycemia, such as:
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Trouble concentrating
Slowed speech
Coordination problems
Tell your doctor if your blood sugar level drops below 50
and you do not have any symptoms of hypoglycemia.
Be prepared!
To help prevent a low blood sugar emergency, you need to
plan ahead. Wear a medical alert bracelet and always have
the following at hand:
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A blood sugar (glucose) meter.
Glucose tablets, hard candies or another form of
sugar.
A syringe of glucagon (a hormone that quickly
raises blood sugar). Ask your doctor to prescribe it
and show your family, friends and coworkers how
to inject you.
Tips for preventing a low blood sugar emergency
To help prevent low blood sugar, check your blood sugar
levels as often as your doctor tells you to. And keep your
blood sugars in your target range.
If you do become hypoglycemic:
Eat something with sugar in it, such as:
• Three glucose tablets
• One-half cup of fruit juice, or
• Five to six pieces of hard candy
• Then wait 15 minutes and check your blood sugar
levels.
• If your blood sugar level is still low and you still
have symptoms, have the same amount of sugary
food again.
Be sure to act fast - hypoglycemia can quickly cause you to
lose consciousness. If you do pass out, you'll need a
glucagon shot right away. If this is not possible, someone
needs to call 9-1-1 to get you immediate medical
assistance.
© HealthAtoZ.com
Common
Myths
About Diabetes
Special diabetic foods found in grocery stores cost more
and can raise blood sugar levels.
By Melissa Tennen, HealthAtoZ writer
Fact: People with diabetes can - and should - exercise.
Working out regularly means better control of your
diabetes and helps your body to better use insulin. Talk
to your doctor first before starting any exercise program.
Diabetes is a complicated disease. If you have it or even
if you don't, there's a lot for you to learn, including
separating fact from fiction. Take a look at some of these
common myths about diabetes.
Myth: Eating too much sugar causes diabetes.
Fact: Diabetes is not caused by eating too much sugar.
Rather diabetes is caused by a lack or complete
absence of insulin, which is a hormone that helps blood
sugar get into cells. When you eat, food is turned into a
type of sugar, but it's not the same as the refined sugar
you buy at the store. If you exercise and follow a healthy
diet, you can eat sweets. However, you have to be very
careful not to overdo it and to balance your fats, protein
and carbs throughout the day.
Myth: I'll know if I have diabetes because I'll feel
sick.
Fact: One third of the 21 million people with diabetes
don't know they have it. Uncontrolled diabetes damages
blood vessels and other parts of your body. Even if you
have been diagnosed with diabetes and feel OK, you still
need to take extremely good care of your disease. The
damage from diabetes may take years to show, and you
may not be able to undo such conditions as heart
disease and nerve damage. Only a doctor can tell you
for sure if you have diabetes.
Myth: I can't exercise because it will just worsen my
diabetes.
Myth: I don't need to change my diabetes treatment
program if my A1c count is lower than 8 percent.
Fact: The reason for any diabetes treatment plan is to
get your numbers as close to normal as possible and to
gain tight control of your diabetes. The closer your A1c is
to normal range - less than 7 percent - the lower your
chances for complications, such as nerve damage and
eye disease.
Myth: I won't be able to eat starchy foods, like bread
and potatoes.
Fact: High carbohydrate foods are your main source of
energy. If you are a diabetic, talk to your dietitian to work
out your daily carb need. Your dietitian will also teach
you how to measure out the right portion sizes and to
read food labels so you get enough carbs each meal and not overdo it. Diabetics need from six to 11 servings
of carb-containing foods, which include starchy
vegetables such as yams and potatoes as well as bread,
pasta and grains.
Myth: I don't have a family history of diabetes, so I
won't get it.
Myth: I have diabetes, but I don't have the serious
kind.
Fact: Some people are born with a greater chance of
developing diabetes than others. However, plenty of
people diagnosed with the disease don't have a family
history of diabetes. Your weight and lifestyle can be
factors in whether you develop diabetes.
Fact: Diabetes is always serious. Even if you don't have
to inject insulin or take medications, your diabetes still
has to be controlled.
© HealthAtoZ.com
Myth: I'll have to eat all those horrible diabetic foods.
Fact: You don't need special foods. All you need is a
healthy diet that balances your carbs, proteins and fats.
Just like anyone else, your diet should be low in fat, low
in sodium and rich in whole grains, fruit and vegetables.
Keep Gestational
Diabetes Under Control
Take good care of yourself during pregnancy
Gestational diabetes occurs in women during
pregnancy, and it requires careful attention to keep
mother and baby safe and healthy.
When you're pregnant, your body produces
hormones that impair the work of insulin. So the
pregnant woman produces extra insulin, but in
some women this isn't enough. They get
gestational diabetes, which tends to go away when
pregnancy ends.
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services offers these guidelines if you're prone to
gestational diabetes:
Diabetes: Getting
Cholesterol Down
People with diabetes should try to keep their
cholesterol as low as possible. That's because low
cholesterol
can
help
prevent
diabetes
complications. People with diabetes have a higher
risk of heart attack and stroke. If you have high
levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, your risk
increases even more.
Diabetes and heart disease go hand-in-hand.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of
diabetes-related death. In fact, people with diabetes
are two to four times more likely to develop
cardiovascular disease than those without. At least
65 percent of people with diabetes die from heart
disease or stroke. The American Diabetes
Association suggests people with diabetes keep
low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the bad
Work with a dietitian to develop a meal plan
that accommodates both you and baby.
Avoid eating sweets, eat frequent small
meals throughout the day, and watch your
carbohydrate intake.
Eat sufficient fresh fruits, vegetables and
whole grains.
Generally, exercise for at least 30 minutes
each day is recommended. Talk with your
doctor about how much and what kind of
exercise is appropriate for you.
Check your blood sugar frequently as
recommended by your doctor, and record
your results so you can monitor them.
Take your diabetes medications exactly as
prescribed by your doctor.
© HealthAtoZ.com
Sources: HealthDay.
cholesterol below 100 milligrams per deciliter
(mg/dL), high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol,
the good cholesterol above 40 mg/dL for men and
higher than 50 mg/dL for women, and triglycerides
below 150 mg/dL. Results from the latest studies
have led to the recommendation that LDL
cholesterol should be less than 70 mg/dL in people
with diabetes.
Your best bet to help reduce your risk is to keep
your cholesterol levels as low as possible, and to
control your blood pressure and blood sugar. Start
by getting a blood test once a year to check your
cholesterol levels. Your doctor can tell you if you
need checks more often than that.
By Melissa Tennen, HealthAtoZ writer
© HealthAtoZ.com
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