Friday 23 December 2011

Are You Suffering From Diabetes?

Are You Suffering From Diabetes?

People who consider that they are at danger of diabetes should be on the look out for the warning signs. So, who ought to be looking for the signs of diabetes? Well, everybody to be honest, but especially those who have a family history of the disease.

People who have a family tradition of diabetes are the most at danger, but next come the obese and especially those chunky people who do not exercise.

The less exercise, the more chance. After those, it is hard to guess who may develop it.

Some think that food additives might also be to blame. If this is true, then those who eat junk food, canned food and pre-cooked meals, including sweets are also at a higher danger. This would make sense, because not all the people getting diabetes have a family history of it or are overweight.

And plenty of people are becoming diabetic nowadays. Lots more than ever before. It is a fact that there are more desk jobs than ever before as well and so more fat people and if heredity is a prime factor then one diabetic could produce several more, but the additives idea may be a factor as well.

There are three forms of diabetes, namely:

Type I: also called juvenile diabetes, because kids get it or are born with it.

Type II: also known as onset diabetes, because people develop it later in life.

Gestational Diabetes: pregnant women frequently develop this in the third term of their pregnancy. It is only recognized as a an illness in the USA, because it frequently goes away soon after the baby is born.

The indications of all types of diabetes are comparable, but here is a slightly more detailed list:

Type I: you do not really have to look out for this because most children get plenty of medical care at school, but otherwise look out for incessant thirst, the urgent requirement to urinate as a consequence of that and sudden weight loss.

Type II: as the illness takes a hold, sight may suffer; sight might blur and cataracts might develop. Cuts and sores might take longer to heal. There might be frequent yeast infections, thirstiness and consequential frequent urination.

The urine might smell sweet or look 'thicker'. There may be tingling or even pain in the feet and hands because of poor circulation.

Gestational Diabetes: like Type II, to which it may lead if left untreated.

If you become aware of any of the above symptoms in yourself or a friend, you have to have clinical tests carried out instantly, because the longer you leave it, the worse it gets. It will not merely get better on its own - never, ever. It is not like a cold or food poisoning

The check ups are not hard on the patient, but they may be lengthy and will involve giving some blood, although how much relies on the check ups. When giving blood, the patient may be required to fast for 8-12 hours.

Tuesday 20 December 2011

Shift work Increases Diabetes in Women

Shift Work Increases Diabetes in Women

Women who worked a rotating night shift had an increased risk of type 2 diabetes that was not completely explained by an increase in body mass index (BMI), according to results of a prospective study of women who were enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Studies. Nurses who had 1 to 10 years of night shift work saw a 5% excess risk for type 2 diabetes compared to women who did minimal to no night shift work. That risk climbed to 40% after a decade of shift work, according to Frank Hu, MD, PhD, from Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard School of Medicine in Boston, and colleagues.

Excess risk rocketed to almost 60% for those who had put in 20 years or more, the group reported. Other studies have suggested that rotating night shift work is associated with an increased risk for obesity and metabolic syndrome, both of which are conditions related to type 2 diabetes, they wrote.

Hu’s group examined the relationship between the duration of rotating night shift work and the risk of type 2 diabetes in U.S. women who participated in Nurses’ Health Studies (NHS) I and II. They also looked at whether greater weight gain was linked to duration of shift work.

Collectively, NHS I and II enrolled nearly 240,000 women. For this study, the women who completed the NHS questionnaire in 1988 or 1989 served as the baseline for this particular study. Participants were excluded if they had diabetes, heart disease, stroke, or cancer at baseline. Follow-up took place at 18 to 20 years.

Rotating night shifts were defined as working at least three nights a month in addition to days and evenings in that same month. The control group consisted of women who did not report a history of rotating night shift work. In both cohorts, women who spent more years in night shift work were older, more likely to have a higher BMI, and be smokers.

In a secondary analysis, they found that night shift work was also associated with an elevated risk for obesity and excessive weight gain during the follow-up period. They suggested that, beyond BMI, a reason for the link between shift work and type 2 diabetes may be “chronic misalignment between the endogenous circadian timing system and the behavior cycles.” This misalignment has been pegged as a reason for metabolic and cardiovascular disorders, including increases in glucose and insulin, they wrote.

In an accompanying commentary, Mika Kivimäki, PhD, from University College London, and colleagues said the study “probably represents the most accurate estimate of shift work-type 2 diabetes association available to date, suggesting this effect is comparable in size to that of work stress in coronary heart disease and larger than the effect of work stress on type 2 diabetes.”

They suggested that in an increasingly “24/7″ society, efforts need to be made to prevent type 2 diabetes among shift workers by promoting healthy lifestyle and weight control. Also, prediabetic and diabetic employees need to be identified early and treated accordingly.

Friday 2 December 2011

Diabetes Tips for the Holidays

Diabetes Tips for the Holidays

For those living with diabetes, the holidays may feel like one long forbidden buffet line. According to SSM St. Clare Health Center, in Fenton, traditional foods filled with rich, carbohydrate-laden ingredients are common. Parties and family get-togethers can disrupt carefully timed eating schedules, and travel during the holidays can mean missed meals, increased stress and less-than-optimum food choices.

Abbie Luegger, R.N. and certified diabetes educator for SSM, shares some key strategies for diabetics during the holidays with this Q&A.

Q: What are some key strategies for the holidays and eating?

A: Plan ahead for holiday meals. Decide whether you need to pack a snack if the meal is going to be later than you normally eat. Consider foods you might be tempted to eat, and create a plan on how you will stick to correct amount and portions of carbohydrates.

Q: What are some tasty, alternative foods for diabetics?

A: Tasty alternatives for diabetics might be substituting Splenda for sugar in recipes. Try recipes that use spices instead of high fat or sugar for flavor. Instead of apple pie (about 3 carb choices), have baked apples with sugar or sugar substitute (1 ½ -2 carb choices). Instead of cheesecake with strawberries (1 ½ carbs), try having 3 strawberries stuffed with cheesecake stuffing, along with a few graham cracker crumbs and a few chocolate chips sprinkled on top (1-1 ½ carbs and can be made lower in fat and calories).

Q: For those traveling, especially by air, do you have any recommendations on ways to cope both with eating and injections?

A: Work with your doctor on timing injections properly for time changes. Bring along snacks to travel with in case your flight is delayed. Carry fast-acting carbohydrates to treat low blood glucose and a glucagon kit, if needed.

Q: If one does miss a meal or gets off schedule, what are some strategies for getting back on track?

A: Missing a meal can be dangerous when on injections or some types of oral diabetes medications. Try grabbing a drink or snack while waiting on a meal. Prepare ahead of time to prevent missed meals. Planning is key to diabetes management and control.

Q: Can you talk specifically about parents of juvenile diabetes, and what strategies they can use to make eating and traveling for the holidays fun for the kids?

A: Allowing type 1 diabetics to enjoy the holidays and allowing for snacks and treats is important, especially for kids. Allowing children to eat some cookies or favorite foods is fine, as long as they are sticking within carbohydrate allotments. Make sure to bring enough insulin, testing supplies and syringes and an extra back up of insulin and insulin pumps.