Diabetes is a disorder of metabolism. Metabolism is an internal process to convert food for energy and growth. The main types of diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes.

Diabetes affects 18.2 million people - 6.3 percent of the U.S. population. Anybody of any age can get diabetes.
People are more prone to diabetes with a family history of diabetes and over weight. Type 2 diabetes usually affects older people, overweight and sedentary people. Type 2 diabetes is most common and is found in 90-95 percent of people.

What causes diabetes type 2?
Digestion and assimilation of food are the main processes of our digestive cycles. Blood transports the glucose throughout our body. This glucose provides energy for immediate consumption and also stores as future storage. If there is any imbalance in metabolism, glucose converted into fat and stored into fat cell.

In order to transform glucose into energy, cells require a hormone called insulin. Insulin is produced by the islets of Langerhans present in the pancreas. The pancreas produces sufficient amount of insulin, but the cells of the body cannot utilize the insulin due to some unknown reason. This inability to utilize the insulin by the cells is known as insulin insufficiency.

Over several years, the pancreas due to non-utilization of insulin stops or reduces its production of insulin. The glucose remains in the blood unutilized, and increases the level of sugar in the blood. Your cells are not getting required energy. Extra glucose is taken up by the urinary system and thrown out of the body along with urine.

Thus the main fuel of the body is thrown out while the cells desperately needing glucose, starve and become weak, causing fatigue, nausea, and vomiting besides other complex conditions like vascular degeneration, nervous tension, renal failure, diabetic retinopathy, gum infection, necrosis of cells of extremities requiring amputation, and ischemic attacks including but not limited to myocardial infarction.

Type 2 diabetes increases your risk other serious complications. Some complications of type 2 diabetes include: cardiovascular disease, retinopathy, nerve damage, and kidney problem.

Do I Have A Type 2 Diabetes Symptom?
So, how do you know if you are having type 2 diabetes symptoms? What may be happening is that they associate the type 2 diabetes symptom as an illness of another kind, or they may be at the beginning stages of the disease. In case you suspect that you have a type 2 diabetes symptom, there are other things that need to be considered.

The most typical symptoms are increased thirst or hunger, weight loss, fatigue, increased urination, blurred vision and sores that do not heal by themselves. It may be nothing, but it is better to attack type 2 diabetes symptom at the beginning.

Early detection of diabetes based on the symptoms or regular check up with Diabetes Prevention Centre can prevent further damage of your internal organs by proper medication. Research has demonstrated that people at risk for type 2 diabetes can prevent or delay developing type 2 diabetes by losing a little weight. The research results showed that moderate diet changes and exercise can delay and prevent type II diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms
Did you know that a third of all people that have diabetes are not aware that they have diabetes? Symptoms may seem tolerable, and most people just move on and don't pay attention to the bodies warning signals. Know you have diabetes or if you are pre diabetic, is important because you can start improving your life style and making the necessary changes to lessen the effects of diabetes in the future.

Sometimes people experience type 2 diabetes symptoms but don't get a check up, since these systems can just be overlooked. Take a look at some of the symptoms that are associated with type 2 diabetes.

• Feeling thirsty.
• Feeling cranky.
• Lots of infections and cuts and bruises that heal slowly.
• Blurred vision.
• Lots of skin, gum, or bladder infections.
• Vaginal yeast infections.

It is important to find out early if you have diabetes because treatment can prevent damage to the body from diabetes. Even though type 2 diabetes is commonly associated with being over weight that does not mean that just because you are not overweight you are safe from having type 2 diabetes. Also, type 2 diabetes usually arises in adult years, but children can also be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Sometimes Type 2 diabetes develops so slowly that you do not have symptoms until you already have some more serious problems from the disease. Many people are pre diabetic, when blood sugar levels are above normal but not high enough to have diabetes, for years before they know they’ve develop Type 2 diabetes.

If you suspect you are experiencing any of these symptoms, go see your doctor. If you are diagnosed with diabetes, work with your doctor and follow your treatment plan. This usually consists of a healthy diet, regular exercise and checking your glucose levels more often. Working closely with your doctor can help you feel better and in more control of diabetes. With your treatment plan you can help delay or even prevent serious health complications by keeping your blood sugar under control.

As the name suggests, diabetic neuropathy is a nerve disorder caused by diabetes. Over many years, diabetic patients suffer damage to nerves all over the body. The longer a person has been diabetic, the greater the danger of diabetic neuropathy. Such nerve damage can manifest itself anywhere in the body, such as the digestive system, sex organs, or heart. It can lead to lack of sensation, tingling in the hands, arms, feet or legs. It is estimated that more than 50 percent of people who have diabetes are affected by some type of neuropathy, and maximum rates of neuropathy are amongst the populace who have had diabetes for close to 25 years. Nerve damage, in the case of diabetic neuropathy, is caused by a combination of factors. The most important would be high blood glucose, high blood fat levels, having been diabetic for a long time, and low levels of insulin. Damage to blood vessels that carry oxygen, swelling of nerves, mechanical injuries, habits such as smoking or drinking alcohol are some other reasons.

Other symptoms could be urinary troubles, impotence or vaginal aridness; nausea, indigestion, giddiness, diarrhea and vomiting. There are different classifications of diabetic neuropathy: peripheral neuropathy, autonomic neuropathy, proximal neuropathy and focal neuropathy. Each type affects specific parts of the body in different ways. Peripheral neuropathy causes deadness or pain to the outermost parts of the body: hands, feet, arms and legs. Autonomic neuropathy affects nerves associated with involuntary functions of the body, like heart beat and digestion. Proximal neuropathy causes pain in central parts of the body, in thighs, hips and buttocks, and may also weaken legs. The last type, focal neuropathy, could cause an abrupt dysfunction of a nerve or a cluster of nerves causing double vision, failure to focus, and other muscular weaknesses. It ought to be noted that any nerve in the body can be affected.

The primary aim of a treatment would be to relieve pain. Treatments would deal with maintaining safe blood glucose levels with the assistance of diets and drugs. Care should be taken to protect the feet - a significant component of the treatment. Diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy is essentially reliant on how well diabetes is handled. Good treatment could prevent the development of diabetic neuropathy, but once present, diabetic neuropathy has no cure. Pain caused by diabetic neuropathy is so brutal that a secondary diabetic symptom is often depression.

Diabetic Neuropathy Causes and Remedies to Help You Ease the Pain
Diabetes neuropathy has caused me pain in my feet for quite some time. Maybe seven or eight months of tingling in my lower extremities have on occasion I had severe pain. Before my condition got worse I started to reverse the tide after seeing an Acupuncturist who pointed me in the right direction. I will share what worked for me later in this article.

Diabetes neuropathy causes and symptoms.
Diabetic neuropathy is nerve damage. Diabetes neuropathy usually appears in your legs and feet. If you have had diabetes for an extended period of time it is likely that you will get neuropathy. Tingling feeling in your limbs will be one of the symptoms of this form of diabetes. Internally, if your organs in your body are disturbed by neurology suffer from vomiting, diarrhea, bloating and abdominal pain. You may also be ill with sexual problems, dizziness, weakness and urinary concerns.

Diabetic neuropathy has a few different classes.
There are three kinds of diabetic neuropathy, with peripheral neuropathy being the most common. Peripheral reduces capability to sense pain temperature, touch and vibration in distinct areas of your body. If you have peripheral you probably are being affected in the lower parts of your legs and in your feet. Potential problems include ulcers bone and joint defects and infection.

The nerves control the involuntary workings of your body. These include heartbeat, sweating, digestion, urination and some sexual functions. If these are your issues then there may have been some damage to the nerves that control those tasks. Autonomic neuropathy is also very common.

Focal neuropathy affects a single nerve. Usually it is in the foot, thigh or wrist. The single nerve may also affect your eyesight if it is one of the nerves that control eyesight in your back or chest.

Visiting your health care provider would make sense. You may need a neurological examination or an electromyogram (EMG) to determine what is the problem. Knowing what to treat is part of the treatment.

My diet has changed to one of all raw foods. So far I have been eating uncooked fruits, vegetables and some nuts for three weeks as of May 5, 2007. I am experiencing relief. There is less pain and less of a tingling feeling in my lower extremities. Hey, I am getting petty good diversifying salads I am making. Beating diabetes naturally. That's the ticket. Grab your free information. It is in the author's area of this article.

For everyone who is diabetic it is very important to be aware of his or her blood glucose readings and never fail to keep up with them. This tracking of blood glucose readings usually requires a whole armory of diabetic testing supplies. Diabetics should always have on hand these diabetic supplies. The common diabetic supplies include an accurate glucometer, alcohol wipes, lancets, and test strips.

Depending on the type of your insurance, you may be able to choose where to take your diabetic supplies. For example, at first Medicare and Medicaid will cover the expenses for your diabetic supplies. The trick is that if you happen to damage your diabetic supplies, they may not allow you to take more diabetic supplies for a certain period. So, if you lose your diabetic supplies or if you destroy them in any way, you will not be able to take new diabetic supplies. If you have insurance, it will cover most of the expenses for the diabetic supplies. However, if you have no insurance, the diabetic supplies will be at your expenses. Nowadays, online medical stores are available. Such stores are libertymedical.com, diabeticsupplies.com and diabeticexpress.com. They all offer diabetic supplies at low price. In addition, they offer answers to any question you may ask about their products.

Most of these online shopping companies offer free delivery for their products. If you prefer to buy your diabetic medications together with the diabetic supplies, you can order them online with the new service the company Liberty Medical offers. The prescription medications service is available in order not to waste time by shopping online.

I think it is not necessary to remind how important for every diabetic is to have diabetic supplies available. Ask your physician about the regular basis of the blood glucose levels. Then, keep your blood glucose levels on this regular basis, as this is the only way to control this chronic disease. Monitoring of blood glucose levels is only possible with diabetic supplies. Your diabetic supplies should be always somewhere around you.

It is very important to test your blood glucose levels often enough. If the blood glucose levels are either too high or too low, something must be done. For insulin dependant diabetics the blood glucose reading is necessary because in this way they get to know what quantity of insulin is needed. You can be sure that diabetic treatment is working only by blood glucose testing.

Testing is best way to cope with the diabetic disease and that is why having on hand enough diabetic supplies is so important. Of course, some diabetic medications and food diabetic diets will be necessary but can only be sure that they are effective if you test your blood glucose levels with your diabetic supplies. With proper diabetic supplies, diabetes is an entirely manageable disease.

Diabetic Supplies and Medicare
Diabetes is a disease whereby the body does not produce insulin or cannot use the insulin it creates effectively. Insulin reduces the amount of glucose in the blood. A high glucose level in the blood is harmful to the body and indicates that the body can't convert glucose into energy that it needs to function. Consequently diabetics with type 1 diabetes have to monitor their glucose levels and inject insulin into the body to perform this function. Diabetics with type 2 diabetes also have to monitor their condition but don't have to inject insulin. They might take medication that makes the body more responsive to the insulin that their body creates or simply exercise regularly and eat a specialized diet. As yet there is no cure for diabetes so this treatment and care is a lifelong task. This article will outline some of the supplies needed to treat diabetes and how Medicare helps with the costs of the supplies.

Medicare and Diabetes
Medicare is a Federal health insurance program run by the Health Care Financing Administration of the Department of Health and Human Services. Medicare covers people over 65 and people with disabilities. It comes in two forms: Part A and Part B.

Part A Medicare covers costs like hospital bills, nursing homes and hospices. Most people eligible for Medicare get Part A for no cost. Part B is concerned with diagnostic and screening tests and medical supplies and equipment. Most people eligible for Medicare have to pay a monthly premium to receive the benefits of Medicare Part B. Screening for diabetes is free under Medicare. Diabetic testing supplies like a glucose monitor, testing strips and lancets are covered by Part B of Medicare. You pay 20% of the Medicare approved cost for these items. Before you can take advantage of this saving you have to get a certified statement from your health care provider. This can be given to the pharmacy where you get your supplies from along with a Medicare claim.

Training and education on treating diabetes is also covered by Part B. Your health care provider must approve that you need assistance with your management of diabetes. You will pay 20% of the costs of the approved Medicare programs.

Medicare does not cover things like insulin, syringes, insulin pumps or diabetic medication.

Diabetic symptoms are generally the result of these blood sugar level fluctuations. Diabetic symptoms are mirrored in Type I and Type II diabetes with only a few exceptions.

Type I diabetes, or insulin dependent diabetes, produces such diabetic symptoms as unusual thirst and increased urination, extreme hunger, unexplained weight loss, blurry vision, and unrelieved fatigue. Type II diabetes, also known as insulin resistance, is characterized by diabetic symptoms such as unusually long healing time, nerve damage, red and swollen gums, extreme fatigue and weakness (flu-like symptoms), in addition to the symptoms of Type I diabetes. Most individuals who suffer from diabetes, ninety to ninety-five percent, have Type II diabetes.

As mentioned above, diabetic symptoms are the result of the body’s inability to produce or to use insulin. Maintaining abnormally high or abnormally low levels of glucose in the blood can cause a host of symptoms that range from merely unpleasant to life-threatening. Because glucose is a major source of fuel for the body, its body’s ability to process this fuel efficiently is very important. When the body fails to process or produce glucose properly, the organs and bodily systems (the brain, kidneys, liver, cardiovascular system, muscles) that rely on glucose are adversely affected.

Diabetic symptoms may result from blood sugar that is too low or from blood sugar that is too high. Diabetic symptoms that result from persistent hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) include increased thirst and urination and can result in serious kidney problems up to and including kidney failure. Too much glucose in the blood reduces the amount of water in the body’s cells and results in extreme thirst. The water consumed is then excreted through the kidneys along with the excess blood glucose. Blurred vision is also a result of this imbalance in water stores. Because glucose is the body’s fuel, being deprived of that fuel, either because the body cannot process the glucose or because the body fails to maintain the proper levels of glucose, muscles can become tired and weak for lack of fuel causing the individual to feel fatigued. Because the muscles are deprived of fuel, the individual may feel excessively hungry (the body’s signal that the muscles need fuel) but may lose weight despite normal or above normal food consumption because glucose is expelled in the urine as opposed to being used to fuel the muscles resulting in the actual wasting away of muscle and fat. Abnormally high or abnormally low blood sugar levels will affect the brain and the processes it regulates. Diabetic symptoms are really a domino effect resulting from extreme fluctuations in blood glucose levels.

All of the diabetic symptoms can be successfully managed using a rigorous self-care plan of diet, exercise and insulin. Careful monitoring of blood glucose levels will help prevent complications of diabetes such as blindness, kidney failure, nerve damage, cardiovascular disease, infections, seizures, coma, and even death. The successful management of diabetic symptoms requires constant vigilance and self-education to recognize when the symptoms may need more than self care and trip to the doctor or hospital is advised. Individuals who are intent on managing their diabetes will find a wealth of information designed to ease the transition to a diabetic lifestyle.

Diabetes Symptoms in Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes
In diabetes, the symptoms can vary depending on whether a person has type one or type two diabetes. Before diagnosis the symptoms may be more obvious, but after treatment and the glucose levels are more stabilized, diabetic symptoms will often reduce or go away.

However, type 2 diabetes can be sometimes so subtle that there are no noticeable symptoms, and hence is only diagnosed with a blood test. In this article, let's look at the symptoms can be present in diabetes, both type 1 (insulin dependent) and type 2 (non insulin dependent) diabetes.

The symptoms on type 1 diabetes
In type 1 or insulin dependent diabetes, the symptoms are serious and very severe when the illness starts.
The symptoms include the following:

1. Excessive thirst and excessive drinking
2. Excessive urination, otherwise known as polyuria
3. Loss of weight
4. Excessive hunger and eating. Notice how it's a condition where despite eating more, there's weight loss.
5. Feeling unwell, getting infections
6. And type 1 diabetes can present as diabetic ketoacidosis. In this state, the sugar levels are very high, there's acidosis in the blood, and even collapse and coma.

Treatment is needed in type 1 diabetes and can't be reversed with 'lifestyle changes'.

The symptoms on type 2 diabetes
The symptoms in type 2 diabetes include the following:

1. Increased thirst and drinking
2. Increased urination
3. Recurrent infections such as skin infections egg fungal or bacterial amongst others
4. Long term complications of diabetes.

Long term consequences of diabetes include heart conditions, deteriorating eye health, kidney disease, peripheral vascular disease (blockages to arteries in egg the legs causing pain in the legs during walking), and peripheral nerve disease.

Many people at risk of type 2 diabetes are also overweight and have other associated conditions such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia.
In type 1 especially, the symptoms are serious and can be life threatening. It's important to seek medical care immediately.
In type 2 diabetes, it can present with similar symptoms or sometimes more subtle symptoms.

The health burden caused by diabetes mellitus, known to most simply as diabetes, is growing which is forcing the diabetes community to respond with one of three choices. The first choice is to prevent diabetes, the second is to cure it, and the third is to take care of the people who have it in order to prevent complications which can be devastating. All three approaches are actively being pursued by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the CDC, or Center for Disease Control.

The National Institutes of Health is involved especially in doing research of methods to cure both type 1 diabetes, and type 2 diabetes, but they are focusing on type 1 diabetes. The general idea is that if every piece of important research and science is made meaningful in the day-to-day lives of people who are dealing with diabetes, then the research is not wasted.

• Transplantation of the Pancreas.
• Transplantation of Islet cells which produce insulin.
• Development of an artificial Pancreas.
• Genetic Manipulation, which will create pseudo islet cells by inserting the human insulin gene into fat or muscle cells which do not normally make their own insulin.

These approaches are still facing challenges, like preventing rejection by the immune system, finding enough adequate insulin cells, keeping transplanted cells alive, etc. Is Insulin a Cure?
No, insulin is not a cure for diabetes, and neither is injecting it. Insulin can allow a diabetic to survive, but many devastating consequences can be caused by the disease when the blood sugar level is crudely controlled. The insulin injections a diabetic takes cannot be as precisely or as continuously adjusted to maintain sugar levels that are safe, in the way that blood sugar and insulin levels match normally. The diabetic can risk a dramatic injection of insulin when blood sugar levels are too low. These reactions can include loss of consciousness, confusion, coma and even possibly death if not handled properly. When the injected insulin is below the amount that is required, the diabetic’s blood sugar can rise to cause damage to the diabetic’s eyes, heart, nerves, kidneys and blood vessels. Insulin is not a cure for diabetes, because it does not restore the diabetic’s ability to adjust their production of insulin every minute, which is a normal part of living.

Natural Cure for Diabetes
Food Therapy should be followed under the supervision from your doctor. Check your sugar level frequently so that sugar levels do not go beyond the recommended level.

Foods to avoid
It is always advisable to avoid some foods if you are diabetic such as refined sugar, sweets, syrups, glucose, jam, molasses, fruit sugar, ice-cream, cakes, pastries, sweet biscuits, chocolates, soft drinks, condensed milk, cream and fried foods. Fats like butter, ghee and hydrogenated vegetable oil should also be avoided. White sugar and white flour should be reduced drastically. Avoid all processed foods, junk food, pastries, and cookies, canned and preserved foods. They contain harmful preservatives and lot of salt. Avoid soft drinks since these have a lot of sugar. Try to avoid fried foods from your diet. Smoking results in the using up of oxygen in the body. So smoking should be avoided.

Foods to be limited
Salt consumption should be reduced to a minimum. You will get enough salt form the vegetables and fruits you eat. Reduce animal foods especially red meats. Reduce poultry and egg. Reduce caffeine and alcohol. Do not drink tea and coffee more than 2 cups a day. Try to replace it with green tea or herbal teas like Parsley tea, Blueberry leaf, Tea made of tender walnut tree leaves, Water in which kidney bean pods have been cooked is good diabetes.

Do not consume alcohol in empty stomach. Alcohol on an empty stomach can cause low blood glucose or hypoglycemia. Foods that should be consumed in moderation are honey and other natural sugars like palm sugar, dates which can be used instead of white sugar. Remember these should be consumed in very little quantity only. Pasta, coconut, other nuts, unsweetened juices, eggs should be limited. You can replace it with whole grain, unpolished rice and Soya products. Try to eat whole grain bread instead of white flour. Fats like olive oil and peanut oil are more advisable that hydrogenated fats. Low fat food like skimmed milk and low fat home made cottage cheese can be taken in moderation. Sea food and fish also can be taken in moderation.

Foods to be taken
Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.
An alkaline diet with natural food is recommended. Wholegrain, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and dairy products form a good diet for the diabetic. Raw vegetables can be taken in high quantities. It has been found that cooked foods raise blood glucose higher than raw, unpeeled foods. Cooking destroys many of the enzymes and some vitamins and minerals.

Eat at least five fruits every day. Fruits like grape fruit, pomegranate juice, Indian blackberry, banana, granny smith apples, fig, cranberries, black berry, kiwi fruits, and citrus fruits are highly recommended. Cucumber, Lettuce, onion, garlic string beans cucumber radish, tomato, carrot, leaves; spinach turnip, cabbage and Jerusalem artichoke are good for diabetes. Colorful vegetables are good for the functioning of pancreas. Drink Fruit juices without sugar. Brewer’s yeast and sprouted alfalfa and mug beans are good for the body. Unripe banana also can be cooked and eaten.

The most important of all is eating high fiber diet which lowers need for insulin. It releases energy into the body slowly. It has also been found that diabetes decreases and may even disappear in people eating a high fiber or whole food diet. High fiber diet has more chromium and chromium is very good for people with diabetes.

Eat lot of potassium rich foods like raw peanuts, tomato, bananas, melons, dried peas, potatoes, apple cider vinegar, skimmed milk powder, wheat but do not take potassium supplements.

Include soluble fiber in your meals like barley, oatmeal, almond meal, dried beans, kidney beans, cooked black beans, peas, cereals, chickpeas, Bengal gram which has low glycemic index, , Black gram, lentils and corn or garbanzo beans to helps considerably in reducing blood sugar levels. Soy products like tofu, Tempe, soymilk, soya powder, soy bean sprouts, nuggets etc are also very good in containing neurological complications in diabetes. When you eat lots of bread, cereal and starchy vegetables you will get enough of starches which are very helpful for diabetes. Insoluble fibers, found in bran (oat bran, wheat bran), whole grain breads, whole grains and nuts, act as intestinal scrubbers by cleaning out the lower gastrointestinal tract.

Butter milk and yoghurt diet are very beneficial.

Helpful herbs and vegetables

1. Bitter Gourd (Karela): Bitter gourd Momordica-charantia or bitter melon juice contains plant insulin and should be taken 2 ounce 2 times daily on an empty stomach. Take bitter gourd powder I teaspoon daily in empty stomach.
2. Taking half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day may help prevent the onset of diabetes.
3. 30 gram fenugreek seeds can be soaked in a glass of water at night and after 12 hours take it and grind it into a paste with the soaked water and drink it on a empty stomach. or 2 teaspoon if powdered seeds can be taken with water or milk.
4. Eating up to 3 grapefruits a day has also been helpful.
5. 1 tablespoon of alma (Embolic officinal’s) after removing the seeds extract the juice and mix with a cup of bitter gourd juice and take daily for 2months in a empty stomach.
6. Indian blackberry seeds or Jamun seed powder (scientific name of Jamun is Eugenia jambolana or Syzygium cumini L and) is very good for diabetes. Take 1/4th teaspoon with 1 tea soon honey for 50 days.
7. Eating freshly crushed raw garlic 3-4 grams a day lowers blood sugar.
8. Neem seeds daily 2 times a pinch. Taking a gram of neem leaf daily helps in diabetes.
9. Bael (Aegle marmelos): The leave of the bale tree when chewed are very useful in diabetes. Pulp of this fruit could be dried and taken in doses of 5 to 10 Gms a day.
10. A pinch of pure turmeric powders mixed in amla juice (Indian goose berry) and eat daily in empty stomach.
11. Use of turmeric and gooseberry in equal quantities in powder form taken with warm water is very useful in this behalf. These activate the pancreatic cells and more insulin is produced.
12. Wild jeerakam cumin seeds black colored 60 gm in 1 liter and boil a reduce it 1/4th liter and take half divide it into two equal parts and drink one part in the morning and one in the evening 2 times daily.
13. Grind (Bacopa monnieri) Bhrahmi and add a teaspoon of it to milk and drink.

Vitamins that help
Supplements in natural forms are more conducive to the body.
Magnesium supplementation has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity.
Vitamin C: 500 mg is recommended. Vitamin E: This vitamin is very valuable for diabetes.
Chromium: Whole grains, seeds, mushrooms, corn oil and brewer’s yeast are relatively good sources of biologically valuable chromium.
Vitamin A:
Vitamin B: Avoid large dosage of vitamin B because this vitamin interferes with the absorption of insulin by cells.
Controlling your Weight is the best way to treat diabetes. Exercise improves the body's response to insulin. Walking, light games, jogging and swimming are also good.

Yoga can help a lot. Yogic asana like Siddhasana, Vajrasana, Talasana, and Yastikasana, like Yogamudra, Hastapadasana, Paschimottanasana, Chakrasana, Ustrasana, Bhujangasana, Sarvangasana and Viparitakarani, as halasana, shalabhasana, dhanurasana, Pratipaksabhavana and shavasana will also be beneficial.

Diabetes is an unceasing disease associated with abnormally high levels of sugar in the blood. People with diabetes should avoid using nicotinic acid. It is an unpredictable disease which causes a high glucose level and can cause kidney failure - this develops in about 20% of all patients with diabetes. High blood sugar also called diabetes mellitus. Diabetes can occur when your body doesn't make enough insulin to keep your blood sugar controlled. This is called Type I diabetes. In overweight individuals, diabetes is often caused by insulin resistance, where insulin levels may be elevated, but the body's tissues are resistant to its effects. This is also known as Type II diabetes. Diet acts an important role in controlling the diabetes.

The diabetic diet may be used alone or else in combination with insulin doses or with oral hypoglycemic drugs. Main objective of diabetic diet is to maintain ideal body weight, by providing adequate nutrition along with normal blood sugar levels in blood. The diet plan for a diabetic is based on height, weight, age, sex, physical activity and nature of diabetes. While planning diet, the dietician has to consider complications such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels. Here the patients require something which can provide all the information about the calories, sugar level that can calculate the calories and sugar level.

• Effective diabetic-management requires a healthy regular lifestyle which should include-Working towards obtaining ideal body weight
• Regular balanced diet & following a diabetic diet
• Regular exercise
• Sensible weight control

Diabetic medication if needed
Diabetes can be controlled by the daily activities, patient should know that what, when, and how much eating will affect the blood glucose level.

Eat at about the same times each day. Make sure the gaps between your meals are short. Exercise at the same times each day. Drink a lot of water that will help flush the toxins off your system.

Every day, choose foods from these food groups: starches, vegetables, fruit, meat and meat substitutes, and milk and yogurt. There are many types of equipment or calorie counter that provides the all counts which are required. Patients need to check nutrition information, sugar level and other things that generate the diet according to all these information.

Type 2 Diabetes Diet, What You Should Know
Type 2 diabetes, often characterized as adult onset diabetes, is the most frequently occurring form. It develops when the cells of a body fail to attain enough insulin for proper functioning. This can a couple of ways: Either the body stops creating insulin at a fast enough rates or the cells build up a resistance to insulin. With the cells lacking insulin major organs such as your eyes, nerves or even heart will not have enough energy to maintain themselves ultimately resulting in long term damages.

People with type 2 diabetes are required to lead a healthy eating lifestyle in order to keep their blood sugar levels in control. A healthy type 2 diabetes diet should provide your body with enough time for food processing. The following shows a healthy type 2 diabetes diet plan.

Eating plenty of vegetables and fruits is high on the list of dietary changes. These foods contain more nutrients, more fiber and less sugar and starches. Non-starchy vegetables, such as green beans, cucumbers and broccoli, and leafy greens like spinach or kale, are your best choice.

If you decide to eat grains, choose unprocessed whole grain foods which are better than highly processed foods. Be sure that you read the label, since many whole grain products may in fact contain processed grain. Whole grain releases its sugar more slowly than processed grain that evens out blood glucose. They also have more nutritive elements such as minerals and vitamins.

Diet plans for diabetes should balance out sugar and starch intake against protein, all while avoiding too much fat. Limit chips, cookies, cakes, and other foods and drinks with high calories. These foods can cause a sudden rise in blood glucose. This sudden rise can be problematic for the body. Choose water or other low-calorie alternatives over soft drinks which contain a high level of sugar and a low level of nutrients.

Your type 2 diabetes diet should include watching your portion sizes and balancing your intake. At your meals, make sure half of your plate is filled with non-starchy vegetables. The other half should be split between your protein (such as meat, fish or tofu) and whole grains, pasta, potatoes, corn or peas. This will help ensure balanced nutrition.

The recommended diet for diabetics balances sugar and starch intake with healthy, nutritious foods. Your type 2 diabetes diet can help you avoid the worst damage to your body and maintain wellness for a long and healthy life.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus - diabetes, for short. This chemical disorder disrupts the body's ability to utilize certain nutrients, primarily a blood sugar called glucose.
Treatment for diabetes is made more difficult because a person can have the disease a long time before it is diagnosed. "Because the early symptoms are relatively mild," notes Asia week magazine, "diabetes often goes unrecognized." Hence, diabetes has been dubbed the silent killer.

Why Serious
Diabetes has been called "a disorder of the very engine of life," and for good reason. When the body cannot metabolize glucose, a number of vital mechanisms can break down, sometimes with life-threatening consequences. "People don't die directly from diabetes," says Dr. Harvey Katzeff, "they die from complications. We do a good job of preventing complications, but a poor job of treating [them] once they occur."

Diet and Exercise
Although Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented; scientists are studying the genetic risk factors and are trying to find ways to suppress an immune attack. "With type 2, the picture is much brighter," says the book Diabetes - Caring for Your Emotions as Well as Your Health. Underscoring the value of exercise, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported on a large study involving women. The study found that "a single bout of physical activity increases insulin-mediated glucose uptake [by the body's cells] for more than 24 hours." Hence, the report concludes that "both walking and vigorous activity are associated with substantial reductions in risk of type 2 diabetes in women." One reason is that diabetes can damage the vascular system and nerves, thus affecting blood circulation and feeling.

Insulin Therapy
many with diabetes must supplement their diet and exercise program with daily testing of glucose levels along with multiple insulin injections. As a result of improved health through diet and a good routine of exercise, some with Type 2 diabetes have been able, at least for a time, to discontinue insulin therapy. Karen, who has Type 1 diabetes, found that exercise increases the efficiency of the insulin she injects. If insulin is needed, however, there is no reason for the sufferer to feel discouraged. "Going on insulin does not imply failure on your part," says Mary Ann, a registered nurse who cares for a number of diabetes patients. "Whatever form of diabetes you have, if you carefully control your blood sugar, you will minimize other health problems later." In fact, a recent study revealed that people with Type 1 who kept strict control of their blood-sugar levels "had drastic reductions in the occurrence of diabetic eye, kidney, and nerve diseases." The risk of eye disease (retinopathy), for instance, was cut by 76 percent! Those with Type 2 who keep tight control of their blood-sugar levels enjoy similar benefits.

To make insulin therapy easier and less traumatic, syringes and insulin pens - the most common tools used - have micro fine needles that give minimal discomfort. Other methods of injection include automatic injectors that shoot a needle into the skin painlessly, jet injectors that literally fire insulin through the skin by means of a fine jet blast, and infusers that employ a catheter that stays in place for two or three days. About the size of a pocket pager, the insulin pump has gained popularity in recent years. This programmable device dispenses insulin through a catheter at a steady rate according to the body's daily needs, making insulin administration more precise and convenient.

Keep Learning
All told, there is no blanket therapy for diabetes. "Even though you may be under the care of a medical team," says Mary Ann, "you are in the driver's seat." In fact, the journal Diabetes Care states: "Medical treatment of diabetes without systematic self-management education can be regarded as substandard and unethical care."

The more those with diabetes learn about their disease, the better equipped they will be to manage their health and increase their prospects of living a longer, healthier life.

The Role of Glucose
Glucose fuels the body's trillions of cells. To enter the cells, however, it needs a "key" - insulin, a chemical released by the pancreas. With Type 1 diabetes, insulin is simply not available. With Type 2, the body makes insulin but usually not enough. Moreover, the cells are reluctant to let insulin in - a condition called insulin resistance. With both forms of diabetes, the result is the same: hungry cells and dangerous levels of sugar in the blood.

In Type 1 diabetes, a person's immune system attacks the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Hence, Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease and is sometimes called immune-mediated diabetes. Factors that can trigger an immune reaction include viruses, toxic chemicals, and certain drugs. Genetic makeup may also be implicated, for Type 1 diabetes often runs in families, and it is most common among Caucasians.

With Type 2 diabetes, the genetic factor is even stronger but with a greater occurrence among non-Caucasians. Australian Aborigines and Native Americans are among the most affected, the latter having the highest rate of Type 2 diabetes in the world. Researchers are studying the relationship between genetics and obesity, as well as the way excess fat seems to promote insulin resistance in genetically susceptible people. Unlike Type 1, Type 2 diabetes occurs mainly in those who are over 40 years of age.

About 90 percent of those with diabetes have Type 2. Previously, this was referred to as "non-insulin dependent" or "adult onset" diabetes. However, these terms are imprecise, for up to 40 percent of those with Type 2 diabetes requires insulin. Furthermore, an alarming number of young people - some not even in their teens - are being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

According to the book The Unofficial Guide to Living with Diabetes, "the healthy pancreas performs a continuous and exquisite balancing act, managing to sustain smooth, stable blood-sugar levels by releasing just the right amount of insulin as glucose levels wax and wane throughout the day." Beta cells within the pancreas are the source of the hormone insulin.

When beta cells fail to produce enough insulin, glucose builds up in the blood, causing hyperglycemia. The opposite - low blood sugar - is called hypoglycemia. In concert with the pancreas, the liver helps manage blood-sugar levels by storing excess glucose in a form called glycogen. When commanded by the pancreas, the liver converts glycogen back into glucose for use by the body.

The Role of Sugar
it is a common misconception that eating a lot of sugar causes diabetes. Medical evidence shows that getting fat - regardless of sugar intake - increases the risk among genetically susceptible individuals. Still, eating too much sugar is unhealthy, since it provides poor nutrition and contributes to obesity.

Another misconception is that people with diabetes have an abnormal craving for sugar. When it is not controlled, diabetes can lead to hunger - but not necessarily for sugar. People with diabetes can eat sweets, but they must factor their sugar intake into their overall diet plan.

How to Manage the Symptoms of Diabetes
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, it is vital that you follow your doctor's instructions precisely. Poorly controlled diabetes can cause major complications including blindness, kidney disease, heart disease, amputations, neuropathy and numerous other serious problems.

Typically, the first goal of any newly-diagnosed diabetic is to learn how to control their blood sugar level. Frequent testing of blood glucose with a glucometer is essential for knowing whether your glucose levels are within normal ranges or not.

Regular testing will enable you to recognize patterns of highs and lows and how they correlate with certain types of activities or foods you have eaten. This will help both you and your doctor understand how to manage the medications you may be prescribed.

Eating a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight is essential to controlling diabetes. Therefore managing what you eat and how much exercise you get is of crucial importance. While there is no known cure for diabetes, the disease can be effectively controlled, making it possible for diabetics to live a normal, functional life. Failure to control it however, can lead to disability and death.

So, what steps can you take to make it easier to manage your diabetes? Keep a journal of any symptom that you may encounter. For instance, when you measure your blood glucose levels, make a note in a journal. Then on a regular basis keep track of any changes in these symptoms.

Once a diet, exercise regimen, and course of treatment have been prescribed for you, keep another journal in which you describe the results. Have the symptoms improved? Is it helping the symptoms? Are there any side effects? Keep track of when side effects occur and how severe they are. Having this information handy will help your doctor prescribe the treatment that best addresses your overall health.

You can use a paper worksheet, a computer word processing program, or even a spreadsheet program like Excel.

You owe it to yourself to take an active role in managing your own health. Diabetes has the potential to be terribly debilitating or even fatal. However with proper management, it can be controlled.

Diabetes is a disease that results from too much sugar (glucose) in the blood, which means that your body does not have sufficient insulin available to convert food into energy. Insulin is a hormone that helps sugar enter the body's cells and maintains the level of sugar in the blood.

The main concern while monitoring diabetes is to watch that the sugar level does not cross the normal range. This means that one requires cutting down on many types of food and consuming regularly those foods, which are fine at regulating diabetes.

People with diabetes should try to manage a healthy weight and consume a diabetic food that is:

1. Low in fat quantity
2. Low in sugar quantity
3. Low in salt quantity
4. High in fruit and vegetables
5. High in starchy carbohydrate foods, such as bread, chapatti, rice.

There is no such diabetic food that diabetes patients should never eat. In addition, there is no requirement to cut out all sugar. But, people with diabetes should aim and eat only small amounts of foods that are high in sugar, fat.

What foods to eat in Diabetes?

1. People with Diabetes must take lots of fruits and vegetables in which fiber content is very high. Such type of food lessens the need for insulin, the reason being it releases energy into the body cells slowly. A high fiber diet means more chromium, which is very cooperative in the treatment of diabetes.
2. As for vegetables, onion, garlic, ginger, radish, spinach, kale, cucumber, carrot, tomato, cabbage and cucumber are outstanding in the diabetes treatment. Mooing, kidney beans which have been sprouted, and unripe banana which is cooked, are also advisable.
3. Fenugreek seeds which have been soaked in water are almost fine for diabetic patients and should be included in diabetic food plan.
4. In fruits diet, you can take guava, Indian blackberry (also called jamun), fig, kiwi fruit, apples, citrus fruits and pomegranate juice. As, fruit juice is high in fructose (fruit sugar) and can cause blood sugar levels to rise rapidly, it’s excellent for diabetics to drink fruit juice with a meal and avoid having more than one small glass a day.
5. Substitute white sugar with palm sugar, dates and honey, if you desire to have something sweet.
6. Fats like olive oil and peanut oil should be included in diabetes food plan.
7. Eat non-fat dairy foodstuffs such as skim milk, non-fat yogurt and non-fat cheese, plain yoghurt.
8. Some herbs and vegetables are specially prescribed for diabetes, like Bitter Gourd and bitter melon juice.

What to avoid?

1. Processed foods, white sugar, white flour and junk food, must be completely avoided. Avoid sweets, glucose, fruit sugar, cakes, ice cream, chocolates and soft drinks.
2. Avoid smoking and alcohol as far as achievable.
3. Try to give up from sweets, ice-creams and chocolates, including the so-called sugar-free kinds.
4. Foods made from white flour, rye, corn, polished rice, bread, cakes, biscuits, pies.
5. Cottage cheese
6. Avoid commercially package foods such as fast foods, chips, ready-to-eat foods, snack foods and "health foods."

Some useful tips you should remember while eating out

• You should give preference to water and calorie-free "diet" drinks instead of regular soda, fruit mock tails, sweet tea and sugar-sweetened drinks
• You must avoid creamy toppings like mayonnaise as far as possible.
• Try to eat high-fat topping salads, dressings, cheeses, and croutons.
• Choose a thin-crust pizza with more vegetable toppings but limit yourself to one or two slices. Left the extra cheese, which add calories, fat, and sodium.
• Finish your meal with sugar-free, fat-free frozen simple yogurt or a little cone of fat-free yogurt.

Diabetes Foods and Nutritional Requirements for Diabetics
Diet plays an important role in managing diabetes. This article will help you know about the diabetes foods and nutritional requirements for diabetics.

Diabetes Foods
• Foods that can be eaten as much as one wants – Green leafy vegetables, fruits except banana, lemon; clear soups, onion, salads, mint, spices, plain coffee or tea, skimmed and butter milk.
• Foods that can be eaten in moderation – Fats, meat, egg, cereals and pulses
• Foods to be avoided – Simple sugars (glucose, syrup, sweets and honey), dried fruits, cake, fried foods, candy, alcohol and nuts


Nutritional Requirements for Diabetics

• Carbohydrates – High carbohydrate and high fiber diet improve insulin binding and increase in monocyte insulin receptor binding. High carbohydrate diet is likely to elevate serum triglyceride levels (endogenous cholesterol). Hence carbohydrate is maintained to about 50% of total calories. Most carbohydrates should be in form of polysaccharides such as bread, cereals, beans, etc. Rapidly absorbed mono and disaccharides such as sweets, chocolates and sweetened drink should be avoided.
• Proteins – A diet high in protein is good for the health of diabetics because it supplies the essential amino acids needed for tissue repair. In patients with NIDDM, consumption of protein along with carbohydrate will lower the blood glucose concentration due to amino acid stimulation of insulin secretion; this help to compensate for the defect in glucose mediated insulin secretion seen in so many of these patients. Protein also promotes satiety and helps both types of diabetic patients to adhere to the carbohydrate allowance.
• Fats – Low fat diet increases insulin binding and also reduces LDL and VLDL levels and lowers the incidence of atherosclerosis which is more common in diabetics. Fat content in the diet should be 15-25% of total calories and higher in polyunsaturated fatty acids.
• Dietary Fiber – Diets high in carbohydrate and fiber improve glucose metabolism without increasing insulin secretion. They lower fasting serum and peripheral insulin concentrations in response to oral glucose administration in both diabetic and non-diabetic individuals. Fenugreek seeds which contain high fiber are useful to diabetics.
• Artificial Sweeteners - High content of sugar consumption is undesirable for diabetics and for obese individuals. Non-caloric and high intense sweeteners are available as sugar substitute. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.

Diabetes is a disease that affects millions of people in the U.S. alone. A simplified definition of diabetes is when your body does not produce enough insulin to properly use the right kind of sugar into your bloodstream. This can have devastating effects on the body, as the cells do not get all of the fuel they need for energy and growth. While all of the causes of diabetes are not fully understood, eating raw foods helps to reduce some of the currently known risk factors. Therefore, it makes sense to choose a diet of raw foods whether you have been diagnosed or not.

Dietary needs of diabetics
Diabetics still require the same levels of nutrition as everyone else, maybe even more so. Nutrition is one of the most important elements for controlling diabetes properly. As you will see, following a raw food menu will fit in with diabetic nutritional recommendations. Here are some basic tips on eating right.

Choose a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. (Diabetics may need to limit starchy vegetables)

• Avoid processed grains such as white flour, and white rice.
• Opt for whole grains instead.
• Add lentils and beans (like pinto, garbanzo, or kidney beans) to your diet.
• Eat fish a few times a week.
• Consume non-fat dairy products.
• Reduce high-calorie snacks and like cake, cookies, chips, and ice cream.

Raw foods for diabetes
Most of these recommendations fit in well with the raw food lifestyle. The main difference is that the food would not be cooked, as raw foodists eat raw, uncooked, unprocessed and organic food. Fish and dairy products may or may not be a part of your raw foods diet. People that eat raw foods are already reducing their risk for disease, including diabetes.

If you have diabetes and are thinking about a raw foods program, you can see how it is an ideal choice. A raw food diet helps those with diabetes by sticking to the current dietary guidelines. The reason raw foodists do eat uncooked food is because all of the naturally occurring enzymes. These enzymes promote optimum health and digestion. Diabetes is a serious disease, so be sure to check with doctor before switching to raw foods. Take some time to explain what the raw foods diet is all about. Be sure to continue monitoring your blood sugar level according to your doctor’s instructions. Some diabetics eating raw foods have seen remarkable improvements in their condition.

Eat to Beat Diabetes
When it comes to maintaining good blood sugar levels, a healthy diet is vital. People with diabetes have to take extra care to ensure their diet is properly balanced with their insulin and oral medications.

The right meal plan will help any diabetic improve blood glucose levels, blood pressure and cholesterol numbers.
All diabetics must control their refined carbohydrate intake. These types of carbohydrates increase blood glucose levels. While some promote health, others when eaten often and in large quantities, may increase the risk for diabetes.

Carbohydrates come from a wide array of foods including fruit, vegetables, beans, milk, popcorn, potatoes, cookies, spaghetti and corn. The most common and abundant ones refined in are sugars, fibers and starches. It is advised diabetics avoid white bread, rice and pasta, along with foods containing unnaturally added sugars.

The body will convert all types of refined carbohydrates into glucose. Eating extra servings of rice, pasta and bread will make blood sugar rise.

Diabetics should consume carbohydrate-rich foods close to their natural form. These items have greater vital nutrient density. Whenever possible, replace highly processed grains, cereals and sugars with natural whole-grain products.

Eating complex carbohydrates rich in fiber significantly lower blood sugar levels. It is capable of slowing down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates and increasing the sensitivity of tissues to insulin, thereby preventing rises in blood sugar.

It is recommended diabetics eat 13 fiber-rich servings of fruits, veggies, beans and grains daily. Soluble-fiber rich foods include orange and grapefruit segments, prunes, cantaloupes, papayas, raisins, lima beans, zucchini, oatmeal, oat bran and granola. Other foods high in soluble fiber include barley, peas and strawberries.

The glycemic index system, or GI, is a good guideline for diabetics to follow.
Invented in the early 1980s by University of Toronto researchers, the glycemic index ranks carbohydrate foods by their effects on blood sugar levels.

The GI assigns carbohydrate-containing foods a number based on how they affect blood sugars. The longer the body has to break an item down into glucose, the slower the rise in blood-sugar levels, and the lower the GI. Adding a half a teaspoon of cinnamon to any meal can stabilize blood sugar swings.

Many diabetics also supplement with vitamins, herbs and medicinal teas. Incorporating natural ginseng into a diet can produce positive affects. This herb, which is recognized throughout China to have healing properties, has been known to help improve fasting blood glucose levels and increase insulin secretion.

The easiest method to control diabetes is through proper diet. An eating plan high in fiber and low in refined carbohydrates will ensure the best strategy to beat the disease.

Diabetes seems like an innocent health condition to individuals who do not realize what it is. But there are thousands of people in the world who have to manage with it and control it every day. For a couple they have only had the problem a short while and were able to enjoy their childhood without any concerns. One of the best ways to monitor your diabetes is with the use of a blood glucose monitor. This is a handheld device that can measure your blood glucose levels or blood sugar. This is one of the many things that can induce you to hurt when you are dealing with diabetes and if not controlled the patient will suffer challenging health problems.

Numerous people will grow drained of monitoring their blood glucose levels all day long and sometimes twice a day. It is a process that they would like not to consider all the time. That and the thought of pricking their finger each time is very irritating and unpleasant for many. To help relieve them of this problem research workers were able to create a better way to check it. They produced the continuous blood glucose monitor.

This device is able to analyze your levels through the function of a tiny sensor that is situated underneath the skin. It will be able to moderate the level that is held inside the tissue fluid and offer you a proper reading. This sensor will stay within the skin for a week before it will require be withdrawing and replacing with a new one.

The individual can observe the levels after the sensor has directed the information to a wireless monitor. Continuous glucose monitors are pricey - but they are some of the most precise to utilize.

Diabetes seems like an innocent health condition to individuals who do not realize what it is. But there are thousands of people in the world who have to manage with it and control it every day. One of the best ways to monitor your diabetes is with the use of a blood glucose monitor. This is a handheld device that can measure your blood glucose levels or blood sugar. This is one of the many things that can induce you to hurt when you are dealing with diabetes and if not controlled the patient will suffer challenging health problems.

Numerous people will grow drained of monitoring their blood glucose levels all day long and sometimes twice a day. That and the thought of pricking their finger each time is very irritating and unpleasant for many. To help relieve them of this problem research workers were able to create a better way to check it. They produced the continuous blood glucose monitor.

This device is able to analyze your levels through the function of a tiny sensor that is situated underneath the skin. It will be able to moderate the level that is held inside the tissue fluid and offer you a proper reading. The individual can observe the levels after the sensor has directed the information to a wireless monitor. Continuous glucose monitors are pricey - but they are some of the most precise to utilize.

Diabetic Blood Glucose Monitoring
The most important part of any diabetes symptom management is monitoring blood glucose levels. There are three main ways that glucose levels in the blood can be monitored.

1. Fasting Blood Glucose:
Fasting blood glucose or fasting blood sugar is taken after an eight hour fast and measures the level of glucose in the blood at that time. Depending on the lab conducting the test the normal value of this test should be between 70 to 110 mg/dl. If the diabetes is uncontrolled these fasting glucose levels are much higher then normal.

2. Glycosylated hemoglobin:
Glycosylated hemoglobin (HgbA1c) is produced through a process that is irreversible. Hemoglobin combines with glucose as the red blood cells circulate through the blood stream and forms glycohemoglobin. Depending on the amount of glucose in the blood stream a certain amount of glycohemoglobin is formed during the red blood cells 120 day life span. The more glucose in the blood stream the greater the end value. Short term factors such as food, exercise and stress will not affect this value making it easy to take a blood sample at any time and is much easier then scheduling a fasting blood glucose test.

3. Self-monitoring.
This type of blood glucose test can be done in the diabetics own home with a glucometer or blood glucose meter, which is available for purchase at any pharmacy. This device is used to monitor glucose levels at any time but in particular before and after eating and before bedtime. The glucometer is used with a drop of blood obtained through a finger prick to measure blood glucose levels at specified times during the day. By self monitoring the diabetic can chart their glucose level which is important to maintain glycemic control. Through this method the affects of their meal plan, exercise program and other factors can be evaluated to see if the goal of their medical nutrition therapy is being met.

This allows their doctors and nutritionists to individualize the care plan to the particular diabetic's needs. This makes the older method of offering general diet plans and tear-off diet sheets a thing of the past.

The type of diabetes and treatment that is prescribed will determine the number of times the diabetic will need to test the glucose levels in their blood. Diabetic blood glucose monitoring is the lifeline that allows all diabetics to control their disease and live a normal life.