By Kirsten Whittaker

As if you need one more reason to not smoke... or to avoid the effects of secondhand smoke, a groundbreaking study finds that cigarette smoke brings an increased risk of type II diabetes risk factors, for the smoker and for the non smokers around them. The risk goes up with the amount of secondhand smoke you're exposed to.

Researchers tell us that the risks of developing diabetes from secondhand smoke weren't known before, but that these findings reinforce the lesson that you need to limit your exposure.

Tobacco smoke has over 4,000 chemicals, and more than 60% of them are known to cause cancer.

Secondhand smoke is a combination of two forms of smoke that come from burning tobacco - sidestream smoke (from the end of the lighted cigarette, pipe or cigar) and mainstream smoke (exhaled from the smoker's mouth).

It's the sidestream smoke that has higher concentrations of the cancer causing substances than the smoke that comes from the smoker.

For the research experts examined the responses of over one hundred thousand women to questionnaires answered back in 1982.

The subjects were all female, all nurses taking part in a nationwide study known as the Nurses' Health Study that lasted several decades, supplied information on how much exposure they had to cigarette smoke.

Over the following two decades around one in 18 subjects was diagnosed with type II diabetes.

The team discovered that women smokers who smoked over two packets a day were most at risk of developing diabetes. This meant that for each 10,000 subjects in the study, around 30 of the women classed as heavy smokers were diagnosed with diabetes each year, in comparison with around 25 women who didn't smoke, and hadn't been exposed to others cigarette smoke.

The risks were increased for ex-smokers as well as women who were exposed to secondhand smoke. In both groups, around 40 out of 10,000 women were diagnosed with diabetes each year. Once the research team took factors like weight, age and family medical history into account, the women who used to smoke had a 12% increased risk of diabetes in comparison to those who were exposed to secondhand smoke on a regular basis.

No one is sure why secondhand smoke and type II diabetes might be connected, though inflammation might be a part of the picture.

Type 2 diabetes is the form that normally develops in adults, affecting both men and women equally, and is a chronic condition where the body can't process sugar properly. Sometimes patients can control their condition with diet and exercise, while more advanced disease calls for insulin. Diabetes that goes unmanaged, or poorly managed, brings the risks of many dangerous, life-altering complications.

The researchers believe there's no reason to think the findings would not apply to men because the diabetes risk factors are similar for men and women. Today the danger of the effects of secondhand smoke is well recognized, and federal, state and local authorities are enacting clean indoor air ordinances to protect nonsmokers from health problems, like type 2 diabetes, that may come from exposure to secondhand smoke.

By Jim Morham

It is awfully frustrating, but the list of complications from diabetes also includes damage to you sexual performance. Elevated blood sugars over a period of time can cause impotence or, as the term on the television we hear about once an hour, erectile dysfunction. I'm sure we could think of at least three jokes each, if it weren't such a serious issue on so many levels.

What is the cause of the problem?

In diabetics, whether it is type one diabetes or type two adult onset diabetes, there is always one recurring theme. The theme is that elevated blood glucose levels are extremely damaging to every part of your body from your brain to you feet! This issue literally affects your body's ability to heal a wound. During a typical doctor's checkup, one of the many things that get looked over is your feet. This is one of the first places to show problems from possible cuts or abrasions. The source of the problem is always circulatory in nature.

How does this affect my sex life?

Circulation of blood flow is one of the many casualties in the diabetic war. We have to be on guard to the adverse affects of coronary heart disease and stroke. These problems come from constriction of blood vessels. Since the damage caused by hyperglycemia, or elevated blood sugars, is non discriminatory, it attacks every part of the body including all the plumbing from your heart to genitals. Ouch. If your blood sugars are in tight control, there is adequate or normal blood flow to the genitals. Proper flow of blood affects the erection process which causes the blood vessels to expand and contract. Oh, there's that balloon analogy again! There is also nerve damage to contend with, which affects natural sensation. These nerves lose the feeling and sensation just like the nerves in your feet, thus the cause for concern of a diabetic's ability to feel a cut on the foot.

What precautions can I take to help?

The number one precaution any diabetic must take is keeping blood sugars in check with proper regulation via insulin if you are dependent as a type one diabetic. If you are a type two adult onset diabetic, diet and exercise alone may be the answer to keeping your weight down and blood sugars in line.

What about natural enhancement?

There is one rule of thumb that should always be followed in conjunction with good blood sugar control. Eating healthy and particularly with an emphasis on heart health. This includes a low- fat diet high in fruits and vegetables, lean meat, low or no sugar and salt intake and supplements rich in Omega 3 fish oil. What is good for your heart will also help your overall circulation throughout your body. Omega 3 fish oil works several jobs simultaneously according to the National Heart Association. The fatty acids found in fish oil provide a supplemental defense against the very elements that cause the blood vessels and arteries to constrict and clog up. These elements include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and excessive plaque buildup. It's important to remember that there is no substitute to good blood sugar control, but good nutrition with lots of green vegetables and foods high in fatty acids like Omega 3 fish oil will go a long way to protect all the organs above the waist line and below.

Conclusion

Make no mistake; the number one issue is good blood sugar control in order to reap the benefits of good health. Once you have gotten control of this important issue, the natural way to good circulatory health is to take care of your heart. By eating healthy foods and natural supplements like fish oil tablets, you will protect the most important organ, your heart. A healthy heart will make sure all other organs are fed the proper blood flow and there will be organ harmony in your body!

By James K. Robinson

From time to time over recent years, questions have arisen regarding the values that determine the threshold between normal and above normal blood sugar levels. Those are important questions because above normal blood sugar levels are characteristic of diabetes and prediabetes. Prediabetes is a related diabetic condition that often develops into diabetes. Both are serious disease conditions that, if left untreated, can lead to additional serious health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease, and eye disease.

Measurements of blood sugar levels usually involve a simple blood test that can be self administered and performed with the aid of a small hand-held glucose meter. People who have diabetes do it every day. However, a test carried out in a blood testing clinic and assayed by a laboratory is much more accurate and would be the way a doctor would prescribe it to be done for diagnostic purposes.

Measurements of blood glucose can be taken any time of the day or night but in order to enable comparison with well-known typical values it is most useful to take them as follows:

1. In the early morning, before consuming food or drink, usually after a night's sleep but at least 8 hours since a meal or snack. This test is referred to as a fasting blood sugar test.
2. 2 hours after eating a meal, a time when the rise in blood sugar levels that occurs after eating food should have subsided. This test is referred to as a postprandial test.
3. There is also a test known as the A1c blood test that provides a measure of long-term blood sugar levels, a test that is carried out less frequently.

When requested by a physician for diagnostic purposes, two test measurements are usually obtained, One to measure the fasting level and the other for the long-term A1c level.

In the United States, blood sugar levels are measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).

A milligram is 1/1000 of a gram which is about 1/30 of an ounce. A deciliter is 1/10 of a liter. A liter is the unit of measure for a volume of a liquid and is equal to slightly more than a quart.

Normal values
The widely accepted values set by the American Diabetes Association are:

1. After fasting, blood sugar level should be between 70 to 100 mg/dL.
2. Postprandial, 2 hrs after a meal: blood sugars can be up to 140 mg/dL.

Higher readings might be caused by a diabetic condition, but that would require further testing to confirm or otherwise.

Are current levels too high for safety?
Differing from the American Diabetes Association's recommended levels, other views have been expressed advocating that blood sugars should not be higher than 85 mg/dL. In separate websites, reference has been made to a study reported in the American Journal of Medicine of 2008, volume 121, pages 519 to 524, in which it was concluded that blood sugar levels in the 95-99 mg/dL range more than doubled the risk of becoming diabetic. The study involved 47,000 participants, and it was also noted that there was increased incidence of cardiovascular disease and hypertension in those with higher blood glucose levels.

In the January 2011 edition of Life Extension magazine, an article titled "Glucose: The Silent Killer" opened with the statement: "the deadly effects of even slightly elevated glucose are fatally misunderstood". The article cites a study based on 22 years of measured glucose levels in 2000 males that showed that men with fasting glucose levels over 85 mg/dL had a 40% increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, sometimes referred to as heart disease. To repeat, a 40% increase in risk, that's shocking. Diabetes is the primary factor leading to heart disease and heart disease is a major cause of death in America.

Conclusion
The American Diabetes Association and the National Institutes of Health are still the main voices for diabetes treatment and prevention and the glucose levels accepted as being safe have changed somewhat over the years. Diabetes is a costly disease that will be an increasing burden on the health care system for many years to come, especially because of the fast growing numbers of Americans being diagnosed as having the disease. And there are also the 79 millions who are estimated to already have prediabetes, that's according to the U.S. National Diabetes Fact Sheet published January 2011.

The healthcare problem is huge and requires an increased awareness of the need for prevention where possible. It seems prudent to re-examine the established values that represent dangers to health.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

It has long been said that exercise is a powerful tool to clear the blood of sugar and help to control Type 2 diabetes. Walking is one of the best forms of exercise for just about anyone. It is low intensity which means that people with joint problems can participate in walking programs fairly easily. New research is showing that taking more steps per day could actually lower your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Walking burns a lot of calories but even if it doesn't lead to weight loss, it has been shown diabetics:

* improve their HbA1c level by 0.4%
* lower their risk of heart disease
* improve their cholesterol levels

This was found during a national research study in Australia. During the study which commenced in the year 2000 and continued through to 2005, researchers gave pedometers to over 600 adults so they could measure how many steps they were taking during two consecutive days.

Diabetics who walked the most during the five-year period had a lower body mass index (BMI) and also had better insulin sensitivity. Experts recommend that people take at least 10,000 steps per day which is the equivalent to about 5 miles. The study showed also that a sedentary person could increase their daily steps to reach 10,000 and lower their BMI by almost 1 point while improving insulin sensitivity by three times.

So how do you start a walking program that you will stick to? Everyone is motivated by different things so it's hard to give a one-size-fits-all approach to commencing a walking program.

However, if you work with a group of people, why not set aside part of your lunchtime or time before or after work to walk with a group of friends or work colleagues. Often, having camaraderie and the accountability of walking with other people will help you stay on track.

If you don't like to walk outside, or it's too hot or cold where you live, there are indoor walking programs available on DVD that you can purchase and work with at home. These particular DVDs allow you to walk in a small area and still get the same benefits of walking outside.

Of course, using the treadmill is another option for people who can't or don't want to walk outside. You can also try walking inside the mall or the local track if you so desire.

Set small goals so that you don't get overwhelmed at first. If you haven't done a lot of physical activity in recent years, you might want to start out walking 10 to 15 minutes per day, three or four days a week, as you build up your stamina.

It has also been repeatedly demonstrated that exercising or walking after eating, when blood sugar levels are at their highest, lowers blood sugar. If walking after meals brings on angina, or chest pain, wait a few hours before exercising.

By Varadharajan R

It is to be noted that most of the diabetics are suffering from type 2 diabetes. They try all ways and means to control blood sugar with what they feel reliable. Prevention of blood sugar from being stored in the blood cells is their ultimate aim. Some people are successfully managing diabetes by taking regular diabetic medicines. When it comes to choosing the right medicines for diabetes, you have many options. You have the synthetic drugs with chemicals, and natural medicines with plant herbs. Away from these systems of medicines, some people may choose alternative medicines like Homeopathy, Acupuncture, Yoga or Reiki healing of any kind.

Herbs to lower blood sugar levels:

Herbs are good substitutes in the place of classical medicines. But in case a diabetic is treating diabetes by taking oral medication with Metformin (Glucophage), Glipizide (Glucotron) or Gliburide ( Glynase) he should avoid excess use of herbal supplements like onion, garlic, fenugreek, ginseng or any other herb. If these are taken in conjugation with regular diabetic medicines mentioned above, the diabetic may have fair chance for low blood sugar (glycemia). Dropping the sugar level below normalcy may cause undesirable consequences leading to diabetic complications with all risks. Having repeated glycemic condition due to double medication (classical medicines and excessive natural supplements) may cause coma or even unwarranted death. As such, here are some guidelines for diabetics.

Warnings for diabetics to care:

• Insulin injection works well directly to burn the food intake without giving place for keeping a store of sugar glucose in the blood cells. But taking over dose of insulin may be detrimental to the aspirations of the diabetic.

• Taking diabetic medications by over time may not give desired results. On the contrary, the medicinal processing will go down to give 'null' effect. In such context, the sugar levels may go escaping from control.

• When a diabetic swallows pills or drugs of different medications hand in hand, the risk is the closing of the doors of the pancreas from functioning. The reflection is seen in high blood sugar due to insufficient insulin production to burn calories.

• When a diabetic chooses to go on different medications to treat diabetes, the body sometimes sustains tolerance of varied medicines and there will be no response to control blood sugar in the bloodstream.

• Dependence on over dose of medicines may often tell upon the body with adverse side effects. Along with any one medication, the managing diabetes becomes easier with right diabetic diet plan, daily exercise routine, and lifestyle change.

By Douglas Royer

If you are not diabetic, chances are you probably know someone that is. Millions of people around the world are somehow affected by Diabetes, and sadly thousands die each year. There are literally hundreds of studies that show exercise is one of the most effective ways to manage diabetes. One of the easiest and most natural exercises anyone with diabetes can participate in is walking. The benefits of walking are numerous and cannot be over emphasized. The following tips are certainly not all inclusive but provided as a general guideline to get you started on your way to a healthier you.

1. Get your doctor's approval

As with any form of exercise, it is vital to consult with your physician before starting a walking program.

2. Walk with a friend or group

Let's face it walking is boring at times. Sometimes it's difficult to stay motivated so join a walking group or at least walk with a partner. Relieving boredom will help you stick with a plan.

3. Wear comfortable walking or running shoes.

If you are diabetic, always be conscientious of your feet. Wounds often heal slower and can lead to potentially serious complications. Wear comfortable, well fitted shoes and always wear socks. Inspect your feet daily to avoid a plan ending blister or chaffing.

4. Create goals, develop a plan, tell people about it

In the beginning your only goal should be to get started, however, as you progress you may want to develop a plan. A plan could be simply to maintain your weight and help your body become more efficient at processing insulin. A plan also could be as complex as losing a lot of weight or to walk a marathon. Tell people about what you are doing. A support group will go a long way in keeping you motivated. In any case, a diary will help you to develop a plan, record your progress, and help you chart your way to achieving your goals. Be sure to schedule in a rest day periodically and remember that minor setbacks are sometimes unavoidable. Avoid disappointment by making these a part of your plan.

5. Start out gradually

In the beginning stages of a new walking regimen you should be cautious. After all walking is physically demanding none the less. Start out gradually by walking a block or walking 10 minutes. While walking, take the talk test. If you can carry on a conversation you're probably walking the right pace. If you're having difficulties carrying on a conversation, slow down! Your body will let you know when you can increase the distance or time. In the beginning it doesn't matter how far or long you walk, your only goal should be to get started.

6. Avoid low sugar (hypoglycemia)

Until you know how walking affects you glucose levels, test before and after a walk. Any exercise may cause your body to more effectively process insulin so it's possible for your sugar levels to drop significantly. Be sure both you and your partner know the signs of hypoglycemia (sweating, rapid heartbeat, fatigue, and dizziness.) You should always carry a source of quick acting sugar like glucose tablets or a small container of juice. A diabetic ID bracelet is quite inexpensive and could be a lifesaver.

7. Drink plenty of water before, during, and after your walk

Your body is made up of 90% water so be sure to replenish fluids by drinking water before and after. During longer walks or warm days your body needs more water so try to carry water with you to avoid dehydration.

Exercise helps your body to do everything more efficiently including the way your body processes insulin. It is without a doubt possible to reduce or eliminate the need for insulin or medication entirely. Exercise is not a cure for diabetes, but the reward of a well thought out walking regimen is a lifetime of diabetes management. Walking is definitely a routine a diabetic can live with. Why not step up, step out, and go for a walk today?

By Jonathan Berns, D.C.

For men suffering from type 2 diabetes, life is difficult enough without the added frustration and embarrassment of experiencing sexual problems and erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction can be described as a consistent inability to have an erection firm enough to have sexual intercourse. Estimates of the number of males that suffer from this condition vary from as low as 20% to as high as 70%. Because of the embarrassment associated with this dysfunction, nobody can be sure what an accurate percentage could be.

Diabetic men are three to four more times more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction than the average non-diabetic man. It is difficult to make the connection between erectile dysfunction and pre-diabetes, as most people with pre-diabetes are unaware of their condition. Aware or not, pre-diabetes problems can affect erectile dysfunction.

Erectile dysfunction is a problem with the nervous system. It is believed that diabetes and high blood sugar levels can damage nerves, which seems to lead to the erectile dysfunction. It is also important to factor in that high blood sugar levels play in altering hormone production. This altered hormone production can cause a male to take on more female hormone characteristics. This means that a male could have increased estrogen levels and decreased testosterone level because of diabetes and high blood sugars. With decreased testosterone levels, the male will experience a low sex drive and an inability to get and sustain an erection.

Most men with erectile dysfunction use medication to correct their problem. Using medication may be an effective to improve 'performance,' but it really does nothing to fix the cause of the real problem. Medications in general are an effective way to help certain conditions like blood flow, they rarely get to the root cause of the problem.

If the real problem is high blood sugar levels, then it is very important to get them under control. Too many people suffering from type 2 diabetes do not make an effort to get their blood sugar under control. Instead of doing the education needed for their condition, they are given medication after medication. This is not as effective as it needs to be, and so there has to be another way.

If you, or someone you know is, or thinks they may be a type 2 diabetic, please see a physician as soon as possible and have tests done so you learn exactly what you are dealing with. Type 2 Diabetes is a very serious disease and if left untreated can create serious permanent damage. Go get treated today, you deserve the very best!

By Beverleigh H Piepers

The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey conducted in 1996 discovered that diabetics are 1.6 times more likely to use complementary anti-diabetic medications compared to their non-diabetic counterparts. In another national survey conducted from 1997 to 1998, it was shown that thirty-five percent of Type 2 diabetics used supplements to treat their condition.

With a growing number of diabetic supplement users, there are several questions that keep nagging the minds of the health care professionals and even diabetics themselves:

* are supplements able to affect blood sugar levels?
* do supplements taken in conjunction with anti-diabetic medications cause drug interactions?
* are herbal supplements safe for diabetic conditions

1. Niacin, also called nicotinic acid or nicotinate, is a common form of vitamin B3. The body uses this vitamin in the production of various sex hormones, and stress-related hormones in the adrenal glands, the gland located on the upper part of each kidney. Furthermore, it has also been shown to have significant uses in many medical conditions such as high cholesterol level, atherosclerosis... the hardening of the blood vessel walls, and osteoarthritis. However, there is one problem with the use of niacin by diabetics. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that niacin has the ability to raise the blood sugar level resulting in the development of hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia may cause an array of consequences: conditions such as increased frequency and excessive urination (polyuria), and excessive thirst and urge to drink large amounts of fluids to replace the water lost through excessive urination.

However, in worse cases, hyperglycemia may result in dizziness, nausea and vomiting, coma and even death.

2. Aloe is another natural supplement which may be taken for a number of conditions; aloe vera can help relieve indigestion, constipation, bladder infections, itchy skin, psoriasis and ulcerative colitis. However, as mentioned by Medline Plus, aloe supplementation may also cause hypoglycemia or low blood sugar levels. Anyone taking anti-diabetic medications must be extra cautious in the use of aloes since this may cause some additive hypoglycemic effect to their medication resulting in the development of overwhelming hypoglycemia. Symptoms of hypoglycemia include:

* tremors
* anxiety, and
* cold clammy skin

In the worst cases, it may result in coma.

3. American Ginseng is a herb usually used by both Type 2 diabetics and non-diabetics to help remove stress and boost the immune system. According to Medline Plus, this herbal supplement may be helpful in lowering blood sugar levels after meals in Type 2 diabetes. However, there is a special precaution with the use of American ginseng: adding this herbal supplement to the usual anti-diabetic medications may lower the blood sugar too much resulting in hypoglycemia.

Vitamins and minerals are essential for good health, but in excess some of them can do a lot of damage.

By Moira Haarhoff

Diabetics are often advised to follow a 'normal' lifestyle, but that does not take into account the reactions they may have to low-blood-sugar episodes, the summer heat, stress and the obvious enemy: sugar.

Also, everyone sees 'normal' differently.

Banishing processed food from the diet is always recommended for diabetics. Their intake should be made up of foods that can be easily identified because they look the way God created them.

Some diabetics strive for a healthy lifestyle, others for moderation in all things and yet more believe they've learnt how to cheat their sugar levels successfully.

In the same way, all react differently to identical circumstances.

Everything we all eat turns to sugar in our bodies and one form of it is not necessarily much better than another for diabetics. The disease is also dynamic rather than static; it evolves over time and what works for some today, may not, tomorrow.

As long as everything seems to be under control, diabetes management seems easy. But when sugar levels begin to fluctuate wildly, they can be very difficult to re-stabilise.

This is when up to seven daily blood glucose tests with a meter daily can help determine where and what changes are advisable, if any. Record all the results you take on a simple table with twelve columns across. Label the first two columns from the left: 'day' and 'time'.

The next three columns will indicate whether you have eaten, exercised and/or medicated before checking your blood-sugar level (ticking the boxes is adequate). In the last seven columns you will note your sugar levels three or more times each day. Do your checks 1.5 hours after eating, except in the case of the first of these columns and the last of them. Label these seven columns (from the left) 'on waking', 'morning', 'mid-morning', 'midday', 'mid-afternoon', 'evening' and 'bedtime'.

This is a particularly useful exercise for your healthcare professional to see if you suspect your medication dosage or diet needs changing. Diarise the readings for the week before seeing him. This could allay the assumption that you need increased doses when the opposite is true, or vice versa.

If you don't usually eat between meals, simply dividing your usual lunch between midday and a small snack during the afternoon could stabilise you. Some diabetics, on the other hand, naturally have high waking sugar levels and benefit from a change in their usual choice of breakfast.

When your sugar levels are satisfyingly stable it can be difficult to lose weight. The only sure way of doing so is to reduce your intake of some foods and bring in others to compensate.

While most dietitians punt complex carbohydrates, the cardiologist who created the South Beach Diet with diabetics in mind, Dr Agatston, advocates replacing some carbohydrates with low GI vegetables, dairy products and eggs.

If this is unchartered territory, ask a dietitian to help you determine what changes to make. Ultimately, recording diabetic sugar levels is the only way to approach any concerns scientifically.

By Aurther Shoko

Blood glucose measurement is an integral part of diabetes care and prevention. This requires that measurements be taken on a regular basis which can also be used by a health care professional. Today the market is filled with a variety of blood monitors which one can purchase off the internet. This is similar to blood pressure monitors used in hypertension care.

Unlike blood pressure monitors, blood glucose meters do not necessarily produce a similar standardized reading. Blood glucose meters come calibrated differently. To begin with blood glucose can be measured using whole blood or plasma. This means a meter can be calibrated to measure plasma or whole blood. Plasma is a part of the whole blood. The two have different numerical readings which however can be interpreted to mean one and the same thing by a knowledgeable person. This is were the confusion sets in.

Confusing blood glucose measurements often occur when patients purchase a new meter different from the old one. Often there is an expectation of similar readings and results. However, this is not always the case. This is because the new meter may be calibrated differently. Even though most blood meters are calibrated for whole blood measurements, there are also others that give readings using plasma levels which is only a part of whole blood.

The other concern that blood meter users have is the difference between lab results and results that are produced by their personal meter. This causes readings from the doctor's office to vary from those done at home by the patient. Again the answer lies in the fact that lab measurements are based on plasma part of the blood which excludes whole blood. On the other hand as mentioned before most home meters are whole blood calibrated. These samples which are different causes home meters to produce 12% lower results compared to plasma results from the lab.

It is possible to compare your white blood calibrated meter with plasma calibrated lab results. This is achieved by converting the lab results to be a white blood calibrated results. It is mathematically done by dividing the lab result with 1.12. Overall and as a rule, home blood meters are considered to have a clinically accurate result if the measurement falls within +/-20% of a reference result such as a lab test. To avoid the trouble of having to convert your results meet plasma readings, it is best to purchase a plasma calibrated blood meter.