By Nicole K. Smith

Diabetes is a fairly common metabolic disorder characterized by increased glucose in the blood. Our body has the ability to convert almost every food we eat into glucose. Glucose is the main energy source of our cells. However, to get glucose into the cells we need an essential hormone called insulin that is secreted by the pancreas. When the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the insulin produced does not work properly, the glucose we get from food does not enter the cells and thus remains in the blood.

There are two main types of the condition. Type 1 occurs, when the pancreas does not produce any insulin. In type 2, the pancreas either produces less insulin than it needs or the insulin produced does not work effectively. Type 2 diabetes is a disease that primarily affects the developed world. According to medical studies, about 6% of the population suffers from this disease and the percentage is rising. Many people may not even know that they are diabetics, because the condition often has no symptoms.

There are several factors that play a role in whether or not someone will develop type 2 diabetes. Some of these factors, such as heredity can not be controlled, while others, such as obesity can be reversed.

The things you can't change:

* Heredity: If your parents, siblings or grandparents suffered from the disease, then there is an increased likelihood that you will develop this condition at some point of your life. However, there is no hereditary link between diabetes type 1 and type 2. This means that if one of your parents has diabetes type 1, you don't have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

* Age: Type 2 diabetes usually occurs after 45 to 50 years of age, but it can sometimes occur at 30 or much later, at 70 or 75.

* The presence of other diseases: Specific diseases, such as hyperthyroidism and Cushing Syndrome may create insulin resistance.

The things you can change:

* Lack of exercise: A sedentary lifestyle can increase the chances of developing the disorder. According to experts, walking just 2 hours per week can significantly reduce the chances of developing this condition. 30-40 minutes of exercise 3-5 times a week are an even better way to protect your health and minimize your risk factors.

* Obesity: If your body mass index is greater than 25, you are more likely to become a diabetic. When your BMI exceeds 30, then you stop being overweight and are considered obese. In this case, the chances of developing diabetes will be 4 to 5 times greater compared to people with a BMI of less than 25. What needs to be emphasized is that male or central obesity is more associated with the development of the disease.

By Nicole K. Smith

Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the body produces no insulin or does not use it properly. Consequently, blood sugar is not transported into the cells to be used as fuel, but instead it remains in the bloodstream. This leads to high blood sugar, which can damage vital organs like the kidneys, the eyes and the blood vessels.

Type 1 diabetes begins in childhood or adolescence and requires daily insulin injections. Type 2, also known as adult onset diabetes, usually occurs in people over 40 years of age and is the most common form of the disease. Although, it can be controlled through proper diet and exercise, in some cases medication by mouth or insulin injections may be required.

Symptoms: The most common symptoms include dehydration, excessive thirst, frequent urination, increased appetite and unexplained weight loss. However, often there are no symptoms.

Risk Factors: By far the biggest risk factor is advanced age. Other factors include heredity, excessive weight and lack of physical activity. Diabetes affects slightly more women than men and slightly more black people than white people. The prevalence of diabetes in people over 40 years of age ranges between 2% to 16%.

Long-term effects of the disease: Apart from diabetic coma, which can threaten the lives of patients, this condition can also cause a number of long-term complications, such as arteriosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis causes disturbances in heart function and blood circulation, which can sometimes lead to amputations. It also damages the kidneys, eyes and peripheral nerves.

How to treat diabetes:

* Lower your BMI: the BMI index, equals your weight divided by the square of your height. A BMI below 18.5 is very low and is accompanied by increased morbidity. A BMI above thirty is associated with serious medical complications. Being overweight or obese is one of the main risk factors for developing diabetes, because having more fatty tissue makes you more resistant to insulin. To get to the ideal weight, your BMI should be between 18.5 and 24.9. Try to lose any excessive weight, by following a diet low in saturated fat, which is found in butter, meat and full-fat dairy products. It would also be a good idea to avoid sweets, salt and alcohol.

* Increase your activity level: leading a sedentary life increases the risk of developing the disease, because physical activity can make your cells more sensitive to insulin. For this reason you must learn to exercise more. Half an hour of brisk walking per day is often sufficient to normalize blood sugar.

By Michel Maling

Did you know that Diabetes, at the moment, kills twice as many people each year as HIV/Aids, yet most of us know more about Aids than Diabetes?

More and more young people worldwide are getting diabetes. This is pretty scary and is related directly to our lifestyles. A few decades ago, only older people used to get type 2 diabetes, now it is not uncommon for children as young as eight to be diagnosed with this condition. At the current rate that this disease is going, soon four out of five people will have diabetes in developing countries, and the people most affected will be of working age.

Anyone at any age can develop diabetes, and once you have it, you will have to manage it for life. Lots of people have it for a few years before they are diagnosed, and only realize that they have it once they get other complications like kidney failure, stroke, heart disease or eye problems. If diabetes is not managed it could become debilitating or even fatal.

Type 1 diabetes usually occurs in children, but can affect adults. This is where you will need to take a number of injections of insulin every day to control the levels of glucose in your body. With diabetes 1, you body battles to produce insulin which is needed to break down glucose in the body.

Type 2 diabetes was previously known as non insulin dependent diabetes or adult onset diabetes. This is usually associated with being overweight and is the most common form of diabetes. There is a progressive loss of insulin production together with resistance to its actions. Unhealthy eating habits and sedentary lifestyles play a huge role in getting this type of diabetes, and it can be controlled with oral medication, regular exercise and a healthy eating plan.

Here are some of the symptoms for type 1 diabetes:

Frequent urination, always thirsty, extreme fatigue or lack of energy, cuts and bruises that don't heal, tingling and numbness in hands and feet, blurred vision and unusual weight loss.

Type 2 diabetes is known as the silent killer and often has no symptoms, so get yourself tested every year if you have any of these risk factors:

Overweight (mainly carrying weight around tummy area), sedentary lifestyle, smoker, family history of diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

A test is a simple finger prick at your local pharmacy, and early diagnosis if vital, so that your diabetes can be managed before you get other life threatening complications.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

The most serious complication of diabetes involving the urinary tract is nephropathy, which involves the kidneys. Nephropathy usually occurs in people who have had diabetes for a long time.

Your kidneys are major filters in your body. Your kidneys contain glomeruli; tiny filters that help to keep the important blood proteins from being disposed of through your urine.

However, a high sugar load in your blood for a long period of time may result in kidney problems. Once your kidneys malfunction, which is medically known as diabetic nephropathy, small quantities of protein leak out of your kidneys into the blood. Furthermore, more severe problems result when your body retains toxins and waste that are normally excreted.

Kidney damage often starts without really being noticed. The earliest sign that can point to this problem is the presence of albumin in your urine. Albumin is the type of protein usually seen with kidney problems. However, as the kidney problem progresses, more and more protein leaks from your kidneys and more and more waste products accumulate in your bloodstream leading to kidney failure which is the most severe type of kidney problem. This can be treated with dialysis, a process that periodically filters impurities from your blood.

What are the ways to keep your kidneys healthy despite have Type 2 diabetes?

1. Keep your blood sugar level within the normal range: The best way to prevent the onset of diabetic nephropathy is to keep your blood sugar level as normal as possible. This means that you need to follow-up with your doctor regularly. This also means you have to monitor your blood sugar constantly.

2. Keep your blood pressure within normal limits: Another key to prevent the onset of diabetic nephropathy is to always make sure that your blood pressure is lower than 130/80. If you happen to have hypertension, it is best to ask your doctor to prescribe you anti-hypertensive medications which you will need to take every day.

3. Follow the eating plan given to you by your doctor or dietitian: Your dietitian may advise you to reduce your intake of protein such as:

* eggs
* cheese, and
* milk

if you already have kidney problems.

4. Have your blood tested yearly for creatinine: Creatinine is an important laboratory finding used in measuring the function of your kidneys.

5. Have your urine tested annually for the presence of albumin: Albumin in your urine reflects the malfunction of your kidneys brought about by your diabetic problem. The more albumin you have in your urine, the more damaged your kidneys may be.

6. Avoid taking painkillers such as aspirin and acetaminophen too often: It's true aspirin can protect your heart, acetaminophen can relieve pain... but taking these medications too often can further damage your kidneys. Ask your doctor about the best medication to take for chronic pain to help prevent further kidney problems.

7. See your doctor right away if you suspect kidney infection. Symptoms of infection to your kidneys and bladder include:

* painful urination,
* increased frequency of urination
* cloudy or reddish urine
* fever, and
* flank pains

Kidney damage and other kidney problems associated with Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed. The best way to do this is to educate yourself fully about Type 2 diabetes.

By Jessica Lane

A number of medical and government organizations offer online diabetes education for patients with the disease and their families. The National Institute of Health administers both the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse and the National Diabetes Education Program, while the American Association of Diabetes Educators provides valuable patient resources through its online presence. Still, much more can be done to ensure that those affected by diabetes have the solid informational resources they need to understand the root causes of this disease and understand the necessary testing procedures and treatments that can help patients protect themselves against its symptoms.

Blood Sugar Monitoring

Depending on the severity of the blood glucose fluctuations, some Type 2 diabetic patients can control their diabetes with diet and exercise while others require insulin injections in order to maintain a healthy blood sugar level throughout the day. Regardless of which method is used to control blood glucose levels, patients should monitor their blood sugar on a regular basis. The most common type of blood glucose meter is the testing strip reader; these devices require that patients draw a drop of blood and place it on a specially treated strip, which is then chemically analyzed in the meter to provide an accurate reading of the current levels of sugar in the bloodstream. Newer monitoring systems can provide continuous readings, but they typically require that a sensor be worn at all times. This can prove impractical for some patients, but it provides the highest degree of protection against blood sugar spikes or unexpected hypoglycemic incidents.

Insulin Therapy

Type 1 and some Type 2 diabetic patients who require insulin injections to control their diabetes have a number of options available to deliver the insulin into their bloodstreams. While syringes continue to be the most popular method, newer insulin injection devices can provide added convenience for diabetes patients and, in some cases, may allow more accurate, faster delivery of the needed insulin. Insulin pens offer disposable convenience. Some models are designed to use small pre-filled cartridges that can be tossed after use, while other pen-style insulin injection devices are fully disposable after one or more uses.

For diabetes cases that require more constant treatment, insulin pumps deliver a metered dose of the hormone, providing more insulin after meals and a maintenance dose at all other times. Each patient is different and will require an insulin regimen tailored to their specific physical condition. Long-acting insulin offers protection against blood sugar fluctuations for a longer period of time, while short-acting insulin can provide rapid relief from major swings in blood sugar levels.

Patients, caregivers and family members need a thorough understanding of diabetes treatments and symptoms in order to ensure the health and well-being of those affected by the disease. By informing themselves about the current treatments and warning signs associated with diabetes, patients and their families can act as partners with health care professionals in controlling the progress and symptoms of diabetes in their own lives.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

Most people believe having tighter control of their calorie or kilojoule intake is the one-way-take-all method for their Type 2 diabetic outcome. However, some studies reveal that it's not only your calorie intake that matters when you want to take control of your Type 2 diabetes and weight loss. You should also take into consideration the type of foods you plan on ingesting in order to improve your current health situation.

Adapting healthy vegetable oils into your diabetic diet can be beneficial for your health. Do you want to know why? Here are the reasons. Vegetable oil can help you:

* lose weight... having doubts with this idea? As mentioned in a study conducted in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Institute of Biological Sciences, São Paulo State University, Brazil and published by the Nutrition Journal in October 2010, ingestion of healthy types of vegetable oils, such as extra-virgin olive oil, may increase your body's metabolism, thereby, improving your fat-burning rate and resulting in weight loss. Most (90 to 95%), Type 2 diabetics are obese and the more obese they become, the greater their risk for chronic diabetes complications. Losing weight can be a great help in improving your prognosis for Type 2 diabetes.
* improve your blood sugar level. Vegetable oils can help you manage your blood sugar level according to a study published in February 1990 in The Journal of the American Medical Association. You see, with the improvement in your blood sugar level, the risk for the development of complications associated with Type 2 decreases.
* prevent diabetes associated complications. Again, according to the study published by The Journal of the American Medical Association in February 1990, incorporating healthy vegetable oils into your diet can lower your risk of developing chronic health complications associated with Type 2 diabetes. Chronic complications associated with Type 2 diabetes include: high blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, kidney diseases, joint problems, cardiac diseases, and stroke.
* decrease your risk for breast cancer.Diabetes is now known as one of the most important risk factors for the development of breast cancer according to a study published by Diabetes Care in June 2003. As mentioned by a study published in the November 1995 issue of the Cancer Causes and Control, breast cancer risk can be minimized with the regular use of olive oil and other types of vegetable oils.

It make take some getting used to, but you have to think of cooking oils as a health supplement. Not the cheap plastic bottles of vegetable oils you find in the supermarket but the healthy high-end, pure, unrefined nutritious oils you find in your local health food store. Cheap vegetable oils are dangerous to your health... and when any oil is heated, even the good oils, when it begins to smoke, all of the precious nutrients are lost and dangerous chemicals are released. Many of those chemicals have been tied to cancer. So, why not drizzle some high-quality healthy oil across your vegetables just before you add your finishing salt or seasonings?

By Denchi Minh

The Diabetic Diet is a carefully devised meal plan that is formulated by taking the status of your diabetes, your lifestyle, and your tastes in food into consideration. It aims to show you a list of the foods that are good for you, as well as how much of those foods you should eat. The plan should allow you to follow the schedule of the meals while still being able to perform your day to day tasks normally. Creating meals that help you control your glucose levels can be difficult, and coming up with such meals that are tasty and a joy to eat is even more difficult. This is why getting the help of a dietitian is always advised by doctors.

A dietitian is an expert in formulation recipes and meal combination that you will find pleasure in eating while at the same time helping you conquer your illness. Each meal of the day should work together in keeping your blood glucose and cholesterol levels as well as your blood pressure in check. People with Type 1 Diabetes should also take their insulin medication into account when planning what they will eat. Regular exercise is also greatly beneficial as it helps the body utilize insulin more efficiently.

A Diabetic Diet is the first thing doctors recommend to patients with Type 2 diabetes because it can help the body better than any known medicine. It is also the best tool in preventing the various complications that too much sugar in the bloodstream can cause such as nerve damage, heart disease, and kidney cancer. Having different meals that essentially have the same nutritional value will help you not to get saturated with what you eat. A healthy diet does not mean you have to eat the same food over and over again. You just need to make sure you are able to eat a balance of the three food groups each day.

A Diabetic Diet includes a variety of healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Lean meat, fish, and poultry may also fit into your meals. Even beans and non-fat dairy products can find a place in your plate. You can also encourage family and friends to stick to the same menu as you. Eating healthy never hurts. There are many mouthwatering dishes that are also very good for your body. Work together with your doctor and dietitian in creating meals you and your loved ones can enjoy together.

By Denchi Minh

Most people with diabetes have struggled in the process of changing of food patterns. Millions have found it very hard to follow their diabetes diet menu. This blood sugar increasing or decreasing disease is filled with myths that it started with the food intake of a person. Anyone would have heard the phrase; too much sugar will give you diabetes. Your parents may also have told you that you aren't supposed to eat sugar as a whole. What most people should realize is the real facts about this disease and not the many unfounded information. Your life earnings would more properly be spent, if you would hire a registered dietician or certified diabetic educator.

The real truth about diet for people with or without diabetes is no different at all. No matter the food or special treats, they all account the same. A diabetes diet menu doesn't really require to quit sugar - coated cakes or donuts. You just have to account all the calories, fats and sugars in all the food you would eat for the entire day. A dietician would even recommend eating a sugar treat as long as you would eat less of another food, exercising a little longer or taking an added shot of insulin.

A person with normal sugar levels will not notice any effect if he or she ate an extra doughnut in a meal. The body of a normal person balances the extra sugar or carbohydrates by putting or excreting more insulin. On the other hand a person who has diabetes will have to do the balancing act themselves. That's why many people rely on diabetes diet menu. This is in order to simplify their body's sugar balancing needs. Making tabs of your calories and carbohydrates together with balanced insulin doses will keep their blood glucose in check.

We see many advertisements in television that show medicines that could be alternatives to cure diabetes. There is nothing wrong in trying other medications. The only question is if they are productive or not. Before trying something you saw in the television, you should consult your doctor or dietician about it. For a diabetic person is prone to heart diseases, hypertension and even worse cancer. Keeping a nutritious diabetes diet menu will not only improve your normal health, but lower the risk of sickness as well. With the proper balanced diet and exercise one may top this disease in no time.

By Denchi Minh

Understanding the fundamentals of how our digestive processes is the best way to understand the basics of a Diabetic Diet. Any food we take in will be broken down into its basic components during digestion, and one of the said components is sugar. Sugar is a substance that is readily absorbed into the bloodstream. Carbohydrates on the other hand need to be processed by the body for one or two hours before they can be absorbed by the blood. Proteins take four hours and the fat the longest time to become absorbent as it needs six to eight hours. Eating healthy has greater benefits that taking medicine when it comes to diabetes.

A Diabetic Diet can vary between individuals because the best plan for one person may not be the best for another. Because everyone's body is unique as well as the circumstances behind one's diabetes. There are generally two kinds of the illness which are termed type 1 and type two. Type 1 Diabetes means the body has lost the capability to produce enough insulin to control the blood sugar levels. The right equilibrium between amount of food and insulin should therefore be the primary goal of the meal plans. Type 2 Diabetes on the other hand means that the body can produce enough insulin but has lost the ability to make full use of the said insulin. Meal plans in this case should be focused on weight loss because having excess body fat further inhibits the functionality of insulin.

The Gestational Diabetic Diet is a special meal plan specifically designed for a pregnant mother and the baby inside her womb. It focuses on keeping the blood glucose level under control while at the same time providing the mother and child sufficient amounts of nutrition.

The Diabetic Diet is essential to anyone suffering from diabetes. It is the most effective tool in keeping the body healthy and making sure that the disease never worsens to the point that it becomes a threat to your life. The major change in the meal plans is that the individual needs to eat small meals several times each day. Six meals after every couple of hours is generally the best eating schedule for diabetics. This is to ensure that the body enjoys a steady and even flow of nutrients throughout the day. The sugar intake is also little by little to make sure the body is able to deal with it adequately.