| Diabetes Issue page |
Diabetes – sometimes referred to as diabetes mellitus - is a disease or chronic disorder of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism in which your body’s blood sugar (glucose) becomes abnormally high and your body does not produce or properly use insulin.
Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other foods into energy. Diabetes can occur when your pancreas does not secrete enough insulin or when cells of your body become resistant to insulin.
The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play key roles. Another theory suggests that an autoimmune process leads to a destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas due to mechanisms – chemical (pesticides), free-radical, viral and food allergies.
There are two types of diabetes:
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes - commonly referred to as insulin-dependent or juvenile diabetes - occurs most often in children and young adults from the body's failure to produce insulin, the hormone that "unlocks" the cells of the body, allowing glucose to enter and fuel them. Type 1 diabetes requires lifelong insulin for the control of blood sugar levels and involves injecting it under your skin for it to work.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, usually occurs in people over 40 and results from insulin resistance or sensitivity; a condition in which the body fails to properly use insulin, combined with an insulin deficiency. Most Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes
Other types of diabetes include:
- Secondary diabetes, which is secondary to another ailment like pancreatic disease, hormone imbalances or disruptions, medication use and malnutrition
- Gestational diabetes, which is a form of glucose tolerance, affects about 4% of all women during pregnancy
- Pre-diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance is a condition that occurs when a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough for a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes.
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Warning Signs:
- Food cravings – especially sweets and refined foods
- Fatigue
- Excessive urination and thirst
- Drowsiness
- Itching
- Blurred vision
- Constant skin or urinary-tract infections
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Diabetes Risks:
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Kidney disease
- Vascular disease
- Progressive nerve damage
- Eye damage and possible blindness
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Diabetes Natural Steps:
Avoid:
What about diabetes and soy, coffee, poultry and water? Check out melsTake on diabetes medications.
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| melsQuiz answer |
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| melsBuzz |
- Being healthy is key to having a productive life, and being healthy is easy!
- Try some of the great new whole grain products on the market these days, or do a fun workout class with your friends.
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| melsAdvice |
- Change your lifestyle
- Strive for your ideal body weight
- Exercise as much as you can and reduce your stress
- Eat a lot of grains, vegetables and fruits
- Stay away from refined foods, salts, sugars and hydrogenated or saturated fats
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| DidYouKnow? |
- According to the National diabetes Statistics, among adults with diagnosed diabetes, 16% take insulin only, 12% take both insulin and oral medication, 57% take oral medication only, and 15% do not take either insulin or oral medication
- The risk of death among people with diabetes is about twice that of people without diabetes
- Approximately 7% of the U.S. population has diabetes. Put another way, 10.5% of all men and 8.8% of all women have diabetes
- Approximately 13% of all African-Americans have diabetes. Experts believe at least one-third of them are not diagnosed. According to the National Diabetes Education Program, African-Americans are 1.8 more times as likely to have diabetes than non-Hispanic whites
- In the U.S., diabetes is growing at a rate of about 6% a year
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| melsTips |
- Change your lifestyle
- Strive for your ideal body weight
- Exercise as much as you can and reduce your stress
- Eat a lot of grains, vegetables and fruits
- Stay away from refined foods, salts, sugars and hydrogenated or saturated fats
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| melsQuiz |
- Name 3 examples of complex carb foods.
- What kind of dental disease is common in people with diabetes?
- According to most diabetic statistics, approximately 73% of adults have high blood pressure greater than or equal to?
- What percentage of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of nervous system damage?
- What are the three primary strategies for preventing cardiovascular disease in the Western world? For extra credit, name the remaining three strategies. Hint, these are the same strategies for most diabetics
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| melsQuiz Answers |
- Whole grain breads, pasta, rice, legumes, vegetables and fruit
- Periodontal gum disease
- 130/80 mm Hg
- According to the CDC, 60-70%
- Avoiding trans-fatty acids, increasing consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, eating whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Extra credit: exercise, no smoking, maintaining healthy (normal) body weight
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