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A Simple Diabetes For Dummy Overview

Author: Terry Edwards

Diabetes is growing at an epidemic pace in the United States, there is no arguing that. Over 20 million Americans have diabetes, with 6 million of them not even knowing it.

Unfortunately, many people have no idea what diabetes really is, or what symptoms to look for. Diabetes is a serious health issue. It's the sixth leading cause of death in this country, and there is no cure for Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes at this time. Here's a quick diabetes for dummy overlook to help you better understand.

How do people get diabetes?
When we eat any kind of food, our body takes that food and turns it into energy, or better said, into sugar while digesting it. This is what gives us the energy we need to survive. And during this process, insulin is produced from our pancreas which controls the sugar in our bloodstream. This entire process is what keeps our body healthy.

Without the pancreas producing this insulin, the sugar will stay in our blood and begin to create serious health issues. High blood sugar can cause blindness, kidney failure, nerve damage, and other organ function problems. And without treating high blood sugar, it can be fatal. In diabetes for dummy's, it is vital to get tested regularly to make sure your normal blood sugar levels are safe.

What types of diabetes are there?

Type 1 Diabetes – This type of diabetes usually is associated with adolescents and children. Type 1 Diabetes is found in approximately 1 in every 400-600 children. Type 1 Diabetes occurs when the immune system destroys the cells that the pancreas makes into insulin.

Type 1 Diabetes patients have to have daily insulin injections in order to survive. There is no known cure yet, but new methods are on the horizon.

Type 2 Diabetes – This type of diabetes is the most common, occurring in 90-95% of all cases. With Type 2 Diabetes, the pancreas simply can not continue to produce the insulin that is required, or the cells just don't respond to the insulin any longer. Most of the time, Type 2 Diabetes can be controlled through a proper diet and exercise plan. But, if that fails, oral medication can be prescribed to get it under control.

Gestational Diabetes – This form of diabetes is only found pregnant women. It is similar to Type 2 diabetes and it usually occurs in 2-7% of all pregnancies. Gestational diabetes is caused from the pancreas not being able to keep up with the required amount of insulin to control the glucose level. Gestational diabetes will usually go away after a pregnancy, but there is an increased risk of both mother and baby becoming diabetic later on in life.

Tests for Gestational Diabetes are usually done around the 26th week of pregnancy, which is the time insulin resistance usually starts.

Pre-Diabetes – This is also called borderline diabetes. Pre-Diabetes is diagnosed when patients are showing the signs of having high blood sugar levels and are starting to have trouble in keeping them down. One of the most important facts to realize in diabetes for dummy's is that over 40 million people have Pre-Diabetes. That is astounding. If left untreated, Pre-Diabetes will almost always turn into Type 2 Diabetes. Anyone with Pre-Diabetes needs to change their diet and start on an exercise program. Don't wait until it's too late. Also, have your blood sugar levels checked frequently.

As mentioned earlier, there is no known cure for Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes. The only option available to anyone with Type 1 Diabetes is to have a pancreas transplant. But, that is not a great option with the possibilities of other problems arising such as the body rejecting the new pancreas, not to mention the surgery itself. Science is working feverishly on new ways of treating diabetes including the transplanting of insulin producing cells within the pancreas, and even making an artificial pancreas.

There are even efforts to produce an inhalation device that puts out insulin instead of having to have daily injections. These advancements are on the horizon and will be available in the not too distant future. In the meantime, diabetes for dummy says to check your blood sugar levels, and know what they are. You only have one body and we all need to take care of it as best we can.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/a-simple-diabetes-for-dummy-overview-64246.html

About the Author
You can find out more about Diabetes For Dummy as well as much more information on diabetes issues at http://www.diabetes.infofroma-z.com
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Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 – Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Author: hardeep

Special areas in the pancreas gland, the islets of Langerhans, produce a hormone called insulin. This hormone is a protein of small size. Insulin stimulates muscle cells and other body cells to take up glucose from the blood and convert the glucose to glycogen, a kind of starch, and then store the glycogen. By need the body cells convert the glycogen to glucose and use it as fuel. In this way insulin keeps the glucose level in the blood at a normal size.

By diabetes type I the cells producing insulin are destroyed. Then less glucose is taken up from the blood into the body cells and utilized there, and glucose accumulates in the blood.

THE CAUSES AND MECHANISMS OF DIABETES TYPE I

The cause of the disease is not well known. An auto-immune response attacking the insulin producing cells in the langerhansian islets may be a cause. Virus infection may be another cause. The disease also is to some extend inherited.

When the glucose uptake into the body cells is reduced, but glucose instead accumulates in the blood, the following physiological effects occur:

-The body cells do not get enough fuel for the work they shall do.

-The molecular thickness (osmality) of the blood increases. This causes water to be pulled out from the body tissues and into the blood. The tissues thus get dried out and the urine production increases.

-The tissues begin to break down protein and fat to get energy, causing weight loss and muscular reduction.

The symptoms of diabetes type 1 are a consequence of these mechanisms.

SYMPTOMS OF DIABETES TYPE 1

The disease often starts suddenly. Often children or young people are attacked by the disease. The lack of insulin causes an increased amount of blood sugar. Early symptoms of the disease are:

-Increased urine production

-Dehydration (lack of water in the body)

-Abnormally high thirst as a consequence of increased urine production

-Dryness in the mouth

-An abnormal high appetite

-Feeling extremely tired and weak

-Weight loss, even when one eats well

-Impaired vision

If the blood sugar level is not stabilized to a normal value, there will be an accumulation of chemicals in the body called ketones, and this condition is called diabetic ketoacidosis. This serious condition can lead to coma and death. The signs of ketoacidosis are:

-Vomiting,

-Pain in the stomach

-Rapid breathing,

-High pulse rate

-Somnolence (abnormal tendency to sleep)

In the long term, diabetes type 1 can severely hurt the blood vessels in vital organs. This can further cause damage to the heart, eyes, kidneys or other body organs.

TREATMENTS OF DIABETES TYPE 1

Diabetes type 1 is treated with insulin injections. Implanting insuline cells in the pancreas is an experimental treatment. Another experimental treatment is to implant stem cells in the pancreas that can develop into new insulin producing cells.

Another important module of the treatment is regulation of the amount of sugar and fat consumed through the diet so that it fits together with the insulin-amount injected. Also regular monitoring of the blood sugar level to regulate the insulin amount is an important part of the treatment.

There are also natural products in the market that can help to normalize the blood sugar level by diabetes type 2. Those products cannot heal the disease or replace insulin injections, but they can help the body to regulate the blood sugar level. These products contain minerals that are working components of enzymes that stimulate the glucose metabolism in the body. They also contain herbs that have been used for a long time in traditional medicine to regulate the glucose level and that have proven their effects in scientific studies.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/diabetes-mellitus-type-1-symptoms-causes-and-treatment-1111222.html

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Diabetes Causes, Prevention and Treatment part 2

Author: john daniel

For type 2 diabetes

Oral hypoglycemic drugs are one of their recommendations.  Diabetes Causes, Prevention and Treatment utilize all approach and treatment to prevent and cure this lifestyle disease. More recommended oral hypoglycemic drugs Such as tolbutamide, chlorpropamide, tolazamide, acetohexamide, glyburide, glipizide, glimepiride, repaglinide, or meglitonide may be prescribed to increase insulin production by the pancreas, if exercise and diet do not lower glucose levels sufficiently. Insulin injections may be necessary in more severe cases of type 2 diabetes or, or if a patient with type 2 diabetes contracts an additional illness. Other oral agents can reduce insulin resistance (metformin, pioglitazone, and rosiglitazone) or slow the absorption of sugars from the intestine (acarbose and miglitol). A low diet in fat and other calories, in addition to regular exercise, is necessary to control weight.

For both types of diabetes:

Diabetes Causes, Prevention and Treatment advice People with diabetes should drink generous amounts of water when stricken with another illness, such as the flu to replace lost fluid and prevent diabetic coma. When ill, people with type 1 diabetes should test their urine for ketones every four to six hours. Excellent control of blood glucose levels delays or prevents late complications affecting the eyes, kidneys, and nerves. Dialysis, an artificial blood filtering process, may be necessary to treat kidney failure. In advanced cases a kidney transplant may be advised. Amitriptyline, desipramine, or nortriptyline, medications usually used to treat depression, or the anti seizure medication gabapentin may be prescribed to relieve the pain in the limbs. Kidney damage can be slowed by controlling blood pressure and using ACE inhibitors. Blood test to measure glucose levels should be performed as your doctor recommends, one to four times a day. Your doctor will recommend a blood-monitoring device to use at home. Careful attention must be paid to the risk factors for atherosclerosis because of its increased occurrence with diabetes. Those suffering from diabetes should not smoke, should reduce dietary saturated fat, cholesterol, and salt, and should take any medications prescribed for high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels. People with diabetes should practice good foot care and check their feet every day. Nerve damage from diabetes mellitus reduces sensation in the feet, and small foot problems may turn into major infections. Laser photocoagulation to prevent the rupture of tiny blood vessels in the eye may help to prevent or treat diabetic retinopathy. Most patients with diabetes need an eye examination by an ophthalmologist at least once a year to detect the earliest manifestations of retinopathy. A well rounded approach and treatment to diabetes can be found in Diabetes Causes, Prevention and Treatment part 3 it discusses more about their recommended diet, supplement and nutrition.

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Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/diabetes-causes-prevention-and-treatment-part-2-1384477.html

About the Author

john daniel rivera is an advocate for natural health and healing, and has been in the field of health for quite a few years. He is interested in illuminating individuals and helping others return to a better quality of health. If you would like to learn more about his approach, please feel free to visit http://www.curewithinoneminute.info

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Warning Signs And Symptoms Of Diabetes

Author: Daniel Szalok

Diabetes is a silent killer. It will advance on you without any symptoms or notice. Overweight, inactive lifestyles can lead to it. There are also certain ethnic groups who have a tendency to become diabetes in greater numbers than others. Symptoms can go unnoticed for a long time and it is hard to connect one with the other.

The most common symptoms for both Diabetes Type1 and Type 2 are a feeling of weakness and/or fatigue, constant thirst caused by body dehydration, constant urination, abdominal pain, nausea and/or vomiting, blurry vision, irritation, quick mood changes, constant infections, slow wound healing and menstrual changes.

The reason why it is hard to detect Diabetes is that all these symptoms will not show up at once. They will come and go, appear and disappear, so it is difficult to relate one with the other. The other fact is that they are usually unrelated to each other so a person may believe he or she is getting sick again, and not necessarily believe it is the same disease showing another symptom.

Constant monitoring and alertness about the person's ailments and pains is necessary to detect diabetes. Repetition of any of these symptoms or a combination of them should make the person consider testing himself for diabetes. There are other symptoms which become visible and are easier to relate to diabetes; these are constant weight loss, a rapid heartbeat, low blood pressure and low body temperature.

These are easier to track, detect and relate but unfortunately threes appear once the disease has already set in and treatment is necessary. The symptoms mentioned above will start appearing at the early stages of diabetes when some preventive measures can be taken. Diabetes advances slowly and may go unnoticed for a long time, knowing your body and being alert to these signs can help you prevent it or control it at an early stage of development.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/warning-signs-and-symptoms-of-diabetes-1863339.html

About the Author

Would you like to read more articles about healthy living, weight loss, diseases, addictions or anti-aging? If you do, please visit my blog at http://www.weakhealth.com/.

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Cure To Diabetes: Discover How You Can Prevent Diabetes By Losing Body Fat

Author: Abhinav Sharma

In my earlier article, I men­tioned about the dis­eases caused because of ‘extra’ body fat. Dia­betes was one of them and it can trig­ger heart prob­lems. In this arti­cle, I would be focus­ing on dia­betes; type 2 dia­betes to be precise.

What is Type 2 Diabetes?

Type 1 Dia­betes occurs when our body’s immune sys­tem attacks and destroys the cells of the pan­creas that pro­duce insulin while Type 2 Dia­betes is a lit­tle dif­fer­ent. Here, a per­son still pro­duces insulin but the body doesn’t respond to it nor­mally. Glu­cose, whose job is to sup­ply energy to the cells, so that our body doesn’t feel exhausted, is able to enter the cells less than nor­mal (this is called dia­betes insulin resistance).What hap­pens then? It causes blood sugar level to rise pro­duc­ing more insulin and then the pan­creas wear out mak­ing your body exhausted even though you have worked only for a lit­tle while. Glu­cose prob­lem is also there within over-weight peo­ple who don’t have dia­betes. Now you know, why you get so exhausted by run­ning for hardly 30 sec­onds. So, is there a cure to dia­betes? First let us know more about diabetes.

What risks are involved in Diabetes?

In Dia­betic patients, there is a lack of either in the pro­duc­tion of insulin (Type 1) or in its action (Type 2), because of which, our body loses it’s abil­ity to uti­lize blood sugar and excess blood sugar is trans­formed into fat that leads to fat lev­els in the blood. Also, because of this fat, our blood ves­sels to the heart get blocked which reduces blood sup­ply and cre­at­ing heart problems.

Dia­betes Symptoms:

• Heart attack that includes chest pain, back pain, pain in the neck, arms or jaw.
• Indi­ges­tion
• Short­ness of breath
• Sweat­ing
• Nau­sea
• Light headedness

Also, in some dia­betic patients, the dis­ease is present with­out any symp­toms and they real­ize it only after they go for a check-up after a recent heart attack. The lack of symp­toms can fool a per­son into believ­ing that he is fit and fine. So you should get checked-up on a reg­u­lar basis.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/cure-to-diabetes-discover-how-you-can-prevent-diabetes-by-losing-body-fat-1856298.html

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Frozen Shoulder: Various Modalities of Treatment

Author: Dr Deepak S Hiwale

Definition

Frozen shoulder is an insidious, painful stiffening of the glenohumeral joint passing through various well defined phases of clinical spectrum, resulting in severely compromised functional ability of the joint but with complete resolution in due course of time albeit with a residual deformity.

Terms Used Various authors have used differing terms to describe it, viz., adherent bursitis, adhesive capsulitis, obliterative arthritis, periarthritis, pericapsulitis, etc

Incidence

it occurs in 2-5% of the general population, with an incidence rate of 2.4 per 1000 years. Women are affected more frequently, in the fourth or sixth decade of life with a peak incidence in the age range of 50-55 years. The non-dominant arm is more likely to be involved.

What Causes Frozen Shoulder?

A number of theories have put forth by researchers; some are outlined below.

• Autoimmunity
• Familial association
• Trauma
• Neuropathic Mechanisms: Suprascapular nerve compression
• Secondary Cause: esp. diabetes mellitus, pulmonary TB, thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, post MI patients, cardiac surgery, Parkinson's disease
• Immobilization: Frozen shoulder occurs with increased frequency in post MI or stroke patient

Symptomatology

It is characterized by pain exhibiting following characteristics:Insidious onset,non localized pain over the deltoid region Pain on movementRestriction of movementsNocturnal painPain on lying on the affected shoulder (characteristic)Near total loss of active as well as passive external rotation of the shoulderSelf limiting; lasts for 2-3 years residual disability is present in a small percentage of patients.

Diagnosis

• Clinical: frozen shoulder is a clinical diagnosis
• Laboratory tests: for HLA, C-reactive protein, ESR
• Radiology: no to rule out conditions like osteoarthritis
• Arthrography: ? in the joint capsule volume from 20-30 ml to 5-10 ml can be demonstrated
• MRI: thickening of the capsule and synovium of more than 4mm at the level of the axillary fold is highly suggestive of frozen shoulder, MRI high sensitivity index for thickness of joint capsule but not for volume of the joint space
• Contrast Technetium-99m diphosphonate bone scan: shows ? uptake on affected side

When definite diagnosis is difficult, arthrography is probably the investigation of choice.

Modalities of treatment

Aim of treatment is to reduce pain and increase the shoulder mobility. In general, treatment of any painful shoulder condition involves the reduction of muscle spasms which can be achieved by the RICE treatment.

Analgesia

Analgesics for pain reliefNSAIDS for anti-inflammatory actionAnti-depressants: like diazepam or amytryptiline to counter sleep disturbances

Oral Steroids

effective in the early phase of the diseaseside effects of oral steroids have to be taken into account;  can cause rebound increase of symptomseffectiveness does not last beyond 6 weeks

Intra-articular steroid injections

used during early phase (early use restricts the synovitis thus decreasing the duration of the condition) not indicated during the adhesive phase i.e. usually after 3-4 weeks also, used during manipulation under anaesthesia.15-60 mg of triamcinolone acetate/ 20mg methyl prednisolone acetate with 0.5-1ml of 1% lignocaineInjection site : 1 cm distal and 1 am lateral to the coracoid process on full extension of the humerus with the elbow in a relaxed positionSome advocate simultaneous intra-articular and bursa injections for pain relief

Suprascapular nerve blocks for pain relief stellate ganglion block

Surgery

in refractory cases, i.e. cases not responding to conventional therapy for more than 3-6 monthsmanipulation under anaesthesia (MUA), most reliable to improve movement arthroscopic release of capsule

Physiotherapy

initiated in the first phase of the disease to restore movement or after surgery to maintain the range of movement achieved by surgery exercise indicated under observation of a physical therapist or prescription of a home program.gentle stretching and range movement exercises are recommended avoiding ‘too much, too early’ : 1 hour sessions, 3 days per week, for 4 week totaling 12 sessionsMaitland mobilization techniques, active & passive as well as auto-assisted range of motion exercises and aid of physical agents like dyna bandsCodman exercises ‘wall climbing’ or ‘reaching’ found to be effective results better with moderate exercise within normal limits of painvigorous and forceful exercise contraindicated

Discussion

Clear evidence of efficacy of different modalities of treatments is lacking. Hence, the management of frozen shoulder has been a subject of considerable debate, especially the rationale of intra-articular injections and/ or physiotherapy and the effectiveness of one over the other if indicated separately.

A lot of the studies have found corticosteroid injections to be slightly more effective, especially in the early stage of the disease, in alleviating pain. This advantage, however, is lost at the end of three to four weeks. Coritcosteroids, thereafter, do not alter the course of disease. The evidence in favour of physiotherapy as an effective mode of treatment is too flimsy as well.

Lack of correlation between subjective and objective findings on the restriction of movements in frozen shoulder is well documented in literature.

It needs to be investigated whether this supposed improvement in the range of movement perceived by the patient is responsible for the ‘spontaneous resolution definition’ of the condition. For a normal individual, active elevation of 150°, external rotation of 50° and internal rotation up to the 8th thoracic vertebra is sufficient for day to day activities. These functional needs further reduce during the 5th and 6th decade of life; therefore the perceived resolution of frozen shoulder.The resolution of the condition may therefore represent excellent adaptation of the individual to the decreased range of movements

Points of Further interest

• research into etiology of the condition
• research into designing of effective physiotherapy techniques
• newer drugs with potential for control of effective symptoms
• investigation into the ‘spontaneous resolution theory’

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/frozen-shoulder-various-modalities-of-treatment-1742176.html

About the Author

Dr Deepak S Hiwale, Sports medic, Aberdeen, UK
drdeepakhiwale@aol.com

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Trendy Totes: Three Criteria for Choosing Promotional Tote Bags

Author: Jenny Schweyer

Promotional pens and mugs will always be the staples of any business' advertising efforts.  However, more businesses are choosing promotional tote bags as a means for spreading the advertising word than ever before.

Totes have long been highly useful items for most any aspect of life.  They make handy carry-alls for text or library books, beach gear for a day at the lake, sewing and craft items, or for every day travel to work or school.  Most everyone has some use for one, which is one reason that promotional tote bags are beginning outsell other types of business giveaways.

The second reason that promotional tote bags are gaining popularity: tote bags are trendy.  Bags are a hot fashion item on the runway.  They remain a "must have" accessory item, both for men and women.  Today's bags combine good old-fashioned practicality with modern designs and colors making them a fashion statement as well as a mode of transportation for everyday items.

Promotional tote bags come in a variety of styles and materials.  Their ample size and flat surface make them ideal canvasses for any business logo.  Once they're taken on the go, they become mobile advertisements for your business.

Ready to begin your foray into the world of promotional tote bags?  Choose your perfect advertising vehicle based on one or more of the following criteria:

1) Your target audience.  If your business deals primarily with one sector of population (children, women, men, athletes, etc.), pick a style that will appeal to that sector.  For example, duffel-style bags would make an appealing business giveaway for a hockey or basketball player.

2) A particular event.  Trade shows are always a great place to showcase your business, services and/or products.  If it's a particular type of trade show, purchase promotional tote bags that "coordinate" with the theme of the event.  Cosmetic totes would be an appropriate and memorable business giveaway for a women's fair, for instance.  Laundry tote bags would be fun gifts to hand out at a job fair on a university campus.  Choosing totes that match the theme will help visitors remember your business afterwards.

3) Your budget.  Promotional tote bags come in all kinds of styles and materials suitable for big or small advertising budgets.  Heavyweight paper and lightweight plastic promotional tote bags are affordable even for small businesses and tight budgets.  They tend to range in price from under a dollar to two dollars per unit.  Canvas totes, a universal favorite, range from about $1.50 up to six or seven dollars per unit.  Other economical ideas include lunch bags, back packs and cooler totes.  More luxurious promotional tote bags include backpacks, computer bags, lightweight brief bags and flight carry-ons.

Sometimes it's helpful to have a number of different types and styles of promotional tote bags on hand.  This way you'll be prepared for a variety of opportunities as they present themselves.

Promotional tote bags are practical for all ages and types of people.  Tote bags with your logo will be a big hit with your customers.  And who knows how far your logo will travel?

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/trendy-totes-three-criteria-for-choosing-promotional-tote-bags-669521.html

About the Author

Jenny Schweyer is a freelance writer from the Pacific Northwest. She writes extensively on business and related themes.

Art Promos: We carry a full line of promotional tote bags plus hundreds of other promotional gifts for your business.

Promotional Tote Bags: A blog devoted to the fashionable and trendy tote bag. Weekly highlights on promotional tote bags. We can help you find the perfect one to advertise your business.

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Causes of Diabetes - What are the Risks Involved

Author: Dr John

The Causes of diabetes are still not fully understood. Neither are medical scientists able to explain why some people develop diabetes and others don’t. Certain factors have, however, been clearly identified which contribute to the development of diabetes.

Is Diabetes Inherited?

Heredity is a major factor. That diabetes can be inherited has been known for centuries. However, the pattern of inheritance is not fully understood. Statistic indicates that those with a family history of the disease have a higher risk of developing diabetes than those without such a background. The risk factor is 25 to 33 percent more.

Children are most likely to develop diabetes if either or both parents are diabetes, or if the expectant mother became diabetic, or if the mother was a confirmed diabetic prior to conception. This may not always be true. It is possible for parents who were, or are diabetic and the other remains free from the disease.

It is, however, essential that the blood sugar level of an expectant mother who is diabetic be maintained within the normal range, so that diabetes is not passed on to her child. It the blood sugar level is kept under control, the infant may not have nay symptoms of inherited diabetes, but a risk factor cannot be ruled out.

One reason why diabetes, especially type-2 diabetes runs in the family is because of the diabetes gene. But even it is caused by genetic factors beyond your control; there is no reason to suffer from it. Diabetes mellitus cannot be cured in full sense of the term, but it can be effectively controlled so that you would not know the difference.

Intensive genetic research is currently underway to identify genes associated with both type-1 and type-2 diabetes. In a study sponsored by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of USA the relatives at risk of type-1 diabetes are being treated with low doses of either insulin or an oral medication to determine if drugs may prevent the disease.

Surveys show that in India diabetes is more prevalent among males than females. In this population, family history of diabetes mellitus was present in 5.5 to 11.6 per cent. Amongst diabetics, 18.3 per cent urban and 6.4 percent of rural population had a direct relative with diabetes. Therefore, genetic predisposition in India is comparable to that observed in other parts of the world.

Diet: A Self inflicted Causes

Diabetes has been described by most medical scientists as a prosperity’ disease, primarily caused by systematic overeating. Not only is eating too much sugar and refined carbohydrates harmful, but proteins and fats, which are transformed into sugar, may also result in diabetes if taken in excess.

Too much food taxes the pancreas and ultimately its normal activity of producing insulin gets paralyzed. It is interesting to note that diabetes is almost unknown in countries where people are poor and cannot afford to overeat.

The incidence of diabetes is directly linked with the consumption of processed foods rich in refined carbohydrates, like biscuits, bread, cakes chocolates, pudding and ice creams. In Britain, during the war when only whole wheat bread was available the incidence of diabetes dropped by 55 percent.

Parents should take great care to develop correct dietary habits in their children. Children should be prevented from becoming addicts to harmful foods like ice cream, cakes, jam, jelly, peppermint, chocolates and other sweets. The amount of food given to children should be such as would allow growth but not obesity. Children should be convinced about the importance of exercise and games and sports should be encouraged. Ideal body weight and a proportionate body is an almost certain guarantee against diabetes.

The Obesity Trigger

Obesity is one of the main causes of diabetes. Studies show that 60 to 85 % of diabetics tend to be overweight. In the United States of America, about 80 percent of type –2 non-insulin dependent diabetics are reported to be overweight. During the Second World War, when there was a decrease in the average weight of the people, the incidence of diabetes came down dramatically. The greater the obesity, the greater is the mortality rate due to complications of diabetes.

Excess fat prevents insulin from working properly. The more fatty tissue in the body, the more resistant the muscle and tissue cells become to body insulin. Insulin allows the sugar in the blood to enter the cells by acting on the receptor sites on the surface of the cells. In obesity, where a person is overweight by 20 percent of the ideal weight or has high uric acid, or some syndromes, receptors are sparse and functionally idle. This is observed in patients developing diabetes around the age of 40 years, and having type-2 non-insulin dependent diabetes. It is estimated that the incidence of diabetes is four times higher in persons of moderate’s obesity and 3 times higher in persons of severe obesity. It has been rightly said; Heredity is like a cannon and obesity pulls and trigger.

Older people often tend to gain weight, and the same time, many of them develop and mild form of diabetes because who are over weight can often improve their blood sugar simply by losing weight. In some cases, it is all that is required to bring blood sugar back into the normal range. Even small weight loss can have beneficial effects, reducing blood sugar levels, or allowing medicines to work better. However, sudden gain in weight may cause diabetes to return. It is therefore important for older people to keep their weight down to normal. Among those detected to be diabetic, almost one third are overweight.

Virus Infections

Pancreatic infections with Coxsackie’s B virus can result in beta cell damage, development of autoantibodies and, consequently, type-1 insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. Some of these can be diagnosed by a viral antibody test and islet cell antibody test. Screening for antibodies can indicate potentially juvenile diabetes in a family on the basis of auto-immunity.

The Lifestyle Risk

A sedentary lifestyle, resulting from lack of physical work and exercise, plays an improvement role in the development of diabetes. The less active a person, the greater the risk of developing diabetes. Modern conveniences have made work easier. Physical activity and exercise helps control weight, uses up a lot of glucose (sugar) present in the blood as energy and makes cells more sensitive to insulin. Consequently, the workload on the pancreas is reduced.

Exercise also adds to the muscles mass. Normally, between 70 percent to 90 percent of the blood sugar is absorbed into the muscles. A reduction in muscle mass-either due to age of physical inactivity—reduces the storage space for blood sugar, and it remains in the blood stream.

Smoking: An Important Risk Factor

Smoking is another important risk factor. Among men who smoke, the risk of developing diabetes is doubled. In women who smoke 25 or more cigarettes a day, the risk of developing diabetes is increased by 40 percent. Smoking also reduces retinal blood flow and increases the risk of developing retinopathy. It also decreases insulin absorption and limits joints mobility. Smoking, in combination with diabetes, greatly enhances the likelihood of premature mortality. It also depends upon the number of cigarettes a day a person smokes and the number of years he has been smoking.

Age

A risk of type-2 diabetes increases, as one grows older, especially above the age of 45 years. Part of the reason is that is people grow older, they tend to become less physically active, lose muscle mass and gain weight. With life styles becoming more sedentary, there has been an increase of diabetes among people in there 30s and 40s.

Stress and Tension

Stress can be emotional or physical, such as a surgery or a serious infection, an accident or an emotional shock. Another very urban trait, the high stress lifestyle, not just amongst the young unwardly mobile, but increasingly in all walks of life, is a relatively new phenomenon in India. Since there is a known connection between stress and diabetes mellitus, those who are under stress and/or lead an irregular lifestyle, need to take adequate precautions and make necessary lifestyle adjustments.

Pancreatic insufficiency caused by stress, can lead to diabetes. Grief, worry and anxiety resulting from examinations, death of a close relative, loss of a joy, business failure and strained marital relationship, all a deep influence on the metabolism and may cause sugar to appear in the urine.

Organic Disorders

Diabetes may be associated with some grave organic disorders like cancer, tuberculosis and cerebral diseases. Diabetes may also be caused by a variety of other factors. These include certain metabolic and genetic disorders, inadequate secretion of insulin by the pancreas, malfunctioning of other endocrine glands like thyroid, pituitary and adrenal, excessive consumption of alcohol and the use of the certain drugs.

Race

Although the reasons are unclear, people of certain races are more likely to develop diabetes than others.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/causes-of-diabetes-what-are-the-risks-involved-289188.html

About the Author

Dr John Anne is a herbal specialist with years of experience and extensive research on Herbs and Alternative health. For more helpful information visit Diabetes Causes at Diabetes Treatment Website. Also read about Diabetes Testing.

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Is Rheumatoid Arthritis A Genetic Disease?

Author: Nathan Wei

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common inflammatory type of arthritis. It affects more than 2 million Americans and is still a leading cause of both disability as well as days lost from work. RA is more common in women than men, and typical onset for the disease is between 25 and 50 years of age. Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include swelling, loss of movement, stiffness, and pain in joints, most commonly, the fingers and wrists.

RA is to be feared and respected because it is a systemic autoimmune chronic condition that affects internal organs as well as joints. While the cause of RA is still not completely known, a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine conducted by researchers in the United States and Sweden links a genetic region to rheumatoid arthritis.

A new study indicates a new genetic association with RA.

Researchers in the U.S. compared genetic material of 908 patients with RA from the North American Rheumatoid Arthritis Consortium with the genetic material of 1,282 individuals without RA. Swedish researchers compared DNA samples from 673 individuals without RA with genetic material from 676 individuals with RA obtained from the Swedish Epidemiological Investigation of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Both groups of researchers used the new genome-wide association approach, which allows researchers to examine 300,000 to 500,000 small discrepancies in genetic material. Researchers examined genetic material in blood samples of all individuals that were part of the study.

The researchers found two genes in chromosome 9 responsible for the inflammation associated with RA: TRAF1 and C5. TRAF 1 codes for tumor necrosis factor, a specific target for many of the new biologic drugs used to treat RA. C5 codes for complement, a protein that also plays a big role in inflammation. Other genetic predisposing factors have been identified previously. These include HLA-DRB1 and PTPN22.

Elaine F. Remmers, Ph.D. in the Genetics and Genonics Branch of the NAMS Intramural Research Program and one of the authors of this study stated in a press release, "TRAF1-C5 showed association not only in the sample that we did with the North American Rheumatoid Arthritis Consortium but also independently in the Swedish group. By combining our information, we were able to make a much stronger case. The combined evidence was pretty impressive."

The researchers are unclear as to both how these genes are connected to RA as well as to which gene is causing the condition. Remmers added, "Actually, both genes are very interesting candidates. They both control inflammatory processes that really are relevant for the disease, so we could easily envision either of them playing a role - or both."

The authors hope that future research can reveal more about how these genes are linked to RA. They also hope that by learning more about the genes' connection to the disease, they will become closer to producing more effective treatment for the condition.

Remmers went on to say, "We are hoping that we will find variants in either of the genes that will lead us to new targets for therapy. Once we understand how the RA-associated variants work, we may be able interfere with the pathways the variants are influencing and either prevent the disease or block its progression."

Author's note: While the subject seems to be pretty dry, this is actually pretty exciting stuff. Soon... or at least I hope soon, we will be able to biopsy patients with RA when they come in, identify the genetic markers they have, and put these patients immediately on the therapies that hopefully will either put them into complete remission or even cure them.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/is-rheumatoid-arthritis-a-genetic-disease-235438.html

About the Author
Nathan Wei, MD FACP FACR is a rheumatologist and Director of the Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center of Maryland. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. For more info: Arthritis Treatment
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Top 5 Diabetes Diet Tips for Creating Healthy Meal Plan

Author: Nishanth Reddy

Diet plays a key role in controlling your blood sugar. A healthy-eating plan tailored to your needs will do that and more. Majority of people affected with diabetes are overweight or obese. In fact, your risk of getting diabetes increases the more weight you put on.

So controlling your diet can be the key to reducing the risk of diabetes as well as improving your symptoms if you are already affected by this disease people often refer to as "the silent killer."

Everybody knows that maintaining a good diet is a healthy choice for every person. But for diabetes patients, this statement means something more significant than the recent fad over healthy living.

For diabetes patients, having a healthy diet means eating in a way that reduces the risk for complications that are commonly associated with their conditions, including heart disease and stroke. For them, a healthy diet could mean the difference between die-abetes and live-abetes.

Eating healthy involves eating a wide variety of foods that encompasses the whole diet spectrum of vegetables, whole grains, fruits, non-fat dairy products, beans, lean meats, poultry, and fish.

No, you do not have to eat all of that, but a little bit of this and that enough to balance the three basic food groups (Go, Grow, and Glow) is what you should aim for.

Tip #1: Preparing a Meal Plan

When you go on a diabetes diet, the first things you need to do is to prepare a meal plan. This will serve as your guide to how much and what kinds of food you can choose to eat at meals, and even at snack times if you wish to include that.

Now, be sure that your meal plan fits in with your schedule and eating habits. That way you will not be likely to ruin your diet simply because your work schedule conflicts with your meal schedule.

Keep in mind your end-goal: To keep your blood glucose in levels that are easy enough to maintain.

In addition to that somewhat myopic diet goal for diabetes, you also want to follow a meal plan that will help you improve your blood pressure and cholesterol levels as well as keep your weight on track.

All these - blood pressure, cholesterol and weight - are factors that contribute to the worsening of your diabetes symptoms, so controlling them could very well mean controlling your diabetes.

When preparing a meal plan, be sure to balance uptake and down take - that is, food and exercise, respectively. Additionally, your doctor may have prescribed you with insulin or oral medications to help you manage your condition.

Take those medications into account as well when you plan your meal plan, making sure that the food is balanced with the drugs. The whole thing sounds like it's a lot of work but with a few suggestions from your physician and/or dietician you can start building a meal plan that is best for you and your condition.

Tip #2: Use the Diabetes Food Pyramid

The Diabetes Food Pyramid, released by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is composed of six food groups (arranged according to how much you should eat from the least to the most and based on carbohydrate and protein content):

• Fats, sweets, and alcohol
• Milk
• Meat, meat substitutes, and other proteins
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Grains, beans, and starchy vegetables

Fats, sweets, and alcohol are the one food group that diabetes patients should avoid.

The problem with diabetes involves a certain malfunction in the way our bodies make use of glucose in the blood. It is either there is too much glucose in our blood because we ate too much food rich in sugar so that the hormone responsible for regulating glucose - insulin - is unable to cope. Or, our cells are defective so that even though we have enough insulin to handle the job, our cells do not respond.

In order to control the levels of glucose in the blood stream, controlling diabetes diet is important. The intake of fats, sweets, and alcohol and other generally "unhealthy" foods should be minimized and only for special treats.

As for the rest of the food groups, here are the serving sizes recommended by the American Diabetes Association:

• Meat and Meat Substitutes: 4-6 oz. per day and divided between meals. This is equivalent to ¼ cup cottage cheese, 1 egg, 1 tbsp peanut butter, or ½ cup tofu.
• Milk: 2-3 servings per day
• Fruit: 2-4 servings per day
• Vegetables: 3-5 servings per day
• Grains and Starches: 6-11 servings per day, equivalent to 1 slice of bread, ¼ of a bagel, or ½ of an English muffin or pita bread.

Use this Diabetes Food Pyramid only as a guide in planning your meals. If you want a more individualized option, consult your dietician.

Tip #3: Draw Lines on Your Plate

Another good way to ensure that you are eating a balanced diet is to draw a line across your plate. It could only be an imaginary line. As you sit there for a meal, the exercise might even prove to be fun.

The first step, of course, is to imagine that you are drawing a line through the center of your plate. Then, divide one of the halves into two.

Then, fill this section with grains or starchy foods, such as rice, pasta, potatoes, corn, or peas.

The other section should comprise your meat and meat substitute group - meat, fish, poultry, or tofu.

Next, fill half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables. You can place there broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, salad, tomatoes, and cauliflower.

Last, add a glass of milk and a small piece of roll, and eh voila! You are ready to eat.

Tip #4: Reading Food Labels

With food labels, it all comes down to the Nutrition Facts. It's that list of nutrition information found on the package of foods sold in the grocery store. Reading food labels can help you make wise choices about the foods you buy. The labels will tell you what ingredients were used, the amount of calories, and other pertinent information essential to a diabetes patient.

For instance, a typical food label would contain the total amounts per serving for the following nutrients:

• Calories
• Total fat
• Saturated fat
• Cholesterol
• Sodium
• Total carbohydrate
• Fiber

Use the nutrition facts found in food labels to compare similar types of foods and buy the one that contains fewer calories, lower fats, cholesterol, etc.

Pay close attention to free foods like sugar-free gelatin desert, sugar-free ice pops, sugarless gum, diet soft drinks, and sugar-free syrups. Just because they are called "free" does not mean they are entirely free of calories so don't be overconfident. Instead, read the label. Most free foods should have less than 20 calories and 5 grams of carbohydrates per serving.

Another thing, "no-sugar added" means no sugar was added during the manufacture and packaging of the foods. The ingredients do not include sugar. However, the food may be high in carbohydrates still so be sure to read the label carefully.

Fat-free foods could still mean that they contain lots of carbohydrates. Often, they contain almost the same amount of calories as the foods they replace so be sure to pay attention to the label. Buying fat-free foods instead of regular foods does not necessarily mean that you are making a wise choice.

Tip #5: A Word about Sweets
Now, you know that sweets are generally discouraged among diabetes patients. However, having diabetes does not necessarily mean that you cannot have sweets. Imagine how bad life can be for the sweet tooth with diabetes. But as long as you keep your intake of sweets in moderation, there is no reason you have to eschew sugar from your life forever. After all, glucose (sugar) is still the most basic source of energy that the body needs.

So sweeten your foods with these following options:

• Sugar and other sweeteners with calories: honey, brown sugar, molasses, fructose, cane sugar, and confectioners sugar

• Reduced calorie sweeteners: erythritol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol

• Low calories sweeteners: ascelfume potassium, aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose

Research has overturned the long standing belief that sugar caused diabetes. The new studies show us that sugar has in fact the same effect on blood glucose levels as other carbohydrates like bread and potatoes. Based on this discovery, experts agree that a diabetic can now consume sugar as long as they incorporate it into their meal plan the way they would with any ordinary carbohydrate-containing foods.
Now that you have been pointed to the right direction with these tips to improve your diabetes diet, you can go ahead and live a healthier, fuller life where nothing - no carb nor sweets - is denied you, as long as you keep it all in moderation.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/top-5-diabetes-diet-tips-for-creating-healthy-meal-plan-58626.html

About the Author

Nishanth Reddy is an author and publisher of many health related website. Visit his website for more information on diabetes, including symptoms, diet, child diabetes, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and diabetes prevention.
Diabetes Information Guide

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