Warning Signs of Diabetes

Warning Signs of Diabetes.

Frequent urination

When the body detects a high level of sugar in the blood, kidneys respond by attempting to get rid of excess glucose in the urine. This can lead to an increase in urine production, and the need to urinate frequently. If you find yourself going to the toilet more often, especially if you wake up at night to urinate, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor about whether you need a check.Nighttime awakenings to urinate may also be associated with other diseases.

Who should be tested for diabetes?

According to the National Institutes of Health, people 45 years old and older should consider getting tested for diabetes. People under the age of 45 should consider testing if they are overweight or obese. Initial screening for diabetes includes checking blood glucose level of the blood sample, fasting overnight. Accepted normal range for fasting blood glucose, typically from 70 to 99 mg / dL. The level of post above 100 may require additional testing.

Increased thirst and dry mouth

Production of excess urine can lead to dehydration and the loss of liquid, which is why people with undiagnosed diabetes frequently experience excessive thirst and dryness of the mouth. People can see that they drink more and more water and other liquids, and still not feeling their thirst was quenched.

Increased hunger

When someone developing type 2 diabetes, the ability of glucose to enter the cells of the organism to be used as energy disturbed. When glucose is less accessible cells, the body can react to the feeling of hunger, even if the food has been consumed recently.

Unexplained weight loss

When there is less glucose, the body is also programmed to start burning fat and muscle energy. This may lead to sudden and sometimes rapid weight loss.

Fatigue

A high content of glucose in the blood can also slow blood flow, which reduces the amount of oxygen and other nutrients are delivered to the cells. As a result, fatigue can develop.

Headaches and difficulty concentrating

The brain requires adequate hydration for optimal function, so when the body enters a state of dehydration, as it happens when blood sugar is high, and there is increase in urine output, headaches or blurred mind and fuzzy thinking can be a sad result.

Blurred vision

High blood sugar levels can cause the lens to swell, which may lead to blurred vision. Once blood sugar returns to normal, vision changes back to normal. Nevertheless, the American Diabetes Association recommends that people with Type 2 diabetes to have a complete eye examination soon after they are diagnosed.

Slow healing and increased risk of infection

High blood sugar can lead to disruption of the natural healing process of the body and the ability to fight infections. Experiencing the normal creaking or cut, for example, can take too much time to heal in someone with untreated diabetes and increase the risk of infection. Women with diabetes, bladder, vaginal yeast infections, are generally more common.

Sore throat and numbness

If diabetes go unnoticed or untreated, chronic high blood sugar can damage the nerves throughout the body, a condition known as diabetic neuropathy. When neuropathy develops, people may notice numbness, tingling or pain in the extremities, especially the legs and feet.

Risk factor for diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is often called "lifestyle diseases" because certain factors that put people at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes come from the lifestyle that they have. These factors include  physical inactivity and obesity, poor diet, and smoking. Smoking can be the worst. According to the researchers, smokers are about 50 percent more likely to develop diabetes than non-smokers; smokers are at even higher risk.

Other factors that increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes include family history of diabetes, gestational diabetes during pregnancy, and high blood pressure.

Race may also play a role. Native Americans, African-Americans and Hispanics almost 1.5 times more likely to develop diabetes than Asian Americans or Caucasians.

Age is also important. Type 2 diabetes is most often diagnosed in adults over 45. However, as obesity is increasing among children and adolescents, the number of diagnosed cases of "pre-diabetes" in young adults is also increasing. When someone has pre-diabetes, blood sugar levels higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes. 

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How diabetes does affects brain and vision?

How diabetes does affects brain and vision?

Effects of high blood glucose on brain

Some symptoms of the impact of diabetes on the brain do not appear immediately, especially if they are associated with high blood sugar.

In diabetes, after some time, you have an increased risk of damage to blood vessels, including tiny blood vessels of the brain. These lesions destroy the white matter of the brain

White matter is an essential part of the brain, by means of which the interaction of nerve fibers. When the nerve endings of the brain are damaged, you can get various changes in thinking, for example, vascular cognitive impairment or vascular dementia.

If you control your diabetes well, you simply avoid the development of hypoglycemia - low blood sugar levels. But it should be remembered that the low level of sugar in the blood carries much more serious and obvious implications for the brain than elevated blood sugar.

Patients with type 2 diabetes are more prone to the development of various vascular complications of the brain, as they tend to be have poor metabolism, low levels of good cholesterol (HDL, HDL), high triglycerides and high blood pressure, and they are likely to suffer from overweight or obese

Hypoglycemia, even light, is usually very difficultly tolerated by patients in unlike when they have high sugar. Low blood glucose worsens mood and complicated thought processes of the brain. You can have a headache, dizziness, impaired coordination, can be difficult to walk or speak. Very low blood sugar can cause seizures or convulsions, cause fainting or lead to a hypoglycemic coma.Repeated episodes of hypoglycemia can cause serious problems.

So far, scientists have not yet made ​​final conclusions if repeated episodes of hypoglycemia have long-term affects on memory or the risk of developing dementia. One large study showed that low levels of blood sugar does not have long-term effects on memory or the ability to think in patients with type 1 diabetes. However, another study showed that there is a correlation between the occurrence of episodes of severe hypoglycemia, and increased risk of dementia in older people with type 2 diabetes.

The bottom line is that careful control of diabetes is extremely important. The low level of glucose in the blood will not lead you to dementia, but you will feel bad. High levels of blood glucose, on the contrary, not much degrade your health but can cause problems with dementia.

Effects of high blood glucose on vision

One of the most common diseases which effects the eyes is diabetes, this condition is called diabetic retinopathy and it is one of the complications of diabetes, which resulted in the dysfunctions of blood circulation and metabolism, and the person may even lose vision. Therefore, at diagnosis of diabetes doctors’advice urgently to address not only to the endocrinologist and an ophthalmologist.

The pathological process cause by high glucose affects the retina, which disrupts its normal blood circulation. This organ, as if trying to help itself, launches a compensatory mechanism, an active growth of new vessels for retina. But they are so thin and brittle that they themselves become the cause of bleeding inside the eye. So there is a vicious circle that leads to the development of secondary glaucoma and retinal detachment.

The main treatment in such cases is laser coagulation, it often allows to preserve vision or cause blindness. An endocrinologist who first identified diabetes in person, knowing about such consequences, shall immediately send the patient to an ophthalmologist for examination.

In any stages of a diabetic retinopathy if you control your sugar, your eye will preserved for long time. At the same, to achieve this goal, the person need to change lifestyle, diet and habits. Prohibit smoking, alcohol, sweet. It is necessary to follow a diet, taking hypoglycemic agents, not to worry, and regularly observed by doctors.

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How Does Diabetes Affect the daily life?

How Does Diabetes Affect the daily life?

Diabetes - is not just a disease, it's a lifestyle! Diabetics can significantly improve the course of disease in compliance with a healthy lifestyle that includes proper nutrition, rational exercise and smoking cessation. These events are extremely useful and can greatly reduce the need for drug therapy.

The keys are:

·        Calories chosen in diet should help to achieve the ideal weight (low calorie diet).

·        Limit consumption of alcoholic beverages, as they are a source of extra calories (especially in people who are overweight), and may provoke hypoglycemic state (lead to excessive reduction in blood glucose levels).

·        Meals should be regular (every day at a certain time).

·        The composition of the food must be balanced (intake of fat and carbohydrate: sugar, jam, honey, chocolate, sweets, cakes must be minimize).

·        The diet enriched in fiber: fresh fruits and vegetables (daily ≥400 grams daily, except for melons, pears, grapes, bananas and dried fruit).

·        The use of special diabetic products in the diabetes compensation is optional.

Since food gives us the nutrients needed to support life, health and performance, it is a key element in the treatment of diabetes.

Exercise is very important to maintain proper blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of diabetes complications. Regular physical activity is a very effective method of treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Exercises improves:

·        physical and mental health; Normalizes metabolism and blood pressure;

·        promotes weight loss;

·        trains the cardiovascular system;

·        Improves lipid profile (cholesterol and others.);

·        lowers blood sugar levels;

·        It increases the sensitivity of cells to insulin.

Before you start regular physical activity, you need to have medical examination. Careful examination and health assessment to help develop for you the ideal exercise program.

Useful tips:

·       Before each exercise is necessary to measure blood sugar levels.

·       Always carry identification medical certificate (for example, a diabetic patient card, a special medallion or bracelet);

·       Always start with slow exercises; not trying to do too much exercise at a rapid pace, even if you feel that you are capable of it; increase the load slowly, so far as the physical preparation;

·       Record progress: write down your achievements in a journal.

·       Begin to exercise 1-2 hours after a meal to balance food intake and physical activity;

·       Try to exercise every day at the same time.

·       Always carry products containing easily digestible carbohydrates, such as sugar, juice, candy.

·       Wear comfortable socks made ​​of natural fibers (e.g. cotton) and choose right size of shoes.

Smoking is one of the leading causes of death. It is proved that smoking greatly exacerbates the severity of diabetes. It increases the risk of strokes and heart attacks in smokers.

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Skin conditions and care for people with Diabetes

Skin conditions and care for people with Diabetes

Why do people with diabetes often have problems with the skin?

Many experts believe that the problems with the skin in patients with diabetes arise primarilybecause of thedeterioration of the microcirculation in the tissues (microangiopathy), because the lumen of the capillaries narrowed.Normally a good microcirculation provides nourishment and protection of the skin - oxygen and nutrients are delivered to the cells freely.In people with diabetes, capillary lumen narrows, or they even completely clogged.

Remember that even a small scratch or small wound, left unattended, can lead to non-healing ulcers.

Why diabetic foot need special attention?

In the first place- because of poor blood supply to the tissues.Poor circulation in small vessels of lower limbs leads to a reduction of local immunity of the skin and the development of bacterial and fungal infections. The situation is exacerbated by loss of sensation (neuropathy) in the legs.The protective mechanism - a reaction to the pain - "turned off"due to the loss of sensitivity.That is why the skin lesions often remain undetected, they are infected, and when they are finally found as inflamed tissue, only a pharmacological treatment for a long time.

Diabetic foot syndrome- is the result of the systemic changes associated with elevated levels of blood sugar that forms a classic triad: polyneuropathy combined with vascular changes and changes to the immune system.

What precautions should be taken for people with diabetes to reduce the risk of developing complications of the skin?

Quality and hygiene inspection of the feet.Everyday.

First of all, use a preventive anti-bacterial agents for the washing of the feet.Pay attention to the soap and shower gels which should not contain harsh cleaning agents.

If there is a long standing inflammation on feet, it requires a very fast and effective treatment with drugs, which must appointed by a doctor.

How to prevent fungal infections feet?

After washing feet, always use prophylactic antifungal cream.If you have found a fungal infection, the doctor should prescribe antifungalagent (cream or tablets), depending on the severity of the case.

Be careful with pedicure cuticle, it can trigger the development of fungal infections. Also insists the beauticianthat they use disposable instruments for the procedure.

Even a good glycemic control is not very good at helping to restore the skin's immunity to bacteria and fungi.Therefore, preventive measures are compulsory.

What creams and lotions should be used for the care of diabetic skin?

It is necessary that any product does not contain alcohol, salicylic acid, preservatives and colorants.

Lotions and creams should not clog pores and leave a film on the skin, so products containing glycerin should be avoided. To be completely, it is better to choose lotions specifically designed for skin care in diabetes.

Qualitative daily hygiene - is the foundation of the health of your skin.If you notice inflammation or notice that the wounds on the skin does not heal within a few weeks, see a doctor immediately!

Which kind of socks are better to wear to avoid skin problems of feet?

Do not wear socks made from pure nylon or Dacron and wool socks.Socks of synthetic and wool nature can cause skin irritation, increased sweating of the feet, which leads to cracking and infections.It is better to wear socks made of cotton and mixed fibers and change them immediately.

What else diabetics should know?

All diabetics need to carefully protect themselves from exposure to the sun.Always wear a hat to protect from the sun in summer and to use creams with sunscreen even on cloudy days.For daily use it is recommended to choose a cream with a protection factor of 15 to 30.

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