| |
| |
|
Diabetes Information |
|
Diabetes And The Long Term Dangers
Diabetes has hidden dangers that begin before diagnosis and continue to worsen if certain steps are not taken to prevent the complications that are the true, "killers" in terms of diabetes. Statistics show that there are around 18 million diabetics in America, both Type 1 and Type 2. It is amazing how many people, diabetics included, who have no idea what dangers a diabetic faces over their lifetime. A diabetic, all things being equal, lives almost 10 years less than their non-diabetic counterpart on average. Why do diabetics life shorter life spans than non-diabetics? The answer is both simple and complicated. Simple in explaining in general terms, complicated in the medical sense. Without traveling the complicated route in this article, I will try to give a simple, straight forward answer to the above question. Diabetics live shorter lives than non-diabetics because of diabetic complications. What Are Diabetic Complications? Diabetic complications are chronic medical conditions that begin to affect the body of the diabetic. These complications are brought about mostly by a condition the medical community had named, "Advanced Glycation End products" which is simply, "excess sugar" saturating the inside of the cells of the body. This condition also called AGE for short includes coronary artery disease, vascular disease, blindness, kidney disease, retinopathy (blindness) and loss of feeling in the hands and the feet (peripheral neuropathy) among others. Diabetes in the early stages does not produce symptoms. Unless found during a routine medical exam, it is possible for a diabetic to remain undiagnosed for years. It is during these years that the beginnings of diabetic complications can gain a foothold due excess sugar in the cells (AGE). The statistics show there is the possibility of as many as over 5 million people going about their normal lives while having undiagnosed diabetes. Are Diabetic Complications A Certainty? While the current consensus is that the formula for diabetic complications Diabetes + Time = Complications. What this means is there is a much higher potential of a diabetic becoming diagnosed with one or more diabetic complications over time. This is partly due to how well the individual monitors and controls his/her blood sugar. Drastic rises and falls of blood sugar can be hard on the body and the excess sugar present in the cells create havoc on the different nerves within the body as well as the capillaries, veins, and arteries. The evidence to date show that excellent control of blood sugar and an active lifestyle goes a very long way in preventing and/or slowing down the onset of diabetic complications. The Different Types Of Diabetes There are two types of diabetes - Type One and Type Two. Type One attacks children and young adults and is characterized by the pancreas failing to produce insulin which is a hormone that breaks down sugars and starches while converting them into energy. Type Two occurs usually later in an adult's life and is characterized by the pancreas being unable to produce enough insulin due to several factors, obesity being one of them. Around 10 percent of diabetics are Type One while the other 90 percent are Type Two. The major difference between the two being that Type One diabetics are completely dependent on insulin and take daily injections while the Type Two's have both those who require insulin shots while others can rely on oral medication and/or changes in diet and exercise. The Risk Factors Surrounding Diabetes There are several risk factors that can push a pre-diabetic into full blown diabetes. 1) being overweight. 2) family history of diabetes, 3) lack of adequate exercise. 4) history of gestational diabetes (occurs during pregnancy and usually disappears after delivery). 5) certain ethnic groups People over 45 years of age and has one or several of the risk factors mentioned above should be screened for diabetes each year, preferably during an annual medical exam. It has been shown that people with these risk factors comprise the majority of diagnosed cases of diabetes each year. What Tests Help Diagnose Diabetes Cases? There are two, main tests used for determining whether or not a person has a glucose intolerance: 1) Fasting Plasma Glucose Test 2) Oral Glucose Tolerance Test Both of these tests can determine glucose intolerance which is where blood sugar is higher than what is considered normal. This is not always an indication of diabetes however. Can The Onset Of Diabetes Be Prevented? People with the above risk factors can go a long way toward preventing the development of full-blown diabetes by making significant lifestyle change. What are lifestyle changes? Changing unhealthy diets to more blood sugar friendly ones, doing enough exercise to help offset increased blood sugar levels and keep the body healthy and losing weight especially if considered obese by the medical community. If you are pre-diabetic you need to stay on a strict diabetic diet. Ask your healthcare professional for a diet that meets that criteria and limit cakes, candy, cookies, and other things made of simple sugars. Eat small, nutritious meals and eat 5 times a day instead of only three. If you are already diagnosed with full-blown diabetes, you should follow the same diet while under the meticulous care of your healthcare professional. Keep your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar within proper limits and have your eyes checked every year. Diabetes can contribute to blindness, kidney disease and heart disease. Complications caused nearly 70,000 deaths in 2000. What Can The Diabetic Look Forward To? Diabetic complications can be prevented or lessened for a longer time period by paying serious attention to lifestyle. A diabetic who eats right, keeps his blood sugar in control and within accepted limits, exercises and gets proper rest can expect to have a quality of life that is much higher in terms of the pain and suffering that diabetic complications brings into the lives of diabetics who do nothing to change their lifestyle. What begins to occur in the diabetic who starts to develop complications because of uncontrolled blood sugars over time is a life filled with the possibility of becoming an invalid, either blind, an amputee, or suffering renal failure or a heart attack. The above paints a rather grim picture if lifestyle changes are not adhered to. Research has shown that the diabetic that keeps their blood sugar within acceptable limits and follows a healthy, diabetic lifestyle that has been shown to be effective against diabetic complications stands a much better chance of not developing many of the complications their less than dedicated counterparts do. There is a new derivative of thiamine (Vitamin B1) available now that is showing great promise in greatly reducing the excess sugar in the cells of the diabetic, the process known as Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGE). Is Benfotiamine Effective Against Diabetic Complications? Benfotiamine is a lipid soluble derivative of thiamine. Japanese researchers developed benfotiamine in the 1950's and later patented it in the United States in 1962. No one in the US medical community paid much attention to it at the time. For the past 12 years in Europe it has been used for neuropathy, retinopathy and other uses. The chemical name and formula for benfotiamine is: S-benzoylthiamine-O-monophosphate (C19H23N4O6PS). It wasn't until a group of researchers in New York at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University released the results of their research in 2003 in Nature Medicine Magazine did the rest of the world begin to take a look at this substance. Benfotiamine is unique and was reported by Michael Brownlee, M.D., as showing much promise in preventing nerve and blood-vessel damage in diabetics. Every diagnosed diabetic has been told by his/her healthcare provider that diabetic complications are the true killers in terms of diabetes. If you are a diabetic or know a diabetic, you may find additional information about benfotiamine and view research that has been recently conducted showing the benefits of preventing diabetic complications by following the link to the website below. Zach Malott is CEO of Brentwood Health International, a nutritional supplement company involved in distribution and supplying wholesale, retail and end users. Mr. Malott is available to discuss the research as it applies to benfotiamine in terms of diabetic complications such as neuropathy and retinopathy. He can be reached at: Phone: 505.354.0526
MORE RESOURCES:
Diabetes - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Diabetes, A Bad Omen Or A Fresh Start? So you've learned that you've got diabetes. Well after the initial shock, you're stuck with dealing with the lifestyle changes that come with your diagnosis. Diabetes Awreness: There's No Substitute for Good Friends Was there a time when you relished the idea of giving dinner parties?What a great opportunity to bond with old friends, try out a few new recipes, and find a reason to clean up the house!Has diabetes robbed you of the enjoyable events involving your friends and family?Diabetes has an ugly characteristic of wrecking the lives of it's victims by forcing them into seclusion.If you have been neglecting the enjoyable events of your life, please take action to control your diabetes. Double Diabetes -- Placing Your Kids at Even More Risk In some medical circles it's called Type 3 Diabetes. Teenagers and young adults diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, if overweight or obese, can develop type 2 diabetes later in life. Fanning the Flames of the Diabetes Epidemic INTRODUCTIONIt is my pleasure to introduce to you, a new Diabetes Prevention Education, Public Relations Campaign established under the name Fannie Estelle Hill Grant, started by me, Lyndia Grant-Briggs, after the loss of my mother who succumbed to Type 2 Diabetes on Christmas Day, December 25, 2000. I noticed a fire burning in the Diabetes health arena, and it is still burning out of control. Diabetes Symptoms, Causes & Types Diabetes affects the manner in which the body handles carbohydrates, fats and proteins. If neglected, diabetes can have serious complications. Exercise & Diabetes You are no doubt aware that exercise can help prevent the serious complications that often come with diabetes and heart disease. Research has repeatedly shown that regular physical activity helps reduce the likelihood of having a heart attack or a stroke, aids in weight loss, and improves mood. The Profect Solution for Diabetics Diabetes, which affects more than 6% of the US population or over 18,000,000 people [i], is diagnosed when the body is not creating or effectively utilizing the hormone called insulin. As a result, much-needed energy from sugar, starch, and other sources are not being exploited as effectively as they should. Diabetes and Exercise - Just Move it! While exercise and eating guidelines are based on good scientific principles, they do not necessarily agree with human nature or common sense. Recent history tells us that we are better off encouraging the mediocre people who are willing to include exercise in their daily lives, rather than cramming guidelines down the majority of those who want to fight the inevitable. What You Need To Know About Diabetes INTRODUCTIONAccording to the World Health Organization, a few decades back diabetes was an uncommon disease, in both developed and developing countries. Today, the story is different. Can We Do More for Diabetics? New Research Suggests that We Can Diabetes can briefly be defined as a state when the body's blood glucose is too high. The body does require a certain amount of sugar in the blood; however, those suffering from diabetes have levels much higher than what is needed. Syndrome X - What Is It And Have You Got It? Syndrome X or the X factor as it is sometimes known was first described in 1988 by Professor Gerald Reaven , an endocrinologist at California's Stanford University after twenty years of study. Since this first identification the understanding of Syndrome X has come a long way. The Subconscious Diet Can Help Protect Your Child From Type 2 Diabetes Until obesity became epidemic, type 2 diabetes was virtually unheard of in children and teens. It was originally called "adult-onset" because it was mainly seen after middle age. Diabetes: African Americans Deadly Foe Diabetes is having a devastating effect on the African American community. Diabetes is the fifth leading cause of death in African Americans and their death rates are twenty seven percent higher than whites. Medical Supply Cases for Insulin and Diabetics Medical supply manufacturers are continuously conceptualizing medical supplies needed by people who are in delicate health condition - medical supplies that may enable the patient to lead a life with at least a semblance of normalcy.Diabetic patients are one of these people who are in delicate health condition. Diabetic Foot Care Tips: Cant Afford to Ignore It! Most of the time, we focus on health or skin care completely ignoring the importance of our feet. Foot care is equally important especially for diabetic people to avoid foot complications. Protein Principles for Diabetes Dietary considerations can present a Hobson's choice in diabetes. Even when the intake is nutritious, assimilating it can be another matter. Diabetes: Diabetics Fight Back Many cases of diabetes go unnoticed or unchecked before a person or their doctor realizes the inevitable. This disease silently uses destructive high blood sugars to gradually damage the body for months or even years, before symptoms are noted. Exercising for Diabetes Sufferers Exercise is often recommended in treating type 1 (insulin- dependent) and type 2 (noninsulin- dependent) diabetes ~ both as a stand-alone activity and in combination with diet and drug therapy. For people who are heavily dependent on medicines, exercise cannot replace drugs but it does contribute to normalizing the glucose metabolism. Gestational Diabetes Gestational diabetes is a temporary condition that occurs during pregnancy. Pregnant women who have never had diabetes before, but who have high blood sugar levels during pregnancy, are said to have gestational diabetes. I Have Diabetes or Another Chronic Condition - Should I Use an HSA? Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are becoming quite popular for people who are generally healthy. But what about sick people? What about people who have chronic conditions like diabetes, multiple sclerosis or the like? Does an HSA make sense for them?The short answer is yes.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
