Do You Have Diabetes? Symptoms Of Diabetes And How To Address Them


Diabetes mellitus is a condition resulting from the pancreas' inability to produce enough insulin, which is needed by the body to help create energy. A deficiency of or ineffectiveness of insulin leads to high glucose levels in the blood, thus, leading to this illness.

Diabetes has two types. Type 1 Diabetes usually occurs in young people and requires frequent insulin injections, while Type 2 Diabetes is experienced by older people and is not as dependent on insulin. Majority of those who have Type 2 Diabetes have been found to be either obese or overweight.

Diabetes usually runs in the family, so it's best to know early on if you have it. The common symptoms experienced by someone who has diabetes include unusually frequent urination and hunger, constant thirst, rapid weight loss, tiredness, numbness in the feet and hands, recurrent skin infections, itching in private parts and blurred vision. When left unattended, diabetes could escalate to hyperglycemia, which develops from an excess of glucose in the blood, and leave the person temporarily unconscious, or, worse, cause severe infections, poor healing abilities, heart ailments and numbness from nerve damage.

The direct origins of diabetes, besides heredity, remain uncertain. However, several scientists believe that diabetes can also spring from an infection in the pancreas, a disorder in the autoimmune system and even from an unhealthy diet and lifestyle.

When you notice the signs that possibly point to diabetes, consult your doctor immediately. You will be subjected to tests to determine whether your blood sugar is stable and if there is a presence of diabetes. Your doctor will then recommend an appropriate exercise regimen and diet to temper the effects of diabetes, or, if needed, prescribe medication.

People diagnosed with diabetes should avoid sugars and control the intake of fats, carbohydrates and salt. A life long low-fat, high-fiber diet is ideal. Regular aerobic exercise also helps maximize the effect of insulin treatments. Some studies show that weight management and a proper diet are often enough to keep those with Type 2 Diabetes in check and even prevent people who are diabetes-prone from developing the condition. In alternative medicine, herbs like ampalaya and banaba have also been used to help treat diabetes.

For persons with a history of diabetes in the family and are over forty years old, blood should be checked for sugar levels two hours after a hearty meal. This procedure should be done at least twice a year, as several people have been found to have had diabetes for years without experiencing any of the symptoms.

Sadly, diabetes cannot be cured. But it can be controlled with life-long treatment. Therefore, to combat diabetes, regular check-ups, a healthy lifestyle and constant vigilance are in order.

Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR'S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.

Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about diabetes, please go to: http://diabetes.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Diabetes Information:

Related Articles

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.
Diabetes Awareness: Ill Wait til it Hurts
By the time many type 2 diabetics (and often their doctors) realize action is necessary, the disease, with its destructive high blood sugars, has been silently damaging their body for years.Complications to the blood vessels and tissues of your eyes, feet, heart, kidneys, and other organs, are likely well underway.
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.
Favorite Desserts For A Diabetic Husband
It's easier than you think to create delicious desserts for your diabetic husband. When I had to get right down to it the ideas came flying at me out of my kitchen cupboard!Here's a few of his favorites:Easy Orange/Banana Parfait1 pkge Lite Orange Jello (no sugar)2 cups vanilla yogurt (fat free, no sugar but artificially sweetened)1/2 tsp vanilla2 tsp Splenda1 banana1/8 cup Lite cream cheeseMakes 4 servingsPrepare the jello per the package directions.
Ascensia Breeze Glucometer Rated
Simple Testing Over and Over* simple and easy testing. Simple single-function buttons are easy-to-use and easy to understand* No more having to use individual test strips.
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.
Insulin
Insulin has two critical roles in the body that we cannot live without, yet it can be the root of many health problems, including diabetes. Insulin carries sugar (glucose), fat and protein into your cells where they are used for energy and the repair of your cells.
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 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.
Build Health: Want To Prevent Diabetes?
To prevent diabetes you will get a real jolt when you follow the prescription offered up in the "Journal of the American Medical Association."This 'prestigious' organization reported on separate studies of coffee drinkers in Sweden and Finland.
Humulin or Lantus, Which Insulin For Your Child?
Humulin or Lantus? When my daughter, who was 8, was first diagnosed the Children's Hospital that was treating her put her on an insulin program of short acting Humalog NPH and long acting Humalin N. You should have seen me that first day of training after a long night in the emergency room where she was diagnosed.
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 and Exercise - Just Move it!
While exercise and eating guidelines are based on goodscientific principles, they do not necessarily agree withhuman nature or common sense. Recent history tells us thatwe are better off encouraging the mediocre people who arewilling to include exercise in their daily lives, ratherthan cramming guidelines down the majority of those who wantto fight the inevitable.
Improper pH Balance Increases Risk and Damage of Diabetes
THE RISKBlood sugar balance is critical to your body's proper functioning. Blood sugar (glucose) is the primary source of fuel for the body's cells and is particularly critical to the brain and the eyes.
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.
Do You Have Diabetes? Symptoms Of Diabetes And How To Address Them
Diabetes mellitus is a condition resulting from the pancreas' inability to produce enough insulin, which is needed by the body to help create energy. A deficiency of or ineffectiveness of insulin leads to high glucose levels in the blood, thus, leading to this illness.
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.
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.
Pre-Diabetes - The Calm Before the Storm
Remember when the medical world identified pre-hypertension to better monitor your blood pressure? The new buzz: Pre-Diabetes concerns a similar condition pinpointing people who are at severe risk for getting diabetes. Because diabetes silently invades your body, early detection and corrective action are critically important.
Recognizing Early Symptoms Diabetes
Early symptoms diabetesStay alert in recognizing early symptoms of diabetes. Certain symptoms put you on notice and you'll want to decrease the chance of developing into complications.