The Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes have signs that are similar. In both types of diabetes, there is too much glucose in the blood and not enough in the cells of your body. High glucose levels in Type I is because of the lack of insulin producing cells have been destroyed. When the body’s cells become resistant to insulin that is being produced is the reason why Type 2 diabetes occurs. In either way, your cells are not getting the glucose that they need, and your body lets you know by giving you these signs and symptoms.

Type 2 diabetes causes the pancreas to be unable to produce sufficient insulin, or in rare cases, type 2 diabetes causes the body to be unable to identify and use the insulin that the pancreas does produce. Insulin is a hormone, which controls the transfer of blood sugar (glucose) into cells. This causes a build-up of glucose in the blood, and cells will not receive the sugar they need to perform essential functions.

Many type 2 diabetes causes influence whether an individual is at risk. Overwhelmingly, your genetic code contributes to your risk. Not only may your family history cause type 2 diabetes, but your ethnicity also impacts your type 2 diabetes risk. Studies show that in the United States, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and Japanese Americans have the highest occurrences of developing type 2 diabetes.

Other type 2 diabetes causes are centered on your body type and lifestyle. These causes of type 2 diabetes include high blood pressure, high levels of body fat, consuming too many fatty foods or too much alcohol, lack of exercise, and obesity. Also, your age may cause type 2 diabetes. Individuals are at much higher risks when they exceed 45 years of age, and again when they exceed 65 years of age.

Obviously, certain type 2 diabetes causes are outside of your control. You cannot control your age, ethnicity, or genetics. If you are obese or suffer high blood pressure, there may be factors influencing those conditions, which are also outside of your control. Recognize which type 2 diabetes causes you can control, and take steps to reduce your risk. Type 2 diabetes is much easier to prevent than treat and live with.

First, exercise regularly. If exercise is difficult for you, either physically or mentally, talk to a doctor about how to find exercise that you can handle. It is so important that you find a way to exercise, that it is worth your time and effort to make it happen.

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic illnesses, affecting millions of people worldwide. It is a condition in which the body either does not produce enough insulin (Type 1), or does not properly process the insulin it is making (Type 2).

There are many differing causes for diabetes, including specific viral infections, genetic predisposition, and personal diet. In particular, Type 2 diabetes tends to manifest in patients whose diet is poorly managed. Currently there is no known cure for diabetes, meaning this is an illness that requires constant careful management.

A diabetic’s diet has a great deal to say about how the condition will continue to affect them. Proper diet can help prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes, but even in patients who have been diagnosed with either condition, a healthy diet can reduce the side effects and secondary illnesses that tend to crop up. Here are five factors to consider when managing diabetes.

1 – the Glucose Cycle

The primary element that requires management in diabetic patients is their glucose cycle. Glucose (a simple sugar) is brought into the body, then processed by way of insulin and removed. Diabetics’ bodies cannot accomplish this second task properly, which leads to glucose buildup and the development of secondary illnesses such as kidney damage. This is why many diabetic patients have to monitor their blood sugar.

A healthy diabetic diet must take sugar and glucose intake into account. High blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) can cause kidney damage, retina damage, or even a diabetic coma and eventually death if left untreated long enough. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is equally dangerous, leading to potential brain damage or fainting spells.

Being able to properly control glucose intake requires understanding where it comes from. Not all carbohydrates have glucose in them: while sucrose sugars have a high glucose content, crystalline fructose does not. There are many resources on the Web that list comprehensive breakdowns of glucose content, and your dietician should have a primer or guide as well.

A very important part of this is record keeping. Similar to a dietary journal for weight loss, a simple glucose journal is no more than a list of the foods and portions you had throughout the day. Kept up for a month or more and compared to your blood sugar over time, this will allow you to track the contents of what you’re eating and measure their effects.

2 – Mushrooms, Mushrooms!

As we’ve discussed, keeping your blood sugar level in check is an important part of diabetes management. Interestingly, there are certain mushrooms that are noted for their ability to lower blood sugar levels. The three most common are the reishi, maitake, and the agaricus blazei varieties. If you enjoy adding mushrooms to your recipes, consider including these with the usual shitaki or canned variety.

3 – Water, Water Everywhere

Water is always a vital nutrient to the body, and is even more critical for diabetics. Water promotes healthy bodily function, flushes out toxins and accumulated wastes, and maintains body temperature properly. When your body has the proper amount of water intake, you feel better, operate more healthily, and your system can adapt to greater strains, which include those brought on by diabetes.

The general guideline is eight to twelve cups of water per day under average conditions. If you perform greater exercise, you will of course require more water. The trick is not to flood your system at any one time, such as just drinking during meals. Drink at a rate of a cup every two hours to keep your system operating at peak condition, with more during meals. A bonus effect is that water imparts a sense of fullness, reducing the urge to snack on glucose-heavy foods.

4 – Whole Grain, No Pain

Fiber is a very important element in controlling blood sugar. The soluble fiber found in whole grain foods is particularly beneficial, since it slows digestion and allows your system more time to even out the process of managing blood sugar. This means insulin management is much more effective, making management of your entire condition much easier.

Good sources of whole grains include breads, oat based foods, and other sources. An additional benefit from the slower digestion caused by whole grains is that you gain a sense of fullness and feel full longer. This reduces the urge to snack between meals, and lets you keep meal portions to more manageable sizes. So consider replacing the afternoon snack with a whole-grain sandwich.

5 – the Doctor’s Orders

Before making any changes whatsoever to your diet, it is vitally important that you speak at length with your physician and dietician about your specific case. Diabetes is a highly individual illness, manifesting in different ways in every patient. Any changes to your diet should be checked for approval with your doctor, so you can be sure you’re going to get the best possible results. You don’t have to go it alone, so take your physician’s advice to heart.

A Final Word

Diabetes is a serious condition requiring diligent care. However, making smart changes to your diet, under your physician’s guidance, may naturally help prevent or alleviate many side-effects and promote your wellbeing.

If you already have diabetes or if you are obese, you’re likely to develop gestational diabetes too. But even women with no history of diabetes sometimes find that they get a sudden resistance to insulin and a glucose intolerance brought on by pregnancy hormones. For some women, pregnancy diabetes turns into type-2 diabetes after the pregnancy, and for some women, their diabetes completely disappear.

Here are some things you can do to reduce your risk of developing gestational diabetes:

1. If you know you are at risk for developing diabetes, keep a close check on your blood glucose levels.

2. Take folic acid supplements while trying to conceive and during your pregnancy. Basically, from the day you decide to go off Yasmin until the day you deliver, you should be taking folic acid.

3. Stick to a 2,000-2,500 calorie daily diet, at most. Pregnant women need to eat about 300 calories more than they ordinarily do, and not more than that, though some women exceed that by hundreds more calories.

4. Don’t gain too much weight. In fact, if you are at risk for pregnancy diabetes, you’ll want to gain only about 20-25 pounds, or less if you are obese to begin with.

5. Eat small meals every three hours, including protein at every meal.

6. Skip simple carbohydrates, especially refined sugars. You don’t need it weight-wise and it can wreak havoc on glucose levels if you run a diabetes risk.

7. Exercise!

8. After the pregnancy, lose the weight! Buy diet pills in advance at your online drugstore so that you can start taking them right away (unless you’re nursing).

9. See a doctor regularly for monitoring. She may suggest that you take anti-diabetes medication (probably after the pregnancy) and can help prescribe a healthy diet for you to follow, both before and after the baby is born.

This article was written by Dr. Karen Benton, an OBGYN and nutritionist who specializes in pregnancy and weight loss.

Diabetes often goes undiagnosed because most of its signs are not very harmful. Most of the signs of type 1 and 2 diabetes are the same. As in both cases there is an excess amount of sugar in the blood and an insufficient amount of sugar in the cells, where actually it is required.

In type 1 increased level of glucose in the blood is the outcome of the destruction of insulin producing cells. In type 2 diabetes high glucose level occurs when cells of the body become resistant to produce insulin.

In both types the cells are not getting the required amount of glucose and the body tries to inform you for this by giving different signs which has been mentioned here.

Recurrent visits to the Bathroom:

One has to urinate more when there is an excessive amount of glucose in the body. If insulin is not effective or is not there then the kidneys are unable to filter the glucose back to blood. They then become over reactive and attempts to extract more water from the blood to dilute the glucose. This is the reason that bladder is fuller and one has to make recurrent visit to the bathroom.

Feeling Thirsty:

If somebody has the feeling that he is more thirsty than usual then it can also be the sign of diabetes. The reason is that when kidney are demanding extra water from the blood and he is frequently going to the rest room, he may feel the need to drink more water to substitute the one being expelled.

Weight Loss:

This sign is more prevalent in those who have type 1 diabetes than the ones with type 2. As in type 1 pancreas is unable to make insulin due to a viral attack. The body is not getting enough energy from the cells. To fulfill this deficiency the body starts to break down the fat cells and muscle tissues for energy and that results in a rapid weight loss.

Tiredness:

It is again due to glucose. Glucose in the food which we take goes into the blood where there should be insulin to help it out. The cells use this glucose to produce energy. But when there is not enough insulin the cells also do not react to it. The glucose is then not entered into the blood. The cells become energy deficient and the diabetic feel run down and tired.

Numbness in Feet, Hands or Legs:

This sign appears gradually over time and is called neuropathy. The reason behind this is that the consistent levels of high glucose levels in the blood destroy the nervous system. This destruction can be controlled by having a proper control on blood sugar levels.

The high glucose in the body also results in blurred vision, itchy skin, cuts and infections that take a longer time to heal.

If you notice any of the above sign in yourself or your child, schedule an appointment with the doctor and gather as much information as you can. As only proper knowledge and better understanding of diabetes can help you in fighting the battle against it and even reverse it.

Diabetes is a major health concern in this country. Seven percent of our population currently has diabetes and it is estimated that another 41 million people have pre-diabetes. This is a condition that over time can lead to type II diabetes. It is estimated that another 6 million people are affected by this disease that are not aware of it. So with these statistics you can see why it is such a major health problem.

What is the Definition of Diabetes

Glucose in the blood gives us the energy that we need to do such physical activities such as walking, running riding a bicycle and many other everyday activities. Diabetes is when our bodies can not regulate the amount of sugar in our blood, especially glucose.

Our livers produce blood glucose when we eat food. Glucose is regulated by several hormones, insulin being one of them. The pancreas produces insulin along with other important enzymes that help us digest the food that we consume. Insulin is the vehicle that allows glucose to move from the blood into the liver, muscles and fat cells where it is used as fuel.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when a person does not produce enough insulin. Type 2 diabetes is a situation where a person produces enough insulin, but can not use it properly. In some forms of the disease people can have both of these conditions. It is more common though to have one or the other. The main problem here is that glucose can not move from the blood into the cells and tissues that need it for energy. High levels of glucose in the blood can cause damage to other tissues and organs.

There Can Be Serious Complications from Diabetes

Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes lead to high blood sugar levels which is called hyperglycemia. If left untreated, over time this condition will lead to serious medical problems. The leading cause of blindness in people that have the disease is damage that can occur to the retina. It can also cause kidney failure and damage to the nerves. The leading cause of foot wounds and ulcers that can result in amputation is when nerves are damaged.

Other complications of nerve damage can be paralysis of the stomach, called gastroparesis, chronic diarrhea, and an inability to control heart rate and blood pressure during postural movement.

Another condition that can be caused by diabetes is atherosclerosis which is when fatty plaque forms on the inside of artery walls. This can decrease circulation to the legs and feet as well as being a leading cause of heart attacks and strokes.

There are some short term medical problems that are also associated with diabetes. Infections being one of them. The disease can hinder a person’s ability to fight off infections. This is made worse by the fact that an infection can worsen glucose control, which further delays recovery.

Symptoms of Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is usually picked up during childhood or adolescence. Normally it is seen during other medical examinations or when there is a sickness or injury. The extra stress caused by diabetes can also lead to a condition called ketoacidosis which is characterized by nausea and vomiting along with dehydration. It can also affect potassium levels in the blood. If ketoacidosis is left untreated it can lead to death.

Type 2 diabetes is often more subtle and is usually associated with aging or obesity. This is a condition that can persist for years without one being aware of it. If it is left untreated it can lead to complications such as nerve damage, blindness, heart disease and kidney failure.

Some of the more common symptoms associated with both forms of diabetes are fatigue, unexplained weight loss, thirst, and excessive urination. Other symptoms can include excessive eating, open wounds that do not heal properly, infections, blurry vision and a noticeable change in mental status.

To conclude, diabetes can be a serious and life threatening disease. This is true for both forms of diabetes. Once you have an understanding of the disease and some of it’s symptoms you will be better equipped to seek medical attention if yourself or any of your family members are experiencing one or more of its symptoms.