Diabetes diet is to maintain normal blood glucose levels, it would be helpful to have reliable information on the effects of foods on blood glucose. For example, foods that are rich in carbohydrates, like breads, cereals, fruits, and vegetables break down into glucose during digestion, causing blood glucose to rise. However, scientists don't know how each of these carbohydrates affect blood glucose levels. Research is also under way to learn whether foods with sugar raise blood glucose higher than foods with starch. Experts do know that cooked foods raise blood glucose higher than raw, unpeeled foods. A person with diabetes can ask a doctor or nutritionist about using this kind of information in diet planning.
Here's help getting started, from meal planning to exchange lists and counting carbohydrates. Having diabetes doesn't mean that you have to start eating special foods or follow a complicated diabetes diet plan. For most people, a diabetes diet simply translates into eating a variety of foods in moderate amounts and sticking to regular mealtimes. This means choosing a diet that emphasizes vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Consistency also is key, because your body responds to excess calories and fat by creating an undesirable rise in blood sugar. Rather than a restrictive diet, a diabetes diet is a healthy-eating plan that's naturally rich in nutrients and low in fat and calories. In fact, it's the best eating plan for everyone.
A diabetes diet is different from and easier than a weight loss diet. Some people find exercise helps greatly with blood sugar control. It has a lot to do with what has made you diabetic. If your problem is mostly insulin resistance, exercise is usually very helpful. If it is insulin insufficiency, exercise is beneficial but won't necessarily normalize blood sugars on its own. If you can't get to normal blood sugar levels by modifying what you eat and adding exercise, it's time to check out drugs that lower insulin resistance, most notably metformin.
Following your diabetes diet can help you keep your blood sugar level within your target range and it doesn't need to be a struggle. Start by meeting with a registered dietitian to learn about the diabetes exchange system. In the exchange system, foods are grouped into basic types starches, fruits, milk, meat, etc. Within each group, you'll see how much you can eat of various foods for the same amount of calories, carbohydrates and other nutrients. You can exchange or trade foods within a group because they're similar in nutrient content and the manner in which they affect your blood sugar. Your dietitian will recommend a certain number of daily exchanges from each food group based on your individual needs. Together you'll decide the best way to spread the exchanges throughout the day.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Monday, February 13, 2006
Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes Mellitus, disease in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin, a hormone that helps the body';s tissues absorb glucose (sugar) so it can be used as a source of energy. The condition may also develop if muscle, fat, and liver cells respond poorly to insulin.
In people with diabetes, glucose levels build up in the blood and urine, causing excessive urination, thirst, hunger, and problems with fat and protein metabolism. Diabetes mellitus differs from the less common diabetes insipidus, which is caused by lack of the hormone vasopressin that controls the amount of urine secreted.
In the United States , about 17 million people (6 percent of the population) suffer from diabetes mellitus. Every year, about 1 million people learn they have the disease.
Diabetes mellitus kills over 400,000 U.S. residents each year, and it is the sixth leading cause of all deaths caused by disease. In Canada , more than 2.2 million residents (7 percent of the population) have diabetes mellitus, and the disease contributes to more than 25,000 deaths a year.
Diabetes is most common in adults over 45 years of age; in people who are overweight or physically inactive; in individuals who have an immediate family member with diabetes; and in people of African, Hispanic, and Native American descent. The highest rate of diabetes in the world occurs in Native Americans. More women than men have been diagnosed with the disease.
Insulin Secretion This light micrograph of a section of the human pancreas shows one of the islets of Langerhans, center, a group of modified glandular cells. These cells secrete insulin, a hormone that helps the body metabolize sugars, fats, and starches. The blue and white lines in the islets of Langerhans are blood vessels that carry the insulin to the rest of the body. Insulin deficiency causes diabetes mellitus, a disease that affects at least 10 million people in the United States.Photo Researchers, Inc./Astrid and Hanns-Frieder Michler.
In diabetes mellitus low insulin levels prevent cells from absorbing glucose. As a result, glucose builds up in the blood. When glucose-laden blood passes through the kidneys, the organs that remove blood impurities, the kidneys cannot absorb all of the excess glucose.
This excess glucose spills into the urine, accompanied by water and electrolytes-ions required by cells to regulate the electric charge and flow of water molecules across the cell membrane. This causes frequent urination to get rid of the additional water drawn into the urine; excessive thirst to trigger replacement of lost water; and hunger to replace the glucose lost in urination. Additional symptoms may include blurred vision, dramatic weight loss, irritability, weakness and fatigue, and nausea and vomiting.
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by:www.best affiliate.com
Diabetes Mellitus, disease in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin, a hormone that helps the body';s tissues absorb glucose (sugar) so it can be used as a source of energy. The condition may also develop if muscle, fat, and liver cells respond poorly to insulin.
In people with diabetes, glucose levels build up in the blood and urine, causing excessive urination, thirst, hunger, and problems with fat and protein metabolism. Diabetes mellitus differs from the less common diabetes insipidus, which is caused by lack of the hormone vasopressin that controls the amount of urine secreted.
In the United States , about 17 million people (6 percent of the population) suffer from diabetes mellitus. Every year, about 1 million people learn they have the disease.
Diabetes mellitus kills over 400,000 U.S. residents each year, and it is the sixth leading cause of all deaths caused by disease. In Canada , more than 2.2 million residents (7 percent of the population) have diabetes mellitus, and the disease contributes to more than 25,000 deaths a year.
Diabetes is most common in adults over 45 years of age; in people who are overweight or physically inactive; in individuals who have an immediate family member with diabetes; and in people of African, Hispanic, and Native American descent. The highest rate of diabetes in the world occurs in Native Americans. More women than men have been diagnosed with the disease.
Insulin Secretion This light micrograph of a section of the human pancreas shows one of the islets of Langerhans, center, a group of modified glandular cells. These cells secrete insulin, a hormone that helps the body metabolize sugars, fats, and starches. The blue and white lines in the islets of Langerhans are blood vessels that carry the insulin to the rest of the body. Insulin deficiency causes diabetes mellitus, a disease that affects at least 10 million people in the United States.Photo Researchers, Inc./Astrid and Hanns-Frieder Michler.
In diabetes mellitus low insulin levels prevent cells from absorbing glucose. As a result, glucose builds up in the blood. When glucose-laden blood passes through the kidneys, the organs that remove blood impurities, the kidneys cannot absorb all of the excess glucose.
This excess glucose spills into the urine, accompanied by water and electrolytes-ions required by cells to regulate the electric charge and flow of water molecules across the cell membrane. This causes frequent urination to get rid of the additional water drawn into the urine; excessive thirst to trigger replacement of lost water; and hunger to replace the glucose lost in urination. Additional symptoms may include blurred vision, dramatic weight loss, irritability, weakness and fatigue, and nausea and vomiting.
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by:www.best affiliate.com
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Diabetes Mellitus Diagnosis and Treatment
Diabetes Mellitus Diagnosis and Treatment. Diabetes is detected by measuring the amount of glucose in the blood after an individual has fasted (abstained from food) for about eight hours. In some cases, physicians diagnose diabetes by administering an oral glucose tolerance test, which measures glucose levels before and after a specific amount of sugar has been ingested.
Another test being developed for Type 1 diabetes looks for specific antibodies (proteins of the immune system that attack foreign substances) present only in persons with diabetes. This test may detect Type 1 diabetes at an early stage, reducing the risk of complications from the disease.
Once diabetes is diagnosed, treatment consists of controlling the amount of glucose in the blood and preventing complications. Depending on the type of diabetes, this can be accomplished through regular physical exercise, a carefully controlled diet, and medication.
Individuals with Type 1 diabetes require insulin injections, often two to four times a day, to provide the body with the insulin it does not produce. The amount of insulin needed varies from person to person and may be influenced by factors such as a person's level of physical activity, diet, and the presence of other health disorders.
Typically, individuals with Type 1 diabetes use a meter several times a day to measure the level of glucose in a drop of their blood obtained by pricking a fingertip. They can then adjust the amount of insulin injected, physical exercise, or food intake to maintain the blood sugar at a normal level. People with Type 1 diabetes must carefully control their diets by distributing meals and snacks throughout the day so as not to overwhelm the ability of the insulin supply to help cells absorb glucose. They also need to eat foods that contain complex sugars, which break down slowly and cause a slower rise in blood sugar levels.
Although most persons with Type 1 diabetes strive to lower the amount of glucose in their blood, levels that are too low can also cause health problems. For example, if a person with Type 1 diabetes injects too much insulin, it can produce low blood sugar levels. This may result in hypoglycemia, a condition characterized by shakiness, confusion, and anxiety. A person who develops hypoglycemia can combat symptoms by consuming food that contains sugar, such
Another test being developed for Type 1 diabetes looks for specific antibodies (proteins of the immune system that attack foreign substances) present only in persons with diabetes. This test may detect Type 1 diabetes at an early stage, reducing the risk of complications from the disease.
Once diabetes is diagnosed, treatment consists of controlling the amount of glucose in the blood and preventing complications. Depending on the type of diabetes, this can be accomplished through regular physical exercise, a carefully controlled diet, and medication.
Individuals with Type 1 diabetes require insulin injections, often two to four times a day, to provide the body with the insulin it does not produce. The amount of insulin needed varies from person to person and may be influenced by factors such as a person's level of physical activity, diet, and the presence of other health disorders.
Typically, individuals with Type 1 diabetes use a meter several times a day to measure the level of glucose in a drop of their blood obtained by pricking a fingertip. They can then adjust the amount of insulin injected, physical exercise, or food intake to maintain the blood sugar at a normal level. People with Type 1 diabetes must carefully control their diets by distributing meals and snacks throughout the day so as not to overwhelm the ability of the insulin supply to help cells absorb glucose. They also need to eat foods that contain complex sugars, which break down slowly and cause a slower rise in blood sugar levels.
Although most persons with Type 1 diabetes strive to lower the amount of glucose in their blood, levels that are too low can also cause health problems. For example, if a person with Type 1 diabetes injects too much insulin, it can produce low blood sugar levels. This may result in hypoglycemia, a condition characterized by shakiness, confusion, and anxiety. A person who develops hypoglycemia can combat symptoms by consuming food that contains sugar, such
Monday, January 09, 2006
Diabetes Treatment
Current Research of Diabetes. At present no cure exists for diabetes, and scientists are unsure of the exact cause, although researchers are investigating a combination of genetic and environmental factors. So far researchers have identified 20 genes involved in Type 1 diabetes, and they are working to determine each gene's role in causing the disease.
If untreated or poorly treated, diabetes can lead to blindness, kidney disease, stroke, nerve damage and circulation problems. Fortunately, people with diabetes can take steps to help prevent these serious complications by keeping blood glucose in good control and going for regular checkups with health professionals. Getting involved with your own care by knowing how well your treatment plan is working is crucial. Several tests can help you track your diabetes management—and it's good to be aware of your results and review them with your healthcare provider.
If untreated or poorly treated, diabetes can lead to blindness, kidney disease, stroke, nerve damage and circulation problems. Fortunately, people with diabetes can take steps to help prevent these serious complications by keeping blood glucose in good control and going for regular checkups with health professionals. Getting involved with your own care by knowing how well your treatment plan is working is crucial. Several tests can help you track your diabetes management—and it's good to be aware of your results and review them with your healthcare provider.
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