Living With Diabetes - Symptoms Of Diabetes

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1594275732508468921#editor/target=post;postID=4389197301279291864;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=130;src=link Diabetic symptoms progress with systemic approaches according to the type and progression of a diabetic condition and the duration of high levels of blood sugars. Common symptoms of higher blood sugar durations include extreme thirst and hunger, weight loss and frequent periods of urinary urgencies. These conditions are known to be associated with rapid onset of diabetes type II and should be symptoms that prompt medical testing or diabetes.
These particular symptoms are the result of the actual progressive nature of diabetes. Problematic symptoms like incessant thirst and hunger, to growing urgencies for urination, indicate a serious inclination towards a diabetic condition. Undiagnosed and left untreated, these conditions may lead to pathological conditions dealing with urological, pancreatic, kidney, liver and other internal organ pathological conditions. Weight loss symptoms displayed in a diabetic condition is a result of an imbalanced metabolic system.

Severe weight loss needs immediate medical attention. Diabetic symptoms that display themselves as excessive thirst and hunger need appropriate medical testing to rule out any digestive conditions like Chron's Disease and diverticulitis. These three symptoms closely mimic the symptoms of diabetes insipidus, which is otherwise unrelated to diabetes mellitus. Frequency and the urge to urinate are symptoms of a diabetic condition known as polyuria. Conditions like dehydration can result in these cases, and medical evaluation should be prompt.
Most diabetic symptoms are results of a prolonged duration of high blood sugars, and start mildly, like unhealed sores and derma abrasions that do not go away. Unhealed sores and abrasions of the skin include abscesses, skin rashes, and infections of the skin, skin boils, and eventually debiticus ulcers (bedsores). These areas will fill up with pus and surround the tissues in hollowed cavities of the body. This inflammation is indicative to bacterial infections or parasitic infections. These infections can lead into internal abscess infections like abscesses on the brain, lungs, kidneys, and rectum, and breast, liver, spinal and oral abscesses. Skin rashes, infections of the skin and skin boils are open sources of viral and fungi portals. All of these signs of poor skin healing are milder symptom of a diabetic condition, but can cause a variety of other problematic conditions.
Additional symptoms include fatigue, blurred vision along with sores and abrasions that do not heal. Diagnostic evaluations should be performed to properly diagnose a diabetic condition. These symptoms require medical interventions that could prevent conditions known to be associated with diabetes. Blurred vision and fatigue are two other symptoms of a diabetic condition. Diabetic symptoms of blurred vision can lead to diabetic retinopathy and diabetic lens osmosis. A marked degree of eyesight changes occur with the aging process and are normal.
A certified physician should, immediately check out sudden blurred vision, spots and hairline shadows and loss of peripheral vision. Fatigue symptoms displayed in a diabetic condition is a signal that glucose levels may be dangerously low in the body. Chronic fatigue left untreated in a diabetic patient can be a serious sign of heart disease, which is linked to diabetes.

By Joel Gray

The Problems With Diabetes And Hair Loss

The connection between diabetes and hair loss was established long ago.
Diabetes is a hormone related disorder that often leads to hair loss or thinning of the hair.
Frequent loss of hair is often considered one of the early symptoms of diabetes, which requires prompt treatment in order to avoid further complications. The growth of hair is affected by diabetes, which gradually leads to thinning of hair.
Stress is directly related to diabetes and hair loss, as the disease causes excessive anxiety, which in turn becomes the prime cause of hair loss.
Diabetes Leads To Hair Loss:
Diabetes occurs when it becomes difficult for the body to metabolize carbohydrates properly. Diabetics are highly sensitive to skin ailments, as their blood circulation and blood sugar levels are impaired.
Bruises and small wounds often take a relatively long time to heal; therefore, the recovery rate is comparatively slower and obstructs the re-growth of hair.
This causes visible hair reduction, as diabetics cannot maintain the normal cycle of re-growth process. Bacterial and fungal infections on the scalp because of diabetes could also result in hair loss, thereby making diabetes and hair loss inter-related.
Normally, a healthy person would lose around fifty to hundred strands of hair every day. Therefore, if hair loss increases rapidly, you could require medical assistance, since untreated diabetes can escalate hair loss further.

The process:
Diabetes often leads to diffused hair growth that could be a result of medical stress or side effects of certain prescribed medicines to diabetics. It usually depends on the individual's body, as each person responds differently to specific medications. The stress caused by chronic diabetes reduces the growth of hair.
After a period of seven to eight months, hair follicles undergo a resting period and are gradually replaced with the growth of new hair. The replaced strands push the old hair to the surface of the scalp, and the hair falls out, this is known as telogen effluvium.

An autoimmune problem:
The other cause of hair loss due to diabetes is an autoimmune problem, which leads to one or more small bald patches developing on the scalp. This ailment is called alopecia areata.
Other additional autoimmune problems like a dysfunctional thyroid gland, the skin rash vitiligo, pernicious anemia, or Type 1 diabetes, often accompanies it.
Generally, Type 2 diabetes occurs when a hormonal imbalance causes polycystic ovary syndrome. Both the conditions are related to insulin resistance, which refers to the reduced ability of cells in the body to react to insulin.
Early detection and monitoring:
Diabetes often remains undetected because the symptoms at the early stage are not considered significant.
This is a major problem because early detection could slow down its harmful effects. Some of the symptoms of diabetes could be blurred vision, frequent urination, acute hunger, increased thirst, unusual weight loss, fatigue and unnecessary irritation.
Early detection of any of these symptoms, and early treatment could help in early recovery from both diabetes as well as excessive hair loss.
Careful monitoring of blood sugar levels provides relevant information that helps maintain control, which would consequently delay the development of various long-term complications.
Some of these long-term complications of diabetes could be the damage of blood vessels and nerves, loss of functioning of the kidneys, loss of sensation, heart disease and strokes.
Hair loss normally begins at the onset of diabetes and gradually becomes worse after the disease takes charge of the body.
It is very important to get the hair loss symptom diagnosed, to know the root cause of hair fall.
You need to seek a qualified doctor's advice, so that you can avoid further problems, and to desist from using hair lotions and conditioners, which will not help to solve the problem.By Mike Herman

Diabetes Recipes - How to Make Useful Recipes

One of the most important aspects of diabetes treatment and management is a healthy diet. Since diabetes is caused by your body's inability to produce insulin, which helps your body turn sugars into energy, your diet may have to change. The most important thing will be to eat a variety of foods and limit your intake of sugars and starchy foods, which turn to sugar in your body. Pastas, white bread, and potatoes are starchy foods that will need to be limited in your diet - but there are many recipes for foods, even desserts, that are diabetic friendly and allow you to enjoy the food you eat.
Sweets
Desserts and sweets are one of the things that diabetics miss the most. Here is a recipe for Peanut Butter Squares that is diabetes friendly:
Ingredients:

• Oil and flour aerosol spray
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup "natural" style peanut butter
• 1 cup ripe mashed banana
• ¼ cup skim milk
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with aerosol spray.
• In a bowl, beat together the egg, peanut butter and banana until smooth.
• Beat in the milk and flour, baking soda and powder, and stir in the peanuts.
• Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake for 30 minutes until browned. Cool and cut into 25 squares.

For holidays that fall in the winter, here is a recipe for a Winter Fruit Salad:
Ingredients:

• 8 red apples - cored and diced
• 8 green Bartlett or Anjou pears - cored and diced
• 4 cups fresh strawberries - sliced with stems removed
• 2 cups fresh orange juice
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup orange-flavored liqueur (optional)
• Sugar substitute - optional, add to taste
• 4 bananas - sliced

Directions:

• Place all fruit (except bananas), juices and liqueur (if using) in a large bowl. Add sugar substitute (if using). Gently mix.
• Cover bowl and refrigerate 4-8 hours - but, no longer.
• Just before serving, stir in banana slices.

Pasta
Pasta is one of the foods that will need to be limited in the diabetes diet. However, limited does not been completely eliminated - so, for special treats, try this Chicken Pasta Salad:
Ingredients:

• ½ cup fat-free mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sherry
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 1 cup cooked spiral pasta, drained
• 2 cups cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 cups fresh snow peas, strings removed and blanched
• 2 green onions, sliced
• ½ cup water chestnuts, sliced
• ¼ cup toasted almonds, for garnish

Directions:

• In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, soy sauce, sherry, ground ginger, and pepper. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, combine pasta, chicken, snow peas, green onions, and water chestnuts.
• Add dressing mix (step 1) and toss. Refrigerate overnight. Sprinkle with toasted almonds before serving.

Many people with diabetes eliminate spaghetti from their diet because the spaghetti noodles are a starch food and because most prepared spaghetti sauces contain sugar. This Spaghetti sauce allows you to enjoy spaghetti without the guilt - and if you use wheat noodles, you can really enjoy a guilt-free meal.
Ingredients:

• 12 oz tomato juice
• 1 large can mushrooms, stems and pieces
• Salt to taste
• Garlic to taste
• Oregano to taste
• Dehydrated onion flakes
• 1 large green pepper, diced
• 2 cans bean sprouts

Directions:

• Cook all ingredients in a covered saucepan until sauce thickens.
• Add bean sprouts, and then simmer 10 minutes.
• Serve over cooked pasta noodles.

A Healthy Diet in DiabetesA healthy diet is the most important part of your diabetes treatment. You can find these and other diabetes recipes in books and on the Internet. Be sure that you eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly to help in the management of your diabetes and for your overall health.
By Dr John Anne

Diabetes and Wound Care

Diabetes and wound care has grown to be a critical subject over the years. Approximately 5 million Americans suffer from some sort of chronic wound or open sore, 15% of these are diabetics. Chronic wounds can become infected, develop gangrene or require amputation.Diabetics are at a greater risk of developing chronic wounds because of poor circulation, slow healing times, vascular disease and neuropathy (numbness).Diabetic ulcers are the most common foot injuries leading to lower extremity amputation.

Because of this fact we will focus on diabetic foot ulcers, the most common of all diabetic chronic wounds. We'll discuss how ulcers form, what treatments are available to you and how to prevent ulcers. Patient education regarding foot hygiene, nail care and proper footwear is crucial. Let's get started.

What is a Foot Ulcer?

Foot ulcers are open wounds that develop on the sides, top or soles of the feet. Diabetics are prone to these wounds because of poor circulation and other problems that arise from having diabetes. Diabetes and wound care should be taken seriously. They are notoriously difficult to treat and the treatment can be lengthy and frustrating. Lower extremities, particularly foot wounds account for one quarter of all diabetic hospital admissions in the U.S. and Great Britain.

Who Gets a Diabetic Foot Ulcer?

Almost anyone who has diabetes can develop foot ulcers.

Who is more likely to develop foot ulcers? Statistically it's African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics and older men.

Who is at risk? People who use insulin and those who suffer diabetes related ailments such as heart disease, kidney and eye problems are equally at risk. If you are overweight, smoke and use alcohol you are at a greater risk of developing foot ulcers.

How Do Diabetic Foot Ulcers Form?

There are 4 major causes of diabetic foot ulcers.

• Neuropathy (numbness). Neuropathy is a condition when you lose sensation in your limbs and lower extremities. Prolonged elevated glucose levels over time cause this to happen. This condition has a way of creeping up on you. Often you are not aware of the problem until it's too late.

Because of numbness patients can't feel small cuts on their feet, wounds can go untreated for days even weeks. Also neuropathy can cause a patient not to shift or move their feet when pressure points develop. This can lead to wounds developing.Your doctor can check your feet using a simple painless test with a tool called a monofilament.

• Foot deformities. Because of neuropathy patients can break bones in their feet and not be aware of it. Foot deformities can put unnatural pressure on certain areas of the foot and cause wounds to develop.
• Vascular Disease. This disease causes narrowing of blood vessels and can lead to wound development. Restricted blood flow and circulation make treating foot ulcers frustrating and lengthy. This condition reduces the body's ability to heal itself--which increases the risk of infection.
• Skin irritation and friction. Patients with neuropathy (numbness) cannot tell when they have skin irritation, problems with friction or pressure points. The only way to know for sure is to check your feet often for redness, peeling skin or blisters.

How Should a Diabetic Foot Ulcer be treated?

Prevention, prevention prevention. Diabetes and wound care is all about prevention. You know what they say about an ounce of prevention. Untreated wounds can lead to infection. The quicker you treat the wound the less likely you are to develop a problem.

There are 3 commonly used treatments for foot ulcers.

• Offloading - That's offloading off-roading. It means quite literarily putting your feet up. Reducing pressure on a wound is probably the single most important and most neglected factor in chronic wound treatment.

It could mean anything from using crutches or a wheelchair to complete bed rest. Taking a load off sounds like a nice idea but it could take anywhere from 6-12 weeks for your wound to properly heal. That's a lot of downtime.

This is where doctors have a problem. Their patients rarely ever follow the proper protocol. So, listen to your doctor!

It's a little technical, written for doctors by doctors but it's very informative.

• Debridement - The removal of dead skin and tissue. Dead tissue can slow or impede the healing process. The dead skin can appear yellow, tan or black in color. A doctor usually includes debridement as part of complete diabetes wound care protocol.

There are 4 ways to debride a wound, autolytic, mechanical, enzymatic, and surgical.

• Applying medication or dressings - This is usually used in conjunction with other treatments. Your doctor will advise you what medication or dressings to apply. In most cases you will be responsible for changing the dressing and keeping an eye on the wound. The medication could be a course of antibiotics or simply an antibiotic ointment. With diabetes, wound care can be a big responsibility for the patient.

How to Keep a Foot Ulcer from Becoming Infected If you want to keep a foot ulcer from becoming infected, there are a few things you need to do.

• Control your blood sugar levels - It is vitally important that you control your blood sugar level. It's especially important during the time you are receiving treatment for diabetic foot ulcers.

Try to avoid and reduce the risk of infection while undergoing treatment--consult your doctor about the steps you should take to control your blood sugar. Eat right, exercise and check your levels daily.

• Keep the wound clean and bandaged - The old way of thinking about wounds, "let it breathe", is not correct it can impede the healing process. Keep a wound clean, covered and moist is the way to go.

Clean the wound daily. Cover it with a medical bandage. Keep the wound or ulcer moist--with creams or antibiotic ointments.

Not moist as in; whirlpools, peroxide, soaking or full strength Betadine. These things are not recommended for healing a wound or ulcer. They can in fact make things worse.

• Do not walk barefoot - Diabetics often suffer from neuropathy (numbness). As a result, they won't feel it if they accidentally step on a tack or a piece of glass.

The subsequent wound could be difficult to heal, or worse, become infected and lead to serious consequences. So, keep your feet covered.

• Never reuse a syringe - As a rule our skin acts as a good barrier to most infections. But if you are on insulin, you routinely have to breach the surface of the skin and puncture the underlying tissue.

From the minute you uncap the syringe it is exposed to the atmosphere of the room.

After drawing in the insulin, the needle is moist. So you are administering a shot with a moist needle exposed to the room temperature and atmosphere.

It would be unwise to recap a moist syringe after puncturing the skin.

Make sure you always have a healthy supply of syringes on hand and that you never run out.

How Can a Foot Ulcer be prevented? The best and by far the easiest way to prevent a foot ulcer is.... never getting a foot ulcer! Other than the obvious, you can follow the steps recommended above.

Wear shoes; keep your feet covered with heavy or thick socks. They should fit snuggly but not too tight, you should avoid constriction.

Every time you buy shoes you should have your foot measured and sized correctly. Clean and inspect your feet daily. Try to correct any foot deformities such as bunions, corns or hammertoes.

Take care to reduce all risk factors such as; drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco and uncontrolled blood sugar levels.

Self-Care Products and Diabetic Wounds

There are many products available on the market today, so called "beauty aids" for the feet. It can be a treat on occasion to have a home pedicure. However, if you are a diabetic these products can lead to open wounds.

For example, there is the "pumice stone", a hard abrasive stone used to scrape away "dead" skin from the foot. If you're a diabetic this can leave cuts and abrasions on your feet that won't heal.

There is something called a "corn plane", this device operates exactly like a wood plane. Instead of shaving away wood pieces, you are shaving away skin.

In the category of corn and callus removal, there is salicylic acid. The way this acid works is to slowly erode skin that makes up warts, corn and calluses.

All of these products come with a strict warning for diabetics to refrain from use, as their sole (get it "sole", foot "sole") purpose is to abrade the skin.

The most common of these self-care products is the nail clipper. Most people cut their nails too close to the cuticle. If you are diabetic you should cut your nails straight across. The object is to avoid getting a hangnail.

See a podiatrist regularly and let your doctor advise you on the best way to care for your feet.

By Jennifer L Williams