Diabetes is something that can be treated and even prevented very effectively with exercise. Most people are aware of the many other benefits of exercise but the one that could have the greatest impact on the health-care system is the prevention and relief of this health problem.

Diabetes comes in two main types. These are type I and type II.

Type I occurs when your pancreas is producing too little insulin or in some cases not producing any at all. If you already have type I you of course have the daily task of injecting insulin into your body in order to control your glucose levels.

This is not an enjoyable thing to do. If you currently do not have type I diabetes then learn to prevent it through exercise and healthy living. The alternative may be daily injections for the rest of your life.

The second main type of diabetes is known as Type II. Many people also refer to it as adult onset diabetes.

If you are suffering from the symptoms of Type II it's due to you pancreas not being able to make enough insulin to control glucose levels. It can also occur when your cells do not respond properly to insulin.

This is commonly known as insulin resistance.

One of the most effective ways of dealing with insulin resistance is through exercise and good nutritional habits. A large number of people with this type of diabetes are over-weight.

Therefore, weight control is a must. If you are not active, over-eat and become obese, you have a very high risk of being afflicted with type II. In most cases, simply adding in exercise, including both weight training and cardiovascular exercise, along with good eating habits is enough to prevent type II diabetes.

Only in rare cases will this not work, and medication is needed.

With type II diabetes there are a number of other health problems that can then occur, including; high cholesterol, obesity, and hypertension. Exercise has a very positive effect on Type II for improving insulin sensitivity.

Ninety percent of all people with this health problem actually have type II, and exercise will help your body to process glucose at a quicker rate, lowering any high blood sugar symptoms you may have.

The intensity of your exercise session also plays a role. A more intense exercise program will help your body to utilize glucose quicker. However, high intensity does not mean faster. There is a difference.

Obviously before beginning any type of exercise program, regardless of what type of diabetes you have, you should check with your doctor. There are many differences between exercise for different types of diabetes that you need to be aware of before starting.

There can be certain dangers resulting from injecting insulin just before you begin to exercise. One situation that can occur is the risk of hypoglycemia or insulin shock during the exercise session.

Here are some general rules to keep in mind when exercising if you are type I: allow for enough rest between weight training sets to avoid high blood pressure symptoms; avoid lifting heavy weights or going to failure on each set; when doing cardio, avoid high impact exercises such as running outside; always ensure that you have carbohydrates in your system before you start and a supply of them nearby as well.

You may begin to feel shaky, disoriented, hungry, anxious or become irritable if you allow your blood sugar levels to get too low. Having a carbohydrate snack or drink nearby will help prevent these symptoms very quickly.

Diabetes is being a huge health problem. Many people suffer from diabetes and the other medical side effects it cause. An early diagnosis of diabetes can help a person to avoid serious related diseases. The earlier diabetes is caught the easy it is for doctors to monitor the patients overall health, thus preventing any further medical problems.

Diabetes is when the pancreas does not function properly and glucose levels fall outside the normal range. A normal glucose reading is lower than 110 mg/dL upon waking in the morning and lower than 140 mg/dL two hours after eating. There are simple blood tests that are used to diagnose diabetes. Once diagnosed a person will work with their doctor to determine a treatment. Treatments can include diet changes, pills, or injections. Any history, family history and people in certain ethnic groups may be at elevated risk for developing diabetes. There are different types of diabetes. Some start in childhood, some start in adulthood and another form occurs during pregnancy. All can cause harmful effects on the body if not taken care of.

Long term effects of diabetes are usually due to a patient letting their glucose levels remain elevated for long periods of time. That is why early detection is important. Excess blood sugar levels have a horrible effect on the body. Some common effects from diabetes include vision problems, kidney damage, nerve damage, heart and circulation problems. A person with diabetes is at a higher risk for these types of conditions, but a person who does not control their diabetes is even more likely to develop one of these conditions.

Diabetes is a disease that does not have a cure. Diagnosing and treating diabetes have evolved into easier processes. A person with diabetes can normally live life as they did before their diagnosis. Living with diabetes is a matter of taking control over the disease and preventing complications.

Diabetes is when the body does not produce enough insulin to manage blood sugar levels within the body. However, a good way to control this is through a proper diabetic diet. This means that a one would have to try other measures for controlling their blood sugar levels. In addition to a good diabetic diet you should exercise often.

For some people you can also help to ease the troubles of diabetes by taking medication, such as daily injections of insulin or pill forms.

People at risk of becoming diabetic are individuals who are overweight, and don’t leave a active lifestyle. The two of these have been at the leading cause of diabetes worldwide.

You can also be active and slim and still get diabetes, because some people in their family are susceptible to it due to heredity. It is also the lifestyle of a person that contributes to this avoidable occurrence.

Today’s foods are high in fat. People are tempted by the variety of fast food choices out their. The choices we make today last a lifetime. Avoiding exercise, eating lots of fatty foods and sugar within your diet, as well as being overweight, are some of the major contributing factors surrounding diabetes. Diabetes sometime can occur without signs. Common sign might include frequent urination and excessive thirst.

When you have diabetes you are unable to produce insulin correctly throughout the body, which is the important hormone that is responsible for changing sugar, starches and other foods into energy.

One of the best ways to follow a diabetic diet is to eat foods that are from all of the four basic food groups. However, this will not help if you don’t decrease the consumption of alcohol products, fat foods, and sweets in your diet.

Try to be smart! If you incorporate a wide variety of nutritional foods into a diabetic diet, it will pay off in the end.

When eating out at a restaurant, there are several choices that can be good for you. You’re your time looking over the menu and come up with a diet plan that will work for you. Yes! We all know that fried food taste great. But lets try to stick to something a little less in calories. Really try to stay away from foods that are described as being “creamy,” “fried” or “sautéed.” These foods are most likely to contain lots of fats and be a high calorie choice.

Foods that contain a lot of mayonnaise, butter, oil and cheeses should be avoided on diabetic diets. Some other foods that can stray from a good diabetic diet include those that are prepared with sweet sauces. These foods contain high amounts of sugar and carbohydrates. Avoided these food should always be the right choice for you.

A simple method for a diabetic diet should count the number of calories from fat foods as being 25% less than the total number of calories eaten.

Another good tip is to include foods that are low in saturated fats and cholesterol, such as skinless chicken and fresh vegetables.

When your on a diabetic diet, you should stay away from red meats, eggs, and other greasy foods. Diabetic diets are truly setup for people looking for low-fat or fat-free choices.

15-25% of your daily calories on a diabetic diet should come from proteins, such as lean meat, broiled fish, and low-fat dairy products. The rest of your diabetic diet should look like carbohydrates only from whole grain foods, beans, and fresh vegetables and fruit.

Remember that there is no official diabetic diet to follow. Most people succeed when they really want to. Making the right choices is what it is all about. Always try to work closely with a dietician, doctor, or nutritionist. Try contacting someone that is specialized in these areas so that they can help set you up with a diabetic diet that will work for you.

Information on diabetes is an important educational factor in helping people to combat the onset of this common disease in particular type 2 diabetes. Often this condition can have been prevented with healthy eating and regular exercise therefore reducing obesity especially in young children and adolescents. Of course this is not always the case though. What is the case is that many people who are not over weight or unfit can and do indeed suffer from diabetes, most likely type 1 diabetes.

It is very important for all of us to know what type of symptoms to look for so we can then start to manage this disease fast and effectively once it has taken hold. These symptoms may include unexplained weight loss, excessive hunger (polyphagia), thirst (polydipsia), frequent urination (polyuria), dehydration, leg pain when walking (claudication), fatigue, dizziness and itching (pruritus). If you believe you suffer from any of these then please consult your doctor for a complete check up.

Once you know that you have this disease then it is very important for you to manage it correctly. If you do not manage it correctly then you run the risk of having possible heart attacks, strokes, blindness, kidney failure, blood vessel diseases that may require an amputation, nerve damage, and impotence in men.

You must follow the information on diabetes that your doctor or medical office gives you including diet. Managing your treatment correctly is so vital to staying alive and living in as good a condition as possible.

There are many good sites online that give information on diabetes that can help you understand more about the causes, symptoms, treatments, the difference between type 1 and type 2. Take a good look and read as much as you can. The importance of educating your self about diabetes is detrimental to you and your families well being.

Many diabetics, in particular ones with type 1 diabetes will have the need for a glucose monitor to measure how much glucose (sugar) is in their blood so they can replenish themselves with the correct amount of insulin that they need. It is important for these levels to be kept in balance so as to prevent and or reduce the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar).

Every diabetic will however, have his or her own program to follow that is specifically designed for their use only. This means everyone needs different levels of treatment. Before using a glucose monitor the diabetic patient will be educated in how to use this equipment and of course how often to do the checking. It is extremely important to have been taught this as misusing or misreading these measurements could be life threatening to them.

To use one of these machines you should always wash and dry your hands thoroughly first and then use the lancet to prick a fingertip. It is a good idea to then hold your hand downwards and hold the pricked finger until a small drop of blood appears, then catch the blood with the test strip. Then you follow the instructions of your monitor for inserting the test strip into the meter. After you have your results and you have recorded it you then will know how much insulin you need to give yourself.

Your instructions will also tell you how to clean and store your meter. Make sure that you do follow these instructions, as it is important to have your monitor working in perfect order every time.

Finding quality monitors to suit your individual needs is quite easy. You have the option of buying one through the medical center you are already dealing with or you can take a look online at the many companies that sell direct to you. You will find a large variety of options to choose from along with great bargain prices. While you are doing that why not take the time to read all the information you can about diabetes such as the symptoms, treatments and much more on the many sites online.

In recent years an alternative to manual insulin injections has emerged. Enter the Insulin Pump. The first Insulin Pumps were quite bulky, but modern ones are about the size of a small Cellphone or Pager. The pump is worn unobtrusively on a belt or in a pocket and it delivers insulin through a thin plastic tube (or Infusion Set) that is inserted under the skin.

WHY AN INSULIN PUMP IS BETTER

In a healthy person, the pancreas produces insulin constantly at low levels, keeping blood glucose levels stable. When a meal is eaten, the pancreas will send larger amounts of insulin into the blood stream to handle the food. Using a standard injection regime, slow and fast acting insulin is used to try and mimic the pancreas. An insulin pump much more closely copies the pancreas. The pump delivers a low level of background insulin (called basal) and at meal times can deliver a "bolus" dose at the touch of a button, to cover the food.

Just like a real pancreas, if you are ill, or exercising, the basal insulin rate can be reduced. If you skip a meal, the bolus is not delivered. In this way, the pump fits into your lifestyle, rather than planning your life around your injection schedule!

CHOOSING AN INSULIN PUMP

Most insulin pumps on the market today have all the basic features. Choosing one is much like chosing a Cellphone, it is a mixture of personal taste and what you plan on using it for. If you are a water sports fan, waterproof ones area available! If you love analysing data to improve your control, you can get one with PC download capability and analysis software. If you are new to the world of Insulin Pumps, here are some key points to think about:

* Choose a pump that allows you to set up different basal levels. For instance at night time, if you are sick or exercising. This is an important feature to help you live a full life.

* Pumps that use a standard "Luer Lock" infusion sets are better. This means cheaper consumables.

* Alerts to remind you to check your blood glucose level make life easier.

* Check what batteries it takes, standard AA or AAAs are cheaper and easier to buy.

* More advanced pumps include a carbohydrate calculator to help you figure out what your meal Bolus dose should be.

* Coming to the market are integrated Insulin Pump/Glucose meters. The meters readings are automatically transferred to the pump which can use them to recommend an insulin dose.

Other features to look for include, being waterproof, having a carbohydrate food database and alerts to warn you if you have missed a meal, or the infusion set needs changing. In short, Insulin pump manufacturers are making their products ever easier to use and automating more and more features.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q What if I don't get on with the pump, can I switch back to injections?

A Yes. It is not a one way ticket, but most people do notice an improvement in their blood glucose control and find their lives improved.

Q I have a really hectic lifestyle, is a pump for me?

A Yes. Infact people who are extremely busy often see the biggest improvement. If you struggle to remember to test and inject at the right time - perhaps meal times vary from day to day, then a pump could really help you.

Q I am considering a pump but may get pregnant, is that ok?
A Yes. As pumps usually improve your blood glucose control, using a pump through pregancy and beyond is generally a good thing. Having as close to normal blood glucose levels reduces the chances of complications during pregnancy.

The cases of diabetes are growing in the United States today. This is due in part to our aging population as well as to our growing waistlines. It is important for people that are at risk to know the most common diabetes symptoms and what to do if they should arise.

The reason that so many people do not know that they may have diabetes is because some people show no diabetes symptoms. Therefore, it is very important to have blood work checked every year after the age of 45. This is often part of a routine physical at this age, but it is always a good idea to check with the doctor to make sure the test is being run.

Along with this list of symptoms, diabetes can also be accompanied by stomach pains, vomiting or nausea. If these symptoms occur in conjunction with the list, it could be the immediate onset of type 1 diabetes, otherwise known as insulin-dependent diabetes. When you call your doctors' office for an appointment, be sure to tell them you are experiencing possible diabetes symptoms and that you need to be seen right away.

The first thing that you should know about diabetes is, it is very important to pay attention to your body. There are over one million new diagnoses of diabetes that are made each year. Diabetes is directly or indirectly the cause of approximately 200,000 deaths every year. It is estimated that 17 million people in America have diabetes, it is also estimated that approximately one third of these people do not even know they have the disease.

There are some common diabetes symptoms that should be checked out by a physician. By themselves, each symptom is not a cause for alarm. However, if more than a couple are noticed at one time, an appointment with your primary care physician should be made without hesitation.

Obesity is the bane of diabetes. These two conditions occurring in conjunction result in a complicated medical condition, which in turn can have serious repercussions. So when you are diabetic and also obese, counting your calories is a must. And if you are a woman, with either an active or sedentary lifestyle, or a man leading a more or less inactive lifestyle, then a 1,200 calorie diet is ideal for you. The diet is intended to restrict the intake of calories without compromising on the nutritional value of the food partaken.

Breakfast can consist of a cup of cereals, skimmed milk, a cup of any fruit and a muffin. This need not be an everyday affair. A 1,200-calorie diet requires that you stick to the calorie count while eating the right kind of food; how exactly you follow the regime is up to you. For instance, you can substitute the cereals with bread, have a little bit of cheese instead of muffin, and have a different kind of fruit everyday, say blueberries one day and an orange another day. These variations will ensure that you do not run out of steam as you follow the diet.

For lunch, you have the choice of baked chicken, a piece of ham, or a fish of some kind (for example, tuna or salmon), any kind of vegetable (i.e., tomato, lettuce or cucumber). If you want to go light on the midday meal, you can have yogurt, a fruit of some sort, salad tossed with lightweight dressing and some unsweetened coffee. About half a cup of white rice with few servings of vegetables and diet soda would be another choice.

For the afternoon snack you can munch on nuts, cashew nuts or almonds and have a cup of tea. But do not gorge on hamburgers, fries and Coke. This will undo all the good work that you have done during the breakfast and lunch.

If you had a light lunch, you can compensate for it at dinnertime with turkey, two to three kinds of vegetables like broccoli, tomatoes, or beans, and maybe one wheat roll. If it was a heavy lunch, the dinner should be easy on the stomach with a few slices of bacon, cornbread and a piece of orange or an apple.

The idea of a 1,200-calorie diabetic meal is not that every time you sit down to eat, you need to have weighing scales or a calorie meter on hand. A 1,200-calorie diabetic diet plan just entails eating right, eating frequently and stopping short of overstuffing oneself.

Diabetic diets as a rule are no longer supposed to be entirely devoid of fats and sugar. Instead, the norm now is to have every kind of food, but in moderation. However, when there’s the problem of obesity occurring along with diabetes, one needs to keep a strict watch on his calorie intake. So here there’s the issue of not only eating the right kind of food but also having it in the requisite quantity.

For breakfast, one can have two to three pieces of bread and half a cup of cornflakes, along with a cup of milk and one fruit (a banana, an apple or an orange). For a varied taste, one can substitute the cornflakes and milk with three to four slices of bacon.

For lunch, one can have meat in the form of turkey slices, a few pieces of baked ham or roast chicken. One can also have roast beef noodles, about three-fourths cup of which will suffice. Along with this, the lunch palette can contain one slice of bread, one portion of low-fat mayonnaise and at least one serving of a vegetable. One can introduce variations in the form of the vegetable choices like zucchini one day, or tomato slices or half of a baked potato with beans and carrot another day.

The afternoon snack can be a cup of tea or coffee with two to three crackers or a muffin. Or, it may be a cup of skimmed milk accompanied by a piece of gingerbread or a slice of fruit cake. Instead of tea or milk, one can also go in for a cup of yogurt.

Dinner can consist of two to three ounces of a boiled fish like salmon or tuna, or the same quantity of de-skinned and boiled chicken or roast beef. One can have a cup of choice vegetables and also a cup of fruit. A tablespoon of low-fat margarine and a wheat roll or a rice cake will complete the course.

As evident from the diet plan, every meal is an amalgamation of protein, fat, carbohydrates and minerals. And the meals aren’t bland either, for there is scope for variation. This is actually the essence of a successful, feasible diet plan. It has variety, and yet at the same time, it incorporates nutritious elements. Also, it has a certain flexibility to it in that if one has had a heavy lunch, one can always compensate for it with a light dinner. The crux of the matter is that one extra calorie here and there doesn’t matter, as long as long as you are not starved or overfed.

A diabetic diet differs from person to person for the simple reason that individual calorie requirements and general constitution vary from person to person. Amongst many such diabetic diets, there is the 1,800 calorie diabetic diet that restricts the food intake of the diabetic patient to 1,800 calories. Such restrictions are imposed in order to control the patient’s blood sugar and cholesterol levels and also his body weight. However, more than this goal, what is sought to be brought about through this diet is a healthy eating habit.

In a 1,800 calorie diabetic diet, the breakfast should ideally consist of two slices of bread, a cup of skimmed milk, one serving of a fruit like a medium-sized banana or an orange, and a tablespoon of cheese. One can easily substitute the milk with a cup of unsweetened yogurt or the bread with pasta. This particular type of breakfast incorporates all the nutrients that a person can need. There’s starch in the form of bread, fat in the form of cheese, and there’s the protein from milk and the daily serving of fruit, which everybody needs as a source of vitamins.

At lunch, there should protein in the form perhaps two portions of turkey or chicken or some type of fish, or a portion of a poultry product and a portion of cheese. However, the meat, if taken, should be de-skinned and cooked with as little oil and condiments as possible. In fact, the healthiest way to have poultry is to have it roasted or baked. One can have half a cup of rice or pasta and any fruit during lunch. There should be a cup of fresh vegetables during lunch. The idea is to take all forms of nutrients at every major meal.

The afternoon snack should be something light on the stomach, such as a few crackers and a cup of milk or yogurt. One can also have half a cup of tea, but with a low-calorie sweetener instead of sugar. Sugar is not banned in diabetes, but it should be consumed in moderate quantities. And, it is always a good idea to substitute it with other forms of carbohydrates, such as yogurt, rice or cereal.

For dinner, there should be some protein like fish or meat, vegetables like a cup of carrots, beans or tomatoes, a fruit serving like pear or pineapple or an orange, a cup of rice or two rice cakes. One can have a cup of milk as the nightcap.

Diabetic diets abound in myths, and the most abiding myth is that it has to be a no-sugar and calorie-low diet. How wrong can one get! The diabetic patient doesn’t need any diet; he just needs to eat healthily. Nothing will benefit him more.

No food is out of bounds for the diabetic, but what he actually needs is moderation in his food intake. The goal of the diet is to ensure that the blood sugar is maintained at a steady level. When this is the primary goal, the diabetic should be particularly cautious about his carbohydrate intake. It is of paramount importance that carbohydrates in only their complex form such as bread, pasta, rice, etc., are consumed. This is because complex carbohydrates take a longer time to break down and so the blood glucose level doesn’t sky rocket. However, one should take only limited amounts of chocolates and other sugary foods.

For people who would be limiting their carbohydrate intake in this manner, a diet devoid of fats, as the myth goes, is just not feasible. After all, they would need some source of energy, but they should stop short of overstuffing themselves. Fats should comprise of no more than 30% of the daily calorie intake. But the equation is not that simple: there are a few dos and don’ts regarding the fat consumption.

There are good and bad fats. Bad fats, called saturated fats are truly harmful ones, leading to clogged arteries, high cholesterol and subsequently heart troubles. Butter, margarine, whole-milk dairy products, and poultry skin are some fats that are harmful for the heart. The good fats are the unsaturated fats found in vegetable oils like peanut, olive, sunflower oil, and fish liver oil. They are beneficial in the sense that they fulfill the fat requirement of the body without being calorie-intensive.

Proteins can be another source of energy, which can be extracted from poultry, eggs, fish, nuts, and cheese. Not only are nuts, cashew nuts, almonds, walnuts sources of protein, they are excellent sources of fiber, too. Then, there are the fruits and vegetables, which should form an integral of any meal, diabetic or not. They constitute the richest source of vitamins and minerals. Some vegetables like potato and sweet potato and fruits like mangoes, bananas, papayas and grapes, which are high in carbohydrate content, should be consumed in limited amounts. But other than these, fruits and vegetables are essential parts of a diabetic diet, and one should make it a point to have at least three servings every day.

There’s actually nothing elusive about a diabetic diet. It is something as easy as eating the right kind of food and eating moderately, but occasionally.

These are the days of increased disposable incomes, sedentary lifestyles, and large servings. The result is that almost everybody is fighting the battle of the bulge. And often it seems that it’s a losing battle. Obesity is the scourge of millions: it leads to all kinds of medical and psychological complications and it assumes even more alarming proportions when it occurs with diabetes. As the case is, diabetics have to live with the risk of organ damage, and they obviously wouldn’t want obesity to act as the catalyst. So it is imperative that obese diabetics combat their weight problems.

For years, obese diabetics were recommended a low-calorie, low-fat diet, which actually proved to be detrimental to their health. In fact, the best way to tackle obesity is to strike it at its root, and the root is not fat but carbohydrates. Dietary fat is not readily transformed into body fat, so severely limiting it will not solve the problem. Restricting the intake of carbohydrates is the only way out; firstly, because it keeps tabs on blood-sugar levels and secondly, because it keeps obesity at bay.

In a low-carb diet, sugar in its raw form and especially aerated drinks, confectioneries, and white flour should be taken only in minute amounts. These hit the bloodstream instantly and raise the blood-glucose levels. Furthermore, these are instantaneously converted to fat cells. On the other hand, there’s a group of carbohydrates, termed complex carbohydrates, which are not so harmful. They are comprised of food items like bread, pasta, cereal, etc. The body takes a longer time to break them down; as such it takes that much longer to convert them into fat cells.

Lessening the amount of carbohydrates consumed also leads to weight reduction in another way: when one is deprived of carbohydrates, and thus deprived of one source of energy, the body resorts to burning the fat cells when the need for energy arises. Fat cells burned in this manner lead to considerable weight reduction. You will have the lion’s share of fats from vegetable oils, avocados, fish liver oil, sunflower oil, etc., but never butter and margarine, and proteins from nuts, cheese, poultry, legumes, etc.

Thus, one’s weight-loss regime doesn’t mean bypassing fat altogether, unlike other diets. It is as simple as eating heartily with few carbohydrates and considerably larger portions of fats and proteins, so that you remain full and don’t feel the urge to gorge on sugary foods afterwards.

Diabetes is quickly becoming an epidemic in the United States. The Center for Disease Control states that in each 24 hour period:
2800 new diabetics are diagnosed
550 die from diabetes related complaints
240 have major amputations
150 have kidney failure
70-75 go blind

Diabetes simply means that the glucose in your blood has reached excessive levels. Symptoms include: chronic hunger, chronic thirst, unexplained weight loss, circulation problems, neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, and hypertension.

When a person eats sugars the pancreas releases insulin. Insulin is responsible for utilizing sugar in our body. If you ingest more sugar than your body can produce insulin for, over time your body becomes inefficient at metabolizing the sugar. If your pancreas is damaged (example – coxsackie virus) it will be unable to produce enough insulin to metabolize the sugars you ingest. Diabetes is a progressive disease and is not something to be taken lightly.

We can actually prevent and reverse disease. The National Institutes of Health states that 58% decrease in diabetes can be achieved by lifestyle changes alone! Avoid high glycemic foods, exercise, nutritional supplements are a few of the things we can do to help protect ourselves.

Healing Sugars

Glycobiology is the study of a group of saccharides (sugars) called glyconutrients that are essential to proper cellular function. New research has revealed the fact that these biologically active sugars are critical for the transfer of all biological data between each of our 600 trillion cells. Every cell in our body communicates by utilizing a Braille-like alphabet of eight glyconutrients. If a person is missing any of these necessary sugars their cells cannot communicate properly.

Glyconutrients serve as the body’s intercellular messengers to communicate all that is required for proper function of each and every individual cell. For this cell-to-cell communication, cells use at least eight specific carbohydrates to “speak” to each other. As your cells touch each other, they communicate over this “sugar code” everything a cell needs: nutrition, repair, hormones, etc. Without these sugars, your body’s “operating system” breaks down. If you are deficient in any one of these glyconutrients your cells are not able to properly exchange information, which may result in a miscommunication and dysfunction, making the cell susceptible to disease. Example: if your immune system mistakenly attacks your own cells, then you have an autoimmune disease.

The most important nutrient is the one that is missing. The only way to be sure you are getting all eight of the sugars is to supplement your diet with a glyconutrient complex. No combination of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbals, or any other nutrient can replace the necessary saccharides found in glyconutritionals.

A Typical infusion set is made up of the pump connector, a length of tubing and the needle or cannula. Different sets suit different people and it is important to experiment when you first get your pump, to find out what works for you. If you are having problems with unexplained high sugars when using your insulin pump and you are confident your control should be better, the chances are that it is due to problems with the infusion set. Tiny blockages can build up in the needle or cannula that the pump can't detect. Changing the infusion set regularly (typically every 24 to 72 hours dependent on the type) is vital for good performance.

KEY INFUSION SET CHOICES
If you are still considering which pump to buy, you should carefully consider the cost of the infusion set, as over time, this cost will overtake the initial cost of the pump.
Here are some of the key points to think about:

* Connection Most pumps use a universal "Luer Lock", which means a greater choice is available. Some (notably the Minimed Paradigm range) use a proprietary lock, which restricts the choice. Some companies are producing adaptors, but check the costs.

* Needle or Cannula Needles are good for people with little body fat or who are allergic to cannulas. Needles need changing daily or every other day. A Cannula is a soft fine tube that is pushed down a steel inserter needle which is then withdrawn. Cannulas are more popular, as they are more comfortable for most people. A cannula based infusion set will last up to three days.

* Insertion angle Straight forward 90 degree needle offers the simplest and most repeatable insertion. This type is good for those less keen on needles and like a fast insertion. Angled sets are available with 30 to 45 deg angles. These offer a greater variety of insertion depths and favor slower insertion.

* Needle / Cannula Depth In order to accommodate different amounts of fatty tissue, different insertion depths are available. Typically 2 or 3 needle depths are available and your Doctor can advise you.

* Tubing length A length of tubing connects the needle / cannula to the connector at the pump. Allow yourself plenty.

INFUSION SITE SELECTION
As with manual injections with an insulin pen, where you set up your infusion set is important. The best areas are at the front and sides of the stomach, acceptable sites are on the outside of the thighs and tops and bottoms of your upper arms. You should also rotate your site position, some use a clock face method - imagine a small clock face in an area, first use the 12 o'clock position, then 3, 6 and 9. More sophisticated methods are available, but use whatever you can remember easiest. Its a good idea to write a memo, so you remember where in your rotation you are, on the infusion set itself.

Being a diabetic is tough enough with just monitoring both your calorie intake as well as your glucose levels daily. But, adding a diet into the equation creates a hazard when starting a diabetic diet. Usually, diabetic diets consist of reduced sugar fat calories and more proteins that make your body burn calories more efficiently.

Diabetes is where the body lacks the appropriate amount of insulin to break glucose, sugars obtained from food, in your bloodstream. As food is consumed it is broken down into to your digestive system and metabolized as glucose. Glucose is considered the fuel or energy for your cells for your body to function properly. As the glucose passes into your system and distributed through your cells your cells accept glucose with the help of Insulin, a byproduct created by your pancreas.

Thus, if your pancreas fails to make enough insulin the person becomes “hypoglycemic”. Which means their body is not properly breaking down these sugars and your blood stream contains a higher glucose level than normal. This is very dangerous for the diabetic as the effects of not getting the proper medical attention can be debilitating.

Most diabetics inject insulin into their blood stream through injections so that the body can combat the glucose and keep their sugar levels balanced. Starting a diabetic diet will have to be done in coordination with a physician and a registered dietician. There are many factors as to why a person is susceptible to diabetes including: obesity, family genetics, age and even pregnancy.

Most medical professionals will require that you monitor your daily glucose intake to make sure you get enough sugar to keep your body functioning. However, you will still need to reduce your caloric intake by eating the right proteins and natural sugars that are vital to your survival. Your diabetic diet will become your new eating routine.

Does starting a diabetic diet restrict all the foods you come to love? No. You can still eat these foods in moderation. But you must also factor in the calories that these foods currently play in your system. Your body must always be in balance. A reminder that you must monitor your glucose levels to insure that your body does not require higher amounts of sugar during your diet.

A diabetic diet also includes exercise. Keeping your body in harmony takes hard work. You will need to implement a routine that you enjoy and that will benefit your weight loss as well as keep your daily-recommended levels of sugar in line with your goals.

Once you start losing the weight on your diabetic diet you may also need to reconvene with your doctor to reduce the amount of insulin that is necessary. A physician according to your body weight usually prescribes insulin, should this weight variable change you could be taking injecting too much insulin into your blood stream.

There are many requirements in starting a diabetic diet and understanding how to keep things aligned will keep you on the road to good health. You will eventually benefit from being on a diabetic diet. Your body will breakdown foods more efficiently thus healthy foods and your metabolism will work more efficiently to burn fat calories caused by sugar.

Byetta is a drug derived from the saliva of the Gila monster lizard. I do know one person who is taking Byetta and has better control of her blood sugar levels. The medication has even decreased her appetite. That is a benefit for her since she is overweight.

Byetta (exenatide) is the first among a new class of diabetes drugs for Type 2 Diabetes called incretin mimetics -- synthetic medications that mimic action of a hormone that spurs insulin production after a person eats and blood sugar levels rise above a certain threshold.

Traditional diabetes drugs that promote insulin production do so even if glucose levels aren't high enough, which could cause hypoglycemia (dangerously low blood sugar).

Byetta, derived from the lizard's saliva, mimics that action of the human hormone GLP-1, which prompts the body to secrete insulin and is also thought to play a role in deciding when a person feels full. This is great because it almost acts like an appetite suppressant. Common side effects of the drug were nausea and decreased appetite.

Byetta is very unique and supposedly works in a different way than pills or insulin. By helping your body produce the right amount of insulin at the right time, Byetta helps take the guesswork out of type 2 diabetes.

Byetta is used in combination with Metformin (Glucophage) and Sulfonylurea like Amaryl® (glimepiride), Glucotrol® (glipizide), Micronase® (glyburide), and others.

Byetta is an injectable medication and comes in prefilled insulin pens where you just add a small needle and inject yourself.

The price tag is not small, but with the New Medicare Prescription Plan D, you can check out your prescription plan to see if this medication is covered.

If you are on oral diabetic medications and you are not controlled, this may be an option for you. Ask your doctor. It doesn't hurt to ask.

Please remember that primary physicians don't know everything. That is not saying they are not great doctors. No one person can know everything. Just like us nurses, some specialize in heart disease or diabetes or wound care, etc. That also applies to doctors.

If you have heart problems, you should probably get a referral to a cardiologist. The same thing with Diabetes. You may want to get a referral to an endocrinologist. Check with your primary doctor and see if a referral to an endocrinologist is right for you.

If you have diabetes, it may be better to be short than tall.

Why? Well, it has to do with those pseky foot and leg ulcers that can cause anthing from minor inconvenience to amputation. When ulcers become series, it's becaue they have become infected, perhaps even leading to gangrene—which is the major reason for amputation.

In the general population, a simple cut or other open wound isn't usually a problem, because it causes some degree of pain that alerts the person to its presence and allows him or her to seek treatment.

Diabetics, however, are prone to nerve damage, which can mean they have ulcers on feet or legs and aren't even aware of them until they have become serious problems.

That's where the height difference comes in. According to a study by the National Taiwan University Hospital, reported in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, taller diabetics are more likjely to need amputation than those who are shorter.

The reason? The nerves that lead to the legs and feet are the longest in the body, making them especially vulnerable to diabetic nerve damage. Naturally,the taller you are the longer those nerves are, and the more susceptible they are to deterioration and loss of function.

The shorter nerves of shorter diabetics are not as open to damage, so those people are better able to feel the pain when a cut or other wound happens, giving them a chance to deal with it before it causes serious damage.

So if you are a tall diabetic, is this cause for panic or despair? Not at all. It just reinforces the advice we diabetics have always been given: look after your feet and legs carefully, check regularly for wounds, ulcers or anything unusual—and get them treated right away.

For someone with diabetes, often there are 6 supplements recommended by well-meaning persons. These are alpha-lipoic acid, chromium, magnesium, coenzyme Q10, garlic, omega-3 fatty acids. The following info relates findings by the government regarding the effectiveness of every one of these supplements.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid

Above normal levels of blood glucose are one cause of oxidative stress. It is believed that alpha-lipoic acid should be beneficial due to its antioxidant abilities. There have been some small studies in animals and in people showing some beneficial results. The concern to understand is that someone with diabetes needs to be aware that an alpha-lipoic acid supplement could lower blood sugar a great deal. So you'd want to pay careful attention to your blood sugar level. Alpha-lipoic acid might also reduce blood concentrations of some minerals (iron) and can interfere with some medicines (such as antacids), and due to its antioxidant capabilities it might diminish the effectiveness of some anticancer drugs.

Chromium

Chromium is often sold in the form of chromium picolinate, and chromium polynicotinate. Chromium can add to insulin and have effects on blood sugar by causing it to become too low. Some other low dosage side effects might include skin irritation, headache, weight gain, insomnia and sleep problems (which could result in mood changes). High doses for one having diabetes could result in the development of kidney concerns. Above all, it is just not known whether there is any benefit for someone with diabetes to take chromium, and there currently is a lack of substantiated, scientific science studies to support a benefit.

Magnesium

Popular supplements of this mineral include Calcium-Magnesium-Zinc tablets and liquid forms of magnesium. Magnesium is involved in muscle function and helps the heart, nerves, and making proteins. Those with diabetes commonly have reduced levels of magnesium. Research currently found that magnesium didn't influence blood glucose control. Additionally, low magnesium levels might make glucose control worse in type II diabetes and might contribute to further complications. Although there is some evidence that magnesium supplementation might be helpful for insulin resistance. Magnesium supplements seem to be safe at low doses, however at high doses they can cause extremely low blood pressure and irregular heart rate and other problems. Magnesium could also affect antibiotics.

Coenzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) helps cells make energy and also acts as an antioxidant. CoQ10 has not been shown to affect blood glucose control. CoQ10 seems to be safe for most of the adult population. CoQ10 might interact with certain medicines (such as warfarin) and those used for high blood pressure and cancer chemotherapy.

Garlic

This is the same type of garlic as used on food. It is a herb that also thins the blood. "Allicin" gives garlic its strong taste and odor, and it is the main component of garlic that is looked at the most. One of the claims for garlic is that the rates of some diseases are smaller in countries where lots of garlic is consumed (although a direct correlation has not been proven). There are some reports that indicate that garlic may have some related activities that may be relevant to the treatment of diabetes, but also nothing has been proven directly. Garlic is safe for most adults, particularly the fresh or crushed garlic. One thing to note is that garlic may interfere with the action of birth control pills, and cyclosporine, and medications that are broken down by the liver, and those medications designed to thin the blood. Garlic is also known for that garlic breath "odor".

Omega-3 (Omega-3 Fatty Acids)

Omega-3 fatty acids are a group of polyunsaturated fatty acids that come from food sources, commonly from fish oil, flaxseed oil and borage seed oil. Omega-3 supplements are sold in many health food stores and will usually also have omega-6 and omega-9 components to balance them out. Omega-3 is important for the maintenance of cells in the body and may decrease the effects of heart disease and lower triglyceride levels. Diabetes increases a person's chance for heart disease and stroke, so Omega-3 has been of special interest. A 2001 analysis was published by the Cochrane Collaboration, of 18 randomized placebo-controlled trials on fish oil supplementation in type 2 diabetes. The authors found that fish oil lowered triglycerides and raised LDL cholesterol, but had no significant effect on fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, total cholesterol, or HDL cholesterol. Omega-3s appear to be safe for a good number of adults at low-to-moderate doses. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding shouldn't take fish oil supplements. Omega-3 in high doses may interfere with blood-thinning drugs and drugs for high blood pressure, and they could cause diarrhea.

Conclusion

The result they found is that there is limited scientific proof on the effectiveness of any of these dietary supplements as an alternative to medicine for type II diabetes. Of the six mentioned supplements, the use of omega-3 fatty acids seemed to show some positive impact in lowering triglyceride levels. The evidence that is available just doesn't give enough proof that any of the others hold benefits for type II diabetes or its complications.

Therefore, if you have diabetes, it is very important not to replace any prescribed medical therapy with an unproven alternative remedy. These six supplements appear to be generally safe at low-to-moderate doses. Although they may interfere with some prescription medications, so you'll want to discuss these with your physician before starting on any changes. Your doctor may even want to adjust your prescription if you are using an alternative remedy.

This information is not intended to replace medical advice. It is ideal to see your doctor for any medical questions or concerns you may have... especially if you are taking prescription medications and are considering any alternative remedies.