Though Diabetes cannot be cured at this time, there are certain drugs designed to control the symptoms being felt by Diabetes patients. These drugs allow them added comfort and enable them to do things people without Diabetes can do.

ACE Inhibitors

ACE Inhibitors lessen blood pressure. They lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases and hamper the process that leads to kidney diseases. There is even some research that shows that there is a possibility for ACE Inhibitors to improve the survival rate of diabetics who do not have cardiovascular diseases.

Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers

ARBs also reduce blood pressure. It does this by reducing a substance in the body called Angiotensin II. This substance is responsible for sending signals that cause the blood vessels to contract. When these signals are impeded, the body’s blood pressure decreases. ARBs are also prescribed for Diabetic Nephropathy, a condition wherein the kidneys become severely damaged due to Diabetes. ARBs are able to treat protenuria, a condition wherein the body’s protein leaks into the urine.

Aspirin

Aspirin is prescribed as a therapeutic treatment for cardiovascular diseases. Because diabetics are highly at risk of developing these kinds of conditions, they are advised to take this drug to improve their circulation and increase blood flow to the heart. This ensures that the risk of them having heart illnesses is lessened.

Still, not all diabetics are allowed to take this treatment. Many factors have to be considered, so it is best to consult a physician beforehand.

Cholesterol Drugs

Many diabetics have abnormal cholesterol levels. This signifies that they have a lot of unhealthy fat, such as triglycerides and cholesterol, in their bodies. This can cause their arteries to harden or become blocked. It may even result to a stroke.

Cholesterol drugs belong to five categories: bile acid resins, cholesterol absorption inhibitors, fibrates, nicotinic acid, and statins.

Diuretics

Diuretics are also called water pills. They stimulate the kidneys and induce them to produce more urine. This flushes excess fluids out of the body. When the amount of salt and water in the body decreases, the blood pressure goes down as well. This means that there is less stress on the kidneys, in the heart, and in other organs in the body.

Diuretics prevent kidney failure and cardiovascular problems in diabetics more effectively than other medications designed to alleviate blood pressure.

Immunosuppressives

Because one of the treatments for diabetics is transplant, immune-suppressives are vital to them. Typically, the body will attack any foreign element in the body, but these drugs prevent this from happening. Immuno-suppressives ensure that the body will not reject the organs and tissues that have been surgically transplanted.

Aside from attempting to control the symptoms through administering drugs, a lot of research is currently being done in the hope of finding a cure. Though most of these studies are in their early stages of development, experts are optimistically predicting that they may someday lead to the treatment of this disease.

Capsaicin Injections

A group of experts from a medical center in Toronto, Canada is said to have discovered a way to induce insulin production and eliminate pancreatic inflammation in laboratory mice. Their treatment is based on the premise that Diabetes is a disease of the nervous system. This is in contrast to the widely accepted notion that Diabetes is caused by a person’s immune system working against itself.

What experts did was they injected capsaicin into the pancreas of the mice. Capsaicin is the phytochemical in chili peppers that causes them to have such bite and pungency. Capsaicin interacts with special receptor cells in the pancreas and kills the organ’s sensory nerves. Once this was done, the scientists discovered that the islets of Langerhans, the insulin-making parts of the pancreas, immediately began supplying normal levels of insulin.

Apparently, these nerves secrete certain neuropeptides important for the islets’ insulin production. They proved that the mice with Diabetes had nerves that secreted a deficient amount of neuropeptides. This stressed their islets and inhibited their insulin production.

They also injected “substance p” into the mice’s pancreas. Substance P is another neuropeptide, which is present in large amounts in mammalian brains. This substance caused the inflammation in the pancreas to disappear; and consequently, all the symptoms of Diabetes experienced by the mice disappeared as well.

The scientists are now attempting to prove that Diabetes is indeed a nervous disease. If they were able to do so, the next step for them would be to see if the treatment works on humans as well as it does on laboratory mice.

Pancreas Donations

Doctors in Australia have found a way to isolate the insulin-producing cells in a donated pancreas and transplant them to a person with Diabetes. Though a fairly new treatment, transplant has a number of successful cases, and is now being promoted nationally in Australia.

Still, the procedure is difficult, and it takes a lot of money. The patient will also have to take immunosuppresants, just like in any other organ transplant procedure.

Organogenesis

Organogenesis is a scientific field focusing on the artificial creation of organs. This is done by utilizing embryonic stem cells, which are pluripotent and may be transformed into any type of cell, and organ primordial, which can transform only into the cells of a designated organ.

This procedure is done by transplanting pancreatic cells from pigs’ embryos at a very early stage, specifically when the cells are still considered to be organ primordial. This ensures that the cells, which are yet to be formed, cannot be seen by the body’s immune system. It means that the body will not attack the cells in defense, and the organ primordial will be allowed to develop into healthy cells able to produce insulin without being rejected by the body.

If this treatment is used, a patient no longer needs to take drugs to suppress the immune system.

The study was done on laboratory mice. It was said to have cured both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes in the rodents.

Islet Transplants

An alternative to the two methods mentioned above is to transplant islets. Islets are made up of many kinds of cells, one of which is the kind that produces insulin. Scientists are now searching for viable sources for these islets. An option being considered is pigs.

The ultimate success of this procedure means that a person will no longer need daily insulin injections, and will once again be able to detect if his blood sugar is running low.

Avoiding Carbohydrates

An alternative treatment, which is controversial both in its simplicity and its unorthodoxy, is the complete elimination of carbohydrates from a diabetic’s diet. Carbohydrates, specifically sugar and starch, can easily be broken down by the body. It is turned into glucose, a simple sugar, and is absorbed by the bloodstream. The sugar is transferred from the blood to the cells by the hormone insulin.

Physicians and other such experts believe that the only way to stop the progression of Diabetes is for the afflicted person to achieve normal blood sugar levels. This may be done by restricting carbohydrate intake and consequently, requiring and taking lower dosages of insulin. These scientists claim that, with the basic definition of diabetes being the body’s inability to create or properly utilize insulin, it is only common sense for the cure to begin from there.

This is in direct contrast to the recommendation of the American Diabetes Association, which suggests that people with Diabetes should eat mainly bread and other starchy, carbohydrate-rich food.

There are many opposing views on this remedy, with both sides backed by people knowledgeable in the field.

Preserving Insulin-generating Cells

There is another strategy wherein specific cells in the blood are modified so they can help block the immune system’s attack on the insulin-producing cells. Experts believe that the cure to Diabetes will be discovered at the cellular level. This remedy, when developed, can apply to both types of Diabetes because it targets the underlying factors, which involves them both.

Obesity Surgery

With research showing that obesity is a big factor in the occurrence of diabetes, a study was held to compare the effects of standard diabetic care and surgery in diabetes patients. The study showed that patients who have undergone Bariatic Surgery are most likely to get rid of their Diabetes than those who are just receiving standard care.

Though a lot of study is required before any conclusions can be made, this research has led experts to view Diabetes in an entirely new light.

Diabetes Vaccine

With the research for the cure already underway, a “vaccine” is now being developed to prevent Type 1 Diabetes. The vaccine is in the form of a nasal spray. Researchers presume that if they spray insulin into a person’s nose, this would circumvent the attacks made by the immune system to the cells that produce insulin in the body.

It is important for us to eat healthy food and promote a healthy lifestyle so as to prevent any occurrence of this disease. According to statistics, there are over 20 million people affected with pre-diabetes. Pre-diabetes is an illness caused by high glucose levels in the blood.

We should always take care of the body. The main factors that contribute to diabetes are genetics and lifestyle. Even if we have a family history of diabetes, we are still unsafe unless we promote a healthy way of living.

Main causes of diabetes are obesity, improper diet and lack of exercise. Every little thing we do to our body affects its entirety. For instance, if we eat unhealthy food and neglect exercise, we become obese. If we become obese, chances are, we can get a lot of illnesses including diabetes. Considering the lifestyle of many people nowadays, almost all of us are indeed at risk of diabetes.

How Do We Get Diabetes?

The food we eat contains natural glucose. Natural glucose is a simple sugar which gives our body the energy that we need everyday. The glucose that goes into our blood stream must be regulated at all times.

Blood glucose regulation is done by our pancreas that produces insulin. The body must produce more insulin if there is more glucose or sugar that enters the body to regulate and transform them into energy. For diabetics, the insulin produced by the pancreas may be dysfunctional or there is no insulin production at all. This is why some diabetic patients have to monitor their glucose levels.

Effects of Diabetes

By having high blood sugar levels in the body, it tends to do harsh damage over time. Diabetes can cause blurry vision, blindness, death, kidney damage as well as poor healing of wounds resulting to gangrene and amputation. It is best to prevent having this disease or control it from spreading or doing severe damage at the very least.

Diabetes Mellitus Types

There are various types of diabetes. By far, type 1 diabetes is the most severe form. Type 1 diabetes is also known as “juvenile diabetes” for it often occurs in children.

Type 1 diabetes may need more than exercise and proper diet. It requires insulin injections and proficient monitoring of blood glucose or sugar levels in the body. Some type 1 diabetic patients even have to induce insulin everyday.

In this type of diabetes, the pancreas does not produce any insulin to control the sugar level in the body. This is why they need daily insulin shots. Without the daily insulin injections, the patient will not survive.

About 10 percent of diagnosed patients have type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is now termed as “Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus”.

Another type of this illness is simply called “type 2 diabetes”. It is also known as “Non-insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus”. This type of illness occurs when the pancreas stops producing the proper amount of insulin or the insulin simply fails to function properly. This type of diabetes occurs in about 90 percent of all diabetics. It affects persons who are 40 years old and above. In this case, genetics is a big role in this type of diabetes.

There is also gestational diabetes and pre-diabetes. Gestational diabetes occurs among pregnant women. During pregnancy, some women get this type of diabetes. There are also some instances where the mother gets this illness after pregnancy.

Pre-diabetes is an incidence where the body has very high glucose levels. Some pre-diabetic patients are required to monitor their blood sugar levels at all times to prevent the illness.

The best way to prevent diabetes is to have your physician do an annual blood sugar test. There are various methods of getting blood sugar levels. Ask your doctor about the most suitable and accurate test for you.

Diabetes Diet

Diet plays a vital role when controlling diabetes. A diabetic diet may be used with a combination of oral hypoglycemic drugs as well as various insulin doses. The diet may also be taken without any medication depending on the severity or type of diabetes.

The objective of undergoing a “diabetic diet” is to ensure that patients maintain or attain their ideal weight. This is done by providing the right amount of nutrition as well as the normal amount of blood glucose or sugar in the body.

Diet plans do not work for every individual. It is a case-to-case basis. Each diet plan for diabetics is based on the patient’s weight, height, gender, age, nature of diabetes and physical activity.

If you are a diabetic, it is better to consult your physician along with a dietician to give you the right diet. Dieticians have to consider some complications such as high cholesterol level and high blood pressure when planning the diet.

There are myths about diabetes that many of us still believe. In fact, most diabetics still believe it until now. One myth is that diabetics cannot eat sweet foods and beverages because it will increase their blood sugar levels. This is not entirely the case. Even if you are diabetic, it doesn’t mean you can’t eat the foods you used to eat.

The key word for this is “moderation”. Diabetics may eat sweets and food rich in carbohydrates provided they follow the tolerable amount. Carbohydrates and glucose are much needed by the body so foods with those elements are also a part of their diet plan. The proper diet for diabetics simply means eating food in moderate amounts as well as sticking to ordinary meal times.

Basically, a diabetic diet is comprised of fruits, whole grains and vegetables. A key factor for a successful diet plan is consistency because the body responds to any excess fat and calories by producing an unwanted rise in blood sugar levels. The diet is a healthy eating plan loaded with nutrients and low fat or calorie levels rather than a limiting diet.

Meal Planning

A meal plan is a guide that helps you choose healthy food in right amounts every meal. This can help you practice proper dietary habits.

If diabetics stick with the meal plan and watch their serving sizes, chances are they will eat the same amount of calories and carbohydrates every day. This will help control the patient’s weight and blood sugar. On the other hand, the more variations on what the diabetic eats makes it harder for them to control their blood sugar.

If there isn’t any problem with the regular meal plan of the patients, the only thing they should do is to adjust its proportion sizes so as to keep the blood glucose or sugar under control.

It is essential to seek the aid of a dietician. You may ask your doctor to refer a registered dietician.

Dieticians can provide useful information about how to manage or change eating habits. Also, dieticians can help you meet your goals such as making better food choices, controlling the act of over eating and losing weight in order to meet the ideal standards.

Dieticians can fix diet plans according to tastes, health goals and lifestyle. With this diet, patients will need to follow a deliberate plan. This means they have to eat the only recommended serving for every food group each day.

Exchange Lists

An exchange list is a system where foods are grouped into the following categories:

•    Starches
•    Meats
•    Meat substitutes
•    Fruits
•    Fats

A single serving in a group is called “exchange”. The exchange has the same amount of protein, fat, carbohydrates and calories. It also has the same effect on the blood sugar as every food serving in the same group. For instance, you can trade a small apple or a half-cup of pasta for a single carbohydrate serving.

Carbohydrates

Counting carbohydrates is a useful tool when meal planning. This ensures that the amount and timing of carbohydrates are the same as with any other day especially if the patient takes insulin or diabetes medications. If a diabetic eats different amounts of carbohydrates at a given meal, the blood glucose level may fluctuate thereby creating more damage. Consult your dietician for a better meal plan.

On the other hand, some diabetics use the so-called “Glycemic Index” to select food particularly carbohydrates. Food that comes with a high glycemic index is said to have higher sugar levels than other foods with a low glycemic index.

Although food with a low glycemic index does not increase blood sugar in the body, it does not necessarily mean that they are healthier. Some food types rich in fat and cholesterol have lower glycemic index than some other healthy options.

Management Issues

Prior to managing diabetes, the main concern revolves around the glucose cycle. This is with regard to the availability of glucose for the bodily cells via the bloodstream. This process depends on the two cycles of glucose namely: when glucose enters the bloodstream; and when insulin allows the appropriate uptake onto the bodily cells. These two aspects are vital for Diabetes Management.

The Modern Approach

At present, the modern approach for diabetes relies on lifestyle and dietary management. These are often mixed with an ongoing and regular monitoring of one’s blood glucose levels. It is diet management that enables the awareness and control over the nutrient types that enter one’s digestive system. This indirectly allows significant control over the changes in your blood glucose levels.

The monitoring of your blood glucose levels can promote verification as well as a closer control which are deemed vital for the treatment of diabetes. This is because most of the symptoms of the disease are not evident if there are no actual tests and measurements done. Hence, another approach is through exercise and a change in your lifestyle that has a strong impact on your glucose cycle.

Moreover, having a sturdy patient-doctor partnership poses an essential tool for the successful management of the disease. It is the doctor that initially diagnoses a patient for diabetes and offers some of the necessary tools for the patient to start with the management program. Hence, the best thing a patient can do is to have regular appointments or visits with his doctor as well as a Certified Diabetes Educator during the first few weeks following the diabetes diagnosis.

Your physician, endocrinologist, or specialist will then conduct a full medical and physical examination. This assessment will cover topics like blood pressure measurements, weight and height measurements, thyroid examination, and blood tests on A1C, cholesterol, and blood sugar. It will also cover a close examination of the fingers, hands, toes, and feet, particularly for certain circulatory abnormalities. Other topics would pertain to one’s medical history for previous medical conditions and infections; a family history pertaining to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and stroke; one’s smoking history; exercise and eating habits; vision abnormalities; urination abnormalities that may constitute to kidney disease; plus, a list of presently taken medications such as over-the-counter drugs, prescription drugs, minerals, vitamins, or even herbal supplements. For women, an additional topic about pregnancy complications should arise.

All these are very important because Diabetes is a very complicated disease which requires careful management and treatment methods.

Managing Blood Sugar Levels

A glucose meter is a type of device that measures a person’s blood sugar levels. Optical management refers to the measuring and recording of your blood glucose levels. This is why most diabetics keep a diary about this. It is also important that you note down the effects of exercise and certain foods to implement a lifestyle based on these factors. This way, you have better chances of controlling diabetes. With regard to diabetics who are already administering insulin shots, your involvement in the program is very important to achieve effective dosing as well as timing methods.

Hyperglycemia and Hypoglycemia

Hyperglycemia occurs when your blood sugar levels are very high. Hypoglycemia, on the other hand, is the other way around. However, hyperglycemia is harder to detect as compared to the latter. This is because it normally happens after a few days. If these conditions are untreated and disregarded, its results are as tragic as diabetic coma and even death.
As of now, there is no way to test if you can be susceptible to the complications of diabetes. This is why diabetics are recommended to have their blood sugar levels checked either every day or every other day. However, blood testing manufacturers came up with computer software that can display such results as well as its trending fashion. Since Type 1 Diabetics undergo insulin therapy, they are normally the ones who have this checked regularly.

Glycemic Control

The typical blood sugar levels of diabetics are called glycemic control. It is noted that long-term complications such as those in the microvascular system resulted from a prolonged and untreated hyperglycemia condition. This is why having a good glycemic control is a vital goal for diabetes care.

Monitoring Diabetes

I.    Insulin and other Drugs

At present, diabetics are either avoiding or minimizing the complications of chronic diabetes. This is to help them avoid acute conditions such as hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia. Through adequate control of the disease, there is a lower risk of acquiring complications that can be linked to unmonitored diabetes. This would include blindness, kidney failure, or even limb amputation.

Insulin therapy and oral hypoglycemics are noted as the most common medicated form of the disease. This is also called the hypoglycemic treatment. There is also emerging evidence which indicates that having full blown Type 2 Diabetes may be evaded by those with mild glucose tolerance impairment undergoing hypoglycemic treatment.

Since 2004, further studies on mechanisms for insulin application have been conducted. In fact, there was an experiment about a certain capsule which passes onto the liver, delivering insulin through the bloodstream. Another result of medical experiments is the so-called GAD, or Glutamic Acid Decarboxylsae, which is a proposed vaccine for Type 1 Diabetes.

For those with Type 2 Diabetes, management includes a combination of exercise, diet, and proper weight loss. This is still very much dependent on the patient. This program is merely based on findings that Type 2 Diabetics mostly suffer from obesity, which greatly contributes to insulin resistance. Through exercise and weight reduction, a you can improve your tissue sensitivity to insulin, allowing proper usage via target tissues.

Type 2 diabetics who still possess poor diabetic control, subsequent to lifestyle modifications, have another option called oral hypoglycemics. If your body is still unresponsive to this treatment, insulin therapy is already the best option. In insulin therapy, education as well as compliance with the treatment is vital so as to manage diabetes. Improper usages of insulin as well as other medications are both very dangerous and life threatening. They can lead to severe hyperglycemic or hypoglycemic episodes.

Close monitoring is essential to insulin therapy. A good example is if there is a reduction in the patient’s food intake, only less insulin is needed. If less food is taken and the dose given is not reduced, it can trigger hypoglycemic reactions. Aside from this, there is a reduced need for insulin if the patient is doing some exercises. This is because exercise can increase the bodily cells’ glucose intake, wherein, the glucose intake remains controlled by the insulin, and vice versa.

The risk with insulin therapy is the inability to continually monitor one’s blood glucose level to adjust appropriate insulin infusion. Yet, advances in technology note a few solutions to this dilemma. You can now buy portable and small insulin infusion pumps to enable you to have constant infusion of only small insulin amounts anytime. They also enable you to provide bolus doses during instances where a person has high blood glucose levels. This function is similar to the function of the pancreas.

Thus, a treatment approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) known as Exenatide has the ability to control the blood sugar of those with Type 2 Diabetes. This treatment was actually based on a Gila monster’s saliva.

II.    Supplements and Diet

For patients of Type 1 and Type 1 Diabetes, you can have normal blood sugar levels by controlling your diet. For those with Type 2 Diabetes, there is a greater chance of controlling it through dietary modification. Since Diabetes can result to several possible complications, it is important to maintain a normal blood sugar level. Diet is the key solution to this.
Here are some of the noted dietary recommendations by the American Diabetes Association:

Low Carb Diet – It is suggested that a gradual exclusion of carbohydrates from your diet and replacing it with certain fatty foods like seeds, nuts, fish, meats, eggs, and oils may reverse diabetes. Other foods would be vegetables, olives, and avocados. Since those fats become the body’s main calorie source, certain complications because of insulin resistance become minimized.

Glycemic Index – By reducing the glycemic index of your diet, you can improve your control over the disease. This involves avoiding foods like white bread, potatoes, and the like, as well as favoring foods like whole grains and legumes.
High Fiber Diet – It is proven that having a high-fiber diet is actually helpful in controlling one’s blood sugar levels; thus, controlling diabetes. It is as efficient as taking oral diabetes drugs.

Cinnamon – Although this has yet to be evaluated and proven by the FDA, there were studies that showcased the effects of cinnamon in reducing the disease.
Chromium – Triglycerides and cholesterol are not only risk factors of heart disease, they can also promote diabetes. Chromium is noted to have the ability to lower the levels of LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and cholesterol. In fact, chromium supplements like chromium picolinate can improve your glucose tolerance, particularly if you are a Type 2 Diabetic.
Vanadium – There are evidences that suggest vanadium’s ability to improve the glucose control of those with type 2 Diabetes. This can be in the form of vanadyl sulfate.

III.    Exercise

Stressing the importance of exercise for people who have Type 2 Diabetes due to obesity is no less than a proven fact. It is not only essential for those who are already diabetic but for those who know that diabetes is a hereditary disease that has been running in their family for generations.
Qigong and Tai Chi – Pilot studies have proven the ability of Qigong and Tai Chi to reduce the gravity of type 2 Diabetes.

Most experts are undecided as to what causes diabetes. Generally, however, they believe that factors such as obesity and heredity make several people prone to this illness.

Diabetes Kits

Diabetics should monitor their blood glucose levels on a regular basis by using diabetes supplies. Diabetes test kits are available for every diabetic person. They are simple to use and give accurate glucose readings in a matter of minutes. The basic diabetes test kit contains a testing machine, a lancet for drawing blood, test strips, and a color-changing or digital monitor to display the outcome of the test. Diabetes testing kits vary from inexpensive, simple ones to complex kits that significantly cost more. If you are unsure of what type of diabetes testing kit you should get, ask your doctor for some advice. He will refer to you the best kind of testing kit most suitable for your needs.

The glucose test meter is a significant equipment for every diabetic. One Touch, Ascencia, and Accu-Check are examples of branded glucose test meters. Most of the test meters used today are digital. Some can even talk. This means you get clear results without having to guess. Modern test meters can give you results in as little time as possible.
You must also have test strips to insert into the meter. Several test meters come in kit form complete with test strips. If you run out of test strips, they can be purchased separately.
The last part of your testing kit is your lancing device. Lancing is easy, quick and practically painless with now advanced supplies.

Patients with Type 1 Diabetes may also need to have other insulin administration supplies such as pens, pumps, syringes, and inhalers. Type 1 Diabetes is usually called juvenile diabetes because it usually occurs in children, teenagers, and young adults. This type of diabetes is usually managed with insulin therapy. Type 2 Diabetes, on the other hand, is often preventable and happens later in life. It can usually be managed efficiently with a proper diet and regular exercise.

If hypoglycemia, or a low blood glucose level, is a major problem for you, you must be prepared for emergency situations by keeping glucose tablets at hand. Patients with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes may have low blood sugar levels. Hypoglycemia usually occurs when a great deal of time has elapsed between snacks or meals. The symptoms of low blood sugar includes fatigue, headaches, perspiration, dizziness, and shaking. The moment a patient experiences these symptoms, the low blood sugar level should be increased by taking in the proper food and beverages accompanied with the glucose tablets.

Type 1 Diabetes patients should also have urine-testing kits at hand. Urine-testing kits are essential in monitoring ketone levels in the urine.

It is significant that patients of both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes keep diabetes supplies at hand at all times. This means not just keeping them at home, but also at work, and even in your car. Controlling diabetes can seem rather overwhelming at first, but learning to fight diabetes makes it easier. Communicating efficiently with your doctor is also a good way to manage your situation without negatively changing your life.

Liberty Diabetic Supplies

Liberty Diabetic Supplies is a primary provider of medical diabetic services and products such as testing supplies and other diabetic management products. Over the past 18 years, more than a million people have relied on Liberty Diabetic Supplies for their diabetes kits. Liberty diabetic supplies include home diabetes test strips, blood glucose meters and batteries, lancing devices and lancets, control solutions, and hemoglobin A1C test kits.

Glucose Test Meter

As a diabetic, maintaining your blood glucose levels is essential to your routine. To do this, you need a consistent glucose-testing meter. The first type of glucose testing meters use chemicals that alter their color when a drop of blood is put on a plastic strip then placed in the meter. The second type of glucose testing meters measure the blood glucose by analysis. This type of glucose meter measures the quantity of electrons in the blood on the test strip to determine the amount of glucose in the blood.
Blood Glucose Test Strips

Blood glucose test strips are the core device in managing your diabetes. They are frequently used to monitor your blood sugar levels. Blood glucose strip tests were specially designed to change colors as they react with the glucose or blood sugar in a drop of blood. The glucose test meter will measure the color to display your glucose results.

All typical diabetes patients are required to use a diabetic supply test and a glucose meter for a couple of times everyday. Your physician, however, will determine the frequency and specific times you should use them.

Finding the right blood glucose strip test and learning to use it correctly is a significant step in controlling your diabetes. Look for a blood glucose strip test with the following requirements listed below.

It should require a small blood sample. A lot of meters and strips now require only tiny samples that can make testing less painful. Several allow testing from alternative sites such as your upper arm, forearm, palm, calf, or thigh.

It should provide capillary action. This allows you to just hold your finger to the border of the blood glucose strip test and the strip does the rest as the blood is automatically drawn into the test window.

It should be easy to handle. Look for a compact and easy to open vial blood glucose strip test. The size, shape, and ease of use should also be factors when choosing one.

Accu-Check Testing Supplies

Accu-Check Glucose Meter

Using a diabetic meter like the Accu-Check glucose meter can help you control your blood sugar level and stay healthy, feel better, have more energy, avoid symptoms of high blood sugar, and lower your chances of suffering from kidney disease, eye disease, heart disease, and nerve damage. There are also several other types of Accu-Check testing supplies aside from the Accu-Check glucose meter.

Accu-Check Active Glucose Meter

This meter is about the size of a cell phone and is most ideal for diabetic patients on the go. Using this meter, you can receive test results in as short a time as five seconds. It allows you to draw blood from alternative sites such as your upper arm, forearm, palm, calf, or thigh. It also requires a tiny blood sample which can be applied to the strip in or out of the meter.

Paco Labs Testing Supplies

Palco Labs Testing Supplies make blood-sampling products easy and simple to process while minimizing the pain. The Palco diabetes finger stick test requires only one drop of fresh blood lanced from a dry and clean finger. To use Palco lancets, follow these steps so you can get a proper blood sample.

1.    Always use new Palco lancets. Reusing Palco lancets can cause infections, calluses, and increased pain.
2.    Apply a drop of blood to the test spot area of the test strip.
3.    Use a new test strip because test strips are good for three months after opening the vial. An expired test strip can provide inaccurate results. When opening a new container of test strip, make sure to code your meter using control solution and a new test strip.
4.    Discard the test strip and repeat with a new test strip if the whole color spot area does not show full color.
5.    If the results show an abnormally high or low test reading, use control solution to check if your meter is coded then take the test again using new Palco lancets.

How to Choose the Right Diabetes Test Kit

When buying a diabetes test kit, look for one that is most suitable to your needs. For example, some glucose test meters allow you to prick alternative sites to give your fingers a rest. This may be an important consideration if you test your blood glucose levels more than once a day. You should think about what meters to buy, too, because not all glucose meters are the same. Some meters require a drop or two of blood. Others need a higher amount of blood for them to function properly.

Proper diabetes kits are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Some diabetes test kits that do not meet the standards of the FDA do not give accurate results. If you are uncertain whether your test kit is FDA approved, you may find out by visiting the FDA website.

Look for a diabetes test kit that gives fast results, easy to use, and is convenient for your budget.

A diabetic diet is a significant aspect of controlling the increase of elevated blood sugar in patients with diabetes. The ADA, or American Diabetes Association, has provided guidelines for taking the diabetic diet. The American Diabetes Association diet is a balanced and nutritious diet that is low in simple sugar, fats, and cholesterol. The total daily calories are consistently divided into three meals. In the past year, the American Diabetes Association has lifted the total prohibition on simple sugar. A small amount of simple sugar is allowed when consumed with a complex meal.

Exercise and weight reduction are significant treatments for diabetes. Exercise and weight reduction also help in controlling  blood sugar elevations and increase the body’s sensitivity to insulin.

Insulin Treatment

Insulin is a hormone that breaks down large food molecules, such as proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, into smaller chunks like glucose for it to be readily absorbed by the cells present in the body.

Insulin treatment is required for all Type 1 Diabetic patients. More than 30 percent of the population in the United States have Type 1 Diabetes because there is no production of insulin in their bodies. If insulin is not provided, there is an increase of blood sugar level along with ketones as the body burns its fat supplies. This leads to a life-threatening situation called diabetic ketoacidosis. If too much insulin is injected, it leads to lower body sugar level that can lead to hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia, in turn, can cause another life-threatening situation known as diabetic coma. Insulin is also required for Type 2 Diabetes patients, as there is progressive disintegration of the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.
There are four types of insulin treatments available for everyone. These are: short acting insulin, intermediate acting insulin, long acting insulin, and biphasic insulin.

The short acting insulin is a type of soluble insulin treatment. It starts working in about thirty minutes from the time it is taken orally or injected. It keeps on working for about eight to ten hours. Insulin Lispro and Insulin Aspart are some examples of short acting insulin. Intermediate acting insulin is another type of insulin treatment that starts working in one to three hours and continues to work about ten to fourteen hours.

Log acting insulin starts working in two to four hours and continues up to twenty-four hours. Various examples of long acting insulin are Insulin Detemir and Insulin Zinc Suspension.
Biphasic insulin is a mixture of intermediate acting insulin and short acting insulin in different proportions.

Medications and treatment for type 1 diabetes

The diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes is usually done on the basis of the beginning of symptoms such as unusual thirst, sudden weight loss, frequent urination, extreme tiredness, weakness, irritability, blurred vision, and nausea and extreme cases of vomiting. These symptoms degenerate in a matter of weeks and by the time the blood tests are done, 25 to 30 percent of the patients start experiencing DKA or diabetic ketoacidosis.

Type 1 Diabetes can only be treated with careful observation of the blood glucose levels using the blood testing monitors and inhalations of insulin or subcutaneous injections.  Apart from this treatment, a drastic change in lifestyle is also essential. This change must incorporate a healthy diet and exercise. Along with these measures, the patient must take also administer insulin into his body. There are different ways to insulin into the body, such as distributing insulin through a pump, taking insulin as an inhaled powder, infusion of insulin 24 hours a day at present levels, and programming a push dose of insulin as needed at meal times.

Diet also plays a significant part in managing blood sugar levels. A balanced meal preparation is a necessity. Physical activity is very significant for a diabetic person as it helps in increasing your weight and stabilizing your blood sugar levels.

Type 1 Diabetes is a chronic condition so treatment should continue indefinitely with discipline and lots of care. The blood sugar levels must be between 80 over 120 milligrams per deciliter and if it increases over 120 milligrams deciliter, hyperglycemia must immediately be opposed by an injection of insulin. If blood sugar levels fall to less than 80 milligrams per deciliter, hypoglycemia occurs and immediate sugar should be taken.

Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes

The first-line treatment for Type 2 Diabetes is physical activity, weight control, and diet. If the blood glucose level remains high despite of this lifestyle measures, tablets are usually advised to reduce the blood glucose level. If the blood glucose level remains too high in spite of taking tablets, insulin injections are then required.

The blood test known as HbA1c test is mostly used to keep track of your blood glucose level. Your nurse or doctor usually does the HbA1c test every two to six months. The HbA1c test measures amount of glucose in the hemoglobin, the substance that gives color to red blood cells. Hemoglobin can give a good indication of your average blood glucose levels over the last two to three months.

Treatment goals are to lower the HbA1c below the target level, which is commonly agreed between the doctor and patient. The target level is commonly between 6.5 percent and 7.5 percent. If your HbA1c is still above the target level, you should increase the dose of medication to keep blood glucose level down.

Metformin is a biguanide drug that helps lower blood glucose mostly by reducing the amount of glucose released by the liver into the bloodstream. Metformin also increases the sensitivity of the body cells to insulin. It is usually the first tablet advised if the blood glucose level is not controlled by other measures. Metformin is used to keep you from gaining weight. It is preferred over other glucose-lowering tablets because it does not cause hypoglycemia.

Sulphonylurea drugs work to increase the amount of insulin produced by the pancreas. There are several types of Sulphonyrea drug. These are glimepiride, gliclazide, glibenclamide, glipizide, gliquidone, and tolbutamide. Sulphonylurea drugs should be used if you are not overweight and only if you cannot take Metformin.

Thaizolidinediones works by lowering the blood glucose. It increases the sensitivity of the body cells to insulin. There are two types of Thiazolidinedioes; these are rosiglitazone and pioglitazone. It is usually called glitazones. It is not used alone, but it is an option to take it in addition to Sulphonylurea or Metformin.

Acarbose works in delaying the absorption of the carbohydrates in your body. Acarbose can decrease the peaks of blood glucose that can occur after meals. Acarbose is an option if you are unable to take other tablets to keep the blood glucose level down. It can also used in addition to other glucose-lowering tablets.

Symlin is an injectable medicine that controls blood sugar for adults both with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. It is used in addition to insulin therapy in patients who cannot achieve adequate control of their blood sugar levels by using only intensive insulin therapy. Symlin cannot be used if the patients have gastroparesis, are allergic to metacresol, pramlintide acetate, sodium acetate, or if they cannot tell when their blood sugar is low. Some side effects associated with Symlin include dizziness, fatigue, headaches, abdominal pain, and vomiting and nausea.

Sulfonylurea medications are an effectual treatment for numerous people who suffer from Type 2 Diabetes. Sulfonylurea medications work quickly to control elevated blood sugar levels. These medications work for a long time and can cause low blood sugar. Most Sulfonylurea medications can be taken once a day. Other patients need to take it twice a day. Sulfonylurea can also cause weight gain. It also tends to maintain the body’s insulin levels high for long periods of time. It is very significant not to delay or skip the meals when taking these medications.

Oral Diabetes Medications

Oral diabetes medications can help control Type 2 Diabetes by decreasing glucose output, increasing insulin sensitivity, influencing carbohydrate absorption, and stimulating the pancreas to set up insulin production. This makes diabetes medication another good addition to effectual diabetes management.

There are some of the most common classes of oral medications for the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes.

• Sulfonylureas – It helps stimulate the pancreas to make more insulin. Sulfonyreas are occasionally used in injection with insulin injections.
• Biguanides – It works to reduce the amount of glucose made by the liver.
• Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors – It works to slow down the absorption of the starches you take in.
• Thaizolidinediones – It makes you more sensitive to insulin.
• Meglitinides – It works to stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin.
• D-phenylalanine derivatives – It works to help the pancreas produce more insulin quickly.
• DPP-IV Inhibitors – It work to boost production of certain hormones to help lower your blood glucose levels.

Treatments for Juvenile Diabetes

The treatment of juvenile diabetes starts with its proper diagnosis. It is often recommended that people who are at risk for the syndrome, such as those who parents or siblings are diabetic, undergo early screening. When a diagnosis is made, it is important to follow the doctor’s instructions on medication and eating in order to ensure that the blood sugar level neither falls too low nor surge too high. Eating healthy and well-balanced meals is very significant not only for weight management but also to control glucose levels in the blood stream. Fruits and vegetables, dairy products, whole grains, and proteins such as fish, meat, dried beans, eggs, nuts and poultry must be included in the diet. Exercise is also significant as it helps keep the weight off and allows the insulin to work more efficiency.

Diet

Diet, along with insulin, is used to treat diabetes. It means eating well-balanced, healthy foods and not going overboard with sweets. Dietitians and physicians figure out how much carbohydrate a child with diabetes needs at snacks and meals and they decide how much insulin he or she needs to take. Balancing the right amount of insulin with the food intake will help to keep blood sugar at a healthy level.Meal planning for a juvenile diabetic needs consistency for insulin and food to work to regulate blood glucose levels. If insulin and meals are out of balance, extreme fluctuations in blood glucose levels can occur.

Physical Activity

Regular exercise is especially significant for a diabetic. It helps to manage the amount of sugar in the blood and helps to burn excess fat and calories to achieve optimal weight. A juvenile diabetic, however, must take special precautions during, before and after participation in intense exercise or physical activity. While physical activity is good for everyone , including a child with this disease, extra care must be exercised in this case. The patient’s glucose levels must not be allowed to fall below normal ranges.

Insulin

Insulin lowers blood glucose by taking it from the blood stream, converting it to glycogen and storing it in the liver or muscles. The bodies of juvenile diabetics cannot make insulin on their own so they are required to take insulin everyday.

Insulin is injected subcutaneously, or beneath the skin, using a syringe or an infusion pump. It is not accessible in oral form. Insulin preparations vary in how fast they start to work and how long they last. A health care professional reviews blood glucose levels to determine the appropriate type of insulin that a person should use. More than one type of insulin can be mixed together in an injection to get the best control of the blood glucose.

The instant goals of the treatment are to treat high blood glucose levels and DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis). Because of the often unexpected onset and severity of symptoms in juvenile diabetes, treatment for recently diagnosed people may involve hospitalization. The long-term goals of treatment aim towards prolonging life, reducing symptoms and preventing diabetes-related complications like kidney failure, blindness and amputation of limbs.

Diagnosing Juvenile Diabetes

Juvenile diabetes is usually first diagnosed in children, young adults or teenagers. Different test are used to diagnose juvenile diabetes such as urine sugar test, fasting plasma glucose test and random plasma glucose test.

Urine sugar test – Urine holds different substances and this helps in the diagnosis of different kinds of diseases. Urinalysis in diabetes shows ketone and glucose in the urine. In urinalysis, the urine is tested for its substance composition including sugar. High levels of sugar in the urine indicates that the person has diabetes.

Fasting plasma glucose – This type of test is widely used to measure blood glucose level after 8 hours have passed without eating. Blood is drawn from the patient which is then subject to technological testing. It is the preferred test as it is more suitable and more consistent when it is done in the morning. Pre-diabetes can also identified by this test. If the fasting blood glucose level is 126mg/dl or higher, the patient has juvenile diabetes.

Random plasma glucose test – This test is similar to the fasting plasma glucose test but without the fasting. The random glucose test along with a variety of symptoms is used to diagnose diabetes but it cannot be used to diagnoses pre-diabetes.

Symptoms of Juvenile Diabetes

Diabetes is a condition wherein the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert starches, sugar and other food into energy needed for every day life. The causes of diabetes are various but both environmental and genetic factors like obesity and lack of exercise are considered contributory. The symptoms of juvenile diabetes are listed below:

• Atypical thirst, particularly for sweet cold drinks
• Frequent urination
• Extreme hunger
• Extreme fatigue
• Weight loss
• Irritabilite
• Blurred vision or other changes in eyesight
• Weakness
• Vomiting and nausea

Children with juvenile diabetes may also be apathetic, restless and may have trouble functioning in school. In several cases, diabetic coma may be the first symptom of juvenile diabetes.

Parents of a child with classic symptoms of diabetes may notice that their daughter or son is abnormally thirsty, needs to urinate frequently and has been losing weight in spite of a good appetite. However, this is only one possible set of symptoms. Sometimes around 25 percent of the children have already progressed to diabetic ketoacidosis by the time they first see the physician or doctor. Because these children may be nauseated and vomit, complain of abdominal pain, their symptoms might be mistaken for an appendicitis or flu. In most severe cases, the child breathes deeply and rapidly, has a fruity smell in his breath and may lose consciousness.

Lacking adequate insulin, glucose can build up in the bloodstream instead of going into the cells. The body is unable to use this glucose for energy despite high levels in the bloodstream, causing the patient to feel fatigued and hungry.

In addition to this, the high levels of glucose in the blood cause the patient to urinate more which causes excessive thirst. Often, within 6 to 10 years after diagnosis, the insulin producing beta cells of the pancreas are destroyed and no more insulin is produced.

Juvenile diabetes can occur at any age but usually starts from childhood. Symptoms are typically severe and occur rapidly.

Diet for Juvenile Diabetes

Juvenile diabetes meal plan can include an assortment of food items. Once the patient gets into the habit of eating less carbohydrate and fat and smaller portions of an assortment of foods, he or she can keep juvenile diabetes under control. Apart from limiting foods, the patient must also aim towards eating more vegetables and fruits.

Some healthy tips and meal plans for juvenile diabetic include the following:

• Vegetable tend to loose their nutrients if cooked too long them. Microwave or steam vegetables instead.
• Patients should eat butter ice cream and whole milk cheese occasionally.
• It is always better to avoid high-fat red meat.
• Chicken skin must be removed before cooking.
• Use of sugar should be minimized. Use artificial sweeteners instead.
• Limit salt to the minimum. This is mostly significant for people with juvenile diabetes because it can affect the circulatory system.
• Animal protein must be avoided. Instead, meals high in complex carbohydrates must be taken such as starches found in  pastas, rice, legumes, starchy vegetables, cereals and breads.
• A typical juvenile diabetes diet must include breads, whole-grain cereals and other products like brown rice, bulgur, kasha and barley.
• Decrease the amount of protein and salt and limit dietary cholesterol.

In fact, a balanced meal plan for a juvenile diabetic should include protein that provides 10 percent to 20 percent of the total calories, fat not more than 30 percent and carbohydrates more than 60 percent. The primary goal of any dietary plan for diabetes is to sustain healthy levels of glucose in the blood. Therefore, foods rich in simple sugars, cookies, sugary snacks and non-diet sodas should be avoided. A healthful, varied diet, rich in whole grains, vegetables and fruits is a great way to ensure overall health of a juvenile diabetic.

Diabetes insipidus results from either a defect in the pituitary gland, which regulates the production of the antidiuretic hormone (ADH), or the kidney’s inability to respond to ADH. The former is referred to as central DI and the latter as nephrogenic DI. ADH is the hormone that regulates the amount of fluid that is retained or passed out of the body.

Diabetes mellitus refers to a group of diseases where the pancreas does not produce enough insulin. Insulin is a hormone that converts sugar, starches, and other food into glucose and other “fuel molecules”. It delivers them to the cells for energy. Its lack or absence causes elevated levels of glucose in the blood stream. This results to a myriad of health problems including cardiovascular diseases; renal failure; damage to the retina, nerves, and blood vessels; and poor healing of wounds. DM is broadly classified into two major types. These are Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes.

Main Common Symptoms

Diabetes insipidus and diabetes mellitus in all its forms share common characteristic symptoms. These are the trio of polyuria, polydipsia, and polyphagia.

Polyuria

This refers to an increase in urination. On the average, a normal person produces a urine output of about 1.5 liters per day depending on water and food intake and perspiration. A consistent level of 2.5 liters per day is usually deemed excessive. Polyuria is often indicative of underlying pathological conditions that include diabetes, renal abnormalities, cystitis, autoimmune disorders, hyperthyroidism, hypopituitarism, and others; or of biochemical imbalances such as the intake of diuretic drugs, food, and drink or of excessive riboflavin and ascorbic acid.

In a patient with diabetes, polyuria is directly caused by hyperglycemia, or the presence of excessive amounts of glucose or blood sugar in the blood stream. The body’s genitourinary system responds to this condition by attempting to eliminate the excess glucose from the blood through urine. This is filtered from the blood in the kidneys and conveyed to the bladder through the urinary tract. This mode of eliminating the blood sugar leads to frequent urination. This requires additional water, and thus leads to another symptom of diabetes, polydipsia.

In diabetes insipidus, polyuria is caused by a deficient antidiuretic hormone (ADH). This, in turn, is caused by damage to the pituitary gland. ADH induces the kidneys to reabsorb and conserve water for bodily functions limiting urination. The lack of this hormone results to the opposite condition, excessive urination.

Polydipsia

Polydipsia refers to increased or excessive thirst. Thirst is an instinct that induces man to drink. It is normally triggered by a decreased level of fluids in the body. A fluid intake in excess of four liters per day is deemed by medical practitioners to indicate polydipsia. An increased level of liquids decreases osmolality, that is, the concentration of particles in the bloodstream. A level of 50 to 1,400 milliosmoles per kilogram (mOsm/kg) from a clean-catch urine sample is considered normal. While there are normal activities that may lead to excessive thirst, such as intense exercise or the consumption of spicy foods and alcoholic beverages, and medications for various types of illnesses, it could also be symptomatic of a serious illness. Among them is diabetes.

Polydipsia is closely linked with polyuria as the latter depletes the level of liquids in the body. It is for this reason that it (polydipsia) is associated with both diabetes mellitus and diabetes insipidus.

Polyphagia

This means excessive hunger or eating.  This condition is also referred to as hyperphagia. The food requirements of each individual may vary according to several factors such as age, size, weight, or usual activity, but medical practitioners generally give a range of 1,200 to 2,400 calories for women and 1,600 to 2,400 calories for men. While a person who exceeds this caloric intake from time to time may not necessarily be afflicted with polyphagia, a continuing desire to eat large quantities of food may be indicative of diabetes.

In Type 1 diabetes, this feeling of hunger is caused by the inability of the beta cells in the islets of Langerhans of the pancreas to produce sufficient insulin. The hormone insulin metabolizes carbohydrates and fats and converts glucose to glycogen, storing it in the liver and muscles. Without insulin glucose cannot be absorbed by the cells. High levels of glucose remain in the blood stream, a condition known as hyperglycemia, instead of providing nutrients for the cells. The cells are starved and this results in hunger and the consequent overeating.

In spite of overeating, a diabetic patient may still suffer weight loss. This is because the inability of the cells to use glycogen for nourishment forces them to use stored fat instead. This depletion of fatty tissues leads to the emaciation of the patient.

This type of diabetes has also been called insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) because its treatment involves the injection of insulin.
In Type 2 diabetes, the beta cells are able to produce sufficient insulin, but the body is unable to use it properly. This condition is called insulin resistance. Insulin resistance has the same effect on the cells as the inability to produce the hormone. It also leads to frequent hunger and overeating and to hyperglycemia. The difference is that in insulin resistance, there is also an elevated level of insulin in the blood. This is known as hyperinsulinemia. This is caused by the continuous production of insulin by the pancreas in response to overeating. The insulin that is present in the blood stream metabolizes the ingested food, but since this is not absorbed by the cells, it is stored as body fat. It is for this reason that a person suffering from Type 2 diabetes could conceivably gain weight, and yet feel fatigued and lethargic. The weight comes from the stored fat, the feeling of lethargy from the starved cells.
Since this type of diabetes does not ordinarily require insulin injections, it has been referred to as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). However, since current medical research has established that the injection of insulin may be used to manage both types of diabetes depending upon the particular circumstance of the patient, the terms Type 1 and Type 2 are now more frequently used.

Other Symptoms

In addition to the above common symptoms, patients who suffer from Type 1 diabetes also manifest symptoms of chronic nausea and vomiting. Vomiting is a reflex that responds to stimuli from the digestive system, bloodstream, ear, and brain. In patients with diabetes, nausea and vomiting is often due to a paralysis of the muscles of the stomach. This is called gastroparesis and it leads to the improper grinding of food and its abnormal passage into the small intestines. Vomiting usually occurs after meals and since the food is not ground, it comes out in large recognizable pieces. One of the causes of gastroparesis is the damage to the nerves that control stomach muscles due to diabetes mellitus.

Type 1 diabetics may also show symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). This is a metabolic dysfunction characterized by the acetone-smelling breath of the patient and abdominal pain, in addition to polyuria, nausea, and vomiting. If the DKA progresses, this may lead to diabetic coma and may eventually be fatal.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is attributed to Type 2 diabetes. This is because the disease damages blood vessels, nerves, and certain muscle functions that control erection. While age and other health factors may contribute to the development of ED, it is estimated that men who are afflicted with diabetes experience ED 10 to 15 years earlier than those who are not diabetic.

Amenorrhea or the absence of menstruation results from Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Among diabetics, this is often brought about by the weight loss associated with the disease. Sometimes, amenorrhea is also caused by the sheer stress of the abnormal condition of the body.

In both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, the patient may show symptoms of blurred vision that could eventually lead to blindness. The lenses of the eyes may change in shape due to glucose absorption. This results in visual changes. While a sustained control of glucose levels may reverse the changes in the lens, failure to implement proper control could result to the more serious ocular damage called diabetic retinopathy. Retinopathy refers to the condition wherein the small blood vessels in the eyes are damaged by excessive levels of glucose. It may be non-proliferative or proliferative. Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy is a condition wherein blood vessels in the eyes leak fluid into the retina. This causes blurred vision. In its later stages, non-proliferative advances to the proliferative type where new but fragile blood vessels grow in the eye. As these are fragile, they are prone to hemorrhaging and can cause blindness and scarring of the retina.

Insulin is a hormone that controls the glucose level in the blood. Glucose is the main source of energy for body cells. After every meal, the blood sugar rises and the pancreas gland located behind the stomach secretes insulin. Insulin enters and circulates in the blood, acting on the insulin receptors that are present in muscles, fat cells, and other tissues in the body. The insulin binds to these receptors, enabling the glucose transporters to come to the cell surface and facilitate the glucose to enter the cells. Diabetes occurs when there is little production of insulin or the resistance to its effects.

There are many types of diabetes. Type 1 Diabetes has been universally used for diseases that include child-onset diabetes, juvenile diabetes, and insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM). The term Type 2 Diabetes has also replaced former terms such as adult-onset diabetes, obesity-related diabetes, and non-insulin-dependent diabetes (NIDDM). There are also types known as Gestational Diabetes and Pre-diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes results from the body’s failure to produce insulin. Type 2 Diabetes, on the other hand, happens when there is insulin resistance or the inability of the body to use insulin. Gestational Diabetes occurs in 2-5% of all pregnancies. About 20-50% of affected women develop Type 2 Diabetes later in life. Pre-diabetes is a condition wherein an individual’s blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for Type 2 Diabetes.

First Signs of Diabetes

Less production or resistance to insulin lead to hypoglycemia, or low blood glucose, which causes the possible indicators of diabetes. These include excessive hunger (polyphagia), thirst and increased fluid intake (polidipsia), frequent urination (polyuria), unexplained weight loss, blurred vision, lethargy, leg pain when walking (claudication), itchiness (pruritus), dizziness, fatigue and changes in energy metabolism.

Polyuria

Polyuria is a condition characterized by excessive urination. Often considered as one of the first signs of undiagnosed diabetes, it can trigger other symptoms including polyphagia, polydipsia, and weight loss.

Polyuria occurs when glucose is removed from the body through urine due to the large amounts of the sugar building up in the bloodstream. To dilute the glucose, additional water is excreted. This results to excessive urination that creates an increase in thirst. Furthermore, since calories and water go with the urine, the individual gradually loses weight. To compensate for the weight loss, the individual may then experience an increase in hunger.

Other factors included, an average adult releases about a quart and a half urine each day. The US National Institute of Health describes polyuria as the release of 2.6 quarts of urine a day. The Diabetes Insipidus Foundation, however, describes it as the release of 3.5 quarts by a 150-pound adult a day. A person experiencing frequent urination for several days without medical explanation or increase in fluid intake is advised to consult a physician.

Polyuria can be caused by poor or ineffective diabetes management. Changes in diabetes management, such as a healthy diet, regular exercise and intake of insulin or anti-diabetic agents, plan can achieve a better control on glucose levels.

If left untreated, polyuria can lead to dehydration that can be life threatening.

Polyphagia

Polyphagia is the medical term for excessive hunger or eating. It is also known as hyperphagia and hyperalimentation. These terms both mean a heightened increase in appetite. Those with polyphagia consume excessive amounts of food before feeling fullness or satiety.

In Type 1 Diabetes, polyphagia may be accompanied by unexplained weight loss. Due to the lack of insulin, glucose is unable to enter the cells and instead builds up in the bloodstream. This, in turn, makes the body unable to use this glucose for energy. The cells, lacking insulin, enter a state of starvation despite an excess of sugar in the blood. Instead of normally burning glucose for fuel, the body burns fat instead.

In Type 2 Diabetes, however, patients with the disease gain weight after overeating. Since the body is unable to detect insulin in the body or use it properly, the body is unable to transfer glucose from the bloodstream to the cells. Insulin resistance and overeating can result to excessive insulin production called hyperinsulinemia. This results to excess food storage that increases body fat.

Low glucose or hypoglycemia can trigger polyphagia, causing the autonomic nervous system to produce symptoms. These include hunger and shakiness, and diabetic ketoacidosis, wherein the body burns fats instead of glucose for energy. Aside from hypoglycemia, other causes of polyphagia may include eating disorders, anxiety, pregnancy, and hyperthyroidism or an overactive thyroid gland.

Polyphagia is treated directly at its cause. In Diabetes insulin or anti-diabetic agents are prescribed to lower the blood sugar. Exercise and diet can also be helpful.

Polydipsia

Polydipsia is a symptom wherein the patient drinks abnormally large amounts of fluids. One of the initial symptoms of diabetes, polydipsia is also found in patients who fail to take their anti-diabetic medications or in those whose dosages have become inadequate. It is commonly associated with dehydration due to polyuria and appears in diabetics with normally functioning kidneys.

According to the Diabetes Insipidus Foundation, polydipsia may be defined as an adult consumption of more than a gallon or 3.8 liters of beverage everyday. This leads to overhydration, wherein the body loses less water than it takes in and causes insufficient levels of sodium in the blood. This condition is called hyponatremia. Closely linked with polyuria, with an addition of polyphagnia, fatigue, unexplained weight loss, dizziness and fainting, polydipsia suggests Diabetes.

Diabetes Insipidus or “water diabetes” is an uncommon form of diabetes that causes large amounts of diluted urine to be produced by the body. This results to imbalanced water levels in the body, and with the increased depletion of water, leads to an excessive thirst that is a common symptom of Diabetes Insipidus.

Extreme polydipsia can mark dangerous conditions that involve severe hyperglycemia (low glucose levels), diabetic ketoacidosis (a high deficiency of insulin levels), and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic syndrome or what is commonly known as diabetic coma.

Other Symptoms

Dehydration happens when large amounts of fluids are lost by the body, causing it to reabsorb fluid from the blood and other body tissues. In diabetes, dehydration is contributed by high blood sugar levels. Excessive glucose in the bloodstream causes the body to lose more water than is needed.

Dizziness is a sensation of lightheadedness, confusion, or disorientation that leads to loss of balance. Insulin shock (hyperglycemia) or low blood glucose (hypoglycemia) can cause dizziness. It may also be caused by diabetic neuropathy or nerve damage and this can lead to numbness and weakness in the legs.

Syncope, also known as fainting, is a sudden temporary loss of consciousness generally caused by insufficient oxygen or inadequate blood flow to the brain. Abnormality in glucose levels, cardiovascular disorders, dehydration, and autonomic neuropathy are major causes of fainting in people with diabetes. Low glucose levels and intense high blood sugar levels or hyperglycemia in diabetic patients can be treated by maintaining glucose levels within the recommended range.

Kussmaul breathing is sometimes known as “air hunger” and is characterized by a gasp-like breathing that is labored and irregular. It has been linked to metabolic acidosis wherein acid levels in the blood are too high. Kussmaul breathing is also a sign of diabetic ketoacidosis, an insulin-deficient type of diabetes. Lack of insulin prevents the body to use glucose for energy; the body, therefore, begins to break down fats for energy. This produces a waste product called ketones, which raise the acidity of the blood.

Missed doses of insulin or failure of an insulin pump can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis and Kussmaul breathing. A patient with undiagnosed Type 1 Diabetes may experience Kussmaul breathing as its first symptom. Air hunger can be treated by administering intravenous fluids and insulin to balance a patient’s acid-base or pH levels.

Fatigue and general weakness happen when the glucose is ineffectively used by the cells in the bloodstream, mainly because of the absence of insulin. Since glucose is what cells use to produce energy, the lack of it makes an individual tired.
Nueropathy or the tingling or numbness in the hands or feet gradually occurs when high glucose in the blood damages the nervous system. Glucose control is needed to improve neuropathy.

Blurry Vision is also one of the early symptoms of diabetes. A rapid rising of blood sugar levels causes fluid shifts in the eye parts that lead to problems.

Yeast infections that occur frequently also happen due to high blood sugar levels. Yeast feeds on sugar and a high blood sugar levels makes more food available for yeast to feed on.
Slow-healing wounds is also a very important symptom of non-insulin dependent Diabetes. High blood sugar levels prevent the immune system from effectively cleaning damaged tissues and building new skin cells.

Types of Diabetes

Diabetes has three types, namely Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, and Pre-diabetes. Pre-diabetes is considered the first stage of diabetes. If not treated or diagnosed early, this may lead to Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes. Pre-diabetes is more of a stage of awareness that your blood sugar levels are higher than the tolerable amount.

The second stage of this illness is Type 2 Diabetes. The body of a Type 2 Diabetic can still produce the needed insulin but the beta cells fail to function well. Type 2 Diabetes is caused either because the produced insulin may either be not enough to meet the quotas of our body or the cells do not respond properly. In other words, insulin found on patients of Type 2 Diabetes does not work as it normally should. Persons with this illness tend to change their lifestyles. Among the recommended treatment and management measures are having a healthy diet, losing weight, and a regular exercise regimen. Others take oral or intravenous insulin while some take in medication.

The considered most complicated case of diabetes is Type 1 Diabetes. This type of diabetes is caused by an autoimmune disorder. An autoimmune disorder is a problem with the immune system of the body. In a normal and healthy body, beta cells found in the pancreas produces insulin. For persons with Type 1 Diabetes, the immune system attacks the beta cells for they mistakenly confuse them as invaders. When a huge amount of beta cells are destroyed, symptoms and signs of diabetes will appear.

Progression of the Symptoms of Diabetes

There are numerous signs and symptoms of diabetes. The onset of diabetes is apparently left unnoticed by many people affected by the disease because some of its symptoms seem normal or harmless. These signs and symptoms vary in every individual. It is best to consult a physician to perform the necessary tests to prove whether you may or may not have this illness. Bear in mind that only a licensed physician can determine whether that signs and symptoms manifested by your body authentically signify diabetes.

The symptoms of diabetes are progressive, depending on the rate of blood glucose or sugar levels in the body. The symptoms may appear mild and harmless, such as the poor healing of rashes or blurry vision. Some people also mistake these symptoms for that of another disease or ailment. After some time, these symptoms start to progress and patients who experience them may feel a little off. Some progressive symptoms are urination and excessive thirst. If left untreated or rather mistreated, it can lead into life threatening situations such as DKA or HHNS.

For Type 2 Diabetes patients, some symptoms progress at a slower pace. It is the opposite for Type 1 Diabetes patients for the progression rapidly takes place in about two weeks to one month. Some Type 2 Diabetes patients are left undiagnosed due to lack of symptoms. This is why they encounter complications such as foot and kidney problems. Type 2 Diabetes is difficult to diagnose.

List of Symptoms

Here is a list of symptoms gathered from various sources for diabetes. Bear in mind that symptoms are the ones experienced by the patient while signs are the ones that are noticed by the doctor.

Among the first symptoms of diabetes is having no symptom at all. As impossible as it may seem, most Type 2 Diabetes patients are unaware that they have the disease unless complications arise.

Below is a list of mild to moderate symptoms. These symptoms also include persons who have moderate blood sugar levels. Remember that moderate blood sugar or glucose levels may still lead to complications.

•    Skin rashes
•    Poor healing of the skin
•    Abscess, boil or sore
•    Skin infections such as eczema
•    UTI or Urinary tract Infections
•    Athlete’s foot
•    Dry and itchy skin
•    Flaky skin (may be mistaken for eczema or psoriasis)
•    Candida
•    Thrush
•    Boils on the skin
•    Ulcers on the skin
•    Parenthesias
•    Tingling of the foot
•    Numbness of the foot or feet
•    Peripheral neuropathy
•    Blurry vision
•    Erectile failure
•    Sexual problems
•    Unusual dryness of the vaginal area
•    Absent periods
•    Pre-mature menopause
•    Weight gain
•    Weight loss
•    Malaise
•    Drowsiness
•    Poor healing of wounds from injury, surgery, and minor infections

Below is a list of the more serious symptoms. These symptoms usually show when the blood sugar levels in the body become extremely higher than the normal range.
•    Extreme urination
•    Excessive thirst
•    Bed wetting in children
•    Extreme hunger
•    Dehydration
•    Weight loss
•    Blurry vision to the extreme level
•    Muscle cramps
•    Tiredness
•    Irritability
•    Fatigue
•    Headaches
•    Worsening of acne
•    Muscle weakness
•    Sexual problems which involves unusual dryness of the vaginal area as well as erectile failure
•    Absent menstruation
•    Constant skin infections (mostly fungal infections) such as tinea, thrush, or Candida and athlete’s foot
•    DKA or Diabetic Ketoacidosis – This is a severe complication caused by high blood glucose levels in the body that may result to death when diabetes is treated too late. This requires emergency treatment. This complication has severe symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, difficulty in breathing, sweet-smelling fruity breath, and rapid pulse rate. Children also experience abdominal pain.
•    HHNS or Hyperglycemic Hypersmolar Nonketotic Syndrome – Like Diabetic Ketoacidosis, it is a fatal complication caused by extremely high blood sugar levels.

A Better Understanding of the Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes

Most signs of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes are alike. These two types of diabetes do not produce the needed insulin for the body to function well. This means that the body is not operating well enough and certain parts of the body are becoming greatly affected. As a result, the body gives off signs and symptoms as a signal that something is wrong inside.
Excessive or Unquenchable Thirst – This symptom is usually manifested during the severe stages of diabetes. Patients may feel that they are not drinking enough; so they tend to drink more than the usual amount of water. This may be a sign of diabetes especially if it is also accompanied by frequent urination. In diabetes, the body is pulling more than the usual amount of water from the blood. This makes the diabetic patient urinate more frequently than the non-diabetic person. As a result, the patient becomes dehydrated and tends to have the need to drink more to replace the water that he had lost.

Losing a Lot of Weight Even Without Trying - This symptom is greatly noticeable with Type 1 Diabetes. With Type 1 Diabetes, the beta cells stop to create insulin either because of a viral attack or an attack of the insulin-producing cells by the immune system. The body tends to look for another energy source due to the lack of glucose on the cells. The body then breaks down fat and muscle tissues for energy. With Type 2 Diabetes, the insulin resistance happens gradually so weight loss is not that rapid compared to Type 1 Diabetes.
Frequent Visits to the Bathroom – When the glucose level in our blood is at a very high rate, frequent urination becomes more common than usual. On the other hand, the kidneys may not be able to filter glucose and place it back in to the blood if insulin is ineffective or nonexistent. Kidneys tend to be overwhelmed and their reaction is to draw out all the extra water in the blood to reduce the glucose. This reaction keeps the urinary bladder always full thus making the person urinate more than usual.

Fatigue and Weakness – This symptom is again triggered by the glucose level in our body, notwithstanding whether it is too much or too little in quantity. The glucose we get in our food moves into the bloodstream. From there, the insulin is supposed to aid the transition into the cells. If there is not enough insulin in the body, or if the insulin cannot perform its duty and the cells do not react to the insulin, the tendency is for the glucose to stay outside the cells in our blood. As a result, the cells are starved from energy thus making the person feel rundown and tired.

Numbness or Tingling Sensation of the Hands and Feet – This symptom gradually occurs over time. It is also called neuropathy. This happens when high consistent rates of glucose in the bloodstream damage the body’s central nervous system. Since the symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes are gradual, the blood sugar in the body may have been consecutively high for years. Nerve damages can happen without the person’s knowledge.

Since a complex interaction between most hormones and chemicals in the body is controlled by blood glucose levels, it also includes the Insulin hormone made by the pancreas’ beta cells. If there are defects in Insulin, whether it’s with its action or secretion, this will trigger high levels of blood glucose in the body and result to a group of diseases called Diabetes Mellitus.Due to diminished Insulin production, type 1 diabetes develops. If resistance to the effects has occurred, gestational and type 2 diabetes will develop. This leads to hyperglycemia.

When this happens, acute signs become present such as blurred vision, lethargy, unexplained weight loss, energy metabolism changes and excessive production of urine. This results to increased thirst as well as fluid intake.

With the availability of Insulin, diabetes and its various forms are already treatable since the year 1921. However, a cure is yet to be found.

At present, the basic treatment for type 1 diabetes includes injections of Insulin via an Insulin pen, Insulin pump and syringe. When it comes to type 2 diabetes, it is managed along with Insulin supplementation, medication and dietary treatment.

The treatment as well as diabetes itself can cause a lot of complications. If it is not controlled right away, acute complications such as nonketonic hyperosmolar coma, ketoacidosis and hypoglycemia will occur. On the other hand, chronic renal failure, cardiovascular disease, retinal damage that can lead to total blindness, nerve damage and microvascular damage which results to poor healing of the wounds as well as impotence pose as long-term serious complications. Since the wounds heal poorly, especially those found in the feet, it can result to gangrene or even amputation.

By controlling blood pressure, improving one’s lifestyle and getting adequate treatment, one can progress from the risk profile of diabetes’ most chronic complications. It is estimated that diabetes is currently the leading cause of blindness among the non-elderly adults. It is also currently the most significant cause of amputation among adults. Lastly, diabetes nephropathy remains as the leading illness that requires renal dialysis, particularly in the US.

Although diabetes in general is referred to as “excessively sweet urine”, there are a lot of rare conditions you can relate it to. One common condition is called diabetes insipidus. With this condition, one’s urine is not really sweet but it is caused by pituitary gland or liver damage.

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes was formerly known as juvenile diabetes, childhood-onset diabetes and IDDM or Insulin-Dependent Diabetes. It is due to the loss of beta cells that produce Insulin, found in the “Islets of Langerhans” of the pancreas.  Due to Insulin deficiency, this Diabetes type can be classified as idiopathic and immune-mediated. Since there are no findings pertaining to its preventive measures, most of its affected victims are healthy once it occurs.

In fact, it is only normal to be responsive yet sensitive to insulin in the early stages. Children are more susceptible to this type of diabetes than adults.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes was formerly known as obesity-related diabetes, NIDDM (Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes), and adult-onset diabetes. Primarily due to a resistance to insulin or a reduced sensitivity to it, it becomes relatively combined with a reduced but oftentimes absolute secretion of insulin. With the bodily tissues’ defective responsiveness to insulin, it brought about the cell membrane’s Insulin receptors. Although its specific defects remain unknown, it is separately classified.

During its early stages, reduced insulin sensitivity characterized by the Insulin’s elevated levels in the blood remains as its predominant abnormality. It is still easy to reverse Hyperglycemia via certain medication and measures, implementing the improvement of Insulin sensitivity as well as reducing the liver’s production of glucose. However, due to the progression of the disease, it also worsens the impairment of insulin secretion. This leads to the need for therapeutic replacement.

There are several theories noted pertaining to the mechanism and exact cause of type 2 diabetes. One factor is referred to as central obesity. This is because large volumes of fat can predispose insulin resistance. Aside from this, since abdominal fat is hormonally active, it secretes Adipokines or a group of hormones that may impair one’s glucose tolerance.

Other noted factors include family history and aging. Environmental exposures to materials such as polycarbonate plastic are also contributing factors. Even if this type of Diabetes can go unnoticed since the symptoms are mild, sporadic or even non-existent, this is also the type that leads to long-term severe complications which result to vascular diseases, renal failure, vision damage, liver damage, loss of pain or sensation and even heart failure.

Gestational or Type 3 Diabetes

Type 3 or gestational diabetes is similar to type 2 diabetes in a lot of aspects. This is due to the involvement of inadequate Insulin responsiveness and secretion. However, it occurs in just about 2 up to 4 percent of pregnancies, improving and even disappearing after labor.

Although gestational diabetes is treatable, it still requires full medical supervision all through the pregnancy. If disregarded, untreated and thought only as transient, it can damage the health of the mother or the fetus.

Some of the indicated risks include central nervous system and congenital cardiac anomalies, and macrosomia or high birth weight as well as muscle skeletal malformation. An increase in fetal Insulin can inhibit the production of fetal surfactant, causing the so-called Respiratory Distress Syndrome. Another case called Hyperbilirubinemia is a result of the destruction of red blood cells. For severe cases, it can lead to perinatal death because of vascular impairment that leads to poor “placental profussion”.

Other Reported Causes of Diabetes

Even if most studies show that diabetes falls within the two categories such as type 1 and type 2, there are other types that are now being re-classified according to their specific causes. Later on, once the causes have been finalized specifically, those who were categorized as type 1 or type 2 will be re-classified to their respective “specific” causes.

There are cases where diabetes is caused by the unresponsive tissue receptors of the body towards insulin. However, this is very unlikely or uncommon.

There are also genetic mutations (mitochondrial or autosomal) that can lead to a defective functioning of one’s beta cells. In other cases, there have been genetically determined abnormalities in the insulin’s actions.

Any type of disease that causes extensive damage to one’s pancreas can result to diabetes. Diseases associated with excessive secretion of “insulin-antagonistic hormones” may cause diabetes. There are also drugs that impair the secretion of Insulin aside from the toxins that can damage the beta cells of the pancreas.

Inherited Diabetes

Since the two common types of diabetes are only partly inherited, there is still a so-called “genetic element” that makes one susceptible to some of the triggering factors recently traced to HLA genotypes. For those who may have inherited this susceptibility, it is type 1 diabetes that requires environmental triggering factors.

It is also reported to become triggered also by stress or viral infections. Only a minimal portion of this type actually carries mutated genes that may cause the so-called MODY or Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young.

Type 2 diabetes has a stronger pattern of inheritance factors. 1st degree relatives of those with this type of diabetes possess higher risks of developing the same disease. It also increases according to the number of relatives that already developed this type of diabetes. Obesity is also strongly inherited.

There are also other hereditary conditions that can be related to diabetes. Examples are Friedreich’s Ataxia and Myotic Dystrophy. There is also the Wolfram’s Syndrome, an evident childhood Autosomal Recessive Neurodegenerative disorder. It actually consists of diabetes insipidus, diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy and deafness.

Diabetes has other types aside from its 3 common types (type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes). Further studies are now shedding light on other types generally triggered by specific causes. Whether it’s hereditary or due to environmental causes, early signs and symptoms of Diabetes should not be disregarded.

If you know that Diabetes runs in your family, then it is very likely that you or your children can develop the disease. If it does not run in your family, it does not mean that you are not susceptible to it. People who are subjected to stress and viral infections, especially those who have weak immune systems are also prone to developing Diabetes.

Those who don’t seriously consider their health or lifestyle and engage in activities such as excessive smoking, bad sleeping habits and heavy as well as prolonged alcohol intake may acquire the disease. People who have poor dietary habits such as those who frequently eat junk food, too much sweets and carbonated drinks may be afflicted with serious long-term complications due to diabetes.

Living a healthy lifestyle, taking care of one’s health, getting some exercise and having good dietary habits can help lower the risk of acquiring diabetes. Getting the necessary insulin treatment combined with the ones mentioned above can improve the lives of those who have inherited or acquired the disease.