Diabetes is a disease in which your body is unable to make enough insulin naturally to regulate the high levels of sugar in your blood stream. Blood sugar, or blood glucose, can damage all of your internal organs, put you into a coma, or cause your death if it is not brought under control.

Normally your pancreas releases insulin when your blood sugar levels are high. The insulin will convert the sugar to fat and store it for later, or help send it to your kidneys and liver as waste that must be eliminated from your body. When your body is not able to release enough insulin to bring the blood sugar levels back down to normal, you have the disease known as Diabetes. Diabetes is commonly treated with a combination of dietary changes and medications, such as synthetic insulin.

When you are a borderline diabetic, you are considered to have borderline diabetes. This means that your body can produce enough insulin to bring your blood sugar levels down to safe areas, but just barely. If something isn’t changed soon, you will no longer be able to produce enough insulin and you will become diabetic.

Borderline diabetes is generally treated with changes to your eating and exercising habits. One of the biggest changes a borderline diabetic must make is to stop eating sweets and junk food. If you stop putting excessive amounts of sugar into your body, the pancreas is not required to make more insulin than it can handle.

Some people are able to reduce the amount of sugar they eat and see dramatic differences, while others must take larger steps. Reducing sugar means eliminating soda for example, or only having it once a week instead of several times each day. Reducing sugar often also means that you must reduce the amount of refined carbohydrates and grains that you eat. Refined grains and simple carbs turn to sugar quickly inside your body, and force your pancreas to produce additional insulin.

If you are borderline diabetic, you may see great improvements by simply reducing cookies, cakes and sodas. If you need to take additional steps to reduce your sugar intake, you can eat wheat bread instead of white, and brown rice instead of plain rice.

Borderline diabetes is a potentially serious problem. Without addressing that problem you risk developing full blown diabetes and possibly having to take multiple insulin injections each day. Talk to your doctor or health care provider to find out what additional food and exercise steps you to take that have worked well for other borderline diabetics.

Complementary Approaches to Type I Diabetes Management

For children who develop type I diabetes regular, daily injections of insulin are the only safe and effective method for managing the disease. There are however a number of alternative approaches that can be used as effective, complementary methods for managing blood sugar, glucose, and nerve damage associated with type I diabetes. These include:

Foods

• Increase fiber intake: Several studies support the increase of fiber as an effective method for stabilizing blood sugar. Eating more whole grains, beans, legumes, and fresh produce are all great ways to boost fiber.
• Replace unhealthy fats: Monosaturated fats are not only healthier than many fats used in cooking and food preparation, they also help control cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Extra light olive oil is a good replacement for many unhealthy fats.
• Reduce protein intake: Eating a limited amount of protein has been shown to improve the body’s ability to tolerate glucose and to reduce the kidney damage associated with type I diabetes.
• Limit cow’s milk: Studies throughout the world have found that children whose diets are founded on cow’s milk dairy products are at greater risk of developing type I diabetes.

Supplements

• Psyllium: This herbal supplement is high in fiber, which has been shown to have a positive effect on blood sugar levels.
• Alpha lipoic acid: Early double-blind trials of this powerful antioxidant suggest that this supplement slows kidney damage and improves nerve damage when taken in daily doses of 600 mg to 1200 mg.
• Evening primrose oil: Double-blind research has shown this herbal supplement to be useful in relieving pain and improving nerve damage. Study participants achieved these results by taking 4 grams of evening primrose oil daily.
• Magnesium: One study found supplementing with between 200 mg and 600 mg of magnesium daily effective for slowing the nerve damage associated with type I diabetes.

Note: Check with your child’s doctor before supplementing with herbals as some may interact negatively with certain medications.

Alternatives

• Acupuncture: Research has shown 77% of those suffering from type I diabetes experience relief from nerve-damage related pain.

Maintaining a healthy weight, nutritious diet, and regular activity are the best methods for preventing childhood-onset diabetes. For those children who develop type I diabetes there are many foods, supplements, and alternative therapies which can be used in conjunction with insulin injections to mitigate symptoms associated with the disease.

Here are a few common informative tips that pertain to all types of insulin:

1. Always pay attention to how long you store your insulin at room temperature. Write down the exact date for each bottle and then adhere to the “4-week rule”. This means that insulin should be discarded if it has been exposed to room temperatures for 4 weeks straight.

2. Always discard insulin if it has has reached the expiration date, even if stored in the refrigerator. Unlike storing your medication at room temperature, refrigeration does keep insulin fresh for a longer period time, but once the expiration mark has been hit, you should discard it immediately.

3. Keep your insulin fresh by protecting it against certain conditions that may cause the medication to be exposed to heat or frozen temperatures. Direct sunlight or even excessive cold temperatures can damage the insulin. Proper storage is essential.

4. Some diabetics will take less than 50 units of insulin in one shot. If you are taking the same amount then you can purchase

In order to minimize your risks for eye problems you should follow your doctor’s advise and follow a healthy eating plan, exercise a minimum of 30 minutes each day and take all medications as prescribed. It is really important to know what your blood glucose readings are everyday. So check your blood glucose as instructed by your doctor and record them in your diabetic journal. Manage your blood pressure and cholesterol levels by having them checked on a regular basis and recording these readings in your journal too. If you smoke, quit and if you don’t smoke do not start.

There are many things you can do when you have diabetes that will decrease your risk for eye problems. Perhaps the most important is to learn how to manage your blood glucose level by eating a healthy diet and exercising on a regular basis and by monitoring your blood glucose level on a daily basis. It is important to have regular eye exams as specified by your doctor. It is important to discover eye problems early on, so that treatment can prevent blindness. Laser treatment is the usual method for fixing retinopathy found in diabetics. Your eye doctor will also check for signs of cataracts and glaucoma during the eye exam. It is really important that if you are pregnant to see your eye doctor during the first 3 months of pregnancy or to see the eye doctor before you become pregnant if you are trying to conceive.

Both high blood glucose and high blood pressure can harm your eyes. Both high blood glucose and high blood pressure are commonly found in diabetics. Damage to your retina occurs slowly over time and is the result of damage to the tiny blood vessels in your eyes. It is the pressure from high blood pressure or from having high blood glucose that causes this blood vessel damage.

Symptoms of eye damage may be seeing floating black spots, blurriness to your vision or loss of vision in one or both of your eyes. You may also experience flashing lights or pain. You may feel pressure in one or both of your eyes or trouble seeing things out of the corners of your eyes.

The three basic eye problems that face a diabetic are retinopathy, cataract, and glaucoma.

Ophthalmologists, and optometrists are the eye care professionals that can examine you and advise you on caring for your eyes.

Your diabetic doctor can recommend an eye doctor for you to see if you need to locate one. You can also locate one through the American Academy of Ophthalmology on the web at www.aao.org

Some ideas of diabetes care are making sure that you are taking care of you health the right way. You need to make sure that you are eating right and avoiding many of the sweets that are going to be very tempting to you when you have high sugar. Some of they sweet snack that you will want to make sure you are not eating is many of the different candy bars that are out there to temp you to eat the wrong things. When you are one of the ones that has low sugar levels you will need to keeps some of the high sugar sweets on hand that are out there so you are a little repaired when your sugar seems to bottom out and you start to feel real weak and dizzy.

No matter what kind of diabetes you have you need to make sure that you are eating right and getting the proper exercise. That is one good way to make sure that you are going to be able to help control your blood sugar levels. Another good thing about eating right and exercising is that you are going to be in better health as well. That will definitely make your doctor a little happier in the long run. This is just a couple of ideas for diabetes care but the best way to take care of you diabetes is to follow what your doctor is telling you and listen to all of his directions so you will not have any complications later in life.

The reason why you can snack on these foods is that they have little to zero effect on your blood sugars. Because of this, they can be eaten without being counted as part of a meal. If you would like an in-depth list of free foods, contact a diabetes educator or dietitian. Below I have listed some of the most common foods that are considered “free foods” in a diabetic diet.

1. Water and water-based drinks like coffee and tea (as long as they are sugar free).
2. Beef or chicken broth bouillon
3. Flavored or non-flavored sugar-free gelatin
4. Cream cheese
5. Pickles
6. Rhubarb
7. Unsweetened cocoa powder
8. Salsa
9. Cranberries

In addition to the list above, many condiments are labeled as free foods as well. They are the perfect way to add some flavor to a snack or meal without having to worry about how they affect your blood sugars.

There is a debate among dietitians at as to whether most vegetables should be included as part of the free foods group as well. It is usually agreed upon that vegetables like potatoes, corn, carrots and peas should not be considered free foods because of their high starch and carbohydrate content. In any case it is a good idea to speak with a dietitian to clarify which vegetables you can snack on between meals and which you should avoid.

Just because you’re following a diabetic diet doesn’t mean that you can’t have some freedom. Utilize free foods during those times when you’re desirous of a snack.

There are a few risk factors for developing gestational diabetes. Obesity is one risk factor for gestational diabetes. Individuals with a BMI of 30 or over are considered to be obese. Other risk factors for gestational diabetes is a family history of type 2 diabetes, being pregnant at age 35 or older, having a history of delivering large babies between 8lbs. 5 oz and 9 lbs. 14 oz., having high blood pressure, and being African American, Native American, Pacific Island Descent or South or East Asian heritage.

If you have any of the above risk factors for gestational diabetes it is important to discuss the factors with your obstetrician, so that your doctor can monitor your pregnancy closely and you for any signs of gestational diabetes. If the mom-to-be develops gestational diabetes it is important that the mom receive good prenatal care to ensure the health of the woman and have the baby she is carrying.

If you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes your obstetrician will instruct you in ways to control the diabetes which may include proper diet, adequate amounts of daily physical activity, and good prenatal care. Rarely the mom-to-be may need to take insulin in order to keep blood glucose levels as close to normal range as possible. It is possible to control gestational diabetes so that both mom and baby have a happy ending.

Testing for gestational diabetes is part of the regular prenatal care routine. The test is usually done around weeks 24 – 28 of pregnancy. If you have risk factors for gestational diabetes your obstetrician may test you earlier in the pregnancy. The two tests used to screen for gestational diabetes are the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test and the Three-hour glucose tolerance test.

Gestational diabetes develops due to the increase in hormones of pregnancy. These hormones can block the action of insulin.

Gestational diabetes can lead to complications for the mom-to-be and for her baby. Complications from gestational diabetes include:

* An overly large baby
* Increased risk for cesarean section delivery of the baby
* High blood pressure during the pregnancy
* Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) for the baby right after birth
* Increased risk for stillbirth
* An increased risk for obesity and developing type 2 diabetes later in life

Here are just a few basics to get you started in the meantime for a lifetime of healthy eating.

Select a rainbow of different colored vegetables and fruits to vary your diet to prevent boredom and to maximize the amount of nutrients that you are taking into your body. If you are diabetic choose the non-starchy vegetables like spinach, carrots, broccoli and green beans.

It is also important to choose whole grains instead of foods that have been overly processed. Substitute brown rice, whole wheat bread and wheat spaghetti for white bread, white rice and white spaghetti.

Include dried beans, and lentils in your meals. You should also have fish 2 to 3 times a week.

When eating meats make sure that you choose the lean cuts of meat and that you remove the skin from chicken and turkey.

When choosing dairy makes sure that it is non-fat dairy products such as skim milk, 1% or 2% milk, non-fat yogurt and non-fat cheese.

When you are choosing your beverages make sure that you stay away from regular soda, sugary drinks, and sugar-sweetened drinks, fruit punch and sweetened tea. Choose water and low-calorie or no calorie “diet” drinks.

When cooking choose the liquid oils instead of the solid fats that can contain high saturated and trans fats. Remember that fats contain high amounts of calories.

Be careful with portion sizes. Eating the right foods is not all there is to eating healthy. Eating proper amounts of food and not over-eating is also important when it comes to eating fewer calories and losing weight. The more you eat, the more calories you take in. Eating too much of even healthy food can still put on the weight.

Many first-time diabetics are asked to attend a nutrition class. This class is important because it teaches you to make good food choices. The class can clarify food groups for you, and explain the importance of determining portion sizes. It can help you to decide which vegetables are better for diabetics to eat and which vegetables to avoid. In the class you will learn which foods and drinks to consume and how much to consume if you are experiencing low blood glucose levels

Type 2 Diabetes is beginning diagnosed in record numbers in the United States. The typical lifestyle that is led in this country does not promote health and exercise and we are paying for it. If you are concerted about your risk of getting Diabetes you should get a screening.

The American Diabetes Association has a very useful screening tool on its website. You can type in information about yourself and see what your Pre-diabetes risk is. Your race, weight and activity level play a big part in your risk. However an online test will not give you accurate results. You will need to see a health care professional if you want to know exactly where you stand when it comes to Diabetes.

Stay on top of your Diabetes risk. Reassess your risk every couple of years and live a healthy lifestyle. Know your blood pressure, Body Mass Index and stay active. Although certain races seem to be more susceptible to Diabetes, this may be more about lifestyle and diet opposed to race itself. Do not think that you are out of the Diabetes risk categories just because you are not African-American, Latino, Native American, Asian American or a Pacific Islander.

About 20.8 million people in the U.S. have Diabetes and do not know it. They could be stopping some of the damage that is being done to their body if they begin treatment now. Having a yearly physical will help you keep track of your risk for Diabetes and other diseases. Prevention is the best treatment for Diabetes.

There are factors you can not change when it comes to Diabetes risk but there are several that you have complete control over. If you are a smoker you are putting yourself at undue risk. In addition to smoking being just plain bad for you it raises cholesterol levels and fats in your blood which can contribute to high blood pressure. High blood pressure tends to go hand in hand with Diabetes because smokers are less likely to be taking care of themselves in other aspects of their lives as well. Smokers generally don’t exercise as much as non smokers because they can’t breathe well enough. So it could be said that smoking actually increases two factors that lead to Diabetes, high blood pressure and inactivity.

High blood glucose levels can also be controlled. Some of the things that increase blood glucose levels include high carbohydrate meals, infections and illnesses and stress. Eating meals that are balanced and based on the American Dietetics food pyramid can help ensure that you are getting proper nutrition. This will help you keep a strong immune system to fight off infections and illness and moderate the amount of carbohydrates you get in one meal setting.

The answers to these questions can be a bit complicated because of each individual’s background, but essentially what is happening is that when a person becomes more and more overweight, they become resistant to their own insulin. When an obese person starts to lose weight and get healthy again, their bodies will start to slowly regain its insulin sensitivity.

Scientists and researchers have believed for a long time now that there must be a substance which is produced by fat that may be helpful in explaining the connection between obesity and diabetes. In fact, they have recently discovered a certain compound that exists in the fat tissues of mice which might be the answer they are looking for.

A compound known as resistin

The compound known as resistin was first noted in the journal entitled “Nature” (January issue of 2001) when it was isolated in small rodents. Resistin is a hormone which is created by fat cells and causes the body to become resistant to its own insulin. Scientists then discovered that resistin could be suppressed by a drug known as “rosiglitazone” which is designed to improve insulin resistance.

Another good sign of progress in the attempt to control insulin in obese people is the fact that when resistin was injected into mice, it caused the mice to become resistant to their insulin. However, anti-bodies that were opposed to resistin were given to these same mice which then showed a decrease in the resistance to insulin.

This is not an official finding as of yet

Although the above research looks very promising, the connection is not yet 100% founded on concrete evidence with humans because resistin has not yet been detected in human fat cells. However, Researchers are confident that they will find a similar compound to that of resistin within the human body stemming from fat cells, but it is not yet verified in any recent publications.