he American Diabetes Association (ADA) published its seventh set of recommendations since 1950. These new recommendations are categorized into goals of medical nutrition therapy that apply to all persons with diabetes or goals that apply to specific situations. General goals that apply to all diabetics include the following: 1. Attain and maintain optimal metabolic outcomes including the following: a. Blood glucose levels in the normal or near normal range. b. Lipid and lipoprotein profiles that reduce risk for macrovascular diseases. c. Blood pressure levels that reduce the risk for vascular disease. 2. Prevent and treat chronic complications. 3. Improve health through healthy food choices and physical activity. 4. Address individual nutritional needs taking into consideration personal and cultural preferences and lifestyle while respecting individual’s wishes and willingness to change. Goals that apply to specific situations include: 1. Youth with type 1 diabetes: a. Provide adequate energy to ensure normal growth and development. b. Integrate insulin regimens into usual eating and physical activity habits. 2. Youth with type 2 diabetes: a. Facilitate changes in eating and physical activity habits that reduce insulin resistance and improve metabolic status. 3. Pregnant and lactating women: a. Provide adequate energy and nutrients necessary for optimal pregnancy outcome. 4. Older adults: a. Provide for nutritional and psychosocial needs of an aging individual. 5. Individuals treated with insulin or insulin secretagogues: a. Provide self management education for treatment and prevention of hypoglycemia, acute illness, and exercise related blood glucose problems. 6. Individuals at risk for diabetes: a. Decrease risk by encouraging physical activity. b. Promote food choices that facilitate moderate weight loss or at least prevent weight gain. Owing to the complexity of nutrition issues, the ADA recommends that a registered dietician who is knowledgeable and skilled in implementing nutrition therapy into diabetes management and education be the medical team member responsible for providing medical nutrition therapy. It is also essential that all healthcare team members be knowledgeable about nutrition therapy and supportive of the diabetic who needs to make these important lifestyle changes
Archive for the ‘Diabetes Medication’ Category
Diabetic Medical Nutrition Therapy
Diabetes – All About Diabetes Medications and Treatment
For people with type 2 diabetes your doctor will usually prescribe an oral medication to help in controlling your blood glucose level. Of course, along with any diabetes medications you will most likely be making changes in your diet, getting exercise, etc., but this article will focus on the types of diabetic medications that are available.
Keep in mind that there are two reasons for anyone to have type 2 diabetes.
1. Their pancreas simply does not produce enough insulin anymore.
2. The cells have become insulin resistant.
Different diabetes medications are used for one of these two categories based on simple blood tests that tell the doctor which category you belong to.
Sulfonylureas
Oral medications such as Amaryl, DiaBeta, Glucotrol, Glynase, Micronase and others are all drugs that help lower blood glucose levels by causing the pancreas to produce and release more insulin.
Biguanides
These types of diabetic medications aid the insulin in moving glucose into different cells. This type of medicine is not for everyone though. If you have kidney problems or a history of heart problems you could be at risk of serious medical issues. Glucophage, Fortament, Glumetza and Riomet are all examples of Biguanides.
Thiazolidnediones
Drugs in this class such as Actos and Avandia work in making your body’s insulin more effective. They block the liver from releasing too much insulin, while making it more effective in muscle and fat.
Although Thiazolidinediones are excellent in type 2 diabetics, your doctor will do periodic blood tests to be sure they are not damaging your liver.
Alpha – Glucosidase Inhibitors
These diabetes medications slow down the increase in blood glucose levels by blocking out enzymes that aid in digesting starches.
A major side effect from these drugs such as Precose and Glyset are gas and diarrhea.
Meglitinides
Meglitinides, including Prandin and Starlix, work by helping the pancreas release additional insulin. This in turn will reduce blood glucose levels.
There are also several different combinations of these medications available that combine two different types into one pill.
This is only a brief overview and only your doctor can help determine the course of treatment that is right for you.
Diabetic Medical Supplies – a Basic Checklist
When it comes for caring a disease like diabetes and maintaining healthy blood sugar levels, diabetic medical supplies play an important role. Remember that you require to carefully maintain glucose and insulin levels including a healthy blood pressure. In order to do your job in a proper manner, you require to have a complete set of diabetic medical supplies handy.
Here is a basic checklist of diabetic medical supplies in order to make sure that your glucose and insulin levels are healthy:
a) Insulin
This is an extreme necessity for people with type1 diabetes. One requires regular in fact daily insulin slots in order to function in a normal way. People with Type 2 diabetes will also require insulin slots in order to manage healthy glucose levels at some point in their life.
You would find more than about twenty types of products related to insulin widely sold on the market these days. However, you should consult your doctor prior to making any decision on purchasing insulin product.
b) Insulin syringes
These are specifically designed needles for insulin use. These hypodermic needles are available on various sizes and the thickness usually depends on the requirement of the user.
It is extremely important to go for the correct needle choice as a wrong choice may lead to painful injections as well as medical complications. Consider purchasing these needles only from a reputed brand to enjoy durability and ensure safety.
c) Insulin test strips
These strips need to be used with diabetic testing meters. Make sure that the two get along with each other very well.
d) Insulin pumps
These pumps are required to be connected to your body via inserting a flexible tube to your abdomen skin. The tube is actually attached to a catheter from which insulin would be dispensed. Proper placement and positioning of this pump is necessary to facilitate insulin flow control in to the body in order to maintain ideal insulin levels.
These pumps require to be programmed in order to benefit you with adequate dosage. Most doctors do not recommend its use when it comes to getting involved in physically strenuous activities.
e) Diabetic testing meter
This is an essential supply when it comes to monitor glucose and blood sugar levels efficiently. It would be a great idea to go for portable kits in order to keep tabs on your glucose levels even while you are traveling.
f) Jet injectors
These are idea for people who need to take daily insulin shots. These use high pressure air to spray insulin in to the skin of the patient.
g) Alcohol swabs
These are necessary to make the injection sites clean and sterilized. With these swabs, you don’t require to worry about contracting bacterial or viral infection.
h) Glucose tablets
These are helpful for people who experience low blood sugar levels. With these tablets, you can ensure immediate, accurate and safe increase in glucose levels.
i) Erection vacuum therapy
It is a safe and effective way to avoid importance as a result of diabetes.
j) Injection supply start-up kit
These kits are available with free syringes and vial adapters you require to maintain healthy glucose and sugar levels in your body.
Medications
105 What is the best medication to treat diabetes?
There are many factors that help you and your doctor decide which is the best medication for you. People with type 2 diabetes who are overweight often release adequate amounts of insulin from their pancreas, but their muscle and fat cells are unable to respond normally, and their liver manufactures large amounts of excess glucose. For these people, metformin may be a good choice for initial therapy because it is very effective and doesn’t cause weight gain.
Patients who have insufficient amounts of insulin may respond better to sulfonylureas. Other people may have problems with their blood sugar rising immediately following meals. Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors or meglitinides may be good choices for these people. These factors, along with your current blood-sugar levels and the potency, or strength, of the different medications, help you and your doctor select the most appropriate medication for you. While there may be several possible medications to control your blood sugar, other factors, such as the cost of the medication, the times per day you have to take it, preexisting health problems (called “contraindications”), and possible side effects, also help determine which medication is best for you.
The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.
The above is an excerpt from the book What to Expect When You Have Diabetes
by The American Diabetes Association
Published by Good Books; June 2008;$9.95US; 978-1-56148-630-4
Copyright © 2008 The American Diabetes Association
Author Bio
The American Diabetes Association is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization supporting diabetes research, information, and advocacy. Its mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. The American Diabetes Association is the leading publisher of comprehensive diabetes information. Its huge library of practical and authoritative books for people with diabetes covers every aspect of self-care-cooking and nutrition, fitness, weight control, medications, complications, emotional issues, and general self-care.
Diabetes – "silent Killer"
Type 1 diabetes mellitus – diabetes, for short. This chemical disorder disrupts the body’s ability to utilize certain nutrients, primarily a blood sugar called glucose.
Treatment for diabetes is made more difficult because a person can have the disease a long time before it is diagnosed. “Because the early symptoms are relatively mild,” notes Asiaweek magazine, “diabetes often goes unrecognized.” Hence, diabetes has been dubbed the silent killer.
Why Serious
Diabetes has been called “a disorder of the very engine of life,” and for good reason. When the body cannot metabolize glucose, a number of vital mechanisms can break down, sometimes with life-threatening consequences. “People don’t die directly from diabetes,” says Dr. Harvey Katzeff, “they die from complications. We do a good job of preventing complications, but a poor job of treating [them] once they occur.”
Diet and Exercise
Although Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented, scientists are studying the genetic risk factors and are trying to find ways to suppress an immune attack. “With type 2, the picture is much brighter,” says the book Diabetes – Caring for Your Emotions as Well as Your Health. “Many of those who might be genetically susceptible avoid showing any sign of this disease simply by eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly, thereby staying physically fit and keeping their weight within normal limits.”
Underscoring the value of exercise, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported on a large study involving women. The study found that “a single bout of physical activity increases insulin-mediated glucose uptake [by the body's cells] for more than 24 hours.” Hence, the report concludes that “both walking and vigorous activity are associated with substantial reductions in risk of type 2 diabetes in women.” The researchers recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most if not all days of the week. This can include something as simple as walking, which, says the American Diabetes Association Complete Guide to Diabetes, “is probably the best, safest, and least expensive form of exercise.”
However, exercise by people with diabetes should be professionally supervised. One reason is that diabetes can damage the vascular system and nerves, thus affecting blood circulation and feeling. Hence, a simple scratch on the foot may go unnoticed, get infected, and turn into an ulcer – a serious condition that may lead to amputation if not treated immediately.
Insulin Therapy
Many with diabetes must supplement their diet and exercise program with daily testing of glucose levels along with multiple insulin injections. As a result of improved health through diet and a good routine of exercise, some with Type 2 diabetes have been able, at least for a time, to discontinue insulin therapy. Karen, who has Type 1 diabetes, found that exercise increases the efficiency of the insulin she injects. As a result, she has been able to cut her daily insulin requirements by 20 percent.
If insulin is needed, however, there is no reason for the sufferer to feel discouraged. “Going on insulin does not imply failure on your part,” says Mary Ann, a registered nurse who cares for a number of diabetes patients. “Whatever form of diabetes you have, if you carefully control your blood sugar, you will minimize other health problems later.” In fact, a recent study revealed that people with Type 1 who kept strict control of their blood-sugar levels “had drastic reductions in the occurrence of diabetic eye, kidney, and nerve diseases.” The risk of eye disease (retinopathy), for instance, was cut by 76 percent! Those with Type 2 who keep tight control of their blood-sugar levels enjoy similar benefits.
To make insulin therapy easier and less traumatic, syringes and insulin pens – the most common tools used – have microfine needles that give minimal discomfort. “The first shot is usually the worst,” says Mary Ann. “After that, most patients say they hardly feel a thing.” Other methods of injection include automatic injectors that shoot a needle into the skin painlessly, jet injectors that literally fire insulin through the skin by means of a fine jet blast, and infusers that employ a catheter that stays in place for two or three days. About the size of a pocket pager, the insulin pump has gained popularity in recent years. This programmable device dispenses insulin through a catheter at a steady rate according to the body’s daily needs, making insulin administration more precise and convenient.
Keep Learning
All told, there is no blanket therapy for diabetes. When considering treatment, each individual must take into account a number of factors in order to make a personal decision. “Even though you may be under the care of a medical team,” says Mary Ann, “you are in the driver’s seat.” In fact, the journal Diabetes Care states: “Medical treatment of diabetes without systematic self-management education can be regarded as substandard and unethical care.”
The more those with diabetes learn about their disease, the better equipped they will be to manage their health and increase their prospects of living a longer, healthier life.
The Role of Glucose
Glucose fuels the body’s trillions of cells. To enter the cells, however, it needs a “key” – insulin, a chemical released by the pancreas. With Type 1 diabetes, insulin is simply not available. With Type 2, the body makes insulin but usually not enough. Moreover, the cells are reluctant to let insulin in – a condition called insulin resistance. With both forms of diabetes, the result is the same: hungry cells and dangerous levels of sugar in the blood.
In Type 1 diabetes, a person’s immune system attacks the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Hence, Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease and is sometimes called immune-mediated diabetes. Factors that can trigger an immune reaction include viruses, toxic chemicals, and certain drugs. Genetic makeup may also be implicated, for Type 1 diabetes often runs in families, and it is most common among Caucasians.
With Type 2 diabetes, the genetic factor is even stronger but with a greater occurrence among non-Caucasians. Australian Aborigines and Native Americans are among the most affected, the latter having the highest rate of Type 2 diabetes in the world. Researchers are studying the relationship between genetics and obesity, as well as the way excess fat seems to promote insulin resistance in genetically susceptible people. Unlike Type 1, Type 2 diabetes occurs mainly in those who are over 40 years of age.
About 90 percent of those with diabetes have Type 2. Previously, this was referred to as “non-insulin dependent” or “adult onset” diabetes. However, these terms are imprecise, for up to 40 percent of those with Type 2 diabetes require insulin. Furthermore, an alarming number of young people – some not even in their teens – are being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
The Role of the Pancreas
About the size of a banana, the pancreas lies just behind the stomach. According to the book The Unofficial Guide to Living With Diabetes, “the healthy pancreas performs a continuous and exquisite balancing act, managing to sustain smooth, stable blood-sugar levels by releasing just the right amount of insulin as glucose levels wax and wane throughout the day.” Beta cells within the pancreas are the source of the hormone insulin.
When beta cells fail to produce enough insulin, glucose builds up in the blood, causing hyperglycemia. The opposite – low blood sugar – is called hypoglycemia. In concert with the pancreas, the liver helps manage blood-sugar levels by storing excess glucose in a form called glycogen. When commanded by the pancreas, the liver converts glycogen back into glucose for use by the body
The Role of Sugar
It is a common misconception that eating a lot of sugar causes diabetes. Medical evidence shows that getting fat – regardless of sugar intake – increases the risk among genetically susceptible individuals. Still, eating too much sugar is unhealthy, since it provides poor nutrition and contributes to obesity.
Another misconception is that people with diabetes have an abnormal craving for sugar. In reality, though, they have the same desire for sweets as most others. When it is not controlled, diabetes can lead to hunger – but not necessarily for sugar. People with diabetes can eat sweets, but they must factor their sugar intake into their overall diet plan.
Some Issues To Be Aware Of In A Diabetic Diet
Diabetes can be controlled effectively by taking exercise regularly and eating a healthy diet. The two main issues that need to be considered by anyone on a diabetic diet are sugar and fat intake. Constant weight monitoring is essential to prevent excessive weight gain as this can contribute to a number of problems.
Medication, Exercise and a Diabetic Diet
There is medical evidence that regular exercise can actually help prevent a person contracting diabetes as well as controlling it. The muscles in the body use up glucose during exercise, which leads to a reduction in the overall levels of sugar in the blood. The minimum recommended amount of exercise for it to be effective is 20 minutes taken three times a week. It is important to consult your medical practitioner before you take up a new form of exercise, especially if you have existing health problems apart from diabetes.
Exercise, on its own, is not sufficient to help control diabetes, which means that a diabetic diet should also be followed. Much of the advice that a dietician will give regarding a healthy diet applies to both diabetics and non-diabetics alike. The key is moderation in all things. However, a diabetic diet does have an emphasis on reducing the amount of sugary foods, especially cakes and cookies, and increasing the complex carbohydrate intake by eating more brown rice and whole-grain foods.
Medication is often not necessary to control diabetes as regular exercise and a diabetic diet is sufficiently effective. There are some diabetics for whom this is not enough and medication is needed. The majority of diabetic medications are taken orally. A diabetic may be prescribed one medication or a combination of different medications to properly control their diabetes.
The five main classifications of diabetic medication that may be prescribed are:
Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors Biguanides Meglitinides Sulfonylureas Thiazolidinediones
Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors
This group of diabetic medications slow down the rate at which sugar is absorbed in the digestive tract. However, it is rarely prescribed on its own as it has potentially serious side effects, including stomach and bowel problems.
Biguanides
Overweight diabetics are most likely to be prescribed this form of diabetic medication as it can help with controlling their weight as well as their diabetes. They cause the insulin to be used more effectively by the body than normal. Side effects are normally minor but can include nausea and diarrhoea. Biguanides can be prescribed on its own or combined with other medication.
Meglitinides
This types of diabetic medication is particularly effective for maintaining low blood sugar levels after eating, especially if a diabetic diet is being followed. The tablets are taken with food and have few, if any, side effects.
Sulfonylureas
By far the most frequently prescribed type of diabetes medication, this helps with insulin production in the body. Although there are few side effects for most people they cannot be taken by anyone with a sulpha medication allergy.
Thiazolidinediones
Perhaps the least used type of diabetic medication, this increases the sensitivity of cells to insulin. There are few or no known side effects with this form of medication.
The majority of diabetes can be controlled by taking one or more of the above oral medications. However, there may be cases where diabetics need to inject insulin. This is especially the case if the pancreas has ceased producing insulin completely as in Type 2 diabetes.
Effective diabetes management can usually be achieved by adhering to a sensible diabetic diet and exercise on a regular basis. In fact, this is often sufficient for most diabetics. It is important to consult with your medical practitioner on a regular basis and monitor your blood sugar levels. He can prescribe some of the many diabetic medications, if necessary. If you are in any doubt whatsoever regarding meal plans for a good diabetic diet or anything else related to your diabetes, you should always seek medical advice. However, the internet has a wealth of articles that you can read to keep yourself well informed about your condition.
Summary:
Exercise, on its own, is not sufficient to help control diabetes, which means that a diabetic diet should also be followed. Much of the advice that a dietician will give regarding a healthy diet applies to both diabetics and non-diabetics alike. The key is moderation in all things.
Beat diabetes with effective treatments
affects millions of adults worldwide ? creating a huge demand for diabetes medication. A diabetic person has to modify his eating habits in a big way and also take medicines regularly to ensure good health. Diabetes Mellitus Type I is the most common type of diabetes. This disorder is caused by insufficient production of insulin in the human body. Insulin is used in the body to break down the sugar molecules and its deficiency can increase the blood sugar levels to dangerous levels. Diabetes can cause several problems for patients such as nausea, excessive weight loss, blindness and skin infections. While diabetes has no cure, there are certain medications that can be taken to control the harmful effects their diabetes. Below are just some of the most popular options for diabetes sufferers to buy drugs online to help control their symptoms.
Apidra: Apidra contains insulin that is much more effective than the insulin produced in the normal human body. Before a patient starts taking this medication, a clinical trial is done to determine any allergic or adverse reactions to the medicine. Patients should get confirmation from their doctor if this medicine is being taken in conjunction to some other medicine as this can cause unwanted side effects. Apidra can be administered through a sub-dermal injection or an insulin pump. Generally the medicine should be taken 15 minutes before one of the daily meals.
Actrapid Insulin: This type of insulin is known as neutral insulin as it performs the same function as natural insulin in the body. The medicine binds itself to the receptor cells in the body and works as quick as 30-60 minutes after being injected. Patients must make sure that their blood sugar levels are optimum and they should take the medicine only after due consultation with their doctor. In case there is some allergic reaction to the medicine, the use of the medicine should be stopped immediately and consultation should be taken for a change of diabetes medication.
Insulatard Insulin: This type of insulin is classified as isophane insulin that is intermediate acting insulin. Insulatard insulin is used to control blood sugar levels just after a person has eaten a meal as blood sugar tends to rise after meals. The dosage of this medicine varies from person to person depending on the stage and type of diabetes. Patients can consult a doctor for the correct dose of the medicine. Patients can buy these medicines from a number of online pharmacies.
Diabetes is often known as a ’silent killer’ ? especially as many sufferers are not aware that they are suffering from this potentially deadly disorder. Left unchecked, symptoms could greatly intensify, causing numerous symptoms, and even death in some cases. This is why it is essential to have regular check-ups, and to ensure that your health is in good order. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, make sure you take the correct medication for your type of diabetes, and ensure that your medication is taken consistently and regularly. For a safe and secure transaction of diabetes medicine patients can use a reliable and affordable online pharmacy service.
Vegetables Declare War on Diabetes
Climbing to the top of Argentina’s Aconcagua – the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere – is no ordinary feat. It can take even the most experienced climbers three weeks to reach the 22,835-foot snow-capped summit.
David Panofsky, 35 of Madison, Wis.; Doug Bursnall, 31, of Wales; and
Katherine Bradt-Wells, 30, of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, climbed
to the summit of Aconcagua last year. And they have a lot more in common than mountain climbing. They all have Type I, or insulin-dependant diabetes, and they are all vegetarians. In fact, everyone on the 26-member Team International Diabetes Expedition Aconcagua 2000 (IDEA 2000) has Type I diabetes.
For people with this disease, the pancreas does not release sufficient amounts of insulin, a protein hormone necessary for the body to regulate the metabolism of sugar and certain carbohydrates. Diabetics may require insulin injections and blood testing — as often as eight times a day. Untreated, the disease can cause blindness, nerve damage, cardiovascular disease and kidney failure.
Panofsky, Burnsall and Bradt-Wells are also members of the Diabetes
Exercise and Sports Association (DESA), an international organization made up of amateur and professional athletes whose mission is to help people with diabetes achieve their athletic goals. The team’s success at Aconcagua served as a statement against the stereotypes that tend to define diabetics: that their activities must be restricted because they can become quickly incapacitated. And for Panofsky, Burnsall and Bradt-Wells, the trek to the summit was also a way of dismantling one of the myths about nutrition, meat and muscle power. A vegetarian diet, says Brandt-Wells, “Is much easier to digest to get important nutrients and vitamins – especially at high altitudes like 20,000 feet, where the altitude interferes with digestion.” Food poisoning is also avoided, points out Brandt-Wells, because vegetarian fare is much less likely to spoil than meat.
Most diabetics suffer from Type II diabetes, a non-insulin-dependent disorder that tends to develop in overweight adults and is often preventable. Type II diabetes can be caused by poor diet, excessive weight and a sedentary lifestyle. It is more easily treated than Type I diabetes, according to Stephen Clement, M.D., director of the Georgetown University Diabetes Center in Washington, D.C., mostly through oral medication or insulin injections, diet and exercise.
To reduce weight and increase insulin sensitivity — making insulin work better and thus reducing dosages — ‘‘eat less, exercise more,’’ said Marion Franz, a registered dietician and former director of Nutrition and Professional Education at the International Diabetes Center in Minneapolis, Minn. Reducing food intake, being selective about what they eat and exercising help keep diabetics in fit condition.
Speaking at the DESA annual conference held this month in Washington, D.C., Franz emphasized the benefit of eating smaller portions of lean meat — or replacing meat altogether with peas, beans, lentils, soy protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
Last year, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a health-advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C., and Georgetown
University Medical Center Department of Endocrinology published the
results of a study on the effectiveness of a vegetarian diet for
diabetics. In conjunction with the Diabetes Action and Education
Foundation in Arlington, Va., the Physicians Committee compared
‘‘fasting’’ glucose levels — the blood-sugar levels that result in the
absence of food for 12 hours — and weight loss of Type II diabetics,
using two types of diets for a period of three months. The pilot study had
13 participants; a follow-up study begins this year at The George
Washington University Medical Center with 60 participants.
‘‘We compared two different diets,’’ said Mark Sklar, M.D., an associate professor at Georgetown University Hospital’s Department of Endocrinology, ‘‘one, a high-fiber, low-fat, vegetarian diet that contains no animal products; and the other, a more common American Diabetes Association (ADA) diet, which contains meat and dairy products.’’
‘‘The vegan meals were made from unrefined vegetables, grains, beans,
and fruits, with no refined ingredients, such as vegetable oil, white flour, or white pasta,’’ said Neal Barnard, M.D., president of the Physicians Committee. ‘‘These meals averaged just 10 percent fat (as a percentage of calories), 80 percent complex carbohydrate and 10 percent protein. They also offered 60-70 grams of fiber per day and had no cholesterol at all.’’
The comparison (ADA) diet contained more plant-based ingredients than
the average American diet but still relied on the conventional chicken and
fish recipes. This diet was 30 percent fat and 50 percent carbohydrate. It
provided about 30 grams of fiber and 200 milligrams of cholesterol per day.
REDUCED INSULIN DOSAGES AND BETTER CONTROL
The fasting blood sugars in the vegetarian group decreased 28 percent,
whereas the ADA group’s blood sugars dropped only 12 percent. The
vegetarians needed less medication to control their blood sugars, whereas
the ADA group needed just as much medicine as before.
While the ADA dieters lost an impressive 8 pounds on average, the vegetarians lost nearly 16 pounds. Cholesterol levels also dropped more in the vegetarian group, compared to the ADA group.
Study vegetarian dieters said they were pleased with the weight loss
and the reduction or elimination of insulin injections or oral medication.
‘‘Being able to take control of my diabetes has been a wonderful thing,’’
said Scott Johnston, 34, a business consultant from Arlington, Va. ‘‘Had I
known that this diet would have such a powerful effect, I would have
adopted it years ago.’’
‘‘In the beginning, it’s not an easy diet,’’ said Sheldon Berman, 62,
of Washington, D.C. ‘‘But I managed to lose 17 pounds. I’m no longer on
medication for diabetes, and I am no longer on medication for blood
pressure. … The overall mental outlook on how I feel about myself as a
diabetic is much more hopeful now, as I am self-sufficient with a diet
that makes sense for me.’’
Worldwide, more than 125 million people have either insulin-dependent
or non-insulin dependent diabetes, according to Stuart Sundem, a senior
community health specialist at the International Diabetes Center in
Minneapolis, Minn. And that number is expected to skyrocket to more than
300 million by 2025, as Asian countries adopt Westernized lifestyle patterns of high consumption and sedentary activity, he said.
Francine Kaufman, M.D., president-elect of the American Diabetes
Association and chairman of Children’s Hospital Endocrinology Division in
Los Angeles, cites ‘‘fast food laden with fat and lower levels of activity’’ as the culprits for approximately 25 million cases of undiagnosed diabetes worldwide.
This month, the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases released the results of their own Diabetes Prevention Program study, showing that Type II diabetes can be prevented.
The study maintains that two different approaches — diet and exercise
therapy, and the administration of a diabetes medication, metformin –
were both effective. Just 30 minutes of daily exercise coupled with a
low-fat diet increases insulin sensitivity and reduces weight, possibly
eliminating the need for insulin injections altogether, according to the
report.
Christopher D. Saudek, M.D., president of the American Diabetes
Association and a principal investigator says ‘‘the Diabetes Prevention
Program conclusively proves that Type II diabetes is not inevitable for
people at high risk of developing it.’’
The DPP is the first study to demonstrate that prevention strategies
can work across the broad spectrum of racial and ethnic diversity. Both
lifestyle and medication interventions worked with those of Caucasian,
African, Latino, Native American, Asian and Pacific Islander origin.
Judith Ambrosini, another DESA member, has lived with diabetes for more
than 40 years. Currently a food columnist and caterer in Boston, Massachusetts, she became a vegetarian 20 years ago while living in Italy. ‘‘I
would go into town to the butcher shop,’’ she said, ‘‘but by the time I
got there, all that was left were brains, intestines and hearts.’’
She opted for the traditional Italian fare of pasta and vegetables when
she realized that she had better ‘‘make friends with this thing
(diabetes) — it will be with me for the rest of my life.’’
Mothers worldwide tell their children to eat their vegetables. This advice
may very well hold the answer to combating diabetes.
WEB-LINKS
Bruce Andrew Peters: http://www.GreatWriteUp.com
DESA: www.Diabetes-Exercise.org
IDEA 2000: www.IDEA2000.org
Physician Committee for Responsible Medicine: www.PCRM.org
International Diabetes Center: www.idcdiabetes.org
Byetta – A Different Class of Diabetes Medication
Byetta is a drug derived from the saliva of the Gila monster lizard. I do know one person who is taking Byetta and has better control of her blood sugar levels. The medication has even decreased her appetite. That is a benefit for her since she is overweight.
Byetta (exenatide) is the first among a new class of diabetes drugs for Type 2 Diabetes called incretin mimetics — synthetic medications that mimic action of a hormone that spurs insulin production after a person eats and blood sugar levels rise above a certain threshold.
Traditional diabetes drugs that promote insulin production do so even if glucose levels aren’t high enough, which could cause hypoglycemia (dangerously low blood sugar).
Byetta, derived from the lizard’s saliva, mimics that action of the human hormone GLP-1, which prompts the body to secrete insulin and is also thought to play a role in deciding when a person feels full. This is great because it almost acts like an appetite suppressant. Common side effects of the drug were nausea and decreased appetite.
Byetta is very unique and supposedly works in a different way than pills or insulin. By helping your body produce the right amount of insulin at the right time, Byetta helps take the guesswork out of type 2 diabetes.
Byetta is used in combination with Metformin (Glucophage) and Sulfonylurea like Amaryl (glimepiride), Glucotrol (glipizide), Micronase (glyburide), and others.
Byetta is an injectable medication and comes in prefilled insulin pens where you just add a small needle and inject yourself.
The price tag is not small, but with the New Medicare Prescription Plan D, you can check out your prescription plan to see if this medication is covered.
If you are on oral diabetic medications and you are not controlled, this may be an option for you. Ask your doctor. It doesn’t hurt to ask.
Please remember that primary physicians don’t know everything. That is not saying they are not great doctors. No one person can know everything. Just like us nurses, some specialize in heart disease or diabetes or wound care, etc. That also applies to doctors.
If you have heart problems, you should probably get a referral to a cardiologist. The same thing with Diabetes. You may want to get a referral to an endocrinologist. Check with your primary doctor and see if a referral to an endocrinologist is right for you.
You can get more information about Byetta at http://www.byetta.com
F. Kuhn, RN
specializing in Diabetes
http://www.diabetestestingcenter.com
http://www.heartnewscenter.com
Author: Fern Kuhn
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera News
Your Diabetes Medication May Be Depleting Important Nutrients
About 17 million Americans have diabetes and approximately one third of them dont even know it. Diabetes is a disease that is a result of your bodys inability to utilize glucose efficiently or possibly not able to utilize it at all. The results of leaving your diabetes untreated can be devastating. Blindness, heart attacks, strokes, amputations are all possible consequences of diabetes and especially leaving it untreated. One of the most popular medications for the treatment of patients with diabetes is Glucophage (Metformin). This medication also now comes in combination with other products such as sulfonylureas (Glucovance, Metaglip) and the glitazones (Avandamet, Actos plus Met).
Metformin has been used for many years around the world and is a very effective medication for diabetes. Some of the more common side effects include nausea, vomiting, bloating, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. These symptoms generally occur in one out of three patients. But one of the lesser known and yet very important side effects of Metformin is how it depletes some of your essential nutrients and increases your odds of having side effects due to nutrient depletion. The nutrients of most concern are Vitamin B-12, folic acid, and Coenzyme Q-10.
If you happen to be taking one of the products that has Metformin as well as a sulfonylurea included (Glucovance, Metaglip), you should increase your risk of reducing your coenzyme Q-10 levels even further, because the sulfonylurea class of drugs is known to interfere with the metabolism of Coenzyme Q-10.
To learn more about what symptoms you may experience as a result of defeciencies in folic acid, Vitamin B-12 and Coenzyme Q-10 please go to: http://www.essential-nutrients.net/vitamins_minerals.htm
You can have your physician monitor your essential nutrient status or you can simply take a supplement that can replenish your bodys supply of these nutrients. To learn more about your options please go to: http://www.essential-nutrients.net/diabetesessentialnutrients.htm
To learn more about diabetes and the importance of controlling your blood sugar please go to: http://www.essential-nutrients.net/diabetes.htm
Dr. Ford has practiced general internal medicine for the past 22 years. He is a native Texan and trained at Baylor University, the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, and Scott and White in Temple. He is a Clinical Assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine. In addition to general Internal Medicine, his practice includes travel medicine, vascular disease prevention, and Integrative Medicine with nutrients.
Author: Don Ford, M.D.
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera Times
Living Well — Diet and Nutrition
33 How do I know when I should see a registered dietitian?
See a registered dietitian (RD) when your diabetes is first diagnosed, when a new doctor changes your treatment plan, or twice a year for a routine review of your meal plan and goals. See the RD more often if:
• You want to improve diabetes control.
• You experience lifestyle or schedule changes, such as a new job, marriage, or pregnancy.
• Your nutritional needs keep changing (this is true for children).
• You’ve begun an exercise program or had a change in diabetes medication.
• You feel bored, frustrated, or unmotivated to use your meal plan.
• You have unexplained high and low blood-sugar levels.
• You’re concerned about weight or blood-fat levels.
• You’ve developed nutrition-related complications, such as high blood pressure or kidney disease.
We recommend having an RD on your diabetes team. Ask your doctor or hospital for a referral. You can call the American Diabetes Association (800-DIABETES), The American Dietetic Association (800-877-1600), or the American Association of Diabetes Educators (800-TEAM-UP-4) for referrals. Many RDs are certified diabetes educators (CDEs) and have additional training in diabetes care.
The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.
The above is an excerpt from the book What to Expect When You Have Diabetes
by The American Diabetes Association
Published by Good Books; June 2008;$9.95US; 978-1-56148-630-4
Copyright © 2008 The American Diabetes Association
Author Bio
The American Diabetes Association is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization supporting diabetes research, information, and advocacy. Its mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. The American Diabetes Association is the leading publisher of comprehensive diabetes information. Its huge library of practical and authoritative books for people with diabetes covers every aspect of self-care-cooking and nutrition, fitness, weight control, medications, complications, emotional issues, and general self-care.
How to Cure Diabetes Remains a Medical Mystery
Before going to the topic on how to cure diabetes, let us first establish the fact that diabetes is an incurable disease and still needs a well developed cure to render a diabetic totally free of all symptoms and complications.
What are commonly misconstrued, as diabetes cures are the treatments necessary to manage and control the diabetes symptoms to prevent the disease from developing further complications. In fact, diabetes is known to be a highly progressive disease, which means the patient’s condition can deteriorate or develop into something more critical.
Hence, once a person is afflicted with diabetes, he is bound to carry this disease for the rest of his life. Treatments will be focused on how to lower the level of blood sugar level to normal whether the diabetes sufferer is a type 1, type 2 or gestational diabetic.
If a patient has type 1 diabetes, his or her pancreas produces very little insulin or no insulin at all. A daily insulin injection is needed in order to control the blood sugar level to prevent the patient from weakening or worst, dying. Sad to say, but this is now quite common among children.
A type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or there is resistance to insulin. This is a developing disease, which starts with oral medication and if not properly treated, will eventually require insulin injection. This often affects older and obese people due to lesser activity thereby lessening insulin sensitivity.
Gestational diabetes takes place at the later months of pregnancy and disappears upon giving birth. However, the mother is already deemed as prone to developing type 2 diabetes as she ages or on her next pregnancy.
The causes as well as the exact cures for diabetes remain to be discovered but this disease is currently treated with medicines, by exercise and through diet to avert complications. Hence, a diabetic patient in order to manage and prevent diabetic symptoms and complications from taking place, should acquire sufficient knowledge about the following:
1. The skill to check the blood sugar level at home. Checking will indicate if the medication, diet, and exercises are effective. As recommended by the American Diabetes Association, blood sugar level before a meal is from 80 to 120 mg/dl and 100 to 140 mg/dl before bedtime.
2. A dietary meal plan prepared by the dietitian in coordination with the doctor should be strictly followed. This is to make sure that the blood sugar level will not become too high or low.
3. Pay strict attention to the time and dosage of the medications prescribed by the doctor. Learn to inject insulin, if needed, and monitor the intake of oral medicines like glucose-lowering pills in a logbook. Type 2 diabetes medications include oral sulfonylureas to increase the insulin, thiazolidinediones for better cell sensitivity and acarbose and miglitol to postpone glucose absorption.
4. Along with the medications and proper diet to control diabetes, exercise is also needed in order to maintain the ideal weight and blood sugar level, as well as eliminate high blood pressure which may lead to heart attack or stroke. The exercise program should have the approval of the doctor.
5. Foot handling and hygiene becomes necessary because wounds tend to heal longer giving time for bacterial infections to set in. If left untreated, the foot might be amputated.
6. Proper coordination with the diabetes team in case an emergency is inevitable.
Diabetes is fast becoming the biggest silent killer of the world and the medical environment is scrambling for the elusive cure to fight off diabetes. Prevention is still our best armor to avoid affliction.
Alvin Hopkinson is a leading health researcher in the area of natural remedies and diabetes natural treatment. Discover how you can reverse your diabetes for good using proven and effective home remedies, all without using harmful medications or drugs. Visit his site now at http://www.minusdiabetes.com
Diabetes Treatment Which is the Best Choice Between New Diabetes Medications?
When they first sprang out at their time, drugs were the marvelous choice for diabetes treatment. Many diabetics have used them, and they could lower their blood sugar levels.
But, there were seen some severe side effects of all these diabetes drugs, from hypoglycemia (the most common side effect) to irreversible liver damages.
The great machinery of pharmaceuticals has done its best to come up with new diabetes medications as a choice for the old drugs side effects. But, even with these new drugs, other severe side effects appeared. As a consequence, most of them such as alpha glucosidase inhibitors are not used anymore as a diabetes treatment.
Anyway, basically diabetes treatment depends on the type of diabetes you have. For type 1 diabetes, insulin remains the only drug prescribed, although it has side effects.
Meanwhile, for type2 diabetes, at first it is recommended to use oral hypoglicemiants of one of the following three main groups:
1 Sulfonylurea (Chlorpropamide) – these drugs stimulate beta cells in pancreas to produce insulin.
2 Biguanides (Metformin) – it improved the use of glucose from body cells; and reduce the amount of sugar produced from the liver
3 Thiazolidinediones – they improve the intake of glucose by your fat and muscle tissue
One other group remains Alfa glucosidase inhibitors that inhibit the enzyme alfa glucosidase in intestine. In this way, glucose is not absorbed and gases may be formed and cause many digestive problems.
This is one part of medallion for diabetes treatment using the drugs. There is one other part consisting in changing your everyday lifestyle habits, or even using the all kind foods your body needs.
Discount Diabetic Supplies: Low-Cost Options For Your Health Maintenance
Diabetes is a disease that affects hundreds of thousands of people each year: without the proper management, diabetes can keep people from leading healthy, productive lives. Diabetes disease management, however, is not only difficult but costly. People with some types of diabetes need frequent insulin shots, or have to take oral insulin, both of which can be expensive. As a result, discount diabetic supplies are in high demand.
What diabetic medical supplies are required, and why are they needed by diabetics? Because diabetics can also suffer from a wide variety of complications, they also need to undergo different treatment regimens that can help ease these complications. Such complications can include cardiovascular disease, renal or kidney failure, liver failure, hypertension, and general organ and tissue damage.
Why is Insulin So Important?
There are three principal types of diabetes, and all of them involve the inability of pancreatic cells to produce the metabolic hormone insulin. Insulin aids in the breakdown of complex sugars and carbohydrates into forms that the body can use for energy. If insulin is not present in large quantities, or if insulin is not present in functional form, sugar levels can increase substantially in the blood. This can cause widespread tissue and organ damage, and, in extreme cases, result in sugar shock and eventual coma.
Type I Diabetes
Type I diabetes was once called juvenile diabetes, as it was often found and diagnosed in children. Type I diabetes is essentially an autoimmune disease. People with Type I diabetes have overactive immune systems that destroy the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, so that they require constant doses of insulin.
Type II
Type II diabetes develops in adulthood, and is often associated with obesity, which scientists find is a large risk factor for this type of diabetes. In Type II diabetes, the body’s tissues and organs are resistant to insulin. This condition is similar to the third type of diabetes, which is called gestational or pregnancy-induced diabetes. Gestational diabetes arises because higher levels of pregnancy hormones can make organs more resistant to insulin; this diabetes type, however, generally disappears after delivery.
Insulin therefore has to be produced in large amounts in order to cater to the needs of rising numbers of people suffering from diabetes. This important hormone was once sourced from cadaver pancreases, which was a highly inefficient method that made insulin shots expensive. In the advent of recombinant DNA technology, however, microbial cells are used to produce large amounts of human insulin, which can then be harvested and purified from the microbial culture.
Today, insulin is available in oral or tablet form, which can be useful in dealing with all types of diabetes. However, insulin shots work best for Type II diabetics who are too far advanced in the disease and whose bodies do not have adequate resources to respond to tablets. Recently, insulin has also been approved in inhaled form, although this type of insulin is prescribed for people suffering from Type I diabetes.
What are Diabetic Supplies Used For?
In general, diabetic insulin supplies can be expensive: if not in oral form, people suffering from diabetes need syringes and specifically designed inhalers to deliver insulin. For people who are far advanced in the disease, dialysis machines can be in demand in order to clean out the kidneys or liver, and generally rid the body of toxins that its organs can no longer properly dispose of.
Many corporations and insurance companies can be contacted to provide information on diabetes supplies, as well as free diabetes supplies for patients who are in immediate need of therapy. For instance, Liberty diabetic supplies and Medicare are common examples of providers that work closely with doctors in ensuring proper medical care for diabetics, as well as efficient disease management.
Supplies For Diabetic Complications
There are also medical supplies that are used in therapy regimens that deal with complications of diabetes. For instance, diabetes can impede blood circulation and can damage the nerves of the feet. People with diabetes often need to undergo foot amputation in order to get rid of gangrenous tissue or foot ulcers. To prevent this from occurring, physicians will often prescribe physical therapy, which can require special machines to carry out. Physical therapy can keep nerves active, and muscles toned.
If you are suffering from any form of diabetes, you might be recommended some forms of therapy that will require you to purchase discount diabetic supplies. Always consult with your doctors and insurance company about them, as well as low-cost or free alternatives that are reliable and matched to your needs. With good maintenance, you can keep your diabetes in check, and you can still be healthy.
Diabetes Medications Revealed!
Diamaxol is an excellent natural remedy from the house of Micro Nutran Health to be used to maintain the blood sugar level in normal range. As it contains no harmful chemicals, Diamaxol can be used by any one without worrying about the side effects that come with chemical based medicines used to treat diabetics.
The natural ingredients contained in Diamaxol include Banaba, Bitter Melon, Cinnamon, Gymnema Sylvestre, Huckleberry, Chromium, Zinc and Biotin. Any one who searches for the use of these ingredients of Diamaxol will be able to find the secret behind this medicine. It is right combination of all these natural ingredients make this medicine a miraculous formula with which you can bring down the blood sugar level to its normal range.
By using this medicine in the prescribed use continuously you will be able to control healthful insulin balance of your body. It will also bring all the essential nutrients that your body requires to ensure healthy cell maintenance.
The effectiveness of the ingredients used in this medicine makes it the best among the tropical medicines that are used to treat diabetics. The other natural non-prescription medicines claim to be effective to control blood sugar level include Diabrexin, GlucoseM2 and Insulate plus. All these three medicines come from different manufactures claiming to be effective in controlling blood sugar in a diabetic patient.
Diabrexin, a product of Nano Nutra Labs contain almost the same ingredients that are used to produce Diamaxol by MicroNutra health. What makes Diamoxol more effective than Diabrexin is the perfect ration followed by Micro Nutra Health while combining these ingredients to make new formula to treat diabetics.
The manufactures of GlucoseM2 also claims that it is very effective to treat type II diabetics. They are mainly concentrating in developing a formula to be used by the patients who suffer from type II diabetics. Even in spite of the repeated claims from the part of the company who produce GlucseM2, patients still prefer to use Diamaxol, considering the speedy and effective remedy that Diamaxol bring to a patient who consume it regularly. The testimonials of the patients all over the world witness the efficiency of Diamaxol to improve the overall health of the person who consumes Diamoxol.
Insulate-Plus also is a tropical medicine that is used to treat the problems associated to diabetics. Insulate-Plus mainly concentrates in prevention and treatment of diabetics. It also does not contain any chemicals that are capable of producing side effects in the patients who consumes this medicine. Insulate-Plus is thus a more effective medicine when compares to Diamaxol, Diabrexin and GlucoseM2.
Diabetes – What you Should Know About Diabetes Medications
For people with type 2 diabetes your doctor will usually prescribe an oral medication to help in controlling your blood glucose level. Of course, along with any diabetes medications you will most likely be making changes in your diet, getting exercise, etc., but this article will focus on the types of diabetic medications that are available. Keep in mind that there are two reasons for anyone to have type 2 diabetes.
1. Their pancreas simply does not produce enough insulin anymore.
2. The cells have become insulin resistant.
Different diabetes medications are used for one of these two categories based on simple blood tests that tell the doctor which category you belong to.
Sulfonylureas
Oral medications such as Amaryl, DiaBeta, Glucotrol, Glynase, Micronase and others are all drugs that help lower blood glucose levels by causing the pancreas to produce and release more insulin.
Biguanides
These types of diabetic medications aid the insulin in moving glucose into different cells. This type of medicine is not for everyone though. If you have kidney problems or a history of heart problems you could be at risk of serious medical issues. Glucophage, Fortament, Glumetza and Riomet are all examples of Biguanides.
Thiazolidnediones
Drugs in this class such as Actos and Avandia work in making your body’s insulin more effective. They block the liver from releasing too much insulin, while making it more effective in muscle and fat.
Although Thiazolidinediones are excellent in type 2 diabetics, your doctor will do periodic blood tests to be sure they are not damaging your liver.
Alpha – Glucosidase Inhibitors
These diabetes medications slow down the increase in blood glucose levels by blocking out enzymes that aid in digesting starches.
A major side effect from these drugs such as Precose and Glyset are gas and diarrhea.
Meglitinides
Meglitinides, including Prandin and Starlix, work by helping the pancreas release additional insulin. This in turn will reduce blood glucose levels.
There are also several different combinations of these medications available that combine two different types into one pill.
This is only a brief overview and only your doctor can help determine the course of treatment that is right for you.
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Your Diabetes Medication Could Be Killing You!
Glucose M2 is a diabetes supplement used to normalize blood sugar levels. It has proven effective but only after a few months on the medication.
Insulate Plus is another medication proven effective in stabilizing blood sugar levels. Unfortunately this too does take a while to start working which will ultimately cost more money as you will need to take Insulate plus in conjunction with your regular medicine.
Diabetes Daily Care has been proven 80% effective. These odds are quite unsatisfactory as this means one out of every five people are finding the medication effective. The company also doesn’t offer a money back guarantee so if you are unlucky enough not to find it effective you lose out.
Diamaxol has been proven 98% effective. The company who manufacture it are Micronutra Health Inc Ltd. and offer a 100% money back guarantee for any consumers who don’t drop 50 points in 30 days.
This all natural medicine is a non-prescription medicine that can be purchased directly from the manufacturer by any one who likes to experiment it.
A person who is interested to know the details about this medicine and its manufacturers will get all the information related to this medicine from the website maintained by Micronutra Health Incorporated Limited. This healthy blood sugar control formula that comes from the real doctors can be used by any one without fearing the side effects.
The website of the Micronutrs Health Incorporated Limited provides all the details of the ingredients that are used to make this medicine. You will find the names as well as the advantages of using these natural plant extracts from this website. By reading the information provided by the company you will be able to convince your self about the effectiveness of using this medicine to bring diabetes under control.
Along with the details of the medicine you will also be able to find out the details regarding the price and purchase of diamaxol from the website of Macronutra Health Incorporated Limited. By visiting this website you will find out the unique money back guarantee offered by Macronutra Health Incorporated Limited. The company offers total pay back if you are not satisfied with the result even after ninety days of consumption of this medicine.
As this medicine requires no prescription from a medical practitioner you will have to find out all the information related to this medicine by your self. Visiting the website of the company is the best way to find out the details of the product if you want to know more about the ingredients and effects of the medicine. You can also gather information about this medicine by visiting various other websites that discuss the use and advantage of using diamaxol. It can be done simply by typing the key word diamaxol in to any of the search engines in the internet.
The main advantage of visiting these websites is that you will be able to gather all the opinions, both positive and negative, from these sites. It will help you to take a final decision. You can also search for the testimonials written by the persons who have actually used this medicine before you decide to purchase it for your use.
Diabetes Medication
Diabetes is a serious, lifelong disease that hundreds of thousands of people around the world suffer from. Although there is no single known cause of the disease and as of yet no cure, there are a number of different treatment methods that are used to control or manage the disease, one of the most popular being diabetes medication.
Diabetes medication is the most conventional method of treating diabetes, and there are actually a few different types that your doctor may recommend. After diagnosis with your condition, your doctor will usually prescribe you a specific drug regimen, and because every person is different, each diabetes treatment is tailed precisely to their needs in order to produce the best possible results.
Pioglitazone is an anti-diabetic drug (thiazolidinedione-type, also called “glitazones”) used along with a proper diet and exercise program to control high blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes (non-insulin-dependent diabetes). It works by helping to restore your body’s proper response to insulin, thereby lowering your blood sugar. Effectively controlling high blood sugar helps prevent heart disease, strokes, kidney disease, blindness, and circulation problems, as well as sexual function problems (impotence). It is one of the most commonly recommended diabetes medications, and it works by helping to restore the body’s proper response to insulin, thereby lowering the body’s blood sugar levels. It has been shown to be very effective when used in conjunction with a proper diet and exercise program, and can help to prevent the conditions that are often caused by diabetes, including blindness, strokes, kidney disease, and sexual function problems.
Glimepiride is another popular choice here, and it is typically used in patients that have type 2 diabetes or non-insulin dependent diabetes. The drug works by stimulating the release of the body’s natural insulin, although again in order for the drug to be effective the patient needs to be maintaining an otherwise healthy lifestyle as well, namely a well-balanced diet and regular exercise. It Effectively controls high blood sugar helps prevent heart disease, strokes, kidney disease, blindness, and circulation problems, as well as sexual function problems (impotence).
Starlix is a relatively new diabetes medication, one that you only have to take whenever you eat, in order to control mealtime spikes in your blood sugar level. It is an oral type 2 diabetes medication that can lower your overall blood sugar as well as prevent further illness that is caused by the condition. It works by triggering the release of insulin at the start of a meal to reduce those spikes, which over time can help you lower your blood sugar levels.
Taking control of your blood sugar has never been easier, and by working together with your doctor you will be able to come up with a specific diabetes treatment regime that is going to be perfectly suited to you and your condition and help manage the disease and the symptoms caused by the disease as best as possible. Just remember with any medication you will most likely experience certain side effects, and so you should learn about these before starting yourself on any medication so that you can be prepared for them.
Diabetes Medication – Understanding Diabetes Mellitus – Part 1
Welcome to Part I of our two-part series on understanding Diabetes Mellitus and diabetes medication. Diabetes can be a thoroughly confusing disease. Just when you thought you were feeling comfortable with the ongoing treatment, your blood sugar levels suddenly rise beyond control. Sometimes, they dip for no apparent reason at all! How can this constant swing be controlled and what medication routine can be followed in order to control this haywire disease?
Our first part deals mostly with understanding how to control your disorder with medication. Now that you have lived with diabetes for some time, you hopefully already know about what type of diabetes you have and how severe it is right now. But before we embark on a detailed study of your ideal medication, you should know why you have been prescribed certain types of medicines for your condition.
The treatment for Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes vastly differ from each other. Those suffering from the former variety cannot produce insulin in the body, so they have to be supplied with extra external insulin. Those with Type 2 Diabetes, on the other hand, are given oral treatment and are merely asked to modify their exercise and diet schedule, as these can help absorb the already existing insulin in a better way. Of course, there are also cases here who need insulin as well – it all depends on how well the body can recover and absorb more insulin from its existing stock.
Why does diabetes need immediate attention and treatment?
Diabetes is a dangerously silent disease that usually targets the vital functions of the body. Negligence of the initial symptoms can lead to the disorder snowballing into vast, unmanageable proportions, affecting the system as a whole! It is to prevent many serious health complications in later life that treatment must start immediately and be strictly followed as well.
The role of diet and exercise in diabetes
- Controlling your diet and watching your weight is one of the most vital aspects of diabetes control and management. This does not imply that you altogether abstain from rich foods. It only implies that you eat all varieties of food, in moderation. Try and cut down fatty foods to the maximum extent and avoid processed and canned foods.
- Increase the intake of fibrous foods and include a variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Of course, you will be barred from consuming certain calorie-rich fruits such as avocados and mangoes, but if you are in perfect control, you might just be able to spoil yourself with one, once in a way. Whatever you do with your diet, make sure to discuss your food habits with your doctor.
- Exercise is the key to maintaining good health. Just a brisk walk of about 20-30 minutes a day is more than enough to keep your batteries all charged up! Of course, swimming, cycling, visiting the gym and dancing are some of the most pleasurable and fat-burning exercises too!
Know that you have the complete power to be in control of your diabetes and that you can, indeed, live a healthy and full life anyway. In our next part, we deal with detailed diabetes medication. Make sure you read through the article and learn more about the best type of medication for you!
Gary Sanders is an expert and diabetes sufferer. In search for the best diabetes medication. He has dedicated the last decade of his life to mastering every aspect of diabetes including nutrition, symptoms of diabetes, diagnosis, and prevention. He has created an award winning guide that is available at http://www.DiabetesSymptomsGuide.com
Author: Gary J. Sanders
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Electric Pressure Cooker
Diabetic Medical Supplies are a Necessity Anyone With Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease that affects all ages, races, and cultural groups of people and left undiagnosed and untreated can lead to a wide range of life threatening complications that can include heart disease, kidney failure, nerve damage, and vision problems. Unfortunately there is no cure for diabetes, but the disease can be managed and the impetus of treatment falls on the diabetic to make the necessary lifestyle changes that include diet and exercise as well as keeping the necessary diabetic medical supplies on hand.
One of the most important parts of any diabetics testing supplies is the blood glucose monitor. Without the ability to self monitor blood glucose levels during the day it would be almost impossible to manage this disease. Most diabetics test their blood sugar levels from 3 to 7 times a day making restocking their supplies a very important part of their disease management.
Once the diabetic has obtained a glucose monitor by buying one or getting one of the many free glucose monitors offered on the internet they will need to keep a supply of test strips, lancets for finger pricks, and alcohol wipes at all times. They will also be responsible for maintaining their monitor and making sure it is kept in good operating order. Faulty or damaged equipment can give false readings which can be quite dangerous, even life threatening.
Another vital component in the diabetes treatment regimen is insulin. Without the ability to self administer insulin all type 1 diabetics would be unable to manage their disease. The initial training of giving a self injection of insulin will be done at the doctor’s office, usually under the supervision of a registered nurse. But since insulin is a lifetime need the diabetic will be responsible for making sure they have all the necessary items for this task. Depending on which type of injection method one chooses the following supplies will be needed: insulin syringes for self injections, pen and jet injectors, or an insulin pump/infuser setup that will require frequent needle changes.
Many of the companies that provide diabetic medical supplies will work as an intermediary between the insurance company and the diabetic filling out all the necessary paper work needed to keep the out of pocket expenses to a minimum and in some cases nothing. Another nice feature of using a medical supply company is the automated shipments of the needed supplies each month. Once the billing with the insurance company is set up the diabetic will receive their needed supplies delivered directly to their door every month.
For people with diabetes there is nothing more important for the management of their disease then the diabetic medical supplies they use on a daily basis. Starting from the time of diagnosis these supplies will be their lifeline to the proper management needed to combat the many complications this disease brings. With proper management and a good health care team diabetics can have a long and bright future.
