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DID YOU KNOW? Surprising Facts About Diabetes! ...Information - Types - Warning Signs - Treatment - Program - Beta Cell Research Today 1.5 million Canadians have diabetes. Another 750,000 have the disease but have not yet been diagnosed, putting them at increased risk of the severe health complications which can develop when diabetes is poorly managed - cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, blindness and limb amputations. People with diabetes are 2 - 4 times more likely to suffer from heart disease. One quarter of all new cases of serious kidney disease stem from diabetes. Every 4 - 8 minutes, someone in Canada is diagnosed with diabetes. In Canada, diabetes is one of the top seven leading causes of death due to illness. There will be more than 2.5 million Canadians living with Type 2 diabetes by the year 2016. What is DiabetesNormally, our bodies convert the food we eat into a type of sugar called glucose. This glucose is then carried throughout our bodies by our bloodstream. With the help of insulin, a hormone that is made in the pancreas, our bodies turn the glucose into energy. In a person with diabetes, this doesn't happen. There can be several reasons for this. In some people, the pancreas makes no insulin. Medically, this is known as Type 1 diabetes. Sometimes the pancreas makes some insulin but not enough, and sometimes the body just can't use the insulin properly. Both of these conditions fall into a category called Type 2 diabetes. Types of Diabetes
What are the Warning Signs of Diabetes?Type 1:
Type 2: (Warning signs for Type 2 may include any of the signs for Type 1, they just develop more slowly in Type 2.)
Having the warning signs doesn't mean that you have diabetes. What it does mean is that you may have a problem and you should discuss it with you doctor to see if further testing is necessary. Treating DiabetesThe treatment for diabetes depends on a number of factors including the type of diabetes a person has. Type 1 is treated by a combination of a meal plan and a program of regular physical activity, both if which are designed on an individual basis. Treatment also includes daily injections of insulin, combined with education about this condition. The more you know about diabetes, the better you can control it. When it is under control, a person with diabetes can lead an active, healthy life. However, uncontrolled diabetes can have serious health consequences. Many people with Type 2 can control their diabetes by a combination of careful attention to meal plans and a program of regular physical activity. Sometimes, though, pills or insulin injections are necessary to achieve good control. Everyone with diabetes, regardless of the type, should monitor blood sugar levels regularly. If you have diabetes, your doctor, diabetes educator or pharmacist will help you to develop a personalized treatment plan. Part of this plan will be a schedule of blood sugar testing. Be sure to follow this schedule and to record the results of the tests, because they provide a guideline for adjusting food, physical activity, and medicine to keep your diabetes under control. Another important test is a glycosylated hemoglobin test. In addition to your regular self-monitoring of blood sugar levels, your doctor may recommend this test, which is done in a lab every three to six months. It measures your average blood sugar level over a period of several months. If you have diabetes, keeping the condition under control reduces your risk of kidney problems, blindness, heart attack, stroke and nerve damage that can lead to gangrene and impotence. In a young pregnant woman, controlling blood sugar levels increases her chances of delivering a normal healthy baby. On the other hand, if you have diabetes and you do not take steps to control it, you can end up with serious, sometimes permanent, damage to your kidneys, eyes, nerves and heart. Diabetes can affect every part of the body.The pancreas is the organ most responsible for diabetes because its principle job is to regulate blood sugar levels. The kidneys are also involved in diabetes because consistently high blood sugar damages them and can lead to kidney disease. It is important for the diabetic to take good care of their feet. Nerve damage, which is a complication of diabetes, can numb parts of the body, especially the feet and legs. If you lose feeling in your feet, then blisters, sores, or wounds can go unnoticed and become infected. High blood sugar levels plus blood vessel damage, which is another complication of diabetes, can make infections hard to heal. Infections that become too severe could require amputation. Diabetics are more susceptible than most people to eye diseases such as glaucoma, cataracts, and retinopathy, which is a general term for all disorders of the retina caused by diabetes. Strictly controlling your blood sugar level can reduce the risk of eye conditions. Diabetes can affect every part of the body, including the skin. People with diabetes are more prone to contracting common skin conditions such as bacterial infections, fungal infections, and itching. Other skin problems are unique to people with diabetes. One of the interesting things I've learned from dealing with people who have diabetes is how quickly stress can raise blood sugar levels. Stress enters into our lives in many ways. It comes from changes like starting a new job or moving to a new house. It even accompanies positive occasions like vacations, holidays, and weddings. Of course, injury, illness and grief also cause stress. Diabetics need to be especially aware that stress can alter blood sugar levels and they should work to alleviate the stress. Recommended ProgramDietEat a proper diet with at least 7 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Eat 3 to 4 servings of complex (low glycemic index) natural carbohydrates from vegetables and whole grains. Use "good" fat in cooking and minimize refined sugars and starches. Lloyd McCullough, a well known nutritionist recommends that 70% of all foods should be eaten raw or steamed. FibreResearch now shows that a diet high in fibre is effective in controlling blood sugar for patients with Type II diabetes. Patients who ate at least 50 grams a day of fibre from fruit, vegetables and grains saw significant improvements in several key measures of diabetes, as well as in their cholesterol levels. Dr. Abhimanyu Garg, a professor of internal medicine at the University of Texas South western Medical Center in Dallas, believes that soluble fibre binds to bile acids and removes them from the intestines, which in turn hampers the bowel's ability to absorb fat. That helps lower cholesterol. The same principle may also be at work for glucose, he says. Exercise Exercise is another important way to reduce your risk of serious complications from diabetes. Dr. Richard A. Williams, MD suggests that you warm up and then walk briskly for at least one hour non-stop, 3 - 5 days per week. "Exercise, no one knows exactly how, makes insulin work better for diabetics and for pre-diabetics. The protective effects of exercise are directly related to Intensity and length of workout. Jogging and weight lifting also reverse insulin resistance and add cardiac protection." For older adults or those with joint problems, try using a rebounder. Work up usage to 30 minutes twice a day. This exercise should increase heart rate no more then 12 beats per minute. Use gentle bounce so your feet to not leave the rebounder surface. Lose excess weight For those who are borderline Type II diabetics, it is helpful to loose any excess weight. Dr. R. Williams states that central obesity is a major predictor of Type II diabetes. If you follow the suggestions presented in this section, including increasing fiber, fruits and veggies, good supplements, daily exercise, and increasing your intake of pure water, you will be on your way to sustained healthy weight loss. Vitamins, Herbs, and Minerals Choose a vitamin mineral supplement that has at least:
If you would like to get all of these and more in one bottle, Email me at www.marilyn@onlinehealthmatters.com. I have an excellent multi-vitamin mineral supplement that many people have found helpful. Tahitian Noni Juice and Beta Cell ResearchDr. Chen Su, PhD Chemistry, has just completed research into why Tahitian Noni Juice works to help people with diabetes. She found that Tahitian Noni Juice improves the beta cells so that they can be sensitive to glucose. "Tahitian Noni Juice is an active P2Y binder and a PDE3 inhibitor. Therefore, it improves the beta cells' ability to produce and release insulin. Drugs go for immediate effect. Tahitian Noni Juice works slowly to repair the beta cells." To speak with Dr. Chen Su, you may Email her at www.chens@tni.com. Or call her by phone (801) 234-3623. Dr.'s suggest that you use 3-4 oz. per day in divided doses... preferably before meals. (4 oz. of Tahitian Noni Juice is equal to 1 fruit exchange.) For brittle diabetics, doctors suggest drinking 1/2 oz. every 3 hours while awake. For more information on Tahitian Noni Juice, or to order the juice. Stress ReductionOur emotional well being is important in the prevention and treatment of diabetes. Be happy, play and enjoy life. Resolve conflicts and build the extended support groups such as family and friends who help us see our way through life's many problems. SleepGetting enough restful sleep is important to help the body function properly and heal itself. This program has worked very successfully for people who have used it. These are suggestions - adjust to your own needs and desires. Living successfully with diabetes is difficult. It requires careful daily monitoring of blood sugar, balancing of food and insulin, and being aware of the body's need to remain healthy. Although all of us yearn for a cure, we celebrate anything that makes this disease easier to live with. Tahitian Noni Juice certainly can make your life a lot easier.
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