Life with diabetes III

Hi again,

Let us discuss more about life with diabetes.

Pregnancy:

A great care has to be given to a diabetic pregnant woman. She must get advice of a doctor. At one time, diabetes was a grave risk factor for diabetic women. The incidence of abortion or death of either the child or themother was very high. The discovery of insulin has considerably trasformed the situation. Even then, it is not easy for a diabetic women to first conceive and then give birth to a healthy baby at the right time. Difficulties can however be kept to minimize with an expert gynaecologist's care.

Surgery:

Many people harbour a false notion that diabetics cannot undergo a surgery without risks to their lives. In fact, any operation can be safely and successfully carried out if the diabetes is well controlled.

In conclusion it can be said that a clear understanding of the disease and effective medicines available today enable the diabetic to lead an almost normal life. He/she can under certain limits, play all sports, perform all activites and enjoy life. In many countries, there are special associations of diabetics, which arrange entertainment programmes and get-togethers for diabetics, hold sports competitions and keep the members appraised of new developments in the understanding and the treatment of the disease.

Come and let us accept the challenge posed by diabetes. If we obtain a correct understanding of the disease, we need not fear it, nor need we allow it to interfere with our normal life.

Thanks,
Team- Knowledgeishealing

Life with diabetes II

Hi Friends,

Let us further continue to our previous post.

Education:

Child or young diabetics find no difficulty at all in pursuing education. Their intelligence and memory are no way inferior to those of other healthy students.

It is desirable that the class teacher and a few close friends of the diabetic student know that he/she has the disease and also know about the symptoms of hypoglycemia.

Household chores:

A diabetic women can easily do all the household work herself. She should refrain from visiting relatives too frequently, where she may have to give into her host's insistence to eat or drink prohibited preparations.

Job/Business:

A diabetic can usually follow any kind of job or business to earn his living. It would be desirable that a few of his colleagues know about his disease and the steps to be taken in an emergency.

Marriages, parties, restaurants etc.:

A diabetic can take part in any function of his choice. Infact, he/she must remain careful about his diet. It is natural that the host may, cout of courtesy, insist on his having certain dishes or foods. But the diabetic should politely refuse without making too much fuss (he/she must remember what his/her doctor has adviced for curing diabetes)

Sports:

Juvenile as well as adult diabetics can participate in sports regularly or occassionally. However care should be taken to prevent blood sugar level from dropping too low. An untoward incident can be prevented by having immediately before the start of the sport, a snack which would provide easily and rapidaly digestible carbohydrates.

Other illness:

Like other people, diabetics too may suffer from other routine illnesses. Medicines taken for those illnesses may affect the blood sugar level or may interfere with anti diabetic drugs. A diabetic patient must consult his/her doctor for taking other medicines.

Driving a Vehicle:

Driving and Maintaining a vehicle is one of the important part of life. A diabetic should remain careful while driving. It is desirable that patients whose blood sugar level fluctuates wildly (unstable or brittle diabetes) refrain from driving. This would prevent a diabetic from an accident on the road.

We hope you gain some knowledge.

Thanks,
Team- Knowledgeishealing

Life with diabetes I

Hi friends,

If we diagnose diabetes then there will be different responses in different persons. A child diabetic cannot understand the gravity of the diagnosis can readily be understood. Many a time even adults react childishly. Many patients just refuse to accept the situation. This refusal is expressed in different forms. Some patients (according to survey in India) bluntly state that they cant have diabetes. Some patients just refuse to accept the situation. This refusal is expressed in different forms. Some patients bluntly state that they cant have diabetes. Even after being presented with irrefutable proofs and made to accept the bitter truth, such patients take medicines irregularly or in lesser doses. To some patients, the diagnosis diabetes gives a great jolt or shock. Unending worry then overpowers them. Some patients do accept the diagnosis, but they hide it from their near and dear ones. However as the time passes, most of the diabetics come out of the shock, assume a more mature behaviour and sincerely start following their physician's advice.

In fact, there is no need at all for a diabetic to be unduly upset or feel ashamed (the medical experts say). Millions of people in this world have diabetes. A patient who has reshaped his mind and is determined can launch an assault against the disease. Today diabetes can boast of an almost normal and creative long life. Diabetics no longer die of acute complications like diabetic coma or gangrene. Diabetic pregnant women give birth to healthy babies at the right time. These facts are indications of the progress made in the understanding and the treatment of the disease.

Aftre the diagnosis of the disease, the diabetic (and his family members too) should strive to gather information regarding each and every aspect of this disease.

A diabetic can lead happy, fruitful and long life if he/she has knowledge about:
1. Principles of dieting and exercise
2. The dosage of insulin and the method of injecting it.
3. Symptoms and treatment of low blood-sugar.
4. Causes, symptoms and treatment of diabetic coma and
5. Skin and foot care is acquired.

A diabetic patient has to be equipped with complete knowledge about the disease and with the support of the physician, the diabetic should launch and assault against the disease with non-medicinal weapons like diet, exercise, acupressure and magnet therapy. After commencing the treatment, he should get his urine and blood examined to access the degree of control achieved. It should be clearly understood that mere amelioration of symptoms is not a proof of the control of diabetes. For that, a periodic analysis of urine and blood is inevitable.

Diabetes can be said to be under control only when:
1. Symptoms of diabetes are absent
2. Patient's ideal body weight is maintained
3. Blood sugar levels are within the normal range.
4. Sugar does not escape in the urine.
5. Blood does not show signs of ketosis.
6. The blood- cholestrol and blood - tryglyceride levels are normal.
7. The amount of glycosyslated haemoglobin is less than 8.5 percent.

The diabetic patient should go ahead with the advice of doctor so that diabetic can be controlled properly. Till the diabetes comes under total control and till the physical condition has stabilised, the patient has to visit his doctor frequently. Once the correct amont of diet, exercise and medicines have been arrived at, the patient should faithfully cling to the treatment programme. A person who has learnt to administer an insulin injection himself and can analyse his own urine and blood need not usually visit his doctor before three monthly intervals. Thus the expenditure for treatment is considerably reduced.

Thanks,
Team- Knowledgeishealing

Skin and Foot Care in Diabetes

Hi friends,

We are again back. Let us discuss about the skin and foot care.

Skin and Foot Care:

It is very important in diabetes to take care of skin and the feet in diabetes. There are three factors which endanger a diabetic's skin and feet viz, increased chances of contracting an infection, inadequate blood supply and impaired sensations.

Skin Care:

A diabetic must always remain alert to prevent an injury to skin. He must take extra care while shaving. He should see that his skin is not abrased against the wall or a rough surface. If in any case the skin is injured, the wound should not be allowed to get infected. It should be washed with clean water, disinfected with cotton-swab soaked in alcohol (as prescribed by the doctor; consult doctor for it) and lightly bandaged with a cotton cloth. Adhesive tapes should never be used to cover a wound. if a need is felt, mild antiseptics but strong medicines like tincture of iodine, carbolic acid, salicylic acid or phenol should be avoided.

Foot Care:

The feet must be cared more than the face, this is the advise by the doctors to their diabetic patients. A diabetic should constantly be on an alert to prevent a foot injury. The feet should be washed twice a day with soap and warm water. While washing the feet, the nails, the toes and the skin between the toes should be minutesly observed. The feet should then be wiped dry with a soft cloth. In diabetics, the skin between the toes easily gets injured or infected with fungus. So a diabetic, after washing his feet should apply a cream (as prescribed by his/her doctor) between his/her toes. A diabetic should never move bare footed. In home, he/she should wear soft shoes. Tight or pointed shoes are not desirable for a diabetic because they obstruct blood circulation. A diabetic woman should not wear pencil heal or high heal shoes or sandals. New shoes should initially be worn only for short periods so that a bite does not develop.

A diabetic should cut his/her nails with great care. He/she should not cut corns on his soles himself/ herself. Such tasks should be left to the physician.

A diabetic should immediately consult his doctor, if:
1. There is a pain, itching, swelling or numbness of the legs.
2. The skin of the leg suddenly changes color.
3. A leg wound gets infected and an ulcer is formed.
4. A foot disorder doesnt improve with the remedies within a short time.

We hope you are gaining some knowledge to make preventions. Please consult your physician so that he/she can guide you much better to cure the diabetes.

Thanks,
Team- Knowledgeishealing.

Regarding more posts

Dear Friends,

We will post more articles soon. We are going busy these days.

Hope that you will keep patience and we will be back for more information on health and fitness so that we can gain knowledge to prevent from diseases and make this world healthier.

Thanks,
Team- Knowledgeishealing

Prevention of Diabetes

Hi friends,

As we know 'Prevention is better than Cure' thats why we have named our blog as 'Knowledge is Healing'.

:: The incorrect dietary habits play a big role in the development of diabetes. Parents must take care to form correct dietary habits in their children. Children should not make addicted to icecream, cakes, jam, jelly, peppermint, chocolates and other sweets. The diet of childrent must be balanced one and that would produce their growth but not obesity. Ideal weight (or less than ideal weight) and a proportionate (or slim) body is an almost certain gurantee against diabetes. If some has family history of diabetes then he should accept voluntary diet control after the age of 30 years, since physical development has been completed. This is inevitable for sedentary and obese persons.

:: Regual physical exercise and yoga is must for everyone in his/her daily shedule. Parents should convince their children about the paramount importance of exercise and should encourage them for outdoor sports.

:: All those persons in whom a prediabetic state has been detected through 'stress glucose tolerance test', should take all necessary precautions to prevent actual disease.

:: The incident of diabetes is much higher in obese persons as compared to others. Therefore, every fat person should immediatelyh take steps to lose weight and achieve ideal weight.

Thanks,
Team- Knowledgeishealing

Magnet Therapy in treatment of diabetes

Hi again,

Magnet therapy is one of the new mode of treatment that occupies very important place in the treatment of diabetes. Varoious evidences from several research centres shows that Magnet therapy is highly effective in the treatment of many diseases. Diabetes can be controlled and its complications (for example: atherosclerosis, high blood pressure and coronary artery disease) can be effectively prevented by Magnet therapy. There are many proofs that proves the effectiveness of magnet therapy. The science of Magnet therapy is still growing and proofs about its effectiveness are pouring in. Various laboratories around the world are working to determine the efficacy of Magnet therapy. It will be fine if Magnet therapy is to be employed along with other measures to prevent or to control diabetes.

Thanks,
Team- Knowledgeishealing

Acupuncture or Acupressure in treatment of diabetes

Hi Friends,

Certain points on the surface of the body influence internal organs. Acupuncture and Acupressure are oriental therapies that utilise certain points on the surface of the body to influence internal organs. The World health organisation (WHO) has also given due recognition to these therapies. In Acupuncture, specific points are pierced with needles whereas in acupressure, the same points are stimulated by deep pressure with finger-tip or a blunt object.

Experiences has shown that when acupuncture or acupressure treatment is added to diet and exercise, the need of medicines diminishes considerably. In some cases, even medicines can be discarded altogether.

Since, diabetes is a long term disease and its control is a long term responsiblity. In diabetes, acupressure is preferable to acupuncture because former can be performed by the patient himself. Acupressure treatment is absolutely safe and devoid of side effects and it is considerably effective as it can be seen from successful clinical trials and statistical data available.

Thanks,
Team- Knowledgeishealing

Role of Exercise and Yoga in Diabetics

Hi again,

Let us discuss more.

Physical exercises are one of the important mode of treatment in diabetes.

Excercises give following benefits:

1. Contracting of muscles use up a lot of sugar. This relieves much of pancreas burden.

2. Accumulated fat is used up. As a result, weight decreases, which on itself may ameliorate most symptoms of diabetes.

3. A psychological boost is experienced.

4. Heart becomes more efficient.

By consulting his/her doctor, a diabetic can opt for any light exercise like walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, gardening, etc. A middle aged diabetic should desist from doing any kind of heavy or tiring exercises.

Before opting for a suitable exercise programme, the diabetic should go for a complete medical check up to ensure that no untoward incident occurs later on. If while doing any exercise or after the exercise, excessive fatigue, breathlessness, weakness or chest pain occurs, it is an indication that exercises have been overdone or that the amount or pace of the exercise is presently beyond the reach of the person. He/she must take care to prevent any kind of injury during exercise. Regarding food intake, the diabetic should not increase food intake after commencing exercises otherwise benefits of exercise will be neutralised. It may be noted that exercises reduce the amount of sugar in the blood.

The diabetic must be regular in exercises to get proper benefit because exercises done irregularly may do more harm than good.

Yogasans (yoga):

Yoga and Pranayama also have an important role in the treatment of diabetes. Many yoga experts and physicians have proved that yoga brings down the blood sugar level. Many diabetics who cant do various excercises like walking, jogging or swimming etc. can get the benefits of exercises through yogasans and pranayama. It may be noted that yoga and pranayama must be done by consulting your physician and yoga expert. We are just listing the names of yogasans that have been proved to beneficial to diabetics:

1. Uddiyanbandh
2. Yogamudra
3. Trikonasana
4. Dhanurasana
5. Pashchimottanasana
6. Konasana
7. Sarvangasana
8. Matyasana
9. Shavasana

other asans:

1. Tadasana
2. Triyaka Tadasana
3. Kati Chakrasana
4. Triyaka Bhujangasana
5. Udaraakarshanasana

Thanks,
Team- Knowledgeishealing

Modes of Treatment of diabetes - VII

Hi Friends,

Let us discuss about some practical suggestions regarding diet:

1. Diet control is extremely important and indispensable for diabetics. No drug can compensate for or undo the harm caused by faulty and reckless diet. Diet should be planned intelligently and on the basis of scientific principles. If due to false beliefs or misleading advices from relatives and neighbours, you are observing fasts or eating monotonous diet day after day, stop such practice immediately. A diet without variety not only arouses a feeling of dislike in the mind but also causes harm to the body. Always keep in the mind that for a diabetic, diet control is not a temporary or pasing phase but a life long repsonsibility. Therefore give variety its due place in your diet. Use spices (in moderation though) because they possess no calorific value. Albeit, restric the use of salt.

2. Maintain the timings of your meals meticulously. If this is not done, it is well nigh impossible to maintain the blood sugar at normal levels all the time.

3. However busy or occupied you may be, never miss a meal. This is necessary to pervent low blood sugar.

4. Be on your alert about correct and incorrect foods even when you go to hotels, parties or visit your relatives. Always keep sachharine tablets with you.

5. While on a tour to some distant place, keep handy fruits like apple, orange or sweet lime. This will help in case symptoms of low blood sugar arise.

6. Even if you dont have an appetite, do not abstain from food during an illness. Have light food of your liking at fixed timings.

7. It is on the basis of the amount of your food intake that doctor has prescribed the dose of anti diabetic drugs. Therefore do not vary the total amount of food you take during the day.

Thanks,
Team- Knowledgeishealing

Modes of Treatment of diabetes - VI

Hi friends,

Let us discuss more about foods in diabetes.

Prohibited foods:Followings are the prohibited foods for a diabetic:

Sugar, glucose, honey, jam, chocolates, sweets, sweet drinks, sweetened milk, canned fruits, sweet biscuits, cakes, pie, pudding, peppermint and alcohol.

Foods to be taken in moderation:Following are the foods that are to be taken in moderation:

Cereals, pulses, potatoes, peas, dry fruits, cheese, milk, butter, ghee, oil, meat, eggs, fish.

Foods that can be taken as desired:Following foods are to be taken as desired:

Most fruits, vegetables, drinks (tea, coffee, etc. sweetened with sachharine).

Classification of foods:

Foods can be divided into eight categories:

1. Vegetables (Type A): e.g., cabbage, cauli flower, cucumber, brinjals, karelas, ladies finders, tomatoes, raddish, chillies, etc.

The carbohydrate-content of these vegetables is very low. Such vegetables can be taken as much as desired in the raw form; however they should not be consumed more than a cupful if cooked.

2. Vegetables (Type B): e.g., carrots, onion, green peas, beet, raw mangoes, etc.

Every 100 gms of these vegetables have 7 gms of carbohydrates and 2 gms of proteins (totally 36 calories)

3. Fruits: The fruits [ apple (80 gms), banana (50 gms), Watermelon (175 gms), Fresh figs (50 gms), Dried Figs (30 gms), Grapes (75 gms), Ripe Mango (70 gms), Orange (100 gms), Sweet lime (100 gms), Guava (100 gms), Papaya (80 gms) and Pinaple (80 gms)] when consumed in quantities mentioned alongside, supply 10 gms of carbohydrates (i.e. 40 calories)

4. Cereals: When consumed in the specified quantities, the following cereals supply 15 gms of carbohydrates and 2 gms proteins supply 15 gms of carbohydrates and 2 gms proteins (totally 68 calories): Jwar, bajra or wheat flour- 2-1/2 tablespoons (20 gms boiled rice 1/2 cup (100 gms); non sweet biscuits (20 gms); boiled potatoes- 2 (100 gms); sweet potatoes - 1/4 cup (50 gms).

5. Pulses: Generally, 1 small container (cup) of any cooked supplies 125 to 140 calories.

6. Fats: Approximately 45 calories are obtained from Butter, ghee or oil- 1 teaspoon (5 gms). Cashewnuts, almonds, groundnuts- 10 gms.

7. Milk: 1 cup of milk or curd supplies 12 gms of carbohydrates, 8 gms of proteins and 10 gms of fats (totally 170 calories). A reduction of 40 calories can be achieved by removing fat from the milk.

8. Non- vegetarian foods: 30 gms of meat or fish or 1 (50 gms) egg supply 7 gms protein and 5 gms fats (totally 80 calories).

Sweetening agents to be used instead of sugar:

Such sweetening agents include sachharine, fructose and sorbitol. Of these, sachharine is preferable since it has no nutritional value. It is about 350 times sweeter than sugar. It is available in the market in tablet or liquid forms. It should be noted that sachharine should not be added to food while cooking because extreme heat disintegrates it to create a very disagreeable and bitter taste. It should be added to foods after they have been cooked and while they are cooling.

Alcohol:Alcohol variously harms the diabetic:

1. It suddenly brings down the blood sugar level, more so in those diabetics who take oral hypoglycemic drugs. A very low blood sugar level may cause unconsciousness (hypoglycemic coma), a critical condition calling for urgent steps. Unfortunately, however such unconscious persons get no attention because people think that he/she has collasped due to excessive alcohol intake.

2. It harms the liver.

3. It stimulates the appetite and leads to obesity, whose connection with diabetics is well known.


Thanks,
Team- Knowledgeishealing

Modes of Treatment of diabetes - V

Hi,

The major constituents of the food we eat are:

Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and fibres (roughage). To maintain health and to aid the various processes occuring in the body, it is essential that all these constituents are obtained in sufficient amount.

Carbohydrates includes sugar and starch. Cereals are their main reources. Refined sugar, jaggery, honey etc. are concentrated forms of carbohydrates. One gram of carbohydrates provides energy worth four calories to the body.

Proteins are essential for the growth of the body and regeneration of cells lost due to wear and tear. Milk, pulses, meat fish and eggs are their main sources. One gram of protein provides energy worth four calories to the body.

Fats are available from ghee and oils. There are two types of fat: saturated and unsaturated.
Saturated fats are believed to be the causes of narrowing and hardening of arteries (atherosclerosis). Atherosclerosis ultimately leads to a heart attack or cerebral haemorrhage. It is therefore desirable to drastically cut down the consumption of food articles containing saturated fats. Butter, ghee, vegetable ghee, coconut oil and palm oil have lots of saturated fats. On the other hand, groundnut oil, til oil, corn oil, soyabean oil, lineseed oil and cotton seed oil are sources of relatively harmless, unsaturated fats. Each gram of fat provides energy worth nine calories to the body.

Vitamins and Minerals are extremely important nutrients which server numerous functions inside the body. Raw vegetables, fruits, germinated pulses and germinated cereals are excellent sources of vitamins and minerals.

During the past sixty-sixty five years the notions about the proportions of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in a diabetic diet have undergone a radical change.

Uptill the second decade of this centuary, diabetics were advised to consume a very low carbohydrate and very high fat diet. But gradually it became known that a high fat diet ruins the blood vessels and harms the heart. Besides no logical reason could be put forward for carbohydrate restriction. Modern dietcians and physicians recommend for the diabetics, a diet fifty five to sixty percent of which is comprised of carbohydrates, twenty to twenty two percent of fats and eighteen to twenty percent of proteins.

It is now unanimously agreed that a diabetic should receive a larger than usual quota of Vitamins and minerals. As we know that some researchers have propounded the Vitamin B6 raises the xanthurenic acid content of the blood, which in turn damages the pancreas and leads to diabeties. A fact which supports this belief is that all diabetics excrete large amounts of xanthurenic acid in their urine. If diabetics are given 50 mg of vitamin B6 every day, urinary xanthurenic acid rapidly diminshes and symptoms of diabetes begin to disappear.

Magnesium has been found to bring down the requirements of vitamin B6 by decreasing the xanthurenic content fo the body. Dietcians suggest that every diabetic should recieve 500 mg of magnesium daily.

Some researchers claim that Vitamin C, Vitamin B1 and panthothenic acid and helpful to diabetics because like sulphonurea drugs, they stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin. Again, animals kept on a totally 'Vitamin C- free' diet manufacture less insulin in their bodies and develop symptoms similar to those of diabetes.

It has been seen that diabetics give 300 to 600 units of Vitamin E daily, many a time require much smaller doses of medicinal insulin.

Chemical analysis has also shown that diabetics suffer from a Vitamin A deficiency. Experiements have shown that when diabetics are daily given about 15000 to 16000 units of Vitamin A, their health improves and the concentration of cholesterol in their blood falls.

Chromium is also a very important mineral for diabetics. If there is chromium deficiency in the body, the effectivity of insulin decreases. If experimental animals are made chromium deficient, their blood glucose and blood cholestrol levels rise. Besieds, if a need arises, these vitamins and minerals can be obtained can be obtained through pills as well.

It is desirable that the fibre content of our diet is high. People or tribes who give fibre containing food articles a due place in their diet, almost always succeed in keeping diabetes and other diseases at bay.

If a diet is rich in fibres, the absorption of glucose through the intestines is slowed down. Consequently the bood sugar level rises gradually. The pancrease gland is able to cope with such a situation very easily. Some researchers has proved through experiments that when diabetics are given a high fibre diet, their medicinal insulin requirements are reduced by almost twenty five percent. Vegetable, fruits, whole cereals and whole pulses are excellent sources of fibres. By removing bran from the flour, by eating polished rice, by keeping away from fruits-vegetables and by consuming processed, refined and soft foods, we invite not only diabetes but also other diseases, right from constipation to cancer.


Thanks,
Team- KnowledgeisHealing

Modes of Treatment of diabetes - IV

Hi friends,

Let us discuss about the Diet!

The Diet:

The important question is "What type of diet should a diabetic take"? which calls for a detailed answer.

It is very sad fact that a dieabetic does not get adequate guidance about food. Most advices about diet are limited to prohibiting or curtailing the use of refind sugar, rice, potatoes and fried eatables. Infact, besides the things to be avoided, a diabetic should also be supplied with a list of things to be eaten, the right amounts of those foods and the proper timings for taking those foods. Half knowledge does more harm than good to the diabetic because apart from the prohibited four or five items of food, he/she continues to eat everything else, thereby inviting a rise in blood-glucose level.

Some diabetics, heeding to the advice of their relatives or friends, observe fasts or opt for fad diets consisting of one or two food articles. This gradually leads to depletion of vitamins and minerals stored in the body and gives rise to symptoms of their deficiency. Besides, sooner or later, the tongue rebels against such monotonous diet. Ultimately the diabetic develops such avertion to dieting that he/she reverts to old faulty food habits with a vengeance. Infact a diabetic can choose his diet from a variety of food articles. He/she need to stay away from the taste he likes. Similarly he/she need not consume diet which is entirely different from that perpared for the rest of his/her family. Wheat, rice of bajri are similar in their nutrient contents. Likewise most vegetables have similar nutrients. Thus ther is no reason why a diabetic should eat the same cereal or the same vegetable day after day.

Thanks,
Team- KnowledgeisHealing

Modes of Treatment of diabetes - III

Hi again,

How the total calories should be obtained in parts has been suggested below:

About twenty percent of the total calories through the morning breakfast.
About forty percent of the total calories through the lunch.
About ten percent of the total calories through the afternoon tea-coffee and snacks.
About twenty percent of the total calories through the dinner,
The rest ten percent of the total calories through late evening milk and snacks/fruits.


Thanks,
Team- KnowledgeisHealing

Modes of Treatment of diabetes - II

Hi friends,

We are discussing about role of diet in treatment of diabetes.

Diet:

In the treatment of diabetes, diet is of utmost importance. Diet is the single most important factor in the successful treatment of diabetes. Inspite of all the advances in the field of medical treatment, diet has maintained its supremacy. If faulty dietary habits are persisted with, drugs cannot help. Besides, for obese diabetics, a dietary change is the only treatment of choice.

Principles of diet-planning:

A diabetic's diet should be such as would:-

1. supply sufficient amounts of energy given nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
2. supply in sufficient amounts, vitamins and minerals which are necessary for the body and for the control of diabetes.
3. supply enough calories (nutrition) to the body to attain or maintain ideal body-weight.
4. help in avoiding or controlling complications of diabetes.


Total quantity of food: It is generally agreed that during the course of a day, a diabetic should be given food that would supply about 30 calories per ideal body weight. However, whether the diabetic has to do a manual or a sedentary job and whether he is overweight or underweight should be considered while deciding the whole day rationing of food.

A diet supplying 1500 to 1800 calories during the day would be sufficient for a middle aged and sedentary diabetic.

However, developing children, pregnant women, breast-feeding mothers and sportsmen would need more food.

The total food should be consumed in almost four or five equal parts during the day. Many diabetics commit the mistake of taking only two meals a day. Naturally, such meals are heavy. The insulin produced in the body (or that injected as a medicine) is insufficient to metabolise this excessive food. hence the blood sugar level rises. On the other hand, at a time midway between two meals, the glucose level drops down abnormally. Such wide fluctuations of blood glucose levels are undesirable. Besides, if the blood glucose concentration drops down too much, it may lead to a hypoglycemic coma, a critical condition. It is therefore advisable for the diabetic to have four to five small meals equally spaced out during the day.

Thanks,
Team- Knowledgeishealing

Modes of Treatment of diabetes - I

Hi friends,

Diabetes can be treated through:

1. Diet
2. Exercise
3. Medicinces
4. Accupuncture/ Accupressure Techniques
5. Magnet Therapy
etc. etc.

Thanks,
Team- Knowledgeishealing

Treatment of diabetes

Hi Friends,

If we consider the present medical knowledge then it can be said that diabetes is a lifetime disease. With proper guidance of a doctor, it can be kept under complete control and some of its complications prevented but a complete cure still remains elusive. Hence, we can say that the treatment of diabetes is a lifetime responsibility.

Some diabetics resign themselves to fate on knowledge of their disease. They throw all the health rules to the wind and indulge in excesses. But to man, death is not available for the asking. When dreadful complications of the disease overpower such careless or happy go lucky persons life becomes miserable and intolerable. If some one ignores the treatment of diabetes then we can say that he/she is axing own feet.

The treatment of diabetes does not rob a person of worldly pleasures or make his/her life dreary. Infact a person undergoing treatment can lead an almost normal life.

The main aims of diabetes treatment:

1. To ameliorate all the symptoms of the disease.

2. To control the concentration of blood glucose.

3. To prevent glucose from escaping in the urine.

4. To formulate a 'whole day diet plan' such that all the essential nutrients are available to the body.

In child diabeticcs, the diet should be enough to encourage physical development. Another thing to be kept in mind while planning the diet is that the body weight is to be brought to the ideal level.

5. To convince the person of the importance of regular physical exercise and to formulate an exercise programme as per the individual needs.

6. To educate the diabetic (and his/her near and dear ones) about different aspects of the disease and its treatment.

The last point needs further elucidation. In the treatment of diabetes, the patient has to bear an almost equal (perhaps greater) responsibility as compared to the attending physician. He can intelligently and successfully shoulder this responsibility only if he/she is aware of all the facts of the disease. However because of several limitations especially those of time, no doctor can educate his/her patient fully.

Thanks,
Team- Knowledgeishealing

Diagnosis of Diabetes

Diabetes can be detected under various circumstances. The symptoms of acute diabetes are so dramatic that it is almost impossible to miss the diagnosis. But in a number of patients, diabetes develops so gradually and silently that it is revealed only by the methodical examination of the urine and the blood. It is believed that undiagnosed diabetics probably outnumber known diabetics. It is prcisely for this reason that all persons above 35 years of age, especially if they are obese or have a family history of diabetes should get their urine and blood examined at regular intervals of time to ascertain the presence or absense of diabetes. Actually most of these tests are utterly simple and can be learnt or performed by every interested person.

Diagnostic investigations:

a.) Tests to detect the presence of sugar in the urine (glycosuria)
b.) Tests to detect the amount of sugar in the blood.

Other investigations which may help the diabetic:

Laboratory investigations are inevitable to assess the degree of control achieved while treating diabetes and of such investigations urine sugar estimation is the most common and important investigation.

Besides there are other investigations which help to detect complications of diabetes. These include the estimation of acetone, albumin and chlorides in urine.

The presense of acetone in the urine is an indication of ketosis. On detection of acetone, rapid steps should be taken to prevent diabetic coma.

The presense of albumin in the urine is an indication that something is wrong with either kidneys or the ureter.

The estimation of the amounts or chlorides in urine gives information about the state of electrolyte balance in the diabetic's body.

Thanks,
Team- Knowledgeishealing

Symptoms of Diabetes- II

7. Wound infection and delayed healing:

Glucose rich blood is a good breeding medium for pus forming micro organisms. Moreover diabetes also affects the small bloodvessels (micro angiopathy) and nerves (neuropathy) leading to a decrease in the blood supply of the skin and derrangement of skin sensations. That is the reason why even a small wound on a diabetic person's body easily gets infected and fails to heal in time.

8. Easy susceptibility to infections of the skins, gums and the respiratory system:

The glucose rich blood of a diabetic provides optimum conditions for a rapid growth and reproduction of disease causing micro organisms. Besides, the hormonal imbalance causes a decrease in the natural resistance power of the body against disease. Hence a diabetic easily contracts infections of the skins, gums and teh respiratory tract. He/she commonly suffers from boils, carbunles, pyrrhoea, cough and colds.

9. Intense itching all over the body, especially thatof the genital parts:

Many a time diabetes is suspected and later diagnosed in women complaining of intense itching of the genital parts. Irritation of the nerve endings on the skin and on the genital organs due to excessive glucose in the blood is the cause for this trouble.

10. Frequent changes in the sharpness of vision and the spectacle numbers:

Changes in the glucose concentration of the internal fluid (aqueous) of the eyes leads to variations in their focussing power. That is the reason why a diabetic has to often change his spectacle lenses. The crystalline lens of the eye depends, for its nourishment and transparency on the glucose dissolved in the aqueuos. In diabetes the nourishment of the crystalline lens is jeopardised, leading to an untimely cataract.

11. Aching or numbers of limbs and an abnormal increase or decrease in skin sensations:

Diabetes untowardly affects the whose nervous system to give reise to these symptoms.

12. Sexual debility or impotence:

General weakness, disintegration of muscles protein, mental depression and undesirable changes in the blood circulatory and nervous systems give rise to these symptoms.

13. Diabetic unconsciousness (hyperglycemic coma):

As we know, the body disintegrates stored fats to nourish starving cells. Fat disintegration leads to the production of ketone bodies in the blood. Excessive increase of ketone bodies makes the blood acidic and gradually leads to unconsciousness. Many a time the diabetes is suspected or diagnosed after the victim becomes unconscious.

Besides, the following circumstances should also arouse suspicion of diabetes:

a.) Sudden weight gain after the age of 45 years
b.) Coronary heart disease.
c.) Cerebral haemorrage

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Symptoms of Diabetes- I

Diabetes affects various organs or systems of the body to give rise to such symptoms as would sometimes mislead even a physician. Maturity onset diabetes creeps into the body so silently that the victim usually remains unaware and symptomless. On the other hand, juvenile diabetes develops suddenly and gives rise to dramatic symptoms.

Symptoms: The following are the symptoms of diabetes:-

1. Polyurea (excessive and frequent urination):

The sugar escaping in the urine, drags along with itself, a large quantity of water, hence a diabetic frequently passes large amounts of urine.

2. Polydipsia (dryness of mouth and excessive thirst):

This particular symptom is the result of efforts by the body to compensate for the fluids lost through excessive urine.

3. Polyphagia (excessive hunger):

In diabetes, glucose cannot enter the various body cells. Thus the cells starve inspite of being bathed by the glucose rich serum. They suffer from poverty in the midst of plenty. To overcome this cellular starvation the body gives rise to abnormal and excessive hunger.

4. Loss of weight:

The body disintegrates stored fats to provide the cells with the necessary nourishment when the cells cannot utilise glucose. Therefore the person loses the weight.

5. Weakness, fatigue and body ache:

The body also disintegrates stored muscle protein to nourish the starving cells. This is the cause of undue weakness and fatigue.

6. Mental fatigue and lack of concentation:

The brain cells have to depend chiefly on glucose for their nourishment. However they cannot utilize the available glucose and due to that the person experiences undue mental fatigue and he/she cannot concentrate and becomes forgetful.


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Causes of Diabetes- II

Inadequate physical work:

Because of the industrialisation, man has drifted away from physical labour. Sedentary life too plays an important role in giving birth to diabetes. During physical work, muscles use up a lot of glucose present in the blood and as a result, the workload on the pancrease is reduced. Moreover, physical labour also prevents or reduces obesity which is intimately connected with diabetes.

Viral Infection:

A possible role of some viral infection as an aetiological factor for diabetes is also being considered by many scientists. Some children have also been seen to cortract diabetes after suffering from mumps, a viral infection. the viruses destroy the insulin producing beta cells of the pancreas. Besides, the antibodies produced by the body to fight the virus also attack the beta cells and aggravate the disease.

Effects of certain hormones:

Some hormones produced in the body have an action opposite to that of insulin i.e., they increase the amount of glucose in the blood. Such hormones include glucagon, cortisone, growth hormone, adrenaline and thyroxine. If the secretion of these hormones is excessive, the effectiveness of efficiency of insulin decreases and blood glucose level rises.

Side effects of some drugs:

The long term use of certain drugs like cortisone (used for asthma, repiratory diseases, arthritis and skin diseases), contraceptive pills and thyroid group of drugs can also produce diabetes by harming the pancreas.

Other diseases:

Acute pancreatitis, a heart attack or some other illnesses may precipitate diabetes. This fact is more applicable to persons who are carriers of diabetes or who have family history of diabetes. In such persons, an acute illness may unmask latent diabetes. Acute pancreatitis is an important cause of diabetes in some areas.

Psychological factors:

Acute emotional upset, shock or mental stress may unmask latent diabets. However, this factor plays a greater role in enhancing established diabetes than in actually causing this disease.

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Causes of Diabetes- I

All the causative factors of diabetes have still not been discovered. But the known factors have been discussed below:

Heredity:

We can get reference of the familial nature of diabetes in ancient medical texts. More than forty six percent give a family history of the disease of the total diabetics. There are varied opinions about how parents pass on this disease to their children but non has been able to fully explain how heredity actually acts. Till recent past, It was believed that the hereditary character of diabetes follows the principles of the renowned geneticist Mendell, i.e.,

1. If both the parents are diabetics, all their children get the disease,
2. If one of the parents is diabetic and another is a diabetes career (one who does not have the disease but can transmit it), half the number of their children get the disease,
3. If both the parents are diabetes- careers, one fourth the number of their children get the disease and
4. If one of the parent is a diabetic and other is healthy, their children remain free from diabetes.

However, detailed studies and surveys have proved the fallacy of this belief. It is often seen that children of diabetic parents are healthy in every respect. In identical twins one child may have diabetes and the other may remain free from the disease. Such diabetics are also seen who hae no family history of the disease. Some researchers believe that diabetes develops not because the person has inherited defective chromosome from his parents but becuase he has not received that chromosome from his parents which imparts resistance to his disease. In short, it can be said that even though hereditary factors do play a role in the development of diabetes to what extent and in what way these factors act is still a mystery.

It can be said that hereditary factors can become effective only when certain other exciting environmental factors like obesity, faulty dietary habits and inadequate physical exertion are at work.

Obesity:

There is close connection between diabetes and obesity. Overweight persons become easy victims to diabetes. It is shown by studies that 60 to 80 percent of diabetes are due to overweight. The more the obesity, the greater is the mortality rate due to complications of diabetes. Body weight which is 30 percent below the ideal is an almost certain guarantee against diabetes.

Incorrect Dietary habits:

It may be noted that the food can maintain or save life but i can destroy life as well. Proper food serves the purpose of medicine while improper food works as poison and causes disease.

We may take pride in calling ourselves highly civilised but we have started to flout all the norms about the quality and quantity of food. Attracted to material pleasures, we have become slaves to our tongues. We have deleted bran from the flour, we mostly eat processed foods and refined sugar. In short, we can say that we hae drifted away from mother nature, thereby initiating a rise in the incidence of diabetes. According to a survey, diabetes was rare in the natives of Iceland and Canada, a few years ago. With the advent of processed and junk foods in these regions, the incidence of diabetes shot up within a very short time.

By offering chocolates, cakes and ice creams too often to our children, by giving the refrigerator a place in our homes and by attending parties every other day, we infact invite obesity and diabetes.

For the origin of diabetes, excessive food is as much to be blamed as improper (i.e., refined and processed) food. The body has to produce more digestive juices and insulinto digest excessive food. Under the pressure of such excessive work-load, the pancreas gland weakens and ultimately break down, leading to diabetes. Many a renowned researcher holds the belief that the deficiency of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) in our diet may also be a cause of diabetes. Lack of Vitamin B6 causes the transformation of tryptophane (an amino-acid present in our diet) into xanthurenic acid which harms the beta cells of teh pancreas to cause diabetes. If experimental animals are fed with a Vitamin b6 deficient diet, pancreatic destruction starts within 48 hours and symptoms of diabetes show up. A similar result can be obtained by injecting xanthurenic acid into the bodies of animals. If the pancreas is not completely damaged, large doses of Vitamin B6 can reverse the symptoms of diabetes. Experiments have also shown that treatment with the mineral magnesium to produces similarly celubrious effects on experimentally damaged pancreases.

Consumption of food containing excessive animal proteins, saturated fats and calories also stimulates the production of xanthurentic acid inside the body. A similar effect is produced by the penicillin group of drugs. Some researchers believe that diabetes arises not because of inheriting defective chromosome but because of genetically determined excessive requirement of vitamin B6 and of course, further research and investigations are called for to validate this belief.


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Happy New Year

Dear friends,

Wish you a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year 2006

Cheers!!!

Team- Knowledge is Healing