Warning Signs Diabetes

I am not a doctor (only a diabetic determined to live with the disease. Therefore the below definition may be overly simplistic. However, it should provide a good starting point for our discussion on the warning signs of diabetes.

Diabetes (otherwise called "Diabetes mellitus")

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) and several other signs. There are three main forms of diabetes mellitus: type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes (occurring during pregnancy).

All forms are due to the beta cells of the pancreas being unable to produce sufficient insulin to prevent high blood sugar levels.

Type 1 is usually due to autoimmune destruction of the pancreatic beta cells which produce insulin.
Type 2 is characterized by tissue-wide insulin resistance. This form of diabetes has man variants. (This is the situation which I am dealing with personally.)
Gestational diabetes is similar to type 2 diabetes, but the insulin resistance of gestational diabetes is caused and aggravated by the hormones of pregnancy in women genetically so predisposed to developing this disease.

Types 1 and 2 are believed to be both chronic and incurable. However, both are treatable. Combinations of diet, exercise, tablets and insulin help keep condition and most complications under manageable control. Diabetes can and will cause many complications. Acute complications include hypoglycemia, ketoacidosis or nonketotic, hyperosmolar coma may occur.

This is why it is extremely important keep blood sugar levels monitored and under control. Other severe, long term complications are cardiovascular disease, chronic renal (kidney) failure (diabetic nephropathy is a main cause of dialysis), retinal damage (which can lead to blindness), nerve damage (of several kinds), and microvascular damage (which may cause erectile dysfunction), and poor healing. This site cannot mention all the possibilities but my advice is for a diabetic to seek out competent physicians who offer additional training and classes. The more you know now the more you can save your health later!

Frequent trips to the bathroom
Are you going to the bathroom much more lately? Urination becomes more frequent when there is too much sugar in the blood. If insulin is nonexistent or ineffective, the kidneys can't filter enough glucose back to the blood. They have to draw extra water out of the blood to dilute the glucose. This keeps your bladder full and it keeps you running to the bathroom.

Persistent Thirst
This was the sign that I first noticed in my own diabetes. I should have gone to the doctor right away, but I did not. Don't be foolish. Your thirst could be a sign of diabetes, especially if it seems to go with frequent urination. Your body is pulling extra water out of your blood and you're burying to the bathroom more, you are becoming dehydrated and feel the need to drink more to replace the water.

Weight Loss
This symptom is more noticeable with Type 1 diabetes. In Type 1, the body often attacks the insulin producing cells. The body looks for an energy source because the cells aren't getting glucose. It starts to break down muscle tissue and fat for energy. However, it also affects type 2 with gradually increasing insulin resistance.

Weakness and Fatigue
It's all about that glucose again. Glucose from the food we eat travels into the bloodstream where insulin helps it transfer into the cells of our body. The cells use it to produce the energy we need to live. When the insulin isn't there you feel sluggish. Or if the cells don't react to it anymore, then the glucose stays outside the cells in the bloodstream. The cells become energy starved, tired and run down.

Tingling or Numbness in Your Hands, Legs or Feet
Also called neuropathy. It occurs gradually over time as consistently high glucose in the blood damages the nervous system, especially in the extremities. Type 2 diabetes is a gradual onset, and people are often not aware that they have it. Therefore, blood sugar might have been high for more than a few years before a diagnosis is made. Nerve damage creeps up without our knowledge. Neuropathy can very often improve when tighter blood glucose control is achieved.

The above are the major warning signs but there are also many other. For examples, blurred vision, skin that is dry or itchy, frequent infections or cuts and bruises that take a long time to heal. If you notice any of the above signs, contact your doctor. He or she will be able to tell you if you have reason to be concerned about a diagnosis of diabetes.

4 Factors That Trigger Type 2 Diabetes

By Tom Jensen

Type 2 diabetes is preventable. In fact, the best way to prevent type 2 diabetes is to talk to your doctor and have him look more deeply into your family's medical history. Type 2 diabetes, in case you are not aware, is often based on genetics. Thus, your doctor may be able to predict if you are likely going to develop type 2 diabetes several years before you get the disease.

Thanks to numerous studies conducted that focused on diabetes, doctors are now able to help thousands of patients who are at risk of developing diabetes. Four environmental factors have been identified as being responsible for triggering type 2 diabetes. It is not only genetics that determines diabetes, but other factors as well.

So what are these four environmental factors that trigger type 2 diabetes:

1. Sedentary Lifestyle

According to numerous studies, a person who leads a sedentary lifestyle increases his risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Studies show that inactivity can trigger type 2 diabetes.

2. High BMI

BMI (Body Mass Index) pertains to how a person's weight relates to his height. The higher a person's BMI, the higher the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In many cases, individuals with a high BMI are often inactive. It is believed that leading a sedentary lifestyle increases a person's BMI, thus increasing his risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

3. Visceral Fat

Individuals with a lot of fat in their midsection are believed to be at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. This type of fat is referred to as visceral fat. When the body is not able to burn fat efficiently, it simply keeps storing it in the body. Over time, the body becomes overweight, with most of the extra fat stored in the belly. Individuals who are already genetically predisposed to type 2 diabetes need to be careful about visceral fat because it is believed to create more insulin resistance than the fat stored in other parts of the body.

4. Low or No Fiber Diet

According to studies, individuals who have diabetes lacked fiber in their diet. Dietary fiber is found to slow down the rate in which glucose enters into the bloodstream. Thus, individuals can lower their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by increasing the fiber content in the diet.

Learn the Facts About Diabetes Type Two by visiting http://www.facts-about-diabetes.com - Discover What Causes Diabetes

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Jensen
http://EzineArticles.com/?4-Factors-That-Trigger-Type-2-Diabetes&id=1196836

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