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August 11, 2008
Most of us would take medicines or eat fruits and vegetables for controlling diabetes as a precautionary step. But the latest researches suggest that taking broccoli regularly with your meal would undo the damage caused by diabetes to heart blood vessels.
The research team in The University of Warwick believes that a compound found in vegetables called “sulforaphane” is the key. Chemically speaking, this particular compound encourages the production of enzymes which protect the blood vessels and also helps the reduction of molecules that causes cell damage.
The vegetable family where broccoli is also a member is known for reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The specialty with diabetes patients is that they have a risk of getting heart attacks and strokes five times than usual. So broccoli can be considered as one of the best food for reducing this fivefold risk.
I would like to quote a statement made by the lead researcher Professor Paul Thornalley: “Our study suggests that compounds such as sulforaphane from broccoli may help counter processes linked to the development of vascular disease in diabetes. In future, it will be important to test if eating a diet rich in brassica vegetables has health benefits for diabetic patients. We expect that it will.”
As the key observation of the research, the research team recorded a 73 percent reduction of molecules in the body called Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and it is a clear and direct indication of risk reduction for cell damage. Usually high glucose levels (hyperglycaemia) can cause cell damages and produce a high level of ROS.
The research team also found that sulforaphane activated a protein in the body called “nrf2” which protects cells and tissues from damage by activating protective antioxidants and enzymes. So eating broccoli would protect and undo the damage caused by diabetes in multiple ways.
Posted in Diets And Diabetes 
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July 30, 2008
As we know, there are hundreds of parameters involved in diabetics and age is only one of them. But it has more prominence than other factors as it has a direct and linear relationship with the decease. Researches show this linear relationship to have a positive trend with the age so in simple terms, when you grow old, you have more risk of getting diabetes.
It is found that diabetes is marginally common among the men than women. This margin becomes wider at higher age. From 1990, the records indicate that the number of diabetes patients has become doubled and it is reflected among all the age groups. But the amazing fact is that the percentage of increase for the age group from 20 to 39 years has hardly changed. The higher and prominent percentage is recorded in higher age groups than 39 years. So this increase does not have a linear effect but it has an exponential effect. There can be many reasons for this sharp increase of diabetes such as food, overweight problems, media etc. Due to media, more people tent to take medical tests for diagnosing diabetes and get in to records.
Age increase the risk of only type 2 diabetes as type two has many risk factors involved over type 1. But medical observations suggest that there have been number of cases reported where diabetes with children below 12 years of age. The theory behind this is that pancreas ages right along with us and does not pump insulin as efficiently as it did when we are younger. Also on the other hand, when our cells age, they become more resistant to insulin than they were younger. Both these issues cause type 2 diabetes to be increased with the age and both seems quite natural.
Posted in Diabetes Risk Factors No Comments »
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July 21, 2008
Nanotechnology is one of the fastest growing technologies which have number of applications in almost all the fields of sciences. From medicine to rocket science, it finds more and more applications day-by-day. In this short article, we discuss the application of nanotechnology in curing diabetes.
What is nanotechnology? It is a chemical and mechanical technology which is in nano-scale. These nano-scale devices are made of few or more atoms or molecules. Nano-devices can be designed in many ways to perform many functions. Due to the small scale of these devices, they are perfect for dealing with human body as these devices fall in to the same scales as many of the building blocks of human body such as enzymes, tissues, chemicals such as insulin, glucose etc.
There are few approaches made by the nanotechnology to heal diabetes. First one is to change the drug delivery method for diabetes patients. The current method is to inject insulin doze whenever necessary. I think I don’t have to mention the hassle the patients go through when they are supposed to get few injections per day. The new approach would facilitate patients to inhale insulin so it will go down to lungs and then be absorbed to the blood stream. The nanotechnology touched insulin will have the ability to be absorbed by the lungs. So, no more painful injections.
The second approach is to implant a nano-scale devices in the body where they can measure the blood glucose level in the body and let the patient know when the doze is needed and how much. This is quite handy as the patient doesn’t have to go through the conventional blood test to see whether his or her blood sugar level is fine. But unfortunately this does not stop the need of injections.
Anyway, what nanotechnology achieved so far is promising when compared to the current treatments for diabetes. There are so many other nanotechnology approaches to cure and manage diabetes but still in their primary stages. It can be believed that above two methods will be the first success stories of the field.
Posted in Diabetes Test 1 Comment »
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June 30, 2008
Here’s a glimpse of the course of action that will follow once you are recommended by a physician to get started on insulin treatment.
The needles used to inject insulin are very fine and sharp however, most injections are said to be virtually painless. Understandably, the word ‘injections’ usually make patients apprehensive. Not to forget the underlying meaning that it is going to take a whole life time to get rid of the injections once you get started. At least for majority of cases, that is how the case looks like. For this reason, hospitals and clinics usually administer lessons in injection technique for beginners.
Insulin is usually administered by a pen injection device but can be drawn up from a vial into special plastic insulin syringes marked in units (100 U in 1 ml), as well. The common places in the body to be injected are abdomen, thighs or upper arm where the needle is usually inserted in to its full length. There are five common types of needles available to be used with pen injection devices. Adults usually use a 30 gauge 8 mm needle while children use a 31 gauge 6 mm needle. When it comes to the pen devices, they come in two types of reusable and disposable.
It is an important requirement to change the injection site regularly to prevent areas of lipohypertrophy. You may have heard that insulin absorption defers from person to person. This notion in fact is correct. The rate of insulin absorption usually depends on local subcutaneous blood flow and is accelerated by exercise, local massage or a warm environment. Absorption from the abdomen is more rapid than from the arm and it is slowest when the injection is taken on the thigh.
So as it is clear by now, everybody needs careful training for a life with insulin and the easiest and the most comfortable way to achieve this is to get some training. If you have a friend who is a trained nurse, you may find some consolation and seek advice from him/her. Either way, it is very important that you learn the techniques properly and feel comfortable about it because insulin will only take you a long way if you take insulin properly and take it a long way.
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June 21, 2008
We will further explore ways and means of how to parent a diabetic teenager. As we discussed in the previous article, by now we understand that it is not an easy task. So it always comes in handy to know what to expect from your teenager. Know that he/she is also going through a tough patch in life to cope up with diabetes, as much as or more than you are.
Living with diabetes is a life transforming experience however; you don’t have to make it a traumatized experience for your child nor to yourself. It is totally inappropriate to jump on his/her back every time the blood glucose levels go high. You may naturally suspect that he/she has eaten something out of the scheduled meal or that he/she hasn’t exercised enough. However, the matter of fact could be that the levels have sprung high due to upcoming growth sprouts. Always remember that your child is a teenager and that his/her body is subjected to momentarily hormonal changes out of no reason.
Understand that peer pressure works miracles for teenagers therefore if you can find another teenager from the neighborhood who is also suffering from diabetes; make arrangements for them to spend time together. It is always easier for your child to grow up with peer support rather than without it.
Some parents discriminate their children in very subtle ways without intending to do so. However, the outcome almost always turns out to harmful to the child in one way or another. Therefore, stop treating your child as a person with illness. Stop materializing the diabetic condition. Never bring it out in front of friends or family in an attempt to belittle the child. Don’t even make it the topic of discussion at the family dinner table because your child should not feel ‘different’ just because he/she has a medical condition.
Remember that creating a distance in your relationship with your teen child is the worst thing that can happen to you. Teenage is a period where they experience a lot of emotions and entanglements such as identity crisis. So don’t ever give an opportunity for your teenager to get behind others just because of a medical condition. After all, it is not life threatening if handled carefully. Instead, encourage him/her to involve in things he/she excels in so that he/she will grow up feeling good about him/her despite what goes on inside his/her body.
Posted in Introduction To Diabetes No Comments »
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June 11, 2008
We all know that adolescence is a period of complications when it comes to both physical and mental stability. The bodily hormonal changes are the main culprit and if your teenager has diabetes, it may be even worse news for you. This may be so, because hormones involved with growth will cause blood sugar levels to swing up and down momentarily. So here are some tips on how to handle your teen suffering with diabetes.
Firstly, it is important to avoid clashes of interest. Therefore you need to be very clear on what is good for your teenager and what is not. Say whatever you want to convey in a tone and voice that will make your child understand its consequences.
It is quite obvious that your child will not refrain from all fiestas when all other people his/her age enjoy the luxury of junk food and similar. However, it is up to you to make him/her understand the true meaning of healthy food. Always make it a point to make the deal a perfect give and take. For example, you could let him/her eat pizza once a week provided he/she agrees to drink soup and eat a whole bunch of low carb food at least 2-3 days a week.
Be realistic in your expectations and let your child feel that they should take responsibility for their actions. Make it clear to them that you cannot watch over them or be after them all the time, so the responsibility of looking after their health is solely up to them.
It is also a very good idea to get your child involved in diabetes help groups for teenagers so that they will know there are other people going through the same situation and emotions that he/she is going through. Perhaps it will come as a ‘soothing experience’ of sharing daily up and downs, where they will find comfort and share their own ways and means of dealing with certain situations, in their own customized way.
Most important of all is to give your teenager enough liberty to make the choices of diet and exercise they want but also make them aware of the consequences they will face if they comply with the regulations needed and if they would not.
Posted in Introduction To Diabetes No Comments »
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May 26, 2008
Hypoglycemia, also known as low blood sugar is a rare incident that occurs simultaneously in somebody who’s already been diagnosed with diabetes. However, the case depends on the type of diabetes one may have. If a person with type II diabetes over exhaust himself, he is likely to suffer momentarily episodes of hypoglycemia. So if you have been diagnosed with diabetes, this is one good reason why you should watch how much exercise you get and how much you strain yourself.
Hypoglycemia develops when hepatic glucose output falls below the rate of glucose uptake by peripheral tissues. This condition may be a result of either the inhibition of hepatic glycogenolysis or glucogenolysis by insulin, or depletion of hepatic glycogen reserves due to malnutrition, fasting, exercises or advanced liver disease, or due to impaired gluconeuogenesis (following alcohol consumption etc.) The most common symptoms of hypoglycemia are associated with neurology because the brain consumes about 50% of the total glucose produced in the liver.
However, common external symptoms of hypoglycemia are hunger, perspiration, nervousness and shakiness, confusions, sleepiness, dizziness, feeling anxious and/or weak. If you have type II diabetes, you may experience episodes of hypoglycemia during sleep. At such point you might cry out or have nightmares, wake up from dampness of pajamas or bed sheets due to heavy perspiration or feel very tired, irritable and or confused when you wake up.
Another aspect of hypoglycemia is caused by diabetic medication because diabetic medications would try to level up the blood glucose in the body however; in return, due to life styles etc. the impact of the medication on the body may be too strong leading to a hypoglycemic state. However, there is no need to worry because usually, hypoglycemia is easy to treat. So if you are sure that you are having a hypoglycemic episode, quickly eat or drink something which is high on the glycemic index that will release energy fast. However, if hypoglycemia is left untreated it can lead to loss of consciousness and could even be lethal.
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