Every year in the region of 10,000 people in the United States alone are diagnoses with type II diabetes and reactions to the diagnosis of this serious condition will vary widely. There are however a number of fairly common reactions and concerns and we will look at 5 of them here.

1. Anger. For many people their first reaction is one of anger that this disease should have entered their life and is threatening their future. A commonly heard comment is “why me?” This anger is also often turned against the disease and sufferers simply comment that they “hate this disease” and “want to have nothing to do with it”.

Anger can be an extremely destructive emotion but it can also be a powerful force for good and the secret is to understand your anger and then channel it into fighting diabetes rather than fighting against it.

2. Denial. One of the most common reactions to a diagnosis of diabetes is denial, particularly when the diagnosis is made early and symptoms are very mild.

As type 2 diabetes normally progresses quite slowly, initial denial isn’t really a problem and doctors will often allow patients time to “get used to the idea”. However, if a patient continues to deny the fact that there is anything wrong with them and to simply carry on regardless, then the failure to accept treatment can lead to serious complications. Diabetes, once diagnosed, isn’t simply going to disappear and it is vital that patients accept this fact and start to work with their doctor.

3. Depression. Living with diabetes can be difficult at times, particularly as the disease progresses and you begin to suffer some of the complications. There will also be times when it is difficult to keep your blood sugar levels under control and it is only natural for you to feel that you are fighting a losing battle.

If you do find yourself getting depressed then don’t simply bottle it up, but talk to your doctor. Often there may a simple physical cause for your depression which can be treated quickly and easily and, where this is not the case, then being able to talk through your feelings with somebody who understands your problem and can suggest a strategy to overcome your depression can be immensely helpful.

4. Sickness. We all get sick from time to time but, when you are suffering from diabetes, a simple cold or flu can quickly lead to greatly elevated blood sugar levels and you can find yourself in serious trouble very quickly.

It is very important therefore that you discuss this with your doctor and that you have a clear plan to cope with illness. It is important for example that you understand the effect that illness can have on your diabetes and understand how to monitor your blood sugar levels and when to call for assistance.

5. Becoming a prisoner of your condition. All too many diabetes sufferers become a prisoner of their condition and feel that they can no longer get out and about and, in particular, go away from home on holiday.

There is absolutely no reason at all why you should not continue to enjoy life to the full and that includes foreign travel. The important difference now is that you have to think about such things as where you are going, how you will be traveling, what you will be eating and a variety of other things and planning accordingly. This may make traveling a little more difficult, but it certainly doesn’t preclude travel.

These are just some of the problems that face many people when a diagnosis of diabetes is made but none of these problems are insurmountable and millions of people are living full and enjoyable lives despite suffering from diabetes.

Technorati Tags: cause of diabetes, Diabetes Test, diabetes treatment, Type 2 Diabetes

People with diabetes are prone to a range of different skin complaints. Some of these including bacterial infections, fungal infections and itching are not specific to diabetes sufferers, although individuals with diabetes will normally experience these problems more frequently than the general population. There are however several skin complaints which are either seen most often, or only, in cases of diabetes. These include:

1. Diabetic dermopathy. Diabetes often causes changes to the minor blood vessels which, when these are close to the skin surface, can result in light brown, circular or oval, scaly patches. These patches, which often occur on the front of the legs and are easily mistaken for age spots, are quite harmless and do not require treatment.

2. NLD. NLD (necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum) which, like diabetic dermopathy is caused by changes to the minor blood vessels, produces similar spots although they tend to be both fewer in number and larger in size. The spots often appear as a dull red, raised area of skin which develops into a shiny scar with a violet colored border. On occasion spots can become itchy and even painful and can also break open, at which point treatment is required. This is a rare condition which is most likely to be seen in older women.

3. Diabetic blisters. In rare cases diabetes sufferers can suddenly encounter an eruption of blister, normally on the back of their fingers, hands, toes or feet. Very occasionally eruptions will also occur on the legs and forearms. Diabetic blisters are sometimes quite large and look like burn blisters but are painless and often disappear within a matter of two or three weeks. The only treatment for such blisters is to reduce blood sugar levels.

4. Eruptive xanthomatosis. Eruptive xanthomatosis appears as small, firm, yellow enlargements in the skin normally about the size of a pea. Each enlargement will normally have a reddish ring around it and may be quite itchy. Eruptions are most commonly seen on the back of the hands, arms, feet and legs, as well as on the buttocks, and occur most frequently in younger men suffering from type 1 diabetes. Once again the treatment is to reduce blood sugar levels.

5. Digital sclerosis. Digital sclerosis is the tightening and thickening of the skin on the back of the hands and can also occasionally be seen on the toes and forehead. The skin will also have a wax-like appearance and the joints of the finger become stiff. In rare cases stiffness may also be experiences in the ankles, knees and elbows. Again the only treatment is to lower blood sugar levels.

6. Acanthosis nigricans. Acanthosis nigricans is characterized by the presence of brown (often quite pale) raised areas of skin on the neck, armpits and groin and, occasionally, on the hands, elbows and knees. It is most often seen in people who are considerably overweight and the best treatment is to lose weight.

7. Disseminated granuloma annulare. This condition manifests itself as ring or arc-shaped raised areas of skin which are clearly defined, red, reddish-brown or skin colored and which appear on the extremities of the body such as the fingers or ears. This condition can often be treated with drugs and your doctor should be consulted.

Fortunately, this range of skin conditions is largely preventable and, when the conditions do appear, they can often be treated quite easily.

Technorati Tags: cause of diabetes, diabetes treatment, skin problems, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes, which was previously known as adult-onset diabetes, can creep up on you quite slowly and often you can be suffering from type 2 diabetes for a considerable period of time before it is diagnosed.

Type 2 diabetes has now reached epidemic proportions according to the Center for Disease Control and that means that there are literally million of people walking around today not just with type II diabetes but, more importantly, with as yet undiagnosed diabetes or diabetes which is in its early stages of development.

This early stage type 2 diabetes, during which blood sugar levels are elevated but not raised sufficiently to warrant a diagnosis of diabetes, is known as pre-diabetes and, although it may not appear to be of serious concern, studies show that, even at this early stage, permanent long-term damage is being done, especially to the circulatory system and to the heart. Pre-diabetes currently affects over 50 million Americans.

Because pre-diabetes does not present any symptoms, the only way to tell whether or not you are suffering from it is to ask your doctor to test for the presence of the disease. Now, since we can’t start testing the whole population this leads to the question of just who is most likely to be at risk from pre-diabetes. Well, in simple terms, if you are over the age of 45 and are overweight (and this mean not just grossly overweight but even modestly overweight) then you should consider asking to be tested. If you are under the age of 45 and are again overweight then testing may also be advisable but, in this case, you should discuss this with your doctor and be guided by him.

Testing is a fairly simple process using one of two standard tests – a fasting plasma glucose test or an oral glucose tolerance test. These tests will indicate whether your blood glucose levels are normal, pre-diabetic or diabetic.

The good news is that, if your test reveals that you are pre-diabetic then bringing your blood glucose levels back down to normal and returning your body to a good state of health and forestalling the onset of diabetes is generally quite simple.

Although medication can be used to correct pre-diabetes, tests have shown that a simple program of diet and exercise, combined if necessary with a relatively modest weight loss, can often return blood glucose levels to normal quite quickly and, as long as you maintain a healthy diet and an exercise program, there is no reason at all why your blood glucose level should not remain at normal levels for a considerable period of time. This does not of course mean that you will eliminate the risk of developing type 2 diabetes altogether, but it does mean that you can delay its onset and prevent early and irreparable damage to your circulatory system and heart.

When we talk about a program of weight loss and exercise here we are not talking about anything too drastic and a reduction in weight of as little as 5% to 10% and a light exercise program of say 30 minutes of brisk walking 5 times a week can be sufficient.

Pre-diabetes is a serious problem which is both easy to detect and simple to treat. All that we are really lacking at the moment is sufficient publicly available pre-diabetic information.

Technorati Tags: cause of diabetes, Diabetes Test, diabetes treatment, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes, which accounts for some 90% to 95% of all cases of diabetes, is seen mainly in adults over the age of 40, although it is increasingly being seen today at younger ages, and even in quite young children.

Type 2 diabetes symptoms are often very mild in the early stages of the condition and you could well find that you are suffering from type 2 diabetes for many years before it is eventually diagnosed.

In order to function correctly your body requires energy which it gets in large part by converting the food which you eat into glucose, which is then transported around your body and delivered to your body’s cells through the bloodstream.

The transfer of glucose from the blood and into your cells requires the presence of insulin and, in the case of type 2 diabetes your body becomes resistant to insulin and, as a result, glucose begins to build up in your bloodstream.

It is this excess of glucose in the blood which leads to the common type 2 diabetes symptoms of:

• Increased thirst
• Increased hunger
• Tiredness
• Increased urination – especially during the night
• Weight loss
• Blurred vision
• Sores which do not heal

If these type 2 diabetes symptoms are present but you do not seek treatment then serious complications can follow including such things as blindness, renal failure and coronary artery disease.

Technorati Tags: cause of diabetes, Diabetes Test, diabetes treatment, Type 2 Diabetes

Although in rare cases type 1 diabetes can present quite suddenly, type 1 diabetes symptoms will normally develop quite slowly over several weeks, months or even years.

In order for your body to function the cells of your body require glucose which is transferred to the cells from the blood.

This transfer requires the presence of insulin within your bloodstream but, in the case of type 1 diabetes your body is either unable to produce insulin or can only produce it is relatively small quantities.

This failure of your body to produce insulin results in a build up of glucose in your blood and it is this excess of glucose which gives rise to a wide range of symptoms.

The first signs of type 1 diabetes are often an inability to regulate water within your body which means that become unusually thirsty and frequently need the toilet. At the same time, because your body cannot take up the glucose that it needs to provide you with energy, the brain triggers the need to eat and you feel very hungry. Additional symptoms caused as a direct result of your body not receiving sufficient energy are a feeling of tiredness, as well as nausea and blurred vision.

Along with these symptoms you should also look out for muscle cramps, which are often caused by an electrolyte imbalance and numbness or tingling in both your hands and feet.

You may also find that you are losing weight as your body burns fat to replace its lost source of glucose energy and as the water levels in your body drop. As it is unusual to experience both an increased appetite and a loss in weight at the same time this is often a good indication of the presence of type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes will often creep up on you slowly and, by the time the symptoms are severe enough for you to visit your doctor you will often find that he can trace the start of your diabetes back several weeks or even months.

In rare cases type 1 diabetes symptoms can appear suddenly as an emergency and will require a visit to your local hospital emergency room. In this case you will experience nausea, vomiting and severe stomach pains and, without treatment, you can soon start to experience breathing difficulties and even lapse into a coma and die.

Type 1 diabetes symptoms are often seen in children but can easily be mistaken for the symptoms of any one of a range of common childhood illnesses. For this reason, it is especially important to watch for the signs and to talk to your doctor if you are in any doubt.

Technorati Tags: cause of diabetes, Diabetes Test, diabetes treatment, Type 1 Diabetes

Diabetes has been known, although not fully understood, for centuries and takes its name from a Greek word which means “passing through” in reference to one of the condition’s major symptoms – that of excessive urine production. The word Mellitus was then added many years later during the fifteenth century from the Latin for “honey” in reference to the fact that patients with diabetes were found to have high levels of sugar in both their blood and urine.

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder which specifically affects the metabolism of carbohydrates and which requires medical treatment and, invariably, a range of lifestyle changes.

The human body requires a source of energy in order to function and takes it energy from the food that we eat. This food is composed of a mixture of carbohydrates, proteins and fats with carbohydrates accounting for between 55% and 75% of this mix in a normal balanced diet. High carbohydrate foods include such things as beans, bran, bread, cereals, pasta and rice.

As food passes through the digestive system it is broken down into a variety of organic compounds and one of these, which the body uses as a prime source of energy, is glucose. Glucose is carried to various parts of the body through the bloodstream and is extracted by the cells of the body to fuel cell repair and growth.

One essential element in the transfer of glucose from the blood to the body’s cells is insulin, which is produced by specialized cells known as beta-cells which are located in an area of the pancreas called the islets of Langerhans.

People with diabetes fall into two broad categories – those with type 1 diabetes (which used to be known as “childhood” or “juvenile” diabetes) and those with type 2 (adult) diabetes. There is also often said to be a third form of diabetes known as type 3 or gestational diabetes but, although there are some differences, this is essentially nothing more than type 2 diabetes which happens to occur during, and as a result of, pregnancy.

In the case of type 1 diabetes patients develop a problem with the insulin producing beta-cells in the pancreas and the body is unable to produce sufficient insulin to move glucose from the blood into the body’s cells. As a result it is necessary to very closely monitor the levels of glucose in the blood and then to administer insulin (often by regular injection) so that glucose can be moved into the body’s cells and the level of glucose in the blood brought back down to normal.

In type 2 diabetes the body often continues to produce insulin normally but the cells of the body develop a resistant to it and insulin levels in the blood start to increase. In the early stages of type 2 diabetes this can often be counteracted by lowering the intake of glucose producing carbohydrates, increasing physical activity and losing weight, especially where weight loss is aimed at trimming fat from the area of the abdomen. If the condition worsens then it can normally be controlled through the use of medication.

At present there is no cure for either type 1 or type 2 diabetes and, although the symptoms of both can often be reduced very considerably, most patients will require ongoing treatment throughout life.

Technorati Tags: cause of diabetes, diabetes blood sugar level, Diabetes Test, diabetes treatment, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes

As is the case with most diseases there is a wealth of misinformation surrounding diabetes and here are 7 commonly heard myths when it comes to this particular disease:

1. Diabetes sufferers cannot eat candy or chocolate. There is no reason at all why people with diabetes should not eat candy and chocolate, or indeed such things as cakes and sweet desserts, as long as these are eaten in moderation and form just one part of a normal healthy diet plan.

2. Eating too much sugar can actually cause diabetes. Although the causes of diabetes are not fully understood, excessive consumption of sugar is certainly not one of them. In general it is believed that diabetes is genetic in origin and is triggered by a combination of environmental and lifestyle factors.

Eating too much sugar could of course lead to an individual gaining weight and excessive weight is certainly one factor that can increase the risk of developing type II diabetes. It is however the excess weight that you are carrying and not the sugar that can trigger diabetes.

3. Diabetes is contagious. It is sometimes said that you can catch diabetes in much the same way as you would catch a cold or flu. There is no truth in this at all. It is believed however that diabetes sufferers are genetically predisposed to the disease and that it is triggered by environmental factors which will include both viruses and drugs, including antibiotics. It is possible therefore that catching a common illness, or treating that illness with antibiotics, may lead to the onset of diabetes.

4. Diabetes sufferers are required to eat a special diabetic diet. So called “Diabetic” or “Diatetic” versions of some foods which are commonly sold in health food stores are nothing more than a marketing ploy. Diabetics, like everyone else, should eat a normal balanced diet which is low in fat and which contains moderate levels of both salt and sugar. The addition of whole grain foods, vegetables and fruit is also beneficial.

5. Diabetic suffers should only eat very small amounts of carbohydrate. Carbohydrates, from which the body gets much of the glucose required for energy, are found in a range of foods including beans, bread, cereals, pasta and rice and normally account for about half to three-quarters of our dietary intake. Diabetics can and should include carbohydrates in their diet, especially as they also contain essential fiber, and the secret here is to simply ensure that they are balanced with other foods and that portion sizes are reasonable.

6. Diabetes sufferers are prone to catching colds and flu. There is no evidence to show that people with diabetes are any more or less likely than anybody else to catch a cold or flu. Because, however, illnesses of this nature can often interfere with levels of blood sugar, and thus make the management of diabetes more difficult, diabetes sufferers are encouraged to try to avoid catching such illnesses and, in particular, to have an annual flu shot.

7. Taking insulin can lead to high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries. In early tests there was some suggestion that insulin might play a role in triggering processes associated with the development of hardened arteries but time has shown that there is no evidence that insulin causes either high blood pressure or hardening of the arteries.

There are of course many other myths surrounding diabetes, including the fact that insulin can cause obesity and that diabetes sufferers should eat copious quantities of fruit, but the 7 which we have listed here are probably the most often heard myths.

Technorati Tags: cause of diabetes, diabetes blood sugar level, Diabetes Test, diabetes treatment, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes

The cause of diabetes will depend upon whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

The cause of diabetes in the case of type 1 diabetes is the destruction of insulin-producing beta cells within the pancreas.

This destruction is the result of an autoimmune disease in which the body’s own immune system, normally responsible for fighting off disease, turns against part of the body – in this case the cells which are responsible for producing insulin within an area of the pancreas known as the Islets of Langerhans.

In healthy individuals the body digests the food that is eaten and converts part of this into glucose which is then carried throughout the body within the bloodstream to act as fuel for the cells of the body.

In order for the body to make use of this fuel however it is necessary to have a mechanism for transferring glucose from the blood into the cells and an essential element of this mechanism is the presence of insulin in the blood.

If the body is unable to produce insulin (or unable to produce it in sufficient quantity) then glucose will remain and build up in the bloodstream causing diabetes.

Exactly why the immune system turns on itself in this case is a mystery at present, although it is clear that there is some genetic reason for this which, when combined with the right set of environmental factors, will trigger the destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells.

In the case of type 2 diabetes, which accounts for the vast majority of all cases of the disease, the cause of diabetes is an inability on the part of the body to use the insulin which is produced. In other words, the cells of the body become resistant to the effects of insulin and, once again, the transfer of glucose from the blood into the cells of the body is affected and glucose levels build up.

As with type 1 diabetes the cause of insulin resistance remains very much a mystery.

Technorati Tags: cause of diabetes, diabetes blood sugar level, Diabetes Test, diabetes treatment, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes

Take this simple diabetes test to see whether or not you are at risk from this condition.

Before you take this diabetes test it should be understood that this test does not indicate whether or not you are suffering from diabetes – This can only be determined by your doctor.

This diabetes test is simply designed to indicate whether or not you fall into one of those groups of individuals who are more likely to suffer from diabetes than the population at large.

Below you will find 7 diabetes test questions each of which requires a simple “yes” or “no” answer. To the right of each question there is a score which depends upon your answer.

For example, if you are 45 years of age then your answer to the third question will be “no” and you will score “0″ points.

Once you have answered all of the questions simply add up your score and then take a look at the evaluation at the bottom of the page.

If your total score is 10 or greater then you are at a reasonably high risk (compared to the general population) of suffering from diabetes and should talk to your doctor on your next routine visit to the surgery.

If your score is between 3 and 9 then your risk of contracting diabetes (compared to the general population) is relatively low. You should however remember that your level of risk is likely to change in the future and so, while you can put diabetes to the back of your mind for the moment, you should not forget about it altogether and should take a further diabetes test at a later date.

Technorati Tags: cause of diabetes, diabetes blood sugar level, Diabetes Test, diabetes treatment, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes