All Blood Tests

The Glycaemic Index is known as GI and is a ranking for foods based on their effect on glucose levels, that’s particularly useful for diabetics who need to monitor their blood glucose levels. Some foods are absorbed quicker than others, and the quickest of these will have the highest rating. The GI rating system is useful for diabetics, but there are important factors to consider when researching the GI ranking of different foods and meals.

Slow releasing carbohydrates are better for everyone, especially diabetics. The reason for this is that the carbohydrates are absorbed by the body much slower, meaning that you can maintain a normal appetite and keep your blood sugar at a safe and healthy level that is more constant throughout the day. These kinds of carbohydrates will have a low GI ranking. Another aspect of many with diabetes in considering the meals they eat is weight loss. Low GI rankings will help with weight loss by the way in which they control your appetite and make you feel full for longer.

When buying foods and cooking recipes based on the GI of the food it’s also important to realise that fats and proteins can slow down the absorption of carbohydrates, but this does not mean it’s healthy just to eat these foods. You must bear in mind that it’s also important to follow a well-balanced diet, which you will be able to find in special diabetic recipes.

The way you cook your food will affect its GI, so try to avoid frying and use healthier methods such as grilling.

Diabetic recipes will often bear these facts in mind to be sure that you get the best diet possible. You can also combine these recipes with researching the GI number for different types of foods to be sure you always eat healthily.

Diebetes Mellitus, or Diabetes as it is also known as, is present in more than 15 million Americans at the current time. Even more amazing is the fact that almost 40% of them don’t even know they have the disease.

Another 20+ million have Pre-Diabetes Mellitus because of high blood blood sugar levels mainly caused by obesity, lack of exercise, and an improper diet. While it’s only natural to think it will not happen to you, the truth is, more than 185,000 people will die this year alone due to type ii diabetes symptoms.

How do you get Diabetes?

The foods we consume contain natural glucose, that is a simple sugar. It’s glucose that gives our bodies the energy we need every day. As the glucose goes through our bloodstream, it needs to be kept regulated. This is accomplished by our pancreas which produces insulin.

The more glucose, or sugar, that is introduced into our body, the more insulin that is released to regulate the blood glucose level. The problem arises when our body fails to produce the insulin we need, or it does not produce enough.

Effects of Diebetes Mellitus

By having too high of a level of blood sugar in our body does severe damage over time. It can cause blurred vision and blindness, kidney damage, hands and feet to be lost, and even death. You’ll need to do all you can to prevent and treat the disease.

Types of Diabetes Mellitus

Type 1 Diabetes is the form of diabetes that requires daily injections of insulin medicine. The pancreas produces no insulin at all to control the blood sugar level. Without the daily insulin shots of medicine, the person will not survive. Approximately 10% of diabetics have Type 1, or Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus.

Type 2 Diabetes is the most common form of the disease. Also known as Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus, this form occurs when the pancreas either can’t produce enough insulin, or it stops using it properly. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is present in 90% of all diabetics, and usually affects people over the age of 40 the most. Genetics also play a big role with type ii diabetes symptoms.

The key to getting the disease under control is to prevent and treat it as soon as possible. Have a blood sugar test annually to check for symptoms. Don’t let Diebetes Mellitus get you by surprise.

No matter which type of diabetes you have, there are health concerns that you must absolutely be aware of. Failing to manage your diabetes is the leading factor in developing related health problems, but sometime, these health problems cannot be avoided, even with what you do.

Hyperglycemia is a common problem among diabetics. This means that the blood sugar level is too high, and this can eventually lead to damage to the retina, the nerves, the kidneys, and the blood vessels, which affects the circulatory system. Now, untreated diabetes, or diabetes that isn’t managed properly, can lead to blindness, kidney failure, amputations, and nerve damage.

On top of this, heart attacks and strokes are also a strong possibility if diabetes isn’t managed properly. Blood pressure often rises, and you may have high cholesterol. These two conditions also contribute to heart disease, kidney disease, and circulation problems.

While all of the above conditions are very serious, there are also some conditions that are less serious, which are brought on by diabetes. Infections occur frequently, because the immune system is affected by diabetes. Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, becomes an issue when one takes too much insulin or oral medications for their diabetes, which can result in headaches, dizziness, trouble concentrating, tremors, and profuse sweating. Fainting and seizures can also be the result.

As you can see, having diabetes is more than just having high blood sugar levels. It’s serious complications associated with it as well, which can lead to death. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, be sure that you discuss management of the condition with your doctor, and follow his instructions for better control of your blood sugar levels.

You could see diabetes as an intrusion in your life. You have to change the way that you eat, and get more exercise. But imagine the intrusion that going blind or having your kidneys fail will cause! Managing your diabetes — to avoid these complications — is much easier.

The most important things diabetics must do on a daily basis are to keep an eye on their blood sugar level. They must ensure their blood sugar level is within their target range and remains steady. If a diabetic does not monitor their diabetic diet carefully enough, they can wind up eating the wrong kind of foods which can leave them with very high sugar levels.

If diabetics maintain a sugar level that is high for a very long time, this can result in them acquiring a condition that is called hyperglycemia. If left untreated, this can lead to some very serious and detrimental health problems. Now, it is extremely important to understand the causes that make your blood sugar levels rise to avoid these factors.

The definition of hyperglycemia is a simply an individual that has an excessive amount of sugar in their blood stream. This can happens when diabetics eat too much of the wrong foods. With type 1 diabetics, they are able to get this because their bodies can not produce the insulin needed to process the sugar. With type 2 diabetics, they are able to get this because their bodies do not respond properly to the sugar being consumed.

Sugar is processed by our bodies in a straightforward fashion. The sugar enters our bodies from the foods that we eat. Once the sugar is inside our bodies, the pancreas starts producing the insulin needed which helps carry the sugar into the cells. Once inside the cells, it’s turned into energy that is used by our bodies.

This sugar-to-energy process happens in everybody’s body, except in diabetics it has a slight twist. Their bodies either don’t create enough insulin or create none at all, and thus the sugar starts building up in their blood stream. If too much sugar starts building up in their blood stream, they are able to get hyperglycemia.

When people let the extra sugar keep building up in their blood stream, it can lead to some dangerous health consequences. It’ll first start breaking down their blood vessels and will eventually be carried from the blood to their other vital organs, heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves.

Hyperglycemia does not turn up right away and the results can only be seen in the long term. For this reason you will not see this condition in children and teenagers. It will, however, start to show up in older adults if they have never managed to stay on a nourishing diabetic diet.

Every diabetic should be aware of hyperglycemia and try to aim at staying on a diabetic diet to avoid any long term dangerous health effects that can arise. If they don’t monitor their sugar intake, over time their blood vessels will start to break down. This will guide to a break down on their heart vessel, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. Even though this does not occur in their childhood, diabetics should strive to keep a normal level of blood sugar so they are able to prevent it taking place later in their life.

Diabetics are in need of a healthy and balanced diet with foods rich of vitamins and minerals as well as protein foods, carbohydrates and fats which make the balanced diet. Root vegetables and fruits are excellent sources of vitamins and minerals as well as fiber and are excellent for decreasing the chances of diabetics having heart attacks and strokes.

Diabetics are at a higher risk of having various different side effects from their glucose levels rising after meals such as heart attacks and blindness. Therefore it is important for diabetics to stick to a diabetic diet which should contain root vegetables and fruits to increase the amounts of vitamins and minerals they can have in their body.

By eating root fruits and vegetables not just as snacks but as a part of your meal as the food works together to keep the level of absorption low enough for blood sugar levels not to rise too fast, by eating fruits as a snack with out any other types of food you are more likely to increase your blood sugar level too fast due to the quick absorption of the sugars contained within the food.

Therefore the key to eating a balanced diabetic diet is including fruits and root vegetables which are high in vitamins and minerals as a part of one of your 3 meals a day. Whether its breakfast, lunch or dinner it does not matter just ensure they are eaten with meals to allow the correct rate of absorption of the sugar whilst in the stomach.

You can see why fruit and root vegetables are ideal foods to include in anybody’s diabetic diet as they are rich sources of vitamins and minerals they can help to keep that balanced diabetic diet. If your interested in making your own diabetic meals, perhaps you would like to sign up to our free weekly newsletter where you will receive diabetic recipes every week.

In pregnancies today, having a screening for gestational diabetes has become very common. The test is given between the 24th-28th week of pregnancy when this form of diabetes will show up at its height.

While women with gestational diabetes can still deliver normal healthy babies, if left untreated, high glucose levels can cause problems for both you and your baby. Why is it necessary to be tested for gestational diabetes? Let’s take a closer look.

Gestational Diabetes Screening

Until recently, testing for gestational diabetes wasn’t included as routine prenatal care for most women, unless you had diabetes prior to becoming pregnant. In 2005, researchers reported results from a research study  that tracked women who were pregnant and had gestational diabetes. The women who received proper medical treatment for diabetes all had healthier babies and fewer complications than those who’d no treatment. Therefore, the importance of being screened.

Your doctor will most likely have you take what is called the glucose challenge test. What happens is that you will be given a special glucose solution to drink when you come in for your appointment. It’s simply an extra sweet solution that sort of tastes like a soft drink.

Next, you will wait for an hour and the doctor will draw a blood sample from your arm. The results will be known within a day or two.

The reason for the hour delay is to give the glucose drink time to work through your system and see how your body’s insulin reacts. Does your pancreas produce enough insulin to offset the glucose? Or, does your body succumb to the increase and maintain a high blood sugar level? This is what the test will answer.

A normal and healthy blood sugar level following the test is below 140 mg/dL. If you’re below that number you’re fine, and no further testing needs to be done.

If you’re blood glucose level is above 140 mg/dL, don’t panic. You will then be given a second test to confirm any diagnosis of gestational diabetes.

Follow Up Gestational Diabetes Test

For the follow up glucose test, you will need to fast overnight before the test for at least 8 hours. You will be asked to have nothing but water during that time.

You’ll then be given another glucose solution to drink, but this time your glucose levels are checked every hour for 3 straight hours. If your blood sugar is high for two of those three hours, you will be diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

If in truth it is confirmed that you have gestational diabetes, your doctor will most likely put you on a special diet and exercise program for the duration of your pregnancy. In some cases daily insulin medication may also be needed.

Whether you are a type 1 or type 2 diabetic, you should have a regular and constant monitor to find the state of your health. Though most of the diabetic patients understand the importance of testing blood glucose level frequently, many of them are confused about picking the right kind of meter.

When for the first time they are dictated with blood sugar, they rush to the nearest chemist and take home their glucose monitor kit without considering how effective it can be for them. But, now that research and studies are constantly being upgraded, glucose meters have got new forms and shapes. Whether you are purchasing your diabetes glucose monitor kit for the first time or you are less delighted with the one that you have and trying to get a new one, you have to consider various aspects of the home medical device.

A dependable Glucose meter:

While buying your diabetic glucose monitor kit you need to take care of two major aspects. The most expensive one is not surely the best one. There are many good quality strips available at a reasonable price. Therefore, you must pick the one that is affordable for you. Besides, pick the one that has got the maximum features meeting your requirements. A standard diabetic glucose monitor kit is one that displays a striking balance between its cost and features.

Testing Strips:

Testing strips are unique for each testing meter. You could be thinking of the reason behind it. But more than that, it is important to find that which strip will go fine with your diabetes glucose monitor kit. Some models take comparably cheaper strips than other. After picking the strip to buy take a 30 day test supply on hand. There is no reason why you ought to take over-the-counter and make it remain in your cupboard for ever.

Reading Logbook:

Now the meters are available with memory of keeping few hundred readings. But it’s always better to keep a written logbook of your own that you can take with you to the doctor the next time you visit. It ought to store not only the readings of your blood glucose record, but also the date, time and the circumstances that led to the fluctuation in the record.

A lancing device and lancets:

Every diabetes glucose monitor kit is available with a lancing device and lancets. It’s the most indispensable part of the whole kit as it pokes the skin to bleed for the test. Survey says, most people use and reuse the same lancet before changing it. But every time you should use fresh lancet for best result, less pain and hygiene.

There are some other things that you ought to consider. Pick up a disposal container for the sharps like lancets and needles. Once the container is filled up it can be disposed off at a safe place. It’s also essential to take blood contaminated materials such as swabs, tissues and test strips.

Type 2 diabetic patients are open to various side effects if they are not controlling their abnormal sugar level. The simple device of diabetes glucose monitor kit can inform you about your glucose level and you are able to decide on your intake of insulin. In case you are not satisfied with your idea of finding the right kind of device for you, search engine websites is the answer to all. You can search and gather complete information about it. Also you should consult your physician about the strips and the kind of glucose monitor kit that you should use.

Among the complications of pregnancy is sometimes gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes occurs only during pregnancy. It is like other forms of diabetes in that it affects the way your body uses blood sugar (glucose). As a result, your blood sugar level is too high. Gestational diabetes left untreated can result in a variety of health problems for you and your baby.

Symptoms of gestational diabetes:

o  Excessive thirst

o  Increased urination

Some women are at greater risk for developing gestational diabetes. Any pregnant woman can develop it. Review the following factors that can increase your risk of developing gestational diabetes during pregnancy:

o  Age: Women older than age 25 are at a higher risk

o  Family or personal history: If you have a close family member such as a parent or sibling who has type 2 diabetes you are at higher risk. If you’d gestational diabetes in your previous pregnancy, you are at a higher risk for subsequent pregnancies.

o  Weight: Gaining a lot of weight during pregnancy does not cause gestational diabetes, however, if you are overweight before pregnancy, you are at a higher risk for gestational diabetes.

o  Race: It is unclear why women of some races are more likely to develop gestational diabetes. an increased risk is present for black, Hispanic or American Indian women.

o  Previous complicated pregnancy: an unexplained stillbirth or a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds may call for a pre-screening for gestational diabetes the next you become pregnant.

There are women who develop gestational diabetes with no known risk factors.

Treatment for gestational diabetes:

o  Controlling blood sugar usually with diet and exercise, however, if diet and exercise does not control the blood sugar, your doctor may prescribe medication. Monitoring blood sugar is the key to your treatment program because it tells you whether your blood sugar is within a normal range.

One of the best ways to control your blood sugar level is to eat the right kind and amount of food. Healthful diets are important for every pregnant woman. Eating a healthy diet is even more important if you have gestational diabetes.

You will need to eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. You want to eat foods high in nutrition and low in fat and calories, fewer animal products and sweets. In addition, working with a dietitian or counselor can help you put together an individual meal plan based on your blood sugar level, height, weight, exercise habits and food preferences.

Regular exercise causes sugar to be transported to your cells where it’s used for energy and lowers the levels in your blood. Exercise also reduces blood sugar by increasing your sensitivity to insulin.

Regular exercise during pregnancy has many other benefits which include:

o  Preventing some of the discomforts of pregnancy such as back pain, muscle cramps, swelling, constipation and difficulty sleeping

o  Regular exercise can help you prepare for labor and delivery

o  With increased muscle endurance and strength you will reduce stress on your ligaments and joints during delivery. Regular exercise can also help you during labor, delivery and shorten your recovery time.

Your goal for exercise during pregnancy should be moderate aerobic exercise on most days. If you are not generally active, start slowly and build up gradually. Best results are achieved through a program of aerobic activity, stretching and strength-training exercise.

Although gestational diabetes is reason for concern and closer monitoring for you and the baby, it is a complication of pregnancy that can be successfully treated.

If you are a diabetic like I am then you may know about the Dawn Phenomenon. Until I understood what this was all about, I’d be completely frustrated every morning when I got up out of bed and tested my blood sugar level. It’d always be much higher than it was when I went to bed. I couldn’t figure out why. How could I go to bed with a level of 105mg/dL and get up in the morning with a level of 135mg/dL? It made no sense. I was not sleep walking and raiding the fridge during the night. Well, welcome to what’s called, the Dawn Phenomenon.

No matter whether you suffer with diabetes or not, everyone experiences the Dawn Phenomenon. What happens is that while we are comfortably asleep, during the hours of 3:00 – 8:00 AM, our bodies release certain hormones that help repair and maintain our bodies. This is completely normal. In response to these hormones being released, our bodies will also release stored glucose.

The hormones that are released include Growth Hormone from the pituitary gland, Cortisol, Glucagon and Epinephrine, or adrenalin as it is commonly known as. These hormones cause an increase in insulin resistance, which in turn causes your glucose level to rise.

Since these hormones are repairing and doing maintenance work during the late night/early morning hours, this causes your glucose level to rise during the morning hours. Also, you test your blood sugar level first thing and notice a much higher reading. This is why they call this the Dawn Phenomenon.

What can you do to prevent the Dawn Phenomenon? There are a couple of things you are able to do to help keep high blood glucose levels down in the morning. If you are eating too many carbs later in the evening, try to cut back. Be sure to eat a snack like peanut butter, or a piece of deli meat and cheese. Another thing you are able to do is exercise in the evening. 30-45 minutes of brisk walking or cycling will go a long way in keeping your glucose levels lower throughout the night.

You may also want to try and eat no food after you’re evening dinner. Many times this will work due to your bedtime reading being greatly reduced and offsetting the Dawn Phenomenon rise during the night. If this doesn’t work for you, talk to your doctor and see if they will make some changes in your medication.

Finally, be certain to eat breakfast. This is so important. The increase in blood glucose after eating will often ‘shut off’ the continued rise because your body begins to sense an increase in fuel coming in so to speak. By not eating breakfast your blood sugar can continue to rise up until 11:00 or 12:00.

It is important for people who suffer from diabetes to constantly track their blood glucose levels. You may want to even get up and take a reading during the late night hours around 4:00 AM. Track your levels and make the proper adjustments. Now that you know what is going on, and why your levels can be so crazy, you can better deal with the Dawn Phenomenon.

Maintaining blood glucose at the right level always is especially important for the brain. While most tissues can cope with a drop in the availability of glucose, by turning to alternative fuel sources, the brain and the eye retina cannot.

Glucose Levels to Aim For

Normal fasting blood glucose level is around 80-90 mg/100 ml, one hour after a meal blood glucose goes as high as 130 mg/100 ml., and is then brought back to normal fasting level again as glucose enter the cells. In diabetes and hypoglycemia, low glucose levels occur when blood glucose levels drop underneath the normal fasting range of 80-90 mg/100 ml., and symptoms such as sweating, tremors, rapid heart beat, anxiety, irritability and hunger appears.

In a normal case when blood glucose climb after a meal, this signals the pancreas to secrete insulin. The pancreatic hormone insulin functions as a doorman by opening cells so glucose can enter, as this happens, the circulating blood glucose level drops back to normal fasting range.

Cells Bored With Insulin

In cases of hypoglycemia, cells become desensitized or “bored” with a continuous stimulation of insulin, and the glucose can’t enter as fast as it should. This keeps a high level of glucose circulating longer, and the pancreas keeps pumping out more insulin than is really needs.

When the insulin finally opens the cells and the glucose enters, too much insulin is around with the consequence that too much glucose leaves the circulation and enters the cells. When this happens the glucose level drops beneath the normal fasting range and symptoms of low blood sugar occurs.

Carbohydrate metabolism is a complex dynamic relationship between pancreas, its hormones and the organs that respond to them, such as the liver and the adrenal glands.

Reasons for Hypoglycemia

There is more than one possible cause behind this condition, but the most apparent reason for hypoglycemia and type II diabetes is a diet too high in refined sugars, processed foods and high glycemic index foods. High glycemic foods are foods that enter the blood stream quickly, causing a rapid rise in blood sugar levels. Other substances that cause a rise in blood sugar levels are caffeine, alcohol, chocolate and soft drinks.

If the pancreas is continuously pumping out insulin, due to a diet that keeps the blood sugar soaring, it will eventually become sluggish. The response of a sluggish pancreas becomes delayed, leading the blood sugar to rise too high followed by a too deep drop after a meal.

A properly functioning liver should be able to release stored glucose as the circulation levels fall. For this to take place the liver cannot be too exhausted by its other duties. A liver taxed by a heavy load to detoxify from a diet high in fats, processed foods, preservatives, and other toxins, or just from sheer volume by overeating, will not be able to respond to glucose variations as it should.

The adrenal glands also play a role in carbohydrate metabolism. A sudden drop of glucose below fasting level causes an alarm-response release of adrenaline, preparing the body for an emergency situation. The adrenaline stimulates the cells and liver to return glucose to the circulation, but also causes pallor, sweating, anxiety, tremor and increased heart rate. These are unpleasant symptoms and an indication that the body is paying and returning blood glucose to a normal level by using a stress hormone.

Stress and the release of stress hormones for whatever reason, will cause blood sugar to rise. One of the stress hormones is cortisol, it also functions as anti-inflammatory in the body. This means that, aside from stress, any source of chronic inflammation will cause its release. Dysbiosis (inflammation of the gut) is a major cause of chronic low-grade inflammation, and will cause a continual cortisol release, destabilizing blood sugar. Candidiasis is an imbalance of a naturally occurring yeast in the gut. Candida thrives on sugar and often goes with a dysbiosis, creating sugar cravings and possibly a poor diet.

Hypoglycemia is quite easy to control by applying some or all of the following: diet therapy, supplementation, support of pancreas, liver and adrenals, treatment of gut inflammation (dysbiosis) and candidiasis, lifestyle changes such as stress reduction, weight loss and regular exercise.

How to Control Hypoglycemia

1. Meals should be small and frequent.

2. Prevent or limit refined foods, sugary foods, alcohol, caffeine, chocolate and soft drinks.

3. Learn about glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL), and choose foods that have a GI below 55-60 and a GL below 12-15.

4. Fiber is important in the diet, especially water-soluble forms of fiber as it has the most beneficial effect on blood sugar. This type of fiber is capable of slowing down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates. Good sources are beans, nuts, seeds, pears, apples and most vegetables.

5. The ratio of complex carbohydrates to proteins and fat varies for each individual depending on typologies. Many hypoglycemics are carbohydrate addicts and need a diet, at least to start, that is low in carbs and high in protein and fats. By adding protein to a meal it slows the gastric emptying and lowers the glycemic index of the whole meal. In general, people who are sensitive to insulin should not have carbohydrate only meals, always adding protein and fat.

6. These vitamins and minerals play important role in carbohydrate metabolism.Recommended dosage per day:Chromium 200-400 mcg, B5 (Pantothenic acid) 25-100 mg in a B-complex, vitamin C 2000-4000 mg and zinc 15-30 mg. To reach these levels top up a good quality multi vitamin that absorbs well.

7. To further aid digestion, digestive enzymes or herbal stomach bitters can be taken. There are different kinds of digestive enzymes available; some contain hydrochloric acid and even bile besides to enzymes to break down carbs, proteins and fat. Herbal stomach bitters aid digestion by stimulating the pancreas to produce more of its own digestive enzymes.