At an annual physical or checkup your doctor may order a fasting
blood sugar (FBS) test, or an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) to help
determine whether you have diabetes. What do these tests mean?
Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS)
A fasting blood glucose of 70 mg/dl (3.8 mmol/l) to 99 mg/dl (5.5
mmol/l) is normal.
If your fasting blood glucose level comes back between 100 mg/dl (5.5
mmol/l) and 125 mg/dl (7.0 mmol/l) then you are considered to have
impaired fasting glucose or pre-diabetes.
A fasting glucose higher than 125 mg/dl (7.0 mmol/l) indicates that
you have type 2 diabetes. Most doctors like to get a fasting blood sugar
on two separate occasions to make sure of the diagnosis.
The OGTT is a glucose challenge test. You are given a drink that
contains 75 grams of glucose (sugar). Two hours later another blood
sample is drawn to check your glucose level. If your blood glucose is
under
, then your glucose tolerance is considered
normal. If it is 140 mg/dl (7.0 mmol/l) to then
you have impaired glucose tolerance or prediabetes. If your glucose is
over 200 mg/dl (11 mmol/l) then a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is made.
Have either of your parents, or any of your
brothers or sisters been diagnosed with diabetes
(type 1 or type 2)?
(Your
GENETICS or family history can be a clue that diabetes
is on its way).
Are you currently taking medication for high blood pressure?
Do you currently smoke cigarettes or any other tobacco products
on a daily basis?
How often do you eat vegetables or fruit?
On average, would you say you do at least 2.5 hours of physical
activity per week
(for example, 30 minutes a day on 5 or more days a week)?
Your waist measurement taken below the ribs (usually at the
level of the navel) (A big waistline can
be signs diabetes is on its way).
There are many risk factors for type 2 diabetes.
Some of them come from our family history and
genetics and so are with us always, but some can be
turned around to help reverse or prevent type 2
diabetes. What are they and what can we do to cut
the risk?
The number one risk factor for type 2
diabetes is obesity. The National Center for
Health Statistics states that 30% of adults are
obese. That's 60 million people. Greater weight
means a higher risk of insulin resistance,
because fat interferes with the body's ability
to use insulin. According to the same study, the
number of overweight kids has tripled since
1980. The number of children being diagnosed
with type 2 diabetes has also risen.
The Surgeon General's Report on Physical
Activity and Health (USA, 1996) states that "a
sedentary lifestyle is damaging to health and
bears responsibility for the growing obesity
problems." Inactivity and being overweight go
hand in hand towards a diagnosis of type 2.
Muscle cells have more insulin receptors than
fat cells, so a person can decrease insulin
resistance by exercising. Being more active also
lowers blood sugar levels by helping insulin to
be more effective. It's a win-win.
3. Unhealthy Eating Habits
Ninety% of people who have been diagnosed
with type 2 diabetes are overweight. Unhealthy
eating contributes largely to obesity. Too much
fat, not enough fiber, and too many simple
carbohydrates all contribute to a diagnosis of
diabetes. Eating right is can turn the diagnosis
around and reverse or prevent Type 2.
It appears that people who have family members
who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are
at a greater risk for developing it themselves.
African Americans, Hispanic-Americans and Native
Americans all have a higher than normal rate of
type 2 diabetes. Having a genetic disposition
towards type 2 is not a guarantee of a diagnosis
however. Lifestyle plays an important part in
determining who gets diabetes.
5. Increased Age
It's a sad but true fact. The older we get,
the greater our risk of type 2 diabetes. Even if
an elderly person is thin, they still may be
predisposed to getting diabetes. Scientists
theorize that the pancreas ages right along with
us, and doesn't pump insulin as efficiently as
it did when we were younger. Also, as our cells
age, they become more resistant to insulin as
well.
These two bad boys are the hallmark risk
factors for many diseases and conditions,
including type 2 diabetes. Not only do they
damage your heart vessels but they are two key
components in metabolic syndrome, a cluster of
symptoms including obesity, a high fat diet, and
lack of exercise. Having metabolic syndrome
increases your risk of heart disease, stroke,
and diabetes.
Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all
pregnant women. It begins when hormones from the
placenta make the mother insulin resistant. Many
women who have gestational diabetes develop type
2 diabetes years later. Their babies are also at
some risk for developing diabetes later in life.
Pre-diabetes is usually diagnosed by a doctor using
one of the following two tests:
Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT)
The OGTT is a screening test that involves testing
the individual's plasma glucose level following a
glucose-rich drink (a beverage containing 75 grams of
glucose.) People who have IGT or pre-diabetes will have
a plasma glucose level of less than 200 mg/dl (11 mmol/l) but equal
to or greater then 140 mg/dl (7.7 mmol/l) .
Those people who have a plasma glucose level over or
equal to 200 mg/dl (11 mmol/l) after two hours will be diagnosed
with diabetes. The fasting plasma glucose test is used
to diagnose diabetes, however.
Fasting plasma Glucose Test (FGT)
FGT is a test that screens for diabetes and
pre-diabetes. The test works by measuring the level of
glucose in the individual's blood after a period of
fasting. Anyone who is at a high risk of pre-diabetes
should be given the FGT. Risk factors include obesity,
ethnicity, family history, etc. See
pre-diabetes for more information.
The fasting plasma glucose test is performed after a
person fasts for at least 8 hours. Individuals who have
blood glucose level greater than or equal to 126 mg/dl
(7 mmol/l) will be retested and if the results are consistent
diagnosed with diabetes. Those with less than 126 mg/dl
(7 mmol/l) but greater than 110 mg/dl (6 mmol/l) will be diagnosed as having
impaired fasting glucose, or pre-diabetes.
However, when it comes to
type 2 diabetes, symptoms may be far subtler and
develop slower.
What are the big three symptoms of diabetes?
The three major symptoms of diabetes are:
Polyuria (The need to urinate frequently)
Polydipsia (Increased thirst & fluid
intake)
Polyphagia (Increased appetite)
What happens when a person develops diabetes and
reports these symptoms?
These symptoms are caused by the effect of diabetes
on the body. If the level of glucose in the blood
becomes too high, glucose is improperly reabsorbed
through the proximal renal tubuli. This results in
higher levels of glucose being present in the urine
(glycosuria) and in turn increases the osmotic pressure.
This prevents water being reabsorbed by the kidney,
resulting in greater urine production. This causes the
patient to urinate frequently. Water held in the cells
is required to replace lost blood volume, and this
causes dehydration and thirst.
What are the other major symptoms of diabetes?
Glucose absorption can change the shape of the lens
in the eye, leading to an altered vision quality. This
can lead to
blurred vision, a common complaint that indicates
type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Diabetic Ketoacidosis is another symptom of
diabetes.
Where can I learn more about diabetes, diabetes
diagnosis and symptoms of diabetes?
Order a fasting blood glucose test
The first test in checking if you already have diabetes.
Order a glucose tolerance test.
The second test used if your fasting blood glucose test is abnormal.
Many people in Australia have diabetes and do not know it. It is
very important to know if you have diabetes so that you can begin to
manage the disease.
When interpreting your results, take your premeal readings into account
since you are interested in not just
your after-meal
reading but also in
how much your blood glucose level increased because of your food intake
It used to be said that having diabetes aged people an additional 20
years. Today, thanks to better tools for
managing diabetes and
preventing and treating its complications, people with diabetes have the
opportunity to
live longer than ever before.
Blood Sugar Control - Mechanisms - How it Works--And How It Stops
Working To understand what happens as your blood sugar deteriorates from normal
to pre-diabetes, and
finally, to full-fledged
diabetes you need to first
understand how blood sugar control works in a
normal body. Let's look at
that now.
Blood Sugar
Blood Sugar Control- Normal Person The key to understanding blood sugar control is to understand the role
played by special cells called Beta-Cells. These tiny
cells are
scattered through an organ called the
pancreas which is
located just under your stomach. The job of the beta cell
is to produce
insulin, store it, and release it into the blood stream at appropriate
times.
What should a person do to decrease
there chances of developing type 2
diabetes?
Click here
Landry.com
by Greg
Landry, M.S
A:
Maintain a reasonable weight, lose weight if you are overweight, and get
moving - have regular
physical activity, and make
healthy food choices
(which helps with
weight loss and maintenance).
Carbs - Addiction
Carbs - Addicted to Carbs
Carbs make
us hungry. When we're hungry, we eat more. The more we eat the more we
want, so we gain weight. It's the classic
vicious circle of addiction
Sugary carbs, especially table sugar (sucrose),
used to be seen as causing adverse health
effects for
diabetics and people with
symptoms
of impaired glucose tolerance or insulin
insensitivity. Although a high sugar diet can
cause problems for these groups,
most
nutritionists now view refined white flour foods
(most of which have a high GI-value) as causing
more glycemic
health problems, such as insulin
resistance, and digestive disorders.
About NCCAM The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
is the USA's Federal Government's lead agency
for scientific research on the diverse medical and health care systems,
practices,
and products that are not generally considered
part of conventional
medicine.
10
Things To Know About Evaluating Medical Resources on the Web
There is now substantial evidence that type 2 diabetes can beprevented or delayed. Individuals at high
risk of developingdiabetes
(those with pre-diabetes) can be identified easily.It is not yet known
whether the successful interventions willcost-effectively reduce
the morbidity and mortality
associatedwith diabetes. Diabetes prevention policies tha focus on
lifestylemodification, specifically
modest weight loss and
increasedphysical activity, are also very likely to have
additional healthbenefits.
Do People with Type 2 Always Deteriorate? Why doctors believe this
toxic myth.
The single most dangerous idea you are likely to encounter
as you begin your struggle to live a healthy
life with diabetes is the
belief
that science has proven, beyond a doubt, that no matter what you
do,
your Type 2 Diabetes will get worse.
Whether you are newly diagnosed or simply in need of more
information about diabetes, this website –
created by UCSF's
Diabetes
Teaching Center – can help. Diabetes management is
a lifestyle, and while
we understand it is not a lifestyle
that you would have
chosen, it is one that you can master to
stay healthy.
Example of a herbal product. Contains various herbs, vitamins
and minerals
Gymnema Sylvestre Powder has been suggested in studies
to have a promising ability to promote
healthy circulating insulin
balance and
serum lipid and triglyceride balance.
Magnesium has a broad positive effect on overall health
and insulin sensitivity.
Licorice Bark Extract
has been suggested in studies to be effective against unhealthy blood
sugar.
Zinc
deficiencies can result in hair loss, diarrhea and skin lesions and
could adversely affect eyesight, taste, smell, and memory function.
Chromium has
been shown in studies to improve glucose and lipid effects.
Cinnamon Bark Powder
has been shown in studies to promote healthy blood sugar balance.
Banaba Leaf Extract
has been shown in pre-clinical studies to support healthy cholesterol
balance and support the rate of glucose uptake.
These studies further
suggested banaba contains insulin-like actions.
Vitamin C
plays an important role in glucose metabolism and oxidative stress on
the body systems.
Vitamin E
promotes healthy insulin action, metabolic control, and endothelial
function.
Bitter Melon Fruit
Extract has been shown in preliminary studies to contain
insulin-like properties.
Guggul Extract
has been used for thousands of years to address illness, cholesterol and
obesity.
It contains antioxidant, anti-swelling and
hypolipidemic
properties.
Alpha Lipoic Acid
fights against oxidative damage to the lungs and vascular system. It can
also support healthy peripheral insulin sensitivity,
insulin function,
and healthy blood sugar balance
Diet
Choosing a
healthy lifestyle can help you improve your
health and reduce your risk of heart disease and
diabetes.
Healthy lifestyles include eating a healthy
diet, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising
regularly,
quitting smoking (or not starting),
and minimizing stress. (Note: Specific guidance
for maintaining a
healthy lifestyle may change
over time as new scientific recommendations
become available.) Learn more about each of the
factors that affect your lifestyle.
Excess body fat leads to health
problems such as type 2 diabetes, high
blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
Health professionals use a
measurement called body mass index (BMI)
to classify an adult's weight as
healthy, overweight, or obese.
BMI
describes body weight relative to height
and is correlated with total body fat
content in most adults.
Having excess abdominal body fat is
also a health risk. Men with a waist of
more than 40 inches around and women
with a waist
of 35 inches or
more are at
risk for health problems.
More than 60 percent of U.S. adults
are either overweight or obese,
according to the Centers for Disease
Control and
Prevention (CDC). While the number of overweight people has been
slowly climbing since the 1980s, the
number of obese adults has nearly
doubled
since then.
Excess weight and physical inactivity
account for more than 300,000 premature
deaths each year in the United States,
second only to deaths
related to
smoking, says the CDC. People who are
overweight or obese are more likely to
develop heart disease, stroke,
high
blood pressure,
diabetes, gallbladder
disease and joint pain caused by excess
uric acid (gout). Excess weight can also
cause interrupted
breathing during sleep
(sleep apnea) and wearing away of the
joints (osteoarthritis).
To lose weight, you must eat less and
move more. Your body needs to burn more
calories than you take in.
Exercise improves heart function, lowers blood pressure and blood
cholesterol, helps manage diabetes, and
helps
control weight.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood
Institute (NHLBI) at NIH recommends that
adults get at least 30 minutes of
moderate physical activity on
most days
of the week.
Talk to your doctor about what forms
of exercise are best for you.
For more information about exercise
and physical fitness, see:
Choosing a
healthy lifestyle can help you improve your
health and reduce your risk of heart disease and
diabetes.
Minimize Stress The link between stress and coronary
heart disease is not entirely clear.
However, people who have too
much stress
or who have
unhealthy responses to
stress may be at greater risk of having
coronary heart disease.
Facts about stress and coronary heart
disease:
Stress speeds up
the heart rate.
People with heart
disease are more likely to have a
heart attack during times of stress.
People sometimes
respond to stress with unhealthy
habits such as smoking or eating
salty or high-fat foods.
Tightly controlling your blood glucose levels soon after being diagnosed
with Type 2 diabetes can lead to lower risks of
diabetes complications—
including heart disease and death—years
later.
Website
Education- NDEP Control diabetes by controlling glucose, blood pressure,
and cholesterol
Nearly 65 percent of people
with diabetes will die from a heart attack or
stroke; because of a lack of available
information,
two out of three people
with
diabetes are unaware of their heightened risk.
In order for those with
diabetes to stay heart healthy, having the most
up-to-date information is crucial. Now, there's
a place
where people can go
for the latest
resources that can help them control their
diabetes, as well as monitor their blood
pressure and cholesterol levels.
When those with diabetes take
steps to also ensure good cardiovascular health,
they can live long, healthy lives.
The National Diabetes
Education Program is a federally funded program
sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and
Human
Services' National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and
includes over 200 partners at
the federal, state,
and local levels, working together to reduce the
morbidity and mortality associated with diabetes.
Nearly 65 percent of people
with diabetes will die from a heart attack or
stroke; because of a lack of
available
information,
two out of three people with
diabetes are unaware of their heightened risk.
In order for those with
diabetes to stay heart healthy, having the most
up-to-date information is crucial.
Now, there's
a place
where people can go for the latest
resources that can help them control their
diabetes,
as well as monitor their blood
pressure and cholesterol levels.
When those with diabetes take
steps to also ensure good cardiovascular health,
they can live long, healthy lives.
The National Diabetes
Education Program is a federally funded program
sponsored by the U.S. Department of
Health and
Human
Services'
National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
and
includes over 200 partners at the federal, state,
and local
levels, working together to reduce the
morbidity
and mortality associated with diabetes.
Group with Fasting Blood Glucose of 110-124 mg/dl or 6.1-6.9
mmol/L had the same cardiovascular and
metabolic syndrome incidence as
people with diabetes in the following study:
To learn more about the
diabetic food pyramid visit
http://www.diabetes-diabetic-diet-plans.com
,
a popular website devoted to
help
people with diabetes live a healthier
life. The website provides tips on
diabetic food, cooking and diet
plans, as well as
information several
complications
associated with the
disease.
Diabetic Food
The diabetic food pyramid
outlines in detail what those suffering from the disease
should eat, and what
they should avoid.
You'll find
lots
of starches, grains and breads on the pyramid that was
first released by the USDA in 2005.
And if you're
looking for recipes, they can be found practically
everywhere you look. Search the internet, open a book,
magazine or
newspaper, or just turn on the television
and you'll no doubt find more tasty
recipes than you
could ever hope to try.
A quick trip to the public
library
will add even more treats to your list.
The main thing that needs to be avoided is sugars,
and given how tempting many desserts can be this is
harder
than it seems.
Those with
a mild case of diabetes
might be able to grab a nibble of sugared foods on
occasion,
but not too often. Those with moderate to
severe cases of diabetes should avoid them completely.
Foods
high in water and fiber, like fruits and
vegetables , are the so-called high-volume
foods.
They add bulk to your meals and help fill
your stomach.
High-Water,
High-Fiber Foods Help Curb Hunger. Lean Protein
Can Reduce Hunger
Graftjacket. This treatment helps our body to repair the wound
quickly by providing immediate coverage to the wound and a way to rebuild the area of
missing tissue
The Glycemic Index On-line,
the University of Sydney's GI Website, is a comprehensive and
authoritative
guide to the glycemic index.
Dr. Jennie
Brand-Miller, who authorized me to summarize her work in 1995 or
1996, finally has a
Web presence in November 2000.
And what a
presence it is! Her site is now the key Internet resource on
this subject. The URL is
http://www.glycemicindex.com
Here's another excellent glycemic index resource for
athletes. Cycling Performance Tips:
Glycemic Index shows how
athletes can make
use of the glycemic index. The URL is http://www.cptips.com/gi.htm
Type 2 diabetes can sometimes be turned around with
weight loss, a healthy diet and exercise.
If your
doctor feels that is the case,
then positive
lifestyle changes that help you lose the excess
weight, and regular daily exercise may be enough.
With medication or not,
diabetes still requires a
healthy diet and physical activity for optimum
health.
Medications are usually prescribed in addition to
lifestyle changes. The medications work in different
ways
but their effect is to lower
blood glucose and
help the body's own insulin become more effective.
If oral medications are not enough, insulin
injections may be used to
help gain control of
glucose levels.
A diagnosis of diabetes can really derail your lifestyle. All of a
sudden, there are a lot of new things to
learn and many changes
that
have to take place. Where do you start?
David Kinshuck, Pat Lamb, Urmilla Griffiths (Pat & Urmila: diabetes
specialist nurses, Good Hope Hospital)
Embrace your diabetes
Learning how to control type 2
diabetes...take control
What is happening in type 2 diabetes
First, there is a shortage of insulin
Second, there is insulin resistance.
Third, there are genes
These factors combine to cause type 2
diabetes
Pattern of progression
At the beginning of type 2 diabetes a healthy diet may
be sufficient to lower the sugar and keep the
HbA1c below 7%
Later, metformin is needed.
Later still, add Exanatide if overweight or other drug.
Later still insulin may be required
Testing you sugar/glucose level
See
testing.
If you 'embrace' your diabetes, you will gradually learn to control it
and achieve an
HbA1c of 7% or below.
But to
do this, you need to check to see your
fasting blood glucose levels are
72-126 mg/dl (4 - 7 mmol/l) (when you
wake up)
test your blood glucose levels before meals between
72-126 mg/dl (4 - 7 mmol/l)
remember, you still need tablets if you are ill; if you
are being sick or cannot swallow the tablets,
let your
doctor
or nurse know.
occasionally test after meals (preferred levels less
than 180 mg/dl (10 mmol/l)
To achieve very good control (HbA1c 6.5-7.0%) you need a
fasting pre-breakfast glucose
less than 99 mg/dl (5.5 mmol/l), pre-meal levels at other
times less than 108 mg/dl (6.0 mmol/l) and
after-meal levels
(2 hours after a meal) less than 8.0
mmol/l (141 mg/dl).
These levels cannot be achieved in all patients..but if
you are well and are prepared to stick to a healthy
diet and
exercise your medication should be adjusted to achieve these
levels, even if that
means starting insulin.
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
conducts and supports research,
trains CAM researchers,
and provides
information about CAM
Diabetes is a condition where people don't produce enough insulin to
meet their body's needs or their cells
don't respond properly
to
insulin.
Type 2 diabetes is mainly caused by insulin resistance.
Symptoms
Treatment
Frequent measurement of blood glucose levels is the best way to know
whether blood glucose levels are
in the target range.
This is easily
done at home with a blood glucose monitor.
By
Dr Michael Hutch PhD
