diabetes 2

If you have two or more of these pre-diabetes symptoms you should seriously consider getting yourself checked out:

1) If you find you are excessively thirsty
not just after extreme exercise or hot weather.

2) You seem to constantly have a dry mouth - even if you've just had a drink.

3) You find you are having to urinate frequently.

4) You have unexpected weight loss or gain (even though you may be constantly hungry and eating well. Of course you may be eating the wrong things which would probably make your pre-diabetes symptom worse).

5) You feel lethargic. You always feel as if you've got no energy; you are weak and tired all the time.

6) Sometimes your vision is blurry - be careful
untreated eye problems caused through diabetes can lead to blindness. You should have regular eye checks
especially as you get older because your eyes can be the early warning signal for many diseases – not just diabetes.

7) You have cuts or sores or bruises (especially on your feet) that are slow to heal.

8) If you experience excessive itching or soreness in the genital area or yeast infections (which can be misdiagnosed as thrush) it may be a sign of too much sugar in your urine.

AT RISK FACTORS:

There are different types of diabetes; pre-diabetes
type 1
type 2
gestational and maturity onset. And
dependent upon your age
lifestyle and family history you may be more susceptible to developing diabetes.

Foe example you may be more prone to developing diabetes if any of these factors apply to you:

• Your family background is African American
  American Indian
  Asian American
  Pacific Islander
  or Hispanic American/Latino.



• You have a parent
  brother
  or sister with diabetes.



• You are aged over 45 and are overweight you might be at risk of diabetes type 2



• You have had gestational diabetes or have given birth to a baby over 9 pounds in weight.



• You have high blood pressure.



• Your cholesterol levels are not good.

Diabetes is more prevalent than ever and 95% of cases diagnosed are type 2 diabetes.

Although for some the development of diabetes is inevitable
perhaps due to heriditery and other factors
for the vast majority it can be prevented by taking these 7 simple steps...

Before diabetes type 2 becomes fully developed you go through a stage known as pre-diabetes. This is where you start to show some of the symptoms
which if ignored
can lead to full blown diabetes.

Make these 7 action points part of your daily routine and you could stop this disease happening to you:

1) If you are overweight you risk developing diabetes. Reduce the amount of food on your plate so you gradually eat less and start to lose weight. Drink a glass of plain water or a sugar-free drink before your meal to take the edge of any hunger pains.

2) Reduce the amount of fat you are eating; grill or bake foods instead of frying; use low-fat spreads and reduced fat meals.

3) Check the Glycemic Index of the food you are eating - knowing what each food contains helps maintain your blood-sugars
which in turn can prevent the full onset of diabetes.

4) Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. If you keep a bottle of water with you and sip frequently you'll be surprised how much you do drink throughout the day.

5) If you are feeling peckish choose a healthy snack rather than a chocolate bar.

6) Use skimmed rather than full-fat milk in hot drinks.

7) Exercise is good for health. But if you are not use to exercise then start in moderation. 15 minutes gentle walking each day will ease you into a regular exercising pattern.

All of these action points are also the ones that diabetics are advised to take - if you take them now you might possibly prevent irreparable damage to your health.

Here are 7 reasons why mixing diabetes with smoking is a very bad idea:

1) You are more likely to get nerve damage (neuropathy). This is because smoking affects your blood circulation and that in turn means your nerve endings are not getting the nutrients they need. If this happens to the nerves in your feet it could lead to sores and infections and
if not taken care of properly
even amputation.

2) There is an increased risk – double in fact -of you getting limited mobility in your joints. It's no fun trying to bend
climb stairs or lift something when you have a painful joint.

3) Because of smoking you could develop kidney disease.

4) When you smoke your blood pressure increases. Increased blood pressure creates a real risk of heart disease.

5) Research has shown that diabetics who smoke increase
3
the risk of dying of heart (cardiovascular) disease.

6) By smoking you increase your blood-sugar levels. This makes it more difficult to control your diabetes because your glucose levels could be fluctuating quite dramatically. This
in turn
leads to other problems.

7) And it also increases your cholesterol levels
which increases the risk of a heart attack.


In fact smoking - and passive smoking - have a seriously detrimental effect on the ABC's of diabetes management:

A1C - the measurement of your blood glucose over a 3-month period
B - your blood pressure
which should be below 130/80
C - your cholesterol levels. Cholesterol levels include LDL
HDL and triglycerides. Your LDL should be below 100. HDL levels should be above 40 (for men) and above 50 (for women). Tryglycerides should be below 150.

And
of course
on top of all that there's the proven risk of cancer!

If you have diabetes information about how to manage your condition is vital to your well being.

If you don't look after your feet you run the risk of developing sores or infections that could
in the worst case scenario
lead to amputations. As happened to my father-in-law. Reduce your risk of infection or amputation by incorporating these 7 foot care tips...

1) Check your feet daily - especially if you have low sensitivity or no feeling in your feet. Sores
cuts and grazes could go unnoticed and you could develop problems leading to amputations.

2) Don't go around barefoot
even indoors. It's easy to tread on something or stub your toes and cut yourself. Protect your feet with socks/stockings and
shoes/slippers.

3) Be careful if you have corns or calluses. Check with your doctor or podiatrist the best way to care for them.

4) Wash your feet daily in warm
NOT HOT water. And don't soak your feet (even if you've been standing all day) because it could dry your skin and form cracks or sores.

5) Take extra care to dry your feet completely
especially between your toes. These are natural moisture traps - leaving them damp or wet could create all sorts of problems.

6) Exercise your legs and feet regularly. Even when sitting you can rotate your ankles; wiggle your toes or move your legs up and down. These all keep your blood circulation flowing and helps to minimize the risk of foot problems.

7) Get your feet professionally checked
at least once a year
for sensitivity and signs of any problems. You can usually arrange this when you have your annual check up for your AC1 levels (blood glucose levels over a 3-month period)
blood pressure and cholesterol.

Take constant care of your feet. Get help from a relative or professional; Doctor
diabetic nurse or podiatrist if you are not able to bend when trimming nails or checking for sores. Taking these simple actions will help you reduce the risk of painful problems.

Planning ahead when you travel reduces stress. This is particularly important for a diabetic. These 5 diabetes travel tips are simple to implement and crucial to your diabetic management. They are particularly important if you are traveling abroad.

1) Have a pre-travel check-up. Make sure your A1C blood sugar levels; your blood pressure and your cholesterol levels are OK. Get the appropriate shots for any country you plan to visit.

2) Wear a diabetes medical ID. Ideally it should be in the language spoken in the country you're visiting. Not everyone speaks your language and you don't want medical problems through misunderstandings.

3) Keep your medication and glucose snacks in your hand-luggage. Check-in baggage does
unfortunately
go astray. Don't risk your diabetes medication by packing it in your main luggage.

4) Keep your medication in its original box
complete with pharmacy labels. It will prevent misunderstandings about why you are carrying drugs and
if you are on insulin
syringes.

5) Be aware of time zone changes
especially when altering your watch. Remember when you travel east your day becomes shorter; if you travel west your day becomes longer. You may need to alter the timings of your medication.

Traveling need not be traumatic. A sensible attitude and a bit of pre-travel planning can make things go far more smoothly.