Understanding Diabetes
Diabetes is easy for the average person to understand if viewed from a practical view point. If you look at the body as an engine, an engine burns coal (carbon) to produce heat and energy. The body burns similar fuel in a similar way, the fuel being the food we eat. The main fuel is the carbon contained in sugar and starchy foods, such as ie, all cereals, flour, bread and potatoes. When digested these become sugar (glucose) and behave exactly like sugar itself in the body. The diabetic... [Read more]
Diabetes Insipidus
Diabetes insipidus (DI) symptoms are in many ways similar to that of diabetes mellitus if it is left untreated. Excessive peeing (urination) with an excessive thirst particularly for cold water (or ice water). The urine excretion is rather diluted even with a reduction of fluid intake having no bearing on the strength and colour of the urine. There are differing types of diabetes insipidus the most common one being neurogenic DI this particular diabetes is caused by a lack of arginine... [Read more]
Medicine And Diabetes
The most important group of drugs that could either precipitate diabetes as a side effect or make existing diabetes worse are such medication known as hormones. Hormones are produced by special glands in the body, insulin (Glucagon) its-self is a hormone, produced by the pancreas released automatically to reduce sugar levels in the blood, unless you suffer from either form of diabetes. (IDD) insulin dependant diabetes or (NIDD) non insulin dependant diabetes. Some hormones have what is... [Read more]
Driving with diabetes (Comes with problems)
For those individuals suffering from diabetes and hold a current UK driving license are you aware that you need to inform the DVLA (Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency) if you suffer from this complaint, this is also true of people applying for their first licence. However, having said that it only applies to people who need to control their diabetes by either tablets or insulin. If your diabetes is controlled by diet alone then there is no need to inform the agency On informing the DVLA... [Read more]
Maintaining a Healthy Diabetic Lifestyle
Although meals and injections need to be taken on a habit forming basis, there is no reason why people suffering from diabetes, and who are properly treated, can continue their lives as individuals and follow their usual pursuits in life. However, the general health of a diabetic greatly effects the type and severity of the diabetes and because of this, people suffering from diabetes should look after themselves more carefully than those that do not suffer from the illness. Diabetics should... [Read more]
Vitamins and Diabetes
The usual diabetic diet including fruit, green vegetables both raw and cooked, flesh foods and fat are rich in vitamins. The greater amount of vitamin C is obtained from oranges and lemons, but if plenty of vegetables are eaten especially salads, sufficient vitamin C will be obtained. As I have posted in the vitamin section of this website vitamin C is a water based vitamin and prolonged cooking of veg. that contain this vitamin will destroy it, so freshness and a quick cooking period will... [Read more]
High Sugar Or Carbohydrate Foods
What we eat is very important to our health, but for diabetics it is even more important to maintain a balanced diet. Having diabetes means that you will need to be extremely careful when preparing meals and making sure that you cut down on or avoid the danger foods. People with diabetes have to be very careful when eating certain foods. The intake of foods with a high sugar content and / or a high carbohydrate content need to monitored very carefully. Below is a list of foods that are... [Read more]
Injection Times and Body Areas
If you are injecting yourself then the opposite side of the body to the hand given the injection should be used The area’s on the body which are the best places to target are: The outer sides of the Thighs. The Abdomen. The lower part of the chest. The outer surface of the forearms. The outer surface of the upper arms The last two areas may take a little practice to get right if injecting yourself. Therefore these areas are ideal if someone else is giving the injection. Injection... [Read more]
Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar)
The aim of insulin treatment is to balance the diet eaten, with the correct dose of insulin, so that it burns up the excess body sugar that occurs in diabetics and keeps the blood sugar at the correct balance. It may from time to time happen that the correct balance is upset, that is to say too much of the blood sugar is burned up, making the patient feel queer / uncomfortable for a short while. This condition is known as hypoglycaemia (to low of blood sugar) and below are some circumstances... [Read more]
Gangrene (Decay Of Body Tissues)
Many diabetics, more so the elderly, suffer from poor circulation and dulled sensation of the feet which could make their healing powers and resistance to infection very poor. This could make them unduly liable to gangrene, or serious complications from what might seem trivial causes. In general, cleanliness is most important. If skin is dry and scaly, rub in a recommended cream, if toes press and tend to rub each other, pad in between with cotton wool. Cut nails carefully straight across... [Read more]
Ketoacidosis (Acidity of the Blood)
Ketoacidosis (sometimes called ketosis) is a condition caused by there being little or no insulin present in the body. The body requires the insulin to allow the sugar in the blood passage into the body cells, to provide energy. If insulin is not present in the blood this will allow the sugar to stay in the blood which in turn causes the blood sugar to rise and become very high. The lack of sugar going into the cells causes the body to start burning it’s stores of fat as an alternative... [Read more]
