The conditions responsible for diabetic coma

• Severe hypoglycemia is a medical condition in which a patient with low blood sugar becomes unconscious. This condition is reversible and can be prevented by following strict eating / drinking habits. Severe Hypoglycemia, which leads to diabetic coma, can be prevented by eating carbohydrate rich foods immediately after the patient experiences symptoms of diabetic coma.
• Hyperglycemia followed by dehydration can cause diabetic coma (also known as nonketotic hyperosmolar coma).
• If a hyperglycemic patient is suffering from physical fatigue, then this can surely lead to diabetic coma (this condition is known as advanced diabetic ketoacidosis (ADK))

What happens in a diabetic coma?

As mentioned above, either hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia can be the causes of diabetic coma. In both the cases, the patient loses consciousness due to the effect of hypoglycemia/ hyperglycemia on brain cells. Glucose is one of the most important elements of the human body, which helps to maintain metabolism in good condition. If the blood glucose level falls below the normal (hypoglycemia) or higher than the maximum level of glucose, it hampers the normal metabolism of the body and brain cells begin to malfunction. This results in a variation of osmotic pressure in cells that causes dehydration and other conditions, such as electrolyte imbalance, the condition may be reversed if the patient is treated before it is too late.

The symptoms of diabetic coma

• A patient with high blood sugar may experience dehydration, vomiting, frequent urination, dry mouth and difficulty in breathing. The patient may also experience increased thirst.
• Patients with low blood sugar may experience physical fatigue, increased hunger, increased sweating, sudden chills, etc.
• The patient may feel pain in the abdomen.

Treatments

• In case of severe hypoglycemia, the motive of the treatment applied is to raise the sugar level in the blood. Medical glucose is used in most conditions. Medical glucose can be directly injected into the patient.
• Treatments for Nonketotic Hyperosmolar and Advanced diabetic ketoacidosis involves a constant supply of saline and medical solutions that can help in fulfilling the loss of body fluids during vomiting in earlier stages of DKA. Appropriate doses of insulin also need to be given. Treatment may vary depending on the patient’s condition and severity of diabetic coma.

Tips for patients prone to diabetic coma

• Check with your doctor regularly, and follow the treatment regimen prescribed by your doctor closely.
• Keep your blood glucose levels under control.
• Regular exercise can help you keep your glucose levels under control (excessive exercise can cause problems for people suffering from hypoglycemia).
• If possible, wear a medical bracelet / necklace or have a medical card in your wallet, which identifies you as a diabetic and can be very helpful.
• Try to teach the people around you, what they should do in case of emergency.

If you have diabetes, or know someone who does, you may be familiar with an annoying symptom: tingling hands and feet. Many wonder what causes this and want to know the reasons why your hands and feet tingle when you have diabetes.

The clinical explanation for this issue is commonly referred to as peripheral neuropathy. What exactly does this mean in layman terms? Neuropathical damage refers to damage that has occurred to the peripheral nerves. These nerves are the ones that carry information to and from various parts of the body and the brain. These nerves travel throughout our bodies much like a car travels along roads and highways, carrying cargo or people from one location to the other. Peripheral neuropathy can result in itchy feet or hands, a sensation much like that which is commonly experienced after sitting on a limb or holding it in an awkward position for a long period of time. Most people call this sensation as a body part “falling asleep” and do not enjoy the prickly sensation.

Why do diabetics suffer this unpleasant sensation so often? It is estimated that over 30% of the people suffering from peripheral neuropathy are diabetic. About two-thirds of diabetic people suffer from this condition; in most of these cases, the tingling sensations are not restricted to hands and feet. Most commonly, the prickly tingles spread up arms, down legs and to other areas of the body, resulting in a very uncomfortable and unpleasant feeling. This is one of the unfortunate side affects of diabetes. Medical research and documents have reported this being an affect that happens when a person has high blood sugar for a prolonged amount of time.

People become diabetic due to a number of causes and results. Most people usually become diabetic because either their pancreas does not make enough insulin or their cells do not respond properly to insulin. In some cases, people suffering from diabetes have the disease because of a combination of poor insulin production and cells that do not behave naturally to insulin. Once diabetic, a person’s system cannot properly move sugar into fat, liver and other cells as a source of energy. The sugar remains in the blood stream, where it accumulates and rises over time (resulting in high blood sugar levels).

High blood sugar levels can cause tingling in hands and feet due to nerve damage. Whether it is a single nerve or a group of them, this sensation is the result of such damage. In addition to tingling extremities, high blood sugar can also result in other unpleasant and hindering effects such as: blurred vision, fatigue, hunger, weight loss, constant feeling of thirst, and frequent urination. These symptoms occur because the blood is saturated with sugar. The sugar cannot be properly dispersed as a much needed source of energy, depriving the system of this important nutrient and damaging nerves in the process.

Ask your physician or refer to other medical resources to discover additional reasons why your hands and feet tingle when you have diabetes. Catching this disease early on could make all the difference.

So what are the risk factors? Well there are several—some of which you can do something about and some which you can’t. Knowing and understanding the risk factors means that you can choose to reduce, if not eliminate some of them at least.

Weight
This is by far the greatest risk factor for adult onset diabetes type 2. Weight gain can creep up on you and before you know it, you have a problem. Aside from the risk of heart disease, being overweight means that there is a lot of fatty tissue around your body. This makes your cells insulin resistant and results in your blood sugar levels becoming raised and staying elevated. The clinical definition of being overweight is that your body mass index is above twenty five. If you fall into this category, you are at risk of developing diabetes type 2. When combined with other risk factors, such as age and genetic disposition, being overweight is an even greater risk factor.

Inactivity and Fat Distribution
These two factors go hand in hand and are obviously related to being overweight. Research has shown that the fat on your stomach causes a much higher risk factor for diabetes type 2. The fat stored around your middle area is far more detrimental than fat which is stored on the hips or thighs for example. When combined with inactivity, your risk increases. Inactivity will lead to increased weight gain as well as storing glucose as fat in your body, resulting in decreasing the sensitivity of your cells to insulin.

Family History Of The Condition
A family history of type 2 diabetes will increase your risk factor and this particular factor is not something you can change. Nor can you turn back the clock and change your age, which after forty five years, will increase your risk of developing diabetes type 2. Some racial groups also have a tendency to be more prone to diabetes type 2, such as Negroids, Hispanics, Asian-Americans and American Indians. Pre-diabetes will often progress to diabetes type 2 as will gestational diabetes. While gestational diabetes usually disappears with the end of pregnancy, it will most usually return later on. Likewise if your baby weighed over nine pounds at birth.

Other factors which can increase the risk of developing diabetes type 2 include hypertension, high cholesterol levels as well as a history of polycystic ovary disease and vascular disease. It has also been found that the more risk factors an individual possesses, the greater the likelihood of developing diabetes type 2. Some of the risk factors described above are not controllable, however weight and inactivity are. It is advisable to try and control the risk factors for diabetes type 2 which you are able to, while you can, to help your chances of not developing adult onset diabetes.

This article will talk about the possible diabetes symptoms a diabetic might experience and explain what’s happening in the body that caused such symptoms.

Here’s a table of common Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes symptoms and their corresponding scientific explanations.

If you have diabetes mellitus, you could be having these symptoms constantly. The condition must be treated and blood glucose levels should be stabilized to normal levels to end the discomfort associated with diabetes symptoms. If you want to learn how to reverse your diabetes, get the FREE mini-course below.

In reality, sugar is bad for you. But it is just too easy to forget about that especially if you are constantly bombarded by misinformation. Add the addictive sensation of sugar melting on your taste buds, it is indeed hard to resist. However, today’s world cannot go on without sugar. It can be considered a necessary evil.

Knowing and fully understanding how sugar harms our bodies is the only way we can prevent it from destroying our health.

Sugar is everywhere and often in disguise

Sugar is a constant presence. The obvious ones are from desserts, candies, and soda but they are also found in foods that are not naturally sweet like pasta, bread, milk, and even fat-free substitutes—they are simply everywhere. Once consumed, your body absorbs the sugar into your blood in the form of glucose.

It doesn’t mean that if it is not sweet, it does not contain lots of sugar. So, avoiding sweets does not ensure that you are off from sugar. Take this for example: A slice of white bread, even if it tastes almost insipid, still converts to 12 teaspoons of sugar. No matter what, sugar is sugar and the body responds to it the same way every time.

What happens when sugar enters the body?

There is a direct relationship between sugar consumption and insulin production. Once ingested, it is quickly digested and enters the blood. The blood-glucose levels shoot up which signals your body to produce a hormone called insulin. Keep in mind that the amount of sugar you consume will dictate the amount of insulin your body will produce.

Yes, zero-fat sugar will make you fat.

Greater amounts of insulin in your body mean that you are in “fat-storage” mode longer. That’s a universal biological law we cannot dispute. This why foods labeled “fat-free” are not enough because sugar can still hinder your weight loss aspirations.

How to deal with sugar in the real world

However, let’s be practical and realistic. Completely giving up sugar is almost impossible. Can you imagine your dietary life without it? I don’t think so. But don’t lose hope—despite the impossibility of sugar-deprivation—with the right strategy and dietary choices, you can diminish the bad effects of sugar in your body.

To put it briefly, you can still consume sugar but still lose weight and maintain good health. The strategy is mainly about blood-glucose level management. If you are able to master the highs and lows of sugar levels over time, you can curb your cravings and lose weight. On top of all these, weight loss and well-maintained blood-glucose levels lead to curing and preventing diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases.

Anyone can be stricken by a psychological disorder known as depression but there are several studies that suggest that diabetics have twice the risk for depression than people who do not have diabetes. Poor management of the condition also dramatically increase the risks and more often than not, mismanaged diabetes symptoms can be very similar to that of depression.

Turning the tables, chronic depression can lead to diabetes. Food can be a source of temporary relief from the feelings of sadness caused by the psychological disorder. Depress people also tend to exercise and do physical activities less. They are lethargic thus lack the opportunities of using their blood glucose.

According to Dr. Sherita Hill Golden (Journal of the American Medical Association):

“The psychological stress associated with diabetes management may lead to elevated depressive symptoms and we were able to show that there’s a bidirectional association.”

Research and Studies: Depression linking to Diabetes

Kaiser Permanente Study – People with diabetes were more likely to have been treated for depression within 6 months before being diagnosed a diabetic. Moreover, 84% of individuals with diabetes have an increased rate of earlier episodes of depression.

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine – Analysis of the data of about 7,000 patients shows that those undergoing treatment for diabetes (Type 2) were twice as likely to experience depression. In turn, patients experiencing symptoms of depression were also found to be 30 percent more likely to develop diabetes compared to people showing no signs of depression.

American Diabetic Association – Based on an evaluation of studies over the past decade, the prevalence rate of diabetics with major depression is three to four times greater than in the general population. 3 to 5 percent of the general population is affected with depression at any given time while 15 to 20 percent of diabetics are clinically depressed.

Other studies also suggest that women are more likely to experience this. However, this phenomenon varies based on different factors. Apart from diabetes types, the class and financial status of subjects are also significant contributing factors.

Either way, whether depression is the cause or effect, the combination of these two disorders is serious and often deadly. In analogy, this is a chicken-and-egg situation but most believe that both circumstances are true. Although more studies are needed to further clarify the diabetes-depression connection, it is definitely an establish link that anyone with diabetes or depression should consider seriously.

So, the question still remains, “Is there a cure for diabetes?”

Okay, allow me to clear things once and for all…

THERE IS NO “MEDICAL CURE” FROM DIABETES.

Technically speaking, a medical cure is an end of a medical condition brought about by a substance (medicine) or procedure (e.g. surgery). With that said, diabetes medical cure is non-existent because all the prescription medicines diabetics take only address the symptoms. Treatment of the symptoms does not qualify as a “cure” because the condition is still present. In other words, there is no magic pill or shot that cures diabetes.

However, before you feel that hope is gone, let me make it clear that medicines can’t cure diabetes…

BUT DIABETES CAN BE REVERSED!

Some people loosely consider diabetes reversal as a cure. You can actually put it that way but by strict definition, diabetes reversal is different. It is ending the condition without utter dependence on prescription drugs or medical/surgical procedure.

The medicines are actually making the condition worse because no action is taken to solve the root problem of diabetes. Popping some pills and taking shots may make you feel better for a while but the ill feelings will definitely comeback—maybe even worse than before. You will feel like you do not have any choice but pop those pills or take the shot again.

The cure that diabetics are looking for are from lifestyle changes and not from drugs. Weeds can only be stopped by removing the roots and this goes the same for diabetes. Most diabetics acquire the condition because of their past lifestyle which is not ideal.

For many, diabetes reversal is perceived as difficult. This is a misconception. The people that dismiss the fact of reversing the condition are either misinformed, totally stubborn or lazy. Of course, there is a degree of self-discipline needed to be successful in reversing diabetes. But with the right information, it is easier than you many think.

Knowing the truth about the cause of diabetes will make it easier for you to act. You will clearly understand the right exercises, diet, and the appropriate things to do so your diabetes can finally be reversed.

It all starts here.

Studies indicate that 90 percent of people that suffer from diabetes are overweight or obese. This is not surprising because the condition is heavily linked on diet and lifestyle choices.

Consequently, physicians are adamant in urging their diabetic patients to keep their weights in check because excess bulk has a huge negative impact in their overall health.

There is a reason why a huge percentage of diabetics die of cardiovascular diseases. Diabetes is not only an illness that screws up your metabolism; it also causes havoc to your cardiovascular health. The combination of high cholesterol levels, hypertension, and diabetes is a fatal one. Therefore, weight control is an absolute necessity when a diabetic wants to treat and reverse the condition.

To put it more gravely, it is a matter of life and death.

A diabetic’s first course of action, as any medical professional would suggest, is to lose weight. It is actually pretty straightforward but it is a perfect case of easier said than done. Truth be told, these people already knew that they need to lose weight even before they were diagnosed with diabetes. They might even have tried to lose weight way before the diagnosis.

Diabetics’ Weight Loss Woes

At first, the motivation is high and people start to lose weight for the first few weeks. Alas, these people gradually falter and lose steam. They go back to their old eating habits and unhealthy lifestyle rather unconsciously. As an effect, they gain back the weight they lost and more.

This kind of thing is very typical among people who want to lose weight. Even people seriously stricken with diabetes tend to fail in their weight loss attempts. What’s even worse is the feeling of total failure and frustration which can aggravate the condition even more.

If you are diabetic and overweight, involve your friends and family. They can show and give moral support, inspiration, and even guide you if their knowledgeable. But even that is not enough if you are not doing your homework. Research and know the right way to lose weight.

Whether it is diabetes type 2 or type 1, diabetic diets for weight loss are a blend of knowledge, determination, and support from loved ones.

Acidosis is the leading cause of damage in pancreas and liver.

So, what is acidosis?

It is a state of imbalance in our bodies in which an individual has an abnormally high acidity of the blood and other body tissues. It results from the accumulation, depletion of alkaline reserves, or both. Low grade chronic metabolic acidosis exists normally in humans eating ordinary diets, and that the degree of acidosis increases with age.

It is very easy for people nowadays to get into the state of acidosis due to the types of food available for consumption. In fact, our bodies are in shock and have a hard time coping with cellular acid-waste. We have too much acid in our bodies that our pancreas and liver are simply overwhelmed. Consequently, these organs are impaired which aggravates the whole situation.

Acidosis is killing us at an alarming rate. But other diseases, especially diabetes, get the blame for our sufferings when it is actually acidosis that caused condition.

What does acidosis really do?

Too much cellular acidity weakens all the system functions of the body. In the state of acidosis, our bodies borrow minerals—which include calcium, sodium, magnesium and potassium—from other organs, tissues and bones to neutralize acidity and eliminate waste from our body.

Unfortunately, this can go on without being detected. We may not know that our bodies are already corroded by too much acid until it’s too late. Acidosis usually leads to diabetes and other life threatening diseases. Interestingly enough, many diabetics are still unaware of acidosis even when their diabetes is caused by that very condition.

What causes acidosis?

People from western countries are very likely to fall victim to acidosis. The exposure to unhealthy lifestyle leads to diets that cause pH imbalances. Fast food, unhealthy carbs and fats, promote the destruction of our internal organs by way of acidosis. This is the main reason why diabetes is prevalent in the western world.

The solution:

The process of “alkalinizing” our system is the only way to deal with acidosis and diabetes. We need to give our liver and pancreas a break in order to bring back their main function—the function to help our bodies metabolize food. Once we are able to achieve this, the state of acidosis and the condition of diabetes will be reversed.

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a complication of diabetes that occurs when the body cannot use glucose as a fuel source because the body has no insulin or not enough insulin, and fat is used instead. Byproducts of fat breakdown, called ketones, build up in the body.

Diabetes is, in fact, classified into many types based on various factors. However, there are the two most common types, and these are Type1 and Type2 diabetes. And these types can actually be managed and even reversed with the right lifestyle choices. Diet and exercise is the key.

Here are the best types of exercises to beat diabetes:

Aerobic Exercises

Cardiovascular health is gravely affected by diabetes. So it is only wise to improve that particular aspect of physical fitness for diabetics. With that being said, the best types of exercise are aerobic exercises as they improve the health of your heart and circulation.

If you are not used to physical activity (which is likely why you had diabetes in the first place), it is best to do short walks daily at first. Twenty minutes of intense walking is good enough for out of shape individuals. Eventually, walking will become too easy and when that time comes, you need to increase the intensity. You can jog or run, add a few more minutes or distance, or simply change the form of exercise.

Dancing, Tennis, Swimming, and Martial Arts are some hobbies or sports that provide quality and enjoyable aerobic exercise. Diabetics can be creative all they want with the kind of exercises they choose. The important thing is to get moving.

Aerobic exercises, along with proper nutrition, will ultimately improve metabolism by increasing your body’s sensitivity to insulin. Remember that aerobic exercises can be a chore if you are hesitant, so make sure that the activity is fun for you. That way, you will stick to the routine.

Weight/Strength Training

Muscles use up a lot of glucose. More muscle mass will make your body have a faster metabolism. Weight training helps increase glucose uptake by the muscles and helps the body store glucose effectively. According to recent studies, resistance training can improve insulin sensitivity up to 75 percent. You do not have to grow muscles as the appearance of bulky muscles is not the point here.

Weight training is most beneficial for people with Type2 diabetes. Remember to use the “Progressive Resistance Training” principle. This is basically a method in which you constantly increase the overload to facilitate muscle adaptation.

Flexibility and Meditative Exercises

Sometimes, all that you needs is proper breathing and having a healthy mindset. Yoga and Pilates will not only give you a good stretch for seamless circulation but will also clear your mind and promote hormonal equilibrium. These exercises will train your body to store and use glucose and oxygen effectively.

Flexibility exercises are always a great addition to any diabetes management plan.

*Based on International Diabetes Federation (IDF) / 20 to 79 years old