You Get A Surprising Number Of Yeast Infections
High blood sugars create an environment in your vagina thats ripe for yeast infections. Glucose is fuel for yeast. The more thats around, the more they can multiply, says Kellis.
If youre having two to three yeast infections every few months or if the standard treatments just arent working, its time to see a doctor. Once blood sugar is controlled, the frequency goes down, says Goundan.
Foot Pain And Numbness Can Be Signs Of Diabetic Neuropathy
Over time, a prolonged exposure to high blood sugar level can damage the nerves throughout the body, called diabetic neuropathy. Some people may not have any symptoms of the damage, while others may notice numbness, tingling, or pain in the extremities.
Diabetic neuropathy usually starts in the feet and then it progresses upward, says Ovalle. Although most common in people who have had type 2 diabetes for 25 years or more, it can occur in people who have prediabetes as well. When it affects the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, its termed peripheral neuropathy.
Numbness in the feet can increase their risk of infection: If you don’t feel a cut or scrape on your foot, you might not notice or properly treat it, he says.
What Are The Types Of Diabetes
Diabetes refers to a collection of diseases in which the human body has some sort of issue with insulin. In some instances of diabetes, the body doesnt make enough of the crucial hormone whereas, in other situations, the body cant appropriately use whatever insulin is created. In other cases, a combination of both occurs. Each of these situations inhibits the body from drawing sugar out of the bloodstream and distributing it to the cells. This results in high blood sugar levels that require medical attention and management.
We draw a majority of our energy from glucose, which is found in the bloodstream. Insulin helps manage this and, when unavailable, sugar continues to build up in the bloodstream, creating a wide variety of health problems and issues.
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How To Reverse Prediabetes
The best way to reverse prediabetes is with healthy lifestyle habits. Get active, and develop an exercise program to follow every day, as exercise helps the body improve blood glucose utilization and can reverse prediabetes. Follow that up with healthy food choices at all three meals and in snacks. Soon, your A1C levels may start sinking.
Can Diabetes Be Prevented
Type 1 diabetes cant be prevented.
You may be able to reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by managing your weight, staying active, and following a healthy diet. However, genetics and other risk factors may increase your risk despite your best efforts.
If you have any risk factors for diabetes, its important to get regular checkups with your doctor or healthcare professional. This will help prevent diabetes from progressing and causing other serious health complications.
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What Is Type 1 Diabetes
In autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes, the immune system mistakenly manufactures antibodies and inflammatory cells that are directed against and cause damage to patients’ own body tissues. In persons with type 1 diabetes, the beta cells of the pancreas, which are responsible for insulin production, are attacked by the misdirected immune system. It is believed that the tendency to develop abnormal antibodies in type 1 diabetes is, in part, genetically inherited, though the details are not fully understood.
Exposure to certain viral infections or other environmental toxins may serve to trigger abnormal antibody responses that cause damage to the pancreas cells where insulin is made. Some of the antibodies seen in type 1 diabetes include anti-islet cell antibodies, anti-insulin antibodies and anti-glutamic decarboxylase antibodies. These antibodies can be detected in the majority of patients, and may help determine which individuals are at risk for developing type 1 diabetes.
What Causes These Symptoms
Diabetes symptoms occur because some or all of the glucose stays in the blood, and isnt being used as fuel for energy. The body tries to reduce blood glucose levels by flushing the excess glucose out of the body in the urine, making you more thirsty. High levels of glucose being passed in the urine are a perfect breeding ground for the fungal infection which causes thrush. But not everyone gets symptoms. In fact, 6 out of 10 people have no symptoms when theyre diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
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What Are The Acute Complications Of Diabetes
Acute complications of type 2 diabetes
In patients with type 2 diabetes, stress, infection, and medications can also lead to severely elevated blood sugar levels. Accompanied by dehydration, severe blood sugar elevation in patients with type 2 diabetes can lead to an increase in blood osmolality . This condition can worsen and lead to coma . A hyperosmolar coma usually occurs in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes. Like diabetic ketoacidosis, a hyperosmolar coma is a medical emergency. Immediate treatment with intravenous fluid and insulin is important in reversing the hyperosmolar state. Unlike patients with type 1 diabetes, patients with type 2 diabetes do not generally develop ketoacidosis solely on the basis of their diabetes. Since in general, type 2 diabetes occurs in an older population, concomitant medical conditions are more likely to be present, and these patients may actually be sicker overall. The complication and death rates from hyperosmolar coma is thus higher than in diabetic ketoacidosis.
Blood glucose is essential for the proper functioning of brain cells. Therefore, low blood sugar can lead to central nervous system symptoms such as:
Frequent Urination Could Be Related To Diabetes
When there is excess glucose present in the blood, as with type 2 diabetes, the kidneys are not able to handle all of it and have to flush some out of the blood and into the urine, Ovalle says. This results in more urine production and increased urinary frequency and urgency, called polyuria. Some people may notice they have to get up every couple of hours during the night to urinate and that they produce more urine when they do go.
The presence of excess glucose can also cause the urine to have a sweet smell. This is most common in advanced cases of type 2 diabetes, he says.
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Guidelines If You Have Symptoms Of Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease that is manageable through proper lifestyle, weight loss programs, diet control, and proper treatment. Some guidelines to help you to manage diabetes efficiently are as follows:
- Test your blood glucose level regularly. You can do this at home through glucometers.
- Maintain a proper diet chart and healthy lifestyle.
- Do exercise regularly to manage body weight.
- Take a low-carb diet to maintain proper weight.
- Eat food that is high in fiber. As a result of it, you shall have proper weight management.
- Eat more fruits, vegetables, and grains.
- Lose weight if you are overweight.
- If you have diabetes, you should cut more oily food from your diet to control weight gain.
- Avoid Smoking.
- Drink lots of water.
- Dont walk barefoot as it may cause damage to foot skin and cause foot pain and foot ulcers.
- Avoid processed food and juices.
- Avoid Sugary drinks, sugar syrup as they may cause hyperglycemia.
- Always keep with you an apple or a few raisins if you have complaints of hypoglycemia.
- Measure your sugar levels, especially after workouts, stress, and exercises.
- Dont ignore any signs or symptoms that can cause complications. As a result, the situation may become life-threatening.
- Dont take self-medication. Always consult the doctor before taking any medicine. Also, consult a doctor in case of any issues.
- Avoid taking an overdose. Due to which you may create health issues.
Always have emergency numbers highlighted at your home.
What Kind Of Doctor Treats Diabetes
Endocrinology is the specialty of medicine that deals with hormone disturbances, and both endocrinologists and pediatric endocrinologists manage patients with diabetes. People with diabetes may also be treated by family medicine or internal medicine specialists. When complications arise, people with diabetes may be treated by other specialists, including neurologists, gastroenterologists, ophthalmologists, surgeons, cardiologists, or others.
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Skin Changes And Slow Wound Healing
Since high sugar in the blood can affect nerves and blood flow, your body will have a harder time healing wounds or cuts.
As mentioned above, your hands and feet are most susceptible since they already receive less blood flow.
Why does this happen?: With time, lots of sugar in the blood can affect blood flow and nerves necessary for the healing of wounds and cuts. Limited blood circulation can slow down the healing process, especially in the extremities.
Your Dogs Eyes Look Cloudy
Up to 80% of dogs with diabetes mellitus will eventually develop some degree of cataracts, says Dr. Romine. Cataracts are one of the most common long-term complications seen in dogs with diabetes.
In a healthy dog, the lens absorbs glucose from the eye fluid and converts the excess into sorbitol, she says. When there is a large amount of glucose, a large amount of sorbitol is produced. Sorbitol has a strong pull on water, so water enters the lens and causes distortion of the fibers, blocking light from passing through.
This can cause your dogs eyes to appear to be cloudy.
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What Are The Warning Signs Of Prediabetes
You could have prediabetes, but you may not know it. More than one in three adults in the United States have prediabetes.
Prediabetes typically occurs without showing any symptoms or warning signs. However, it helps to know if you do have prediabetes so you can stop it in its tracks. That means you can avoid developing Type 2 diabetes, a more dangerous disease that causes other serious health issues.
Itching And Yeast Infections
Excess sugar in the blood and urine provides food for yeast, which can lead to infection. Yeast infections tend to occur on warm, moist areas of the skin, such as the mouth, genital areas, and armpits.
The affected areas are usually itchy, but a person may also experience burning, redness, and soreness.
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Risk Factors For Prediabetes
Sometimes the symptoms of prediabetes can go away if you take better care of your health, but they can come back if you fall back into an unhealthy lifestyle.
Its important to be aware of prediabetes, especially if youre over 45 years of age. Youre also at risk for developing prediabetes if you have any of these medical issues:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Unusual fatigue
- Wounds that wont heal fast
A blood test can tell you if you have prediabetes. There are several different types and they are the same tests that diagnose Type 2 diabetes. Talk with your primary care provider to see if they think you need one of these tests.
Signs And Symptoms Of Prediabetes
The most common signs and symptoms of prediabetes are a lot like symptoms of diabetes. If you think you have two or more symptoms of prediabetes, make an appointment to speak with a health care provider. A few simple tests can help you understand your blood sugar levels and if you need to take action to improve them.
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Signs And Symptoms Of Borderline Diabetes
Health Check Certified By: Dr. Gerald Morris
While borderline diabetes is less commonly talked about, its basically the same thing as diabetes, just a step behind. According to Best Health, there are roughly 84 million Americans who have borderline diabetes, also known as prediabetes. This amounts to roughly 1 in 3 Americans.
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Borderline diabetes is the condition leading up to type 2 diabetes. The pancreas is still producing enough of the hormone to respond to ingested carbohydrates, says Healthline, but its less effective at removing the sugar from the bloodstream. As a result, blood sugar levels remain high. It doesnt mean the patient will for sure develop diabetes, but its a warning sign of what may come. While its scary to be diagnosed with borderline diabetes, it can also be a great wake-up call and provide an opportunity to change course. Heres a look at 12 of the telltale signs and symptoms of borderline diabetes
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Diagnosis Of Gestational Diabetes
To diagnose gestational diabetes, doctors generally ask for a blood glucose level test. These tests are conducted around the 24th to 28th week of pregnancy. But if you have a family history of diabetes, doctors may carry out these tests at the early stages of pregnancy.
An oral glucose tolerance test is used to diagnose gestational diabetes. In the oral glucose tolerance test, first, a blood sample is drawn after 1hour of eating. If the blood glucose levels are > 140mg/DL, then a 3-hour test is recommended. Glucose syrup is given, and after 3 hours of taking that glucose syrup, the blood glucose levels are repeated. Any value > 140mg/Dl indicates gestational diabetes.
Doctors shall repeat these tests in the 4th week to confirm gestational diabetes. If the values of the blood glucose levels are still high and > 140 mg/dL, it is diagnosed as gestational diabetes.
Early detection of Diabetes will lead to an early reversal of Diabetes. One should not ignore early symptoms and not hesitate to take expert advice. Health coaches along with Diabetologists will assist you during the Diabetes Reversal Program. Regular follow-ups and weekly challenges without disturbing your daily schedule will help you normalize blood sugar levels at the comfort of your house.
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Why Is Blood Sugar Checked At Home
Home blood sugar testing is an important part of controlling blood sugar. One important goal of diabetes treatment is to keep the blood glucose levels near the normal range of 70 to 120 mg/dl before meals and under 140 mg/dl at two hours after eating. Blood glucose levels are usually tested before and after meals, and at bedtime. The blood sugar level is typically determined by pricking a fingertip with a lancing device and applying the blood to a glucose meter, which reads the value. There are many meters on the market, for example, Accu-Check Advantage, One Touch Ultra, Sure Step and Freestyle. Each meter has its own advantages and disadvantages . The test results are then used to help patients make adjustments in medications, diets, and physical activities.
While there are no guidelines to use A1c as a screening tool, it gives a physician a good idea that someone is diabetic if the value is elevated. Right now, it is used as a standard tool to determine blood sugar control in patients known to have diabetes.
| HBA1c | |
|---|---|
| 12 | 345 |
The American Diabetes Association currently recommends an A1c goal of less than 7.0% with A1C goal for selected individuals of as close to normal as possible without significant hypoglycemia. Other Groups such as the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists feel that an A1c of < 6.5% should be the goal.
Five First Signs Of Diabetes You Should Know Now
If youre worried you might be experiencing diabetes, your best option is to look for problems like these:
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Maybe It’s A Different Type
If you or someone you know is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes but isnt responding well to the typical treatments for type 2 diabetes, it may be worth a visit to an endocrinologist to determine what type of diabetes is happening. Generally, this requires antibody tests and possibly the measurement of a C-peptide level.
You’re Tired A Lot More Than Usual
Many factors can make you feel fatigued. Life can be stressful and demanding, so feeling run down is fairly common.
However, the inefficient use of blood sugar caused by prediabetes leads to less energy and more fatigue, too. Cells depend on glucose, which is extracted from the blood, for energy. Without that glucose, your body will struggle to provide the fuel you need to carry out everyday functions.
“A well-energized cell helps muscles and organs function, but a lack of energy due to prediabetes makes cells function poorly, and this can lead to feeling fatigued,” he says.
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