The Glycemic Index is a concept developed in the University of Toronto in 1981. The purpose of the Glycemic Index is to measure the effect carbohydrates have on blood glucose levels. The Glycemic Index is imperative for anyone who needs to monitor their glucose level due to diabetes or hyperglycemia. With diabetes reaching epidemic levels in the United States, the development of the Glycemic Index could not have come at a better time. Each year, more people are diagnosed with this potentially life threatening disease that can cause many serious complications. It is important for anyone with this condition to familiarize themselves with the Glycemic Index so they can empower themselves and learn which foods should be avoided.

Surprisingly, although a candy bar scores in the medium classification of the glycemic index, it is not as harmful as those carbohydrates that score in the high glycemic index range. These include corn flakes, white rice, white bread and baked potato. In other words, it is easier for a diabetic to digest a candy bar than a baked potato.

Other foods are rated high on the Glycemic Index. These foods currently have high ratings and raise the blood glucose level quickly. High glycemic foods can be beneficial for people who are recovering from high exertion or those suffering from hypoglycemia. People with Type I or Type II Diabetes should avoid high glycemic foods as they can play havoc with the insulin or medication they are taking.

Examples of foods that considered high glycemic foods include corn flakes, white rices such as jasmine rice, white breads and baked potatoes. People who have diabetes, either Type I or Type II, should avoid these foods as much as possible.

Diabetes is not a death sentence at all. It is simply a condition that many people possess that does not allow their body to break down sugars and starches through their system so that they digest normally. Diabetes is harmful to an individual who does not follow the advice of their physician, does not consume a proper diet and does not monitor their blood glucose levels. People who adhere to the medical guidelines concerning diabetes have just as much of a chance of living a normal life as anyone else.

How to use the glycemic index

One way on how to use the Glycemic Index is to learn which carbohydrates are better for those who are trying to either watch their carbohydrate intake or who are on a diabetic diet. Some foods, such as fruits and certain vegetables, are low on the glycemic index and take a longer time to absorb into the bloodstream, giving the body the benefit of the nutrients while allowing the body to expel the glucose in a more natural way. One caveat when it comes to fruits and vegetables is that baked potatoes are not considered in the low group in the Glycemic Index.

Intermediate carbohydrates in the Glycemic Index include foods with a rating from 56 to 69. These include candy bars, some brown rices and croissants. This an be invaluable news to someone who is learning to develop a diabetic diet but who is unaware of what foods rank high and rank low.

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Scientists studying diabetes do not yet completing understand all the factors governing the disease. What makes one person get diabetes, while another person does not? This puzzling question is complicated by the fact that diabetes appears in several forms. Most people (90%) with diabetes have Type 2; Type 1 diabetes is the second most common form.

Individuals at risk for diabetes and those already suffering from it are lucky because many lifestyle choices can help prevent or control the condition. Of course, factors like genetics are not alterable, but healthy lifestyle changes can benefit even people with a genetic risk for diabetes.

Obesity is a significant risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. Although some individuals are more genetically prone to obesity than others, lifestyle choices play a significant role in most obesity. With proper diet and exercise, BMI (Body Mass Index) can be lowered.

People with a BMI of 27 or higher can be at high risk for diabetes. Keep in mind that a high BMI does not always indicate obesity. Pregnant women and highly muscular people may have a high BMI without being truly obese, so people with high BMI’s should be examined for other indicators of obesity.

For reasons not clearly understood, where body fat is carried plays a greater role in the development of diabetes than merely being obese. People who store fat more around the middle of their body are at greater risk for diabetes than those whose weight is more evenly distributed. Fat storage is determined primarily by genetics, but diet and exercise can also control it.

Exercise certainly burns calories. But even the resting state burns about 70 calories per hour just to power metabolic processes. But regular movement helps stimulate the lymph system, strengthen and loosen muscles, oxygenate tissues and brings with it many other positive benefits. Exercise helps control blood pressure, a factor in contracting diabetes. It helps regulate glucose levels, which have a major role in the disease since excess glucose in the blood is a defining attribute of diabetes. It alters cholesterol levels, another risk factor for contracting the condition.

Exercise and diet are powerful. They can give you significant control over your risk of developing diabetes even if you have several unchangeable risk factors.

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Coping with diabetes typically involves a combination of physical treatments and psychological adjustments.

If not controlled, diabetes can damage the eyes, the kidneys, and other essential organs. Diabetes can reduce kidney function. It can cause vision changes and other health problems. Fortunately, you can choose to control this damage by changing your diet and exercise habits and by taking medicine if need be.

Unfortunately, the emotional aspects of diabetes are not as easily dealt with, nor are they easy to measure, but they can have significant physical and mental effects.

The chief emotional aspect of diabetes is stress. Stress can start a vicious cycle for the diabetic, because stress diminishes the body’s ability to fight infection. This hampering of the immune system, can promote infections, and more stress as the person worries about becoming ill from infections.

Breaking that cycle requires a broad spectrum of diabetes management techniques. Keeping the body as healthy as possible will minimize the effects. Keeping the right attitude will help reduce the odds of the effects occurring in the first place.

That’s not easy. Accepting that management of diabetes and its effects is a long term, often a lifetime, proposition is the first step.

Accepting the fact that daily, repeated monitoring of your blood glucose levels is necessary is a major step. Blood glucose levels must be kept steady through a combination of exercise, and diet; medication may also be needed. A steady blood glucose level means that diabetes will tax your system less and so you will have less to stress over. Your routine for taking care of your diabetes must be a daily part of your life, just like washing your hands or combing your hair.

Remember that knowledge is power. Become informed of exactly what consequences poorly managed diabetes leads to. This will help motivate to make the changes you need. It will help you develop a proper attitude to diabetes management so that you can actively control your disease.

But knowledge alone doesn’t lead to the right course of action. A commitment of the will is essential. It takes courage to control diabetes and lead a normal life. That kind of courage is larger in some ways than the type required for emergencies. Long term commitments to meeting daily challenges requires the kind of patience and fortitude that is tougher to call up all the time than for a one-time event.

But that kind of commitment doesn’t happen simply by wishing for it. Few can simply will themselves onto the right path. It starts by facing small challenges and overcoming them. A minor dietary change. The adoption of a single brief exercise routine three times a week. Then the actions can become wider - more dietary changes - and longer term, more exercise routines carried out every day.

As you conquer those small hills a little bit at a time, you gain the confidence that you can tackle larger ones and over a lifetime. In time, managing diabetes for most people becomes a routine little more difficult than doing an average school or work assignment. It becomes a few more things on the list of daily challenges to meet and solve in order to get those daily rewards.

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Those who have diabetes are called diabetics. This malady can range in severity within the diabetic. If a person has type two diabetes, control of the condition may be managed. In type one diabetes the injection of insulin is indicated.

Regardless of what level of diabetes the diabetic may be experiencing, there are ways of managing diabetes. Those managing actions, in addition to the possible use of medication, are oversight by medical professionals, diet, exercise and engaging the mind.

Medical Care

The first critical step in managing diabetes is to be under the care and supervision of a medical professional. Diabetes is a serious disease regardless of the severity of the disease. Without proper oversight of medical professionals the diabetic’s condition may worsen and complications may lead to the loss of eyesight, extremities or the individual may experience diabetic shock. Diabetic shock can be deadly.

Once the severity of the diabetes has been established by the person’s physician, treatment will follow. This treatment may require the injection of insulin.

Diet

Other medical professionals that will aid in managing diabetes are dietitians. These clinicians can suggest a dietary plan to aid in managing diabetes. Generally, these diets are personalized and take into consideration the age, gender, profession and condition of the diabetic. A diabetic’s diet generally consists of wholesome foods such as pasta is grains, cereals, fruits, vegetables. Not only will a diabetic diet control the sugar intake but also will help to aid in weight control.

Physical Activity

Another important factor in managing diabetes is making sure that the diabetic adheres to a regular physical activity program. Physical activity that requires no exercising equipment and can be accomplished regularly is walking.

In addition to being a natural form of exercise, that can be accomplished in the early or evening hours, walking can be accomplished throughout the day. Often, by taking the stairs instead of the elevator or walking to a grocery store will meet the exercise requirements to manage diabetes.

Adhering to a daily routine of exercising will help to managing diabetes by keeping the weight under control. Also, the increased level of exercise will help to control blood sugar levels and benefit the cardiovascular system of the body.

The Mental Aspect

When managing any illness it is important not to neglect the power of the mind. Giving attention to your mental state is just as an important component in managing diabetes as is diet, exercise and being under the care of a physician.

Ways to keep positive about your treatment and keep you on track include the use of mental exercises such as manifesting and affirmations. Also, the best defense is a good offense. Therefore, learn all you can about diabetes. You will find that this will help you to overcome any fears associated in living with this condition. Also, seek out the support of diabetes support group.

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For some diabetes patients, exercise and diet need some help to get the insulin doing its job on a regular basis and your medical practitioner can help find a diabetes treatment, or a combination of different drugs, to get you system functioning again. Although it is possible oral medications will not be able to spur your body’s manufacture of insulin and injections may be needed as part of your diabetes treatment.

Persons with diabetes are also more susceptible to vision problems and should have an eye exam at least once a year. As part of their diabetes treatment program, maintain a blood sugar level as close to normal as possible can also help reduce the occurrence of vision troubles due to diabetes.

One of the most important part of a diabetes treatment plan is monitoring your glucose levels several times each day and tracking it to see if there is any particular time of the day or a specific events which may cause your blood sugar level to rise or fall to dangerous levels. By recognizing specific events that may cause a hazardous change, you may be able to take steps to avoid those events.

Self Care Is Important To Your Health

If your doctor has prescribed oral medication as part of your diabetes treatment program it is important that you take it every day, usually about the same time of day. If you forget to take a dose, depending on the time of day when you realize you forgot, it may be best to wait until the next dose is due, unless it is within a short time from the original time. For the safest method, contact your physician for their advice.

Another key factor involved in diabetes treatment is stress control and being able to understand why it is harmful to you. When you are under stress different hormone and chemicals are released into your system and could dilute some of your oral medications effectiveness. Stress also increases blood pressure another typical side effect of diabetes and your diabetes treatment program most likely includes medication for high blood pressure as well.

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The Purpose Of Diabetes Medication

Depending on the type of diabetes that needs to be treated, diabetes medication will be taken for different reasons. For Type 1 diabetic’s insulin is needed for giving your body the necessary insulin it needs since the pancreas is no longer producing the necessary amounts. For type 2 diabetes, the purpose of diabetes medication is typically to help the body correctly use the insulin it is producing. For many individuals the only way to control type 2 diabetes is with medication. Depending on what is needed a doctor will often either prescribe oral diabetes medication or insulin for type 2 diabetes patients.

Types Of Diabetes Medication

Diabetes medication typically only comes in two forms: insulin and oral medication. Insulin must be taken by any individual with Type 1 diabetes while only a few with type 2 diabetes will need to take insulin. Oral medications are only taken by those with type 2 diabetes and never those with Type 1. Oral medications are typically used by those with type 2 diabetes in addition to their diet and exercise to help keep blood glucose levels in normal ranges.

Types Of Insulin

Insulin has five main types for use in diabetic patients: rapid-acting, short acting, intermediate acting, long acting and premixed. There are different speeds at which these five types of insulin work and many individuals will have to take two different types. The types are determined by when they reach their peak period of activity and how quickly or slowly they work in a person’s body.

Oral Medication For Diabetes

Blood glucose is lowered in different ways depending on the type of oral medication being taken by the individual. There are six groups of oral diabetes medicine. The pancreas is stimulated to make more insulin with sulfonylureas and meglitinides. The amount of glucose produced by the liver is decreased with biguanides. Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors help to slow the process of absorbing the starches. Sensitivity to insulin is caused by thiazolidinediones. The pancreas is helped to quickly produce more insulin with D-phenylalanine derivatives.

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Types Of Diabetes Drug Treatment

Diabetics have seven different types of medicines that their doctor may prescribe from them: insulin, sulfonylureas, biguanides, a combination of sulfonylurea and biguanide, alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, thiazolidinediones and meglitinides. All these types of diabetic medications help to control an individuals glucose levels.

Insulin Treatment

The diabetes drug that most individuals take is insulin. Insulin is a type of energy source that allows the cells of the body to work. For diabetics insulin is either pumped or injected into the bloodstream by either needle injections or an insulin pump. Some forms of insulin are produced from synthetic measures while others come from animals.

Depending on the insulin needs a different class of insulin will be used for diabetes drug treatment. For use over night or other long periods then long acting insulin will be used. If people are at risk of dropping into a diabetic coma because of low glucose levels then rapid acting insulin will be used.

Sulfonylureas Treatment

This method of diabetes drug treatment helps the pancreas by stimulating it to produce insulin. For Type 2 diabetic patients this is the most common medication prescribed by doctors. This drug is the first choice largely because of its low risk of side effects, the only major side effects being hypoglycemia or low blood sugar.

Combination Sulfonylurea And Biguanide Treatment

These drugs are used to control the symptoms and target the glucose production in the liver rather than the pancreas. If a patient is overweight, this is the most common diabetes drug treatment prescribed by doctors. These two drugs combined in a single tablet has helped to not only reduce the amount of pills an individual takes but also allows individuals to save money on their prescription drug costs.

Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitors Treatment

This diabetes drug treatment is used to reduce the amount of carbohydrates absorbed into the bloodstream. By maintaining how much glucose enters the bloodstream the blood glucose levels and be maintained in an individual. Abdominal cramping, diarrhea and gas are the most common side effects to this drug treatment method. When taking these drugs it is important to take them along with food.

Meglitinides

This diabetes drug treatment helps the body by stimulating it to release insulin after eating. Hypoglycemia can develop with these drugs since it is not one hundred percent effective at increasing the natural production of insulin. It is extremely important that individuals keep candy, glucose tablets, insulin or other sugars on hand when taking these medications.

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Diabetes Care Will Impose Strict Diet Control

The first thing a diabetic person will have to do is to take control of the way he/she live. Not only the diet but also a good measure of exercise should be included in the daily routine, once you have been identified suffering from this disease. The diet should be as much as possible oriented towards vegetables and fruits, particularly those that have fiber.

You will need to avoid potatoes, rice, pasta, oil, chocolates, red meat, sugar, and all other foods that have high content of starch. If you are an avid fan of coffee or tea, you should learn to have it without sugar and if possible without milk as well. There are many traps, which can boost your sugar level very inobtrusively throughout the day unless you are very careful of what you consume. Diabetes care will require that you maintain a permanent vigil on this aspect.

Doctors advise that food should be taken often and in small quantities when you suffer from diabetes to avoid sudden raise of sugar levels in the blood. You should also be careful of sudden weight loss. Those who are overweight would profit greatly from loss of weight; however, this should not be sudden. About two pounds per week would be an acceptable rate.

Diabetic care would require a diabetic patient to be aware of the high risk of allied diseases he/she can get, i.e. heart problems, kidney problems and liver problems. Hence, regular medical check ups and a strict diet plan are necessary if you want to stay healthy and fit. Diabetic persons should pay extra attention to their eye care and foot care since the high levels of sugar can cause heavy damage. In fact, foot care is an integral part of diabetes care.

On the other hand, in the diabetic care regime and your enthusiasm to stay away from too much sugar should not make you hypoglycemic, i.e. with low sugar. You will need to maintain a proper balance of your diet – low sugar can be as harmful as high sugar.

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Unchecked diabetes blood sugar levels can cause diabetes complications such as eye disease, kidney disease, nerve disease as well as heart attacks, hypertension as well as strokes and also other poor blood circulations conditions such as gangrene, in the worst instance. It is not always that these complications will arise immediately after a person becomes diabetic, and they make take as many as ten to fifteen years before appearing.

Measuring Diabetes Blood Sugar Levels

There is home blood glucose level testing kits available for measuring diabetes blood sugar levels. One may need to place a small amount of blood on a strip and place the strip into a device that comes along with the testing kit and thirty seconds or more later; it will display blood glucose levels. The best values for blood sugar levels would be four to seven millimoles per liter prior to taking meals and less than ten millimoles per liter, 90 minutes after having had a meal. Around bedtime, it should be approximately eight millimoles per liter.

How often the diabetes blood sugar levels need to be checked depends on individual lifestyles and people with Type 1 diabetes ought to measure their blood sugar levels every day before taking meals and tests may be conducted once or twice per day or even four to five times, if needed. There is a different routine for Type 2 diabetics who should, if they take oral treatment, measure blood sugar levels once or twice a week, either before meals or an hour and a half after eating. In addition, it may also require doing a 24 hour profile once or twice per month.

Knowing diabetes blood sugar levels and controlling it would help in keeping blood pressure in check more rigorously and help lower cholesterol levels with medication. It should also help in being able to do more exercises or even start exercising as well as to stop smoking.

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20.8 million people suffer from diabetes in the United States. There are three kinds of diabetes, Type I, Type II and gestational diabetes. Of the three, Type I affects 175.600 people, that’s .22%, according to the American Diabetes Association. What exactly causes the disease is still unclear. We do know that there are certain factors that can influence whether a person develops the disease.

Two 24 hour insulin types which are long acting are- ultralente insulin which prolongs the entry of insulin into the blood for four to six hours and remains active for 28 hours and ultra-long-acting glargine which is injected once a day. Its activity begins in just over an hour and is sustained at a relatively constant rate for 24 hours, without any peaks.

Unlike Type II, Type I diabetes is irreversible. Once diagnosed, Type I carries severe consequences if not cared for properly. Type I diabetes is when the body does not produce insulin anymore. Whether it’s because the pancreas is damaged or the cells that produce insulin have been destroyed, the metabolic processes that occur in healthy individuals aren’t working anymore. It is at this point that the pancreas needs outside help to function. Insulin is the only alternative. Warning signs that you may be in pre-diabetic stages include excessive thirst, excessive hunger, rapid weight loss, fatigue, irritability and mood swings. If you think you may be at risk, your doctor can perform tests to determine your blood sugar level and pancreas function.

When the sugar level in your blood is too high, you have diabetes. In Type I diabetes, the level of sugar is not only high, it is out of control. The reason being the body has stopped production of the required quantity of insulin. As a result, type I diabetes patient needs two to five insulin shots per day, to keep the blood sugar levels under control.

Insulin is a chemical substance in the body that is essential to keep blood sugar levels normal. Its second function is- it assists the body to use fat and protein. An organ near the stomach, pancreas, is the production headquarters of insulin.

Fatigue (weak and tired)

Irritability and mood changes

Ulralente (Humulin) and Glargine (Lantus) are two long acting synthetic human insulin medications that are ccommonly prescribed for diabetics. Ultralente enters the blood at a slow rate, remaining active for 28 hours. Glargine, injected daily, begins to work to regulate blood sugar levels in just over an hour and lasts up to 24hours. Both are used to treat Type I diabetes.

Is there a cure for Diabetes Type I? NO, there is not!

Synthetic human insulin is produced by recombinant technology. This involves inserting portions of DNA into lab-cultivated yeasts and bacteria. The recombinant tend to have a more rapid affect on blood sugar levels, but shorter duration than animal derived insulin. Since 1982, synthetic human insulin has steadily replaced pork or beef derived insulin. Ulralente, also known as Humulin,is a long acting insulin. It prolongs the blood entry rate for four to six hours, remaining active for up to 28. Humulin is distributed by Eli Lili and Company. Glargine is an ultra-long acting insulin that need be injected once daily. It begins to work in just over an hour and continues to work for 24 hours, without peaks. Glargine is also known as Lantus, manufactured and marketed by the Sanofi-Aventis pharmaceutical corporation.

There is no cure for diabetes. But if you work with your health care team, eat right and exercise, you can live a great life and stay healthy.

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