Recent scientific research has identified two enzymes which are likely to have a big contribution towards blood vessel damage (vascular disease) in people with Diabetes. They have made a significant breakthrough in identifying the cause of blood vessel damage in diabetics.

Blood Vessels in Foot

There are nearly 26 million Americans with Diabetes and a large proportion have the complication of blood vessel damage. This is particularly so where blood glucose control is poor. Knock on effects of the disease are damage to heart, strokes and loss of vision arising out of the damaged blood vessels. In addition amputations are high amongst diabetics with vascular disease because the blood supply to the feet becomes particularly poor.

The researchers have been carrying out studies in mice and these suggest that the two enzymes responsible are fatty acid synthase (FAS) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) which interact with the endothelial cells lining the blood vessels. One of the research team Xiaochao Wei PHD mentioned that it was known that diabetes sufferers have reduced levels FAS but this is the first time a connection has been made with blood vessel damage.

The study by Wei and the team used mice that had been genetically engineered so as to have no FAS in their blood vessels. These mice suffered similar blood vessel problems to those in diabetic animals. They thought that the FAS acted as a facilitator to make the nitric oxide synthase bind to the cells of the blood vessel walls.

Their research virtually confirmed that lack of FAS prevented Nitric Oxide synthase from being anchored to the blood vessel walls making it ineffective. Without FAS to bind the NOS to the vessel walls the blood vessels suffered various problems including leakage. Their bodies became unable to repair the damage in the very same way that we see in humans with diabetes.

Experimentation on mice is all very well but how does this apply to humans. As the next step the study was extended to humans and a rather similar mechanism was found to be present.

Whilst it is still early days the research looks very promising and may be very helpful to diabetics if a drug or enzyme can be found to promote fatty acid synthase activity.

Diabetic Vascular Disease – Breakthrough? is a post from: The Diabetes Lifestyle

Accu-chek Compact Plus Blood Glucose Meter

Modern blood testing meters are very easy to use and minimize the pain and inconvenience associated with them. The meters work using test strips which are designed to absorb a small blood sample and analyze the glucose level. Accuchek is one of the leaders in the field and Accuchek machines are very easy to use and chosen by many health professionals as well as diabetics.

They make two main types those with an automatic strip dispenser which holds the strips in an internal drum and ones where you add the strip yourself to the meter as you use it. The advantages of the meters with an internal dispenser are that the strips are kept free of contamination inside the drum and it makes testing slightly more convenient. The main disadvantage is that the meter is a bit larger and less convenient to carry.

The other type where you add the strip yourself when needed is able to be much smaller because it doesn’t have an internal drum or mechanism to move it to the next strip and so is more portable. You have to be careful thought to keep the strips in their container and avoid any contamination which might throw the reading off.

Accu-chek Blood Glucose Testing Meter

The Accu-chek range has both styles of meter and it really depends on your lifestyle as to which is best as both work very well.

The Compact Plus which I currently use, and came back to after trying others, holds a drum with 17 strips and is usually supplied with a lancet device to make a small incision in the finger to produce a droplet of blood which you then transfer on to the strip and wait a few seconds for the result. Here are some photographs of the meter and the inbuilt lancing device.

Accu-chek Aviva Blood Glucose Testing Meter

The Advantage and the Aviva both use external strips. The smallest meter in the range is the Accu-chek Advantage which is fractionally smaller than the Aviva but either will take up very little space in your bag if you travel a lot. It is really a matter of convenience as all 3 meters are easy to use and produce a result quickly. I test every morning and adjust my diet to eat less carbohydrate if the reading is a bit high. Here are photographs of these machines.

Whilst being a diabetic the author has no medical qualifications and anything here should not be regarded as medical advice. Before making any decisions in relation to diabetic treatment you should consult your medical professional.

Accucheck Blood Test Meters is a post from: The Diabetes Lifestyle

Interesterified Fats

You may know that trans-fats are made by partially hydrogenating vegetable oils.  The process adds hydrogen to the fats making their melting point higher.  The health risks have been publicized so much that most manufacturers have been forced into stopping using them.

Of course, as with trans-fats research has gone into the suitability of these fats for use in products to replace trans-fats which in turn replaced solid fats because they were too expensive but any research on the health risks has been underfunded and where it was negative has been ignored.

Make no mistake the food industry failed to learn any lessons from the trans-fats scandal and are completely ignoring the health threat to generations arising from their latest folly.

The Interesterification process takes natural fats which are liquid at room temperature and mixes them with a smaller quantity of natural fats which are solid at room temperate adds certain enzymes or catalysts which cause the fats to randomly exchange the Ester part of the fat (this gives the fat its fatty characteristics).  This produces a quantity of non-naturally occurring solid fats which the body has not encountered before and cannot deal properly with them.

The scariest thing about them, coming from the little independent research which has been done, is that they suppress insulin levels and raise blood glucose levels – a double whammy. This means they could be a factor in the development of Diabetes or worsen an existing condition. Like Trans-fats they are going to be something the diabetic must strenuously avoid to have a remote chance of controlling blood sugar levels.

These Interesterified fats are now becoming widespread as a replacement for the trans-fats and packages often mention that they have been made with ‘No trans-fats’. They conveniently forget to mention there is something potentially equally as bad or even worse. They will not go back to natural solid fats because of the cost and the cost to your health is not even considered.

How do you to recognize these fats in food products? It is difficult because there is currently no compulsion on manufacturers to identify Interesterified fats as there are for Trans-fats. Often, they are described as ‘fully hydrogentated fats’ or Palm oil or vegetable oil sometimes with the word ‘modified’. Anything with pastry and only vegetable oil as the fat will have been made with IFs. You need to be vigilant to spot them but your health will benefit.

In the end Interesterified fats are just another cheap way to get products in the shops with the health consequences being ignored because they get in the way of profits. Any time you take a fat and chemically modify it you are asking for trouble because the human body needs generations to adapt to unfamiliar food ingredients.

The Latest Food Industry Health Risk – Interesterified Fats is a post from: The Diabetes Lifestyle

Blood Glucose Testing

Drug based medication is the usual kind of treatment prescribed for individuals who suffer type 2 diabetes. There is certainly little doubt that they do get effective relief but for how long and at what cost to general health and fitness? Drugs are acknowledged to become much less effective with time requiring greater dosage and you will find side effects like diarrhoea, indigestion and potential damage to kidneys and liver. It is also vital to manage your diet regime not merely by paying attention to everything you eat but to dramatically transform your eating habits.

Glucose, along with other nutrients, passes into the blood stream. In non-diabetics, the glucose triggers the pancreas to produce insulin. Glucose is a sugar resulting from the breakdown of carbohydrates from the food we eat, and is circulated within the blood and utilised by the cells to supply the energy they require. The fundamental causes of diabetes are not known for certain but the symptoms result from either inadequate production of insulin by the pancreas or alternately resistance from the cells to absorbing it along with the glucose. Either way the glucose level within the blood stream continues to be excessive and the glucose doesn’t reach the cells which need it and just as bad the free insulin causes a lot of damage to various organs and tissue.

You can find a variety of natural plant extracts which can help to a smaller or greater extent in managing blood sugar.

Cinnamon may perhaps appear bland, but it is a very capable spice. Cinnamon is believed to lower the cells resistance to the insulin which is available by stimulating insulin receptors whilst also inhibiting an enzyme that deactivates them, so substantially improving the cells’ capability to make use of glucose. Research has suggested that less than half a teaspoon each day lowers blood sugar levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Cinnamon in a drink taken prior to going to bed will assist you to take care of diabetes by controlling sugar levels within the blood. Additional to everything else Cinnamon helps make any kind of food smell fantastic.

Studies have suggested that fenugreek can help stabilize blood sugar in diabetics. In one double blind placebo controlled study with twenty five type two diabetes sufferers were at random split into 2 groups and offered either a fenugreek seed extract or a placebo for two months. The patients on fenugreek showed a significantly improved level of insulin resistance. Fenugreek also appears to regulate blood sugar by inhibiting the enzymes sucrase and alpha-amylase, which help break down carbohydrates. Some individuals have noticed improvements. hours after starting the spice, but it can take two weeks for others to see any change.

Fresh ginger is found as ginger root inside the produce part of the grocery store. It contains zinc which probably explains its ability to help in boosting insulin production.

Ginseng has undergone extensive clinical testing, so a good deal is known about it. As an illustration, although it is not completely conclusive, most (blank) clinical testing has suggested that ginseng is effective for lowering blood sugar levels in both type one and type two diabetics. Ginseng has been applied for generations in treating diabetes even though this use is not very well established in the Western World.

Exercise is one of the most effective, safest and truly natural ways to control blood sugar and prevent, manage, and sometimes reverse diabetes. That’s simply because exercise is one of the the most effective ways to improve insulin resistance and make your cells far more sensitive to insulin. Getting active can also enable you to shed weight if you’re overweight or obese and lessen your possibility of developing additional complications with diabetes.

Nonetheless, there is a word of caution about herbs, spices and other plant extracts. They do sometimes contain components which could induce side effects and interact with other herbs and spices, supplements, or medications. Consequently, medical advice should be sought ahead of taking such treatment to ensure there are not any known interactions. You should also not expect a natural alternative to be capable of completely replacing your medication at least at the start.

Diabetes Natural Treatments is a post from: The Diabetes Lifestyle

Preparing in advance whenever you take a trip cuts down stress and anxiety. This really is especially important for a person suffering from diabetes. These 6 diabetes travel tips are straightforward to put into action as well as essential to your diabetes management. They are especially important if you are journeying overseas.

1. Get a pre-travel check-up. Ensure that your long term blood glucose levels, your blood pressure as well as your cholesterol levels are OK. Get the correct shots for any country you intend to visit.
2. Get a diabetes medical ID. If at all possible it ought to be in the language of the country you are visiting. Not everybody speaks your language and you do not wish to have medical issues through misunderstandings.
3. Keep your medicines and anything you else you need on the journey within your hand-luggage. Check-in baggage can, sadly, go astray. Do not risk your diabetes medication by putting it in your main baggage.
4. Keep your medication in its original package, complete along with pharmacy labels. This will prevent misunderstandings concerning the reason why you are holding drugs, and if you are on insulin, syringes.
5. Always be conscious regarding time zone changes, particularly when altering your watch. Keep in mind when you travel east your day becomes shorter; if you journey west your day becomes longer. You might want to change the timings of your medication.
6. Carry some glucose candy if your tends to drop too low.

Traveling need not be stressful. A practical approach and a little bit of pre-travel planning can certainly make things go much more smoothly.

6 Diabetes Travel Tips is a post from: The Diabetes Lifestyle

Controlling Blood Sugar

Blood sugar testing is important in order to find out if your blood sugar is where it should be. Measuring blood sugar levels in the morning before any food gives an indication of the amount of insulin needed overnight. Any other tests should be taken at minimum of 2 hours after meals to allow the level to stabilize.

A blood glucose test measures the amount of sugar in the form of glucose in your blood. Blood sugar levels can be tested with a glucose meter, which is an electronic device which measures and displays the amount of glucose in a blood sample. A test strip is loaded into the device and a small amount of blood is transferred onto the strip. A spring loaded lancet is usually used to make the incision. In the US measurement is in units of milligrams per 100 milliliters (mg/dL) of blood and normal on the scale is regarded as around the 200 mark.

Blood glucose monitoring puts you in the driver’s seat by allowing you to make informed decisions about your daily diabetes choices. Blood sugar is controlled by a number of hormones. Glucagon increases the amount of glucose in the blood by breaking down stored glucose (starch, called glycogen) and releasing it from the liver into the bloodstream. Insulin reduces the amount of glucose in the blood assuming all the other parts of this complex system are doing their jobs.

Blood glucose levels will gently rise and fall throughout the day in a non-diabetic but sharp spikes and drops indicate serious conditions particularly diabetes and hypoglycemia. Blood sugar will rise after any food and ideally it should fall back to under 200 mg/dL around two hours or so after that meal.

Carbohydrates in food are broken down into glucose by the body’s digestive system with complex carbohydrates (mainly ones high in fiber) taking longer. A good diet will try to control levels by replacing sugars with complex carbohydrates.

Knowing your blood sugar levels is the first step to managing your diabetes and is key to gaining control over the disease.

The author is a diabetes sufferer but is not medically qualified and nothing here should be regarded as medical advice – any changes in diet or medication should only be taken after medical consultation.

Blood Sugar and its Management is a post from: The Diabetes Lifestyle

1) Excessive thirst – especially first thing in the morning
2) The need to urinate more frequently than normal (especially at night)
3) Unexplained weight loss
4) Unexplained increase in appetite
5) Increased level of fatigue

If more than one of these is present an urgent consultation with a medical advisor should be arranged. Even if there is only one indicator showing but if it is persistent it should be checked out.

The 5 Things to Look for if You Suspect Diabetes is a post from: The Diabetes Lifestyle