DIABETES
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the
American Diabetes Association (ADA), diabetes affects nearly 61.8
million people in the United States.
Currently, 20.8 million Americans have diabetes and over 41
million are pre-diabetic. Every day over 2,000 people are diagnosed
with diabetes, while many millions more are completely unaware that
they, too, may silently be affected. For this reason, knowing the
symptoms of diabetes is important. In the long term, diabetes
typically leads to complications such as blindness (retinopathy and
cataract), heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, lower limb
amputations and painful nerve damage.
There are two major types of diabetes known as Type 1 and Type 2
diabetes. Type 1 diabetes (also known as insulin-dependent diabetes
mellitus, IDDM or juvenile diabetes) accounts for only about 5-10%
of diabetes cases. It is considered an autoimmune disease because
the immune system attacks the insulin-producing beta cells in the
pancreas, resulting in the production of little or no insulin.
Over 90% of people with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes (also
known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or NIDDM). Type 2
diabetes most often affects adults over age 40, especially when
overweight. In Type 2 diabetes, the pancreas usually produces
insulin, but the body does not use the insulin effectively. In other
words, the body's cells and tissues are more or less
"insulin-resistant" or "insulin-insensitive." Ultimately, blood
sugar increases, since the body cannot use it.
According to the ADA, managing the ABC’s of diabetes should be
the #1 goal of all diabetics. Here are the ABC's of Diabetes:
A is for A1C: Your A1C check tells you your average
blood
glucose levels for the past 2 or 3 months. It’s the blood check with
a memory.
B is for blood pressure: Your
blood pressure numbers tell
you the force of blood inside your blood vessels. When your blood
pressure is high, your heart has to work harder.
C is for Cholesterol: your
cholesterol levels tell you
the amount of fat in your blood. Some kinds, like HDL cholesterol,
help protect your heart. Others, like LDL cholesterol, can clog your
blood vessels and lead to heart disease. Triglycerides are another
kind of blood fat that raises your risk for a heart attack or
stroke.
Proper daily management of keeping blood glucose near normal
levels can significantly lower the risk and progression of eye,
kidney, nerve and cardiovascular complications and improve overall
quality of life. Weight control is also a very important factor in
diabetes management. If you need to lose weight, a 10-15 pound loss
can help you reach your blood pressure, blood glucose and
cholesterol goals.
Effective diabetes management usually includes drug therapy
together with lifestyle changes, such as regular physical activity,
a healthy diet and dietary supplementation with an effective product
such as the CardioTrim® Diabetic Formula.
Use the CardioTrim Diabetic Formula from Soy Labs to help you manage your ABC’s
of Diabetes.
SYMPTOMS OF DIABETES
The symptoms of diabetes often go undiagnosed because many seem so
harmless. Recent studies indicate that the early detection of
diabetes symptoms and treatment can decrease the chance of
developing the complications of diabetes.
Some diabetes symptoms include:
- Frequent urination
- Excessive thirst
- Extreme hunger
- Unusual weight loss
- Increased fatigue
- Irritability
- Blurry vision
- Frequent infections
- Slow healing of sores
The condition known as "impaired fasting glucose" is the silent
(often undiagnosed) precursor of Type 2 diabetes. It is important
to detect impaired fasting glucose early, with regular blood tests
during your annual physicals, because at this stage, the condition
responds well to lifestyle changes (diet, supplements, exercise,
etc.), which may prevent or delay the progression into full-blown
Type 2 diabetes.
DIABETES COMPLICATIONS
If the cells in your body do not properly metabolize and use sugar,
you are putting yourself at risk of developing a diabetes-related
illness. Uncontrolled diabetes can have severe complications- heart
disease, blindness, lower limb amputation, etc. Most complications
are vascular complications stemming from the damage diabetes
inflicts on the lining of your blood vessels.
DIABETES AND HEART DISEASE
Heart disease and stroke account for 2 out of 3 deaths in people
with diabetes. Adults with diabetes have heart disease and stroke
risks about 2 to 4 times higher than adults without diabetes.
These startling figures have prompted the American Diabetes
Association and the American College of Cardiology to launch a new
program named “Make the Link” which draws attention to the serious
health related issues linking diabetes and heart disease.
Diabetes adversely affects your blood cholesterol levels, but you
can reduce your risk of heart and blood vessel disease by lowering
your cholesterol levels through a healthy diet and consistent exercise.
The good news is that keeping your weight, blood sugar, blood
pressure, and cholesterol in normal ranges can help prevent or delay these
diabetes related health problems.
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