Articles on Diabetes

Articles on Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease in which the body either does not produce or does not properly use insulin.  Insulin is the hormone that converts sugar, starches and other foods into glucose, the energy needed to fuel the body.  If you have diabetes, no matter what type, it means you have too much glucose in your blood, although the reasons may differ.  Too much glucose can lead to serious health problems.

The cause of diabetes is unknown; however it is thought that genetics and other factors (e.g. obesity and lack of exercise) may be involved. There are four different types of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes results from the body's failure to produce insulin, the hormone that "unlocks" the cells of the body, allowing glucose to enter and fuel them.
Type 2 diabetes results from insulin resistance (a condition in which the body fails to properly use insulin), combined with relative insulin deficiency.
Gestational diabetes occurs immediately after pregnancy, and may result in type 2 diabetes.
Pre-diabetes is a condition that occurs when a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
 

03/17/2010 - Articles

Kidney failure linked to silent stroke in people with diabetes

Kidney failure is one of the major health problems that people with type 2 diabetes may face as their disease progresses. A new study shows that so-called silent cerebral infarctions (SCIs), otherwise known as ‘silent strokes,’ could be an indicator of kidney failure among diabetics. The study, from researchers at Shiga University School of Medicine, Japan, involved 608 patients with type 2 diabetes who had no obvious symptoms of kidney failure like protein in the urine. Nor did they have complications like stroke or heart disease. They underwent magnetic resonance imaging of the brain which showed that about 29% had SCI. Read more

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03/08/2010 - Articles

What is metabolic syndrome?

Metabolic syndrome refers to a cluster of risk factors like hypertension (high blood pressure), larger waist circumference, high cholesterol and impaired fasting glucose which may identify individuals at greater risk of diabetes and heart disease. Although the metabolic syndrome concept itself has been around for more than 80 years, there has been controversy and debate over what it actually is and what it means in practice. There have been too many different definitions of metabolic syndrome, so people are now confused as to whether they have it or not. Moreover, there seems to be no evidence that metabolic syndrome is a better predictor of heart attack or stroke than the sum of the risk factors. You could even argue that there is really no such thing as metabolic syndrome – it is just a list of risk factors! Read more

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02/09/2010 - Articles
Milk Benefits More Than Just Bones

Milk Benefits More Than Just Bones

Can a diet that includes plenty of dairy foods cut your risk of developing type 2 diabetes? Read more

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02/03/2010 - Articles

Type 2 diabetes risk cut down by pedometer use

Type 2 diabetes is often preceded by a condition called prediabetes, where blood glucose levels are raised – but not to the threshold that signals type 2 diabetes itself. Prediabetes can be prevented from progressing to type 2 diabetes by lifestyle changes such as losing weight and taking more exercise. A new study from Diabetes UK now reveals that using a pedometer can lead to sustained improvements in physical activity and blood glucose levels. This was part of the Prediabetes Risk Eduction and Physical Activity Recommendation and Encouragement (PREPARE) programme which aims to help those with prediabetes ward off the threat of type 2 diabetes. Read more

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01/25/2010 - Articles

New Year is a good time to act against prediabetes

Prediabetes is a condition in which people have blood sugar levels higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as Type 2 diabetes. While overindulgence at Christmas and during the holidays is not, in itself, enough to cause prediabetes, a few extra pounds may increase the risk. Christmas is certainly the time for enjoying a few festive treats with friends and family but it’s important we compensate for this overindulgence,’ says Douglas Smallwood, who is the Chief Executive of the leading charity Diabetes UK. ‘Prediabetes is often a pre-cursor to Type 2 diabetes, which can lead to shortened life expectancy and devastating complications such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and amputation. Make it your New Year’s resolution to eat more healthily and take regular physical activity. Read more

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01/15/2010 - Articles

Type 2 diabetes risk reduced by coffee and tea

Type 2 diabetes is on the increase, with a prediction that 380 million people around the world will be affected by the year 2025. Therefore, there is a lot of interest in lifestyle factors which might mitigate the risk of type 2 diabetes. Previous research has suggested that drinking coffee is linked to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Now researchers at the University of Sydney report that consumption of coffee, decaffeinated coffee and tea all seem to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Read more

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12/22/2009 - Articles

Diabetes, high blood pressure and mild mental decline

Aggressive treatment to control high blood pressure and diabetes before age 60 can significantly reduce the risk of a decline in mental ability associated with these disorders, according to the results of a recently published large-scale study. Read more

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12/22/2009 - Articles

Sudden Deafness on One Side - Is It Diabetes?

If you have sudden hearing loss in one ear, and there's no obvious cause, have yourself checked for diabetes - there's sometimes a connection . . . Read more

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12/21/2009 - Articles

Diabetes increases risk of eye problems

People with diabetes are known to be at risk of retinopathy. A new study shows they are also more likely to have eye disease of any kind. Read more

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12/18/2009 - Articles

Breastfeeding reduces metabolic syndrome risk

Metabolic syndrome is a clustering of factors like overweight and high blood pressure which is a strong indicator of diabetes risk. In fact, metabolic syndrome can be considered as a type of ‘pre-diabetes’ state. Metabolic syndrome affects around one third of women aged 20 to 59 in the United States. A team of researchers at Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, Epidemiology and Prevention Services and colleagues elsewhere in the US set out to determine what impact breastfeeding has upon the risk of metabolic syndrome later in life. Previous studies have shown that breastfeeding improves levels of blood glucose and lipids. Read more

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