Tag: Blood Glucose Levels

Eye Complications of Diabetes

Diabetics do not process sugars and starches though their systems like other individuals. These substances stay within their system and enter the blood stream. The high amounts of sugars in their blood, also called glucose, is called glycemia. Glycemia is a condition when someone has an elevated amount of blood glucose. This is often determined by a blood test. People with diabetes have monitors and are supposed to test their blood glucose levels periodically throughout the day to monitor for glycemia.

Glycemia can cause many complications in the body of a person with diabetes. Some of the complications include those with the heart, circulation, blood vessels, kidneys and even eyesight. Because of the high blood glucose levels, a person with diabetes risks having problems with their eyesight. Eye complications of diabetes include those affecting the retina, the vitreous, the lens and the optic nerve.

Eye complications of diabetes take a long time to develop. The first is usually damage to the retina. Tiny blood vessels make up the retina and too much blood glucose cause these vessels to swell. They gradually begin to weaken and the person begins to experience vision problems. For this reason, a person with diabetes should have an eye exam once a year. During the exam, the eyes should be dilated to see if the condition has become worse.

The name for eye complications of diabetes is called diabetic retinopathy. A person with diabetes should rely on a qualified ophthalmologist who is familiar with this condition.

Some of the signs of retina damage from diabetes include blurry vision, flashing lights, dark spots in front of the eyes, pain in the eyes, or pressure and trouble with peripheral vision. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes and are experiencing any of these problems, see your ophthalmologist for a complete eye exam. There are surgeries available that can enable diabetics to be able to regain the sight in their eyes and certain treatments can prevent further damage.

One way a person with diabetes can avoid eye complications of diabetes is to become familiar with the Glycemic Index that rates different foods that should not be included in a diabetic diet. Exercise is also helpful in diabetic control as is the elimination of alcohol and smoking. Maintaining a desirable weight is crucial to managing your diabetes.

Other eye complications of diabetes include cataracts and glaucoma. While cataracts are relatively easy to cure, glaucoma is a precursor to blindness and needs to be treated. This is why it is so important that someone with diabetes manages their disease with the help of a qualified ophthalmologist.

Many eye complications of diabetes can be avoided if a person with the condition maintains a healthy lifestyle and is compliant in their diabetic treatment. Maintain your weight. Exercise. Eat a proper diet that eliminates carbohydrates and sugars and become familiar with the Glycemic Index. Avoid alcohol and do not smoke. Take prescribed medications as directed by your physician and see your physician at intervals suggested by him or her.

Monitor your blood glucose level as often as prescribed. By being compliant in the care of your disease, you can avoid eye complications of diabetes as well as other more life threatening complications of this disease.

Non Hypoglycemia- Understand the Cause

Non hypoglycemia, also known as non diabetic hypoglycemia, is a condition where the level of glucose in your blood stream falls below a certain number and you experience symptoms. Anyone in the world can experience a hypoglycemic episode but usually hypoglycemia is caused by a medical condition or hormonal imbalance.

There are two types of non hypoglycemia, or non diabetic hypoglycemia. The first one we will discuss is Fasting Hypoglycemia. One obvious cause of fasting hypoglycemia is not eating. When you don’t eat and/or skip meals your body can’t get the fuel it needs so your blood sugar drops to dangerously low levels.

Fasting Hypoglycemia can also be brought on by excessive strenuous exercise. If you do not replenish your body’s reserves during exercise then you will experience an episode of hypoglycemia. Fasting hypoglycemia is the type that can also be caused by a medical condition or hormonal imbalance.

A medical condition known as hyperinsulinism, or too much insulin released by your pancreas, is caused by a tumor in the pancreas. Other conditions, like Addison’s disease, that affect the secretion of hormones by the pituitary gland or the adrenal glands also can cause the pancreas to secrete more insulin than is necessary to maintain healthy blood glucose levels.

Excessive alcohol consumption can cause the drinker to experience a hypoglycemic episode. Alcohol
converts directly to sugar in your system and therefore stimulates the pancreas to secrete the insulin. If you do not eat the way you are supposed to when you are drinking, then you can and probably will feel the symptoms of hypoglycemia.

Reactive Hypoglycemia is a condition that may result due to a deficiency in the liver when it is required to secrete glucagon. Sugar is stored in the liver as glucagon and when the body needs a boost the liver normally secretes some into the blood stream. Liver diseases like hepatitis, cancer, or cirrhosis can inhibit the storage of glucagon.

If you have never had an episode of hypoglycemia before then you probably don’t know what symptoms to look for. Hypoglycemia symptoms include feeling shaky, hungry, being unable to think clearly, pallor, sweating, anxiousness, dizziness or lightheadedness, and blurred vision. Any or all of these symptoms should say only one thing to you, EAT NOW. If you do not get something to eat when you feel these symptoms other symptoms will soon follow and they include falling into unconsciousness, convulsions and even death. Do not play around with hypoglycemia, you could get yourself into all kinds of trouble in very short order.

So, if you feel these symptoms coming on stop what you are doing and eat something to raise your blood sugar quickly. If this happens often you probably keep some hard candy or chocolate at the ready. When your blood sugar is back to within normal limits then you need to eat something a little more substantial to keep it up.

Non hypoglycemia, or non diabetic hypoglycemia, is a dangerous condition that can turn even more dangerous very quickly so learn to control it early.

Achieving Healthy Pregnancy Despite Diabetes

Among diabetic pregnant women, the most common problem when it comes to their babys health is the condition called macrosomia or having a baby with large body. This is because the blood of the mother with diabetes is interchanged with that of the baby inside the womb. As a result, the baby will produce insulin to be able to glucose and this will lead to fat deposits, which causes the baby to grown larger compared to the regular ones.

What you can do

For a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy, it is ideal to maintain an appropriate weight gain, average consumption of various foods from different food groups, timely and prescribed vitamin and mineral supplementation, and lots of fluid intake. Sweets and fats should also be kept to a minimum level of consumption. The following are just some of the guidelines that pregnant women with diabetes can use to achieve healthy pregnancy despite the chronic disease:

1. Follow the appropriate meal plan religiously. More than ever, pregnant women should pay attention to what they eat and their eating patterns in general. This is very important because this stagepregnancy itselfrequires strict control of blood glucose levels in order to ensure that both the mother and baby are getting the right amount of key nutrients needed. In coming up with the right diet plan, it is best to seek the help of diabetes educator or a licensed dietitian to create the necessary adjustments needed to accommodate the needs not only of the fetus inside the womb but of the mother as well. In your meal plan, take note of calorie, carbohydrates and protein requirements every day because these will help you maintain normal blood glucose levels.

2. Regular Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose or SMBG. Experts say that the only way to tell if the woman is successful in controlling her blood glucose is by monitor their levels by themselves regularly. Since being pregnant is a sensitive condition, soon to be mothers should monitor their blood glucose levels more frequently. Ideally, SMBG should be monitored four to 10 times a day.

3. Knowledge in administering insulin injections and adjusting the doses based on the results of SMBG. Sufficient supply of insulin is very crucial for pregnant women so they must know how to administer insulin injections by themselves in case no one is around when they need it. They should also ask from their physician how to adjust the doses of insulin after they are through with the SBMG. Knowing how to adjust the doses of insulin needed is very important to ensure that the bodys supply of insulin is stable.

4. Treating or controlling hypoglycemia. Pregnant women who are diabetics are more prone to hypoglycemia because of the hormonal changes in their body. Although studies show that there are no know effects of hypoglycemia in the baby, it is best to control or treat it as soon as possible so the soon to be mom wont be having troubles during the course of conception.

5. Maintaining regular set of exercise or physical activities. This is also very important for pregnant women with diabetes because through this they can reduce the risk of hypoglycemia as well as being overweight. Since it is hard for pregnant women to do strenuous workouts, it is best to maintain the hobby of having light exercises that will keep the body moving.