Kidney Disease and Diabetes

Not everyone who has diabetes gets kidney disease. This is yet another popular misconception about the illness. While uncontrolled glycemia can cause kidney disease, diabetics who maintain their proper blood glucose levels can avoid kidney disease.

Diabetics who get kidney disease acquire this life threatening condition because they are unable to dispose of the waste products of sugars and starches through their systems. These foods remain in their system and do not break down and eliminate, as they do in others without the disease. The sugars and starches stay in the system and cause the blood sugars to rise to high levels that can be dangerous. Not only that, it makes it difficult for proteins to pass through the system.

Eventually, when a person has uncontrolled diabetes and does not maintain their proper blood glucose levels, the elimination process through the kidneys ceases to function effectively. The kidneys have to work harder and harder to eliminate the waste products and the proteins are blocked. The kidneys filter too much blood and begin to leak. Protein is lost through the kidneys and from the body. Towards the end, waste products begin to build up into the blood.

This is the basics of kidney disease. Kidney disease is acquired in many ways. In diabetics, it is acquired because the kidneys worked too hard to filter out the sugars and starches and were unable to remove waste products from the blood. Eventually, like any organ that is overworked, they shut down. When the kidneys shut down, a person is often put on dialysis, in which a machine functions as the kidneys. In some cases, a person with kidney disease can opt for a transplant, however this is not often available to persons with diabetes.

A person cannot live without their kidneys. Therefore, it is imperative that a person with diabetes understands how their kidneys function and what they can do to help these vital organs function efficiently. A diabetic does not have to contact kidney disease at all. A diabetic can avoid most complications of the disease by simply following the orders of their physician and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Many diabetics are non compliant patients. Non complaint patients are those who do not do what the doctor instructs them to do. They do not follow the diet as recommended in the Glycemic Index. This chart was developed to inform people with diabetes of which foods to avoid. Those foods that are high in the glycemic index take the longest to break down and do the most damage to the kidneys, who try their best to eliminate the waste. The Glycemic Index was developed in 1981 and is a potential lifesaver for anyone with this disease as it clearly states which foods to avoid.

Other methods of non compliance include not monitoring their blood sugar. A diabetic is often prescribed a blood monitor that he or she must use several times a day to check their blood glucose levels. In addition, the levels are recorded and should be presented to the physician during their scheduled visit. Many diabetics do not comply with this integral part of their treatment.

Insulin or medication is usually prescribed for diabetics who sometimes refuse to take these lifesaving medications. The insulin or medication enables the foods to break down and assists the kidneys in eliminating waste. There is no reason not to take these medications and there are many different programs available for those who cannot afford these medications.

Exercise and weight control are crucial to maintaining a healthy lifestyle not only for diabetics, but for the general population. Yet many people simply refuse to follow these essential guidelines.

Diabetes is not necessarily a precursor to kidney disease. Kidney disease and diabetes are two different diseases. One does not always lead to the other.

Insulin To Treat Diabetes

When someone has Type I diabetes, which used to be referred to as Juvenile Diabetes, insulin is the natural treatment. In this case, a person does not produce any insulin and insulin must be injected in order for the patient to survive. Just as there are many different types of oral medications to treat Type II diabetes, there are also many different options when it comes to insulin to treat diabetes.

Years ago, insulin was derived from animals and injected by a needle. Patients often needed multiple insulin injections throughout the day. There were problems with the insulin derived from beef and pork and many patients developed a resistance to the insulin after a period of time. In 1977, modern technology in the treatment of diabetes took a giant leap as human insulin was cloned. Today, insulin to treat diabetes is human insulin and is much more effective than insulin used in the past.

There are many different types of insulin on the market today and, as is the case with oral medications, it may take several different insulin types in order to find the correct balance that will insure good glucose levels. Some insulin, such as Humalog, is very short acting and peaks within an hour after injection. Other insulin, such as Ultra Lente, is very long acting and peaks in 18 hours.

There are three characteristics to insulin. Onset is the time it takes for the drug to reach the bloodstream and begin lowering the glucose. The peaktime is the time when the drug is at the maximum strength and the duration is how long the drug continues to work in reducing the blood glucose level.

Each patient has different needs when it comes to insulin and for this reason, there are many different types of the drug. Cost is also a consideration in many cases as the insulin must be injected every day and, in certain instances, many people have to inject the insulin several times a day.

Another benefit of modern technology in managing people with diabetes through the use of insulin is the insulin pump. This is much more effective than injections as it is a catheter that remains under the skin and separates the insulin into three different types of insulin. Basal insulin is injected continuously. Bolus doses are given to cover any carbohydrates consumed in a meal. You can also have correction doses or supplemental doses. This is especially effective if your blood sugars are high prior to eating.

The use of the insulin pump is much more effective than using injections as it controls your insulin and blood glucose levels on a continuous basis. It is relatively easy to use and most people with Type I diabetes are using insulin pumps.

Not only people with Type I diabetes use insulin. Those with Type II diabetes who have been unable to control their blood sugars through diet and medication are often prescribed insulin. Because the insulin pump is so effective at retaining control of the blood glucose level, many people with Type II diabetes have also opted to use the insulin pump.

Medical science is continuing to search for a cure for diabetes which has reached epidemic proportions in some areas. Until a cure is found, however, there are many ways to treat this disease. When someone gets a diagnoses of diabetes, they often panic and are overwhelmed at all of the information. If you or a loved one is diagnosed with diabetes, become empowered by learning all you can about treating the illness, learning about different medications and making sure that you comply with orders given by your physician.

Patients with diabetes who are compliant and learn about their disease stand the best chance of living a long and productive live, despite having diabetes.

How To Use The Glycemic Index

The glycemic index is a rating of carbohydrates that was developed in 1981 by Dr. David J. Jenkins of the University of Toronto. This concept was developed to help people who wanted to rank carbohydrates based upon how they affected the blood glucose levels. Different carbohydrates are absorbed into the system in different manners and all take different times to break down and digest. Carbohydrates that break down and cause rapid digestion tend to leave the most glucose in the blood stream and cause the most damage to a person who is a diabetic. These carbohydrates are given a high rating on the Glycemic Index.

The carbohydrates that are given a high rating on the Glycemic Index include those made with white sugar, white flour, baked potato, French fried pototoes, white break, pastas made with white flour. Even corn flakes are considered bad carbohydrates on the Glycemic Index. This can be valuable information for anyone who has just been diagnosed as a diabetic and wants to discover which foods are more beneficial. While most diabetics will be told to avoid carbs, avoiding carbohydrates all together is not often feasible. For someone who thinks a candy bar is way worse than white bread, the Glycemic Index can be a real eye opener and can be a great way how to use the Glycemic Index for someone who is trying to discover which carbohydrates are safer than others.

Another 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.

As a matter of fact, potatoes are one of the highest ranking foods in the Glycemic Index. People consume French fries throughout the world like they are going out of style. Not only are they high in fat and offer little protein, they are also very high in carbohydrates.

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.

Most people may assume that a piece of white bread is way worse for a person with diabetes than a candy bar, but this is not true. By learning the different ratings and classifications on the Glycemic Index, a person who is watching their carbohydrates as well as their diabetic diet can learn some invaluable lessons and learn how to use the Glycemic Index to their advantage.

How To Prevent Diabetes

In many instances, diabetes is an inherited disorder. People who have first degree relatives with this disease are more prone to developing this disease than people with no genetic disposition. People who have a first degree relative with diabetes can avoid contacting the illness by having themselves tested by their physician. The physician can do a series of blood tests that will determine whether or not the patient is pre disposed to this condition. If a person has a pre diabetic condition, there are many things they can do to avoid getting this disease.

However, Type II Diabetes has become nearly an epidemic in this country. Many in the medical community believe that one of the reasons many people acquire this potentially life threatening condition is from obesity. The diabetes epidemic has mirrored the obesity epidemic currently overtaking the United States as well as other countries. People consume foods that are high in carbohydrates and sugars and low in nutrients at an alarming rate. We often think of diabetics as being people with a sweet tooth who crave sugar. This is not the case. More often, a person who is obese has more of a chance of getting diabetes than a person who maintains his or her weight.

One way how to prevent diabetes is by managing your weight. Although there is little you can do about having a genetic disposition to the disease, there are ways you can prevent becoming one of the millions of Americans who develop diabetes each year.

When seeking how to prevent diabetes, the first thing a person can do is watch your weight. Studies indicate that people who are overweight are more prone to developing diabetes. How to prevent diabetes. Rule number one is manage your weight. One way to manage your weight is to stay way from foods laden with saturated fats, and sugars. Stay away from fast food, which is usually high in fats, carbohydrates and sugars. Most fast food offer little in the way of nutrition but are high in fat and carbohydrates.

Another way how to prevent diabetes is to exercise. Exercising regularly improves blood sugar control. Because active muscles dispel glucose from blood quicker than non-exercised muscles, regular exercise can do wonders in staving off or preventing diabetes. In addition, regular exercise also helps to maintain stable weight, another factor in preventing obesity.

Again, the misconception that people contract diabetes through excessive consumption of sugars is inaccurate. It is not only sugar that contributes to the disease. While it is good to eliminate the use of excessive sugar in your diet, carbohydrates are also contributory to the onset of diabetes. One way on how to prevent diabetes is becoming aware of the Glycemic Index. The Glycemic Index was developed in 1981 and rates which carbohydrates are more difficult to eliminate glucose from the blood.

When asking yourself how to prevent diabetes, focus your attention on your weight, exercise and diet. In many cases, simple lifestyle changes can prevent someone from getting this potentially life threatening disease.