Medical News Today describes diabetes as a disorder of the body’s metabolism. Food is turned into glucose by the liver, which your body then uses for energy. The pancreas creates insulin to help your cells absorb glucose. Diabetes occurs when your body does not produce enough insulin or no insulin at all. Your body cannot absorb the glucose and so is starved for nutrition.

Diabetes may sound daunting, but you should know that it can be controlled, delayed and even prevented. Diabetes testing is essential to finding out if you are at risk of developing the disease. Knowing more about it may help you to control your diabetes or even live diabetes free.

You Can Control Diabetes

A number of solutions exist for an individual potentially facing diabetes. Though diabetes is not curable, it is controllable. Your health professional can help you to develop a diet that will keep your blood sugar levels under control. Eating fewer sweets and monitoring carbohydrate amounts will help. Carbohydrates convert to glucose in the body. Too much glucose in you system is known as hyperglycemia. According to KidsHealth.org, hyperglycemia can be damaging to the body, predisposing you to further illness such as kidney disease, heart disease and stroke. Your doctor may offer insulin injections as a solution. These injections will help your body to process the much-needed nutrition.

Checkups Are Key to Diabetic Health and Prevention

Simple tests can help you learn if you have diabetes or if you may have a predisposition to it. An individual with a higher potential for becoming diabetic may be labeled pre-diabetic. This label lets you know that a lifestyle change is necessary. By taking the right steps and controlling your diet, you may be able to slow or even prevent the onset of diabetes. Getting a checkup is the only way to know for sure. Take control of your health by scheduling an appointment today.

November is American Diabetes Month, so take time to learn about his condition. If you need information about diabetes control or prevention, contact University Hospital using our free Consult-A-Nurse® service at 1-888-256-7728. 

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Sugar: The Evil Empire

For most people in Tamarac, this is the most calorie-heavy time of year. It seems like as soon as the Halloween candy is finally gone, the Thanksgiving feasts begin and you don’t stop until you have had a calorie-filled glass of champagne for New Years. As important as it is to enjoy your life and the holidays, you must also pay attention to your diet. It isn’t hard to do both; you just have to think about what you are doing and stay focused.

• Treat Buffets Like Bank Accounts- You won’t maintain financial “health” without budgeting, right? Apply the same concept to the buffet line at your holiday parties. It sounds a little silly, but just think about eating like spending money. If you limit yourself to a particular calorie count on a daily basis, then make your decisions wisely. If you want the red velvet cake, then you should have it. Just realize that you won’t have that many more calories to spend, so have the lean meat and vegetables for your entrée and skip the fried and bacon-wrapped appetizers.
• Go to Parties to Party- Every holiday party has food, but you are going to see family and friends more than you are to eat. Remember that and have a sensible meal based on fresh fruits and vegetable, lean meats and whole grains before the party. Then you won’t be as tempted to gorge on the calorie filled dips and cookies at the party. Party food generally doesn’t constitute a meal anyways, so take care of hunger at home and socialize at the party.
• Sweat it Out- The holidays arriving does not meant that you should stop your exercise regimen. Find time for the gym, your elliptical machine or a run with your dog in between the parties. You won’t find yourself making an extraordinary resolution about weight loss at the end of the year if you stick to your work-outs in the months that lead up to it.
• Talk to Your Server- You will probably have some extra meals out during the holidays. Restaurants can make some delicious food, but in reality you have little knowledge of how much butter or salt they use. Ask your waiter for healthy suggestions that are on the menu. If they don’t appeal to you, ask if your meal can be cooked in a healthier manner or if they have any off-menu entrees that might help you eat a little leaner. If you do go for a calorie-filled selection eat slowly and take some home for a different day. Asking for sauces on the side and salad dressings that are based in oil and vinegar is another good way to cut fat out of restaurant meals.
• Drink for Hydration-Alcohol might be inevitable for a lot of holiday partiers. Limit the amount of alcohol that you consume. Also choose diet and low-sugar mixers, as opposed to regular soft drinks. You can also take the alcohol out of the drink altogether. A soda water and lime is perfectly acceptable and it doesn’t taste too bad either.

We hope that you holidays bring you great times with family and friends. If you would like to find out more about health feel free to visit us online. If you have any medical questions that you would like answers to right away or need to locate a physician call 1-866-442-2362 for answers and free physician referrals.

Sources:

MSN

MedicineNet

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University Committed to Serving the Community

If you have diabetes, you probably know that it’s caused by too much sugar in your bloodstream. What you may not be aware of is that nearly 24 million adults and children in the U.S. have diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes, the less common form of the disease, occurs when your body does not produce the insulin needed to break down glucose in your blood for the cells. It usually is discovered in children and young adults, who must receive insulin shots.

On the other hand, Type 2 diabetes develops when the body needs more insulin than normal to break down the sugar in the blood. This form of diabetes is managed by various means, including medication and lifestyle changes.

Diabetic complications

People with diabetes are at higher risk of heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure than the average person. In addition, diabetes can damage blood vessels and nerves, which can affect circulation in a diabetic’s legs and feet and cause either numbness or a complete lack of feeling.

If a diabetic loses sensation in his legs or feet, he may not notice wounds that form on his legs or feet. Left unattended, these wounds can grow and become infected.

Continued lack of treatment may lead to severe pain, loss of function, and eventually, amputation of the legs or feet. The Amputee Coalition of America reports that over half of all amputations in the U.S. are due to diabetes or related complications. Most diabetic amputations were to the lower limbs.

In 2004, the most current year data was available, approximately 71,000 non-traumatic lower-limb amputations were performed in people with diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.

Treating diabetic wounds

Paying close attention to their limbs can help diabetics minimize these complications, especially amputations. If discovered early, diabetic wounds can be treated successfully. Here are some of the treatment options:

• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: The patient is placed in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. Wounds are bathed in 100% oxygen, which speeds growth of new tissue and blood vessels.
• Nutrition therapy: Some diabetics do not get proper nutrition, and have vitamin and mineral deficiencies, which can slow healing.
• Compression therapy: This treatment option is appropriate when the patient has ulceration and swelling in the extremities.

UHMC can help

In the Wound Healing Center at UHMC, specially trained physicians, nurses and support staff treat patients with wounds caused by diabetes or related conditions. Our team will work with you to ensure the best possible results.

To learn more about the UHMC wound care program, call Alix Needham, our Wound Care Coordinator, at (954) 724-6474. If you would like a physician referral, contact Consult-A-Nurse^® at 1-866-442-2362, or visit University Hospital and Medical Center online.