Category Archives: Diabetes

Pre-Diabetes – What Is It and What Do We Do About It?

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Pre-diabetes is a term that we are reading about more and more these days. What is it? It may seem confusing, but it is not. In fact, I am surprised that we have not heard more about it.

The diagnosis of type 2 diabetes has usually rested on finding elevated blood sugar levels. Several blood sugar tests have been used to establish the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. The two most common are the fasting and post meal blood sugar tests.

Gradually, there is a growing interest in what might be going on in the body prior to the point at which the blood sugar test becomes abnormal. And of course, what can we do about it?

Pre-Diabetes is the condition of the body that precedes the official diagnosis of type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes does not strike fast like lightning. It takes years to develop. During pre-diabetes, there are progressive pathological changes in the cells that are found to a greater extent later in full-blown type 2 diabetes. I am hesitant to use the term early diabetes which up until now meant something other than pre-diabetes.

Very recently, researchers have suggested that the blood sugar indeed rises a little in response to a condition called insulin resistance that is common to many conditions. Insulin resistance means that there is an increased level of insulin in the body and with it comes the inability of the body to process sugar circulating in the blood. As a result, a person’s blood sugar level begins to creep up and stay up. This we can measure with the standard blood tests for diabetes.

If you are concerned about diabetes now or in the future, you need to take into consideration that you or a loved one may have insulin resistance and could be showing early signs of diabetes.. If you have had a test for diabetes and it came back normal, you are not off the hook. You could have pre-diabetes.

Confused? No need to be. We are broadening our understanding of diabetes and this should help us fight this dreaded condition.

You need to keep up with the latest developments, latest news and secrets about pre-diabetes. You need a proven and effective source of information that is up-to-date. Next, here is how you can do your part to fight back against diabetes, insulin resistance and all the consequences of abnormal sugar metabolism.

The Answer To “How Does Exercise Affect Diabetes?” and Other Vital Facts on Diabetes Revealed

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How Does Exercise Affect Diabetes? This is only one of the most frequently-asked questions regarding diabetes, especially by those diabetics who are health-conscious.

To be able to answer this question, five interrelated concepts must first be made clear:
(1) the background of diabetes including its definition and types;
(2) a rundown of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors which contribute to such disorder;
(3) a brief pathophysiology to illustrate how diabetes affects the body;
(4) its complications, and;
(5) physiology of physical exercise.

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is defined as a specific type of metabolic disorder, a chronic case of hyperglycemia, which is characterized by elevated blood glucose level. There are three general classifications of DM, namely: type 1 – complete insulin insufficiency, type 2 – lack of glucose absorption, with varying degrees of insulin secretory defects, and lastly gestational diabetes which just occurs during pregnancy.

The main modifiable factor contributing to DM is the environment which includes viral or bacterial infection, diet, toxins, and stress. Listed among the non-modifiable factors are genetic susceptibility are pregnancy. Referring to the DM types as mentioned earlier, it appears that insulin is the sole link of the occurrence of diabetes.

How does insulin work? Actually, insulin is a hormone produced by islets of Langerhans which are located in the pancreas. It is responsible for glucose absorption from the blood vessels to the cells of different organs so that glucose can be converted to energy, and be utilized by these organs for proper body functioning.

Insufficient insulin (type 1) and insulin resistance (type 2) both result to excess glucose in the blood, thus diabetes. Prolonged, uncontrolled diabetes can lead to serious complications such as vascular diseases (retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, coronary, peripheral, and cerebral artery disease), diabetic ketoacidosis, skin ulcerations (amputation), chronic renal failure, and many more.

Now, how does exercise affect diabetes? Exercise, specifically physical exercise, is described as an organized activity involving slight, moderate, or strenuous movement or voluntary contraction of a particular or a group of muscles, that is rhythmic in nature.

It has the purpose of preventing atrophy, gaining or losing weight, body building or slimming, and most importantly improving and maintaining health. All these are achieved through increased metabolism brought about by exercising. A regular and specifically-programmed exercise will stimulate lung expansion and increased cardiac contractility therefore improving elasticity of cardiac muscles without straining it.

It also causes vasodilation or widening of the blood vessels therefore improving circulation. For people who have DM type 2, because of prolonged stress, obesity, and sedentary lifestyle, regular and moderate exercise helps by solving the underlying cause. Recommended exercise programs include regular walking, cycling, dancing, as well as some trainer-supervised workout sessions in the gym.

The same is applicable to people having DM Type 1 provided they take appropriate insulin dosage prior to working out. However, too much strenuous exercises can also be harmful to diabetics. It may cause excessive cell metabolism which may result to inadequate oxygen perfusion as manifested by pallor (paleness), shortness of breath, numbness of extremities, confusion, and fainting.

Combined with exercises being advised to diabetic persons as a preventive measure for complication, is a corresponding physical responsibility of not going too much due to the wrong perception of quicker improvement. Aside from exercises, eating healthy food such as fruits and vegetables, adequate hydration and rest, and appropriate intake of medications should be done regularly for better results.