Diabetes currently affects 7% of the United States population, or 20.8 million Americans, and more than half are women. Diabetes is the 6th leading cause of death today, and a large percentage of diabetics don’t even know that they have the disease.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a very important hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy-the energy we need for daily life. Although the cause of diabetes is unknown, certain genetic and environmental factors do seem to increase the likelihood of the disease. These include obesity and lack of exercise.

Diabetes is a disease that develops over time, and your health care provider can help you find out whether you are likely to become a diabetic. The Fasting Plasma Glucose Test (FPG) or the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) is used to tell if someone has pre-diabetes or diabetes. If she returns a blood glucose level above a certain amount she has the disease.

The major types of diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes and pre-diabetes. Type 1 diabetes results when the body fails to produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes results when the body fails to properly use insulin. Most American diabetics have Type 2 diabetes. Pregnant women who have high blood sugar levels during pregnancy have gestational diabetes. Those with pre-diabetes have higher than normal blood sugar levels, but not to the point where they reach the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

Common symptoms of diabetes include: frequent urination, excessive thirst, unexplained weight loss, extreme hunger, sudden vision changes, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, exhaustion much of the time, very dry skin, sores that are slow to heal and more infections than usual. Diabetics may have some of these symptoms or none at all.

If you have any questions about whether you might have diabetes or be at risk to get it be sure to consult you health care provider.

Of the many types of Diabetes, womenshealthwise.info/Type_1_Diabetes.html type 1 diabetes, womenshealthwise.info/Type_2_Diabetes.html type 2 diabetes, gestational
diabetes and pre-diabetes are the most common.
Diabetes currently affects 7% of the United States population, or 20.8 million
Americans, and more than half are women.
Are you at risk?

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Tags: diabetic, high blood sugar, obesity, weight Loss

When you are diabetic, it is important for you to test your blood sugar or blood glucose levels. A blood glucose monitor will tell you how much glucose you have in your blood. Many diabetics, in particular ones with type 1 diabetes will have the need for a glucose monitor to measure how much glucose (sugar) is in their blood so they can replenish themselves with the correct amount of insulin they need.

It is advisable to repeat that the only way for those people with type 1 diabetes is to test their glucose levels regularly and to take the appropriate levels of medication or injection of insulin. Since a diabetic’s body does not produce insulin, as in Type 1 diabetes, or cannot process the insulin that it makes, which is found in Type 2 diabetes, blood sugar levels can vary much more than in a person with perfect health. Glucose is a vital source of energy for the body but when there is too much or too little in the blood stream, it may give rise to serious conditions in the body.

Glucose Meter readings have the ability to warn and alarm diabetics people of how dangerously and lethal blood sugar can be, low and high blood sugar levels. It is therefore, crucial for every diabetic patient to self-monitor the glucose level in the blood. Keeping track of the amount of glucose in your blood is very important. Some companies out there help you with the cost of a glucose meter if you meet specific income guidelines, and in some situations, you can get it free.

Glucose meter evaluate how long low and high blood sugar patterns occur as well as the average blood glucose levels each day. Modern glucose testers can record glucose concentration in the blood over a broad range, from as low as 0 mg/dl to 600 mg/dl. The, to get a very inexpensive (free) glucose meter is absolutely necessary for diabetics.

Before you use one of these machines, you should always wash and dry your hands thoroughly and then use the lancet to prick a fingertip. Now just place the lancet drum in your device and you are ready to test your blood sugar. It is much easier for your body breakdown smaller portions and process the sugar that to stuff yourself.

Remember that if you are diabetic, your body cannot process extra sugar like most people. So smaller meals mean less sugar in your blood.

Finding quality monitors to suit your individual needs is easy. You have the option of buying one through the medical center you are already dealing with or you can research online at the many companies that sell direct to you.

Hector Milla at thefreeglucosemeter.com thefreeglucosemeter.com shows you how to get a thefreeglucosemeter.com Free Glucose Meter, visit for further information. Website associated with thehighbloodsugar.org/ thehighbloodsugar.org.

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Tags: diabetic, high blood sugar

How to Lower Your Blood Sugar - Lowering Blood Sugar Can Save Your Life, What is blood sugar and why is it so important to you? The first is learning what high blood sugar is, why it is important and how to monitor your condition.

What Is Blood Sugar?

Your blood sugar is the concentration of sugar in your blood. It tells doctors how well your body processes sugars, called glucose. In a normal body, sugars are processed and used as energy for the cells in the body.

By measuring your blood sugar levels, doctors can determine if you are suffering from diabetes mellitus, which is, a disease characterized by the body’s failure to regulate blood sugar.

Sugars including glucose, fructose and galactose are all in the blood normally.
But, only glucose levels are regulated.

What’s Normal?

Your doctor will likely tell you that your blood sugar is high (or even low in some cases.) But, what is a normal reading? Normal glucose levels in the body stay in a small margin throughout the day, depending on what you are doing. A normal range is 4 to 8 mol/L.

It is important to realize that blood sugar levels change throughout the day. For example, they tend to rise after eating a meal. When you get up in the morning, they are at their lowest until you eat your first meal.

For this reason, if you are instructed to monitor your own blood sugar numbers, you will need to do so at the same time every day, following your doctor’s direction. Otherwise, you will not be able to tell any real fluctuations in it.

How Is It Tested?

For most individuals, the first time that they hear that something is wrong with their blood sugar is at their doctor’s office during a routine exam (or one for related to not feeling well). Doctors will determine that your blood sugar is high from one of several tests. They tell doctors how well your body reacts to glucose.

Some tests are used to determine if you have diabetes or pre-diabetic conditions. Others are used to gauge how well the diabetic conditions are being monitored by you through the care plan that has been established by you and your doctor.

These tests include but not limited to:

Fasting Blood Sugar Test
During this test, the level of sugars in your blood after an eight our fast are recorded. Normal levels should be lower than 100 mg/dL. Those that have a range of 100 to 125 mg/dL are considered to have pre-diabetes.

Those with a range of 126 or higher may have either type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Random Blood Sugar Tests
Your doctor may perform a random blood test on you to monitor your blood sugar levels. Here, there are no notes taken for meals, time of the day or beverages that you may have consumed. A normal range is under 100 mg/dL. Those that have a level of 100 to 199 mg/dL will be considered pre-diabetic. A range over 200 mg/dL suggests type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Secondary testing may be done to confirm these numbers.

Oral Glucose Hemoglobin Test
Anyone that is pregnant is likely to have taken this test as a standard determinate for pregnancy related diabetic conditions. Here, your doctor will determine what your fasting blood sugar level is, as mentioned above. Then, you will be given a very sugary solution to consume.

Doctors will determine how much your blood sugars rise at the one hour point after taking this drink and again at the 2 hour level.

A normal range here is a test with a 140 mg/dL level or lower. Those that have a range from 140 to 199 mg/dL may have pre-diabetes. Those with a level above 200 mg/dL will be considered either type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

In summary, Learning how to check your blood sugar is an important part of living with diabetes. Checking your sugar allows you to make changes to your diet and insulin if necessary, to help your body to use sugars the right way

Discover various ways that you can lower your own risks by lowering your blood sugar levels at “ healthebookfor.com/HowToLowerBloodSugar How to Lower Your Blood Sugar” official website healthebookfor.com/HowToLowerBloodSugar here. “How to Lower Your Blood Sugar” will give you the tools to get your body back on track. It’s easier than you think. Did you know that you can sprinkle something on your cereal everyday and significantly lower your blood sugar. Visit now, you’ll discover more different tricks like this and much, much more.

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Tags: diabetic, diet, high blood sugar

In Victorian times a large belly was a sign of prosperity and manliness, but now we know that having a lot of fat in your belly increases your risk for heart attacks and diabetes. People who store fat primarily underneath the skin in their bellies also store a lot of fat around their intestines and in their liver, It is dangerous to your heart to store a lot of fat in your liver.

When you eat, your blood sugar level rises. The higher it rises, the more insulin your pancreas releases to keep your blood sugar level from rising even higher. As soon as insulin does its job of lowering high blood sugar levels, it is grabbed by your liver and removed from the bloodstream. However, fat in the liver prevents liver cells from removing insulin from the bloodstream. Therefore, people who store fat primarily in their bellies also store a lot of fat in their livers, which prevents the liver from removing insulin, which causes you to have very high and prolonged blood levels of insulin.

You need insulin to prevent blood sugar levels from rising too high, but too much insulin constricts arteries to cause heart attacks. It acts on the brain to make you hungry. It acts on the liver to make more fat. It also causes the extra fat to be deposited in the liver, abdomen and underneath the skin in your belly, so you develop a beer belly. Extra fat in the liver causes a condition called fatty liver that eventually can send you into liver failure and kill you. So storing fat primarily in your belly increases your chances of getting a heart attack, diabetes and obesity.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at drmirkin.com DrMirkin.com

drmirkin.com/email/newssign.asp Free weekly newsletter on fitness, health, and nutrition - sign up at DrMirkin.com

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Tags: Heart, high blood sugar, obesity