Tag Archives: Diabetes

Diabetes Coma

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In today’s world, many people are realizing that they need to get educated about the reality of disease. In addition to gaining basic knowledge about conditions they may be susceptible to, individuals need to develop prevention strategies that can empower them to lead profoundly healthy lives. One condition that more and more people are striving to learn more about is diabetes. Learn more about this condition and some of its severe outcomes, including the diabetic coma, by reviewing the information found below:

SO… WHAT IS DIABETES?
Diabetes is an illness that takes place when an individual’s blood sugar (blood glucose) is too high. Blood glucose is the body’s primary source of energy and it is found in the foods we consume. Insulin, a hormone manufactured by the body’s pancreas, enables the glucose from food to enter our cells. The food is then used for energy. If the body doesn’t make enough insulin or utilize it effectively, the glucose remains in the blood and never reaches the cells. In some cases, individuals refer to diabetes as “borderline diabetes” or “a touch of sugar.” These phrases indicate that the individual doesn’t really have diabetes or is grappling with a less critical illness. Nevertheless, any and every case should be recognized, evaluated, and monitored.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF DIABETES?
The three most common kinds of diabetes include type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes.

TYPE 1 DIABETES
Individuals who have type 1 diabetes find that their bodies do not create insulin. Instead, their immune systems attack and destroy the pancreatic cells responsible for the production of insulin. Typically, this form of diabetes is diagnosed in young adults and children. However, it can appear at any stage of life. Individuals who have type 1 diabetes must take insulin each day to live.

TYPE 2 DIABETES
Individuals who struggle with type 2 diabetes find that their bodies are not making or using insulin effectively. People can acquire this form of diabetes at any stage of life, including childhood. However, the condition is most common amongst elderly and middle-aged people. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the condition.

GESTATIONAL DIABETES
gestational diabetes
Gestational diabetes surfaces in some women during their pregnancies. Generally, this form of diabetes ends once the baby is born. Yet if you endure gestational diabetes, you are more susceptible to developing type 2 diabetes later on. In some cases, the form of diabetes diagnosed during a woman’s pregnancy is type 2.

OTHER FORMS OF DIABETES
One less common form of diabetes is monogenic diabetes. This is a form of diabetes that individuals inherit. Another less common form of diabetes is cystic fibrosis-related diabetes

IS DIABETES COMMON?
In 2015, 30.3 million US individuals had diabetes. This is 9.4% of the population. Over 1 in 4 of these individuals were unaware that they were grappling with the condition. Diabetes affects 1 in 4 individuals who are over 65. About 90-95% of adults who have diabetes are dealing with the type 2 form.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?
There are multiple symptoms which can indicate that an individual is struggling with diabetes. Some of them include:

• Increased urination and thirst
• Fatigue
• Increased hunger
• Numbness in the hands or feet
• Blurred vision
• Inexplicable weight loss
• Sores that will not heal

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES?
Type 2 diabetes can be caused by a wide range of factors, including genes and lifestyle. Some considerations:

OBESITY, BEING OVERWEIGHT, AND PHYSICAL INACTIVITY
If you lead a sedentary lifestyle and are currently obese or overweight, you are more susceptible to developing type 2 diabetes. In some cases, carrying excess weight can cause insulin resistance. Also, the location of the body fat matters. Specifically, excess fat in the abdominal region is linked to blood vessel disease, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. You can utilize BMI charts to determine whether your current weight is increasing your susceptibility to this condition.

INSULIN RESISTANCE
Typically, type 2 diabetes starts with insulin resistance. This is a condition in which fat cells, liver, and muscle do not utilize insulin effectively. As a consequence of this bodily shortcoming, the body requires more insulin to ensure that glucose can enter the cells. In the beginning, the individual’s pancreas will create more insulin to compensate for the added demands. Over the course of time, the person’s pancreas will not produce sufficient amounts of insulin. This in turn causes her or his blood glucose levels to rise.

GENES AND FAMILY HISTORY
Unfortunately, there are some genes that can make an individual more susceptible to developing type 2 diabetes. The condition tends to become prevalent within families. Additionally, it occurs most frequently within the following ethnic/racial communities:

• African Americans
• American Indians
• Alaska Natives
• Hispanics/Latinos
• Asian Americans
• Pacific Islanders
• Native Hawaiians

Also note that an individual’s genes can increase their susceptibility to type 2 diabetes by increasing their risk of becoming obese or overweight.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE DIABETES?
Over the course of time, individuals who have too much glucose in their blood can begin to experience health complications. Some of them include:

• Stroke
• Heart Disease
• Foot Problems
• Eye Problems
• Kidney Disease
• Nerve Damage
• Dental Disease

DIABETIC COMA
Another health issue that an individual can experience as a result of diabetes is the diabetic coma. This type of coma is a state of unconscious resulting from either hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) or hyperglycemia (high blood glucose).

There are many symptoms which can indicate that an individual is experiencing this type of coma. Symptoms for those with hyperglycemia include:

• Abdominal pain
• Tiredness
• Increased urination
• Shortness of breath
• Drowsiness
• Weak pulse
• Increased thirst
• Walking unsteadily
• Dry mouth
• Rapid heart rate
• Hunger
• Fruity smell on the breath

Symptoms for those with hypoglycemia include:

• Sweating
• Weakness
• Anxiety
• Tiredness
• Shakiness
• Fast breathing
• Nausea
• Confusion
• Nervousness
• Light-headedness
• Problems communicating
• Dizziness
• Hunger

Other risk factors include:

• Trauma
• Surgery
• Illness
• Poor diabetes management
• Using illegal substances
• Insulin delivery problems
• Skipping doses of insulin
• Drinking alcohol

TREATMENT
insulin injection diabetic coma
When individuals go into a diabetic coma, they require immediately treatment. If there is a delay in treatment, the person could suffer from death or brain damage.

If the individual’s blood sugar was too high, treatment will include:

• Intravenous fluids
• Insulin
• Supplements of potassium, sodium, and phosphate

If the individual’s blood sugar is too low, treatment will include:

• 50% dextrose solution
• Intravenous fluids
• Glucagon (a hormone that increases the person’s blood sugar)

PREVENTION
There are multiple strategies that can be implemented to reduce the individual’s susceptibility to a diabetic coma. Some of them include:

• Checking and recording your blood sugar according to the times recommended by the designated medical professional
• Knowing the symptoms for low and high blood sugar
• Learning about foods that impact your blood sugar levels and designing a customized meal plan that promotes blood sugar balance
• Not skipping meals

CONCLUSION
In today’s world, millions of people struggle with diabetes. To ensure that you can avoid the condition or treat it properly, it’s important to learn as much about it as possible. Review the information outlined above so that you can retain a clear, concise understanding of what this condition is and how it operates in the body. Also, share this information on social media so that more people can become conscious of the role that diabetes may play in their lives or that of a loved one.

Can Cow’s Milk Increase Your Diabetic Risk? Top External Factors That Can Cause Diabetes

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Although the exact cause of diabetes has not been detected, several factors play a role in the manifestation of the disease. It is usually when environmental factors combine with a genetic predisposition that people develop the clinical symptoms of diabetes and this is what determines the timing of onset of diabetes as well. Therefore, even if a person is genetically predisposed to diabetes, proper diet and exercise and a natural diabetes treatments plan can go a long way in preventing the manifestation of the disease. The pattern of heredity and the contribution of environmental factors vary for type I and type II diabetes.

Given below are some of the key contributing factors towards diabetes.

Type I Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. Hyperglycemia together with other symptoms of Type 1 diabetes occurs only when almost 90% of beta cells in the pancreas are destroyed.

Genetics

If close relatives have Type 1 diabetes, then the chances of getting the disease are much higher than the normal population. This shows that genetics play a role in Type 1 diabetes. The genes that are considered to play a major role in Type 1 diabetes are the HLA class II genes also known as IDDM1 and contribute to almost half of the genetic influence for the onset of type I diabetes. Genetic factors contribute to 30% of the susceptibility of type I diabetes. The region of the insulin gene known as IDDM 2 is also associated with Type 1 diabetes. Other weaker links include IDDM3, IDDM4 and IDDM 5, but more details regarding the actual genes and their mode of action has not been extensively studied.

Environmental Factors

Environmental factors play a bigger role in Type 1 diabetes than genetics. An increased proneness to auto-immune diseases and an impaired immune system can cause Type 1 diabetes.

Viral Infections

Viral infections, especially those affecting the pancreas can cause Type I diabetes. Viral infections even while the child is still in the mother’s womb can cause a higher chance of the baby developing Type I diabetes at a later stage. Specific viruses associated with Type I diabetes are enteroviruses, rota virus, mumps and rubella, as well as cytomegalovirus. Today there are effective vaccinations that can prevent mumps and rubella.

Cow’s Milk

Studies have been conducted on the effect of cow’s milk protein on Type I diabetes. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) a major component of cow’s milk is supposed to play a role in causing Type I diabetes. It has been proven that kids who are given cow’s milk in infancy have a greater chance of developing Type I diabetes than those who are breastfed. BSA can cross the baby’s gut and increase the antibodies which can then cross-react with beta cells in the pancreas thereby damaging them.

Some studies have shown that shorter breastfeeding duration increases the chances of Type 1 diabetes even when there is a genetic predisposition to the disease. Thus if two siblings have close relatives who have Type I diabetes and one of them is breastfed for a longer duration then his chances of developing the disease is significantly reduced. It could also be possible that the absence of a strong immune system in non-breast fed babies is a cause of Type I diabetes. In addition breast feeding ensures the proper development of the gut as well as protects the baby against viral infections that can cause Type I diabetes.

Various other factors such as nitrosamines and coffee are also considered as possible diabetogenic factors. Dietary proteins such as gluten are also supposed to have an effect on Type 1 diabetes.

Hygiene Factor

There is a new theory that being more hygienic can cause Type I diabetes. This theory says that a late exposure to disease causing viruses and bacteria can actually weaken the immune system thus making the body more susceptible to infections at a later stage. This is seen as an explanation of the higher prevalence of Type I diabetes in developed countries. Therefore it is recommended that children attend day cares, share beds with siblings and are allowed to play outdoors and with pets in order to improve their immune system and act as prevention against Type I diabetes.

Stress

Stress can aggravate symptoms of type I diabetes by causing the release if stress hormones which may negatively affect the body’s immune system.

Type I diabetes is also associated with autoimmune diseases such as thyroid, celiac disease, Addison’s disease, pernicious anemia and vitiligo.