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What is Gestational Diabetes?

What is gestational diabetes ? It’s usually a non-permanent variety of diabetes, whereby one’s body fails to generate enough insulin to manage sugar levels while pregnant. All pregnant women get screened for gestational diabetes at some stage in the course of the pregnancy. Pregnant women older than 35, or overweight, or those who may have a history of diabetes within their family, may very well be screened more often. What is gestational diabetes likelihood? Anywhere between 2% to 5% of all pregnant women will acquire this type of diabetes. This percentage jumps to 7% to 9% when mothers have some high risk factors. Diagnostic testing for this particular condition usually occurs between weeks 24 and 28 of a pregnancy. Testing is performed at this time mainly because the placenta is now creating considerable amounts of hormones which could result in insulin resistance. In the event the results show elevated levels of blood sugar, additional testing will be needed in order to confirm dia...

The Causes of Diabetes Insipidus

The  causes of diabetes  insipidus depend on which of the two primary forms of this condition you may have. Diabetes insipidus, or (DI), is a rare ailment which happens when your kidneys cannot conserve water when they carry out their purpose of filtering your blood. The volume of water conserved usually is managed by the antidiuretic hormone (ADH), otherwise known as vasopressin. The purpose of vasopressin is to control the amount of water within your body by regulating the quantity of urine the kidneys manufacture. If the amount of water in your system gets low, the pituitary gland emits vasopressin in order to conserve water and prevent the creation of urine. But, for people with diabetes insipidus, vasopressin is not able to effectively manage your body’s water amount, which permits an excessive amount of urine to be created and excreted from the body. If one of the causes of diabetes insipidus is the result of a shortage of vasopressin, it is referred to as central diabet...

Symptoms of Diabetes in Women

There are some  symptoms of diabetes  which are common in both women and men. For both type 1 as well as type 2 diabetes, these symptoms include; excessive thirst, urinating often, fatigue and constant hunger. There are also additional symptoms that appear under type 2 diabetes as it progresses, such as vision problems and repeated infections of the bladder, gums and skin. Of course, there are also symptoms of diabetes which only occur in women like repeated vaginal infections. Then there are certain symptoms of diabetes which occur more frequently in women than they do in men, like depression. Depression A lot of diabetic women suffer from depression. In fact this is a very common condition in all people who have diabetes, and almost two-thirds of all diabetics continue to go untreated for his or her depression. But the depression rate is significantly greater in women having diabetes, approximately twenty eight percent, as compared to men where the depression rate stands at ...

What is Gestational Diabetes?

What is gestational diabetes ? It’s usually a non-permanent variety of diabetes, whereby one’s body fails to generate enough insulin to manage sugar levels while pregnant. All pregnant women get screened for gestational diabetes at some stage in the course of the pregnancy. Pregnant women older than 35, or overweight, or those who may have a history of diabetes within their family, may very well be screened more often. What is gestational diabetes likelihood? Anywhere between 2% to 5% of all pregnant women will acquire this type of diabetes. This percentage jumps to 7% to 9% when mothers have some high risk factors. Diagnostic testing for this particular condition usually occurs between weeks 24 and 28 of a pregnancy. Testing is performed at this time mainly because the placenta is now creating considerable amounts of hormones which could result in insulin resistance. In the event the results show elevated levels of blood sugar, additional testing will be needed in order to confirm dia...

Diabetic Diet Food Myths

There are many diabetic diet myths out there about what you can and cannot eat. Most experts suggest a change in one’s lifestyle that includes more physical activity and better eating habits. This is a good thing because it is an effective and relatively easy way to control your diabetes. Also, when you shift your focus to living a healthy lifestyle it will probably result in weight loss which lowers your risk of developing diabetic complications from being overweight. Forbidden fare You have most likely heard that sugary foods are a no-no in any diabetic diet. That is obviously not true because nearly all types of food contain sugar so you don’t need to avoid it completely. In addition, sugar is only one many different food items that can cause an increase in blood glucose. Starches like pasta can also do harm to the body. What you need to do is create balance in your diet. Best food group Some people believe that they can eat as much food containing protein as they want, guess ...

Gestational Symptoms of Diabetes

Gestational  symptoms of diabetes  usually occurs between 24 and 28 weeks of a pregnancy. It is the result of high amounts of glucose (sugar) in your bloodstream which impacts your pregnancy as well as your baby’s health. No one wants any complications when they are pregnant. However, expectant mothers can manage their diabetes by exercising, eating healthy and taking medication. By taking care of yourself you can insure a healthful pregnancy for yourself along with a healthy beginning for your child. With gestational diabetes your glucose level typically returns to normal after giving birth, but you are at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future. You will need to continue to work with your doctor to control your glucose. Symptoms of Diabetes Normally, there aren’t any symptoms of diabetes. Most of the time diabetes is discovered during routine tests performed during pregnancy. On rare occasions, like if your blood sugar count has gone wild, you may experience...

Hypoglycemia prevention tips

Hypoglycemia prevention is possible if one is strict in their diabetes careor management, also should know the symptoms of hypoglycemia to correct it at mild stage. Hypoglycemia prevention tips People with diabetes should take diabetes medications in the recommended doses at the recommended times. People with diabetes should eat regular meals at regular time, and try not to skip meals or snacks. Snacks are particularly important for some people before going to sleep or exercising. Drinking alcoholic beverages, especially on an empty stomach, can cause hypoglycemia, even a day or two later. Intensive diabetes management - keeping blood glucose level as close to the normal range as possible to prevent long-term complications, can increase the risk of hypoglycemia (talk with a health care provider about ways to prevent hypoglycemia) As diabetic you should know the symptoms of hypoglycemia to correct it when it is mild. If you are a parent of diabetes child you should know the symp...

Hypoglycemia Treatment

Low blood glucose level called hypoglycemia; treatment is to increase the blood glucose level back to normal by consuming glucose rich food. Hypoglycemia managment If have any of the hypoglycemia sign and symptoms, check the blood sugar/glucose level. If the level is 70 or below, hypoglycemia is confirmed and needs to manage hypoglycemia right away with consuming one of the following: 3 or 4 glucose tablets 1 serving of glucose gel (equal to 15 grams of carbohydrate) 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of any fruit juice 1 cup (8 ounces) of milk with sugar  1/2 cup (4 ounces) of a regular (not diet) soft drink 5 or 6 pieces of hard candy 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey Recommended amounts may be less for small children, consult your doctor for advice about the right amount. Follow up action in Hypoglycemia treatment After 15 minutes, check your blood glucose again to make sure your level is 70 or above. Repeat these steps as needed. Once your blood glucose is stable, if it will be at...

Hypoglycemia Symptoms

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Symptoms of hypoglycemia low blood sugar may vary because low blood sugar can be mild, moderate, or severe.  In healthy people, fasting blood glucose levels are usually between 70 and 99 mg/dL. Symptoms of mild hypoglycemia Symptoms of mild low blood sugar usually develop when blood sugar falls below 70 mg/dL and may include:   heavy hunger, nausea sweating,cold, clammy even with out any physical acitivy rapid heartbeat trembling numbness sensation Symptoms of moderate hypoglycemia If blood glucose level falls below 55 mg/dl, the nervous symtoms will start appearing: irritability, anxiety, restlessness, or anger. Confusion, thinking difficulty, concentration difficulty. Blurred vision, dizziness, lightheadness or headache. lack of energy, feels weak, Fatigue, lethargy, or drowsiness. Poor coordination and difficulty walking talking difficulty - staggering or slurred speech. Symptoms of severe hypoglycemia If th...

Hypoglycemia Test

If experience hypoglycemic symptoms, then confirm it by measuring the sugar/glucose level in blood. If it is lower than 70 mg/dl it is an indication for hypoglycemia . Home glucose monitor for testinghypoglycemia Home glucose monitors, which are often used by people who have diabetes, may be used to evaluate possible hypoglycemia. But a low blood sugar reading needs to be confirmed by these formal laboratory tests, if needed. Blood sampling site for hypoglycemic test Test Site: Blood sample taken from the fingertips reflect your “real time” glucose levels, whereas the glucose levels in alternate sites take 20 to 30 minutes to catch up. Therefore, if you feel that your blood glucose may be low, you should test your levels by drawing a sample from your fingertip so you don’t get a false reading. The same rule applies when you have treated low blood glucose with a snack: A fingertip reading will more accurately tell you whether you have successfully treated your low. Hypoglycemia stag...

What causes Hypoglycemia?

Hypoglycemia occurs due to number of reasons, the most common being a side effect of drugs used for the treatment of diabetes. What causes Hypoglycemia? on fast meals/snacks skipped or delayed or taken too small, taking too much diabetes medicine, more exercising or physical activity than usual, too much alcoholic beverages or have at empty stomach Sometimes, medicines you take for other health problems. Hypoglycemia can make you feel weak, confused, irritable, hungry, or tired. You may sweat a lot or get a headache. Hectic physical activity or exercise may cause hypoglycemia. Physical activity has many benefits for people with diabetes, including lowering blood glucose levels. However, physical activity may even cause hypoglycemia up to 24 hours afterwards of hectic exercise, so checking blood glucose before sports, exercise, or other physical activity and having a snack if the level is below 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) adjusting medication before physical activity ch...

What is Hypoglycemia low blood sugar?

Hypoglycemia, also called low blood glucose or low blood sugar, occurs when blood glucose level drops below required levels. Glucose, an important source of energy for the body, comes from food (carbohydrates). What is Hypoglycemia low blood sugar? After a meal, carbohydrate is broken down to glucose and absorbed into the bloodstream and carried to the body’s cells. On seeing the glucose level in blood pancreas secrets insulin (a hormone) with respect to the level of glucose in blood and help the cell to consume glucose for its energy. Excess of glucose from food is converted to glycogen or fat and stored in liver or fat cells. The body can use glycogen for energy between meals. Fat can also be used for energy. When blood glucose begins to fall, glucagon (another hormone) made by the pancreas, signals the liver to break down glycogen and release glucose into the bloodstream. Blood glucose will then rise toward a normal level. In some people with diabetes, this glucagon is impaired an...

Symptoms of Diabetes – Treating Hypoglycemia

The  symptoms of diabetes  are the result of high glucose levels in your blood. In hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) the exact opposite is true. Hypoglycemia is more common with type 1 diabetes, and can be caused by certain diabetes medication, your diet and physical activity. Symptoms Certain symptoms of diabetes and the very serious condition, diabetic ketoacidosis, are similar to some of those found in hypoglycemia, so it could be difficult to tell them apart. These include: Hunger Blurry or double vision Drowsiness Rapid heartbeat However, diabetic hypoglycemia also displays specific warning signs that you need to act upon. Dizziness or feeling faint Shakiness Anxiety or nervousness Sweating Moodiness or changes in behavior Headache There are some other symptoms which can happen during the night. Wet clothing or bedding due to perspiration Nightmares Waking up confused or irritable If the early indicators of hypoglycemia are not treated they can lead to other, mo...