Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus (MEL-ih-tus), often referred to as diabetes, is characterized by high blood glucose (sugar) levels that result from the body’s inability to produce enough insulin and/or effectively utilize the insulin. Diabetes is a serious, life-long condition and the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Diabetes is a disorder of metabolism (the body's way of digesting food and converting it into energy). There are three forms of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that accounts for five- to 10-percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes may account for 90- to 95-percent of all diagnosed cases. The third type of diabetes occurs in pregnancy and is referred to as gestational diabetes. Left untreated, gestational diabetes can cause health issues for pregnant women and their babies. People with diabetes can take preventive steps to control this disease and decrease the risk of further complications.
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- Q How is type 1 diabetes treated in young children?
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William Lee Dubois, Endocrinology, Diabetes & MetabolismInsulin is the one and only way to treat Type-1 Diabetes, regardless of age, because those of us with T-1 don’t produce any insulin ourselves. Without insulin from outside, T-1 is fatal.When it comes to young children, although the medication is... Full Answer
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- Q What are the different types of diabetes?
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Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose (blood sugar) levels are above normal. There are two main types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is caused by a problem with the body's defense system, called the immune system. This form of diabetes usually... Full Answer
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- Q What is type 1 diabetes in young children?
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William Lee Dubois, Endocrinology, Diabetes & MetabolismIt’s a poorly understood auto-immune disease that causes the body to mistake the insulin producing cells of the pancreas for invaders. The body’s immune system then attacks these pancreatic “beta” cells and destroys them, taking... Full Answer
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- Q What are good foods to eat on a diabetic diet?
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All foods can fit into a diabetic diet. A good guideline to follow for a healthy diet are the 2010 Dietary Guidelines which emphasize that half your plate be filled with produce (best tactic for people with diabetes is to fill half your plate with... Full Answer
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- Q What is the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes?
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Dr. Michael Roizen, Internal MedicineType I diabetes, sometimes called "juvenile diabetes" because the disease often begins in childhood, occurs when the body quits making insulin, the hormone necessary to metabolize sugar in your food and to regulate glucose levels in your blood. In... Full Answer
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- Q Is it okay to eat candy if I have diabetes?
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It is okay to eat anything as long as you don't eat too much and you know how much you're eating, so you can make adjustments to keep your blood glucose close to normal. More and more candy and sweets have labels with a nutritional analysis, including... Full Answer
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- Q Can obesity increase the risk of diabetes?
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Obesity is a risk factor of type 2 diabetes as well as any of the following: People with prediabetes (impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and/or impaired fasting glucose (IFG)) People over age 45 People with a family history of diabetes People... Full Answer
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- Q What are home remedies to keep a low blood glucose level?
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Other than diet and exercise, there are no other options that do not involve medications. If your blood glucose levels are running high, you can speak with your doctor about some other diabetic medications. It is important to keep the levels within... Full Answer
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- Q How can I lower my glucose level apart from diet?
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In addition to diet, you can exercise and lose weight. That can help with blood glucose being too high. A fasting plasma glucose (FPG) test measures blood glucose in a person who has not eaten anything for at least 8 hours. This test is used to... Full Answer
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- Q What are the side effects of glucose control nutritional drinks?
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Stacy Wiegman, PharmacyGlucose nutritional drinks should not have any side effects. However, you should discuss your use of these drinks with your doctor or diabetes educator. They can help you appropriately incorporate the drinks into your meal plan. Full Answer
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