Diabetes currently affects over 246 million people worldwide and over half of these people are women. Already considered an "epidemic," researchers expect these rates to increase to 380 million by 2025. In the US, almost 21 million children and adults have diabetes -- including 9.7 million women -- and almost one third of them do not know it. Diabetes can be especially hard on women. The burden of diabetes on women is unique, because the disease can affect both mothers and their unborn children. Diabetes can cause difficulties during pregnancy such as a miscarriage or a baby born with birth defects. Women with diabetes are also more likely to have a heart attack, and at a younger age, than women without diabetes.
Diabetes is the fifth-deadliest disease in the United States, and it has no cure. For women who do not currently have diabetes, pregnancy brings the risk of gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes develops in 2% to 5% of all pregnancies but disappears when a pregnancy is over. Women who have had gestational diabetes or have given birth to a baby weighting more than 9 pounds are at an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
The prevalence of diabetes is at least 2-4 times higher among African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, and Asian/Pacific Islander women than among white women. The risk for diabetes also increases with age. Because of the increasing lifespan of women and the rapid growth of minority populations, the number of women in the United States at high risk for diabetes and its complications is increasing. Because women are often influential in affecting behavior change in their own children and families, focusing prevention efforts on them is a good way to improve not only their health but also the health of those they love.
Thursday, 10 November 2011
Monday, 7 November 2011
CAUSES OF GESTATIONAL DIABETES
Researchers don't yet know exactly why some women develop gestational diabetes. To understand how gestational diabetes occurs, it can help to understand how pregnancy affects your body's normal processing of glucose.
Your body digests the food you eat to produce sugar (glucose) that enters your bloodstream. In response, your pancreas — a large gland behind your stomach — produces insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps glucose move from your bloodstream into your body's cells, where it's used as energy.
During pregnancy, the placenta that connects your growing baby to your blood supply produces high levels of various other hormones. Almost all of them impair the action of insulin in your cells, raising your blood sugar. Modest elevation of blood sugar after meals is normal during pregnancy.
As your baby grows, the placenta produces more and more insulin-blocking hormones. In gestational diabetes, the placental hormones provoke a rise in blood sugar to a level that can affect the growth and welfare of your baby. Gestational diabetes usually develops during the last half of pregnancy — sometimes as early as the 20th week, but usually not until later.
Your body digests the food you eat to produce sugar (glucose) that enters your bloodstream. In response, your pancreas — a large gland behind your stomach — produces insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps glucose move from your bloodstream into your body's cells, where it's used as energy.
During pregnancy, the placenta that connects your growing baby to your blood supply produces high levels of various other hormones. Almost all of them impair the action of insulin in your cells, raising your blood sugar. Modest elevation of blood sugar after meals is normal during pregnancy.
As your baby grows, the placenta produces more and more insulin-blocking hormones. In gestational diabetes, the placental hormones provoke a rise in blood sugar to a level that can affect the growth and welfare of your baby. Gestational diabetes usually develops during the last half of pregnancy — sometimes as early as the 20th week, but usually not until later.
Tuesday, 1 November 2011
Vitamin C
Alpha-lipoic acid is a vitamin-like substance that is often described as "nature's perfect antioxidant". First of all, alpha-lipoic acid is a very small molecule that is efficiently absorbed and easily crosses cell membranes. Unlike vitamin E, which is primarily fat-soluble, and vitamin C, which is water-soluble, alpha-lipoic acid can quench either water- or fat-soluble free radicals both inside the cell and outside the intracellular spaces. Furthermore, alpha-lipoic acid extends the biochemical life of vitamin C and E as well as other antioxidants.
Alpha-lipoic acid is an approved drug in Germany for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. In fact, it has been successfully used in Germany for more than 30 years. The beneficial effects of alpha-lipoic acid in diabetic neuropathy have been confirmed in several double-blind studies at a dosage of 300 to 600 mg daily.1,2 Although alpha-lipoic acid's primary effect in improving neuropathy is thought to be the result of its antioxidant effects, it has also been shown to lead to an improvement in blood sugar metabolism, improve blood flow to peripheral nerves, and actually stimulate the regeneration of nerve fibers. Its ability to improve blood sugar metabolism is a result of its effects on glucose metabolism and an ability to increase insulin sensitivity. Its importance in treating diabetic neuropathy cannot be overstated.
Alpha-lipoic acid is an approved drug in Germany for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. In fact, it has been successfully used in Germany for more than 30 years. The beneficial effects of alpha-lipoic acid in diabetic neuropathy have been confirmed in several double-blind studies at a dosage of 300 to 600 mg daily.1,2 Although alpha-lipoic acid's primary effect in improving neuropathy is thought to be the result of its antioxidant effects, it has also been shown to lead to an improvement in blood sugar metabolism, improve blood flow to peripheral nerves, and actually stimulate the regeneration of nerve fibers. Its ability to improve blood sugar metabolism is a result of its effects on glucose metabolism and an ability to increase insulin sensitivity. Its importance in treating diabetic neuropathy cannot be overstated.
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
DIABETES PREVENTION
Your path to good health just got a lot easier. Just enter a some basic health information and My Health Advisor very accurately calculates your risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
Then, once My health advisor calculates your personal risk, you can quickly and easily see the difference simple lifestyle changes—like losing 5 or 10 pounds or quitting smoking—make in your overall risk. Then get your personal action plan outlining suggestions for lowering your risk for these deadly diseases. When you're done, email your results to your doctor and make plans to discuss them at your next check-up.
You can stop type 2 diabetes, starting right now. Use My Health Advisor. Then talk to your doctor about your risk for diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Listen to your doctor. Eat better. Get moving.
My Health Advisor is powered by Archimedes a very powerful health modeling program that brings together a large amount of clinical research data to make highly accurate predictions about health risk. Archimedes creates a virtual reality in which all the important objects and events in the real world match objects and events in the model's world.
When a simulation model is run, the objects interact and events occur as they would in the real world. So, My Health Advisor is very accurately projecting your personal risk based on real world events.
Then, once My health advisor calculates your personal risk, you can quickly and easily see the difference simple lifestyle changes—like losing 5 or 10 pounds or quitting smoking—make in your overall risk. Then get your personal action plan outlining suggestions for lowering your risk for these deadly diseases. When you're done, email your results to your doctor and make plans to discuss them at your next check-up.
You can stop type 2 diabetes, starting right now. Use My Health Advisor. Then talk to your doctor about your risk for diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Listen to your doctor. Eat better. Get moving.
My Health Advisor is powered by Archimedes a very powerful health modeling program that brings together a large amount of clinical research data to make highly accurate predictions about health risk. Archimedes creates a virtual reality in which all the important objects and events in the real world match objects and events in the model's world.
When a simulation model is run, the objects interact and events occur as they would in the real world. So, My Health Advisor is very accurately projecting your personal risk based on real world events.
Monday, 24 October 2011
SYMPTOMS OF GESTATIONAL DIABETES
For most women, gestational diabetes doesn't cause noticeable signs or symptoms. Rarely, gestational diabetes may cause excessive thirst or increased urination.
If possible, seek health care early — when you first think about trying to get pregnant — so your doctor can evaluate your risk of gestational diabetes as part of your overall childbearing wellness plan. Once you become pregnant, your doctor will address gestational diabetes as part of your regular prenatal care. If you develop gestational diabetes, you may need more frequent checkups. These are most likely to occur during the last three months of pregnancy, when your doctor will carefully monitor your blood sugar level and your baby's health.
Your doctor may refer you to additional health professionals who specialize in diabetes management, such as an endocrinologist, a registered dietitian or a diabetes educator. They can help you learn to manage your blood sugar level during your pregnancy.
To make sure that your blood sugar level has returned to normal after your baby is born, your health care team will check your blood sugar right after delivery and again in six weeks. Once you've had gestational diabetes, it's a good idea to have your blood sugar level tested regularly. The frequency of blood sugar tests will in part depend on your test results soon after you deliver your baby.
If possible, seek health care early — when you first think about trying to get pregnant — so your doctor can evaluate your risk of gestational diabetes as part of your overall childbearing wellness plan. Once you become pregnant, your doctor will address gestational diabetes as part of your regular prenatal care. If you develop gestational diabetes, you may need more frequent checkups. These are most likely to occur during the last three months of pregnancy, when your doctor will carefully monitor your blood sugar level and your baby's health.
Your doctor may refer you to additional health professionals who specialize in diabetes management, such as an endocrinologist, a registered dietitian or a diabetes educator. They can help you learn to manage your blood sugar level during your pregnancy.
To make sure that your blood sugar level has returned to normal after your baby is born, your health care team will check your blood sugar right after delivery and again in six weeks. Once you've had gestational diabetes, it's a good idea to have your blood sugar level tested regularly. The frequency of blood sugar tests will in part depend on your test results soon after you deliver your baby.
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