The problem with diabetes is that it does not give any serious pains or symptoms at the first few years after someone is diagnosed with the illness. High blood sugar level is the only benchmark to indicate the level of diabetes someone is experiencing. Hyperglycemia alone cannot cause death to a person, but it is the long term exposure to high blood sugar concentration that damages the organs inside the body which will eventually surface as diabetes related health complications.

Imagine there are two tubes available. Tube A is passed with water with mild mixture of sugar and Tube B is passed with syrup of high sugar concentration. Liquid in Tube A is flown at fast speed while syrup in Tube B is flown at low speed (almost all diabetes patients have slow flowing blood). After a few days of continuously circling the liquid in the tubes, stop the cycle and drain away the liquids. Cut a section of the tubes respectively and observe the inner walls of the tubes, you will notice there is a layer of harden sugar on Tube B while the wall Tube A is clean.

Tube B is the exact condition happens to a diabetes patient’s blood capillaries over a long period of time. When the inner wall of the capillaries is covered by a layer of glucose, it is very hard or impossible for the nutrient exchange to take place. Cells or tissues around that zone will not be able to receive nutrients and oxygen for metabolism and cannot dispose of the waste products of respiration. Slowly, those cells will start to die off and as the tissues break down, the organs will start to fail.

The parts of the body that are easily affected by the poor blood circulation are the heart, kidneys, eyes, and brain. This is because the blood vessels in these organs are very fine and complex (with a lot of curves and twists) and all those corners are spots where the blood flow slows down which makes it much easier for the glucose to stick and deposit on the wall of the capillaries.

Over time, the blood supply to these areas will be blocked and lack of adequate oxygen and nutrients supply to cells within these organs will eventually lead to heart attacks, kidney failure, vision loss, and stroke. All of these diabetic health complications are fatal and they can visit anytime without prior warning.

Before your diabetes condition reaches the “Death Zone”, you should experience some warning signs. The warning signs I am talking about is in the feet and eyes. The common one is the Diabetic Feet. It is easy for the blood to flow down to the feet (with the help of gravity force and pump pressure from the heart) but it is very hard for the blood to climb back up. This poor blood circulation will increase the probability capillary blockage. This will result in the numbness and tingling feeling on the feet. If there is any open wound in the diabetic feet, it is very hard for the wound to heal and that will open the door to further infection which might end up with amputation!

Another warning sign is the blur vision or cataracts. Blood sugar abnormalities will thicken the wall of the fine blood vessels in the eye retina and over time. As the condition become worse, these blood vessels will swell and causes leak of fluid and blood into the retina. Many people with diabetes notice that their vision becomes blurry when their blood sugar increases. This is because the sugar in the blood is diffused into the lens of the eye which causes swelling and that will change the focal point of the eye. If the leaking or eye hemorrhage is not treated properly, it may result in permanent loss of vision.

The very pathetic part of diabetes is that it takes away the quality of your life long before it ends your life in a miserable way. It is self torture! Prevent it, while you still can.

Type 2 diabetes (characterised by being resistant to the effects of insulin or not making enough insulin) affects about 90 percent of the people that are diagonsed with diabetes.

Researchers at the University of Chicago state the following in a November 2009 report:

Much of these costs are associated with the aging baby boomer population (those 77 million Americans born between 1946 and 1957). According to Dr. Elbert Huang, professor of medicine at the U of C and study co-author says “It’s a combination of increasing numbers and cost that drive these frightening numbers.”

This reinforces the need to prevent diabetes through public and private health efforts. Prevention of diabetes (type 2 for most people) requires transformation of the way we eat, increasing the amount of exercise performed, and points out the importance of finding new ways of treating diabetes efficiently. For people that contract diabetes through this route, this means finding a way to reduce insulin resistance.

Dr. David Kendall, American Diabetes Association chief scientific and medical officer, noted the following after reviewing these findings “The study was entirely consistant.. with previous reports that the growth in diabetes is substantial and ever-increasing, and the costs of diabetes also are substantial and ever-increasing.”

A separate report, also issued in the fall of 2009 from Loyola University Health System, noted that more diabetics are becoming morbidly obese. It stated that 1 in 5 people with Type 2 diabetes are over 100 pounds overweight. The medical definition of this condtion is morbidly obese. Further detail in the report noted that 62 percent of Type 2 adults in the US are obese and 21 percent are morbidly obese. In the African-American population with diabetes, one third are morbidly obese. These numbers are based on the body mass index, a measure of body fat based on height and weight.

People that are morbidly obese have a series of issues beyond diabetes (or in addition to diabetes) which can include:

I bring these facts up to illustrate the growing problem of diabetes and the cause of diabetes for most people.

It follows that an obvious solution to the issue, on an individual basis, would be to control your weight. This is proven to be possible through a combination of diet modification and exercise. Both of these ideas are influenced by popular culture and individual choice. Help and support in making these choices is available through many avenues. The most effective way is by education and action fueled by motivation.

The mean time of ulcer duration was 44 weeks, the median being 16 weeks (range 1–74 weeks). When we examined ulcer duration according to the results of the different diagnostic methods, in patients in whom osteomyelitis was biopsy proven, ulcer duration was 41.67 ± 75.52 weeks, and in those with a negative biopsy result, it was 52.19 ± 104.32 weeks (P = 0.554). Corresponding ulcer durations in weeks recorded for a positive versus a negative test result, respectively, were PTB 41.15 ± 74.19 vs. 56.48 ± 112.74 (P = 0.417), ulcer specimen culture 45.83 ± 85.14 vs. 33.19 ± 62.55 (P = 0.519), radiography signs 42.08 ± 72.97 vs. 55.59 ± 129.61 (P = 0.528), and clinical signs 44.26 ± 89.51 vs. 42.83 ± 62.99 (P = 0.926).

Test efficiencies (percentage of patients correctly diagnosed as positive or negative) were PTB 93.89% (88–99.1%), ulcer specimen culture 71.97% (63.4–79.7%), radiographic signs 75.76% (67.4–82.6%), and clinical signs 59.09% (50.2–67.4%). To try to improve the capacity for diagnosing osteomyelitis, we assessed the use of two of the clinical diagnostic methods compared with bone histology and found that only when the PTB test was one of the two methods was the result significant. Thus, the pair of methods, clinical signs plus PTB, showed a sensitivity of 64.8%, specificity of 77.8%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 91.9%, and negative predictive value (NPV) of 36.2% (P < 0.001, κ 0.298); for radiography signs plus PTB the values recorded were sensitivity 88.6%, specificity 66.7%, PPV 91.2%, and NPV 60% (P < 0.001, κ 0.530); and for culture plus PTB they were sensitivity 84.8%, specificity 77.8%, PPV 93.8%, and NPV 56.8% (P < 0.001, κ 0.550). The test revealed by this analysis as most accurate was the PTB with a PPV of 94.5%. According to the decision tree, a correct diagnosis was made in 98.4% of the neuropathic ulcers vs. 88% of the neuroischemic ulcers. The correlation between ulcer duration and risk of having osteomyelitis was only significant for the neuroischemic ulcers such that 100% of ulcers <9 weeks old were positive for osteomyelitis. In this study we sought to provide data on the validity of the tests used in current clinical practice to diagnose chronic osteomyelitis in diabetic foot ulcers. There is still much controversy regarding the best way to detect bone infection in patients with diabetes, and there is also confusion about which is the most efficient treatment. Although most researchers consider that the histopathological study of bone specimens is the criterion standard for diagnosing osteomyelitis, this method is not systematically used because clinicians feel that surgically obtaining bone tissue is an aggressive procedure and puts patients at risk. Moreover, qualified medical staff are needed to undertake the surgical procedure. Buy avandia online
Few studies have validated the use of clinical signs as a diagnostic tool for infection of the diabetic foot. Cutting and White and Gardner et al. performed a series of studies on chronic foot ulcers, but their patients had different systemic diseases including diabetes. Our findings indicate that assessment of clinical signs of infection in diabetic patients, although valid, provides limited information for a prompt diagnosis of osteomyelitis. There is an obvious need for a more detailed and precise definition of clinical indicators in chronic diabetic ulcers.

It is a question asked every day by those who have just been diagnosed with diabetes, as well as those who are just looking for an upgrade. How do I get a free blood glucose meter? The reality is that if you are just starting to purchase diabetic supplies, or if you have been testing for years, you typically can find free glucose meters being handed out in a variety of places. The reason is that all the manufacturers want you buying their glucose test strips, solutions, lancets, etc., and that is why the market is flush with free glucose meter offers. The assumption is that once you buy the meter, you will purchase the remainder of your supplies with that company.

Here’s our take on the top 3 ways to make sure you’re not paying for a glucose meter that everyone else is getting free of charge:

• Ask Your Doctor – This is pretty darn simple, and if you were just diagnosed, you probably don’t need us telling you the obvious (since your doctor probably handed you one on the way out of the office). Yes, most doctors, especially those that specialize in diabetes, have been given plenty of free meters to hand out to their patients from different product manufacturers. It makes sense that your doctor will have their favorite brand, but do not hesitate to ask for a brand you are most comfortable with if you’ve had the chance to do some research. If they cannot provide what you are looking for, move on to tip # 2… there are other options.
• Call Your Supplier – Every diabetic patient has some sort of ongoing supplier of diabetic test strips, solution, lancets, and other supplies in order to test their blood sugar on a regular basis. Most of these companies will have access to free blood glucose meters. As with your doctors, they typically have a certain number of free meters to give out by individual manufacturers looking to have you use their test strips and other diabetic supplies.
• Contact the Manufacturer – If all else fails (and it certainly should not), just give the manufacturer of the blood glucose meter you would like to purchase a call. There is nothing like going straight to the source, and they would be more than happy to send a meter, or direct you to one of their retailers who can provide the same.

The point is that most of these organizations would be happy to accept payment if you decide to buy a meter out of pocket. Not all suppliers or doctors will be able to provide every brand at no cost, but most will have at least some type of glucose meter free of charge. You may need to go to more than one source, or possibly be open to a different brand than you had originally planned, but there is absolutely no need to pay.

This is especially true in a time when more and more people are being forced to pay for diabetic supplies out of pocket due to not having insurance, or insurance that does not adequately cover their costs. If this is the situation you find yourself in, just watch that the free glucose meter you are handed doesn’t come with test strips that are out-of-this-world expensive. You will find this to be the case in many of the doctor’s offices, in which case you should find your supplier of choice, and have them help you get a glucose meter with test strips that are affordable in the long term. Any good supplier will certainly be able to do this for you.

All of the patients with diabetic ulcers underwent plain radiography to obtain dorsoplantar, lateral, and oblique views of both feet for assessment of possible bone alterations produced by the lesion. Osteomyelitis was suspected when one or more of the following radiographic signs were observed: periosteal elevation, cortical disruption, medullary involvement, osteolysis, and sequestra (segments of necrotic bone separated from living bone by granulation tissue).

Finally, based on the results of the clinical examination, soft tissue culture, PTB, and plain X-ray, patients with a diagnostic suspicion of osteomyelitis were subjected to a bone tissue biopsy obtained by conservative surgery. During surgery, we first removed all nonviable infected soft tissue and then excised all of the affected bone, obtaining a representative bone sample for subsequent histopathological analysis. The bone biopsy specimens were introduced in a sterile recipient containing 10% buffered formalin solution and transported to the pathological anatomy laboratory within 48 h, where they were immediately processed and examined. The histological criteria considered diagnostic of osteomyelitis were inflammatory cell infiltrate mostly composed of lymphocyte cells, plasma cells, neutrophils within spongy and cortical bone; bone necrosis; and reactive bone neoformation possibly accompanied by prominent periosteal bone proliferation (18). We used the results of the bone biopsy to confirm the diagnosis of osteomyelitis.

The prevalence of osteomyelitis in the 132 patients with clinical suspicion of infection included in this study was 79.5% (105 patients). Each of these patients had a single ulcer. Of the ulcers, 59% were classified as neuropathic and 41% were classified as neuroischemic. The mean ± SD duration of diabetes was 15.6 ± 9.5 years, blood glucose was 161.4 ± 60.3 mg/dl, and A1C was 7.9 ± 1.9%. The following complications of diabetes were recorded: diabetic retinopathy in 68 patients (51.5%), diabetic nephropathy in 27 patients (20.5%), hypertension in 94 patients (71.2%), stroke in 62 patients (47%), cardiovascular problems in 56 patients (42.4%), prior ulcers in 65 patients (49.2%), and prior conservative lower extremity amputation in 48 patients (36.4%).

The etiopathogenic characteristics of the ulcers were lack of pedal pulses in 33 patients (25%), a positive monofilament test in 100 patients (75.8%), and vibration sensitivity in 121 patients (91.7%); the ankle-arm index was 0.91 ± 0.3 and TcPo2 was 34.2 ± 14 mmHg. In 124 patients (93.9%), the ulcer was classified as Wagner grade III, in 5.3% as grade II, and in 0.8% as grade IV. According to Texas classification, the ulcers in 73 patients (55.3%) were type IIIA and in 41 patients (31.1%) they were type IIIB; types IA and IIIC were less frequently recorded, and each appeared in only 1 patient (0.8%).

In 75 patients (56.8%), the exudate from the ulcer was serous, in 32 patients (24.2%), there was no exudate, in 18 patients (13.6%), the exudate was purulent, in 5 patients (3.8%), it was sanguinous, and in 2 patients (1.5%) it was serosanguinous. In 98.2% of the patients, the ulcers appeared on the forefoot. Most of these ulcers appeared on the middle toes (second, third, and fourth) (28.7%) or the underside of the second, third, and fourth metatarsals (27.2%). The least frequent locations were over the scaphoid (0.9%) and cuboid (0.9%) bones.

Diabetes is a very demanding condition. You need to stick to rigorous diets, have an exercise program, control your weight and besides all this, you have to test your insulin levels maybe twice or three times a day. And don’t forget about your professional life and family duties. How can someone keep track of all these things?

For all these reasons, it’s very practical to make a review of the blood sugar meters available in the market today in order for you to invest your money in the most profitable way when acquiring your glucose meter.

Which Diabetes Meter Is The Best For You?

If what you need is an accurate, easy to use and painless meter then you should consider the top 3 diabetes meters in the market: Accu Check, One Touch Ultra and Precision Xtra. Indeed, they differ from one another and that’s what we’re going to see right away so that you do a wise selection.

Accu Check

This meter is very popular. Its main advantage is that it provides an easy reading on a large display. It’s accurate and intuitive to operate. However, it’s not really portable for its large size. That makes it more proper for home use.

Precision Xtra

This is another very popular sugar meter. It provides total accuracy and its portability makes it very attractive for those who have to take it everywhere and need to test small children or anyone who has difficulty with the traditional testing methods. There’s only one obstacle regarding this device: it’s not easy to operate and requires a little time to learn its use.

One Touch Ultra

This glucose meter is very alike Precision Xtra but it has a great plus which is very easy to use and very portable. This gadget is totally suitable for active young adults or any dynamic people who are moving around all day long everyday.

Free Diabetes Meter

According to what is stated above, choosing properly a diabetes meter depends on your needs and lifestyle. These three diabetes meters have similar costs but in order to be absolutely sure of which device is the best for you, it’s recommendable you look for a free trial. There are many companies that offer free trials. So if you’re interested, all you have to do is to answer a few questions online and you’ll get a glucose meter totally free

Your health is not something that you should take lightly. It never hurts to shell out money just as long as you have an assurance that you’re healthy.

Diabetes is a common disease that anyone can have including children. There’s no current cure for it yet so you just need to be vigilant on this one.

My grandmother died because of diabetes. She has insulin shots just to keep everything stable and her wounds aren’t healing that fast anymore. My grandmother grew weaker and thinner. In the end, we lost her. But the thing I remembered the most about her is how she disciplined and loved me and my cousins.

How do you know that you’re already having diabetes?

Being too hungry can already set you up for diabetes. Insulin levels in your body get depleted and your organs go weaker. Because of the low energy output of your organs, your body craves for more food that it should to get some energy back.

Fluids in the body gets drained easily causing us to go thirsty more than before. As we gain thirstier, our urination becomes frequent as well. The body needs to release the excess water it has. It can also be a sign of kidney damage because whatever happens to your kidney, affects your urination.

The elevation of blood sugar is the most common and major symptom that diabetes can cause. To check on your blood sugar, you need to go to a doctor and get tested. A rise in blood sugar is caused by a problem in the insulin levels of the body. The glucose can’t be regulated right and problems start to arise.

Genetics are another reason why you may acquire diabetes. Yes this can be passed on.

When a person drastically decreases weight without even gaining weight, he should immediately go to a doctor to get checked. It’s not only a sign of diabetes, but all sorts of other problems as well. My dad decreased weight because of Hyperthyroidism and my grandmother decreased weight because of diabetes.

Preventing diabetes from happening can be done by simply living a healthy life. Going on exercise on a regular basis will help. Normally, dietitians and doctors will recommend a person to lose excess weight to keep diabetes from happening. To lose weight, you should also eat nutritious food. Everything starts from deciding to live healthy. In the end, it’s all up to us.

You may have heard that weight gain is not good for you but did you know that those extra pounds of fat may literally make you grow old before your time? We are not talking about the normal signs of aging like wrinkles or gray hair. Instead researchers have been uncovering what happens deep down at cellular level when cells show telltale signs of accelerated aging when weight is gained or resistance to the hormone insulin is present.

Most of us never give our blood glucose levels a second thought and it used to be that only diabetics had to worry about it but not so anymore. All of us are now becoming more susceptible to a nasty disease that is becoming more prevalent around the world.

This most common and overlooked modern chronic lifestyle disease is caused by your body’s ability to process the food you eat and you may already be suffering from it. Although insulin resistance has been known about for decades, it is only in the last ten years how it derails your health is being better understood.

As many as one in four of us is in this pre-diabetic state without even knowing it and one in three of us will actually go on to develop full blown diabetes. This condition could easily knock 15-20 years off your lifespan so it is a serious health issue.

Our busy modern day lifestyles can cause us to neglect the very basics of self care – proper nutrition and proper exercise. Both of these things are pushed to the back burner when we are pushed for time yet both of them should be at the top of your ‘to do’ list. Diabetes is 80 percent preventable and these two things are what are needed to prevent it.

The human body functions best when blood sugar levels are balanced yet we over-consume highly refined carbohydrates like bread, pasta, sugary foods and drinks and our body simply gets overwhelmed and cannot clear the sugar from the bloodstream. High insulin levels along with high blood sugar levels cause damage to every tissue and organ they touch when they circulate around the body with nowhere to go.

The negative consequences of high blood sugar can take years to become apparent but make no mistake if you are eating a low quality (mainly processed) diet and live a no exercise lifestyle the damage is happening inside you and cannot be repaired.

You can easily do a self assessment as you may be experiencing some or all of the classic symptoms such as weight gain (especially round the midsection) feeling tired and listless and lacking motivation to exercise or be active. Your blood pressure may be creeping upwards and food cravings from unbalanced hormones may be forcing you to eat more than you should.

If this sounds like you it is time to take a detour so you do not end up with the silent killer diabetes. Although it is called a killer you do not die from it, you die from the damage it does to important organs that you need to stay alive. This makes it so deadly because you do not feel anything wrong so do not underestimate what is happening inside.

Those two simple strategies – firstly, a proper strength training program performed 2-3 times each week will help use up excess sugar from the blood stream as the muscle cells are where fuel (food) is burnt for energy so get them strong and toned. Next ditch the processed food and replace it with natural whole foods cooked from scratch at least 80 percent of the time.

Within weeks of implementing these two things you will feel much better and will have more energy so exercising becomes more enjoyable. It is far easier to hang on to the good health you have right now than wait till the wheels fall off and your health is lost. Do not wait till this disease hunts you down and picks you off, be proactive and make sure it will never make you a victim.