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Treating Depression and Diabetes Together

December 14, 2008 By AnaLise Leave a Comment

 

There are facts that have been well known for a long time that connect diabetes with depression.  Researchers quoting studies from Johns Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore have determined that depression and Type 2 diabetes go hand in hand.  The task at hand is to determine which comes first – depression or diabetes.

Hopkins studied over 6,800 individuals of all ethnic backgrounds, male and female, between the ages of 45 and 84. These individuals visited clinics three times over three years.  The results of the study indicated that those participants with the strongest symptoms of depression were 42% more likely (on average) to develop diabetes before the end of the study than those who did not have depressive symptoms.

The researchers looked at other symptoms, such as being overweight, being smokers or not participating in exercise did not have as high a percentage as those who had depressive symptoms.

This is important information which will help in treating both issues.  In addition, physicians and medical personnel can and should be aware of this connection between both illnesses and the issues they each bring to the individual fighting to stay well and coping with the diseases.

Of course, having either or both of these illnesses to deal with can be extremely difficult, at best, not only regarding treatment but also recovery.  In the spirit of treating the entire person, it is important for doctors to be aware of looking at both illnesses to help manage both of them.  Hopefully this will help individuals to get better and feel better more quickly and remain better long-term.

There have been many excellent advances in treatment and research of both depression and diabetes, with new medications, lifestyle changes and discoveries about diet and both diseases.  If you are having issues with diabetes and/or depression, talk to your doctor.  You might be very surprised about how quickly and easily you can begin to feel better and continue getting better.

Filed Under: Diabetes News Tagged With: connection between diabetes and depression, depression, depression symptoms, diabetes, Diabetes Symptoms, diabetes treatment

Basics of Childhood Diabetes

December 13, 2008 By AnaLise Leave a Comment

Childhood Diabetes is also known as Type 1 Diabetes.  When a child or young person has diabetes their body does not create enough insulin, and as a result, the body needs to be treated by the person taking insulin shots to provide for the insulin not being produced in the body.

The production of insulin, which is an essential hormone, happens in the pancreas.  The food a child eats is broken down by the body into a sugar called glucose.  The sugar is carried through the blood and gives the body energy.  Insulin helps the sugar enter the cells in the body and controls the amount of sugar in the blood.

With diabetes there ends up being too much sugar in the blood because there is not enough insulin to balance out the sugar.  This can cause a variety of heath problems, and if they are not treated, these problems can end up being fatal.

In childhood diabetes (Type 1 Diabetes), the pancreas cannot create enough insulin because many of the cells in the pancreas are being destroyed, sometimes due to the body’s immune system destroying the cells.  Sometimes Type 1 Diabetes occurs due to hereditary factors, as it can be genetic and run in families.

Some of the main symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes are excessive thirst, urinating a lot and losing weight.  Some of the treatments include learning about diabetes and learning about what type of diet can be helpful and healthy for an individual with diabetes.  It is important for the family to learn this information and be supportive of the child that has diabetes.  Another part of treatment is controlling blood sugar through use of a glucose meter to check the levels, but just as importantly, exploring the choices for a good diet and sticking to it.  Keytone tests are also important.  Basically, they test the urine and can tell you if enough insulin is being produced.  Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you how they work.

It is also essential to have continuous treatment and monitoring through your family’s or child’s doctor, not only for the child that is diagnosed with diabetes, but also to have the entire family tested, as well.  This will allow you to know in advance if any other family members are showing symptoms of diabetes.

Juvenile, Childhood or Type 1 Diabetes can be managed and controlled in a way that will allow your child to live a normal life, doing the same things that other children do.  There is a lot of information available from many sources. 

One of the best sources of information is the American Diabetes Association.  You can call them at 1-800-342-2383 or visit the on the web at www.diabetes.org.

Filed Under: Diabetes News Tagged With: Childhood Diabetes, diabetes, Diabetes Symptoms, diabetes treatment, juvenile diabetes, pancreas, sugar, type1 diabetes

Watching for Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes

December 4, 2008 By AnaLise Leave a Comment

Diabetes has become a disease that is more and more common both in children and adults.  With the advent of more cases of diabetes, there are more and varied treatments of the disease including a variety  of medications and a lot of good suggestions regarding diet and exercise, which can often help control diabetes without medication.

How do you know if you might have diabetes?  There are some specific signs and symptoms to look at that point to the possibility that you might have diabetes and need to check with your doctor. 

There are three symptoms that are usually classic symptoms of Type 1 diabetes.  They are frequent urination, increased or excessive thirst (resulting in a higher liquid intake) and increased appetite.  Sometimes Type 1 symptoms develop quickly over a period of weeks or months, especially in children and young people.  Another symptom may be weight loss – even if the individual is eating well and eating more than usual.  Excessive fatigue that cannot be overcome can be a symptom, as well.

In Type 2 diabetes, the many of the symptoms can be the same, however, they develop much more slowly and subtly and may not even be noticeable.  This is why individuals often have developed the disease, and do not realize they have diabetes until the disease is more advanced. 

Other issues that can help identify diabetes are dehydration (even though the person is drinking extra liquids), glucose in urine (determined by a urine test), vision changes – especially blurred vision – which can come on gradually (usually with Type 2) or rapidly (usually with Type 1) and should be addressed immediately to avoid permanent damage, and sometimes urea leading to very bad breath, rapid, deep breathing, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

If you or your child/teen are experiencing any of these symptoms or a combination of them, see your doctor immediately.  With a few tests the doctor can determine what the problem is and whether it is diabetes, as opposed to another medical issue or simply an imbalance.  The doctor will then determine how to treat your symptoms, which could include diet changes and/or medication or both.

Regardless of the treatment, there have been many improvements in working with and treating diabetes, and with the right treatment, you can control your symptoms and live a long, healthy and normal life.

Filed Under: Diabetes News Tagged With: dehydration, diabetes, diabetes signs and symptoms, diabetes treatment, extreme thirst, vision problems

Juvenile Diabetes – What Symptoms to Look For

December 4, 2008 By AnaLise Leave a Comment

Juvenile Diabetes is also called Type 1 Diabetes.  A child or young person that has diabetes is in a situation where their body does not create enough insulin, and as a result, it needs to be treated by the person taking insulin shots to provide for the insulin not being produced in the body.

The production of insulin, which is an important hormone, happens in the pancreas.  The food a child eats is broken down by the body into a sugar called glucose.  The sugar is carried through the blood and gives the body energy.  Insulin helps the sugar enter the cells in the body and controls the amount of sugar in the blood.

What happens with diabetes is that there ends up being too much sugar in the blood because there is not enough insulin to balance out the sugar.  This can cause many heath problems, and if they are not treated, these problems can end up being fatal.

In childhood diabetes (Type 1 Diabetes), the pancreas cannot create enough insulin because many of the cells in the pancreas are being destroyed, sometimes due to the body’s immune system destroying the cells.  Sometimes Type 1 Diabetes occurs due to hereditary factors, as it can be genetic and run in families.

Some of the main symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes are excessive thirst, urinating a lot and losing weight.  Some of the treatments include learning about the disease and learning about what type of diet can be helpful and healthy for diabetes.  It is important for the family to learn this information.  Another part of treatment is controlling blood sugar through use of a glucose meter to check the levels, but just as importantly, exploring the choices for a good diet and sticking to it.  Keytone tests are also important.  Basically, they test the urine and can tell you if enough insulin is being produced.  Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you how they work.

It is also essential to have continuous treatment and monitoring through your family’s or child’s doctor, not only for the child that is diagnosed with diabetes, but also to have the entire family tested, as well. 

Juvenile, Childhood or Type 1 Diabetes can be managed and controlled in a way that will allow your child to live a normal life, doing the same things that other children do.  There is a lot of information available.  One of the best sources of information is the American Diabetes Association.  You can call them at 1-800-342-2383 or visit the on the web at www.diabetes.org.

Filed Under: Diabetes News Tagged With: Childhood Diabetes, Diabetes Care, diabetes monitoring, diabetes treatment, Juvenile Diabetges, Type 1 Diabetes

The Facts about Type 1 Diabetes

December 1, 2008 By AnaLise Leave a Comment

 

Childhood Diabetes is also called Type 1 Diabetes.  A child or young person that has diabetes is in a situation where their body does not create enough insulin, and as a result, it needs to be treated by taking insulin shots to provide for the insulin not being produced in the body.

The production of insulin, which is an important hormone, happens in the pancreas.  The food a child eats is broken down by the body into a sugar called glucose.  The sugar is carried through the blood and gives the body energy.  Insulin helps the sugar enter the cells in the body and controls the amount of sugar in the blood.

In diabetes there is too much sugar in the blood because there is not enough insulin to balance out the sugar.  This can cause many heath problems, and if they are not treated, these problems can end up being fatal.

In childhood diabetes (Type 1 Diabetes), the pancreas cannot create enough insulin because many of the cells in the pancreas are being destroyed, sometimes due to the body’s immune system destroying the cells.  Sometimes Type 1 Diabetes occurs due to hereditary factors, as it can be genetic and run in families.

Some symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes are excessive thirst, urinating a lot and losing weight.  Some of the treatments include learning about the disease and learning about what type of diet can be helpful and healthy for diabetes.  It is important for the family to learn this information as well. 

Another part of treatment is controlling blood sugar through use of a glucose meter to check the levels, but just as importantly, exploring the choices for a good diet and sticking to it.  Keytone tests are also important.  Keytone tests test the urine to tell you if enough insulin is being produced.  Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you how they work.

Continuous treatment and monitoring through your family’s or child’s doctor is essential, not only for the child that is diagnosed with diabetes, but also to have the entire family tested, as well. 

Juvenile, Childhood or Type 1 Diabetes can be managed and controlled in a way that will allow your child to live a normal life, doing the same things that other children do.  There is a lot of information available.  One of the best sources of information is the American Diabetes Association.  You can call them at 1-800-342-2383 or visit the on the web at www.diabetes.org.

Filed Under: Diabetes News Tagged With: American Diabetes Association, diabetes treatment, glucose control, glucose meter, insulin, juvenile diabetes, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes

Anyone Can Develop Diabetes

December 1, 2008 By AnaLise Leave a Comment

 

Diabetes can strike at any age.  In addition to sneaking up on individuals, diabetes has a history of symptoms which, if not identified quickly can take a huge toll on a person and greatly interfere with their life.

Diabetes can attack a homemaker, a business man or woman, a person of any ethnic group or age, and even amateur or professional athletes.

One case in point is the Washington Nationals Baseball Team.  Their first baseman Dmitri Young, has diabetes.  This does not stop him from playing baseball, just as it does not stop Mary Tyler Moore from acting. 

However, when a person  – even a pro athlete – is battling symptoms of diabetes that are affecting his or her ability to play, that is a different story.  Dmitri Young is having trouble controlling the symptoms of his diabetes and, as a result he was unable to join his team on the road for part of last summer’s season.  He had to stay in Washington, D.C. to try to get his diabetes under control.

There are times when the symptoms don’t create enough problems to cause someone away from work.  However, in some cases the symptoms interfere with basic performance.  In Dmitri Young’s case, his symptoms did not allow him to play ball.  He is suffering from vision problems and dizziness, not a good combination for a ball player.

Many diabetics experience flare ups from time to time and have to work with their physicians to get their symptoms under control.  This can involve a variety of things including special diet, adjusting medication, exercise and/or rest and other assistance to get the individual back on track.

It is not known how long it will take Dmitri Young to get his diabetes under control.  This can be devastating to anyone, but especially to an athlete.  Hopefully, he and his medical professionals will find the right combination of tools to control his symptoms and help him get ready to be back in the game for next season.

Filed Under: Diabetes News Tagged With: controlling diabetes, diabetes, Diabetes Care, Diabetes Symptoms, diabetes treatment, healthy diet

Protein Linked to Risk of Diabetes

July 11, 2008 By AnaLise Leave a Comment

Diabetes can be an insidious disease.  Why is it something that affects one person and not another?  Why can one person be quite overweight and not end up with diabetes, while another individual is slightly overweight but ends up with severe diabetes? 

There have been numerous studies and a tremendous amount of research to determine the factors involved in diabetes, what the best treatments are, what the best methods of control are and how and where to get the most accurate information.

There are more organizations that are providing information and services for individuals with diabetes today than in the past.  One of the areas that have been researched extensively is the isolation of specific causes of diabetes.

There have been some past studies that show the excess of certain proteins to be linked to development of diabetes.  These studies are important because they have provided the basis and the building blocks for further research.  Recent research has shown that the protein fetuin-A – especially in elderly persons – is linked to the development of diabetes.  Fetuin-A works by overcrowding insulin and preventing it from making glucose available to muscle cells.   In addition, researchers feel it is a link in answering the question as to why some people develop diabetes and others don’t.  The reason that fetuin-A is considered a link is due to the fact that it operates regardless of a person’s weight and other factors.  This means that this could be the answer as to why someone who is quite overweight might not develop diabetes, and someone who is slightly overweight or not overweight at all might develop the disease.

Studies showed that in research during a six year period, high levels of fetuin-A in individuals over seventy years of age increased the development of diabetes by over 70%.  Though the study did not determine specific antidotes to the problem, researchers are working on it.  The study was groundbreaking, in that it was the first to be conducted over a long period of time.

Researchers are still looking for ways to inhibit and limit fetuin-A, thus trying to diminish the onset and effects of diabetes.  Other factors, such as high blood pressure, obesity, diet and more are still contributors, however, fetuin-A seems to make all of these accelerate diabetes and its problems.  Hopefully researchers will soon find a way to inhibit fetuin-A and slow the other factors, helping to eliminate some of the risks of diabetes in everyone.

Filed Under: Diabetes News Tagged With: diabetes, Diabetes Care, Diabetes Research, diabetes treatment, protein linked to diabetes

24 Million People with Diabetes in the United States

July 10, 2008 By AnaLise Leave a Comment

The statistics are staggering and the numbers are overwhelming.  Every time more information is released, the number of individuals in the United States battling diabetes goes up.  The number is now 24 million and rising.  This is an increase of over 3 million people in just the past two years.  This adds up to about 8% of the total population of the country.

 

 In addition to the 24 million people who have actually been diagnosed with diabetes, there are another 57 million people who are considered pre-diabetic.  This means that if they take care of themselves right they will be able to postpone the onset of diabetes or avoid it altogether. 

 

On the other hand, if people with pre-diabetes do not watch their diet, engage in at least moderate exercise and limit stress, alcohol and cigarettes, many of them will end up with full blown diabetes. 

 

The good news is that research reveals that the number of people who have diabetes but are not aware of it has gone down from 30% to 25% over a two year period.  This means that efforts toward education and awareness are at least beginning to work.  Americans are paying attention to the message and taking the time to learn about prevention, symptoms and care.

 

The decrease in the number of individuals that have diabetes but don’t know it is very important because it can help contain health care costs – especially to the already strained Medicare and Medicaid systems – because more individuals will work on prevention and care with their doctors or community health centers. Rather than allowing the disease to progress to the point where expensive hospitalizations for kidney complications, stroke or amputations due to diabetes, people who are aware of their diabetes and determined to control it can be treated as outpatients, saving them pain and money and resulting in savings for the healthcare system as well.

 

Though the numbers can be staggering, there is hope.  If awareness of diabetes and how to treat and control it becomes a priority, there are millions of people that will be helped and millions of dollars that will be saved.

Filed Under: Diabetes News Tagged With: diabetes, diabetes awareness, diabetes control diabetes education, diabetes information, diabetes treatment
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