5 Diabetes Health Risks You Haven't Heard Of

If you have diabetes you may already be aware that it can have a serious impact on your health, but you may not realize just how wide reaching that impact can be.

When you have type 2 diabetes, your body either does not make enough insulin or has become resistant to it. Anytime you eat, your body depends on insulin to take the glucose from the foods you eat and transfer it to your cells where it's used for energy.

 
If your body does not have enough insulin, or your body has become resistant to the insulin it does have, glucose builds up in your bloodstream, leading to a range of complications.

Among the most talked about are the risks to your heart. Diabetes may quadruple your risk of having a heart attack or stroke, and about 65 percent of diabetics die from one of these two conditions.[1] That said, there are many other diabetes risks as well, including several that you may not be aware of.

Have You Heard of These 5 Serious Diabetes Risks?

One in 10 U.S. adults currently has diabetes, but if rates keep increasing as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predicts, that number could increase to one in three by 2050.

Needless to say, this is a condition that's incredibly common and with commonality often comes a feeling of familiarity and acceptance... and at times a tendency to downplay or ignore the risks involved. This is why if you're struggling with diabetes or even pre-diabetes, it's so important to be aware of the steep risks involved, including those that are less publicized.

 

1. Cancer

An analysis of data from 97 studies involving more than 820,000 people found that diabetes increases your risk of dying from cancer by 25 percent.[2] Cancers of the liver, pancreas, ovary, colorectum, lung, bladder, and breast were all moderately associated with diabetes, the study found.

2. Depression

Diabetes not only impacts your body on a physical level -- it can take a toll on your mental health as well. It's estimated that up to one-quarter of people with diabetes also suffer from depression, a rate that's nearly twice as high as it is among those without diabetes.

Feelings of anger, denial and depression are common after first being diagnosed. Diabetes also demands daily attention and lifestyle changes to keep it under control, and this can take a heavy psychological toll. On the flip side, depression may also make it more difficult for you to manage your diabetes properly, leading to poor glycemic control and an increased risk of diabetes complications.

3. Kidney Disease

Diabetes can damage your kidneys' filtering system, making it difficult for them to remove waste from your blood. However, most diabetes patients are completely unaware that the condition may impact their kidneys, according to new research from the University of Bedfordshire in England.[3]

In severe cases, uncontrolled diabetes can lead to kidney failure or irreversible kidney disease that requires dialysis or a kidney transplant. Diabetes is actually the leading cause of kidney failure in the United States.

By keeping your blood sugar levels in the healthy range, the risk of early kidney disease drops significantly and, as the American Diabetes Association states, the risk of severe kidney problems is cut in half.

4. Diabetic Neuropathy (Nerve Damage)

High blood sugar levels caused by diabetes can damage the blood vessels that support your nerves, leading to diabetic neuropathy, or nerve damage. Up to 56 percent of diabetics have never heard of diabetic neuropathy, even though the majority of diabetes patients experience it, a survey by the American Diabetes Association revealed.

Diabetic neuropathy can lead to tingling, numbness or pain, most often in your legs and feet but also in your hands and arms. In severe cases, the nerve damage can lead to muscle weakness and difficulty walking. It can also impact the nerves in your heart, bladder, lungs, stomach, intestines, eyes and sex organs, leading to related complications with those body regions.

5. Shortened Lifespan

Diabetes lowers life expectancy at every age. An analysis commissioned by the National Academy on Aging Society found that at age 50 diabetes lowers life expectancy by an average of 8.5 years. At age 60, over 5 years are shaved off your lifespan, and at age 90 lifespan is lowered by one year.[4]

The shortened lifespan undoubtedly comes from the array of health complications associated with the disease. As the report revealed, those with diabetes are more likely to suffer from health problems including heart disease, depression and disabilities that interfere with daily life.

The secret to avoiding the health complications mentioned above is to keep your blood sugar well under control. Uncontrolled blood sugar levels will increase your risk of virtually every diabetes complication out there.

A knowledgeable health care practitioner can help guide you on how to control your blood sugar levels, and manage your diabetes, using lifestyle interventions along with identifying the unique underlying causes of your condition.

Be sure to remember that despite its commonality, diabetes is a very serious condition; it can cause debilitating complications and even kill you. So if you are diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes, or you have risk factors for the disease, it's important that you take it very seriously. But, you should also know that diabetes is not a death sentence... nor is it a "life sentence," as the condition is often easily prevented, treated and ultimately reversed.

References

1. American Heart Association, Cardiovascular Disease & Diabetes Statistics

2. New England Journal of Medicine March 3, 2011: 364(9):829-41

3. Journal of Renal Care 2011 Mar;37(1):2-11.

4. The Gerontological Society of America November 30, 2010

The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado provides hope to patients with Type II Diabetes and Hypothyroidism by providing alternative paths to care. Founded by Dr. Brandon Credeur, DC, and Dr. Heather Credeur, DC, the center is located at 4155 E Jewell Ave, Ste 1018, Denver, CO 80222, 303-302-0933, [http://www.drcredeur.com].

Copyright 2011. All Rights Reserved. The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado.

Is Diabetes Hereditary? How Do You Become Diabetic?

The question, "Is diabetes hereditary" has been troubling researchers all over the world since many years and they are still struggling to find out a convincing answer. Diabetes Mellitus has become one of the most widespread diseases in the world. Diabetes is emerging as a common disease not only in the Western countries but also in developing countries. An estimated 16 to 18 million people in the US have diabetes, but the amazing fact is that approximately half of these are not even aware that they are diabetic. Even though diabetes itself is a major health disorder, the side effects of the disease are equally threatening. For example, diabetes may eventually lead to kidney ailments, heart diseases, glaucoma etc. Researchers are still looking for concrete answers for the question, "How do you become diabetic?" Many people are asking whether diabetes is hereditary and do genes play any role in getting the disease.

Before trying to find answers to the question whether diabetes is hereditary and if so, why is it hereditary, it is better to know a few basic facts about diabetes. Diabetes Mellitus is a disorder that occurs when the glucose in the bloodstream is not absorbed by the cells properly, with the result there is much higher than normal level of glucose or sugar in the blood. It means that pancreas is not producing enough insulin or the insulin produced is not utilized properly. The body cannot, therefore, properly use the energy from the food, leading to thirst, tiredness, changes in weight and frequent urination. Two types of diabetes that can affect people are: Type 1 diabetes, also called Juvenile Onset or Insulin Dependent Diabetes and Type 2 diabetes or Adult Onset or Insulin Independent diabetes. Type 1 diabetes affects children and young adults, making them dependent on insulin to regain normal health..People over 40 years of age, those who are overweight, have a family history of diabetes and unhealthy lifestyles, usually, get Type 2 diabetes People of all the age groups, such as children, teenagers, adults and old people are affected by diabetes these days. It is common occurrence nowadays that in most cases, if one or both the parents have diabetes, their children. tend to develop diabetes sometime or other in their life. The most important factor that, perhaps, explains this feature relates to 'genes'. Genes are passed on from parents to their children. When the child inherits the gene for Type1 diabetes, he or she may develop the disease at some stage in their life. On the other hand, if these genes are not present, that person will not develop Type 1 diabetes. However, in respect of Type 2 diabetes, there is no such genetic arrangement. It appears, therefore, that the chances of a person developing diabetes depend on the number of people in the family suffering from diabetes. In addition, certain types of genetic disorders, such as, Down's syndrome, enhance the risk of getting diabetes. Down's syndrome is caused by a person having three copies of 'chromosome 21' instead of two copies and therefore, Down's syndrome is also known as, 'Trisomy 21'.

Chromosomes contain the genetic code, which monitors and commands division of cells, their growth and the working. The structures inside the nuclei of living cells contain hereditary information. A person usually has 46 chromosomes, 23 inherited from each parent. Each person has a distinctive genetic code, which makes the physical appearance of each person different. The American Diabetes Association has provided certain interesting statistics on the hereditary aspect of diabetes. 

If a person whose mother has Type1 diabetes, then the risk of her child getting diabetes is 1 in 25 and if the person was born before either of the parents was 25 years old, the risk of developing Type 1 diabetes is 1 in 100. If the father has Type 1 diabetes, the chances of the individual getting diabetes is 1 in 17. In case, either mother or father has Type2 diabetes before they are 50 years of age, the chances of that person developing diabetes are 1 in 7 and if either of them gets it after they are 50, the risk of passing on diabetes to their off-spring is 1 in 13.

Beating Diabetes Type 2 with Food

Do You Want to Reverse Diabetes?

Can you reverse diabetes? The answer is yes and I am living proof of this statement. Using the Glycemic Food index list helps you to reduce the quantity of blood glucose within your body, visualize your blood sugar worries gone in only 4 quick weeks from today!

Envision your physician telling you to reduce your medication amount gradually, removing the necessity for it completely! Picture removing the discomfort, suffering and unneeded expenses by addressing the main root cause of your diabetes now.

Think of the relief you will have knowing you are able to avoid Type 2 diabetes by only adapting the way you eat, you can now join the expanding number of ex-diabetes patients who put a groundbreaking do-it-yourself solution to the test.

Diabetes reversal is all about solving the underlying blood insulin resistance and strengthening the insulin-producing cells of your pancreas, planning to normalize the blood glucose levels without diabetes medication.

What's diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition were an individual has an improper balance of sugars inside their system, type 2 diabetes these days really is alarming as it impacts many people. The sad thing about this condition is that many people don't even know they have it!

Sugars and processed carbohydrate food, in addition to high-Glycemic foods generally, can be a contributing element in numerous diseases, either directly, like with diabetes, or indirectly as a result of overweight. When your insulin is insufficient, sugars simply cannot enter your cells and instead gathers inside your blood stream, creating a number of potentially life threatening situations.

Diabetes type 2.

Diabetes type 2 also referred to as adult-onset diabetes, is considered to be a progressive, permanent condition. The way I have experienced it, it is actually a lifestyle disease.

Many people who have diabetes don't actually know what the best cure is. The medical community knows what cures diabetes but they have to look on as helpless witnesses while they prescribe medication to alleviate symptoms.

As I see it, my doctors tried to explain that I needed to change a few things in my eating habits, but I did not hear this. I was not ready to change my lifestyle. That is a personal right of choice that even doctors can't do anything about. You can take a horse to the water, but if it is not thirsty, it will not drink.

Individuals, who carry extra weight, particularly in their belly, are more inclined to develop diabetes simply because the fats within their tissues will cause an imbalance of blood insulin within the body. Individuals diagnosed to have diabetes would definitely agree with the fact that it's a frightening and life altering event. Individuals who deal with Type 2 diabetes usually believe they have no option but to taking medications for the remainder of their lives.

Pre-Diabetes:

For those who have elevated blood glucose levels, but they're not high enough to become categorized as diabetes, you might have pre diabetes, also known as insulin resistance, before diabetes frequently turns into Diabetes type 2 inside of several years.

The signs of excessive blood sugars or having diabetes differ individually for each person, and every now and then, people who have type 2 diabetes have excessive blood sugar ranges because of insulin resistance, or not being able to use insulin efficiently.

Reversal Plan:

The most beneficial diet program for people with diabetes type 2 consists of fresh fruits, whole grains and fresh veggies. But the best reversal plan is making the active decision to change one's lifestyle altogether. Without that, there will be no real improvement. Make sure you don't do this on your own, involve your treating physician.

Life Style Disorder

All-natural medicine physicians think that type 2 diabetes is surely a preventable life-style disorder. All-natural diabetes remedy: could it be an undeniable fact or simply a fiction? My experience says it is not a fiction but an actual truth.

My name is Diabetes Bob and I can only speak from my experience. I have reversed my diabetes to an A1C of 5.8% and my triglycerides and cholesterol levels are back to normal. I have been studying natural health, cleansing, and holistic nutrition and have been eating low Glycemic foods for over 3 years.

Even if I didn't have a complete diabetes reversal because I have been eating healthier foods yet, I am healthier at 71 than when I was 50 and I'm pretty close to beating my type 2 diabetes completely. Learn to eat healthy and you will be healthy.

Conclusion

In conclusion if you are looking to reverse diabetes then do yourself a favor and check out the low Glycemic foods and start getting healthy today. Learn to love your Health more than you love your food.

Bob Pernula, also known as Diabetes Bob on YouTube, has been a diabetic for the last 20 years and he beat his diabetes condition by changing his eating habits. He is convinced anyone can beat diabetes if they know how and so can you.

Seven Ways to Avoid Diabetes Complications

Diabetes complications like blindness and amputations are the consequences of high blood sugar over time. They don't happen suddenly, and they are often difficult to detect until a large amount of damage is done. That's why this list of seven ways to avoid complications is a valuable tool.

The list is simple and basic, and everything on it is something others have done to make a difference in their outcomes as type 2 diabetics. We live with a chronic condition, and it will wear down our bodies after a while. This list will help you have fewer of those diabetes complications.

Number One

Become an expert on type 2 diabetes. Diabetes education arms you with an understanding of the complications of diabetes and what to look for. It helps you see the importance of good blood sugar numbers on your hemoglobin A1C. You will know why exercise and a low glycemic diet are so beneficial against type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes education makes the need to stop smoking and watch alcohol intake clear. Diabetics have the same risk of cardiovascular complications as people who have already had a heart attack, and smokers with diabetes are three times more likely to die of heart disease than people without diabetes.

Diabetic complications from drinking alcohol without food or drinking too much won't surprise you because you understand how alcohol affects blood sugar. Knowing what the risk is, you won't be thrown into a sudden low blood sugar reaction or experience diabetic coma from alcohol.

Number Two

Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol in the target ranges. Those target ranges are lower for a diabetic. Doctors know this will help you avoid the diabetes complications that affect your heart and blood vessels.

Take the medications that are given to you for blood pressure control and for lowering cholesterol. And because those medicines have side effects, you need to get blood tests done to monitor the effect they may have on your liver and kidneys.

It's good to know that the same diet and exercise that bring about the type 2 diabetes cure will also lower your blood pressure and cholesterol. It's win-win if you choose to change your lifestyle. Then your doctor can stop the cholesterol and blood pressure meds too.

Number Three

Yearly eye exams with an ophthalmologist (eye doctor) will protect you from the diabetes complications of retinopathy, macular degeneration and cataracts. Protecting your eyes became a high priority when you developed type 2 diabetes.

You also need yearly physicals because you are diabetic. That is on top of the 90-day checkups you are supposed to be getting. Your doctor knows the symptoms of the common diabetes complications and will help you watch for them this way.

One of the complications your doctor will watch for is the nephropathy that about half of diabetics will develop after many years with type 2 diabetes. A simple urine test for protein (microalbumin) will make it clear whether you have any signs of kidney disease, and save you from dialysis by treating nephropathy early.

Number Four

Take care of your teeth. Diabetes takes a toll on your mouth too. Be diligent with brushing and flossing, massaging your gums (I use a WaterPik) and keeping your mouth clean. Watch for bleeding or swelling in your gums that signals gingivitis. And visit your dentist regularly, sooner if you develop signs of gum disease.

Number Five

Watch your feet. They are often the first part of your body that shows signs of diabetes complications. It makes shoes and socks for diabetics a necessity. Foot pain, tingling and numbness, fungal infections, dry skin and sweaty feet are some of the things you have to deal with.

Find a good podiatrist to visit yearly, and inspect your feet every time you bathe. It's a daily chore you can't skip. And learn what to look for in shoes and socks for diabetics. Good diabetic shoes and socks help protect your feet from ulcers and pain.

Number Six

Use an aspirin a day. This is something your doctor will talk to you about, and he will tell you how much you should take, whether it's 81 mg or a full size aspirin. Aspirin is a natural blood thinner, and diabetics need it because of our high risk for blood vessel and heart disease. Blood clots are a common result of high blood sugar because it damages blood vessels, and aspirin is the first defense.

Number Seven

Stress is last but not because it isn't important. Diabetics need to control stress, but it's an often overlooked consequence of having this chronic condition. Because of what stress does to you, it intensifies and worsens every other diabetes complication. That's what makes understanding and dealing with stress a number one priority for type 2 diabetics.

That's the List

There they are, seven ways to help you avoid the diabetes complications that not only make type 2 diabetics miserable but lead to the things we dread. Blindness, amputations and kidney failure are not outcomes of diabetes that you have to accept. 

The longer you are diabetic, the more you are at risk for complications in every part of your body, so learn about them early and know how to prevent them. It's all part of this journey with type 2 diabetes