The Truth About Diabetes

Like all complicated matters there are certain misunderstandings regarding Diabetes.

Today I want to dispel some myths regarding diabetes.

Here is a list of the questions that I will be discussing:
Can get diabetes from someone else?
Eating too much sugar causes diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is mild diabetes
People with diabetes eventually go blind
It’s not safe to drive if you have diabetes
People with diabetes can’t play sport
People with diabetes are more likely to get colds and other illnesses
People with diabetes can’t eat sweets or chocolate
People with diabetes shouldn’t eat bananas or grapes
People with diabetes should eat special diabetic foods

Now for some serious myth bashing…

Can get diabetes from someone else?
Although we don’t know exactly why some people get diabetes, we know that diabetes is not contagious – You cannot get it from others. There is a chance that a person whose parents or brothers and sisters have diabetes might get diabetes, particularly Type 2 diabetes. But lifestyle factors also play a part.

Eating too much sugar causes diabetes
Eating sugar does not cause diabetes. Diabetes is caused by a combination of inherited and lifestyle factors. However, eating a diet high in fat and sugar can cause you to become overweight. Being overweight increases your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, so if you have a history of diabetes in your family, a healthy diet and regular exercise are recommended to control your weight.

Type 2 diabetes is mild diabetes
There is no such thing as mild or borderline diabetes. All diabetes is equally serious, and if not properly controlled can lead to serious complications.

People with diabetes eventually go blind
Although diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in people of working age, research has proved you can reduce your chances of developing diabetes complications – such as damage to your eyes – if you:
• Control your blood pressure and glucose levels
• Keep active
• Maintain your ideal body weight
• Give up smoking

It’s not safe to drive if you have diabetes
Providing you are responsible and have good control of your diabetes, research shows that people with diabetes are no less safe on the roads than anyone else. Nevertheless, the myth that people with diabetes are not safe persists

People with diabetes can’t play sport
Pakistan’s famous all-rounder Wasim Akram has diabetes; many other people with diabetes take part in active sports. People with diabetes are encouraged to exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle. Keeping active can help avoid complications associated with diabetes, such as heart disease. There may be some considerations to take into account with your diabetes before taking up a new exercise regime – talk to your doctor for more information.

People with diabetes are more likely to get colds and other illnesses
No. You are no more likely to get a cold or another illness if you’ve got diabetes. However, people with diabetes are advised to get flu vaccinations. This is because any infection interferes with your blood glucose control, putting you at risk of high blood glucose levels and, for those with Type 1 diabetes, an increased risk of ketoacidosis.

People with diabetes can’t eat sweets or chocolate
Sweets and chocolate can be eaten by people with diabetes just like the rest of us, if eaten as part of a healthy diet. Remember that confectionery foods tend to be higher in fat and calories too so for this reason they should be limited especially if you’re trying to lose weight.

People with diabetes shouldn’t eat bananas or grapes
All fruit and vegetables are extremely good for you. Eating more can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, some cancers and some gut problems. You should aim to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. This also helps to improve the overall balance of the diet. Eating a variety of different fruit and vegetables ensure you get the maximum benefit.

People with diabetes should eat special diabetic foods
Diabetic versions of foods offer no special benefit. They still raise blood glucose levels, contain just as much fat and calories, are usually more expensive and can also have a laxative effect. The healthy diet for people with diabetes is the same as that recommended for everyone – low in fat, salt and sugar, with meals including starchy foods like bread and pasta and plenty of fruit and vegetables.

Dr Sherry Chandy is a Medical Domain Specialist at Yos Technologies.

He is a medical doctor and ophthalmologist by profession and has special interests in enabling better health care through the use of information technology.

For more such useful information and diabetes care tools which help you to Control Diabetes effectively and to see a video of me explaining the six steps to control your blood sugar levels go to

http://diabetescare.yoscare.in/diabetes_information

Relief Yourself From High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure could suffer you very much as it can lead you plenty of diseases such as heart attack, renal diseases and so on. To protect is the best choice of us. Anyway if you are having high blood pressure problem, do not be worry as there are many high blood pressure treatments.

Many people are diagnosed these days with high blood pressure problem, which is a direct reflection on an unhealthy lifestyle that we tend to lead. With companies pushing employees to do more and more, annual raises getting less and less, and the threat of unemployment if you push back, it is no wonder that high blood pressure problem is a common ailment that people complain about.

There are many blood pressure treatments; you should really consider natural remedies, as well as a lifestyle change, to more effectively combat this problem. Based on the effectiveness shown, even doctors and researchers are beginning to lean in this direction.

A balanced diet is the one choice of high blood treatment which if done correctly, will lower your blood pressure and ease the problem of high blood pressure. There are a variety of foods that is natural high blood treatment. Foods like fish with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids all play a role in dilating blood vessels, relaxing muscles, and overall allowing more efficient blood flow in your body.

Vegetables are also good for a high blood pressure treatment and vegetarians have strikingly lower blood pressure. Vegetables should preferably be taken raw. If they are cooked, it should be ensured that their natural juices are not burnt in the process of cooking. Vegetables like cucumber, carrot, tomato, onion, radish, cabbage and spinach are best taken in their raw form. The intake of salt should be restricted; in any case it should not be taken more than four grams or half a teaspoon a day. Baking powder, containing sodium carbonate, should also be avoided.

Garlic is regarded as one of the most effective high blood pressure treatment. The pressure and tension are reduced because it has the power to ease the spasm of the small arteries. Garlic also slows the pulse and modifies the heart rhythm, besides relieving the symptoms of dizziness, numbness, and shortness of breath and the formation of gas within the digestive tract. The average dosage should be two to three capsules a day to make a dent in the blood pressure.

The use of olive oil in diet may support high blood pressure treatment. Middle aged men with high blood pressure a few years ago concluded that the amount of monounsaturated fat in three tablespoons of olive oil a day could lower systolic pressure about nine points and diastolic pressure about six points. More remarkable, a study found that a mere two-thirds of a tablespoon of olive oil daily reduced blood pressure by about five systolic points and four diastolic points in men.

For high blood pressure and stress, you may also want to consider the health and medical benefits of aromatherapy, as an alternative way of high blood pressure treatment, which not only helps with your mental state to relax you, but has also been proven to help from a medical perspective.

So the high blood pressure treatments mostly include a mix of medication and a disciplined lifestyle. Here it must be noted that none of high blood pressure treatment will work if taken independently. Someone with high blood pressure treatment needs to follow the prescriptions punctually meanwhile adopting a health lifestyle marked by a controlled diet and regular workout or physical exercise.

Finally, one must also realize that an existing issue of high blood pressure could be aggravated by activities like smoking, drinking, and medicines containing steroids. Therefore, high blood pressure treatment is to take care to avoid such things as well from one’s daily activities.