Med Health News

Tag: blood sugar levels

  • Can Drinking Guava Juice Help Treat Diabetes Mellitus?

    Can Drinking Guava Juice Help Treat Diabetes Mellitus?

    Guava juice is a lesser known healthy food that’s seen as exotic or foreign. But did you know that it grows naturally in the United States? Researchers have also found evidence that adding guava juice to your diabetes mellitus diet can have beneficial effects on your blood sugar levels.

    How Can You Make Guava Juice?

    Despite its exotic-sounding name, you can make guava juice the same way as any other fruit juice – by juicing the fruit it comes from. Guava you can buy is usually a green fruit with apple-like characteristics. It has an edible peel that protects the red meat of the fruit. But unlike an apple, the inner part of the guava has multiple seed-filled chambers which take up the majority of the fruit’s inner area. You can juice guava just like you would juice an apple!

    If you’re wondering if the fruit is hard to find, you’ll be happy to know you can buy guava from your local health food store or whole foods market. Guava has been growing in the tropical areas of the Americas for centuries – even in Florida, where it grows both wild and cultivated. The fruit also matures during all seasons (but is harvested best in summer), which makes it readily available. (This also makes it cheaper to buy guava or guava juice during the summer because it’s more plentiful.)

    Guava Juice Can Lower Your Blood Sugar Levels and Other Diabetes Mellitus-sensitive Parameters

    Guava juice has been used as a remedy in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) since ancient times. Researchers explored its blood sugar-lowering effects on mice and found that it has the same, but weaker effect as metformin and chlorpropamide. Both normal and diabetes mellitus-induced mice experienced lower blood sugar levels after they were administered 1 gram of guava juice per 1 kilogram of body weight.

    When tested in clinical trials, researchers found that guava juice lowered blood sugar levels in non-diabetic and diabetes mellitus patients.

    If you decide to eat guava rather than drink guava juice to help treat diabetes mellitus, researchers caution that the effects can be different. They found that eating guava without the peel lowers blood pressure and blood sugar, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. But if you eat guava with the peel, it still lowers your blood pressure and blood sugar levels, but it also raises your total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. From these results they recommend eating guava without the peel if you choose to eat the fruit instead of simply drinking the guava juice.




    Guava Juice Is Also a Healthy Drink Overall

    Whether or not you have diabetes mellitus, drinking guava juice daily can benefit your health. A single averaged-sized guava gives you 0.8 grams of protein and 792 IU of vitamin A. That’s about three times more protein of a single apple. It also has only 51 calories, whereas one apple has 95! It’s also superior to an orange when it comes to vitamin C because it gives you 183.5 milligrams, which is 500 percent more than what’s in one average orange. It also has more than half the potassium content of a banana – 284 milligrams.

    Guava Juice Is More Popular Than You Think – And You’ve Probably Already Had It!

    According to the University of Florida, guava juice is one of the major ingredients that manufacturers often use in their juice blends as part of the processing process. Chances are – if you’ve ever enjoyed a commercial juice blend, you’ve had some guava juice.

    Don’t be scared to add guava juice to your diabetes mellitus diet. Doing so has been proven to help you manage your blood sugar levels. But if you prefer to eat the fruit, remember to eat it without the peel to help prevent any increase in your cholesterol and related levels. And if you don’t have time to make guava juice, you can also buy 100 percent natural guava juice at the store.

    References:

    ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6660217

    ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27790420

    sarasota.ifas.ufl.edu/fcs/FlaFoodFare/Guava.pdf

  • If You Don’t Have Health Insurance, Here’s How You Can Buy Insulin Cheap and Safely

    If You Don’t Have Health Insurance, Here’s How You Can Buy Insulin Cheap and Safely

    The current state of healthcare is tumultuous with the new presidential administration still battling with the other governmental branches on health insurance regulations. If you’ve gotten caught up in the crossfire and find yourself uninsured, here’s how you can get your diabetes mellitus medical care at a lower cost.

    Obamacare has been repealed in some states, and still an uncertainty in others. The battle has only led to an increase in health insurance premiums and medical care costs. If you have diabetes mellitus and require insulin therapy to manage your blood sugar levels, you know how important health insurance is because it seems like your life depends on your doctor’s prescriptions. But did you know you can buy insulin without a prescription, and at a lower cost?

    It’s true, and it’s great news if Trump’s healthcare reform has caused you to become uninsured, but it’s not without its dangers. Here’s a little bit on how to buy insulin without a prescription safely:

    Can You Really Buy Insulin Without a Prescription Legally?

    Is it really possible to buy insulin without a prescription without getting into legal trouble? Most doctors don’t even know this, but yes it’s been possible for decades. In fact, 15 percent of Americans who buy insulin get it without a prescription. Both the FDA and the American Medical Association (AMA) allow this because they rationalize that insulin access should be open in the case of emergencies when diabetes mellitus patients need to buy insulin for immediate blood sugar control and don’t have the time to ask their doctor for a prescription.

    But of course these products are over-the-counter for a reason. They’re not super-concentrated, which means they won’t provide the same all-day coverage as some newer basal insulin prescription brands. The two most popular manufacturers you can buy insulin without a prescription from are Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. But both use older formulas that aren’t as efficient as their newer prescription insulins. They take much longer for your body to metabolize them, which means they won’t offer prompt blood sugar level control.

    And chances are, you can’t buy insulin over-the-counter with the dosage you require.

    But if none of these difficulties pose risks to you, then you’ll be happy to know that if you buy insulin over-the-counter brands, they’re probably within the $25 range, which is considerably cheaper than your usual prescription.

    Get Trained to Prepare Your Own Insulin Dose

    If you don’t know how to prepare the proper concentration of insulin for your dose, then it’s dangerous to buy insulin over-the-counter if the limited brands don’t offer your dosage requirements. If your dose isn’t strong enough, your blood sugar levels may be elevated enough that long-term use of over-the-counter insulin can lead to nerve, eye, and kidney damage. If your dose is too strong, it can lead to low blood sugar levels – which can present as uncomfortable symptoms, like cramping and weakness.

    Improper doses administered at inappropriate intervals can lead to huge fluctuations in blood sugar levels, which can only harm your body in the long term.

    But the good news is you can get trained to prepare your own insulin dose for an inexpensive fee or even for free. For example, in the U.K. there’s the DAFNE (Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating) program that’s a 5-day course where licensed experts train you to calculate the glycemic contents of your meal and prepare a suitable insulin dose to manage it. Researchers found that diabetes mellitus patients who underwent the DAFNE program ended up with about 8.4 percent better blood sugar level control than those who didn’t.

    Ask your doctor or a licensed health professional about where you can go to get trained to prepare your own insulin dose.




    How to Get Insulin Syringes for Free

    Now that you’re more or less ready to buy insulin without a prescription, there’s still the issue of where to buy insulin syringes. The good news is that in some states you don’t need a prescription to buy insulin syringes – like Kentucky and Washington.

    But you can also buy insulin syringes without spending any money at all! It might not be the humblest feeling – but drug abuse disease transmission prevention programs offer free needles and syringes to people at partner hospitals and clinics. In the U.K., there are mobile and fixed delivery systems where suppliers give out free needles and syringes at popular sites and healthcare facilities. Some of these even make home deliveries!

    There are also specialized vending machines you can buy insulin syringes from, which offer a discounted price for the deterrent of drug abuse-transmitted diseases.

    These programs are active in over 150 countries, including the U.S.. Chances are you’ll find free syringes and needles close to where you live.

    You Can Also Get Help From Diabetes Mellitus Assistance Programs

    If you’d rather buy insulin that’s specific to your dosage requirements, you can apply for diabetes mellitus assistance programs that offer discounted prescription insulin if you’re approved. For example, if you’re uninsured, BD Medical offers its BD Ultra-Fine Insulin Syringes if you’re financially disadvantaged. If you have diabetes mellitus type 1, you can also apply for the ACT1 Supply Exchange Program where you may buy insulin and other diabetes mellitus supplies at lower prices.

    If you live in New Jersey, the Diabetes Foundation, Inc. offers temporary prescription insulin and other diabetes mellitus supplies to financially disadvantaged diabetes mellitus patients. But it’s only temporary – you have to show that you’re working on a long-term solution for your diabetes mellitus medical care.

    There are also prescription assistance programs in every state that can help you buy insulin at the dosages you require. For example, Pennsylvania offers the PA Free Prescription Drug Card that offers up to 75 percent off specific insulin pumps and other supplies. You should inquire with your local hospital or pharmacy for information on these prescription assistance programs.

    Now that you’re a bit more informed on how to buy insulin without a prescription, you can begin to manage your diabetes mellitus without having to rely on health insurance. With the proper training and research, you should be able to competently keep your blood sugar levels under control at all times. But keep in mind that nothing can replace a doctor’s proper supervision and the accurate efficacy of prescription insulin. In the long run, it’s healthier to see your doctor and be on his prescribed diabetes mellitus medications.

    References:

    npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/12/14/459047328/you-can-buy-insulin-without-a-prescription-but-should-you
    bmj.com/content/325/7367/746
    temple.edu/lawschool/phrhcs/otc.htm
    avert.org/professionals/hiv-programming/prevention/needle-syringe-programmes
    pparx.org/prescription_assistance_programs/diabetes_programs_supplies#syringes
    pennstatehershey.psu.edu/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=3d2d7fde-d33f-4340-bd65-a643d6a7f7e8&groupId=220862

  • Could Diluting Basal Insulin Degludec Make It Safe for Use With Children?

    Could Diluting Basal Insulin Degludec Make It Safe for Use With Children?

    Basal insulin degludec seems to be the answer to the issue of a stable basal insulin that lasts for 24 hours or more with a single dose. But because it’s fairly new, it’s still not permitted for use with anyone under the age of 18. But could dilution be the answer?

    The manufacturer of basal insulin degludec states that it provides a steady supply of basal insulin for over 40 hours. It’s been found to lower the risk of hypoglycemia significantly compared with other current basal insulin alternatives. But currently, the diabetes mellitus medication isn’t approved for use with children. This is unfortunate because children with diabetes mellitus are more susceptible to hypoglycemia when on basal insulin therapy. Novel dilution preparations of basal insulin degludec are ideally the solution for pediatric diabetes mellitus patients.

    Why Children With Diabetes Mellitus Are More at Risk for Hypoglycemia When on Basal Insulin Therapy

    Basal insulin shots’ effectiveness can depend on when you take them. Some diabetes mellitus patients report that administering their basal insulin before sleeping causes hypoglycemia during the night – doctors and patients also report that other activities immediately before or after a basal insulin shot affect its activity. The problem is that children have very dynamic schedules and habits – they eat and sleep at variable times everyday and have random spikes in physical activity. They also fast for long periods at random times. All of these factors brew up a nightmare for basal insulin stability – and children below 6 years old have 250 percent higher risk of developing hypoglycemia than older children when on basal insulin therapy.

    But children with diabetes mellitus are also under-treated with only about 20 percent of pediatric patients staying within the recommended normal range of blood sugar levels. Researchers say a major cause is the insufficient basal insulin medications available for children. It’s currently a challenge to formulate smaller doses of basal insulin shots of current FDA-approved brands with the accuracy and stability needed to keep steady coverage while avoiding the risk of hypoglycemia.




    Diluting Basal Insulin Degludec Could Be an Ideal Solution for Children With Diabetes Mellitus

    Pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Elvira Isganaitis of the Joslin Diabetes Center says that diluted basal insulin preparations are kind of rare, but are in need by children and diabetes mellitus patients with increased insulin sensitivity. She says that Novo Nordisk, manufacturer of basal insulin degludec, has only released a U-200 version of the basal insulin shot, which is a more concentrated form rather than a diluted preparation.

    The good news is that doctors and other healthcare professionals specializing in pediatric diabetes mellitus know how to dilute currently available basal insulin medications to achieve suitable doses for children, like the commonly used U-10 preparation for preschoolers.

    The problem is that the necessary diluent solution for basal insulin degludec hasen’t been formulated. Pharmacists don’t even know what it is – which makes it very difficult for doctors to obtain. And when doctors do prepare a diluted basal insulin solution, it only lasts a few weeks. Parent can be trained to dilute basal insulin, but that’s assuming there’s diluent solution they can get at a pharmacy or hospital.

    If Novo Nordisk formulates a ready-to-use U-10 or similar diluted concentration of basal insulin degludec, it would mean less hardship for both pediatric doctors and parents. The diluted basal insulin degludec would be superior in helping prevent hypoglycemia in children with diabetes mellitus, while also providing longer coverage – which means fewer unpleasant injections. If the company can boost the diluted preparation’s shelf life, it would make it cheaper, which means it would be more accessible.

    Basal insulin degludec could play a significant role in curbing the under-treatment of diabetes mellitus in children. The key is creating a diluted preparation that can be mass produced for general accessibility.

  • Managing Diabetes Mellitus With the Mind: 6 Mental Strategies to Improve Your Health

    Managing Diabetes Mellitus With the Mind: 6 Mental Strategies to Improve Your Health

    If you’re living with diabetes mellitus, you’ve probably gotten an earful of advice from your doctor, from “take your meds on schedule” to “eat right” to “get more exercise.” But sticking to doctor’s orders can be a challenge no matter how forceful or reprimanding your doctor is — which could be part of the problem.

    Registered dietician nutritionist and diabetes mellitus educator Susan Weiner agrees: “Putting people down for not following a health professional’s advice doesn’t lead to positive and long-term changes.”

    So what does? The answer may lie with diabetes mellitus patients themselves.

    Diabetes mellitus experts are discovering that how diabetes mellitus patients view their condition and symptoms can have a big impact on their health and well-being. After all, the mind is a powerful thing, especially when it comes to disease. Negative thinking can lead to negative behaviors and poor health.

    Fortunately, the mind can be trained to think differently. In fact, evidence suggests that a change of mindset might be one of the most effective medicines for diabetes mellitus yet. The best part? A doctor won’t get on your case for making positive changes to your health.

    Incorporate these six mental strategies into your diabetes mellitus treatment plan, and make managing diabetes mellitus — and improving your health — as simple as mind over matter.

    1. Stop Obsessing Over Glycemic Index for Your Diabetes Mellitus

    For many diabetes mellitus patients, following a proper diet means avoiding foods with high glycemic indices. But using glycemic level as a tool to decide what to eat has a downside: you miss out on foods containing important nutrients that won’t do any harm and may even be beneficial to your overall health and help treat your diabetes mellitus.

    Glycemic index measures how carbohydrates in food increase blood sugar levels, and is ranked on a scale from 0 to 100. Common high-glycemic foods (those with a 70-plus index) include white bread, potatoes, cereals, and pretzels. While glycemic levels of foods can be a helpful tool in controlling blood sugar, obsessing over the ranking of a food on the glycemic index can be pointless and unnecessary.

    Some high-glycemic foods, for example, are perfectly acceptable for diabetes mellitus patients — like pineapple and watermelon. Not only do these foods contain important nutrients, they’re tasty and convenient to eat and, as part of a healthy diet, don’t cause adverse effects.

    Furthermore, how foods are cooked and prepared can alter their glycemic level. By itself, a baked potato has a high glycemic index, but put it in a casserole with vegetables and meat and the GI drops.

    Focusing too much on glycemic indices can lead to more than unnecessary food restriction and missed nutrients; diabetes mellitus patients may set themselves up for a tedious routine at mealtime, making eating a rigorous battle that depletes the fun and joy of food.

    In an article published in Food & Nutrition, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokesperson Marina Chaparro suggests that diabetes mellitus patients stop obsessing over the glycemic index of foods, and concentrate on glycemic load instead. Glycemic load takes portion size into account as well as eating wholesome food and being carb conscious. Sensible eating is part of an overall wellness plan for diabetes mellitus patients, and they can make positive changes to their food choices by simply viewing food, nutrition, and GI differently.




    2. Adopt a New Weight-Loss Mindset for Your Diabetes Mellitus

    While maintaining a healthy weight may help stave off and control diabetes mellitus type 2, how weight is assessed can have a negative impact on health. Some experts recommend using BMI, or body mass index, to determine how much a person should weigh. BMI is calculated by measuring body fat based on height and weight.

    The problem with using BMI to gauge healthy weight in diabetes mellitus patients is that some people with BMIs in the obesity range of 30 or higher actually have normal blood lipids, blood sugar, and insulin levels, while others with normal BMIs can be underdiagnosed.

    That may be because people can have high BMIs due to muscle mass rather than body fat, just as they can have normal BMIs with a lack of muscle and too much body fat. Other factors, like age, race, gender, and genetics, also play a role in BMI, making it a less effective strategy for assessing healthy weight.

    Enter the “weight-neutral” mindset. This approach holds that diabetes mellitus patients focus less on BMI and more on body image and lifestyle changes, as well as address emotional eating issues. Proponents of the weight-neutral model believe it helps alleviate problems associated with BMI-centered weight maintenance, like dietary restriction, which can lead to weight cycling. Weight cycling, or repeated weight gain and loss, has been linked to all kinds of health problems, including inflammation, hypertension, insulin resistance, and emotional distress.

    The Health at Every Size (HAES) program supports a weight-neutral philosophy. HAES favors caring for and nurturing your body and adopting stable, healthy habits to keep weight within its natural range. Using five key principles — weight inclusivity, health enhancement, respectful care, eating for well-being, and life-enhancing movement — HAES celebrates body diversity and individual choice.

    But not everyone agrees with HAES. Critics argue that it encourages people to be fat. Advocates say no, HAES promotes trusting in your body and avoiding the negative health consequences of weight cycling while pursuing healthier, more sustainable weight loss practices. It’s also an effective program to follow for diabetes mellitus patients, insists Linda Bacon, nutrition professor, researcher, and HAES author.

    Bacon believes a targeted effort to lose weight, while it can improve blood glucose in the short term, may do more harm than good in the long run by distracting diabetes mellitus patients from the things that really improve health, such as learning to eat well, being physically active, and developing a positive sense of self.

    In an article published in Diabetes Self-Management, she and her co-author explain how shifting from “dietary control and weight loss to the HAES mindset, with an emphasis on wellness, will put you in charge of managing your diabetes mellitus and altering your choices as necessary.”

    Bottom line? Instead of fixating on being thin and losing weight, diabetes mellitus patients may find better results — and improved health — by adopting a positive, weight-neutral mindset about eating, health, and body image.

    3. Recognize and Manage Stress With Mind Work for Diabetes Mellitus

    Diabetes mellitus patients have plenty of reasons to avoid stress. Not only does it cause blood sugar to rise, it can result in poor sleep, high blood pressure, weight gain, and insulin resistance. What’s worse, stress is easy to create with diabetes mellitus, since there are so many reasons to worry. Diabetes mellitus patients are faced with questions and concerns on a daily basis: Are my blood sugar levels too high? Are they too low? Did I eat the wrong thing? Should I confide in friends or coworkers about my condition? Can I afford my medical bills? Will I be able to manage my health day in and day out?

    What diabetes mellitus patients may not understand is that the first step to alleviating stress is to recognize it for what it is — a figment of the mind. Having worries about diabetes mellitus is normal, but that doesn’t mean those worries are valid or life-threatening. Although stress can be scary and frustrating, it doesn’t have to ruin your health. Most worries that come with diabetes mellitus can eventually be put to rest through good healthcare practices and common sense.

    In the meantime, there’s plenty you can do to reduce day-to-day stress that threatens your health and happiness. Try these mental stress relievers to help manage diabetes mellitus symptoms:

    • Meditate. Any form will do, but mindful meditation is especially effective for diabetes mellitus management. Mindfulness involves an awareness of present thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations in a nonjudgmental way. According to research published in Health Psychology, mindfulness is associated with a reduced level of the stress hormone cortisol.
    • Do deep breathing exercises. Not only does deep breathing reduce stress, it can help you sleep better. Not getting adequate sleep can impair glucose tolerance and worsen diabetes mellitus type 2. How’s it done? Take slow, deep breaths through your nose, hold for a few seconds, and breathe out through the mouth. Repeat several times.
    • Journal. Writing in a journal can be highly therapeutic because it allows you to unleash thoughts and solve problems on paper, thereby releasing stress. Find a quiet spot inside or out where you can free mental blockages and write. Many diabetes mellitus patients find that journaling helps give them a clearer, more refreshed mind and a better life perspective.
    • Bond with a dog. Dogs make great companions for diabetes mellitus patients — they’re loyal exercise partners, can be trained to detect when your blood sugar is low, and help keep you on a schedule. And, according to studies, dogs can reduce stress. Spend time cuddling together or try doga, yoga with a dog, for relief. Don’t own a dog? Cats also have a calming effect.
    • Relax to soothing sounds. Ever notice how you can fall asleep more quickly when you listen to the sounds of the ocean or a gentle rain? The same noises can quell and eliminate stress. If you can’t get relief from the real deal, consider investing in a noise machine that offers a range of soothing sounds to put your mind in a restful, stress-free state.
    • Use muscle relaxation. Progressive muscle relaxation involves tensing and relaxing certain muscles groups while breathing in and out. While it may take some time to master, progressive muscle relaxation can be an effective way to relieve tension and eliminate stress. Guided instructions will help you better learn this technique.
    • Tap into your spiritual being. Studies have shown that spirituality plays an important role in managing chronic disease, like diabetes mellitus. The reason? Getting in touch with a higher power brings a sense of peace and comfort that alleviates anxieties related to illness. If church isn’t your thing, spend time reflecting in a quiet outdoor setting or practice tai chi or yoga.
    • Think of something funny. Laughter may not cure diabetes mellitus, but it can certainly help treat symptoms. When you laugh, you release endorphins — the hormones that eliminate pain, make you feel good, and relieve stress. Use your mind to stir up funny memories or find something humorous to read or watch, and laugh your worries away.
    • Focus on your senses. When time is limited and you need immediate stress relief, the quickest way to get it is to engage one or more of your senses, according to the Phoenix VA Healthcare System. Examples? Close your eyes and picture a pleasing scenario, smell flowers, hold a favorite object or memento, or sip on a refreshing drink.
    • Get sleep. People who are tired or sleep-deprived often put their minds in overdrive, making it more prone to worry and anxiety. Sleep reduces cortisol levels and helps refresh and relax the mind. Even a short nap can provide relief. If you suffer from insomnia, establish a relaxing bedtime routine and get professional help if necessary.



    4. Cultivate Positivity for Diabetes Mellitus

    Research has shown there’s a positive link between optimism and the outcome of all kinds of health conditions, including diabetes mellitus. One study reports that the most optimistic diabetes mellitus participants had a 27 percent lower risk of dying than their peers. A positive mindset doesn’t just lead to better health habits; it reduces anxiety, improves coping skills, and boosts happiness, all which help enrich a diabetes mellitus patient’s life and make it healthier and more manageable.

    Cultivating positivity isn’t difficult to do, but it does take practice. Positive self-talk is a good place to start. You can begin by thinking of yourself as you would a good friend. If that good friend were feeling down about something, you would likely offer encouragement, point out the friend’s strengths and skills, and tell your friend how special he or she is. Giving yourself the same treatment is both uplifting and motivating, plus it can influence your well-being.

    The American Diabetes Association agrees that how you talk to yourself makes a difference when it comes to how you feel and act. Negative self-talk can keep you from following a wellness plan and harm your health. But you can turn that around by simply substituting negative self-talk with positive alternatives. For example, rather than calling yourself an exercise failure because you didn’t walk today, remember the days you did walk and tell yourself any exercise is better than none.

    Another activity to try is to take note of the little things that have a positive impact on your health. Looking at the big picture can be overwhelming, especially when you’re dealing with health issues, like your diabetes mellitus. Instead, consider all the small achievements in your day-to-day living. Getting good blood sugar readings, taking an exercise class, eating a nourishing meal, adopting healthy sleep habits — these are baby steps to better health. Concentrate on the little accomplishments every day, and the bigger ones, like improving and reversing diabetes mellitus type 2, can be achieved.

    Gratitude also cultivates positivity because it takes your mind away from you and your worries and puts more productivity on others. Plus, feeling and expressing gratitude releases feel-good hormones, which means you’re doing something healthful for yourself too. Gratitude can be shown in many ways, from a simple thank you for advice from a loved one to making a meal for a friend to donating your time to an important cause.

    Finally, try forming relationships with people who are optimistic and fun to be around. Being with positive people is a good distraction from your health woes, and their optimism will rub off on you. Seek out others who you enjoy spending time with, who lift your spirits, and who care about you in a deep, meaningful way. Your mind will grow more positive about everything in your life, including your health and diabetes mellitus.

    Diabetes mellitus patients who suffer serious stress and stress-related conditions, like depression, may find help through cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Specialists trained in CBT help diabetes mellitus patients deal with feelings of failure, loss, and helplessness. This therapy can also help treat minor conditions associated with diabetes mellitus, including insomnia and anxiety. For more information on CBT and to find a therapist, visit the National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists.

    5. Sharpen the Brain for Diabetes Mellitus

    Recent research suggests that there’s cause for concern when it comes to diabetes mellitus and its effect on the brain. Scientists from Ewha University Brain Institute in South Korea found that people with diabetes mellitus type 2, especially those who were overweight, had thinner gray matter in the brain, a sign of deterioration. Further, memory and thinking skills were decreased in diabetes mellitus type 2 patients regardless of their weight — and the longer someone had diabetes mellitus type 2, the likelier they were to have brain changes.

    The good news is, learning and using your brain can help keep the mind sharp and improve diabetes mellitus symptoms, including spikes in blood sugar levels. So what can you do to get your brain working at top capacity? Here are five ideas that will keep you thinking and engaged:

    1. Read, read, read. It’s one of the best ways to stay sharp and work areas of the brain related to memory and deep thinking. Read a variety of material, including poetry, which has been shown to stimulate areas of the brain that tap into emotions.
    2. Do puzzles. Although research has been mixed on whether doing puzzles benefits the brain, there’s no question they require brainwork. Puzzles involve problem-solving, hand-eye coordination, creativity, and memory. The more complex the puzzle, the better for the brain.
    3. Take a class and learn. Taking a class promotes concentration and focus, plus it’s a great way to engage in social interaction and networking — all which benefit the brain. Classes abound on all kinds of subjects and they can be found online, through local colleges and universities, and via lifelong learning programs in the community.
    4. Play challenging games. Card games and board games, played alone or with others, can give the brain a rigorous workout that’s also fun and satisfying. A University of Iowa study found that playing video games can benefit the brain, too, by reversing mental decline in aging adults.
    5. Listen to music. Listening to music has many brain benefits, including improved brain function and memory, better sleep quality, and increased mental alertness. Some say that classical music tops the charts for improving brain health, but go ahead and listen to your favorite artist; any music can boost your physical and mental well-being.



    6. Get Mindful About Diabetes Mellitus

    The more you know about diabetes mellitus — or your potential to develop it — the better equipped you’ll be to manage symptoms, handle complications, and reverse or prevent the disease. You might begin by researching your family medical history. Heredity plays a definitive role in diabetes mellitus, so genes matter.

    According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes mellitus type 2 and 1 have different causes yet they share two factors: you inherit a predisposition to diabetes mellitus and something in the environment triggers the onset.

    Find out which, if any, family members have diabetes mellitus or pre-diabetes. Include both living and non-living relatives in your search. Then ask questions. Get to know their lifestyle and what it’s like to live with the condition day-to-day. Learn about individual symptoms and how they’re managed, what therapies work best, and at what age they developed diabetes mellitus.

    Move on to acquiring general information about diabetes mellitus. Get to know the differences between diabetes mellitus type 1 (which is insulin-dependent and usually develops during childhood or adolescence) and diabetes mellitus type 2 (commonly known as “adult onset” and is not dependent on insulin to control blood sugar). Research your own symptoms and see how they compare with other diabetes mellitus patients’. Look into all your options for treatment and disease management.

    Remember, knowledge is power, and there are numerous resources available for diabetes mellitus patients to get educated. Besides your primary doctor, other medical experts with backgrounds in diabetes mellitus include nutritionists, endocrinologists, eye doctors, podiatrists, nurse practitioners, and heart specialists. You might also consult a personal trainer or exercise coach.

    Literature on diabetes mellitus can be found through medical staff, but you can do research on your own, either online or at the public library. You might also consult diabetes mellitus associations for information and a list of contacts for any questions you might have. Many medical and health-related associations that are not diabetes mellitus-specific but that address other health problems associated with the disease can be useful, too. For a comprehensive listing of organizations related to diabetes mellitus, check out this Directory of Diabetes Organizations.

    The important thing is to learn all you can so you can make informed decisions about your personal and unique health situation.

    Diabetes mellitus is a common, chronic disease that can be a daily challenge to manage. Staying on top of your medication, weight maintenance, and exercise isn’t just a constant worry; it can drain your energy and make your symptoms worse. Fortunately, you have the power within you to treat your illness using one of the most effective tools around: your mind. Don’t overlook this valuable asset. It can be the ticket to better overall health and a longer, more comfortable life with diabetes mellitus.

  • What You Need to Know About Basal Insulin Degludec

    What You Need to Know About Basal Insulin Degludec

    Basal insulin degludec is a fairly new type of long-lasting insulin that may show promise in lessening the number of basal insulin shots required by diabetes mellitus patients. Here’s what you need to know.

    Initially, physicians stated that one basal insulin shot provides enough hyperglycemic protection for 24 hours. But researchers found that one injection of nph basal insulin or basal insulin glargine (and other alternatives) doesn’t provide enough coverage to last the full day. They also can cause hypoglycemia during the night when diabetes mellitus patients are asleep, and spike blood sugar levels in the morning before breakfast.

    Basal insulin degludec is a new insulin analog that boasts providing coverage for 42 hours. It can also be taken at any time in the day with a lower risk of blood sugar spikes in the morning and low blood sugar in the evening. That’s because once it’s injected into your bloodstream, it forms a very stable complex that houses the basal insulin and releases it slowly, which results in a steady supply of basal insulin for a long period of time. Basal insulin glargine attempts the same stable housing complex, but it deteriorates faster than basal insulin degludec’s, which leads to too much basal insulin being released and that can lead to hypoglycemia and insufficient coverage.

    In fact, basal insulin degludec is 75 percent more stable than basal insulin glargine. This means the variability in basal insulin delivery is considerably lessened, which means there’s less likelihood that it will release significantly lower or higher amounts of basal insulin at any given time during coverage. In a 365-day clinical trial of 1030 diabetes mellitus patients, basal insulin degludec’s risk of hypoglycemia during nighttime sleep was 36 percent lower than basal insulin glargine’s. Even better – basal insulin degludec’s overall risk of severe hypoglycemia was 86 percent lower than that of basal insulin glargine’s.

    The Downsides of Basal Insulin Degludec

    Remember that basal insulin degludec is a relatively new drug, which means not all potential side effects are known at this point. It’s so new that it’s not even approved for use for anyone under 18 years old.

    The National Institutes of Health found that regularly taking basal insulin degludec causes respiratory symptoms, like sneezing, coughing, and runny nose, in about 23 percent of diabetes mellitus patients. Eleven percent experienced headaches and upset stomach.

    They also found that, on average, long-term administration of basal insulin degludec causes weight gain of about four pounds in diabetes mellitus type 1 patients. Diabetes mellitus type 2 patients, on average, gained almost 6.7 pounds.

    The FDA also cautions the usage of basal insulin degludec because they’ve cited evidence that it may increase the risk of cardiovascular events by about 60 percent. But their evidence is lacking and not significant enough given the shortness and indirectness of the clinical trials involved. They say that for diabetes mellitus type 1 patients, there’s not a significant difference in effectiveness between basal insulin degludec and basal insulin glargine. They recommend that only diabetes mellitus type 2 patients use basal insulin degludec until more research can explore the new drug’s potential cardiovascular risks.

    But a recent study involving over 7,500 diabetes mellitus patients for about two years found that basal insulin degludec carries only a minimal elevated risk of cardiovascular problems than basal insulin glargine.

    This doesn’t mean that this new drug is completely safe — remember that it’s possible that not all of its adverse effects have come to light. In fact, experts are still cautioned (in some cases prohibited), from prescribing it to pregnant women because its effects on pregnancy are still somewhat unknown.




    Important Matters to Keep in Mind Before Choosing Basal Insulin Degludec

    You can’t get basal insulin degludec without a prescription, but even if it’s prescribed to you, there are things you should keep in mind to lower any possible risk of complications.

    If you’re close to or living with other people who have diabetes mellitus, don’t share syringes or needles. Some non-STD diseases can be transmitted by blood, and sharing the same syringe is an unnecessary risk.

    Because the drug is so new, it’s going to be significantly more expensive. If you’re not having a significant struggle with your current basal insulin prescription, then you can ask your doctor to keep you on it instead of incurring a larger financial burden that you may not be ready for.

    But placing these cautionary matters and potential hidden dangers aside, this new drug seems to live up to its praise. Many doctors, like Dr. Steve Edelman, M.D., are convinced of the current clinical trials concerning basal insulin degludec and are currently prescribing it to their diabetes mellitus patients who are fit candidates. They remark that it is superior in terms of lowering the risk for hypoglycemia and providing a reliable supply of basal insulin throughout the day and even longer.

    If you have diabetes mellitus type 2 and are having coverage issues with your current basal insulin medications, consider asking your doctor about basal insulin degludec. But also keep in mind that it’s a new drug with potentially unknown other side effects.

  • How Exercise Can Naturally Raise Your Basal Insulin Sensitivity

    How Exercise Can Naturally Raise Your Basal Insulin Sensitivity

    If you’re suffering from diabetes mellitus type 2, your doctor may have prescribed basal insulin shots to help you manage your blood sugar levels. But basal insulin therapy can also cause some unwanted side effects, and some serious conditions. Naturally boosting your basal insulin sensitivity with exercise may be a safer way to help keep your blood sugar levels normal.

    What Is Basal Insulin?

    Everyone, both diabetes mellitus type 2 sufferers and non-diabetics, has low background levels of insulin circulating in their bloodstream to allow cells to take in sugar to fuel their life-sustaining processes. This background insulin is called basal insulin. Long after you’ve eaten, fat is broken down into sugar to help keep your blood sugar levels normal – basal insulin thus also helps to ensure the sugar from broken down fat don’t reach high levels.

    But both diabetes mellitus type 2 and type 1 sufferers produce not enough basal insulin to keep the sugar from fat breakdown from building up to high levels in their bloodstreams.

    How Basal Insulin Fits Into Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Treatments

    Artificial and natural basal insulin can be given to diabetes mellitus patients if they’re not making enough or any of their own basal insulin. Diabetes mellitus type 2 patients aren’t given basal insulin until their blood sugar levels can’t be managed by most other medications. If metformin is in the first line of pharmacological intervention, then basal insulin is in the last line of diabetes mellitus type 2 treatment.

    Most diabetes mellitus type 2 medications are taken orally, but basal insulin shots are injected subcutaneously. This can be very discouraging for diabetes mellitus type 2 patients because now they’ll have to inject themselves routinely – which isn’t something most people start out feeling comfortable with. The good news is, researchers have developed oral basal insulin tablets that are as effective as basal insulin shots.

    Even though about 60 percent of diabetes mellitus type 2 patients progress to require basal insulin shots to manage their blood sugar levels, they still feel the stigma that their condition is worsening. From their diabetes mellitus education, they know that diabetes mellitus type 1 patients require basal insulin, while diabetes mellitus type 2 patients don’t always need it.

    When their doctors tell them he needs to add basal insulin therapy to their treatment, for some it’s like they’re losing the distinction between their condition and diabetes mellitus type 1. They understand that their pancreas may have become impaired and is now producing lower levels of basal insulin or none at all. They know very well that this is the situation diabetes mellitus type 1 patients are born with or develop – and now they’ve reached the same circumstances.

    The possible adverse effects of basal insulin shots contribute to the fear diabetes mellitus type 2 patients feel about them. If they administer incorrectly, they could risk developing hypoglycemia, which is a risk present even when they follow their doctor’s instructions to the letter. The effectiveness of a basal insulin shot also changes with the time you administer, your routine activities surrounding the time of administration, and your eating habits. That’s why the basal insulin shot routine is highly individualized and must be curtailed to a specialized fit for each diabetes mellitus patient.




    How Exercise Helps Lower the Number of Basal Insulin Shots You Need Daily

    Researchers may have found hope for naturally helping diabetes mellitus patients better manage their basal insulin and lessen their dependency on basal insulin shots. They found that a single bout of moderate to vigorous exercise, like cycling for 15 minutes, boosts overall insulin sensitivity for a maximum of 48 hours.

    If you have diabetes mellitus and your pancreas is still producing basal insulin, this means that exercising makes your cells more receptive to these low levels of basal insulin. This causes your blood sugar levels to drop more so than they normally would. This means that exercising makes your body require fewer or lower doses of basal insulin shots.

    But researchers caution that this increased insulin sensitivity goes away if you stop exercising for six to eight days straight. They conclude that exercising regularly will maintain this whole-body insulin sensitivity boost.

    If you’re being prescribed basal insulin shots, exercising is a safe and natural way to help you make a stand against your diabetes mellitus. Exercising regularly lowers your dependency on your basal insulin therapy and helps you avoid scary side effects like hypoglycemia and weight gain that come with taking basal insulin.

  • Doctors May Have Formulated a Way to Treat Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 by Taking Basal Insulin Directly by Mouth

    Doctors May Have Formulated a Way to Treat Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 by Taking Basal Insulin Directly by Mouth

    Researchers may have invented a way for diabetes mellitus type 2 patients to get their basal insulin by simply popping a tablet rather than injecting themselves.

    If you have diabetes mellitus type 2 and dread the basal insulin shots, you might soon be in luck. Researchers announced they’ve successfully created a basal insulin delivery system where you swallow a tablet by mouth and the basal insulin is released and absorbed in your small intestine.

    They ran clinical trials to see if their newly created oral basal insulin tablet is as effective as the basal insulin shot. In one study, 50 diabetes mellitus type 2 patients who couldn’t adequately manage their blood sugar levels using metformin (and other oral diabetes mellitus medications) were separated into two groups. For two months one group was instructed to take the new oral basal insulin tablets thrice daily. The other group was instructed to continue their basal insulin shots as normal.

    To keep the participants blind to the study, both were also given tablets and shots that contained a placebo – so both were getting tablets and shots daily, but only one form contained real medication. Both groups were allowed to continue their metformin treatment, but most other oral diabetes mellitus medications were stopped for the duration of the study.

    After the two months were over, the oral basal insulin tablet group’s fasting blood sugar levels dropped to about 73.71 percent of what they were during the start of the study. The basal insulin shot group’s fasting blood sugar levels dropped to about 73.78 percent of what they were during the start of the study.

    The researchers concluded that the slight difference in effectiveness is negligible and insignificant, stating that the oral basal insulin tablets are as effective as the basal insulin shots. They also found that the oral basal insulin tablets are safer than the basal insulin shots because they caused 50 percent less hypoglycemic events (episodes when your blood sugar falls too low) than the basal insulin shots.




    But these researchers don’t think this particular study’s results should be widely embraced just yet. They say more clinical trials are needed because the current study’s duration is too short and with only a small sample of diabetes mellitus type 2 patients. It’s always possible that side effects and other adverse interactions can come to light with a larger sample size of diabetes mellitus type 2 patients who take the oral basal insulin tablets for a longer period of time.

    You can still look forward to the near future when you’ll hopefully never have to prick yourself with a basal insulin shot to keep your blood sugar levels normal, while instead simply pop a tablet or two in your mouth!

  • How Meditating Daily Can Help Treat Diabetes Mellitus

    How Meditating Daily Can Help Treat Diabetes Mellitus

    Researchers found that meditation can help lower blood sugar levels. Meditation can also help treat diabetes mellitus in other ways.

    Meditation Is a Healthy Activity, Not Just a Religious Ceremony

    Meditation should be an integral part of everyone’s lives. It’s not just an activity that religious monks do at a temple. Meditation has shown to improve your cognition and attention. Researchers found that meditating regularly lengthens your DNA’s telomeres, which are responsible for preventing aging by keeping your DNA safe from deterioration when your cells multiply.

    It’s also been found to boost your immunity. They found that people who meditate have a higher immunity against viral infections.

    And then there are the mainstream benefits you probably already know about that meditation confers: It lowers your blood pressure and stress.

    These are just the tip of the iceberg. Researchers are constantly discovering more health benefits that regular meditation can give you.

    Meditation Helps Treat Diabetes Mellitus

    But did you know that meditating everyday can also help treat diabetes mellitus? Researchers found that meditation lowers the levels of compounds responsible for causing inflammation, which is elevated in people suffering from diabetes mellitus. By lowering inflammation, meditation can help protect you from atherosclerosis and other diseases that you’re more susceptible to because of diabetes mellitus complications.

    Meditation’s stress-lowering effects are another way it helps treat diabetes mellitus. Since less stress means lower cortisol levels, meditation helps lessen insulin resistance.

    Meditation has also been found to directly lower blood sugar levels. Researchers instructed 50 diabetes mellitus patients to meditate after breakfast everyday for two weeks. They found that their postprandial sugar levels (their blood sugar levels after eating) were much lower after they started their meditation intervention.

    You should definitely include meditation into your daily routine because it will help treat diabetes mellitus, and is overall healthy for your body and mind.




    Here Are Some Ways You Can Ease Into Meditation for Diabetes Mellitus Treatment

    Meditation can be tricky and frustrating if you’ve never tried before. But you should make the effort because it’s a natural way to lower your blood sugar levels without medications. Here are a few helpful tips to get you jumpstarted:

    Try gradually. Do you remember when you first started learning to run or jog? At first you couldn’t go the full hour, but you gradually made your way there by increasing the time you ran or jogged each time you tried. Treat meditation like exercise – try meditating for only five minutes, then ramp it up to fifteen then twenty, and so on. You don’t have to go the full forty-five minutes on your first few sessions! This helps you ease into meditation without straining yourself and making the activity harder than it should be.

    Try mindfulness. Try mindfulness, which is probably the easiest form of meditation. Here you simply shift your focus to something else in a nonjudgmental manner. You’re concentrating on anything else, but objectively without emotions. You’re being an observer, like a scientist. For example, you can focus on your breath and try to feel all the sensations that come to you when you inhale and exhale. Soon you’ll find yourself in a deeper state of awareness with your blood pressure and heart rate lower. If you suddenly get lost in emotional or stressful thoughts, simply pull your focus back to whatever it was you were objectively focusing on.

    Visualize light. If you feel like trying an advanced form of meditation, try visualizing light. Imagine a golden light shining down on you from above, like the sun. After a while, imagine that the light can enter your body through your pores, penetrating every cell and healing them of their insulin resistance. Doing this has been proven to help treat your diabetes mellitus two-fold. The meditation lowers your blood sugar levels, while researchers found that healing visualization boosts rates of healing in diabetics. Diabetics with foot ulcers who were frustrated and depressed healed much slower than those who had positive thinking toward their condition and focused on healing.

    Meditation is a holistically healthy activity. Start meditating everyday and it will help treat your diabetes mellitus. There are no drawbacks, only good things can come from including this ancient practice into your daily life.