Diabetes (Diabetes and Vision Problems) has never been as big of an epidemic as it is in society these days. In the past, a majority of people often thought of diabetes as a health condition where you must simply reduce your sugar and fat intake on a daily basis. Little did they know that diabetes may end up actually causing serious health concerns like blindness without closely monitoring it!
https://northcoastmed.flywheelstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/prevent-diabetes-from-taking-vision.jpg321845projectmanagerhttps://northcoastmed.flywheelstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ads-logo-new-new.pngprojectmanager2019-01-14 19:10:442021-05-05 18:03:21How To Prevent Diabetes From Taking Your Vision.
Being pregnant can be exciting, but it’s crucial to make sure you’re getting the medical attention you need for both your health and the health of your new child. That includes keeping a close eye out for diabetes symptoms – even if you didn’t have this disease before getting pregnant.
Whether you’ve been managing diabetes for years or haven’t given much thought to this condition before now, it’s a good idea to know the basics of diabetes and pregnancy. Here, you’ll find our complete guide to this topic.
Though you may not have heard about “pregestational diabetes” before, you’re already familiar with this concept. That’s because pregestational diabetes is simply any type of diabetes that occurs before pregnancy. This category can include type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and prediabetes that later developed into type 2 diabetes.
By definition, if you had pregestational diabetes, it was already diagnosed before your pregnancy. As a result, there’s a good chance that you already have some idea of how to manage whatever type of diabetes you have.
Gestational Diabetes
The term “gestational diabetes” refers to a type of diabetes only diagnosed in expecting mothers. Though the precise cause of gestational diabetes is unknown, it has some relationship to fluctuating hormone levels in pregnant women and not being able to make enough insulin during pregnancy, causing insulin resistance. This will affect blood glucose management, which can trigger this form of diabetes.
Gestational diabetes is unique in that it has no actual telltale symptoms. In fact, most women who develop gestational diabetes exhibit no symptoms at all. While it is possible to experience symptoms like excessive hunger, high levels of thirst and a frequent need to urinate due to gestational diabetes, you won’t need to rely on these symptoms to get a diagnosis. All pregnant women receive testing for gestational diabetes between their 24th and 28th weeks of pregnancy.
The Importance of Blood Sugar Control During Pregnancy
Regardless of what type of diabetes you have, you’ll need to pay close attention to your blood glucose levels while you’re pregnant. Blood sugar control is always a priority for people with diabetes, but it’s even more essential during pregnancy for several reasons.
When you’re pregnant, you don’t just have to manage your own health – you also need to take steps to protect the health of your unborn baby. That includes diabetes management since uncontrolled blood sugar can impact your child’s well-being, too. In the first trimester of your pregnancy, elevated blood sugar levels due to type 1 or type 2 diabetes can lead to higher congenital disability and miscarriage risks. (Gestational diabetes isn’t a concern at this point since it develops at a later point in pregnancy.)
In later months, high blood sugar levels may result in fetal macrosomia – that is, giving birth to a larger-than-average baby. That can cause additional problems down the road, possibly including shoulder dystocia and fractures. You might also need a C-section in this scenario. Home delivery isn’t generally recommended for pregnant women with diabetes because of the risks mentioned above.
If you aren’t pregnant but have pregestational diabetes, the best way to lower your chances of diabetes-related pregnancy problems is to use contraception and get your blood sugar under control for three to six months before conceiving. If you use oral agents for diabetes control, discuss with your physician about switching to insulin – some oral agents are contraindicated in pregnancy.
How to Manage Diabetes While Pregnant
It’s essential to take the risks posed by pregestational and gestational diabetes seriously. Still, some simple steps can reduce your risk of diabetes-related pregnancy complications:
Know Your Blood Glucose Targets
At the heart of any blood sugar management strategy is an understanding of your blood glucose levels. Use a reliable blood glucose meter to check your blood sugar regularly. Your healthcare team will help you find your blood sugar targets, but target levels that are common for pregnant women with preexisting or gestational diabetes include:
95 mg/dl or less (fasting, before meals)
140 mg/dl or less (one hour after meal)
120 mg/dl or less (two hours after a meal)
Eat a Healthy Diet
When you’re pregnant, the usual advice for building a diabetes diet still applies. Some of the most common tips are eating a balanced selection of nutritious foods, controlling your portion sizes, watching your salt intake and avoiding processed grains, fats, oils, and sweets.
However, you’ll also need to remember that you will need more calories a day while pregnant. The recommended requirements are to increase calories by at least 300 calories plus per day between the fourth and ninth months of pregnancy. Pregnant women have a recommended daily caloric total of about 2,200 to 2500 calories per day. See a Registered Dietitian to plan your diet.
While you’re pregnant, it’s a good idea to get between 40 and 50 percent of your daily calories from healthy, complex carbohydrates. If you eat too many carbs, blood sugar management will become more complex, but not getting enough carbs can also cause problems. Eat fresh vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy products and high fiber foods.
Continue to Get Moderate Physical Activity
There is good evidence showing that in gestational diabetes cases, the women affected by this type of diabetes can control their condition solely through lifestyle changes. Regular exercise is a highly effective way to lower your blood sugar, so try to get moderate physical activity most days without overdoing it.
Take Medications As Needed
You may not be able to manage gestational diabetes on your own, or you may need medications to control type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Discuss your options with your healthcare team. Either way, insulin is the most common medication for pregnant women with diabetes, but other options include glyburide and metformin.
Keep an Eye on Your Diabetes Risk Post-Pregnancy
Unlike type 1 and type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes isn’t permanent. Most women with gestational diabetes find that this disease goes away after their pregnancy, but you’ll need to get a blood sugar test from your doctor to be sure. This test usually happens between six and twelve weeks after you give birth.
But even if your gestational diabetes disappears, you’ll need to monitor your diabetes risk in the future. About 50 percent of all women who develop gestational diabetes are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 5 to 10 years after pregnancy. It is recommended to reach a healthy body weight after delivery. And it means you’ll need a diabetes risk assessment every one to three years depending on the results of your assessment. It may be inconvenient, but it will help you ensure your blood glucose levels stay where they should be.
Whether you need diabetes supplies for a few months or the rest of your life, you shouldn’t order them from just any company. ADS can help you get all the diabetes supplies you need at an affordable price – not to mention our unmatched customer service. Start shopping for our blood glucose meters, insulin, and other supplies today!
https://northcoastmed.flywheelstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/pregnancy-gestational-diabetes-not-end-of-world.jpg321845projectmanagerhttps://northcoastmed.flywheelstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ads-logo-new-new.pngprojectmanager2019-01-13 19:09:402022-02-07 17:06:55Diabetes During Pregnancy: What to Know | ADS
There are certain foods (Pumpkins for Diabetes) that can be associated with seasons. With the fall season here and the holidays will be soon arriving, the fruit pumpkin comes to mind. Pumpkins are believed to have originated in North America. Seeds from related plants have been found in Mexico dating back to 7000 to 5500 B.C. References to pumpkins date back many centuries. The name pumpkin originated from the Greek word for “large melon” which is “pepon.” “Pepon” was changed by the French into “pompon.” The English changed “pompon” to “Pumpion.” American colonists changed “pumpion” into “pumpkin.” Native Americans dried strips of pumpkin and wove them into mats. They also roasted long strips of pumpkin on the open fire and ate them. The origin of pumpkin pie occurred when the colonists sliced off the pumpkin top, removed the seeds, and then filled the insides with milk, spices and honey which was then baked in hot ashes of a dying fire.
https://northcoastmed.flywheelstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/pumpkin-pie.jpg321845projectmanagerhttps://northcoastmed.flywheelstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ads-logo-new-new.pngprojectmanager2019-01-12 19:36:382021-05-05 22:48:30All About Pumpkins
According to the American Diabetes Association the total prevalence of diabetes is as follows: Total: 25.8 million children and adults in the United States—8.3% of the population—have diabetes.
Diagnosed: 18.8 million people
Undiagnosed: 7.0 million people
Prediabetes: 79 million people
New Cases: 1.9 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed in people aged 20 years and older.
https://northcoastmed.flywheelstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/phone-app-people-living-diabetes.jpg321845projectmanagerhttps://northcoastmed.flywheelstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ads-logo-new-new.pngprojectmanager2019-01-12 19:06:202021-05-05 22:58:52Phone Apps For People Living With Diabetes
An individual who is lactose intolerant is not able to fully digest the milk sugar called lactose, in dairy products. Lactose intolerance occurs when the body is unable to breakdown all of the lactose that is found in the foods you eat. Lactose intolerance is also called lactase deficiency – an enzyme produced by the cells lining the small intestine. There are individuals that have low levels of lactase that experience no signs and symptoms of this condition and there are others that do experience signs and symptoms usually after eating or drinking foods that contain lactose. Symptoms can include diarrhea, gas, nausea, bloating, and stomach cramps. These symptoms can be controlled by choosing a balanced diet plan that carefully limits dairy products.
https://northcoastmed.flywheelstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/lactose-intolerant-what-can-eat.jpg321845projectmanagerhttps://northcoastmed.flywheelstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ads-logo-new-new.pngprojectmanager2019-01-11 19:05:202021-05-05 23:46:15I Am Lactose Intolerant What Can I Eat
Kale (Kale Recipes for Diabetics) is a delicious and extremely nutritious vegetable that is gaining popularity right now. Kale, also known as borecole, is one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat. It belongs to the Brassica family that includes cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, collards, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. As a leafy green vegetable, it is available in curly, ornamental, or dinosaur varieties. Kale’s colors can vary from green to purple to red. Kale’s health benefits come from its fiber content and high concentration and excellent sources of disease fighting antioxidant vitamins like A, C, and K. Kale contains the antioxidants carotenoids and flavonoids and is also rich in the eye-health promoting lutein and zeaxanthin compounds.
https://northcoastmed.flywheelstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/kale-green-machine.jpg321845projectmanagerhttps://northcoastmed.flywheelstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ads-logo-new-new.pngprojectmanager2019-01-10 19:03:192021-05-06 00:17:56Kale: The Green Machine
Our hearts are small in size but have a big job. The heart is a muscle that needs to be kept strong through not smoking, participating in daily physical activity, and by eating healthy. Certain foods have been proven to be good for your heart’s health. By eating these foods you will protect your heart and blood vessels and keep your heart in tip-top shape.
https://northcoastmed.flywheelstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/heart-healthy-foods-love.jpg321845projectmanagerhttps://northcoastmed.flywheelstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ads-logo-new-new.pngprojectmanager2019-01-09 19:01:582021-05-06 00:59:23Heart Healthy Foods To Love
Nuts (Nuts for Diabetics) are a wonderful choice when you want food that is filling, good for your heart, and making other dishes taste great! Nuts contain “good” unsaturated fats, they are relatively high in protein, have fiber, contain disease-fighting phytochemicals, and they contain small amounts of vitamins and minerals. Did you know that calcium can be found in almonds? And folate, a B vitamin is found in hazelnuts and walnuts?
Who knew eating the right colors in our meals every day could provide so much nutrition. It is essential to include a colorful variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and dairy on our plates every day. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (Sugar Dietary Guidelines) recommend an increased focus on plant-based diets. This combined with lean meats, fish, poultry and low fat dairy products creates a rainbow of colors on the plate that serves as the foundation for a healthful eating plan. Adding colorful seasonal foods to your plate makes for more than just a festive meal; it provides vitamins, minerals and fiber. Choose these foods daily for optimal nutrition:
https://northcoastmed.flywheelstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/eat-right-colors-rainbow.jpg321845projectmanagerhttps://northcoastmed.flywheelstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ads-logo-new-new.pngprojectmanager2019-01-06 18:54:232021-05-06 01:24:58Eat Right With The Colors Of The Rainbow
With the beautiful warm weather, many people are finding themselves relaxing in the sun outside drinking water. But another great beverage to drink that is refreshing, tasty, and healthy for you is tea! Tea (Best Tea for Diabetes) has been cultivated for centuries, beginning in India and China. Today, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world, second only to water. Hundreds of millions of people drink tea, and studies suggest that green tea in particular has many health benefits and may lower your risk for cancer, high cholesterol and Parkinson’s disease.
The most popular types of tea are black, green, white, and oolong teas. All these colorful tea types come from the same tea plant called Camellia sinensis. The degree of processing of the leaves of this plant determines if the tea will be green, black, or oolong. These teas from the Camellia plant are rich in polyphenols, which give each tea its antioxidant properties which can help fight disease and maintain good health. Drinking a couple of cups of tea daily might be good for your heart, cholesterol, bones, digestion and keep you relaxed.
How To Prevent Diabetes From Taking Your Vision.
Diabetes (Diabetes and Vision Problems) has never been as big of an epidemic as it is in society these days. In the past, a majority of people often thought of diabetes as a health condition where you must simply reduce your sugar and fat intake on a daily basis. Little did they know that diabetes may end up actually causing serious health concerns like blindness without closely monitoring it!
Read more
Diabetes During Pregnancy: What to Know | ADS
Being pregnant can be exciting, but it’s crucial to make sure you’re getting the medical attention you need for both your health and the health of your new child. That includes keeping a close eye out for diabetes symptoms – even if you didn’t have this disease before getting pregnant.
Whether you’ve been managing diabetes for years or haven’t given much thought to this condition before now, it’s a good idea to know the basics of diabetes and pregnancy. Here, you’ll find our complete guide to this topic.
Pregestational vs. Gestational Diabetes
First of all, you’ll want to know the differences between pregestational diabetes and gestational diabetes:
Pregestational Diabetes
Though you may not have heard about “pregestational diabetes” before, you’re already familiar with this concept. That’s because pregestational diabetes is simply any type of diabetes that occurs before pregnancy. This category can include type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and prediabetes that later developed into type 2 diabetes.
By definition, if you had pregestational diabetes, it was already diagnosed before your pregnancy. As a result, there’s a good chance that you already have some idea of how to manage whatever type of diabetes you have.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is unique in that it has no actual telltale symptoms. In fact, most women who develop gestational diabetes exhibit no symptoms at all. While it is possible to experience symptoms like excessive hunger, high levels of thirst and a frequent need to urinate due to gestational diabetes, you won’t need to rely on these symptoms to get a diagnosis. All pregnant women receive testing for gestational diabetes between their 24th and 28th weeks of pregnancy.
The Importance of Blood Sugar Control During Pregnancy
Regardless of what type of diabetes you have, you’ll need to pay close attention to your blood glucose levels while you’re pregnant. Blood sugar control is always a priority for people with diabetes, but it’s even more essential during pregnancy for several reasons.
When you’re pregnant, you don’t just have to manage your own health – you also need to take steps to protect the health of your unborn baby. That includes diabetes management since uncontrolled blood sugar can impact your child’s well-being, too. In the first trimester of your pregnancy, elevated blood sugar levels due to type 1 or type 2 diabetes can lead to higher congenital disability and miscarriage risks. (Gestational diabetes isn’t a concern at this point since it develops at a later point in pregnancy.)
In later months, high blood sugar levels may result in fetal macrosomia – that is, giving birth to a larger-than-average baby. That can cause additional problems down the road, possibly including shoulder dystocia and fractures. You might also need a C-section in this scenario. Home delivery isn’t generally recommended for pregnant women with diabetes because of the risks mentioned above.
If you aren’t pregnant but have pregestational diabetes, the best way to lower your chances of diabetes-related pregnancy problems is to use contraception and get your blood sugar under control for three to six months before conceiving. If you use oral agents for diabetes control, discuss with your physician about switching to insulin – some oral agents are contraindicated in pregnancy.
How to Manage Diabetes While Pregnant
It’s essential to take the risks posed by pregestational and gestational diabetes seriously. Still, some simple steps can reduce your risk of diabetes-related pregnancy complications:
Know Your Blood Glucose Targets
At the heart of any blood sugar management strategy is an understanding of your blood glucose levels. Use a reliable blood glucose meter to check your blood sugar regularly. Your healthcare team will help you find your blood sugar targets, but target levels that are common for pregnant women with preexisting or gestational diabetes include:
Eat a Healthy Diet
When you’re pregnant, the usual advice for building a diabetes diet still applies. Some of the most common tips are eating a balanced selection of nutritious foods, controlling your portion sizes, watching your salt intake and avoiding processed grains, fats, oils, and sweets.
However, you’ll also need to remember that you will need more calories a day while pregnant. The recommended requirements are to increase calories by at least 300 calories plus per day between the fourth and ninth months of pregnancy. Pregnant women have a recommended daily caloric total of about 2,200 to 2500 calories per day. See a Registered Dietitian to plan your diet.
While you’re pregnant, it’s a good idea to get between 40 and 50 percent of your daily calories from healthy, complex carbohydrates. If you eat too many carbs, blood sugar management will become more complex, but not getting enough carbs can also cause problems. Eat fresh vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy products and high fiber foods.
Continue to Get Moderate Physical Activity
There is good evidence showing that in gestational diabetes cases, the women affected by this type of diabetes can control their condition solely through lifestyle changes. Regular exercise is a highly effective way to lower your blood sugar, so try to get moderate physical activity most days without overdoing it.
Take Medications As Needed
You may not be able to manage gestational diabetes on your own, or you may need medications to control type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Discuss your options with your healthcare team. Either way, insulin is the most common medication for pregnant women with diabetes, but other options include glyburide and metformin.
Keep an Eye on Your Diabetes Risk Post-Pregnancy
Unlike type 1 and type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes isn’t permanent. Most women with gestational diabetes find that this disease goes away after their pregnancy, but you’ll need to get a blood sugar test from your doctor to be sure. This test usually happens between six and twelve weeks after you give birth.
But even if your gestational diabetes disappears, you’ll need to monitor your diabetes risk in the future. About 50 percent of all women who develop gestational diabetes are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 5 to 10 years after pregnancy. It is recommended to reach a healthy body weight after delivery. And it means you’ll need a diabetes risk assessment every one to three years depending on the results of your assessment. It may be inconvenient, but it will help you ensure your blood glucose levels stay where they should be.
Whether you need diabetes supplies for a few months or the rest of your life, you shouldn’t order them from just any company. ADS can help you get all the diabetes supplies you need at an affordable price – not to mention our unmatched customer service. Start shopping for our blood glucose meters, insulin, and other supplies today!
All About Pumpkins
There are certain foods (Pumpkins for Diabetes) that can be associated with seasons. With the fall season here and the holidays will be soon arriving, the fruit pumpkin comes to mind. Pumpkins are believed to have originated in North America. Seeds from related plants have been found in Mexico dating back to 7000 to 5500 B.C. References to pumpkins date back many centuries. The name pumpkin originated from the Greek word for “large melon” which is “pepon.” “Pepon” was changed by the French into “pompon.” The English changed “pompon” to “Pumpion.” American colonists changed “pumpion” into “pumpkin.” Native Americans dried strips of pumpkin and wove them into mats. They also roasted long strips of pumpkin on the open fire and ate them. The origin of pumpkin pie occurred when the colonists sliced off the pumpkin top, removed the seeds, and then filled the insides with milk, spices and honey which was then baked in hot ashes of a dying fire.
Read more
Phone Apps For People Living With Diabetes
According to the American Diabetes Association the total prevalence of diabetes is as follows:
Total: 25.8 million children and adults in the United States—8.3% of the population—have diabetes.
Diagnosed: 18.8 million people
Undiagnosed: 7.0 million people
Prediabetes: 79 million people
New Cases: 1.9 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed in people aged 20 years and older.
Read more
I Am Lactose Intolerant What Can I Eat
An individual who is lactose intolerant is not able to fully digest the milk sugar called lactose, in dairy products. Lactose intolerance occurs when the body is unable to breakdown all of the lactose that is found in the foods you eat. Lactose intolerance is also called lactase deficiency – an enzyme produced by the cells lining the small intestine. There are individuals that have low levels of lactase that experience no signs and symptoms of this condition and there are others that do experience signs and symptoms usually after eating or drinking foods that contain lactose. Symptoms can include diarrhea, gas, nausea, bloating, and stomach cramps. These symptoms can be controlled by choosing a balanced diet plan that carefully limits dairy products.
Read more
Kale: The Green Machine
Kale (Kale Recipes for Diabetics) is a delicious and extremely nutritious vegetable that is gaining popularity right now. Kale, also known as borecole, is one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat. It belongs to the Brassica family that includes cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, collards, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. As a leafy green vegetable, it is available in curly, ornamental, or dinosaur varieties. Kale’s colors can vary from green to purple to red. Kale’s health benefits come from its fiber content and high concentration and excellent sources of disease fighting antioxidant vitamins like A, C, and K. Kale contains the antioxidants carotenoids and flavonoids and is also rich in the eye-health promoting lutein and zeaxanthin compounds.
Read more
Heart Healthy Foods To Love
Our hearts are small in size but have a big job. The heart is a muscle that needs to be kept strong through not smoking, participating in daily physical activity, and by eating healthy. Certain foods have been proven to be good for your heart’s health. By eating these foods you will protect your heart and blood vessels and keep your heart in tip-top shape.
Read more
Go Nuts!
Nuts (Nuts for Diabetics) are a wonderful choice when you want food that is filling, good for your heart, and making other dishes taste great! Nuts contain “good” unsaturated fats, they are relatively high in protein, have fiber, contain disease-fighting phytochemicals, and they contain small amounts of vitamins and minerals. Did you know that calcium can be found in almonds? And folate, a B vitamin is found in hazelnuts and walnuts?
Read more
Eat Right With The Colors Of The Rainbow
Who knew eating the right colors in our meals every day could provide so much nutrition. It is essential to include a colorful variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and dairy on our plates every day. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (Sugar Dietary Guidelines) recommend an increased focus on plant-based diets. This combined with lean meats, fish, poultry and low fat dairy products creates a rainbow of colors on the plate that serves as the foundation for a healthful eating plan. Adding colorful seasonal foods to your plate makes for more than just a festive meal; it provides vitamins, minerals and fiber. Choose these foods daily for optimal nutrition:
Read more
The Benefits Of Tea
With the beautiful warm weather, many people are finding themselves relaxing in the sun outside drinking water. But another great beverage to drink that is refreshing, tasty, and healthy for you is tea! Tea (Best Tea for Diabetes) has been cultivated for centuries, beginning in India and China. Today, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world, second only to water. Hundreds of millions of people drink tea, and studies suggest that green tea in particular has many health benefits and may lower your risk for cancer, high cholesterol and Parkinson’s disease.
The most popular types of tea are black, green, white, and oolong teas. All these colorful tea types come from the same tea plant called Camellia sinensis. The degree of processing of the leaves of this plant determines if the tea will be green, black, or oolong. These teas from the Camellia plant are rich in polyphenols, which give each tea its antioxidant properties which can help fight disease and maintain good health. Drinking a couple of cups of tea daily might be good for your heart, cholesterol, bones, digestion and keep you relaxed.
Read more