How does gestational diet differ from regular diabetes diet?

May 10, 2012 Natural cures
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Hi there,

At first, I want to tell you that there is no such thing as regular diabetic or gestational diabetes diet, because every diet has to be made for the particular needs of the patient. Besides this, the eventual accompanying diseases have to be taken under consideration. This is important, because some foods applied on patients with diabetes are causing damages if the patient suffers from something else.

Therefore, based on the things mentioned above, there are several principles of preparing a diabetic diet. These principles are valid for the gestational diabetes diets and for other two types of diabetes diets.

  1. The first thing is to avoid eating products, which contain too much glucose, like chocolate, candies and others.
  2. The second principle is not to eat products, which contain too much cholesterol and/or fat, like pork meat, oily meals and fast foods.
  3. The third is to divide the food for the diet in 4-5 portions. This will make sure constant intake of nutrients and you will not feel hungry. Probably the most important thing of every diet plan is to test your blood glucose constantly. This approach confirms if the applied diet is effective or certain adjustments have to be made.

I want to tell you about something else. Preparing a diabetic diet is something very complex and it needs a specialist attention, especially when it comes to a pregnant woman.

Hope it helped!

Dr.Alba

How to prevent gestational diabetes after you have had it once?

May 3, 2012 Risk Factors
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Hi there,

Generally speaking, no one is able to tell you  if you are going to develop gestational diabetes during your second pregnancy or not. However, there are few things, which you can do in purpose to reduce the risk of developing gestational diabetes during your next pregnancy. In addition, you will also reduce the risk of getting diabetes type two in future. I’m telling you this, because sometimes women with gestational diabetes, like you, develop diabetes type two with time.

  • First, remember that you have to keep your body weight within the normal ranges; I mean that you don’t have to be obese. The only way for you to do this is to follow a diet and to exercises. The best option is to start following a low-carb and low- fat diet, which is composed mainly of fruits and vegetables. Regarding the exercises you have to run for about 30 min or to walk for at least one hour a day.
  • Something else is to get pregnant for second time before thirties, because women above this age suffer more often from gestational diabetes.

Just for your information, women with family history of diabetes are at higher risk for being with gestational diabetes during their pregnancy. Interesting fact is that Latinos and African Americans are suffering more from gestational diabetes, regarding the other women. However, you are not able to changes those things, because it is a matter of genes.

  • Something important for the early diagnosis of gestational diabetes is to make your blood glucose test two months after getting pregnant. Generally, around this time the first symptoms of diabetes are occurred. Besides this, remember to test your blood glucose every two weeks, until the end of the pregnancy. In this way, you will be able to control your blood glucose level in a proper way, which of course will protect you and your baby from the gestational diabetes’ complications.

Hope it helped!

Dr.Alba

How is a hgb a1c test administered?

April 26, 2012 Blood sugar level range
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At first, you have to know that the A1C test is very simple, but very important at the same time. I’m using the word simple, because you don’t have to do anything special before the test and it is very simple for execution.

I’m telling you that you don’t have to do something special before the test, because you can eat and drink whatever you want the day and the morning before the A1C test. Regarding the execution you have to know two things. The first one is that small amount of blood is needed for this test and the second thing is that the result will come up in few hours.

Besides this, I have to tell you that generally blood is taken from a specialist, which means that the risk for something to go wrong is very low. Generally the procedure of taking blood lasts not more than 30 sec and when the blood is already taken it will be sent to the laboratory for extra processing.

However, I have to remind you that most doctors choose the A1C test along with other tests. So, if your doctor wants to do some more tests, despite of the A1C, larger amount of blood will be taken. You don’t have to worry about this, because your doctor will tell you if other tests are going to be executed with the A1C test.

In addition you have to know that this test is executed for confirmation or exclusion of diabetes as possible diagnose. Other thing, which you have to know, is that this test shows what your blood glucose concentration was during the past 2-3 months. That means that this can be used for understanding the blood glucose control of your during this period.

  Dr.Alba

How much onion to lower blood sugar?

April 18, 2012 Natural cures
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This may sound strange to you, but onion can really help you lower your blood glucose level. It was proven that the onion reduces significantly the blood glucose concentration in patients with diabetes. Besides this, the other good thing is that onion doesn’t need special preparation; you just have to eat it along with your meal.

Anyways, in purpose to obtain this marvelous effect, you have to eat 2 ounces or 60 grams of onion every single day. In addition you have to know that there is not risk for you to overdose it. That means that you can eat as much onion as you want.

Something else which you have to know is that you can eat it always, no matter the drugs, which you take. It is quite important that there are no contraindications for usage, which means that you can eat it, no matter the other diseases, which you have.

Another important thing is that most patients with diabetes have cholesterol problems as well. This is happening because of the common metabolic chains among the glucose and cholesterol metabolism.

However, you will forget about the high cholesterol problem with the usage of onion. I’m telling you this, because onion contains flavonoids, which improve not only the glucose, but even the cholesterol metabolism.

So, with the consumption of onion, you will avoid condition like elevated blood glucose level and stroke or heart attack as well. As you can see something very small causes very good changes in your body. Because of this, don’t hesitate about it and start taking onion every single day.

Dr.Alba

How many cinnamon caplets should you take to lower your blood sugar?

April 11, 2012 Natural cures
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As you probably know cinnamon is a very effective herb when it comes to lowering high blood glucose levels.  I’m using the word effective, because this herb has the ability to bring your blood glucose level back to normal.

However, it is very important to use this herb in a suitable way. In other words, you have to take certain dose of it in purpose to lower your blood glucose concentration without overpassing.

It is true that you can use cinnamon tea, or other cinnamon derivate, but the best and easiest way for you is to take capsules. Just for your information, I will mention that there are capsules of 250mg, 500mg and 1000mg (1g).

However, according to my opinion, it would be best for you to start using cinnamon of 500 mg, which is only one capsule as you cannot divide a capsule of 1000mg, in purpose to take only the half of it. These capsules are not made in that way.

Taking only 500mg will reduce your blood glucose level within 5-10 days, especially if you were recently diagnosed with diabetes. It is important for you to know, that it might be probable to elevate your dose after a month or two.

This is important, because diabetes is progressive diseases, which means that at certain point your efforts are not enough and you have to do something more.

However, I have to inform you about two things:

  1. The first is that you don’t have to take more than 4 g of cinnamon a day, because of the risk for very low blood glucose. That means that you don’t have to take more than 8 capsules of 500g and not more than 4 capsules of 1000g.
  2. The second thing is to avoid or at least coordinate correctly the usage of other herbs, which can lower your blood glucose concentration. Such combination can lead to very low blood glucose concentration, which is something we don’t want.

All the best!

Dr.Alba

How to use fenugreek seeds?

April 2, 2012 Diabetes Complications / Natural cures
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It is a well-known fact that fenugreek is a herb, which improves the blood glucose control. So, it would be very good for everyone, who has diabetes to use it.

However, in purpose to get the needed result, you have to use this herb in a proper way. There are generally two ways for you to use the fenugreek seeds for glucose lowering purpose.

  1. The first way is to make a tea with them. After boiling the water, put the seeds inside and let them stay in water for about 2 to 3 hours. The, your tea is ready to be served, and you can drink it twice daily.
  2. The second way is to eat them.  It is important that many diabetics avoid this way of usage, because the taste of these seeds is not pleasant. However, everything is a matter of own willing.
  3. Something else, which you have to know about the usage of Fenugreek seeds is that there exist fenugreek capsules and you can take them instead of making tea or to eat them. However, it is compulsory that you follow the instructions given in the respective supplement boxes.

At last, no matter of the way you are using the fenugreek seeds, the control of the blood glucose concentration will be quite easier for you. So, in purpose to prevent the development of the diabetic complications, you have to include the usage of this herb in your treatment. You can always contact your physician for further help.

How to lower your blood glucose level?

March 26, 2012 Natural cures
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Having high blood glucose level is a common problem in patients with diabetes. However, you don’t have to worry about this anymore because there is a way for you beat your diabetes naturally. The instructions given below will give you a hand on this:

1. At first, you have to start following a healthy diet. When you are making your meal plan, you have to pay attention to the meals, which contain low or moderate amount of calories. That means that you have to eat meals, which are not providing too much glucose, cholesterol or fats for your body.

Therefore, you have to concentrate on vegetables, some fruits, not all of them and to avoid eating pork, beef and fried products. Besides this, it would be better for you to eat mainly boiled and roast products. Eating fish at least two times a week would be an excellent choice for you because the fish contains omega-3-fat acid. It is well known the fact that this acid prevents the development of atherosclerosis, which is common problem in patients with diabetes.

2. The other thing is to start doing exercises. You have to know that with exercises, you stimulate the usage of glucose, which leads to lower blood glucose concentration. In purpose to obtain this effect, you should run for at least 30 minutes every single day. However, if it is hard for you to run for 30 minutes every single day, you can start with walking during the first month. Then, when your legs are strong enough, start running.

3. Something else, which is important for the blood glucose control you have to quit smoking, if you smoke of course. There is no proved way for you to do this, but try to quit smoking in a natural way, not with nicotine patches or medications.

4. It is important for you to take your medications regularly according to the plan provided by your doctor. Besides this, if the results of your blood glucose test show that there is an elevation in your blood glucose level, don’t hesitate to contact your doctor immediately. I’m telling you this, because diabetes, especially type 2, is a progressive disease, which requires dose adjustments of the drugs you are taking.

5. The last thing is to start using herbs. you have to know that certain herbs like gymnema sylvestre, cinnamon and bitter melon are used with glucose lowering purpose and they really work and are considered as natural remedies for lowering blood sugar. However, you have to know that they stimulate the effect of the medications, exercises and diet. They are not able to cure your diabetes once and for all. to put it differently you have to combine all these things mentioned above in purpose to achieve excellent control of your blood glucose level.

Dr.Alba

Treatment options for diabetes type 2

October 20, 2011 Diabetes Drugs
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Diabetes type 2 is metabolic disorder, which is caused by lack of insulin or insulin resistance. That means that there is normal secretion of insulin in your organism and it is not enough to reduce the glucose in plasma or it is not able to reduce it. The treatment of diabetes type 2 is separated according to the stage of disorder. If the diabetes is at early stages of the usage of oral anti-diabetic drugs obligatory. Besides this bariatric surgery is something that may help. At the advanced stages of diabetes type 2 the usage of insulin is needed.

Oral anti-diabetic drugs are not containing insulin. These drugs are divided in three groups according to their effect. The drugs from the first group are stimulating the insulin secretion of pancreas. Those drugs are quite useful when there is a reduction in the insulin secretion. The second group is reducing the insulin resistance. These drugs are stimulating the effect of the insulin- to reduce the amount of glucose in plasma by putting it in the cells. The last group is composed of drugs which are reducing the amount of glucose which is entering in the organism from the gastrointestinal system. Those drugs are blocking the channels thru which the glucose enters the blood stream.

In addition,  there are drugs which are having more than one effect. For example some drugs are reducing the insulin resistance and at the same time they are stimulating the insulin secretion.

Bariatric surgery is focused on reducing the volume of stomach. With this operation it is reduced the surface thru which glucose enters the blood stream. This is leading to lower amount of glucose and lower blood sugar. This kind of therapy is useful remedy at the early stages of diabetes type 2.

The usage of insulin is observed in the advanced stages of diabetes type 2. Because of the continuous beta cells destruction at some point all the beta cells are gone. That means that there is no insulin secretion and the only way to provide insulin for the body is by injecting it.

 

Dr.Alba

When is it best not to test your blood glucose level?

October 13, 2011 Blood sugar level range
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If you are not diabetic, it’s obligatory for you to test you blood sugar when you are hungry, to make fasting glucose test. When you are making blood glucose test after acquiring food ,your blood sugar level is going to be elevated. A result like this will make your doctor thing that you are diabetic.

The explanation of this is hidden in the glucose metabolism. When you are eating something, all sugar is going to your blood stream and this leads to elevation of the blood sugar. The elevation of blood sugar is leading to increased secretion of insulin, which is lowering the amount of glucose in plasma, and increases the amount of glucose in all the tissues. As you probably know, the secretion and the effect of the insulin requires time. For that reason before the secretion of insulin you have elevation of blood sugar level, which is characteristic for diabetics.

If you are diabetic you are supposed to estimated blood sugar test, according to a specific schedule provided by your doctor. It is good for you to write down the values of blood glucose and the exact time of measurement. Besides this, you have to mention the exact time of acquiring food. This will absolutely help you doctor to adjust the therapy in purpose to maintain blood sugar level in normal range.

 

Dr.Alba

Blood glucose level drops to 56

October 8, 2011 Blood sugar level range
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The normal glucose range is between 70-100mg/dl. A blood glucose level of 56 is pretty low. Such low blood glucose level is prescribed by the term hypoglycemia. There are several medical conditions which are characterized by such low blood glucose. In purpose to confirm them, there are a lot of test that need to be estimated.

  • The most frequent condition which is causing low blood glucose is malnutrition. As you probably know, making a diet is connected with the reduction of food acquired. That is leading to limitation of the glucose which is entering in the organism. Of course, the organism is having some compensatory mechanisms which are leading to an elevation of the blood glucose level. These mechanisms are not able to maintain the normal blood glucose level forever and this lead to permanent reduction of the glucose in your organism. This is leading to the development of anorexia, pretty dangerous condition which is appearing as a consequence of malnutrition. For that reason, when someone wants to follow a diet, he has to consult a dietologist first.
  • Other possible condition which may cause such low blood sugar is the presence of insulinoma. This is a type of cancer secreting extra insulin, which the organism doesn’t need. The excessive amount of insulin is lowering your blood glucose level and the hormones which are responsible for the of blood glucose elevation are not able to beat the effect of so much insulin.

Hypoglycemia is causing other symptoms which are leading the patient to the doctor. For example when there is hypoglycemia you are felling exhausted, a headache is appearing and your blood pressure is high. These symptoms are appearing because the organism is trying to compensate the lack of glucose by increasing the blood flow in the important areas like brain heart and lungs.

Dr.Alba

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