A diabetic has a host of problems to deal with besides just the blood sugar. The skin and feet are very important to care for, because if they are not, serious complications like gangrene and even amputation can occur. Diabetics can die due to complications from foot problems. It is extremely important to care for the feet.

50% of leg amputations are performed on diabetics. The risk of foot infections is 40 times higher in diabetics. Risk of gangrene is 17 times higher in diabetics. 25% of diabetic hospitalizations are the result of foot problems.

Diabetes causes two types of problems for your feet:

* Neuropathy, which is damage to the nerves in the legs and feet, can cause lack of feeling, so that a sore or cut can go undetected because you do not know it is there. The feet become insensitive to hot and cold, and can be burned or chilled without your knowledge.
* Poor blood flow can cause peripheral vascular disease. Peripheral vascular disease slows down the healing process. Smoking when you have diabetes can make the blood flow problems much worse.

What should one do to prevent problems and remain healthy? Prevention is the key: regular screening for neuropathy and artery problems, monthly pedicures, daily foot examinations, daily use of a foot product to prevent calluses, and moisturize the skin and retain its protective role. How do you do this?

1. Manage your diabetes. Keep all of your medical appointments and do what your professional tells you to do. Have your doctor inspect your feet at each visit.
2. Make sure you monitor your blood sugar and keep it level. Take your medicine as prescribed. Eat the proper diet.
3. Stay active and keep your body in shape. Working out can help accomplish that.
4. Care for your feet daily. Set a time of day to inspect you feet, so that you do this every day. Check them for cuts, blisters, sores, swelling, redness, or sore toenails.
5. Every day, bathe your feet and dry them thoroughly, especially between the toes.
6. Put cream or lotion on your feet every day. This helps to keep the skin hydrated and smooth, so that no cracks develop.
7. Keep your toe nails trimmed straight across and filed. This helps to prevent ingrown nails. Have monthly pedicures.
8. Always wear shoes and socks. Never go barefoot, even at home. This helps to prevent any injury.
9. Ask your doctor if you need special shoes. Most insurance will help with the cost of shoes prescribed by your doctor.
10. Make sure that you have good circulation to your feet. Just putting them up when you sit, wiggling your toes and moving your feet around a few times a day will help this immensely. Get in the habit of not crossing your legs when you sit.
11. Do not smoke. This slows down the circulation.
12. Start today to care for yourself.

Even though diabetes is not easy to live with, taking these precautions can go a long way in helping you to maintain your disease and have healthy feet.

Gestational Diabetes Diet

Gestational diabetes is seen in pregnant women when they develop high blood glucose levels during pregnancyA gestational diabetes diet will provide essential nutrients for both mother and unborn baby without making the baby grow too much.

One concept is that the pressure of the pregnancy itself affects it, but whatever the reason every woman who is detected with it will require to go after a gestational diabetes diet plan.

In those cases wherever gestational diabetes diet and exercise are sufficient to get blood levels back to normal, and day by day medications are prescribed.

Pregnant women with type 1 or type 2 of diabetes meet a higher chance of miscarriage and early birth. A well-considered diet plan plays an enormous role in the life of a pregnant woman.

Gestational diabetes diet is calling for dietary changes which, the pregnant woman may not be used to, however controlling this type of diabetes it is vital.

A gestational diabetes diet, along with additional treatments decreases successfully the problems caused by having abnormally large babies, as women with this problems often do. Gestational diabetes diet needs including a daily chart that keeps track of the quantity of calories eaten.

A pregnancy gestational diabetes diet is uncommon from the best pregnancy diet for women without diabetes and consists of a number of uncommon parts. Most of the women gain from a gestational diabetes diet and exercise, however some may necessitate medication beside everyday life adjustments. To prepare your gestational diabetes diet, seek advice from a dietitian who can advise you a appropriate diet based on your health condition, your height, weight, age, the growing baby needs, in addition to your glucose level intolerance.

The dietitian will ask you to take the place of the sweetened foods the non-natural sweetener in your gestational diabetes diet. A complete gestational diabetes diet plan takes into considerations the physical, psychosocial, and educational requirements.

Your dietitian will assess your nutritional eating and drinking and prepare an appropriate gestational diabetes diet plan with the accurate quantity of protein, fat and carbohydrates for you and your unborn baby.

The goal of a high-quality pregnancy diabetes diet is to make sure with the intention of you do not have to resort to insulin shots until it becomes needed.

Undercooked meat, raw fish such as sushi and underdone eggs should not be eaten whilst pregnant. When you are pregnant, you may be extra vulnerable to the illnesses these foods may hold and your response will be complexes by the pregnancy.

Normal blood glucose examining is essential all through this time, however more essential is the gestational diabetes diet.

Suggestions for eating fruit in a gestational diabetes diet: Consume fruits uncooked or cooked, as fruit juice with no sugar added, canned in their own juice, or dried.

Gestational Diabetes Diet Information

If you have more than one portion at a mealtime, you can choose different types of fruit or have two servings of one fruit.

Milk and yogurt serving sizes in a gestational diabetes diet: You have four to five servings of milk and yogurt every day as fraction of your gestational diabetes diet.

Cakes, cookies, ice creams, candies, soft drinks, pies, commercial fruit yogurt, jams and jelly could be very damaging if you are on a gestational diabetes diet.

Lactose found in milk is processed into glucose fast in the body and several gestational diabetes diet plans limit the quantity of milk. Eating lots of fiber is essential to a gestational diabetes diet. Besides, following a carefully designed gestational diabetes diet plan, the pregnant woman should try to break her daily food eating into a lot of little mealtime to give the pancreas enough time to break the sugar in the blood.

Establishing the right blend between gestational diabetes diet and the right blood sugar level takes time.

A gestational diabetes diet, beside the other insistent actions, Effectively reduced the problems caused by having unusually big babies, as women with these problems often do.

Remembering my efforts of trying to understand and get as many details as possible, and finding answers for my uncertainties directed me into writing and giving out all I know about gestational diabetes. Three years ago, during my pregnancy, I came to know that I had gestational diabetes. However, there are few subtle symptoms, which I did not particularly notice that help to diagnose gestational diabetes in its early stage. The information is written in simple language, easy to read and leads the reader step by step to get knowledge of deterrence, note the symptoms and know what questions to ask your physician.

Diabetic foot infections arising from ulcerations are the largest non-traumatic cause of lower extremity amputations. Many of the infections are acquired by improper care of the ulcer as well as failure to protect the open wound from contaminants. Contributing factors include peripheral neuropathy and vascular disease, rigid pedal deformities, local trauma and pressure, extensive soft tissue loss, multi-system failure, non-compliance and severe infection. For Podiatrists it is a recurring problem.

The recent Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) Diabetic Foot Infection Guidelines emphasize the following point:

"Aerobic gram positive cocci (especially Staphylococcus aureus) are the predominant pathogens in diabetic foot infections. Patients who have chronic wounds or who have recently received antibiotic therapy may also be infected with gram negative rods, and those with foot ischemia or gangrene may also have obligate anaerobes."

The guidelines specifically note the dated thinking that all DFIs are mixed infections is not evidence based. There is a difference in microbial flora based on the severity of the infection and the presence of comorbidities. Even in the more complicated infections in which a myriad of other organisms may be isolated, their importance as primary pathogens needing antibiotic coverage is debatable. Many represent colonization only.

MRSA Continues To Be Evolving Problem

While the number and types of true pathogens in the majority of DFIs may be limited to Staphylococcus and Streptococcus, it does not mean that the clinician can rest assured that traditional therapies active against these two organisms will be enough. MRSA as well as VRE are emerging as serious threats to the diabetic patient.

The traditional therapies of systemic antibiotics often compromise the healing of the ulcer itself as well as many of the topical agents that are branded generics of common ingredients such as silver, povidone iodine, and other traditional topicals.

"Wound Healing, Alternatives in Management" by Kloth, McCullouch also point out that many chronic wounds are not chronic in nature but are acute injuries that are consistently reinjured in treatment and appear to be chronic. An example of improper treatment would be the use of sterile gauze as filler yet the gauze is allowed to dry out and the results are the gauze now adheres to the new granulating tissue and each removal destroys the new growth and sets back the healing while exposing newly injured tissue to external contaminants. Eschar develops, which is a wonderful breeding ground for MRSA and other pathogens, because the top cells die from dehydration and the dead tissue becomes the eschar.

In the past five years, there has been a seemingly logarithmic growth in the incidence of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as a pathogen in the diabetic foot. This organism was once associated only with nosocomial infections but now community-acquired strains of MRSA have become common in DFI cases. While it is outside the scope of this feature to review MRSA in detail, it is important to examine the situation in the diabetic foot.

As recently as 1996, Goldstein reported that 20 percent of the staphylococcal isolates from his diabetic foot population in California were methicillin resistant.4 In 1999, Tentolouris showed 40 percent of the staphylococcal isolates in their diabetic foot clinic in the United Kingdom were methicillin resistant.5 In 2003, the same group published a follow-up study entitled "Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the diabetic foot clinic: A worsening problem."6 Although the absolute percentage of MRSA among their staphylococcal isolates only increased to 42.2 percent, the number of patients that actually presented with MRSA doubled. Fortunately, their study found many of these MRSA isolates could be treated effectively with debridement, topical therapy and isolation.

Unfortunately traditional treatments continue to be used and the population of drug resistant strains of "super germs" continues to develop faster than new antibiotics. This is not necessary.

Ultraviolet C- range ( 254 nm) has consistently shown the ability to not only kill all forms of pathogens, especially bacterial, but no bacteria has ever been capable of mutating or avoiding the lethal effects of UVC. Ultraviolet C range is easy for the patient to self-treat and one of the lamps is FDA approved for dermatological applications such as destroying pathogens on the skin surface thus avoiding new contamination. Total treatment time is less than 90 seconds. Cost once device purchased or rented is only the cost of electricity for a 4 watt bulb for 90 seconds, or less than a penny.

Ultraviolet can be used for not only topical treatment where the bacteria has localized but is also indicated for systemic infections.

Tens and Interferential electrotherapy can be used post Ultraviolet treatment to facilitate faster growth as well as controlling the swelling and increasing blood flow to the foot.

There are many tried and true therapies such as ultraviolet that will stop the necessity of amputation for the patient with a diabetic foot infection or any other foot wound that becomes infected.

Diabetes Mellitus is a disorder in which blood levels of glucose (a simple sugar) are abnormally high because the body doesn't release or use insulin adequately. The full name of diabetes is Diabetes Mellitus. Doctors use the full name in order to distinguish this disorder from Diabetes Insipidus which is a rare disease. Insulin, a hormone released from the pancreas, is the primary substance responsible for maintaining appropriate blood sugar levels. Insulin allows glucose to be transported into cells so that they can produce energy or store the glucose until it's needed. Diabetes results when the body doesn't produce enough of this insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels.

There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 11.

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (insulin- dependent diabetes) and Type 11 Diabetes Mellitus (non-insulin dependent diabetes.) Type 1: produces little or no insulin, although about 6 percent of the United States population has some form of diabetes. Only about 10 percent of all diabetics have Type 1 of this disease. Most people who have Type 1 diabetes developed the disease before age 30. A person with Type 1 diabetes must regularly inject insulin to survive.

Type 11: the pancreas continues to manufacture insulin, sometime higher than normal levels.

However the body develops resistance to its effects, as a result, a relative insulin deficiency. This type may occur in children and adolescents and usually begins after age 30 and become progressive with age. About 15 percent of people over age 70 have Type 11.

The first symptoms of diabetes are related to the direct effects of high blood sugar levels. These symptoms include: increased flow and abnormal thirst, weight lost, feels excessively hungry, blurred vision, drowsiness, nausea, and decreased endurance during exercise.

Also, people whose diabetes is poorly controlled are more susceptible to infection. Because of the severity of insulin deficiency, people with Type 1 normally lose weight before undergoing treatment; in addition, the symptoms begin abruptly and may progress rapidly to a condition called Diabetic Ketoacidosis. People with Type 11 don't lose weight, and might not have any symptoms for years or decades, when insulin deficiency progresses, symptoms may develop. Increased flow and thirst are mild at first and gradually worsen over weeks or months. Ketoacidosis is rare. If the blood sugar level becomes very high, (exceeding 1,000 mg/dl) usually as the result of some superimposed stress, such as an infection or drugs, the person may develop severe dehydration, drowsiness, seizures, and a condition called Nonketotic Hyperglycemic-Hyperosmolar Coma. This coma is similar to Diabetic Ketoacidosis. There is no cure for diabetes, but it can be successfully managed or controlled with diet, exercise, and medicine.

Diabetes often goes undiagnosed because most of its signs are not very harmful. Most of the signs of type 1 and 2 diabetes are the same. As in both cases there is an excess amount of sugar in the blood and an insufficient amount of sugar in the cells, where actually it is required.

In type 1 increased level of glucose in the blood is the outcome of the destruction of insulin producing cells. In type 2 diabetes high glucose level occurs when cells of the body become resistant to produce insulin.

In both types the cells are not getting the required amount of glucose and the body tries to inform you for this by giving different signs which has been mentioned here.

Recurrent visits to the Bathroom: One has to urinate more when there is an excessive amount of glucose in the body. If insulin is not effective or is not there then the kidneys are unable to filter the glucose back to blood. They then become over reactive and attempts to extract more water from the blood to dilute the glucose. This is the reason that bladder is fuller and one has to make recurrent visit to the bathroom.

Feeling Thirsty: If somebody has the feeling that he is more thirsty than usual then it can also be the sign of diabetes. The reason is that when kidney are demanding extra water from the blood and he is frequently going to the rest room, he may feel the need to drink more water to substitute the one being expelled.

Weight Loss: This sign is more prevalent in those who have type 1 diabetes than the ones with type 2. As in type 1 pancreas is unable to make insulin due to a viral attack. The body is not getting enough energy from the cells. To fulfill this deficiency the body starts to break down the fat cells and muscle tissues for energy and that results in a rapid weight loss.

Tiredness: It is again due to glucose. Glucose in the food which we take goes into the blood where there should be insulin to help it out. The cells use this glucose to produce energy. But when there is not enough insulin the cells also do not react to it. The glucose is then not entered into the blood. The cells become energy deficient and the diabetic feel run down and tired.

Numbness in Feet, Hands or Legs: This sign appears gradually over time and is called neuropathy. The reason behind this is that the consistent levels of high glucose levels in the blood destroy the nervous system. This destruction can be controlled by having a proper control on blood sugar levels.

The high glucose in the body also results in blurred vision, itchy skin, cuts and infections that take a longer time to heal.

If you notice any of the above sign in yourself or your child, schedule an appointment with the doctor and gather as much information as you can. As only proper knowledge and better understanding of diabetes can help you in fighting the battle against it and even reverse it.

There are two types of diabetes, type one and type two. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults and untreated it can lead to nerve damage and amputation, as well as vision problems. In men, it can lead to erectile dysfunction, as well as leading cause of hypertension - adults with diabetes are 50% more likely to develop higher blood pressure. Diabetes is a condition in which the pancreas decreases the rate in which insulin is produced and blood glucose levels become too high, or too low. Diet and exercise or treatments of injections or oral tablets of insulin can maintain a normal blood glucose level.

Type-one diabetes includes symptoms such as excessive thirst, weight loss, fatigue and frequent urination and an increase in appetite.

The second type of diabetes, type-two diabetes has some of the same symptoms as type 1 diabetes but also more severe symptoms as skin and bladder infections as well as blurred vision or tingling in the legs, arms and extremities. Type-two diabetes is more common and can occur without any symptoms at all. Type-two diabetes is often referred to as type-two diabetes. Interestingly enough, forty percent of the people with type-two diabetes can change the prognosis of the disease through diet and exercise.

Those over the age of forty-five should have their blood sugar tested every three months. Those under the age of forty five with significant risk factors should have yearly tests as well. A simple visit to your family physician to ask for a lab test for blood glucose levels can yield blood glucose levels. Many lab tests for glucose require fasting for eight hours to receive accurate results. Most often, these tests are included with physical exams, and should be completed at least once per year.

Those at highest risk for diabetes are those who are; overweight, having given birth to a large baby, those with previous abnormal glucose levels or those who are over the age of forty five.

Drug therapies differ between type-one and type-two diabetes. Drug therapies used for type one diabetes patients include; insulin pens and insulin injections. There are four types of insulin injections, short acting, long acting, rapid acting and intermediate acting. Insulin pens are more convenient than traditional syringes and are favored by more patients diagnosed with diabetes than the traditional syringes. Depending on the history of the patient and the reaction that the body has with the insulin, short or long acting insulin will be prescribed by the health care professional.

There are many other treatment options available for those diagnosed with type-two diabetes. These include oral medications, or specific diet and exercise regimens. Alpha glucosidase inhibitors slow the absorption of carbohydrates within the blood stream and the small intestines and assist in lowering the blood sugar. Meglitinide is a new course of medications that encourage the pancreas to produce and secrete insulin, thereby lowering the blood sugar. As an alternative to these chemical medications, oral medications, the more traditional type of type-two diabetes management are most prescribed by doctors in North America.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease in which patients present with absolute or relative insulin deficiency. It affects about 6% of western populations and is a major contributing factor for heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure and peripheral vascular disease. Diabetes mellitus is also the leading cause of new blindness without a cure.

1. Types of Diabetes
There are four forms of the disease, classified as: types 1 and 2, gestational and other specific types.

a. Type 1 Diabetes
In people with type 1 diabetes the pancreas is not producing insulin, so blood glucose levels are higher than normal. People with this form of diabetes require daily insulin therapy to survive. This form is further split into idiopathic diabetes and immune mediated diabetes.

Type 1 accounts for around 10% to 15% of all people with diabetes. It is one of the most serious and common chronic diseases of childhood, with about half of the people with this form of diabetes developing the disease before age 18. It is also known as insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) or juvenile-onset diabetes.

b. Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is marked by reduced levels of insulin (insulin deficiency) and/or the inability of the body to use insulin properly (insulin resistance). This form of the disease is most common among people aged 40 years and over and accounts for 85% to 90% of all people with diabetes. Most people with type 2 diabetes are obese.

c. Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy in about 3% to 8% of females not previously diagnosed with diabetes. It is a temporary form of diabetes and usually disappears after the baby is born. However, it is a marker of much greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life. Screening tests for gestational diabetes are usually performed around the 24th-28th week of pregnancy.

d. Other Specific Diabetes Types
This includes people who have diabetes as a result of a genetic defect, or exposure to certain drugs or chemicals.

2. Causes of Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes is caused by resistance to, or deficient production of, the hormone insulin, which helps glucose move from the blood into the cells.

In type 1 immune mediated diabetes, pancreatic beta cell destruction results in failure to release insulin and ineffective transport of glucose. There is no known cause for idiopathic diabetes.

In type 2 diabetes, the beta cells release insulin but, receptors are insulin resistant and glucose transport is variable and inefficient. Some people may have conditions that can cause diabetes, such as Cushing's syndrome, pancreatitis or liver disease.

Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include;

a. Obesity
b. History of Gestational diabetes
c. Lack of physical activity
d. Hypertension
e. Age 45+
f. Ethnic groupings other than anglo-saxon
g. Low HDL cholesterol levels
h. Impaired glucose tolerance
i. Family history

3. Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes
Symptoms of diabetes include; dehydration, unexplained weight loss, excessive thirst, frequent need to urinate, fatigue, lethargy, severe irritation and itching, excessive hunger, blurred vision, skin and urinary infections and vaginitis.

4. Diagnosis
Diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance may be detected on routine blood tests as part of a general health check up or investigation for other symptoms or diseases. Diabetes tests check blood glucose levels. Someone with a random non fasting blood glucose level greater than 200mg/dl accompanied by other symptoms, or someone with a fasting blood glucose level greater than 126mg/dl can be diagnosed with diabetes.

Because symptoms can be mild, diabetes is often detected when a person suffers a problem that is caused by diabetes, such as a heart attack, stroke, neuropathy, poor wound healing or a foot ulcer, certain eye problems, certain fungal infections, or delivering a baby with macrosomia or hypoglycemia.

5. Diabetes Treatment
Effective treatment endeavors to normalize blood glucose and reduce complications using insulin replacement, diet and exercise. For those with very mild diabetes, diet plus weight loss plus exercise may be enough to keep blood glucose within reasonable levels.
Dietary changes should focus on the ideas of weight loss and blood sugar regulation by keeping the blood sugar levels relatively stable throughout the day, avoiding big peaks or troughs.

The principal treatment of type 1 diabetes, even from its earliest stages, is replacement of insulin combined with careful monitoring of blood glucose levels using blood testing monitors.

Type 2 diabetes may require oral anti-diabetic drugs to stimulate the body's insulin production and increase insulin sensitivity. Various forms of natural supplements for diabetes treatment have also been postulated as effective.

People with unstable diabetes, or those requiring many injections a day, may benefit from an insulin pump which is worn on the body and delivers a continuous infusion of insulin via a needle implanted into the body.

Gestational diabetes is fully treatable but requires careful medical supervision throughout the pregnancy. Even though it may be transient, untreated gestational diabetes can damage the health of the fetus or the mother.

Treatment for all forms of diabetes need not significantly impair normal activities, if sufficient patient training, awareness, appropriate care, discipline in testing and dosing of insulin is taken

6. Complications
Diabetes mellitus is the most common cause of adult kidney failure worldwide in the developed world. If undetected or poorly controlled, diabetes can lead to blindness, kidney failure, lower limb amputation, heart attack, stroke and impotence.

Did you know that the main reason people suffer from diabetes is because of eating disorders? It is possible to diet with diabetes and finally get your body to produce what it needs in order to get rid of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is the most common one out there. People suffering from type 2 diabetes can diet with diabetes to reduce risks such as weight gain, heart attacks or even amputations.

Diabetes is not a life long decease. What diabetes really is are signals or symptoms that your pancreas is not functioning correctly. A pancreas that is saturated with acids or salts will not produce the correct amount of insulin, letting sugar levels get unbearable for our bodies. By following a healthy low carb diet you could stabilize the functions of your pancreas and at the same time lowering your sugar level and stabilizing insulin production.

Get rid of your diabetes. Diet with diabetes and you will see a great change in your health. Be careful though, there are only a handful of low carb diets specially made for people suffering from diabetes. Finally, you can undo your diabetes and live a healthier life.

Did you know there are millions of people around the world suffering from diabetes? And the saddest thing is that the majority of them have set their mind to live with diabetes for the rest of their lives. This is no your case. You can diet with diabetes and get rid of it by following a well balanced diet.

To diet with diabetes has been categorized as a great way to actually getting rid of it and live a healthier life. But not all diet programs out there are good to diet with diabetes. Every person is different and have different issues when dealing with diabetes, but a well balanced diet will do the work of lowering your sugar levels, cleaning your pancreas and making it to produce the right amount of insulin. You can finally say no to insulin shots and avoid hurtful bruises all over your body. Are you tired of so many medications? A correct diet with diabetes will help you stabilize your body, lose weight, get rid of diabetes and finally live the healthy life you deserve.

There are two types of diabetes, type one and type two. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults and untreated it can lead to nerve damage and amputation, as well as vision problems. In men, it can lead to erectile dysfunction, as well as leading cause of hypertension - adults with diabetes are 50% more likely to develop higher blood pressure. Diabetes is a condition in which the pancreas decreases the rate in which insulin is produced and blood glucose levels become too high, or too low. Diet and exercise or treatments of injections or oral tablets of insulin can maintain a normal blood glucose level.

Type-one diabetes includes symptoms such as excessive thirst, weight loss, fatigue and frequent urination and an increase in appetite.

The second type of diabetes, type-two diabetes has some of the same symptoms as type 1 diabetes but also more severe symptoms as skin and bladder infections as well as blurred vision or tingling in the legs, arms and extremities. Type-two diabetes is more common and can occur without any symptoms at all. Type-two diabetes is often referred to as type-two diabetes. Interestingly enough, forty percent of the people with type-two diabetes can change the prognosis of the disease through diet and exercise.

Those over the age of forty-five should have their blood sugar tested every three months. Those under the age of forty five with significant risk factors should have yearly tests as well. A simple visit to your family physician to ask for a lab test for blood glucose levels can yield blood glucose levels. Many lab tests for glucose require fasting for eight hours to receive accurate results. Most often, these tests are included with physical exams, and should be completed at least once per year.

Those at highest risk for diabetes are those who are; overweight, having given birth to a large baby, those with previous abnormal glucose levels or those who are over the age of forty five.

Drug therapies differ between type-one and type-two diabetes. Drug therapies used for type one diabetes patients include; insulin pens and insulin injections. There are four types of insulin injections, short acting, long acting, rapid acting and intermediate acting. Insulin pens are more convenient than traditional syringes and are favored by more patients diagnosed with diabetes than the traditional syringes. Depending on the history of the patient and the reaction that the body has with the insulin, short or long acting insulin will be prescribed by the health care professional.

There are many other treatment options available for those diagnosed with type-two diabetes. These include oral medications, or specific diet and exercise regimens. Alpha glucosidase inhibitors slow the absorption of carbohydrates within the blood stream and the small intestines and assist in lowering the blood sugar. Meglitinide is a new course of medications that encourage the pancreas to produce and secrete insulin, thereby lowering the blood sugar. As an alternative to these chemical medications, oral medications, the more traditional type of type-two diabetes management are most prescribed by doctors in North America.