A doctor will always advise a person that has recently been diagnosed with diabetes to keep a careful eye on the condition of their feet. They often do this because the condition of the feet is the most noticeable indication that diabetes complications are setting in and it gives the person a straight forward way to get more involved with their diabetes treatment and care. This article will describe why the feet are important in understanding diabetes and various conditions, like numbness, that may affect the feet as a consequence of diabetes.
Diabetes is a disease that affects the pancreas. It causes the beta cells of the islet cells in the pancreas to be destroyed or malfunction. The primary responsibility of these cells is to produce insulin which is used to regulate the glucose level in the bloodstream. Without insulin the body cannot regulate the glucose and this poses serious consequences to the health if untreated. Commonly, insulin is injected to take over this process and the person has to manually manage the role of blood sugar regulation that most people take for granted.
It is believed that consistently high levels of sugar in the blood lead to a number of complications. In the case of feet, the first complication is that the circulation of blood is impeded. It is thought that high sugar levels in the blood affect the lining of blood vessels making them rough. This allows fatty deposits to stick to the lining and leads to arteriosclerosis. It is harder to push blood round the body and it is generally the outermost parts of the body that suffer the most.
This means the feet are liable to pick up cuts and bruises and take longer to heal from these problems.
Over time, continued poor circulation begins to affect the capillaries or small blood vessels that are responsible for providing blood to the nervous system and extremities of the body. Eventually the poor blood supply will cause the nervous system to malfunction. This is another complication of diabetes and is called diabetic neuropathy.
Diabetic neuropathy is broken down into 4 types, the one that concerns feet is called peripheral neuropathy. The person with peripheral neuropathy will lose sensation in their feet. This might take the form of pin and needles or a numbness. Having poor sensitivity in the feet that are already liable to infections, cuts and bruise makes the feet especially vulnerable.
Thus doctors advise on special care for feet and careful monitoring of their condition. If feet become numb for any time it is recommended to see your doctor. People with diabetes also get their feet checked annually or bi-annually where the doctor will check the sensitivity in their feet. This can also determine if neuropathy in the feet is worsening by comparison to the previous year and thus give an overall indication on how diabetes is affecting the body.
What you eat can make a significant impact on how diabetes affects your health. The first step to taking control of diabetes is finding a diet that suits you lifestyle without ruling your life. Learn more about diabetic diet planning by visiting diabeticdietsplan.com. The site deals with diets and eating healthy foods but also covers general information about diabetes including some of the complications caused by diabetes such as diabetic retinopathy and eye problems . Adrian Whittle writes on issues related to diabetes including symptoms of diabetes and diabetic neuropathy.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adrian_Whittle
Sunday
Cure Type 2 Diabetes
Cure Type 2 Diabetes.By Anthony A.Henley ©2007 Your doctor will tell you Type 2 Diabetes can’t be cured, but I say it can. If you have had type 2 diabetes symptoms you will always be considered diabetic by the main stream medical profession, even though you may have treated and got rid of your symptoms. True it may come back if you don’t continue the correct diet, but if you don’t have the symptoms, how can you be diabetic.
If you have a common cold, there is no cure for it, it just gets better on its own. They don’t hang a label round your neck saying you have a cold for the rest of your life. I know that is not quite a fair comparison as a cold is a virus, but I still feel strongly that if you get rid of all your symptoms of diabetes using diet and exercise alone and make a commitment to yourself that you will continue whatever you are doing, then you are cured.
So what do we need to do to get rid of the symptoms? Yes, diet and exercise are the way to go, but a little more drastically than your dietician will have told you. That doesn’t mean it has to be unpleasant, although it may mean a complete change from what you have been used to. I admit it can be something of a culture shock, but if you persevere you will find you get to enjoy the food. If you combine the diet with gentle exercise (which is imperative) then you will assuredly lose weight, an important factor in controlling type 2 diabetes. If you are a heavy drinker, then you would certainly need to cut back. I must admit to drinking far too much in the past: before dinner drinks, wine with meals, usually a drink to hand during the evening and not forgetting the night cap. I made a conscious decision to cut back, not stop altogether and now I still enjoy a few drinks over the weekend and special occasions and I really don’t miss it. It certainly helps to keep the weight under control, not to mention the liver!
What about supplements? Should I take them or not? In an ideal world if you eat properly you don’t need to, but sadly this is not an ideal world and in many parts of the world the soil has become so depleted in minerals and trace elements, that the food, even if it is claimed to be organic, often does not have the goodness in it that you should be able to expect, so I take supplements, but that is an individual choice.
Details of what you should eat and drink and what you should not, are not within the scope of this article, but if you care to visit my website: http://type2diabetes.gb.com you will find plenty of information and links to other sites.
Anthony A.Henley I am a type 2 diabetic who is curing himself using diet and excercise. My web site has much useful advice and links to other sites to help you to cure yourself. Feel free to copy this article, but you must copy it in full including this bio box. http://type2diabetes.gb.com
http://healthandhobbies.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_Henleyv
If you have a common cold, there is no cure for it, it just gets better on its own. They don’t hang a label round your neck saying you have a cold for the rest of your life. I know that is not quite a fair comparison as a cold is a virus, but I still feel strongly that if you get rid of all your symptoms of diabetes using diet and exercise alone and make a commitment to yourself that you will continue whatever you are doing, then you are cured.
So what do we need to do to get rid of the symptoms? Yes, diet and exercise are the way to go, but a little more drastically than your dietician will have told you. That doesn’t mean it has to be unpleasant, although it may mean a complete change from what you have been used to. I admit it can be something of a culture shock, but if you persevere you will find you get to enjoy the food. If you combine the diet with gentle exercise (which is imperative) then you will assuredly lose weight, an important factor in controlling type 2 diabetes. If you are a heavy drinker, then you would certainly need to cut back. I must admit to drinking far too much in the past: before dinner drinks, wine with meals, usually a drink to hand during the evening and not forgetting the night cap. I made a conscious decision to cut back, not stop altogether and now I still enjoy a few drinks over the weekend and special occasions and I really don’t miss it. It certainly helps to keep the weight under control, not to mention the liver!
What about supplements? Should I take them or not? In an ideal world if you eat properly you don’t need to, but sadly this is not an ideal world and in many parts of the world the soil has become so depleted in minerals and trace elements, that the food, even if it is claimed to be organic, often does not have the goodness in it that you should be able to expect, so I take supplements, but that is an individual choice.
Details of what you should eat and drink and what you should not, are not within the scope of this article, but if you care to visit my website: http://type2diabetes.gb.com you will find plenty of information and links to other sites.
Anthony A.Henley I am a type 2 diabetic who is curing himself using diet and excercise. My web site has much useful advice and links to other sites to help you to cure yourself. Feel free to copy this article, but you must copy it in full including this bio box. http://type2diabetes.gb.com
http://healthandhobbies.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_Henleyv
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