Diabetes

Are you at risk of developing diabetes? Yes if you are: 45 years of age or older Overweight with a BMI (Body mass index) of 25 or over.  Is your waist measurement more than 35cm (for women) and 40cm (for men) Physically inactive Have a close relative with diabetes Have a history of gestational diabetes or delivering an overweight baby (> 9 pounds) Have polycystic ovary syndrome High triglycerides or low HDL (good) cholesterol Have had abnormal blood sugar tests in the past Have heart…

A herbal drug for diabetes that costs Rs.5 per pill, developed by two Lucknow-based Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) laboratories, the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) and Central Institute for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), and licensed to Delhi-based Aimil Pharamaceuticals Pvt. Ltd for commercialization, has been launched in parts of north India. The drug, branded BGR-34, is a combination of natural extracts derived from four plant species…

Exercise is a key element in managing Diabetes. While some prefer walking or running, others prefer yoga and weight training. You can read how they included Yoga in their regimen. https://www.patientsengage.com/personal-voices/focus-exercise-and-diet-control https://www.patientsengage.com/personal-voices/move-it So we hand picked simple asanas for our members and put it together in this E-book.  You can download it from here: https://www.patientsengage.com/yogabooklet For more…

During the fasting month of Ramadan, Muslims all over the world fast for more than 15 hours a day. Here, 6 possible side effects and how to counter them. It is best to have a check-up before you start fasting for Ramadan. This is particularly important if you have any chronic conditions, like diabetes or migraine. Do remember that the Qur’an exempts the sick from fasting. If your doctor advises against your fasting, speak to your Imam about your situation. Even if you are…

From being in denial to Diabetes Support Group member, Christine Lee, 62, talks about her 22-year tryst with diabetes. She tells us how she changed her life around, and her take on hawker food. When were you diagnosed? In August 1993 when I was about to undergo an operation. I was then 40 years old. What were the early symptoms?  My only symptom was that I always felt very thirsty and loved gulping down F&N Sarsaparilla (aka “Sarsi”). The thought of diabetes never crossed my mind…

Which is the greater evil? How much fat is necessary in your diet? How to read food labels? Registered dietitian and diabetes educator Ujjwala Baxi has all the information.  The human diet is always evolving. And with each evolution comes strong and focused criticism of certain foods. Some decades ago, it was the fat in our diet that was demonised and 0% fat diets and recipes flourished on bookshelves and the dinner table. But very soon, it was realised that going nil…

Maintaining good oral health is more than just about keeping cavities at bay. Your dental health has far-reaching consequences on your body, with oral bacteria being linked to many life-threatening conditions, like cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, renal health and even brain abcess. Oral hygiene and overall good health  Like many areas of the body, your mouth is teeming with bacteria, most of them harmless. Normally the body's natural defences and good oral health can keep these…

SINGAPORE — When it comes to managing their condition, younger TYPE 2 diabetic patients — those below the age of 40 — in Singapore appear to be having a harder time keeping their conditions in check as compared to their older counterparts, a study by the Asia Diabetes Foundation (ADF) has found. The study involved over 300 diabetic patients here and was conducted at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH). Findings revealed that younger patients fared worse in two of three key indicators doctors…

Statin therapy appears to increase the risk for type 2 diabetes by 46%, even after adjustment for confounding factors, a large new population-based study concludes. The majority of people in this new study were taking atorvastatin and simvastatin, and the risk for diabetes was dose-dependent for these two agents, the researchers found. Nevertheless, senior author Markku Laakso, MD, from the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital, told Medscape Medical News: "Even if…

MARCH 3, 2015 19-year-old Darren Lou has known for years what he wants to do with his life.  Not only does he plan to be a doctor, he knows exactly which field he hopes to specialise in: Endocrinology, the study of the human body’s endocrine system, which deals with hormones and how it affects metabolism and growth, among other things. Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes three years ago, Darren hopes to help other patients like himself. Dealt a second blow a year later when a pre-enlistment…