Diabetes - An Overview

  • Diabeties
    Diabetes
    Diabetes Mellitus is a metabolic disorder in which the body has difficulty regulating its blood glucose or blood sugar level.  The burden of diabetes is increasing globally, particularly in developing countries. While the causes are complex, but the increase is in large part due to rapid increases in overweight, including obesity and physical inactivity. There is good evidence that a large proportion of cases of diabetes and its complications can be prevented by a healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a normal body weight and avoiding tobacco.
Submitted by PatientsEngage on 1 June 2014
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Diabetes Mellitus is a metabolic disorder in which the body has difficulty regulating its blood glucose or blood sugar level. Blood glucose is the main source of energy for the body and we get it from the food we eat which is broken down into glucose. For glucose to get into the cells, insulin, a pancreatic hormone is required. In patients with diabetes, the pancreas produces less or no insulin or the cells don’t respond to the insulin produced. This leads to the accumulation of glucose in the blood which is then excreted out of the body in urine. The body loses its main source of fuel even though the blood contains large amounts of sugar. 

What is the difference between hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia?

Hyperglycemia is increased blood sugar in the range 100-126 mg/dl. Hypoglycemia is low level of sugar in blood, which leads to sweating, palpitations, increased respiratory rate etc.

 

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Diabetes

Stories

  • Diabetes Friendly Bengali Recipes to Tickle your Taste Buds
    Bengal has a reputation for food and fish is, of course, the piece de resistance. These vegetarian and non-vegetarian Bengali specialities help you retain your taste while also keeping them diabetes-friendly. Certainly worth a try!   Lau Payesh (Serving size 4 persons) Pic above Ingredients Lau 250Gm (Grated) Milk 500 Ml Bay Leaf 2 Pcs Cardamom 4Pcs Almonds for Garnishing Oil 10 Tbs Stevia 2g (sweeteners) Instructions Heat oil in a kadhai, add bay leaf, grated lau and stir fry for…
  • Patient Stories: Lifestyle changes that helped control Diabetes
    Little changes in your daily routine go a long way in managing and controlling Diabetes. We asked people in Singapore and India on the most challenging aspect of diabetes management and the advice/tip they would like to share with the Diabetes Community:  1)    What was the most difficult lifestyle change for you to make and why? JAYESH: The biggest problem I had was to start working out; there was a huge inertia and getting over it was not easy. It helps if you don’t think…
  • Diabetes and Dangerous Belly Fat
    Diabetes Awareness Month 2016 You're more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you're overweight or obese with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more. According to Dr Anil Bhoraskar, leading diabetologist, ‘Thin fat Indians’ who have low BMI but have most of the fat accumulated around the tummy are particularly at risk. According to the Lancet study, China, India and USA are among the top three countries with a high number of diabetic population. While the numbers climbed from 20.4 million in…
  • Diabetes and Menopause: A Twin Challenge
    Menopause can wreak havoc on your diabetes control. But there's plenty you can do to better manage diabetes and menopause, recommends leading diabetologist Dr Pradeep Gadge. What is the link between Diabetes and Menopause? During the transitional years of menopause (when menstrual cycles slow down but haven't stopped), estrogen and progesterone hormones are unstable, and cause problems with diabetes management. Higher levels of estrogen usually improves insulin sensitivity, while higher levels…
  • What to do when your blood sugar drops
    Hypoglycaemia or a sharp drop in blood sugar levels can cause severe discomfort and dizziness and, in some extreme cases, even death. Dr Roshani Sanghani, renowned endocrinologist and the founder of Aasaan Health Solutions shares valuable tips on how to tackle a condition which can afflict any person with diabetes at any given time. Many patients are troubled by sudden and unexpected blood sugar levels dropping. When the level drops below 70 mg/dl, it is considered hypogylcemia! Hypogylcaemia…
  • Image of dumbbells, muesli bowl and measuring tape and text healthy approach to weight loss
    11 Tips On How To Reduce Weight
    Obesity or being overweight is the causative factor for several chronic non-communicable diseases including heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancers #tbl tr td:nth-child(0) { { width:44px!important; } #tbl tr td:nth-child(1) { { width:141px!important; } #tbl tr td:nth-child(2) { { width:77px!important; } #tbl tr td:nth-child(3) { { width:44px!important; } #tbl tr td:nth-child(4) { { width:141px!important; } #tbl tr td:nth-child(5) { { width:77px!important; } A dramatic increase in…
  • Overview of Digestive Disorders and Gastrointestinal Diseases
    Endoscopy guru and leading gastroenterologist Dr Vipulroy Rathod’s comprehensive interview on gastrointestinal diseases and cancers makes for an enlightening and interesting read. What is Gastroenterology? Gastroenterology is the branch of medicine focused on the digestive system and its disorders. Diseases affecting the gastrointestinal tract, which include the organs from mouth to anus, along the alimentary canal, are the focus of this specialty. Physicians practicing in this field are called…
  • I Breathe And Sleep Better After I Quit Smoking
    Ramesh Koppikar, a heavy smoker for 35 years, made several unsuccessful attempts to quit smoking. It finally took a heart attack for him to break the nicotine addiction and kick the habit for good. Read and share his experience. I started smoking cigarettes at the age of 23 when I was studying engineering at BHU, Varanasi. I was staying in the hostel on campus and my friends and I would go for a walk after dinner. The BHU campus is large and green, hence our walks would be…
  • Healthy ways to gain weight
    Believe it or not people who are thin and underweight are not always healthy and free of illness. They can struggle to put on weight. Our nutritionist Kohila Govindaraju shares tips on healthy meal plan to gain weight. This is also important as people age and lose weight. Being lean sounds great, but being underweight because of poor nutrition doesn't sound healthy at all. Being underweight, you are more likely to pick up infections, a lack of vitamins and minerals will hinder your growth if…
  • 6 Easy Ways to Prevent Diabetes [Infographic]
    Dr Anoop Misra, Chairman National Diabetes, Obesity and Cholesterol Foundation (N-DOC0 says diabetes is 80% dependent on lifestyle.  Genes need to interact with the environment for expression. Even if a gene for diabetes is present in an individual, healthy lifestyle can alter gene expression in a favourable manner.