Re: Destined for Diabetes?

[Guest guest]

GREETINGS --

The following are some risk factors that are associated with Type II

diabetes:

--If you are 20% or more over your optimal body weight and have

a " spare tire " around your abdomen you need to lose weight;

--If you have hypertension you need to take steps to lower your blood

pressure (keeping away from meds if possible);

--If you have abnormal cholesterol levels (HDL levels under 55 mg/dl,

LDL levels over 100 mg/dL, and triglyceride levels over 150 mg/dl)

you need to bring them to normal levels; and

--If you are experiencing insulin resistance (a symptom of Type II

diabetes that causes blod sugars to rise) then you need to take steps

to improve the situation.

All of the risk factors listed above are manageable through a

combination of diet, moderate physical activity, and dietary

supplementation and will help even if you have contracted diabetes.

It represents a daunting set of tasks, but ones that are doable if

you are patient and persistant.

I am not a medical professional and I have not provided the

information above to stress you out, but I have found that all health-

related problems can best be treated and/or controlled if the patient

takes a very active role in his/her own treatment.

Good luck and remember to BE PROACTIVE,

wambo

>

http://www.healthology.com/printer_friendlyAR.aspb=hairlosscentral&f=d

> iabetes&c=diabetes_destined

>

>

> Destined for Diabetes?

>

>

> Published on: May 12, 2004

>

> By Halperin

> People with type 2 diabetes are often surprised by their diagnosis.

> But the truth is that this kind of diabetes tends to develop

> gradually. It starts with a condition known as pre-diabetes.

> According to a new estimate from the Department of Health and Human

> Services (HHS), 41 million Americans are living with pre-diabetes,

> which is about 20 million more people than previous thought.

>

> HHS based their estimate on a new definition of pre-diabetes

> developed by the American Diabetes Association last year. Experts

say

> it's important for Americans to know that 40 percent of US adults

> from ages 40 to 74 have pre-diabetes because of the risks

associated

> with this condition.

>

> " In the past, pre-diabetes was thought as 'a touch of diabetes,'

but

> not anymore, " says Astrid Almodovar, MD, an assistant clinical

> professor of family medicine at University of Medicine and

Dentistry

> of New Jersey with a private family practice in Newark. " Today,

even

> if you don't progress to diabetes, pre-diabetes indicates a risk of

> cardiovascular disease and stroke. "

>

> Knowing Your Numbers

> According to the American Diabetes Association, pre-diabetes is

> defined as a condition in which blood glucose (blood sugar) levels

> are higher than normal but not at a diabetic level. Doctors use two

> tests to identify people with pre-diabetes: impaired glucose

> tolerance (IGT) tests and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) tests. An

> IGT test checks your blood sugar two hours after a meal. If your

> blood sugar level is between 140 mg/dL and 199 mg/dL that indicates

> you have pre-diabetes. Because some external factors, such as

> exercise, may affect an IGT test, more specific information can be

> gathered from an IFG test, which is given in the morning before

> breakfast. Someone with pre-diabetes will have blood sugar levels

> between 100 and 125 mg/dL in the IFG test.

>

> Some lab reports may focus on reporting a " positive " or " negative "

> after either test, but it's important to find out your number and

not

> just the range. " Being close to 100 is still a warning sign, " Dr.

> Almodovar says. Knowing your blood sugar level will help you set

your

> goal: to lower your count to a safe number. It's important to get

> your blood sugar below the pre-diabetic levels because pre-diabetes

> can lead to heart disease and stroke.

>

> Are There Other Warning Signs?

> Certain groups of people are at increased risk for both pre-

diabetes

> and diabetes. For example, anyone over 60 years old and anyone with

> family history of diabetes is at risk. Diabetes appears very

> prominently in people with certain ethnic backgrounds: African

> American, Hispanic, Latino, American Indian, Alaskan native, Asian

> and Pacific Islander. Your body may also alert you to test for pre-

> diabetes with other clues that, collectively, suggest you're at

> increased risk. These include blood pressure over 140/90 mm Hg; HDL

> (good cholesterol) levels below 40 mg/dL for men or below 50 mg/dL

> for women; or triglyceride levels above 250 mg/dL.

>

> Are You Destined for Diabetes?

> Many people with pre-diabetes develop type 2 diabetes within a

> decade. But making lifestyle changes can help keep pre-diabetes

from

> escalating to diabetes. The Diabetes Prevention Program (DDP),

which

> is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, recommends

taking

> steps to lower body weight by 5 to 7 percent because being

overweight

> can put you at risk. This can be achieved by calorie cutting, fat

> intake reduction and exercise.

>

> People with pre-diabetes should also consider a walking program.

Just

> adding 30 to 40 minutes of walking, five days a week, can increase

> your chances of avoiding diabetes by up to 58 percent. " Everyone

has

> 48 half-hours in their day, " Dr. Almodovar says. " If you dedicate

> just one of these 48 half-hours to promoting health, you're keeping

> diabetes at bay. "