It's Complicated

SUGAR FREE

By MALOU E. ROSAL

April 24, 2012, 11:12am

MANILA, Philippines — If you’re a diabetic, you’ve probably heard it said that no one actually dies of diabetes itself.  Instead, patients can succumb due to the complications that arise from this dreaded disease. But why do these complications even occur?

Perhaps a basic explanation can help. According to www.netwellness.org, “Diabetes is the inability of glucose to enter the cells. The result is that the bloodstream has a high amount of glucose and cells are not able to produce energy for the body. When diabetes is not carefully managed by keeping the amount of sugar in the blood at the right level, the resulting high glucose amounts wreak havoc on nearly every organ system in the body.”

While the whole body is affected by diabetes, the more common complications are “heart disease and stroke, vision loss and blindness (diabetic retinopathy), kidney failure (diabetic nephropathy), amputation (diabetic neuropathy), diabetic ketoacidosis and diabetic coma (non-ketotic coma).” Also because damage to nerves occur, males can suffer erectile dysfunction, while women can experience decreased lubrication. Another complication caused by nerve damage is gastroparesis, which, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) is “also called delayed gastric emptying, a disorder in which the stomach takes too long to empty its contents.” Then, there are also urological concerns that can cause bladder problems and urinary tract infections.

Netwellness.org continues: “One of the main contributing factors in some of the complications mentioned are issues arising from problems with the smallest of blood vessels. High concentrations of glucose lead to weakness in their walls, and the combination of bursts in these vessels and the scar tissue created in the healing process can damage the organs which these vessels serve.”

That is exactly why I undergo a series of laser photocoagulation sessions to seal the abnormal leaking of the blood vessels in the small area of my retina near the macula. That is also the reason why I was prescribed gabapentin for the pain I have on my arms, hands, fingers, legs and feet. At this point, I am already feeling a lot of the effects of these complications.  Being pasyenteng pasaway for so long has produced dire consquences. Fortunately, diabetes management and lifestyle adjustments have been addressing some of these issues.

Dr. Beaver Tamesis, FPCP, FPCC, Business Unit Director of Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) remarks: “Some of the risk factors potentially are reversible. If you’re able to slow down, say, protein spillage in the urine, if you’re able to reduce blood pressure, if you’re able to reduce the cholesterol level to achieve the target goal, you reduce the chances of having complications.”

This was what Dr. Tamesis and his group had in mind when they set up Asia Diabetes Foundation in the Philippines. They discovered that “with a structured treatment approach where people are reminded constantly about where they need to be, what they need to achieve, what they need to give to the patients... we are able to actually reduce mortality.”

Dr. Tamesis continues: “So we set up the Joint Asia Diabetes Evaluation (JADE) program and this includes primarily a software where doctors can enlist a diabetic patient.  They do a comprehensive assessment upon the first visit; after that, they are able to assign where the patient is in terms of his risks for developing complications. They can now use that to help the conversation go on between the doctor and the patient.  And in between patient visits, the nurse can call the patient and ask if there are questions and concerns.”

According to Dr. Tamesis, the program has exhibited quite an amount of success in the three years that it has been running in the country.  The 200-plus doctors that have participated since the launch have generated about 9,000 patients. And their data has shown that because of the program, some patients in risk level care 4 have gone down to level 2; and even patients in level 2 are down to level 1. Clearly, the key to living with diabetes is patient compliance. And regular visits to doctors who show care, concern and compassion are vital.

For more information about the JADE program, visit https://test.jade-adf.org. Questions and comments can be sent to mbsugarfree@gmail.com.

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/357868/its-complicated

PS Melabic is a combination of the 9 all natural most effective diabetes fighting ingredients. To find out more how they can help you normalize your blood sugar levels and take back your health visit me at Melabic.com

Using Vitamins and Minerals in Foods to Reverse Health Challenges

Did you know that most medical schools in the Unites States

offer little or no training in diet and nutrition, or the use of

vitamins and minerals to reverse health challenges.

As a result doctors most often direct their patients to the use

of drugs, medications or operations to handle health problems,

problems that could very often be handled with correct nutrition

and proper supplements:

According to the American Heart Association, substituting

carbohydrates for fats may raise triglyceride levels and may

decrease HDL ('good') cholesterol in some people. Yet most

doctors persist in telling patients who gain weight easily to cut

down on fat and meat.

For some, this advice is a recipe for disaster. Why?

Decreasing fat and protein in the diet inevitably means

increasing carbohydrates. This shifts the metabolism toward

fat storage - and higher triglycerides. Not only that, it also

leaves the person feeling hungry all the time and subject to

blood sugar swings.

When the situation is reversed, however - when carbs are

cut and replaced with dietary fat and protein - the opposite happens.

Blood sugar metabolism normalizes, triglycerides go down,

HDL cholesterol goes up, and body fat is lost.

All of these benefits occur without hunger and irritability

that are trademarks of low-fat, reduced-calorie diet plans.

Many of you with evidence of insulin/blood sugar problems

already have suffered years of nutritional deficits [shortages].

Although it might be possible to overcome this deficit

with diet alone, to regain your health as rapidly as possible

means supplements are needed."

A vitamin is an organic substance that your body needs

but can't manufacture. [With few exceptions the body cannot

manufacture or synthesize vitamins.] Minerals are inorganic

substances such as calcium and magnesium. Some minerals

are essential, meaning that you must have them, even if only

in very small amounts.

"Vitamins and minerals are crucial for the smooth operation

of the thousands of chemical processes that are constantly

taking place in your body. You need a constant and adequate

supply of them."
excerpted from Atkins Diabetes Solution
by Mary C. Vernon, M.D., C.M.D. & Jacqueline A. Eberstein, R.N.

PS Melabic is a combination of the 9 all natural most effective diabetes fighting ingredients. To find out more how they can help you normalize your blood sugar levels and take back your health visit me at Melabic.com

How Much Water Should I Drink?

Ask Jillian Michaels


Q: How much water should I drink each day? I hear all kinds of answers, including 1 ounce of water for every pound of body weight, and six to eight 8-ounce glasses. Which is right?

A: 

Water is a vital part of any diet and exercise program — not to mention life in general — because it aids every aspect of bodily function. Water is a huge component of muscle and is important for energy production, so if you want to make the most of your workout, make sure you're well hydrated.

There is no real one-size-fits-all approach to water consumption. As a general rule of thumb, men should consume 128 ounces of water daily, and women should consume 88 ounces, but this doesn't mean you need to drink this amount of water every day. Other beverages, as well as the moisture content of foods, also count toward your water intake. The following factors affect how much water you should consume:

Exercise: If you exercise or engage in any activity that makes you sweat, you need to drink extra water to compensate for that fluid loss. Drink 12 ounces of water two hours before a workout, and another 12 ounces 30 minutes before you begin. While you are exercising, you should drink 4 to 8 ounces every 15 minutes. You should consume an additional 12 ounces within 30 minutes of the end of your workout. During intense exercise involving significant sweating — say, during a marathon — you may need a sports drink rather than plain water, to replace the sodium lost in sweat.

Environment: In hot or humid weather, you need to drink additional water to help lower your body temperature and to replace what you lose through sweating. You also need additional water in cold weather if you sweat while wearing insulated clothing. Heated indoor air can cause your skin to lose moisture, increasing your daily fluid requirement. Additionally, altitudes higher than 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) can affect how much water your body needs — higher altitudes may trigger increased urination and more rapid breathing, which use up more of your fluid reserves.

Get more fitness tips from Jillian Michaels.

Last Updated: 10/08/2009

Often called "TV’s toughest fitness trainer," Jillian Michaels has appeared on the U.S. and Australian versions of The Biggest Loser. Jillian is also the author of three books, Master Your Metabolism, Winning by Losing and Making the Cut, and the creator of the online weight-loss program www.jillianmichaels.com.

PS Melabic is a combination of the 9 all natural most effective diabetes fighting ingredients. To find out more how they can help you normalize your blood sugar levels and take back your health visit me at Melabic.com

Smoking and Your Heart

Everyone knows that quitting can be tough, but it's well worth it for your heart, your health, and your overall well-being.

By Gina Roberts-Grey

Medically reviewed by Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, MD

Smoking harms every organ in your body. And though kicking a nicotine habit is hard, the health benefits of doing so far outweigh the struggle to be smoke-free. The principal benefit? The renewal of good health, says William A. Tansey, III, MD, FACC, board-certified cardiologist and founding member of the NY/NJ/CT/Long Island Heritage Affiliate of the American Heart Association. "Inhaled tobacco smoke — either as a smoker or through 'secondhand smoke' — compromises your immunity and accounts for multiple problems, including frequent respiratory infections, cancer of the lungs, stomach, and bladder, and perhaps most importantly, an increased incidence of heart disease and stroke," he says.

What happens to your body when you inhale? Dr. Tansey explains that each breath of tobacco smoke, which may contain up to 4,000 toxic hydrocarbons, temporarily paralyze the cilia, small fibers in your airway that ordinarily capture inhaled disease-causing particles and dispose of them. "Paralyzing this important human defense mechanism is like pulling the bark from a tree and allowing bugs free access," he says. As the cilia return to action, each subsequent 'punch' of tobacco smoke handicaps them again. "That can lead to heart and respiratory disease," Tansey adds.

The Heart-Healthy Benefits of Quitting

Quitting smoking has both short- and long-term health benefits. "Kicking the nicotine habit restores the full function and vitality of your body's cilia," says Tansey. Over time, you can also significantly reduce your risk for diseases caused by smoking and slow the progression of conditions such as atherosclerosis, an inflammatory process in blood vessel walls that, Tansey says, accounts for many blockages responsible for heart attacks and strokes. "While reversal [of atherosclerosis] has not been convincingly demonstrated, it is clear that the absence of nicotine is associated with a slower progression of this condition," he says.

The first health benefits of quitting can occur as soon as 20 minutes after that last puff, according to Tom Houston, MD, director of the OhioHealth Nicotine Dependence Program at the McConnell Heart Health Center in Columbus, Ohio. "Your blood pressure and pulse rate return to normal," he explains, "and 24 smoke-free hours are all you need to eliminate carbon monoxide from the body and for your lungs to start to clear out mucus and other smoking debris."

Here's a quick timeline of the healthy changes that occur over the next year in the body of someone who stops smoking:

• 48 hours – There is no nicotine left in the body. Your ability to taste and smell is greatly improved.
• 72 hours – Breathing becomes easier. Your bronchial tubes begin to relax and your energy levels increase.
• 2 - 12 weeks – Your circulation improves.
• 3 - 9 months – Coughing, wheezing, and breathing problems get better as your lung function is increased by up to 10%.
• 1 year – Your risk of a heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker.

And yes, those benefits take place even in veteran smokers that have been lighting up for 30 years or more. "Quitting smoking or exposure to inhaled tobacco has huge heart health benefits, no matter how long one has smoked," says Dr. Tansey.

Withdrawing From a Nicotine Habit

If you've smoked regularly for a few weeks or longer and suddenly stop — or even greatly reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke — you'll probably have withdrawal symptoms. Your first few smoke-free days will most likely be the toughest. According to the American Cancer Society different factors, such as how long you've smoked and the type of cigarettes you've used, can affect how long it takes your body to remove nicotine and its by-products.

In general, a regular smoker will have nicotine or its by-products in the body for about 3 to 4 days after stopping. The most common symptoms of withdrawal symptoms you're likely to experience can include:

• Dizziness (which may only last 1-2 days after quitting)
• Depression and/or anxiety
• Feelings of frustration, impatience, and anger
• Irritability, restlessness, and difficulty concentrating
• Sleeping problems, including trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, and bad dreams or nightmares
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Increased appetite

Symptoms usually appear within a few hours of the last cigarette and tend to peak 2 to 3 days later. Withdrawal symptoms can last from a few days to up to several weeks.

Time-Tested Advice

Tansey concedes that quitting smoking is tough, but there are things you can do to increase your changes of success. Effective techniques he's suggested to his patients include:

• Write it down. Keep a journal or compose a personal letter of commitment to yourself. Then keep it available to reread when you need a reminder about why not smoking is important to you.
• Set your own parameters. Prescribe a limited number of cigarettes that you must smoke, such as two after each meal, for example. Smoke no more and no less! After succeeding at this level for a few months, reduce the amount. Ultimately, the decision to stop completely will not be as difficult.
• Try nicotine replacement therapy. Talk to your doctor about nicotine gum, patches, and other aids that may help reduce your cravings and make it easier to quit for good.
• Involve others. Hold yourself accountable to friends or family members. It's much harder to disappoint a loved one than it is to disappoint yourself. Also consider joining a support group — in-person meetings may take place in a convenient location, but there are also online support groups that give you the opportunity to share and vent whenever you have the time.
• PS Melabic is a combination of the 9 all natural most effective diabetes fighting ingredients. To find out more how they can help you normalize your blood sugar levels and take back your health visit me at Melabic.com