Over half of the total amputations performed in the United States are from diabetes complications with most of those being of the toes, feet, or leg. The reason why diabetics tend to have problems with wounds on the feet is because diabetes reduces the person’s sensitivity to pain and blood circulation.

Due to nerve damage from diabetes, the person may not feel pain when they injure their feet. Therefore, the injury may go untreated and become infected before the person is aware that they have a wound.

Because diabetes reduces the person’s blood circulation, wounds take longer to heal. Also, high blood sugar levels lower the effectiveness of white blood cells that fight infection. Therefore, an injury to the diabetic foot has a high risk of infection since it takes a long time to heal without the benefit of white blood cells to fight off infection.

Guarding against injury is the first defense in preventing injuries to the diabetic foot. Special care must be taken when the person trims the toenails. In order to prevent ingrown toenails, the person should not cut the toenails too low. Cutting them straight across rather than in a curve is recommended.

Applying quality moisturizing cream can be extremely helpful in preventing cracks from dry skin. This can be especially important during the winter when the skin tends to be drier. However, the moisturizer should never be applied between the toes.

Shoes that don’t fit well or wearing shoes without socks or stockings can cause sores or blisters on the feet. Someone with diabetes should never wear shoes that do not fit properly. Though the resulting sore or blister may seem minor, even a small injury on a diabetic foot can be problematic due to the diabetes.

People with diabetes should inspect their feet daily for any injuries including blisters or minor scrapes. Diabetic patients who cannot thoroughly inspect their own feet should ask someone for help to do this.

If the person discovers a wound on the foot, the doctor should be notified as soon as possible. Treating the injury promptly provide the best chances for the injury to heal without becoming infected. The injured person should carefully follow the doctor’s instructions for caring for the injury and report any changes in the wound.

While some diets for diabetes are focused on counting carbohydrates, a traditional diabetic diet requires the person to eat certain types of foods for meals and snacks. For example, the diet may specify that the person should eat one serving of protein and one serving of bread for a snack.

The dietician or physician may use diabetic diet charts to show their patients when they should eat and how much should be eaten for each meal and snack. On the chart, the doctor might write some guidelines for the patient to follow.

A food chart for diabetes has the basic food groups with lists of foods for each food group. For each food listed is the proper serving size. This can be a valuable tool for checking portions so that blood sugar levels won’t spike due to eating more than a serving.

Another use for the food lists is planning meals. Since a diabetic patient has to follow a diet every day, it’s easy to get stuck eating the same foods. Looking at a diabetic food chart can give the person more ideas for meals and snacks.

Eating a variety of foods can help reduce the cravings and temptations to cheat on the diet. Variety in the diet also ensures that the person is getting more vitamins and minerals than when the same foods are eaten.

When people are just beginning the diabetic diet, it is normal for them to have to refer to their diabetic diet charts often. As they get used to the diet and know which foods need to be eaten for each meal and snack, they don’t have to consult the diabetes diet chart as frequently.

However, many nutritionists recommend that the person keep the diabetes diet chart. Some dieticians and nutritionists suggest that the person periodically check the serving sizes of the food that they are preparing with the chart to make sure they have the correct serving sizes.

If the person is having blood sugar levels after meals that are higher than they usually have, the person may want to consider the foods and portion sizes they ate. An abnormally high blood glucose level may indicate that something might have been done incorrectly.

This is not always the case. A diabetic patient may be following the diabetes diet chart correctly and still have high blood sugar levels. If this occurs, the doctor may want the patient to visit the dietician again to alter the diabetic diet chart in order to keep blood sugar levels within a safe range.

Counting carbohydrates for diabetes is one option for a diabetes diet. Counting carbs for diabetes is effective because foods that contain carbohydrates raise blood sugar levels.

By monitoring how many carbohydrates is being consumed during the day, the person is limiting the amount of food consumed that can cause blood sugar level spikes. The doctor or dietician may give the diabetic patient a limit on the number of carbs that the person can have for meals and a lower limit for snacks.

Carb counting for diabetes is a newer method of controlling blood sugar levels. The traditional diabetic diets dictate which types of foods the person can eat for each meal and snack.

A traditional diet for diabetes may give the guidelines for a meal with servings from food groups. For example, breakfast might include one serving of protein, one serving of bread, and one serving of fruit.

Then, the diabetic patient can make choices to fill those requirements. One serving each of bread, protein, and fruit may be a peanut butter and sugar-free jam sandwich on diet bread or an egg with toast and small glass of orange juice.

The dietician or doctor who designs the patient’s diet usually give the patient a food chart with the types of foods and servings for each meal and snack. The chart may include a guide on serving sizes for the foods.

Following the proper serving sizes is important for a diabetic patient who is following a special diet to help control blood sugar levels. If the person eats too much, the blood sugar levels could be adversely affected.

The diabetic patient may be hungry and tempted to cheat on the diet if the patient eats serving sizes that are too small. If patients are struggling to follow their diet for diabetes, they should contact the dietician for help. The dietician may be able to adjust the diet or provide helpful tips for following the diet.

Some doctors want the patient follow a traditional diet while others recommend counting carbohydrates. If the patient prefers one type of diet, the patient should discuss the preference with the doctor.

People may think that fruit is not on diabetes diets. Fruit contains natural sugars that can cause blood sugar levels to spike.

If eaten in moderation in accordance with the person’s diabetic diet, fruit can be a healthy food for people with diabetes. Fruit contains many nutrients that are important for general health.

Watermelon contains vitamin A and vitamin C. Vitamin A is good for the skin and vision. Vitamin C is necessary for cell repair.

For people who follow a carb diet for diabetes, the carbs in watermelon are 11.5 grams for one cup of diced watermelon. A wedge of watermelon that is approximately one-sixteenth of the melon has 21.6 grams of carbs.

If someone with diabetes eats too much fruit or drinks too much fruit juice, the effects can be dangerous. The sugar in the fruit can cause the person’s blood sugar to reach unsafe levels.

Fresh fruit is typically the best choice for having the most nutrients and least impact on blood glucose levels. Fruit juice could be considered the worst form of fruit for diabetes patients.

A small piece of fruit has about fifteen grams of carbs. Fifteen grams of carbs can be in as little as one third cup of fruit juice. When people drink fruit juice, they typically drink a cup or more, so it is easy for someone with diabetes to consume too many carbs with fruit juice.

Canned fruit is a good option if the fruit is canned in natural juices or light syrup. Fifteen carbs of canned fruit is about half a cup.

Dried fruit may be even worse for diabetes patients than fruit juice. Two tablespoons of dried fruit can contain up to fifteen carbs.

If the person is following an exchange list diabetic diet rather than counting carbs for diabetes, the person should follow the guidelines for their meals and include fruit where that option exists.

The dietician can help the person to include fruit in the diabetic diet in healthy ways that will not have a negative impact on the person’s blood glucose level. The dietician may also have diabetic recipes that include fruit.

For people with diabetes who struggle with cravings for candy or other sweets, eating fruit can often decrease these cravings over time. They may find that the cravings increase at times when they are not eating enough fruit.

The resistance to insulin occurs when the insulin is no longer effective in metabolizing glucose which the body needs for energy. The pancreas may be producing insulin but the body is ignoring the insulin.

Without insulin working to deliver glucose to the cells for energy, the levels of glucose in the blood rises to unhealthy levels. High levels of glucose in the blood can damage organs, nerves, tissues, and blood vessels.

Glucose is the simplest form of sugar. Many foods we eat contain glucose or are broken down into glucose by the body. When people with diabetes check their blood sugar levels, they are taking a measure of the amount of glucose in the blood.

Insulin is a hormone that retrieves the glucose from the blood and delivers it to the cells of muscles and organs for energy. Diabetics may need to take insulin injections to compensate for the body’s lack of insulin or insulin that isn’t able to metabolize glucose.

There are three types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is sometimes called juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin.

Type 2 diabetes is characterized by insulin that no longer works the way it should. The body produces insulin, but the insulin isn’t metabolizing enough glucose. Type 2 diabetes is often referred to as adult-onset diabetes, but children and adolescents can develop this disorder.
The third type of diabetes is gestational diabetes. This type of diabetes occurs only during pregnancy and usually goes away after the birth of the child.

Hyperglycemia describes the condition of having too much glucose in the blood. Hypoglycemia is having a blood sugar level that is lower than normal. Hypoglycemia can occur if the diabetic takes too much insulin.

Hypoglycemia can cause dizziness, confusion, sweating, hunger, and nervousness. The person may be shaky and disoriented. The person may lose consciousness. If left untreated, hypoglycemia can lead to coma or even death.

Diabetes complications is a term used to describe some of the negative effects that diabetes can have on the body. The diabetes complications are often more severe if the person is not managing diabetes effectively with diet, exercise, and insulin if necessary.

Insulin can be delivered into the body by traditional syringes, an insulin pen, or an insulin pump. An insulin pen resembles a large pen but it holds a dose of insulin which it injects through the skin. An insulin pump is worn by the diabetic person and has a small tube that is inserted through the skin to deliver doses of insulin.

Diabetes that is caused by a body’s increased tolerance to insulin is called type 2 diabetes. With this type of diabetes, the insulin produced by the pancreas has become ineffective in metabolizing glucose.

Both types of diabetes cause abnormally high levels of glucose in the blood. High blood sugar levels can cause complications of diabetes such as nerve damage, blindness, and blood vessel damage.

People with type 1 diabetes require insulin injections because their bodies do not produce enough insulin. Many parents opt for an insulin pump for diabetes treatment for their children.

An insulin pump is a device that administers doses of insulin as it is programmed to do. When using an insulin pump, the child only needs to be pricked once a week or so to insert the tube that will deliver the insulin from the pump rather than receiving insulin injections.

Children who were born to mothers with diabetes are at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes in childhood. Type 2 diabetes in children often occurs when the child is overweight, not active, and has poor dietary habits.

Childhood type 2 diabetes is most common among American Indians. Children with type 2 diabetes often have a family history of diabetes in which many close relatives have the disorder.

For type 1 diabetes, there is not a strong link to heredity. Over three-quarters of children diagnosed with type 2 diabetes have at least one family member with diabetes.

Because type 2 diabetes in childhood was practically unheard of until recent years, doctors often neglect to test a child for diabetes. This means that the condition often goes untreated for a significant amount of time.

Signs of diabetes in children include increased thirst, frequent urination, weight loss, and increased appetite. If a parent notices these signs and the child has other risk factors such as being overweight or having a family history of diabetes, the child should be tested for diabetes.

Though type 1 diabetes requires prescribed insulin, type 2 diabetes can often be managed with diet and exercise. The doctor may give the parents a special diabetes diet for the child to follow. Doctors may refer the child to a dietician to create a diabetic diet.

As the child enters adolescence, the parents may want the child to become more independent in managing their diabetes so that they will be prepared to do so in adulthood. Gradually, a parent may give the child more control over their food choices and have the adolescent administer their own medication.

Diabetes in dogs is much more common in female dogs than male dogs. Though dogs of any age can get diabetes, the disease is most commonly diagnosed in dogs between the ages of seven and nine.

Any breed of dog can get diabetes but poodles, miniature schnauzers, golden retrievers, keeshonden, dachshunds, Cairn terriers, and German shepherds are most prone to getting dog diabetes. Pulis, miniature pinschers, and beagles may also have a greater risk than some other dog breeds.

If a dog owner notices signs of diabetes in dogs such as an increase in drinking, eating, and urination, the dog should be tested for diabetes. Of course, the dog should be examined by the veterinarian any time that a dog exhibits behavioral changes not just these signs of dog diabetes.

Diabetes that is left untreated in dogs can result in weakness, lethargy, loss of appetite, coma, and even death. With proper diagnosis and treatment, diabetes can be successfully managed in dogs and have a minimal impact on their overall health.

Dog owners may need to give daily insulin injections to diabetic dogs. If the dog is overweight, the dog owner may need to encourage the dog to get more exercise by walking the dog more frequently and playing with the dog.

The veterinarian may recommend a special dog food for the dog to help the dog achieve and maintain a healthy weight and help keep blood sugar levels within normal range. Dog owners may need to feed diabetic dogs on a schedule rather than letting the dog food out for the dog to eat at any time.

Diabetes is a relatively common disorder in dogs. If the owner has noticed diabetes symptoms in the dog, blood or urine tests may be conducted to confirm a diagnose of dog diabetes. The veterinarian may also perform a physical examination of the dog.

Most dogs that are diagnosed with diabetes will need to begin treatment with insulin injections. Dogs that have been recently diagnosed with diabetes are likely to need further blood tests periodically to check blood sugar levels so that the proper dose of insulin can be determined.

The type of insulin necessary and the dosage may vary during the dog’s treatment. The dog owner should notify the vet immediately if the dog’s diabetes symptoms appear to worsen or if new symptoms emerge.

It is estimated that over twenty million Americans have diabetes. That is roughly seven percent of the population of the United States. Some experts believe that seven million Americans have diabetes and have never been diagnosed or treated for the condition.

Pre-diabetes is a precursor to diabetes. Pre-diabetes affects up to forty million Americans and quite possibly more.

Diabetes is slightly more common in men than women. Almost twelve percent of men over the age of twenty have diabetes. About ten percent of women over the age of twenty have diabetes.

Insulin is produced in the pancreas for glucose metabolism. Insulin is necessary for the body to use glucose as a source of energy. Type 1 diabetes is when the body does not produce enough insulin.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when the cells of the body become resistant to the insulin that is produced by the pancreas. The insulin is no longer effective for glucose metabolism.

Type 1 diabetes is diagnosed during childhood while type 2 diabetes typically develops during adulthood. Only five percent of people with diabetes have type 1 diabetes.

Some statistics about diabetes report who is at high risk for developing the disorder. Statistics show that people who are over the age of forty-five are at the greatest risk for developing diabetes, but there is an increase in cases of diabetes in young adults.

Some races have a higher incidence of diabetes. There is an increased risk among Asian Americans, African-Americans, American Indians, Hispanics, Pacific Islanders, and Native Alaskans.

Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness and kidney failure. Diabetic neuropathy is nerve damage caused by diabetes. Up to seventy percent of people with diabetes have some nerve damage.

Due to nerve and blood vessel damage from diabetes, some diabetic patients develop wounds on the feet that will not heal properly. In some cases, these become infected or even become gangrene.

The foot injury or ulcer may necessitate an amputation of the toe, foot, or leg. Fifty percent of amputations in the United States are due to diabetes.

The annual medical costs of diabetes in the United States is $116 billion. Another estimated $58 billion in diabetes costs are due to premature death and disability.

Therefore the total costs of diabetes in the United States is estimated at $174 billion a year. People with diabetes spend 2.3 times the amount of money in medical costs than people without diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas fails to produce the necessary amount of insulin. Type 1 diabetes is sometimes called juvenile diabetes because the condition of the pancreas not producing insulin is often present at birth.

Type 2 diabetes is characterized by the muscles, fat, and liver cells failing to respond normally to the insulin that is produced. Type 2 diabetes has been known as adult onset diabetes with adults over the age of forty-five at the highest risk. However, there has been an increase in the number of young adults developing type 2 diabetes.

Gestational diabetes occurs when a pregnant woman develops abnormally high blood sugar levels. This condition is usually resolved after the birth of the baby.

Pre-diabetes is a condition in which the patient has abnormally high blood sugar levels that are not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. Up to forty million Americans have pre-diabetes.

Certain risk factors may increase a person’s chance of developing diabetes. A family history of diabetes, being over the age of forty-five, obesity, polycystic ovary disease, high cholesterol, and leading a sedentary life are factors that increase the risk of diabetes.

Some facts about diabetes show how extremely important foot care is for people with diabetes. Sores on the feet may fail to heal and become infected. Many times, sores on the feet go unnoticed by the diabetic person because nerve damage has impaired their ability to feel the pain of an injury.

Diabetes also damages the blood vessels which can make wounds take a long time to heal. If a wound goes undetected and becomes severely infected, the diabetic patient may develop gangrene which can make amputation of the toe, foot, or leg necessary.

Over half of the amputations performed in the United States are caused by diabetes complications. Out of every one thousand people with diabetes, almost six amputations of the toe, foot, or leg are necessary. These lower extremity amputations are more common in men than women.

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a potentially fatal complication of diabetes. This occurs when insulin levels are dangerously low and the body breaks down fat for energy.

Ketones build up in the blood when fat is broken down. This complication is most common in people with type 1 diabetes.

Diabetes can be managed with a diabetic diet, exercise, and prescribed insulin if necessary. Some experts also suggest reducing stress and using stress management techniques as part of diabetes management.

Some people with diabetes experience dry mouth, increased appetite, and nausea. Both men and women may experience itching skin in the groin area and yeast infections.

Diabetes can cause changes in the person’s mood. People with diabetes may experience irritability or symptoms similar to depression such as sadness and hopelessness.

Many different complications of diabetes can affect men and women. Elevated levels of glucose in the blood can damage nerves, blood vessels, and organs.

Gum disease, heart disease, blindness, kidney damage, and stroke are possible complications of diabetes. Nerve damage can affect different parts of the body and cause tingling, weakness, numbness, or other impairments.

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), there is a correlation between hearing loss and diabetes. People with diabetes are twice as likely to develop hearing loss than the general public.

Diabetes can make the person prone to skin infections such as bacterial and fungal infections. These infections can cause itchy rashes, boils, styes, blisters, scaly skin, or discolorations of the skin. Some skin infections can cause red, inflamed areas of skin.

Men may develop sexual problems that can be complications of diabetes. Erectile dysfunction can occur if diabetes causes nerve or blood vessel damage.

Abnormally low levels of testosterone are more common in men with diabetes than men who do not have diabetes. Low testosterone levels can cause a diminished interest in sex and erectile dysfunction.

There are treatment options for these complications of diabetes in men. The diabetics experiencing these problems should discuss treatment with their physicians.

With proper management of diabetes, many symptoms of diabetes can be alleviated. Diabetes complications such as nerve and blood vessel damage may not be able to be reversed, but managing diabetes can often prevent, delay, or lessen the severity of these complications.

Diabetic patients should follow their doctor’s instructions for proper diet and exercise. Monitoring blood sugar levels should be done as often as the doctor recommends.

If a diabetic patient develops signs of having any complications of diabetes or an increase in the symptoms, the patient should consult their physician as soon as possible. Seeking immediate medical attention can often limit the amount of damage that diabetes complications cause to the body.