When a doctor wants to test a patient for diabetes, the first diagnostic examination recommended is a glucose tolerance test. Though heard often, not many know what this test is all about, what it reveals and how to interpret the results. This article aims to provide you with certain basic information about this important procedure.

What is the test?

It is a laboratory method of testing how the body metabolizes or breaks down glucose. It shows how soon the sugar, administered orally is cleared from the blood.  The test is recommended for testing a patient for diabetes, insulin resistance and more.

The test is also called OGTT or Oral Glucose Tolerance Test, because a standard dose of glucose is given orally and the blood sample is taken after 2 hours after such ingestion.

Glucose tolerance test: before, during and after

Since the ‘70s, standard OGTT follows certain guidelines regarding the dose of glucose to be administered and duration.  Before this test is done, certain pre-test procedures are followed. These are:

• No restriction on carbohydrate intake in the days and weeks prior to the test.
• Fasting is necessary (can have water) 8 to 12 hours before blood sample is taken.
• The test is not recommended if the patient is suffering from any illness as the results can misrepresent actual glucose metabolism
• This test is usually done in the morning.
• The procedure involves drinking a liquid that contains 75 grams (WHO recommendation for adults) of glucose. Blood sample is taken before drinking as well as every 30 or 60 minutes after ingestion of the solution. The test usually takes up to 3 hours.

The number of blood samples and intervals actually depend on the purpose of the glucose tolerance test. When the main purpose is to simply check for diabetes, the most important blood sample is drawn after 2 hours and this could be the only sample collected. However, some physicians may request multiple samples, which are then taken in a span of 3 hours.

What are the purposes of this test?

This is one of the most trustworthy tools for diagnosing diabetes. It is also used to screen pregnant women for gestational diabetes. Even when the fasting blood sugar levels are normal, doctors use the glucose tolerance test if diabetes is suspected.

How to interpret the results?

Impaired glucose tolerance is also called ‘pre-diabetes’ condition. This means that the patient has an increased risk of developing diabetes, whereas, glucose level of 200 mg/dL indicates onset of type 2 diabetes.

What are the factors that may impact the results?

The results of the glucose tolerance test may be affected by factors like post-surgical stress, strenuous exercise, consumption of certain drugs like atypical antipsychotic medications, Beta-blockers, corticosteroids, estrogens, oral contraceptives, etc.

Simple, Natural Ways to Manage Your Blood Sugar Levels

The rates of diabetes are increasing dramatically. Many people diagnosed with diabetes find it challenging to control their blood sugar levels. Good control of blood sugar levels is necessary to maintain good health as those with diabetes are at high risk of developing other serious problems such as blindness, nerve damage, and kidney failure.

Diabetes is caused by too little insulin, insulin resistance (commonly called pre-diabetes), or both. The body turns food into glucose which is used for energy by our cells. Our pancreases make insulin to help transfer the glucose from our bloodstream to our cells. When the insulin isn’t doing its job properly the glucose builds up and is passed through our bodies through our urine. When this happens our bodies lose the fuel it needs to give us energy.

In initial stages, people are diagnosed with a metabolic syndrome and called pre-diabetic. They are put on the antidiabetic drug, metformin to treat the pre-diabetes and told to have high likelihood of developing full blown diabetes. Most of us don’t like the drugs because they made us feel tired and run down so it’s best to look into ways of treating our condition naturally without the use of drugs. It’s actually quite easy to control blood sugar levels when you learn how.

The Three Types of Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes: More commonly known as juvenile diabetes, this type of diabetes usually develops in childhood. Type 1 diabetes usually strikes suddenly and is fatal unless treated with insulin. Approximately 10% of the population has this type of diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes: Sometimes called non-insulin dependent or adult-onset diabetes, this type of diabetes is initially managed by diet and exercise. If these measures fail then medications such as metformin or insulin are used. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes.

Gestational Diabetes: Diagnosed during pregnancy, blood sugar levels return to normal after delivery.

Natural Ways to Control Blood Sugar

1. Avoid alcohol
2. Eat foods low on the glycemic index
3. Get active
4. Keep a healthy weight
5. Reduce stress
6. Use sweeteners instead of sugar
7. Get plenty of sleep
8. Don’t smoke
9. Eats lots of fiber
10. Check your blood glucose levels regularly
11. Have your thyroid checked

Controlling Blood Sugar Through Diet

How to Manage Fluctuating Blood Sugar

Contrary to popular belief there isn’t a diabetic diet. By monitoring carbohydrates and eating foods that are low on the glycemic index it’s easy to keep blood sugar levels steady. People who are overweight often have diets that contain lots of foods that are high on the glycemic index.

As a general rule most vegetables, fruits, nuts, and whole grains are low on the glycemic index while foods like white bread, rices, and most breakfast cereals are high on the index. Eating lots of fiber containing foods is beneficial in maintaining a healthy weight. Fiber makes you feel full longer and helps keep the hunger pangs away.

Hyperglycemia and Hypoglycemia

The first step is learning about blood sugar levels

When your blood sugar level is too low it’s called hypoglycemia and when it’s too high it’s called hyperglycemia. Having either one means your blood sugar is out of control. When your blood sugar levels fall below 4 mmol/L (72 mg/dl) you are suffering from hypoglycemia, a condition that can lead to seizures and loss of consciousness if the body doesn’t receive glucose to raise the blood sugar levels.

A blood sugar level over 11.1 mmol/l (200 mg/dl) is a sign of hyperglycemia and you have too much glucose in your blood stream. If hyperglycemia is experienced often and left untreated it can cause organ damage and failure. This is why it’s important to have a blood glucose monitoring kit so you can check your blood sugar levels and take action.

Controlling Your Blood Sugar Naturally

Try Some Cinnamon

A Tasty Way to Lower Blood Sugar

There’s some research that says cinnamon may be helpful in lowering blood sugar levels. Although more studies need to be done, they are finding that cinnamon, when used as a dietary supplement, lowers A1C levels in people with poorly controlled diabetes. You can read more about this from the Mayo Clinic. So sprinkle some cinnamon on your apple, and enjoy!

Eliminate Unnecessary Sugar

Use artificial sweeteners

Consumption of sugar directly affects blood sugar levels. Using artificial sweeteners in place of sugar is a wonderful way to keep blood sugar levels in check. There are different kinds of artificial sweeteners:

Saccharin: Found in Sweet ‘N Low and Sugar Twin

Aspartame: Found in NutraSweet and Equal

Sucralose: Also known as Splenda.

Stress

Find ways to eliminate it

Stress has a negative effect on the body and stress hormones increase blood sugar. So, it makes sense that reducing your stress will help you manage your diabetes.

Get Active

Keep moving

Type 2 diabetes is on the increase largely because of a growing population of inactive people so being more active is one of the key ways to counteract the effects of diabetes. Being at a healthy weight will do a lot to keep your blood sugar levels under control. So get up and get moving! Type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes respond especially well to exercise.

An aerobic exercise that gets your heart pumping will be more beneficial than doing an exercise like yoga. Since, heart disease is also a risk with diabetes you will be strengthening your heart as well. There are some differences between the effects of exercise on Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, so always check with your doctor before starting any vigorous exercise program so you know the safety parameters in which to operate.

Diabetes is the major disease that causes serious damage to retina. It is often observed that retina specialists encounter majority of eye damage patients who suffer from diabetes. Due to these reasons, it might not be wrong to say that diabetes is the leading cause of blindness among patients. Apart from other major organs, it seriously affects the eyes.

Also Read Diabetes Destroyer System Review David Andrews

Diabetic Retinopathy Symptoms

Diabetic retinopathy may not show any signs or symptoms. It does not matter how long the patient is suffering from diabetes, it won’t normally show any diabetic retinopathy symptoms.

Types of Diabetic Retinopathy

The two types include Background diabetic retinopathy (BDR) and Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

Background Diabetic Retinopathy

BDR is characterized as initial stage of the disease and results in hemorrhages, lipoid exudates and microaneurysms. This causes leakage of blood vessels just under macula.

Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

It results in neovascularization, which is growth of blood vessels inside retina of human eye. This growth is dangerous as it shoots off blood vessels over retina. Sometimes, this growth moves into iris and may possibly rupture retina resulting in hemorrhages. It is also observed that blood vessels can separate retina and result in retinal detachment for the eye.

Also Read about Diabetic Neuropathy and its Symptoms

How to Diagnose Retina Problems?

The method of diagnosis is not sophisticated and rather easy. When diagnosing the issue, majority of ophthalmologists use fluorescein angiogram. The process involves capturing bundle of photos using special filter after injecting the subject using fluorescein.

The fluorescein acts as a highlighter showing damage among the blood vessels in retina area. It is often seem that most patients get themselves diagnosed of retina damage using the same procedure applied by the doctor.

 Diabetic Retinopathy Treatment

The process of treatment starts after successful diagnose of the issue. There are a number of treatment procedures applied for Diabetic Retinopathy. No matter which type of retinopathy the patient is suffering from, the treatment process remains the same.

The procedure involves using argon laser to seal leakage among damaged blood vessels. It also supports and strengthens up weak vessels which are about to burst. The treatment is considered effective, since it immediately stops further damage to retina. When doing neovascularization, laser burns act as blocking medium to stop leaking among vessels. The patient may need to go 2 or 3 times visit to complete the procedure. However, the time period may vary depending upon severity of the problem.

How to Prevent Diabetic Retinopathy

It is rather unfortunate that diabetic retinopathy cannot be stopped from occurring. However, the only way to prevent is to prevent diabetes altogether. By maintaining blood sugar levels under normal range, eating healthy and doing exercise daily, it is possible to cure diabetes. With onset of diabetes, it rather becomes impossible to neglect chances of disease occurrence, which results from diabetic disorders.

A Small Review of Diabetes Free Program

Diabetes Destroyer eBook from David Andrews shows how diabetes can be reversed effectively in just 3 weeks. The program was designed for patients suffering from type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. By implementing David Andrews methods, many patients have been able to achieve positive results worldwide. Seems too good to be true? The program comes with a money back guarantee of 60 days, so anyone can try it risk-free!

The diabetic neuropathy turns out to be one of the common complications arising out of the diabetes disease. If you have diabetes, you are likely to develop this complication with growing age. The duration of diabetes and the onset of diabetic neuropathy are directly related to each other. When a person suffers from high blood pressure, there are more chances of damaging the nerves. The condition itself has no cure and you can control it effectively with the right management techniques. You can prevent the diabetic neuropathy, if you keep the blood sugar levels under normal condition.

Symptoms of Diabetic Neuropathy

The diabetic neuropathy can be categorized into four types based on its symptoms. All the types are listed below.

Peripheral Neuropathy

This is the most common type and affects the peripheral nerves. The limbs can become impaired due to the onset of disease. This is why, it is important to identify the disease at the right time.

The symptoms of the problem include tingling, loss of feeling in the hands and feet. The person feels jabbing and the muscles become extensively weak. The temperature and sensation towards pain keeps on decreasing. It is likely that patient develops the problems such as infections, ulcers and sores especially on the feet.

Also learn about “Natural Remedies for Diabetes“

Automatic Neuropathy

The automatic neuropathy can be disastrous since it can affect the automated functions of the human body. You must be aware of the fact that human body carries out many involuntary actions such as heart beating, sweating, digestion, etc. When you have diabetes, it can impact the nerves and you can develop the condition of automatic neuropathy. Here are the possible symptoms.

• Digestive issues
• Constipation
• Sexual issues in men and women
• Heart malfunction especially blood pressure issues

Proximal Neuropathy

This type of nerve damage can affect the areas like thighs, hips, buttocks and legs. It is relatively common in older people who are fighting with Type 2 diabetes. The symptoms of the disease include weight loss, abdominal swelling, mononeuropathy and weaker muscles.

Methods to Diagnose Diabetic Neuropathy

By taking the medical history and doing a complete physical and neurological checkup, the doctor can diagnose the disease. It is important that you provide all the symptoms in detail which helps them to make their assessment. They can perform a number of tests, which include the filament test. This test requires the use of monofilament which is nylon fit and put below the feet. The person’s test positive, if he was able to feel anything below his feet. It essentially means that nerves are already damaged. The foot examination is crucial for detecting diabetes. You can treat the disease without complications, if it is diagnosed earlier.

Diabetes turns out to be a difficult disease to cure on permanent basis, however it can be controlled effectively with help of proper diet and exercise routines. An eBook by David Andrews called Diabetes Destroyer shows how you can reverse and control Type 2 diabetes. It is a must read for everyone who wants to become knowledgeable about diabetes.

During the last few years, natural remedies for diabetes have gained great importance. However, it is rather unfortunate that most people are not familiar about effectiveness of these methods. These treatments help to get yourself free of diabetes naturally and backed up by scientific research.

When doing our research, we found that physical activities and diet management greatly helps to manage diabetes. The lifestyle changes ensure that your diabetes can be cured effectively within a short period of time. No matter if the person is suffering from Type 1, Type 2 or gestational diabetes, it can be effectively managed and cured.

Some patients who exhibit the symptoms of diabetic retinopathy are also advised to try out natural methods. Sleep is an important factor, which is directly related with onset of type 2 diabetes. For this reason, it is recommended to get proper rest and sleep to outrank possibilities of diabetes occurrence.

Some of the natural remedies for diabetes include use of essential elements, herbs, fruits and nutrients. Let me explain them in further detail.

Treatment through Vital Elements

Zinc is a vital element that acts as catalyst for the production and transfer of insulin inside human body. It also carries the characteristics to enhance cell sensitivity towards insulin and helps its absorption within the cells for metabolism. Besides this, Zinc is an effective antioxidant for the body.

Some other elements include Manganese and Zinc-Nickel-Cobalt. Manganese helps with metabolism of carbs with enhancement for the insulin. While the complex of zinc-nickel-cobalt regulates metabolism and tries to restore function of pancreas.

Herbs for Diabetes Treatment

The natural herbs are quite effective when it comes to the treatment of type 2 diabetes. These herbs not only help to regulate blood sugar levels but also help to restore function of insulin pancreas. Most of these herbs are used for centuries in eastern world to help with various diseases. These tend to produce long term positive affects for the patients in comparison to the short lived impact of conventional medicine.

Dandelion Root

This herb helps with lowering blood sugar levels. It directly impacts your immune system and makes it stronger. Since, diabetes makes you vulnerable to many other diseases, so it is a good ideas to use dandelion roots to strengthen up your immune system. These roots are available to purchase without need of any prescription.

All you need is to mix two tablespoons of roots with half liter of hot water. Mix them thoroughly and pour down the solution into a thermos. Give the liquid mixture 8 hours to get ready. You can take it daily up to three to four times. A good idea is to drink it thirty minutes or 1 hour before each meal.

Nettle

The herb is used to treat diseases related to liver, tuberculosis and gastrointestinal tract. Not many people are familiar with use of Nettle to regulate blood sugar levels.

Other Herbs and Elements

Besides this Juniper Berries, hawthorn, fenugreek, garlic, blueberry leaves, Ginseng, Cinnamon and green tea are also used to treat diabetes naturally. These effectively help to reverse pre diabetes symptoms and signs of hypoglycemia. Magnesium and B vitamins have proved to carry hypoglycemic effect for diabetic patients.

Diabetes is a disease which causes the pancreas to stop production of insulin inside human body. The hormone (insulin) helps the body cells to store glucose. The common term used by diabetic patients “blood sugar” refers to the same glucose, which insulin helps to store inside the body. The insulin hormone functions as taking out the blood sugar from your blood and putting it inside the muscle cells. The excess glucose still remains in the blood stream, while the required portion is absorbed inside the cells.

Complications of Diabetes

Diabetes causes lots of problems such as damaging the nerves, heart, blood vessels, kidneys and the immune system. The blood sugar in the body is responsible for causing this destruction. Those patients who are unaware of the high blood sugar are prone to develop problems like stiff blood vessels which can easily get damaged due to high blood pressure.

The sugar not only damages the blood vessels but it also causes severe damage to the nerves. The glucose sticks to the nerves in your hands and feet, which results in loss of sensitivity. In medical terms, this condition is called peripheral neuropathy.

Diabetes severely damages the function of the kidney. In severe cases, it ultimately results in kidney failure and the patient needs a kidney replacement from a donor. It also causes significant damage to the heart due to persistent high blood pressure condition.

What Is Cure for Diabetes?

The cure for diabetes depends upon the type of diabetes of each patient. In many countries, especially United States and United Kingdom, people suffer from Type 2 diabetes. This diabetes is common in adults and develops at adult age. However, type 1 diabetes is common among children and teenagers. It occurs due to the damage of pancreatic cells, which are responsible for the production of insulin inside body.

Despite of recent development in technology and science, the type 1 diabetes is still not treatable. There is no cure available for it, although medical experts are trying to find a permanent cure for it.

On the other hand, type 2 diabetes is curable among the patients. The disease occurs due to improper diet and lack of exercise. It normally occurs among the obese and overweight persons, whose pancreases slowly decline to perform their function. The good news is that type 2 diabetes is reversible with the help of diet and exercise. If proper techniques are followed the levels of blood sugar inside the body can be controlled and the body can slowly regain its proper function. The type 2 diabetes patients also use insulin injections and other medications as a cure for their disease.

During initial stages of type 2 diabetes, the body still produces insulin. However, the little amount of this hormone is not enough to normalize the high blood sugar levels inside human body. The reversal of diabetes is quite possible during this stage with help of diet control and medication. In fact, this is the best time to reverse diabetes with help of diet only!

Diabetes can be cured with help of Diabetes Destroyer Program. It is a book by David Andrews that explains various methods to control and reverse diabetic conditions. Most people don’t want to control their diet and take proper exercise unless there is no other option left for them. These are only two ways that can help you becoming diabetes free. You can either intake lots of medications or you just work hard to see the change in your body.

Good exercise will not only help you to lose weight but it will also help your pancreas to regain their normal function. It means that your body cells will start functioning again to store glucose. Apart from exercise, you need to concentrate on your diet too!