Search Results for: blog diabetes low blood sugar

Diabetes Screening

Have your ever been screened for diabetes? Did you know that there are an estimated 7 million people in America with undiagnosed diabetes and 79 million people with pre-diabetes? This is according to the American Diabetes Association. Undiagnosed diabetes can have some serious consequences and complications including eye problems, skin infections, heart disease, kidney disease, hearing loss and even depression, among others. With adequate diagnosis and treatment, many of these issues could be lessened or even avoided altogether. So when should you get screened for diabetes and what is involved? Usually, all that is required is a simple urine or … Continue reading →

Gestational Diabetes May Raise Risk of ADHD

A new study finds that babies who are born to mother’s who have gestational diabetes are twice as likely to have ADHD than are their peers, (whose mother’s did not have gestational diabetes). Another factor that increases the risk of ADHD is when children are born into families with a below-average socioeconomic status. There was a study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. Researchers followed 212 children who lived in Queens, New York. The children were from “ethnically and socioeconomically diverse” backgrounds. A total of 10% of the children in the study were exposed to gestational diabetes. … Continue reading →

Diabetes and Weight Loss

November is Diabetes Awareness Month. I know every month seems to have a mascot these days but it can be crucial to your health to know more about this illness. If you do not have diabetes you need to be aware of the factors that can contribute to you developing Type 2 diabetes. If you currently have Type 2 diabetes you will want to learn more about how to lower your blood sugar through diet and exercise and lessening your dependence on insulin. In a National Institutes of Healthy study, participants who were over weight and had high yet not … Continue reading →

Foods to Help Prevent Diabetes

Since diabetes runs in my family, I am trying to do everything I can to avoid getting it. Diabetes statistics in the U.S. are staggering. Almost 26 million adults and children have diabetes. And, even more frightening, 79 million are pre-diabetic like myself. I’ve preached about how exercise and diet are great ways to starve off diabetes as long as possible, but there are also some foods that can help fight it. Bean Beans are a great way to raise your blood sugar levels very slowly because they are considered high-quality carbohydrates. And think of how many you have to … Continue reading →

Halloween Safety for Children with Diet Restrictions

Posted on by

For children with diabetes, cystic fibrosis, food allergies, Prader-Willi Syndrome and other special diet needs, Halloween can be frustrating. Here are some ways to make the day easier on your stress level while still maintaining the fun for your little one. Diabetes * Rather than trick-or-treating, host a Halloween party at which you can control the treats that are available. You can include sugar-free candy and treats in addition to fun items like Halloween stickers, silly bandz, and toys. * Keep the portion of candy that your child eats to a reasonable portion size and incorporate it into meals and … Continue reading →

Why You Should Take Gestational Diabetes Seriously

Today I took my glucose test for my monthly pregnancy check-up… you know that gross orange sugar drink they make you swallow down without any food or drink before or after. Well I failed my test. I had failed it during my first pregnancy, but then passed the actual test a week later. This time I failed by a greater margin, so much so that they aren’t even sending me for the actual gestational diabetes test, they are just assuming that I have gestational diabetes. So now what? Turns out there’s a lot more at risk than just having a … Continue reading →

Gestational Diabetes Lifestyle: Better Food

Posted on by

A gestational diabetes diagnosis can really throw a wrench into an otherwise happy pregnancy. Suddenly you’re no longer allowed to gleefully succumb to your cravings. Instead you’re trapped by a strict diet plan. Writing up your grocery list becomes even more of a chore than it was before because you’re trying to count carbs. You doubt your usual dinner repertoire is going to work this week and you struggle to come up with a new meal plan. When your family doesn’t want to eat what’s on your menu, it becomes even more frustrating. You’re on a diet you didn’t sign … Continue reading →

Gestational Diabetes and the Family Link

Did you know that women who have a family history of diabetes have a higher chance of developing gestational diabetes during their pregnancy? According to a new study, the risks are even higher if that family member is a sibling, as opposed to a parent. Gestational diabetes, which is usually diagnosed in the second half of pregnancy, affects about three percent of all pregnant women. It causes higher than normal blood sugar levels, which can lead to your baby developing jaundice, gaining too much weight, and/or having low blood sugar (due to the sudden drop in sugars once she is … Continue reading →

Treating Pre-Diabetes

A diagnosis of pre-diabetes can be a serious wake up call. Pre-diabetes means that you have elevated blood sugar levels, but they aren’t quite high enough to be considered diabetes… yet. According to the American Diabetes Association, more than a tenth of people diagnosed with pre-diabetes end up dealing with the full version of the disease within a year. There are two main things you can do to treat pre-diabetes and prevent going into full diabetes: make changes to your diet and increase your activity. Making a lifestyle change works — the Diabetes Prevention Program study from the American Diabetes … Continue reading →

What is Pre-Diabetes?

A family member was recently diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Pre-diabetes is when your blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. Pre-diabetes is a new name for an existing condition: impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose. Those names come from the test used to determine the blood sugar levels. Why the new name? Because calling it “pre-diabetes” gives patients a much clearer view of what the test results mean. A person with pre-diabetes is on his or her way to full blown diabetes. A person with pre-diabetes may already be experiencing some … Continue reading →