Diabetes type 2 symptoms: Bad breath, tooth decay or bleeding gums are a warning

From express.co.uk

DIABETICS are three times more likely to develop dental problems than those who have healthy blood sugar levels. Early warning signs of type 2 diabetes can be so slight, they're easily missed, and then complications can occur.

Type 2 diabetes can lead to tooth decay - something you may not have thought was associated with high blood sugar levels. Too much sugar in the blood can result in more sugar in the saliva, which is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. The charity Diabetes UK explained the bacteria in the mouth then produces acid that attacks the tooth enamel and damages the gums. Blood vessels in the gums can also be targeted by the bacteria, causing infections.

The double-whammy is that gum disease and infections can then trigger even higher blood sugar levels, putting you more at risk of wider complications, such as heart disease.

Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to gum inflammation (gingivitis) and infection of the soft tissue and bones that supports the teeth (periodontitis). There may be issues with oral thrush, a dry mouth, tooth loss or abscesses.

Early signifiers of dental issues include redness, soreness, and bad breath.

Type 2 diabetes: Tooth decay is linked to the condition (Image: Getty)

Do pay attention if you have any of the early warning signs of type 2 diabetes. This includes going to the toilet frequently, especially during the night, and feeling extremely thirsty. Feelings of fatigue are common, while cuts and wounds may take longer to heal. Losing weight without trying to is also a cause for concern, which requires medical attention.

If you're concerned you might have diabetes, but would like a definite answer, the best thing to do is to arrange a blood test via your doctor.

Do discuss your concerns, and any symptoms you might be experiencing, and the doctor can arrange for your blood sugar levels to be checked.

Your results may come back as "pre-diabetes", meaning your blood sugar leaves are higher than normal, but not high enough to be considered diabetes. This does mean, however, that you're at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future.

              The condition explained (Image: Express)

How to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes

There are three main steps to reducing your risk of diabetes, which are:

• Eating well
• Moving more
• Losing weight if you need to

A healthy diet

Eating well involves cutting out all energy and sugary, fizzy drinks from your diet.

This also means enjoying a cup of tea or coffee without adding any sugar to it, and avoiding fruit juices or smoothies.

Instead, the charity recommends drinking plain water, plain milk, and unsweetened tea and/or coffee.

To have a healthy diet, swap refined carbohydrates for wholegrains; Diabetes UK lists easy swaps, such as:

• Swap white rice for brown rice
• Swap white bread for brown bread

Choose whole-wheat pasta, flour, bread and oats, which will be noted on food labels.

Other healthy sources of carbohydrates include:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Chickpeas
• Beans
• Lentils

You'll also need to cut down on red, processed meats and opt for healthier protein.

Cut down on:

• Bacon
• Ham
• Sausages
• Pork
• Beef
• Lamb

Eat more of:

• Beans
• Lentils
• Eggs
• Fish
• Chicken
• Turkey
• Unsalted nuts

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1403493/diabetes-type-2-symptoms-signs-tooth-decay-high-blood-sugar-levels

Type 2 diabetes: The 5 best power foods to control blood sugar through nutrition

From timesnownews.com

Diabetes can be deadly if not treated properly. It affects your overall health and weakens you from within. You need to upgrade your eating habits to fight diabetes

Photo Credits: Pixabay  

Key Highlights

• Diabetes causes high blood sugar levels and invites many health complications to your body

• You must pay attention to your diet if you suffer from high blood sugar

• Here are 5 power foods that will help you in controlling your diabetic situation

New Delhi: Diabetes is a chronic illness wherein your blood sugar levels rise abnormally, affecting different organs of your body. Insufficient production of insulin is the main cause of diabetes. Different types of diabetes can occur to you causing different kinds of impact on your health. Once your blood sugar levels start rising, there is no coming back from that.

General symptoms of anxiety include frequent urination, weight loss, blurry vision, extreme fatigue and increased thirst and hunger. Diabetic symptoms in women can cause yeast infections, vaginal dryness and urinary tract infections. Pregnant women can also suffer from diabetes which is popularly known as gestational diabetes. There are many health complications that come along with diabetes such as kidney failure, heart stroke, depression, dementia, skin conditions, hearing loss and loss of sight.

The most important thing you need to pay attention to when you are diabetic is your lifestyle and your eating habits. You should eat healthy if you want to keep your blood sugar levels in check. There are certain power foods that are extremely beneficial for people suffering from diabetes. You will obviously have to keep taking your medications, but these foods will make the process of getting better easy for you. Foods that are nutritious and have low glycaemic index are beneficial for diabetic patients.

5 best foods to control diabetes

1. Tomatoes- Tomatoes contain lycopene which reduces the risk of many chronic diseases including diabetes. It has very low GI which is a must when you are diabetic. Tomato is a non-starchy food which means it is tailor-made for blood sugar patients. Tomato consumption is extremely healthy not only for diabetic situations but also for the health complications that come along with diabetes.
2. Oranges- Oranges are citrus foods that are rich in fiber. You can either eat the fruit or drink orange juice. Both are beneficial in this case. If you choose to drink the juice, make sure that you do not add any sugar in it. Citrus fruits have the ability to lower the risk of diabetes.
3. Beans- Beans are extremely nutritious in nature. It has minerals like potassium and magnesium which deliver the right amount of nutrients you need in order to fight diabetes. Beans have a low GI. It protects you from all the complications that your body goes through while you are suffering from high blood sugar.
4. Kale- Kale along with other leafy green vegetables is the best power food for diabetes. It contains vitamin A and vitamin K. It has a ton of nutrients that neutralize your blood sugar levels. It is considered as a superfood. People consume kale either cooked or even boiled. Some people prefer drinking kale juice as it is more effective and acts faster as compared to eating the vegetable.
5. Nuts/Seeds- Nuts like walnuts and flaxseeds contain fibre, magnesium and omega-3 fatty acids. These are not only good for diabetes but also for your heart health and cholesterol levels. If you are diabetic you must always carry nuts with you as they help in controlling your blood sugar levels. People who eat nuts are have a low risk of developing diabetes.

https://www.timesnownews.com/health/article/type-2-diabetes-the-5-best-power-foods-to-control-blood-sugar-through-nutrition/722860

Unraveling the Complex Link between COVID and Diabetes

From scientificamerican.com

Infection with the pandemic-causing virus seems to trigger diabetes in some patients. Here are five plausible explanations as to why

When COVID-19 began its inexorable march across the planet, doctors noticed that diabetes was among the conditions that make people particularly vulnerable to the new infection. Diabetic patients are three times as likely as nondiabetics to develop a severe case of COVID and they are two to three times as likely to die of it.

Doctors noticed something else as well: patients who had no history of diabetes sometimes developed severe diabetic symptoms while battling COVID, and some remained diabetic after COVID resolved. According to a meta-analysis of eight studies published in late November, as many as 14 percent of hospitalized COVID patients developed what appeared to be “new onset” diabetes.

Can the pandemic virus, SARS-CoV-2, directly trigger diabetes, or does something else explain these COVID-related cases? That question is the subject of a heated scientific debate and investigations that may ultimately lead to a better understanding of both ailments.

Muddying the waters are several confounding factors such as the fact that any acute illness can disturb glucose metabolism, that COVID treatment can also impact blood sugar, and conflicting data on whether or not SARS-CoV-2 can invade insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.

“The relationship between COVID-19 and diabetes is very complex,” says Francesco Rubino, chair of metabolic and bariatric surgery at King’s College London, “and it might involve more than one issue.”

To help solve the puzzle, Rubino—along with two King’s colleagues and Paul Zimmet, professor of diabetes at Australia’s Monash University and a co-author of the meta-analysis—have established an international registry called CoviDIAB to compile extremely detailed case histories of new-onset diabetes in COVID patients. Their announcement of the registry in an August issue of the New England Journal of Medicine drew responses from hundreds of clinicians around the world and, so far, about 165 completed case reports have been submitted. Preliminary analysis of the data will likely begin when at least 200 cases are registered, Rubino says.

In the meantime, he, Zimmet and other experts point to at least five explanations for the sudden appearance of diabetic symptoms in patients with COVID. All of them may be playing a role.

1. The virus may directly attack insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Diabetes is fundamentally a disease of insufficient production of, or response to, insulin, the hormone that enables cells to use glucose as a fuel. In type 1 diabetes, which often strikes in childhood or adolescence, people lack the capacity to produce insulin because the beta cells in the pancreas have been destroyed by antibodies that target the body’s own proteins. In type 2 diabetes, the more common form, body cells have become less sensitive to insulin and beta cells are depleted or dysfunctional.

Perhaps the biggest point of contention about diabetes and COVID is whether or not SARS-CoV-2 directly attacks and destroys the specialized beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. There is evidence for and against this idea. For example, a study conducted last year at Cornell University showed that insulin-producing cells cultured in a lab express ACE2 receptors—the key doorway through which SARS-CoV-2 enters human cells—and that the virus can invade these cells. A 2010 study also found ACE2 on beta cells and suggested that the earlier SARS-CoV virus could use the receptors to enter and destroy those cells. Zimmet says that there is further evidence from postmortem studies of COVID patients showing the destruction of pancreatic beta cells. “I won’t say I am 100 percent convinced, but it’s a very, very plausible explanation,” he says.

Others are less persuaded. A study led by researchers at Vanderbilt University and published in Cell Metabolism in December searched for expression of the ACE2 protein in beta cells and found only negligible amounts. A second protein called TMPRSS2 that also plays a role in coronavirus entry to cells was largely absent as well. “We really thought this might explain how the virus got into beta cells, but we did not find the necessary proteins there” says Alvin C. Powers, director of the Vanderbilt Diabetes Center and a senior author of the study. “Negative findings are less exciting but very important.  We are confident of our results.” He notes that a second study published in the same issue of Cell Metabolism came to the same conclusion.

2. The virus may indirectly attack insulin production. While scientists may disagree about whether SARS-CoV-2 can directly enter beta cells, there is evidence suggesting that it can attack other parts of the pancreas. Both of the Cell Metabolism studies found that viral entry proteins were expressed elsewhere in the pancreas and in the small blood vessels that nourish beta cells.

“One could envision a scenario in which the virus could affect these micro blood vessels and beta cells could die,” Powers suggests. Or it could infect other areas of the pancreas inducing inflammation that disrupts insulin production, he adds.

The virus might also bring on diabetes by attacking or inflaming other organs and tissues that are involved in glucose metabolism. ACE-2 receptors are plentiful in the intestines, blood vessels and liver, Rubino notes: “What happens if [viral infection] creates a dysfunctional intestine that doesn’t do its normal job in regulating blood sugar levels? What happens if the virus interferes with liver function, which is also so crucial?”

Even more concerning, Rubino says, is a scenario in which the virus enters several organs at once, creating multiple disruptions. “That could end up creating forms of diabetes that we haven’t seen before. Not type 1 or type 2 but something in between, something atypical.”

Credit: Willie B. Thomas Getty Images       

3. Acute illness and inflammation are causing symptoms of diabetes. Doctors have known for decades that any severe health event—pneumonia, heart attack, stroke, trauma—can cause blood glucose levels to spike, a condition called hyperglycemia that is a signature of diabetes. Stress-related hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline are believed to cause this elevation, which may subside when the patient recovers or may leave the patient permanently diabetic.

There is no doubt that severe COVID can impose the kind of stress that raises blood glucose in patients who have no history of diabetes, and sends it sky high in those who do.

Endocrinologist Alyson Myers sees this phenomenon daily in her role as medical director of inpatient diabetes at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y. Patients admitted there with COVID, she says, rarely have blood sugar levels in the normal range, which is below 140 milligrams of glucose per deciliter of blood. “They are usually coming in in the 200s,” whether they have a history of diabetes or not, and some arrive in an especially dangerous, hyperglycemic state called diabetic ketoacidosis, more typically seen in type 1 diabetes. “So, it’s not just new-onset, but new-onset of this severe form,” Myers says.

Hyperglycaemia on admission is a predictor of mortality, Myers says, “so you want to get that sugar down as quickly as possible.” It’s not unusual for hospitalized COVID patients to be given very large doses of insulin, even if they never required it in the past.

4. Treating COVID with steroids raises blood sugar. A standard treatment for severe COVID-19 at Myers’ hospital and many others is a combination of the anti-viral drug remdesevir and high doses of a steroid drug such as dexamethasone, which tamps down inflammation. The latter drug, however, raises insulin resistance and may therefore make hyperglycaemia even worse.

This treatment, too, is a reason that COVID patients may suddenly develop severe symptoms of diabetes. “Between the COVID and the steroids, their blood sugar is through the roof,” Myers says, “and we have to give them really high doses of insulin to combat that.”

5. New-onset diabetes might not actually be all that new.  The fact that a patient has no recorded history of diabetes does not mean that they weren’t already diabetic or pre-diabetic or predisposed to the disease by virtue of genetics, obesity or some other factor.

All of these conditions are remarkably common. In the U.S., for example, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 10.5 percent of people have diabetes, one fifth of whom have not yet been diagnosed. Another 34 percent of the adult population has elevated blood sugar in the prediabetic range.

“Diabetes is typically a silent disease for a very long time,” Rubino says. “Estimates are that you may have it for five or more years without knowing it.” 

One way to tell whether silent diabetes was already present in COVID patients, Rubino notes, is with a commonly used blood test called A1C that indicates average blood sugar levels for the previous three months: “A normal A1C allows you to be more confident that there wasn’t any diabetes two or three months ago.” Where available, A1C data will be an illuminating component of the CoviDIAB registry, as will follow-up data showing whether COVID-related diabetes vanishes as suddenly as it arose or if it persists.

Understanding precisely how the coronavirus disrupts glucose metabolism could help resolve longstanding questions about the role other infections play in diabetes. Viruses such as Coxsackie B and rubella are known to be associated with some cases of type 1 diabetes, but small data sets have made it difficult to pin down a mechanism. “With a pandemic we will probably see more cases than we’ve ever seen before,” Rubino says. “That’s why the story of COVID and diabetes is important for the understanding the role of viruses in causing diabetes.”

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/unraveling-the-complex-link-between-covid-and-diabetes/

Can a high fibre diet help treat type 2 diabetes?

From medicalnewstoday.com

Few people in the United States have enough fibre in their diets — and fibre may be particularly important for people with diabetes. A high fibre intake may reduce fasting blood glucose levels, among other benefits.

Fibre is the portion of a plant that the body cannot break down during digestion. Only about 5% of people in the U.S. get enough of it in their diets.

Fibre supports health in a range of ways, including reducing this risk of heart disease. For people with diabetes, a high fibre diet may have added benefits.

In this article, learn about the link between fibre and diabetes and which foods are good sources of this plant-based nutrient.

Is a high fibre diet good for people with diabetes?

The American Diabetes Association say that people with diabetes should follow the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

These recommend that people older than 18 get 22–35 grams (g) of fibre each day. They give more specific targets, too, depending on a person’s sex and age.

A high fibre diet may have important benefits for people with diabetes. A 2018 review of studies found that a higher fibre intake was linked to slightly lower fasting blood glucose levels.

Other research suggests that a high fibre diet can help control a person’s glycosylated haemoglobin levels. A glycosylated haemoglobin test shows a person’s average blood glucose level for a few months before the test. This indicates how well their diabetes is being managed over time.

Fibre may provide a range of other health benefits, for everyone. Research indicates that it may:

• lower the risks of developing:
  • obesity
  • stroke
  • hypertension
  • heart disease
  • certain gastrointestinal diseases
• reduce levels of potentially harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol
• lower blood pressure
• improve insulin sensitivity
• support weight loss by increasing feelings of fullness

Fibre comes in two forms: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre breaks down to form a gel-like substance in the stomach. Bacteria further breaks it down as it travels through the digestive tract.

This type absorbs cholesterol and dietary fats. It helps reduce levels of LDL cholesterol and control blood glucose levels after a meal.

Insoluble fibre, on the other hand, does not break down and adds bulk to stool, helping it move efficiently through the digestive tract.

Fibre-rich foods often contain both forms in varying amounts. Some good sources of fibre include:

• whole grains, such as:
  • oats
  • brown rice
  • quinoa
  • whole grain breads and cereals
• fruits
• seeds
• nuts
• vegetables

Understanding fibre values on food labels

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), foods labelled “high” in fibre must contain at least 20% of a person’s daily recommended value of fibre, or at least 5 g in the defined serving.

For a product to advertise a “good” amount of fibre, it must contain at least 10% of the recommended daily value of fibre, or between 2.5 g and 5 g in the defined serving.

Snacks

Some snacks can help a person increase their fibre intake. The following snacks have good amounts of fibre, along with other nutrients.

Almonds

Almonds contain healthy unsaturated fats and protein. Also, a 1-ounce (oz) serving provides about 4 g of fibre.

Opt for raw almonds, and avoid those roasted with added flavours, salt, or sugar.

Air-popped popcorn

While some popcorn is loaded with butter, salt, sugar, and other unhealthy toppings, plain air-popped popcorn can be a healthy snack.

It is also a relatively substantial source of fibre, with 1 cup providing about 1.15 g.

Chia seeds

Chia seeds are a great source of fibre, with about 5 g in every tablespoon. These seeds work well in salads, yogurt, cereal, or baked goods.

Hummus

Hummus is made with chickpeas, which provide about 13 g of fibre per cup.

A person can make hummus at home relatively easily. Or, opt for store-bought varieties, which come in many flavours.

Bananas

One medium banana has about 3.3 g of fibre. A person might add slices to oatmeal or pair it with peanut butter.

Many people with diabetes need to monitor their intake of carbohydrates. In the list above, almonds, hummus, and chia seeds are high in fibre and contain lower amounts of carbohydrates.

Recipes

There are many ways to add fibre-rich foods to meals. Find some ideas below:

Oatmeal with berries

To get the most fibre from oatmeal, it is best to choose minimally processed steel-cut or rolled oats, rather than fast-cook products. A half-cup of rolled oats contains about 5 g of fibre.

Topping oatmeal with berries can boost the fibre intake and add sweetness. One cup of berries has just over 3 g of fibre.

A salad with dark greens

Dark greens such as spinach and kale are rich in vitamins and can form the base of salads or side dishes.

Kale contains about 4.1 g of fibre per 100-g serving. Add an olive oil vinaigrette and a sprinkling of nuts, vegetables, or fruit.

Baked sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes contain about 2.7 g of fibre per 100-g serving.

Toppings make all the difference. Opt for baked potatoes or air fries with healthy toppings such as low fat cheese or spices and herbs.

Cooked lentils

Lentils are a staple in soups and grain dishes. They contain about 7 g of fibre for every 35-g serving.

Brussels sprout

These contain about 3.4 g of fibre per cup. Brussels sprouts cook well in the air fryer or oven. Or, a person might sauté them in olive oil with spices, herbs, lemon, Parmesan cheese, or garlic.

High fibre foods chart Most plant foods contain some fibre. The following are foods with high fibre contents: Food Serving size     Fibre      Carbs Almonds (raw) 1 oz     4 g 6 g Artichoke 1 medium     6.9 g 13.5 g Avocado 100 g     6.7 g 8.5 g Banana 1 medium     3.3 g 28.8 g Brussels sprouts 1 cup     3.4 g 8.1 g Chia seeds 1 tablespoon     5 g 5 g Chickpeas 1 cup     13 g 47.1 g Kale 1 cup     0.9 g 0.9 g Lentils 35 g     7 g 23 g Mixed berries 1 cup     3.2 g 14.6 g Pear 1 fruit     5.6 g 27.4 g Rolled oats 1/2 cup     5 g 34 g Sweet potato 100 g     2.7 g 20 g The takeaway Fibre can play an important role in managing type 2 diabetes by promoting healthy blood sugar levels. Getting enough fibre may also lower the risk of other chronic conditions, including heart disease. Many plant foods contain significant amounts of fibre and are relatively simple to incorporate into snacks and meals. Whenever possible, opt for fresh, minimally processed foods and make snacks and meals at home. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/high-fiber-diet-diabetes#high-fiber-foods-chart

Expert Perspectives: How does stigma affect people with type 2 diabetes?

From medicalnewstoday.com

Diabetes is a very common chronic disease. Stigma still exists and can negatively impact a person’s self-care behaviours. This may make it less likely they get the help they need to manage the condition

What is diabetes stigma? 

Diabetes stigma occurs when a person living with diabetes feels excluded, rejected, or blamed for living with a chronic condition, say researchers. The person may feel as though others are judging them.

Certain observable behaviours and characteristics of diabetes may lead a person to feel stigma and shame. Examples include:

• taking insulin injections
• having hypoglycaemic episodes
• regularly monitoring blood glucose levels
• adhering to dietary restrictions
• having excess body weight

“Much of the stigma about weight and being in a larger body […] becomes associated with type 2 diabetes,” explains Dr. Elizabeth Wassenaar, a regional medical director at the Eating and Recovery Centre and Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Centre in Denver, CO.

Diabetes stigma can affect people in unexpected ways. An article that appeared in The Lancet describes a woman who won a discrimination lawsuit against a local concert venue because a security guard refused to let her bring an energy drink into a show despite it being necessary to treat hypoglycaemia.

A 2018 survey by the non-profit organization Diabetes UK found that more than one-third of people with diabetes had not told their employers about their diagnosis. In addition, 1 in 6 people said that they felt discriminated against in the workplace due to their diabetes, and 1 in 4 wished that they had more time for breaks to monitor their blood sugar levels, take insulin, and attend doctor appointments.

Why does diabetes stigma exist?

Researchers and diabetes experts have several theories about why diabetes stigma exists.

One theory is that shame may be associated with self-criticism. A 2017 study involving 5,422 people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes concluded that stigma disproportionately affects those who struggle to manage their condition. The researchers found that people who had a high body mass index (BMI) or A1C level or reported that they were unable to control their blood glucose levels were most likely to feel stigma.

Jaclyn Morris, a registered dietitian with the DaVita Kidney Care outpatient dialysis centre in Moorpark, CA, says that diabetes stigma causes many of her patients to feel guilty and responsible for their condition. “They feel they didn’t control their blood sugars enough and now are on dialysis, requiring more care, which can place more strain on their families and finances,” says Morris.

A person living with type 2 diabetes may also feel criticized by others for having excess body weight, eating the wrong foods, or not doing enough to prevent their condition.

A 2013 review article reported that people living with diabetes might feel as though people are continually judging and monitoring them. Meanwhile, people without diabetes often do not realize that diabetes stigma exists. The researchers conclude that these realities can affect the self-care, the self-esteem, and, ultimately, the clinical outcomes of people living with diabetes.

“Many people erroneously believe that if you control your diet or weight, you can completely prevent type 2 diabetes. They translate that to mean that if you have type 2 diabetes, you are ‘out of control’ and bringing this on yourself,” explains Dr. Wassenaar.

Media may also play a role in promoting stigma. According to the diaTribe Foundation, a non-profit organization, reputable news organizations have published stories about how diabetes treatment contributes to the rising cost of healthcare. The group says that people living with diabetes feel frustrated that society seems to believe that the condition is no big deal and that fully managing it is possible with simple lifestyle changes.

How does diabetes stigma harm people with type 2 diabetes? 

Research has shown that diabetes stigma can harm a person’s self-image and lead to mental health problems. A 2020 study of more than 2,000 people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes linked this stigma to symptoms of depression, anxiety, and distress.

“I have several patients who come to treatment carrying the belief that they’ve brought [type 2 diabetes] on themselves. They have a great deal of difficulty letting these ideas go — that their own value or worth is tied to how their body responds to food,” says Dr. Wassenaar.

These beliefs can prevent people from caring for themselves and seeking the help they need. “Intrinsic bias impacts almost everything, including medical education, and can cause people who need help with mood or disordered eating to be missed by healthcare providers or given medical advice that worsens their mental health,” says Dr. Wassenaar.

An accurate mental health diagnosis and proper care can ultimately improve type 2 diabetes markers, Dr. Wassenaar explains. “Don’t assume that dieting is going to address depression, anxiety, or disordered eating,” she says.

The takeaway

Diabetes stigma is the feeling of being judged or shamed for living with this chronic condition. If it goes unrecognized, it can increase the person’s risk of anxiety and depression. Experiencing stigma can discourage people from seeking the treatment they need and engaging in self-care, which can increase the risk of diabetes complications.

People who feel stigma related to diabetes should be sure to talk to their healthcare team and consider seeing a mental health professional. Getting the proper care can help improve not only a person’s mental health but also their diabetes outcomes.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/type-2-diabetes-stigma#takeaway

Diabetes type 2: Hearing loss could be a symptom of the lifelong condition

From express.co.uk

DIABETES type 2 affects many parts of the body and as such gives warnings indicating something is not right. Loss of hearing could be a sign of the condition.

Diabetes type 2 would seem benign were it not for the threat of rising blood sugar levels - the main sugar found in blood. It is an important source of energy and provides nutrients to the body but having too much of it can inflict damage on the vessels that supply blood to vital organs, thereby increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. The pancreas is normally charged with regulating blood sugar - the organ secretes a hormone called that keeps a check on it. Noticing your level of hearing deteriorating could be a sign of the condition.

You could be at risk of the high blood sugar condition if you suddenly find it hard to hear other people clearly, it’s been claimed.

Gradual hearing loss could be a warning sign of diabetes type 2, scientists have claimed. The exact link between hearing loss and diabetes isn’t entirely clear, but it could be caused by nerve damage to the auditory nerve, said Diabetes.co.uk.

Diabetes type 2: Hearing loss could be an early symptom of the condition (Image: Getty Images)

Having prolonged high blood sugar can affect the supply of blood or oxygen to the nerves and blood vessels inside the ear. Over time, these blood vessels become damaged, which affects the patient’s ability to hear properly, it said.

“Diabetes has been linked to the development of hearing problems in various research studies,” said Diabetes.co.uk.

Studies show that hearing loss is twice as common in people who have diabetes than in those who don’t.

Studies have analysed data from hearing tests of adults between the ages of 20 and 69. They concluded that diabetes may contribute to hearing loss by damaging nerves and blood vessels.

Similar studies have shown a possible link between hearing loss and nerve damage.

Dr Amy Bibby said: “Some people may experience more unusual symptoms and signs of diabetes. It is usually a range and combination of different symptoms that a patient will experience before being diagnosed with diabetes and it will vary case to case.

“Blood vessels can become damaged if a patient has high blood sugar. Hearing loss can be another more unusual, pre-diabetic symptom in those who have higher blood sugar. This is due to the blood vessels and nerves of the ears which are more likely to be damaged and therefore cause a loss of hearing.”

It’s known that high blood sugar can damage blood vessels throughout the body, including your ears. If you’ve had diabetes for a long time and it isn’t well-controlled, there could be damage to the vast network of small blood vessels in your ears.

Evidence suggests that women with diabetes may experience greater hearing loss than those without the disease. This also applies to women with well-controlled diabetes.

Another complication of diabetes is nerve damage which may affect the auditory nerves leading to hearing loss.

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1400613/diabetes-type-2-sign-symptom-hearing-loss-nerve-damage

Exercise and weight loss can cut your risk of Type 2 diabetes in half, study shows

From safetyandhealthmagazine.com

Norwich, England — Losing a few pounds and increasing physical activity can significantly reduce your risk for Type 2 diabetes, results of a recent study led by researchers from Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and the University of East Anglia suggest.

The researchers used data from the Norfolk Diabetes Prevention Study – a clinical trial that spanned eight years and involved supportive efforts to change lifestyle, dietary and physical activity habits of more than 1,000 people at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

They found that the participants who made “modest” lifestyle changes, including losing 4.4 to 6.6 pounds and increasing physical activity over two years, reduced their risk of Type 2 diabetes 40% to 47%.

“We are delighted with the results of this trial, as until now no one was very sure if a real-world lifestyle program prevented Type 2 diabetes in the prediabetes population we studied, as there have been no clinical trials that had shown this,” study co-author Mike Sampson, NDPS chief investigator and consultant in diabetes at NNU, said in a press release. “We have now shown a significant effect in Type 2 diabetes prevention, and we can be very optimistic that even a modest weight loss, and an increase in physical activity, in real-world programs like this have a big effect on the risk of getting Type 2 diabetes.”

The study was published online Nov. 2 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/20886-exercise-and-weight-loss-can-cut-your-risk-of-type-2-diabetes-in-half-study-shows

Meeting the Challenges of Type 1 Diabetes in the Teen Years

From consumer.healthday.com

SATURDAY, Feb. 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Diabetes is never an easy disease to manage, but coping with type 1 diabetes can be a particularly difficult challenge for teens.

The transition from childhood to adolescence can be hard on both kids and parents, the JDRF (formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) says.

As boys and girls with type 1 diabetes enter puberty they undergo lots of changes, including increases in growth and appetite, which increases the need for insulin.

As children, eating was balanced with a ratio of one unit of insulin for every 30 grams of carbohydrates, but now they need one unit of insulin for 10 to 15 grams of carbohydrates, according to the foundation.

Sex hormones (oestrogen and testosterone) also work against insulin. Insulin lowers blood sugar, but sex hormones raise it. Stress hormones, such as cortisol, also increase blood sugar, and teens can experience high levels of stress.

The emotional and social aspects of puberty can also make managing type 1 diabetes harder, the experts noted. It can be more difficult to manage blood sugar when peer pressure and a wide range of activities seem more pressing.

Teens can be preoccupied and forget boluses/injections, blood-sugar checks, necessary supplies and more.

Children going through puberty need more daily insulin. It's good to talk to your doctor about any sudden and unexpected spike and come up with a plan, the JDRF advised in a news release.

School can also become more demanding, especially if you're coping with type 1 diabetes. Studies show low, high or big swings in blood sugar affect the ability to focus.

Parents can take steps to help during this difficult time. A formal plan that schools develop to help support kids with medical needs, called a 504 plan, can allow students to delay or stop a test if their blood sugar is too high or too low.

Teens should check blood sugar before any test. But the last thing they want to do is feel different from everyone else or draw attention to their disease. So, it's important to have the 504 conversations at the start of the year.

For those with type 1 diabetes who play sports, that means trying to stay on top of their disease so they can focus on the game.

It helps to have a checklist:

• Be sure you have the supplies and glucose you need, a meter and insulin at any event. Ask the school athletic trainer who can administer glucagon.
• Have the sports gear you need. Be reasonable about the rules and expectations, but treating students with diabetes differently from other players won't help in the long run.
• Control your blood sugar. On a stage or a sports field, in a pool or on a track, people with type 1 diabetes do better if blood-sugar levels are within target ranges.
• Speak up when you need to take care of yourself. Find patterns that will be a good starting point for each practice and/or game.

Parents must help children learn to manage their diabetes on their own, the JDRF added. Don't hover. Take small steps to let teens handle activities independently.

More information

For more on type 1 diabetes, head to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

https://consumer.healthday.com/b-2-20-meeting-the-challenges-of-type-1-diabetes-in-the-teen-years-2650555891.html

Taking metformin for type 2 diabetes does not increase a patient’s COVID-19 risk

From cardiovascularbusiness.com

Taking metformin for type 2 diabetes is not associated with a greater risk of COVID-19 or COVID-19 mortality, according to new findings published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.  

Metformin is often prescribed as a first-line therapy for type 2 diabetes and has been linked to beneficial outcomes for a number of other health issues. Considering how many patients are on metformin, the authors wrote, there is “an urgent need” to clarify its potential impact as the pandemic continues to claim lives all over the world.

The research team examined a massive dataset of type 2 diabetes patients from the U.K. The cohort included more than 29,000 patients actively taking metformin and other glucose-lowering agents as well as more than 10,000 patients on glucose-lowering agents, but not metformin.

Overall, the team found no connection between taking metformin for type 2 diabetes and the risk of COVID-19, COVID-19 mortality or all-cause mortality.  

“Our findings show that metformin did not significantly influence susceptibility to COVID-19, nor mortality from it among people with type 2 diabetes in the U.K. primary care setting,” wrote lead author Jingya Wang, PhD, of the University of Birmingham in the U.K., and colleagues. “This is important, as a majority of patients with type 2 diabetes are prescribed metformin. For many patients, metformin is crucial to optimizing glycaemic control and weight management, and it has a long-established efficacy and safety profile. Our data, in conjunction with those from hospitalized patients, demonstrate that patients who are prescribed long-term metformin and are currently well can be reassured that it is safe to continue consumption.”

Read the full study here.

Note: Anyone presently taking metformin should be aware of the numerous voluntary recalls of extended-release metformin due to contamination. Click here for the latest.

https://www.cardiovascularbusiness.com/topics/prevention-risk-reduction/metformin-type-2-diabetes-does-not-increase-covid-19-risk

6 Surprising Ways Diabetes Affects the Body

From healthcentral.com

Maybe you have a mother or father with diabetes, or a tío or tía, and you’re worried that you may have it eventually. It’s normal to wonder about your own risk for diabetes. About 1 in 10 Americans have diabetes, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Type 2 diabetes—the kind you usually develop as an adult—is the most common type of diabetes.

Over their lifetime, Hispanic adults have a 50% chance of developing type 2 diabetes (10% more than non-Hispanic whites), the CDC reports. And if you’re Hispanic, you’re also more likely to have kidney damage, vision loss, and blindness related to diabetes. Click through to learn how diabetes can affect everything from your eyes to your nervous system, and how to prevent it...

Eye Disease and Diabetes

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease caused by damage to blood vessels in the retina, located in the back of your eye. Diabetes causes these vessels to become weak or leaky, leading to vision loss. Among Hispanics with visual impairment, 15% have diabetic retinopathy, compared with 12.2% for Blacks and 4.7% for non-Hispanic whites, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

What you can do: If these eye diseases are caught early, it’s possible to treat them and avoid or reduce loss of vision, says Kathleen Wyne, M.D., a professor of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus.

Heart Disease and Diabetes

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for Hispanics in the U.S., according to the CDC. If you have diabetes, the challenge of processing insulin can damage the heart, Dr. Wyne says. This can lead to shortness of breath and swelling in the lower legs. A person with diabetes may not know they are having heart problems and reduce physical activity to avoid troublesome symptoms. In turn, that lack of activity makes diabetes worse.

What you can do: Move more and get regular physical activity. Try this: Each day, turn on some of your favourite reggaeton or salsa hits and dance like no one is watching.

Kidney Damage and Diabetes

When you have high blood sugar, your kidneys have to work harder to filter out waste, which can lead to kidney damage over time, says Sandra Arévalo, R.D.N., diabetes care and education specialist at Montefiore Nyack Hospital in Nyack, New York. You may not know that you have kidney damage until you have major symptoms like frequent urination or muscle cramping, says Kathryn Boling, M.D., a family medicine specialist with Mercy Medical Centre in the Baltimore area. Hispanic/Latinx folks are 1.3 times more likely to be diagnosed with kidney failure than other demographics, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

What you can do: Work with a registered dietitian or nutritionist to identify simple dietary changes you can make to help keep your diabetes under control.

Gum Disease and Diabetes

Gum disease is an infection of the gum and bone that surrounds the teeth. Symptoms of gum disease include bad breath, trouble chewing, and gum pain. Gum disease often gets overlooked when someone does not have dental insurance or they do not have regular exams and cleanings where it would be detected and treated, Dr. Wyne says.

Gum Disease, Continued

Poorly controlled diabetes is associated with gum disease, loss of teeth, and the eventual need for dentures. Tooth loss can affect your diet and make it harder to eat healthy and manage your blood sugars.

What you can do: Monitor your dental health closely with regular exams and cleanings (twice a year at minimum). If you have insurance coverage concerns, ask your health care team for help finding a dentist that works for your circumstances.

Nerve Damage and Diabetes

You have nerve endings all over your body that help you feel sensations and temperature changes. Diabetes that is not adequately controlled can lead to nerve damage (also called neuropathy), particularly in your feet, Dr. Boling says. The symptoms of that nerve damage differ depending on which nerves are affected. Some people lose sensation altogether, while others feel pain or burning.

What you can do: If you have diabetes and nerve damage in your feet, wear protective footwear even in places like the beach to help avoid cuts. Inspect your feet daily for inflammation or injuries.

Gastroparesis and Diabetes

Usually, your stomach processes your food to make it small enough to push into the small intestine and continue digestion. With gastroparesis, the stomach muscles take a long time to empty the food. If your stomach hurts or you feel nauseous after every meal—even your mom’s famous arroz con pollo—or you have heartburn, this could be caused by uncontrolled diabetes and possible gastroparesis. One 2019 study found that Hispanics with diabetes were at greater risk from gastroparesis than their non-Hispanic peers who also had diabetes.

What you can do: Prediabetic? Delay full-blown diabetes and gastroparesis by making changes to what you eat and incorporating a fitness routine into your schedule (walking counts!), Dr. Boling says.

Preventing Side Effects of Diabetes

Although these lesser known effects of diabetes may sound scary, you do have some control over them. “All symptoms of diabetes and consequences are more apparent when diabetes is poorly managed,” Arévalo says. The number one thing you can do to avoid these health effects is monitor your blood sugar. Show up for regular health appointments, check your blood sugar at home as needed, and have haemoglobin A1C checks regularly. These can show your average blood sugar over a three-month period.

https://www.healthcentral.com/slideshow/surprising-ways-diabetes-affects-yours-body

Low Bodyweight Doesn't Guarantee Zero Diabetes Risk: Expert Tells How You Can Check Your Risk

From ndtv.com/health

Diabetes: Several factors are responsible for an increased risk of type-2 diabetes. Here is one popular myth about type-2 diabetes risk busted by expert

Several modifiable and non-modifiable factors can put you at a higher risk of type-2 diabetes. It is a chronic condition which requires healthy management of blood sugar levels. Keeping a check on multiple risk factors can help control this condition on time. It will help in early diagnosis and prevent it from reaching an advanced stage. Being overweight and a family history of diabetes are two major risk factors for diabetes. But many fail to understand the other factors that can put you at a higher risk. The truth is factors beyond being overweight and family history can also contribute to this chronic condition. In this article, an expert breaks such popular myths about diabetes.

Diabetes: The link between bodyweight and diabetes risk

Dr. V Mohan took to social media to break myths around diabetes and says, "It is commonly believed that only those who are overweight or have a family history of diabetes can suffer from diabetes. This commonly believed myth often delays diabetes diagnosis in many. Yes, it is true that if you have a family history of diabetes or you are overweight, you are at a higher risk. But you can get diabetes in the absence of these risk factors too. Those who are underweight or at a healthy weight too can suffer from diabetes."

Diabetes risk factors: Unhealthy diet and lifestyle increases your type-2 diabetes risk

What can you do to control your risk?

"An annual check must be done. If you have a family history, after crossing the age of 20, you must go for a check-up. If you have no family history, then after 30 years of age you must get yourself tested. So, don't wait for symptoms to come. Do not believe that you are at a lower risk. All Indians are at a higher risk of diabetes," tells Dr. Mohan.

"The good news is that if you detect it early then there is a chance even to reverse it. If not diagnosed early the disease gets more and more advanced and later it becomes very difficult to reverse it," he adds.

What are the other risk factors of diabetes?

Other than obesity and family history, risk factors of diabetes include-

• Physical inactivity throughout the day ad consuming an unhealthy diet
• As you grow older your diabetes risk increases
• Conditions like PCOS, high blood pressure and poor cholesterol levels

Losing weight will definitely help those with excess bodyweight, control diabetes risk. But you don't have to be overweight to get type-2 diabetes. People of all weights are at a risk.

https://www.ndtv.com/health/low-bodyweight-doesnt-guarantee-zero-diabetes-risk-expert-tells-how-you-can-check-your-risk-2372643

How Is Rapid Weight Loss Related to Diabetes?

From verywellhealth.com

Losing weight without trying may seem great to some. But unexplained weight loss is not normal and may be a red flag for diabetes. Learn why diabetes may cause weight loss and how to manage it

Why Does Diabetes Cause Weight Loss?

Diabetes is a chronic disease and destructive if left untreated. Symptoms are often so subtle and sometimes gradual that people don't realize they have it. There are three types of diabetes: type 1, type 2, and gestational.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. The immune system mistakenly attacks the healthy tissues of the body and destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. The damage from these attacks causes the pancreas to stop making insulin. Type 1 diabetes can happen at any age but usually develops during childhood or adolescence.

Type 2 diabetes happens when the body doesn't make enough insulin or use it properly. People usually acquire type 2 diabetes later in life, however, with a rise in childhood obesity, children are developing type 2 diabetes at an increasing rate. Being overweight is a primary risk factor for type 2 diabetes. This is the most common form.

Gestational diabetes is pregnancy-related and usually subsides after the baby is born.

In any form, diabetes functions similarly. Most of what is eaten is broken down into a sugar called glucose, then it is released into the bloodstream. When blood sugar rises, it prompts the pancreas to release insulin. Insulin is a hormone that the body needs to deliver the glucose from the bloodstream into the cells of the body.

When there isn’t enough insulin or cells stop responding to insulin, too much blood sugar stays in the bloodstream. When glucose doesn’t move into the cells, the body thinks it is starving and finds a way to compensate. It creates energy by burning fat and muscle at a fast pace. This is what leads to unexplained weight loss in people with diabetes.

When there is a build-up of sugar in the bloodstream, the kidneys also begin working overtime to eliminate the excess in the blood. This process uses additional energy and can cause damage to the kidneys.

How Much Weight Loss Is a Concern?

Unexplained weight loss is when someone drops a significant amount of weight without dieting, exercise, or other lifestyle changes.

Losing 10 pounds or more, or 5% of body weight during a period of six to 12 months is when doctors become concerned there is an underlying health issue.

Unexplained weight loss occurs most often and is more serious in people aged 65 and older. People in this age group may need to see their doctor if they lose fewer than 10 pounds or less than 5% of their body weight without trying.

Weight Loss in Children

Unexplained weight loss can occur in people who have type 2 diabetes, but it’s more common in people with type 1. When type 1 diabetes occurs, it usually affects children and adolescents. Parents are often the first to notice any unusual weight loss in a child with type 1 diabetes.

Weight loss in kids can occur even in those who have a normal or increased appetite for the same reasons it happens in adults with diabetes. Once kids are diagnosed and treated for diabetes, weight loss ceases and normally returns to normal.

Other Symptoms

Symptoms of diabetes are often too subtle and gradual for people to recognize. Weight loss is just one indicator.

Excessive thirst or hunger and urination are tell-tale signs of diabetes. These symptoms can be especially dangerous if left untreated because they can cause dehydration.

Prolonged dehydration can cause:

• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Rapid breathing
• Fainting

Dehydration also causes someone to pee less often, which allows excess blood sugar to build up in the bloodstream. When this happens, blood sugar levels rise too fast.

Be sure to watch for these other signs of diabetes, too:

• Itchy skin: Diabetes can make someone prone to dry skin. High blood sugar can cause this. Skin infections or poor circulation can also contribute to dry, itchy skin.
• Dark skin around the neck and armpits: Dark skin in the neck folds and over the knuckles sometimes appear before a diabetes diagnosis. Insulin resistance can cause this condition, known as acanthosis nigricans.
• Cuts and bruises that don't heal: Having high or poorly controlled blood sugar for a long time can lead to poor circulation and nerve damage. Poor circulation and nerve damage can make it difficult for the body to heal wounds. The feet are most susceptible. These open wounds are called diabetic skin ulcers.
• Yeast infections: When blood sugar is high and the kidneys can’t filter it well enough, sugar goes into the urine. More sugar in a warm, moist environment can cause urinary tract and yeast infections, especially in women.
• Unusual fatigue: Several underlying causes of fatigue may relate to high sugar levels, including dehydration (from frequent urination, which can disrupt sleep) and kidney damage.
• Mood changes: This can include irritability.
• Vision changes: Early on, people with diabetes may have trouble reading or seeing far away objects. In later stages of diabetes, they may see dark, floating spots or streaks that resemble cobwebs.

Other Symptoms of Diabetes in Children

Similarly to adults, hallmark early signs of diabetes in children are increased urination and thirst. When blood sugar is high, it triggers a reaction in the body that pulls fluid from tissues. This will leave a child constantly thirsty, they will drink more fluids, which will result in a need for more bathroom breaks throughout the day. Dehydration in children is also a risk if this occurs.

In addition to the signs of dehydration as adults, children may have these symptoms, too:

• Sunken eyes or cheeks
• No tears when crying
• Irritability
• Dry mouth and tongue
• Not enough wet diapers

Here are some other traits of diabetes in kids:

• Fatigue: If a child is often tired, it may clue that their body is having trouble converting sugar in the bloodstream into energy.
• Vision changes: High blood sugar levels can cause blurred vision and other eyesight problems.
• Fruity smelling breath: This could be indicative of too much sugar in the blood.
• Extreme hunger: When a child's muscles and organs aren’t receiving enough energy, it can cause extreme hunger.
• Unusual behaviour: If a child seems moodier or more restless than normal—and it’s in conjunction with the symptoms above—it could be cause for concern.
• Nausea and vomiting
• Heavy breathing

Diabetes can be life-threatening if left untreated. If there's concern that a child is showing signs of diabetes, it’s important to schedule a doctor’s appointment as soon as possible.

Managing Weight Loss With Diabetes

Managing weight loss with diabetes begins with getting blood sugar under control, so it's critical to involve a doctor to activate a treatment plan.

Some people's diabetes can be managed through lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise. People with type 1 diabetes—and some with type 2—will require supplemental insulin or other drugs to ensure their bodies get back on track.

Typically once someone is treated for diabetes and their blood sugars normalize, their weight loss will stabilize. It is critical to continue to monitor diabetes at home and with a doctor because it is a lifelong condition.

A Word From Verywell

It’s important to remember that unexplained weight loss isn’t normal. If you or your child are dropping weight and you don’t know why, see your doctor as soon as possible. Besides diabetes, rapid, unexpected weight loss can be an indicator of other serious conditions including cancer, AIDS, dementia, or thyroid malfunction.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/rapid-weight-loss-5101064

How Stress Is Connected to Diabetes

From verywellhealth.com

Stress affects every part of your body. It changes your muscle tension, your hormones, and your heart. Some of these changes only last for a little while, but if you are experiencing stress daily, these changes can add up in your body.

In most cases, if you're diagnosed with diabetes, it's a lifelong illness that you have to manage. It takes consistent effort to track your blood sugar levels and this can add extra stress to your day. Learning how stress could be affecting your diabetes and techniques to reduce stress can help you to better manage your blood sugar levels. 

Stress Caused by Diabetes

Living with a chronic illness can cause stress. With a chronic disease such as diabetes, it takes daily effort to control your blood sugar levels. This includes:

• Taking prescribed medication
• Checking your blood sugar level
• Implementing diet changes
• Losing weight
• Increasing physical activity

It's common with chronic illnesses like this to experience burnout from the everyday task of managing it, but if you stay on top of your diabetes management, you can also control your stress levels.

How Stress Affects Blood Sugar

Stress affects your blood sugar in a couple of ways, and most of it is related to your hormones. When you are stressed, it triggers the fight-or-flight response in your body, which is how the body prepares to protect itself from perceived danger.

This can happen with daily stressors, like work or family, or from an acute illness, like the flu.

Two hormones that get released during the fight or flight response are:

• Adrenaline
• Cortisol

Adrenaline triggers the release of another hormone called glucagon, which directly affects your blood sugar level.

Glucagon has the opposite effect of insulin.

• Insulin helps cells to take in the sugar in your blood and store it in the cells for later use.
• Glucagon on the other hand stimulates your body to remove glucose from storage and bring it out into the blood to be moved around the body and be used for energy.

Your body has this response to both acute and chronic perceived stress. Over time this can impact your blood sugar levels, especially for people who are at risk for or have diabetes because they have a harder time using insulin to bring the glucose back into cells.

Research has also connected high cortisol levels with increased blood sugar levels and decreased secretion of insulin. This makes it more difficult to bring sugar into the cells leading to higher blood sugar levels.

Stress also takes a toll both mentally and physically, and this can make it more difficult to consistently take care of yourself.

If you are wondering if stress is affecting your blood sugar levels, you can try comparing your stress levels to your blood sugar levels. One study recommended rating your perceived stress, try a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being the most stressed), and recording your blood sugar level. After a few weeks of this, you may be able to notice a trend in your stress and blood sugar.

Can Stress Cause Diabetes?

Stress doesn’t directly cause diabetes, but it has been identified as a risk factor. High-stress levels can also make it more difficult to keep your blood sugar levels under control. 

How to Cope With Stress

It’s possible to reduce your reaction to stressors in your life by using techniques to help manage your stress levels. Self-care activities can help you to feel better throughout the day and reduce the effects of stress on your health.

Stress Management Techniques

• Meditation: Meditating has been shown to help reduce negative thoughts, help your mind to relax, and help your body relax. It can be difficult to sit and meditate if you aren’t used to it, so you can even try starting with just a 3-minute meditation to get used to being still.
• Take a deep breath: In response to the stress response, it’s common for heart rate and breathing to increase. Taking a slow, full breath can help the body to slow down and relax a little.
• Exercise: Physical activities help to reduce stress by releasing some of the energy produced in the stress response. It's also beneficial for people with diabetes because it increases the body’s ability to use insulin, making it easier to bring glucose into cells from the blood.
• Journal: Writing down your thoughts can help to get them out of your head and a regular journaling practice can help to reduce stress.
• Talk with a loved one: Talking with someone about your stressors and your experience can help to relieve some of the anxiety about the stress and help you to feel supported. 

Diabetes Support

It can feel lonely to manage a chronic condition, but you don’t have to go through it alone. There are many options for online and in-person support.

Stress and Depression

Depression can affect anyone. Sometimes stress, sadness, and anxiety won’t go away, and it can leave you feeling hopeless. If you are feeling the symptoms of depression, it’s important to discuss them with a health care provider and get support to help manage it.

Common symptoms of depression include:

• Loss of interest or pleasure
• Changes in sleep
• Loss of energy and trouble concentrating
• Withdrawal from friends and activities you used to enjoy
• Difficulty completing work and decline in performance

A Word From Verywell

Diabetes can bring a lot of different challenges into your life. Stress could be affecting your blood sugar levels and making it more difficult to manage your diabetes. Stress management techniques can help make it easier to manage your diabetes, and it is possible to live a happy, healthy lifestyle with diabetes.

Finding support that works for you and making lifestyle changes can help to reduce your stress and effectively manage your blood sugar levels. 

https://www.verywellhealth.com/stress-and-diabetes-5101741

Type 2 diabetes: How does high blood sugar affect different parts of your body?

From timesnownews.com

Diabetes is a chronic illness and poses a huge risk to your health. It must be prevented as much as possible

New Delhi: Your body starts showing signs of diabetes. One must pay close attention to these signs and symptoms to diagnose high blood sugar levels. If you notice a change in your health like frequent urination, dry mouth, fatigue, numbness in the feet and skin problems, you should get your sugar levels checked. Visit a doctor if it is needed. Take your medications on time and follow the treatment religiously to get rid of this disease. Diabetes does not only affect your bloodstream but it also affects other organs of your body. Your overall health is at a huge risk if you are diabetic. Medications and treatment won’t do any good if you do not eat a healthy diet and have a good lifestyle. Your eating habits and your sleeping pattern also has a great influence on your diabetic health.

Blood glucose is controlled by insulin which is produced by the pancreas. Insufficient production of insulin can cause diabetes. It is a medical condition that can be controlled but, in most cases, it lasts a lifetime. If your glucose level gets out of control it can cause serious damage to your health and in extreme cases also result in sudden death. To avoid maximum risk, you must take care of your overall health.

Photo Credit: iStock Images 

How diabetes affects different parts of your body

1. Skin- Most skin issues in diabetic patients are caused by damaged blood vessels. It causes skin pigmentation. Dark patches on the skin especially around your hands and legs are often the first sign of diabetes. It is not painful or itchy but can be easily noticed.
2. Heart- If you have diabetes, you are at a higher risk of developing heart diseases. High blood sugar affects your cardiovascular health. People who are diabetic are prone to heart attacks and other heart-related conditions.
3. Feet- Nerve damage can cause a tingling sensation or numbness in the feet. This is often the sign of diabetes. Diabetes hardens the blood vessels which can lead to poor circulation. Frequent numbness should not be avoided and you must see a doctor immediately.
4. Eyes- Diabetes can cause poor eyesight and loss of vision in extreme cases. If you have diabetes, you are at a higher risk of catching eye diseases. Diabetes can damage the blood vessels in your retina which can be extremely harmful to your eye health.
5. Kidney- Kidney is the most affected organ of your body when you are suffering from diabetes. If your kidneys stop working you may need dialysis or even a kidney transplant. High blood sugar can cause kidney failure.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a professional healthcare provider if you have any specific questions about any medical matter.

https://www.timesnownews.com/health/article/type-2-diabetes-how-does-high-blood-sugar-affect-different-parts-of-your-body/714145

Studies find link between new diabetes cases, COVID-19

From inforum.com

Dr. Yogish Kudva of the Mayo Clinic says there is still much to be learned about the long-term effects of COVID-19, but it is clear that people with diabetes are at higher risk for developing severe illness from the virus

People with certain underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, are at greater risk of severe illness from COVID-19. And now it appears that there also may be a relationship between severe COVID-19 infections and new cases of diabetes.

Preliminary studies found that more than 14% of patients who were hospitalized with COVID-19 and recovered also were newly diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. It's something that medical experts are watching closely.

"So when the immune system is not working as well and tends to work against the insulin-making cells, even when the sugar is normal, you can diagnose this with certain tests, such as antibody tests. And if in such individuals there is an illness, that can worsen the sugar in these people. So that could be an explanation for why Type 1 diabetes might be diagnosed after COVID-19 — that these are individuals who were already predisposed," says Dr. Yogish Kudva, a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist whose clinical focus is diabetes.

Researchers say it's not clear yet if diabetes directly results from severe COVID-19 illness. And in the case of Type 2 diabetes, the virus could be quickening the development of the disease for those with existing risk factors, such as prediabetes, obesity and high blood pressure.

"This individual is predisposed to abnormal glucose characteristics, abnormal glucose regulation, and then severe COVID happens. That's going to accelerate the progression from this state toward a more uncontrolled state," Kudva says.

× Dr. Yogish Kudva, a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist, says its important to immediately begin improving underlying health conditions that may cause diabetes and follow COVID-19 safety precautions. Pixabay

He says there is still much to be learned about the long-term effects of COVID-19, but it is clear that people with diabetes are at higher risk for developing severe illness from the virus.

"It appears now that people with diabetes seem to develop more severe COVID-19 disease. It's not that people with diabetes are more prone to COVID-19. But if they develop COVID-19, the disease is much more severe and seems to progress quicker. That seems to happen both with Type 2 and Type 1 diabetes," Kudva says.

He says it's important to immediately begin improving underlying health conditions that may cause diabetes and follow COVID-19 safety precautions.

"Rigorous attention to all the primary preventive measures that we use: mask-wearing, social distancing, hand-washing — I think those things continue to be relevant and will continue to be relevant for quite some time yet. We are still in the middle of the pandemic," Kudva says.

"I think a second issue would be physical fitness. Doing whatever they can, given the limitations that we have, making sure that they adhere to all the guidelines of what to do safely indoors and outdoors. And, therefore, work on improving physical fitness. Clearly, physical activity is an important component of every day and adds to our fitness and therefore our ability to withstand every severe illness. So that's the second component. And then the third component would be if they do fall sick, to seek attention early. And then the fourth component is the vaccine."

https://www.inforum.com/newsmd/coronavirus/6877885-Studies-find-link-between-new-diabetes-cases-COVID-19

Diabetes monitoring without the needle

From axios.com

A European company is pioneering a bloodless way for people with diabetes to monitor their glucose levels.

Why it matters: More than 5% of the global population is affected by diabetes, and the number is set to keep rising. A more seamless monitoring system would make it easier for people with diabetes to manage their conditions and avoid disastrous health outcomes.

How it works: DiaMonTech is developing machines that use lasers and an optical lens to read glucose levels through the skin photothermally.

• A user places his finger on the lens for a few seconds, and "wavelengths from the infrared laser are selectively absorbed by the glucose molecules in skin and we detect the small amount of heat that is caused by the absorption," says Thorsten Lubinski, DiaMonTech's CEO.
• A proprietary algorithm is able to convert those readings into glucose levels.

Background: People with diabetes suffer from problems managing blood sugar levels that stem from their inability or inefficiency of their bodies to produce the glucose-regulating hormone insulin.

• To combat the disease, they need to frequently monitor their glucose levels to indicate when they have to take insulin or increase their sugar levels.
• The conventional method involves pricking a finger, sometimes several times a day, to produce blood that can be tested.
• More advanced continuous monitoring systems reduce or virtually eliminate the need for finger pricking but still require an injected sensor.

What to watch: DiaMonTech has developed a lab-based version of its system that has been certified for medical use in clinics in Europe, and is working on a hand-held device for personal use that Lubinski believes could be ready by 2022.

• Researchers are also working on a fully functional "artificial pancreas" that could seamlessly monitor glucose levels and dispense insulin as needed, but such devices are still likely years away.

https://www.axios.com/needle-free-diabetes-monitoring-diamontech-2e4d786a-4f06-4d77-b5aa-8e66d5eb88d3.html