Diabetes

Diabetes and heart health

Diabetes and heart disease are more connected than you might think. A person with diabetes is twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke compared to someone who doesn't. That's because high blood sugar can damage the blood vessels and nerves around your heart. Here are some other connections between diabetes and heart disease you should know. People with diabetes are more likely to have high: • LDL. That's the "bad" cholesterol that causes plaque to build up in arteries. • Bloo...

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2/28/2024 12:31:00 PM Comments(0)

7 Facts about Prediabetes

We've all heard of type 2 diabetes. It's when blood sugar levels rise because our body can't properly process sugars in the food we eat. Before type 2 diabetes, there's usually prediabetes. That's when sugar or glucose levels are higher than normal, but not as high as with type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes happens when your body's cells become less sensitive to insulin, the blood-sugar processing hormone made by your pancreas. Insulin resistance may be caused by being overweight. Other factors includ...

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5/17/2023 2:01:00 PM Comments(0)

Understanding prediabetes

If you have been diagnosed with prediabetes, you're far from alone. Roughly 1 out of every 3 Americans—96 million of us—has prediabetes. Although the health condition can be silent, it can pave the way for type 2 diabetes and other complications. Prediabetes: The inside story With prediabetes, blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes—yet. Carbohydrates in the food we eat get turned into glucose, or sugar, which is the mai...

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2/27/2023 10:45:00 AM Comments(0)

Carb Counting for Diabetes

A diabetes diagnosis often leads to lifestyle changes, including paying closer attention to what you eat. Tracking the carbohydrates carbs in foods can help you manage blood sugar levels to help you stay healthy. Your body uses carbs as fuel. Carbs turn into glucose and affect your blood glucose more than other foods do. That's why carb counting can be an important meal planning tool for managing diabetes, especially if you take insulin at mealtime. It's important to eat carbs throughout the day...

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11/4/2022 1:57:00 PM Comments(0)

Diabetes and Gum Disease

What does one have to do with the other? A lot more than you might think. Without proper management, diabetes can thicken blood vessels. Necessary nutrients don’t flow through the body as they should, and the removal of harmful wastes from body tissues is hampered. This dynamic compromises the health of your mouth. Gums and bones become weaker, and more susceptible to infection. Higher blood sugar levels in the mouth can cause bacteria to grow, leading to gum disease. When the gums and bon...

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1/18/2022 4:31:00 PM Comments(0)

Diabetes and Foot Complications

One of the most severe consequences of poor diabetes management is the potential for lower extremity amputation. If you’re a diabetic, the risks of this and other foot-related complications can be avoided if you include a highly-trained podiatrist in your care team. The statistics reflect this: According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, seeking counsel and treatment from a podiatrist can reduce the risk of lower limb amputation by 85%, and the risk of hospitalization by 24%. ...

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1/18/2022 4:28:00 PM Comments(0)

Type 2 diabetes: Act now to lower your risk

We all live with risks to our health, and we do what we can to lower them. For instance, we buckle our seat belts when we get in a car. We take our medicines as prescribed. And we get the vaccines that we need. But there is another serious health risk that we need to take steps to prevent and that many of us overlook: type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes has the potential to hurt our bodies from head to toe. If not well controlled, type 2 diabetes can cause heart disease, stroke, eye and foot proble...

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10/12/2021 12:22:00 PM Comments(0)

Diabetes and COVID-19: What to do if you get sick

Severe illness from COVID-19 is more likely in people who have certain underlying medical conditions. One of these is type 2 diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC , it's possible that people with type 1 or gestational diabetes are at higher risk too. And the danger goes both ways. Being sick may also make it harder for people with diabetes to control their blood sugar. So if you have diabetes, it's a good idea to know what to do in case you get sick. Plan ahea...

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11/11/2020 3:56:00 PM Comments(0)

Keep an eye out for diabetes-related vision problems

When you have diabetes, seeing an eye doctor at least once a year for a comprehensive dilated eye exam is an essential task for good health. Diabetes raises the risk for several eye diseases that can steal your sight. Most of them start stealthily with few, if any, symptoms. An eye doctor can spot the diseases early when they are often easier to treat. It's important to understand the eye diseases commonly associated with diabetes, which include these four: Diabetic retinopathy. The retina is th...

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8/28/2019 2:10:00 PM Comments(0)

Type 2 diabetes: Know the symptoms, know your risk

The earlier type 2 diabetes is diagnosed and treated, the better the chances of avoiding serious health problems. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. It usually starts when the body has trouble using insulin, a hormone that helps glucose also called blood sugar enter the body's cells. When glucose can't move into cells, it builds up in the bloodstream instead. Over time, a high glucose level in the blood can damage the body, increasing the chances for complications such as ...

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11/20/2018 2:39:00 PM Comments(0)

Get Answers to Your Diabetes Questions

Diabetes is a demanding disease—living with it isn't always easy. You may have a lot on your plate every day and a lot on your mind sometimes. Checking blood sugar, taking medication, watching what you eat and other diabetes-related tasks can sap your energy. Worry and frustration over things like glucose numbers or complications may take an emotional toll. All of the stress, strain and fatigue that comes with managing the disease may sometimes lead to what's often called diabetes distress...

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11/27/2017 4:24:00 PM Comments(0)

Prediabetes: 3 must-know facts

Chances are you know someone with type 2 diabetes. It's the most common form of diabetes—millions of Americans have it. But have you heard of something called prediabetes? It's a condition that also affects millions of Americans—and one that everyone should learn about. Here are three things you need to know about prediabetes to help protect your health: 1. It isn't the same as diabetes—yet. Prediabetes is a serious warning that type 2 diabetes is on its way. If you're told you...

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3/28/2017 3:06:00 PM Comments(0)

Inside Watson Clinic's Diabetes Education Program

According to the latest statistics compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 29 million people are living with diabetes in the United States. For them, a diagnosis brings forth a seemingly endless parade of questions and challenges. How do I properly manage my blood sugar? What kinds of foods should I eat? How do I cope with the daily stresses of living with my condition? Watson Clinic’s diabetes education program is designed to provide patients with the management s...

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4/8/2015 4:27:00 PM Comments(0)