Tuesday, December 4, 2012

What is the difference between diabetes mellitus and just diabetes?

Q. Is diabetes mellitus the specific name for type one diabetes or does mean both type one and two.

A. Diabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes�is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced. This high blood sugar produces the classical symptoms of polyuria (frequent urination), polydipsia (increased thirst) and polyphagia (increased hunger).

There are three main types of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes: results from the body's failure to produce insulin, and presently requires the person to inject insulin. (Also referred to as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, IDDM for short, and juvenile diabetes.)
Type 2 diabetes: results from insulin resistance, a condition in which cells fail to use insulin properly, sometimes combined with an absolute insulin deficiency. (Formerly referred to as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, NIDDM for short, and adult-onset diabetes.)
Gestational diabetes: is when pregnant women, who have never had diabetes before, have a high blood glucose level during pregnancy. It may precede development of type 2 DM.
Other forms of diabetes mellitus include congenital diabetes, which is due to genetic defects of insulin secretion, cystic fibrosis-related diabetes, steroid diabetes induced by high doses of glucocorticoids, and several forms of monogenic diabetes.

So simply diabetes mellitus is the specific medical name for all three main Diabetes type 1 , Diabetes type 2, Diabetes gestational (pregnancy related) and other forms that are listed above.

Hope this helps.


Can diabetes cause you hair to fall out?
Q. I have diabetes (newly diagnosed, but apparently I have had it fo a while and didn't know it according to my doctor) and my hair keeps falling out near the crown and in the back, causing thin spots.
Someone told me that this can be a symptomatic cause from having diabetes. Is this true and if so; why?

A. hair loss is not directly related to diabetes.


What is the best diet to prevent Diabetes?
Q. Diabetes runs very strong in my family. My grandmother had her leg amputated because of it and now my mother has it. Is there a good strict diet or eating plan out there so that I can lower my chances of getting it? Ive already started monitoring my blood sugar on a daily basis. Im only 21 and so its better to start young. I want a long, happy and healthy life.

A. Assuming it is TYPE 2 diabetes that runs in your family (Type 1 is the rarer "severe" kind that is not preventable):

-Eat small frequent meals with lean protein, non startchy veggies, good fats like oilve oil, and lots of fibre. Limit your carbs, fast acting sugars, and fatty meats. Eat fish daily (i.e. wild salmon). If you want carbs, eat oats, beans, and brown rice.

-Eliminate trans fats (found in many processed foods), high fructose corn syryp (found in soft drinks), and junk/fast food. Don't keep processed food in the house, and try to eat as "natural" as possible. Things like crackers are manmade and not always as healthy as we think. Many cracker brands have trans fats. A better choice for a snack would be a handful of nuts, some low fat cheese, and a few stalks of celery with natral peanut butter or a few grapes.

-Fruit has fibre and is *generally* fine, although some fruit like bananas are high glycemic and do raise the blood sugar quite fast. Don't avoid fruit, just don't make it your main course of a meal. DO avoid fruit juices, which are usually loaded with sugars and carbs, and lack fibre. Have actual real fruit instead.

You should actually try and exercise 45 min, 5 days per week. The more you move, the better. Walk everywhere.

Do note that some cases of Type 2 diabetes tend to run very strong in families, and there is always a chance that you may still develop it strictly due to genetics. But the good news is:

-If you do end up developing Type 2 diabetes, you will be able to control it better and stay healthier if you follow a healthy lifestyle.

-The *vast majority* of Type 2 diabetes cases can be prevented or at least delayed into old age with proper lifestyle choices. So the odds are in your favor. Often the reason why Type 2 diabetes runs in families has more to due with a shared *lifestyle* than genetics only.

Either way, we ALL need to follow a healthy lifestyle to stay healthy period, diabetes or not.

Good luck and congrats for being proactive with your health! It will serve you well in the long run no matter what!


How does Diabetes affect muscles and digestive system?
Q. What is the process and ways that Diabetes affect both, the muscular system and digestive system?

A. Diabetes mellitus can affect the muscle in several ways.

Patients with diabetes mellitus can develop contracture of digits and limbs as a result of soft tissue thickening in these areas. This can lead to wasting of the muscle from disuse. This is referred to as atrophy.

Diabetes mellitus promotes atherosclerosis which impairs the circulation to many tissues of the body. When the muscles of the limbs are affected, the decreased blood flow can lead to cramping and to painful walking (peripheral vascular disease resulting in claudication). In the worse case scenario - this can lead to death (infarction) of the localized areas of muscle. This is characterized by local pain in the involved area. Blood testing can demonstrate elevated muscle enzymes (CPK, aldolase). When the heart muscle is affected by such atherosclerosis, it can lead to heart attack.

Diabetes mellitus can also damage the nerves that supply the hands and feet. This can lead to inadequate nerve supply and further muscle wasting. Persons with longstanding diabetes mellitus can develop pain, and muscle twitching, in addition to muscle wasting of the muscles around the shoulders and hips (limb girdle wasting). This condition is referred to as diabetic amyotrophy.





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