Diabetes refers to the condition when there is an excess of glucose in your body. Though glucose is beneficial for the proper functioning of the body, an excess can lead to serious consequences. Over the years, diabetes has over the years emerged as one of the fatal diseases, one that once developed has no known cure. This condition is preceded by various perceptible symptoms, some of them are-

1. Insatiable thirst

The onset of diabetes is almost always accompanied by a nagging thirst, one that refuses to be quenched despite drinking plenty of water.

2. Frequent tendencies of urination

A frequent tendency of urination is one of the primary precursors of diabetes.

3. Acute hunger

Having bouts of acute hunger is one of the most predominant premonitions of diabetes.

4. Exhaustion and fatigue

In case you are suffering from diabetes, you will inevitably feel tired and exhausted all the time.

5. Blurring of vision

Diabetes is one of those rare conditions that threaten to affect and damage the eyesight. The blurring of vision comes hand in hand with the onset of diabetes.

6. Sores which take a long time to heal

One of the most fatal symptoms of diabetes is when the sore that you have suffered from takes a longer time than necessary to heal.

Some of the complications which diabetes invite are-

1. Cardiovascular problems

Diabetes considerably increases the risk of a host of cardiovascular problems and ailments like heart attacks, chest pain, and stroke.

2. Damage to the kidneys

The pair of kidneys that human beings are endowed with has the responsibility to remove the toxins from the body. An excess of diabetes in the body unsettles the purging ability of the kidneys.

3. Damage to the eyes

The onset of diabetes, among other things, puts your eyes at great risks. The condition tends to damage the blood vessels of the retina and can even cause blindness in some.

4. Skin disorder

Diabetes puts your skin at great risks. You may suffer from various bacterial and fungal infections among other ailments, due to an excess of glucose in your body.

Symptoms and Complications of Diabetes

In simple terms, hyperglycemia is the medical term for abnormally high levels of sugar in the blood stream. The blood sugar level range is 65-110 mg/dl and can extend up to 120-140 mg/dl a few hours after eating. However, when a person has eaten no food, but has a blood sugar level of more than 126 mg/dl, that may be a symptom of diabetes mellitus.


Reasons Behind it
A person who is hyperglycemic is most likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, which may be type 1 or type 2.


Type 1 diabetes is caused when the immune system destroys the insulin secreting cells in the pancreas. The insulin production in the body stops, thereby, causing an enormous increase in the sugar levels. In such a situation, nothing, but external dose of insulin will be required to survive.
Type 2 diabetes is caused when the body stops responding to the insulin produced by the body and in a desperate attempt to maintain blood sugar level, the pancreas produce excess insulin. In this case, changing lifestyle, food-habits and taking proper medication can be the only way out for a healthy life.


Therefore, the major causes leading to increase in blood sugar level might be:
Inadequate supply of insulin
Slow or no reaction of the body to the insulin produced by the body


Tips to manage hyperglycemia
Here are some important tips that could help individuals regulate their blood sugar levels:
As we know, the carbohydrates break down into glucose, which is absorbed by the body cells with the help of insulin. So, in case of hyperglycemia, individuals should manage or better, cut off, carbohydrate intake in their meals.
Another important element to be highly monitored is the blood cholesterol level. For this, you must curb eating oily and spicy food.
It is very important that individuals limit their alcohol intake because alcohol contains huge amount of calories and carbs, which might lead to sky-rocketing blood-sugar levels.
The diet should contain adequate portions of nuts and olive oil.
Eating fatty milk products and fatty food should be strictly avoided.
Each and every food should be inspected for sugar because even a slight bit of sugar can mess up the entire process of managing the sugar level.
Individuals should try stress-free mild work out, as heavy work out could cause the blood-sugar level to rise in case of type 2 diabetes.
Anxiety, tension and stress would not help the process in anyway.


Proper medication and check-ups are necessary. It is important to be fit and healthy.

Hyperglycemia - 10 Tips to Manage it

Diabetes is caused in your body due to an insulin imbalance or improper functioning of insulin, and it can affect multiple parts of your body within a short time. Therefore, regular check-ups of your body are very essential to know if you have diabetes.

Once you find out that you have tested positive for the disease, you need to become even more thorough in your testing to find out if your blood sugar levels are rapidly fluctuating. If they get out of hand, they may cause medical emergencies that may be impossible for you to tackle alone at home.

Hence, daily monitoring of blood sugar is of great importance, and can be done in the following ways-

  Monitoring with a meter - In this rather simple but effective way, you have to draw blood from a small puncture on your skin made with the help of a needle or small pricking device. The blood is placed on a strip and then introduced on a testing meter, which displays accurately your blood sugar levels.

  Meters that monitor blood from several body parts - There are meters that monitor glucose levels in blood from several parts of the body. These parts include the base of the thumb, and the forearm too. This method of diagnosis is particularly helpful for those whose blood sugar levels constantly fluctuate, as this device provides an average of blood sugar levels from different parts of the body, as a composite whole.

  Continuous glucose monitoring systems - Known as interstitial glucose measuring devices popularly, they give results not as accurate as the other two devices, but still a fairly accurate estimate.

How to keep your sugar levels in constant control?

If your blood sugar levels are too high or too low, you have to bring them to normal via treatment, and if they are at a harmless level, you have to maintain it at that mark. There are several ways to maintain your sugar levels at acceptable rates. They are-

  Daily regulated exercise - Daily exercise dramatically helps your health if you have diabetes because it increases your insulin sensitivity and promotes better utilization of it in your body. Exercise is also helpful to guard you against other illnesses related to high bad cholesterol, or a weak immune system.

  A balanced, healthy diet - A balanced diet helps you keep your sugar levels in check while providing you with the requisite nutrients for making your body even healthier. Make sure to include an abundance of fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables in your diet, and cut down intake of fast, processed and extremely sugary foods/beverages.

  Drinking plenty of water - Drinking adequate water hydrates your body, and contributes to a healthy diet. It also reduces your risk of diabetes and guards you against diseases like gallbladder stones which are caused due to a lack of water in your body.

  Stay mentally sound and stress-free - Controlling your stress and anxiety levels can work wonders for your diabetes. If you make it a goal to stay stress-free about factors that are beyond your control, and be optimistic about life in general, it could work wonders for control of your diabetes.

Diabetes is a potentially life-threatening disease with a host of secondary complications. To avoid the worst of it, make sure you go for regular medical checks. If you do happen to be diagnosed with it, perform regular tests to check your levels, and take adequate measures to keep it under firm control.

Ways To Monitor Blood Sugar And Followup Care!

Diabetes is growing to be the epidemic of modern days. The challenge here is it is not just about managing your sugar levels, but the whole lot of symptoms that diabetes brings with it. From bones to teeth to kidneys to wounds, diabetes affects all body systems. It is therefore very essential to watch out for symptoms of diabetes and curb it in its early stages. This will help control diabetes significantly along with its effects on the whole body.

Diabetes Complications-

Long-term complications of diabetes develop gradually. The longer you have diabetes   and the less controlled your blood sugar   the higher the risk of complications. Eventually, diabetes complications may be disabling or even life-threatening. Possible complications include:

Cardiovascular disease. Diabetes dramatically increases the risk of various cardiovascular problems, including coronary artery disease with chest pain (angina), heart attack, stroke and narrowing of arteries (atherosclerosis). If you have diabetes, you are more likely to have heart disease or stroke.
Nerve damage. Excess sugar can injure the walls of the tiny blood vessels (capillaries) that nourish your nerves, especially in your legs. This can cause tingling, numbness, burning or pain. Left untreated, you could lose all sense of feeling in the affected limbs. 
Kidney damage. The kidneys contain millions of tiny blood vessel clusters (glomeruli) that filter waste from your blood. Diabetes can damage this delicate filtering system. Severe damage can lead to kidney failure or irreversible end-stage kidney disease, which may require dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Eye damage. Diabetes can damage the blood vessels of the retina (diabetic retinopathy), potentially leading to blindness. 
Foot damage. Nerve damage in the feet or poor blood flow to the feet increases the risk of various foot complications. These infections may ultimately require toe, foot or leg amputation.
Skin conditions. Diabetes may leave you more susceptible to skin problems, including bacterial and fungal infections.
Hearing impairment. Hearing problems are more common in people with diabetes.
Alzheimer's disease. Type 2 diabetes may increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease. 
The following are some of the basic must do's if you have diabetes. These can go a long way in preventing adverse diabetic side effects.

Diet: Whether diabetic or not, it is always important to watch your diet. You are what you eat. Eat what your body needs, reduce refined foods, processed foods and increase the amount of whole grains and fruits and vegetables. Eating small frequent meals goes a long way in managing sugar levels than binging at one meal and starving the rest of the day. Reduce intake of saturated fats; include more lean meats. Choose grilling and steaming over frying and roasting. Diet is very important in diabetes. Recommended foods - Healthy carbohydrates, Fiber-rich foods, Heart-healthy fish and Good fats. Foods to avoid - Saturated fats, Trans fats, Cholesterol and Sodium
Exercise: Every week, make sure about 2 hours is dedicated to physical activity. This could include any exercise of your choice, brisk walking, swimming, cycling, aerobics, hiking, jogging, skipping, gymnastics, or playing games like football or basketball. While in most cases, the person can do these on their own, in some people, supervision may be required.
Watch your weight: For a diabetic person, controlling weight to a desirable level of BMI of 18 and 23 is very important. Obesity is one of the predisposing factors for diabetes, and reducing weight controls the onset of diabetes and helps the progression of symptoms in diabetics.
Smoking: Another risk factor for diabetes onset, quitting is the best option. If not feasible, reducing smoking and gradually quitting should be aimed at. Not just diabetes, the effects on overall health will be evident almost immediately after quitting.
Stress management: One of the main risk factors for diabetes, there is no getting away from stress. Everybody has their stresses but the trick is to manage it well. Whether it is music or meditation or medication or counselling, make sure stress levels are managed. This also helps prevent diabetic complications like heart disease and stroke and promotes well-being.
Constant Checkups: Periodic check-up of blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, eye exam, dental checkup, foot checkup to test for nerve damage are all extremely important. Take your medications regularly without fail.
Diabetes requires a change in lifestyle, which may seem tedious initially. But after a while, it will become the norm and then diabetic control does not feel like something additional that is to be done.

Diabetes - 6 Ways You Can Prevent it

The instance of diabetes are rising day by day. Being a silent killer, it is attacking the young generation secretly and two common impacts of taking modern medicines for diabetes are insulin resistance and various side effects. This eventually has led to a search for alternative methods, which can address the problem of diabetes. Ayurveda plays a vital role in curbing diabetes, if you use it the right way, it can address the root cause of diabetes through proper application of diet, drugs, panchakarma and yoga.

Simple ways to cure diabetes through Ayurveda

Bitter gourd juice: You can take up 30 ml of bitter melon juice every morning on an empty stomach. If you are unable to consume it raw, then you may prepare simple oil-free recipes with it. It is one of the best remedies of diabetes and you can see a lowered diabetes level with consistent consumption of bitter gourd juice.
Ground bay leaf and aloe vera: The mixture of half teaspoon of ground bay leaf, half teaspoon of turmeric and one teaspoon of aloe vera gel can be taken before lunch every day to control blood sugar level.
Fenugreek seeds: Commonly called the Methi seeds, this ingredient can be mixed with a little amount of turmeric along with a glassful of warm milk twice daily to reduce blood sugar problems. You can soak some fenugreek seeds in warm water overnight and chew it on an empty stomach in the morning.
Jamun seeds: The seed powder of Eugenia jambolina, commonly called the Jamun, is very helpful in reducing the blood sugar level. You can have one teaspoon of jamun seed powder followed by a glass of warm water or chew Jamun leaves to prevent the conversion of starch into sugar.
Indian gooseberry: This fruit enriched with high amounts of Vitamin C is commonly called Amla. Having 20 ml Amla juice every day can be prescribed for a diabetic patient. You can also take the amla fruit powder every day to get similar results.
Bark of the banyan tree: If you are suffering from increased levels of blood sugar, then you may consume the decoction of banyan tree bark twice regularly. You will have to take 20 grams of the bark and boil it in 4 glasses of water. When this mixture is reduced to approximately 1 glass, you can consume it after it cools down.
The level and symptoms of diabetes vary among different individuals. Therefore, before you jump on to trying any of these methods, it is recommended to consult an expert who can help you select the most suitable Ayurvedic solution for increased sugar levels.

Diabetes - 6 Effective Ayurvedic Remedies for Treating it!

Ayurveda, the traditional way of healing is known to be a crucial and effectual therapy for a lot of ailments. Since the primitive ages, mankind has been approaching Ayurveda for remedial purposes and in most instances have reaped fruitful results. Ayurveda seeks to heal diseases using natural herbs that are said to resonate well with the four elemental constituents of beings, i.e air, water, earth and fire. Ayurveda uses myriad herbs and natural ingredients in a unique proportion to impart physical as well as spiritual wellness. One of the most common and yet fairly formidable disease plaguing modern lives is diabetes, induced by imbalance in the blood sugar levels in the human body. 

Ayurveda recommends the use of a few select herbs to control and alleviate the blood sugar imbalance.

Gymnema Leaf: Indigenously called gurmar, Gymnema leaves regulate the insulin level in our body. It not only prevents absorption of sugar in the intestine, but also stimulates cell growth in the pancreas. As a consequence, the insulin levels in the body is maintained and the blood sugar problems get neutralized.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon is replete with polyphenols that trigger off a healthy count of insulin secretion. Cinnamon has other beneficial properties as well. Whether consumed as tea or sprinkled on food as a flavor, Cinnamon can be instrumental in combatting blood sugar imbalance.
Fenugreek seeds: A common find in most Indian kitchens, Fenugreek seeds are well known for their health advantages.  Its pungent sweet flavor adds to the taste of many dishes. But most importantly, fenugreek seeds extensively keep the blood sugar level in control. 
Basil Leaf: Basil leaves are one of the most commonly used natural remedies for a wide range of diseases. The basil extracts are used in various food items and are extremely effective in curbing the excessive presence of blood sugar in the body. In general as well, basil leaves regulate the metabolism to a large extent.
Coccinia Indica: This herb protects the vital organs from any damage caused due to diabetes. It stabilizes the breakdown of starch in the body.
Azadirachta Indica: Common known as Neem, this herb is perhaps an indomitable medicine for increasing glucose tolerance. Neem is also used in allopathic medication on account of its various healing qualities.

Ayurveda and Blood Sugar Imbalance

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