At this point of time, diabetes is one of the most chronic, fastest growing lifestyle disease in the world. Also known as diabetes mellitus, the condition is basically a metabolic disorder, wherein the human body cannot store and use fuel for the energy. This fuel or glucose is the one that powers all our bodily organs and ensures that we have the energy to carry out activities throughout the day.

And while diabetes is a popular medical condition, a lot of people don't have much information about it. Although, they know the major types of diabetes, they have no clue about the difference between them. Here we outline type I vs type ii diabetes-

***Type I diabetes- Formerly known as juvenile onset or insulin dependent diabetes, type I diabetes is the one in which your body's immune system destroys all kinds of cells that release insulin. Over a period of time, this results in elimination of insulin production from the body, because of which the cells cannot absorb glucose or sugar and produce energy. Type I diabetes have episodes of low blood sugar level and it cannot be problem. Symptoms usually start from childhood or young adulthood.

***Type ii diabetes- The adult onset or non-insulin dependent diabetes can develop at any age, particularly after the 30s, although the cases of same are rising rapidly among children. This type of diabetes involves production of insulin, but not in a right way, a condition known as insulin resistance. For this kind of diabetes, the person usually might not have symptoms before the diagnoses and there are rarely any episodes of low sugar level. It can be easily prevented or delayed by following a healthy lifestyle and indulging in regular exercising.

If you have any of the above symptoms or have more questions related to diabetes, click on consult privately to ask me.

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You Surely Know About Diabetes. But Do You Know Its Various Types?


Here are some well advertised and well-loved foods that most youngsters cherish. These foods cause far more damage in even small quantities. 

Try to avoid these foods now, to prevent from further damage as you grow older.

1) Frosting- The creamy layer that you lick off from the top of a cake is one of the most unhealthy foods ever. It contains trans-fat, which lowers your good cholesterol and can raise heart rate, increase belly fat and lead to heart diseases or diabetes. Plus, frosting has just too much of sugar.

2) Packaged Fruit Juices- ‘But juices are good for you!’ is something that most people say to defend why they drink packaged fruit juices. It is true that juices are great, but the ones that are packaged aren’t any good. Firstly, the ones available in packed forms have a limited amount of real content (look at the concentrate, which is sometimes lesser than 10% of the total packaging). At the same time, most of these are filled with artificial flavours and a lot of sugar. Do yourself a favour and drink only fresh juices.

3) Artificial Sweeteners- Artificial sweeteners can actually cause diabetes and are as harmful as natural sugar. In fact, they are also responsible for a number of allergies, cancers, seizures, weight gain and obesity.

4) Soda Beverages-   They are the worst! There is absolutely no reason why you should be popping out that bottle of soda or fizzy drinks with so much of caffeine every time. These bottles contain 10 packets of sugar, highly synthetic flavors and have absolutely zero nutritional value. In fact, they promote the ugly fat deposits on all the wrong places. High content of phosphoric acid in sodas can lead to heart and kidney problems, muscle loss, and osteoporosis, as well as trigger accelerated aging.

If you have any further questions on issues related to nutrition or diet, ask me by clicking on 'consult'.

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Avoid These 4 Foods to Stay Healthy

Spinal surgery becomes inevitable when back pain cannot be managed with medications and/or exercise. This is a major decision and requires planning for many things before, during, and after the surgery.

Before a spinal surgery- This preparation will help in smooth recovery, especially if you do not have a full-time caretaker.

Discontinue pain killers: Discontinue pain killers at least 10 to 14 days before surgery. These are blood thinners and can prolong bleeding during the surgery.

Prepare for blood loss: Most people experience some blood loss, but not excessive.

Use a toilet seat raiser: Sitting and getting up from the toilet seat may be difficult. The seat raiser is used to increase the height, making this movement easy.

Enable easy access to common items: Before heading for the surgery, keep things which are commonly used within easy reach. This will help reduce movement and avoid searching (especially if someone else is going to be doing it).

Stock it up: Cooking may not be feasible during the initial postop period, and so it is advisable to stock up food items (ready to eats, fruits, soups, etc.) which will come in handy.

Slip-ons: Bending down and tying shoes may not be easy, so slip-ons can be used.

Caregiving: It is always advisable to have someone stay over with you during the initial postop days. They could help with regular household chores, cooking, etc.

Lifestyle changes: Ensure you eat well in the days before surgery, quit smoking, quit/use moderate amounts of alcohol, and exercise as advised by your surgeon.

After Surgery- Post surgery, there will be some pain and limitation of movement. It is important to understand that adherence to post-op instructions will improve the success rate of the surgery. Also, recovery time for spine surgery is slightly longer and affects overall quality of life, so psychological preparation is required.

Postoperative medications: These will be given to control infection and pain in the immediate postop period, and should be taken without fail

Rehab: The surgeon will recommend physical therapy and rehab exercises which need to be followed. Complete recovery may take anywhere between 3 to 12 months. During this time, care should be taken to avoid repeat injury.

Support: Adequate back support should be provided using lumbar support and ergonomic chairs, and the right posture should be maintained. Ensure there is no undue strain on the back muscles.

Weight management: With excess weight, there is too much strain on the lower disks. Therefore, weight should be managed to reduce this strain.

Smoking and alcohol should be completely stopped, as healing can be hampered.

With some preparation, spinal surgery can be sailed through smoothly.

What To Expect Before and After Spine Surgery?

After eating a meal to your heart s content, it is very normal to burp or belch. However, it is normal only when it happens occasionally, or after a meal, for someone used to a contented meal every single time. On the other hand, excessive burping or belching can happen due to two reasons.

Excessive air intake: There are multiple ways that excessive air can reach the food pipe. Sucking on straws, chewing gum constantly and ill-fitting dentures are some common reasons for burping.
Digestive problems: Ulcers in the stomach, prolonged gastric, gallstones and rarely, esophageal or stomach cancers can also cause burping.
When to see a doctor
Check with a doctor if you have persistent burping, followed by a meal or otherwise, and accompanied by the following symptoms.

Nausea
Bloody stools
Abdominal pain
Vomiting
Weight loss
Fever
Preventing belching



Go slow when eating and/or drinking: Most of us are pressed for time and eating and/or drinking has now become a task that needs to be finished quickly. Eating fast causes air to be swallowed, and therefore one of the best ways to stop burping is to eat slowly. Sitting in a calm, relaxing environment when eating also allows one to enjoy the food and avoid or stop burping.
Avoid talking while eating: There is always so much to catch up, whether at home or outside. So, talking while eating is a common practice. This is not just bad manners, but there is also a lot of air that is swallowed, which leads to burping. A solution is to chew the food properly, which not just helps stop burping, but also aids in better food digestion by mixing it adequately with saliva.
Substitute coke with water: Carbonated drinks are another reason for belching. Replacing them with water, tea, or anything noncarbonated is advisable, not just from burping perspective, but also from the excessive sugar consumption. Carbonated drinks are just sugar solutions, and are absolutely of no nutritive value.
Avoid straw: When possible, drink from a glass and avoid straws. This reduces the amount of gas taken in and helps stop burping
Quit smoking: Quitting it has multiple health benefits, and getting rid of smoking is just one of them.
Dentures: Ill-fitting dentures can be a reason for belching, and so they should be checked and corrected, if required, in a person who has persistent burping.
Chewing gum: Constantly chewing gum contributes to burping, and so avoiding chewing gum or sucking on hard candy is another way to control burping.
Avoid certain foods: Foodstuffs like broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, sprouts, and lentils can produce excessive gas and should be avoided in people who have persistent burping.
Follow the above steps in your daily routine; still if your burping problem persists, it is time to consult your physician.

Burp A Lot? 8 Ways You Can Prevent It!

The term fast food refers to those particular food items that can be quickly prepared and served instantly. From pizzas to chips, pastries, burgers, candy, soft drinks, fried and salted snacks, everything falls under fast food. There is no doubt that they appear irresistible and are equally delicious. But do you know that they can end up seriously affecting your stomach? Yes, for those who follow a diet, which is based on fast foods, it's time to know the effects of them on your digestive system.

Discomfort to the Stomach and Kidney: As fast food contains various toxic elements, chemicals and high amount of sodium, these naturally increase the risks of developing bloating, stomach ulcers and sometimes even stomach cancer. As more salt is consumed by your body (through fast food), greater amount of water will be held by the sodium, which cannot only result in swelling or bloating of the abdomen but also may cause stomach discomfort.
Fast Food Diet Increases Constipation: Dietary fiber, which is found in fruits, vegetables, seeds, whole grains, and nuts, plays a crucial role in the maintaining a smooth digestive system. Not only do they keep the digestive tract functional, but also helpsin excreting the waste out of the body. But unfortunately, when your diet becomes filled with fast food, you lack the necessary fiber intake as fast food contains little or no dietary fiber. Less fiber means less absorption of water, resulting in constipation, which causes discomfort in the stomach as well.
Peptic Ulcer May Be Next: Continuously having fast food often leads to stomach ulcers. Peptic ulcer disease or peptic ulcer is probably the most common form of ulcer that damages the gastrointestinal tract severely. For ages, intake of excessively spicy foods, alcohol and leading a stressful life have been considered to be the root cause of stomach ulcer. However, scientific studies have highlighted the consumption of fast foods too as a cause of ulcers.
It Invites Liver Diseases: The liver is another victim of regular fast food intake. If you think that the stomach doesn't have to bear the side effects of liver disease due to fast food consumption, then you are wrong. Whether it's liver disease or any kind of liver damage, it may lead to a bloated abdomen, swelling of the veins or bleeding veins around the stomach, the esophagus and even pain in the stomach, interrupting the digestive process.
Those who consume fast food regularly or whose diet comprises of mostly fast food items should consult a medical professional or a gastroenterologist to be more specific, in case they experience pain and discomfort in the stomach. Dependence on a fast food diet for long often leads to life-threatening conditions, which can only be dealt with through medical attention.

Fast Food Diet - How It Affects Your Stomach?

High blood pressure and sex

High blood pressure is a condition in which the pressure of the blood against the artery wall is high enough to cause health problems, including heart disease. No symptoms may be noticed in a person for years but the damage to the blood vessels and to your heart continues. High blood pressure can have an impact on your sex life. Although sexual activity does not lead to any possible threats to your health but high blood pressure can affect the pleasure you would have otherwise derived from sex.

In Men

High blood pressure leads to the wearing out of the lining of blood vessels and causes arteries to narrow and harden that decreases the blood flow. This results in decreased blood flow to the penis. In case of some men, this decreased blood flow makes it difficult for them to achieve and maintain an erection. This problem is called erectile dysfunction.

High blood pressure may also interfere with ejaculation and be a cause for low libido. The medications that are prescribed for treating high blood pressure may lead to this condition.

In Women

Just as in the case of men, high blood pressure results in the decreased flow of blood to the vagina in case of women. This may cause problems like low libido, vaginal dryness, or complexities in achieving orgasm. Sexual dysfunction in women results in stress, anxiety and even relationship issues.



High Blood Pressure and Sex

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