Diabetes and Feet

Diabetic patients should have to be very careful with their feet or they can get into trouble. There are possibilities that one can come across reduced blood circulation and nerve damage.

In case you feel that the feet is constantly getting cold and legs are becoming sore when walking, then you have to be careful as it could be because of decreased blood circulation. If you feel so, it is better to do some physical activity to improve the blood circulation. It is better to control blood sugar, blood fat and pressure.

Another symptom that diabetic patients come across is that the feet may become numb or you may have a burning sensation on the soles. This may be because of nerve damage. If you feel so, you have to check the feet regularly. Wash and dry in between the toes carefully. If corns or calluses are developed, immediately see the doctor. The nails should be trimmed regularly.

Diabetes patients: some Tips for Travel

A diabetic person when travelling should take plan ahead. This will reduce tension while travelling. Here are some tips for diabetic travel.

Before travelling, it is better to have a check up. Make sure that the glucose levels, cholesterol levels and pressure are ok. If there is any deviation, take some precautions.

Check the baggage for the medical kit. You should also have glucose snacks in your baggage.

The medication, including insulin and syringes should be kept in separate boxes so that no confusion arises.

Another thing that has to be seen is the time difference as this is important for taking medications. In case you re travelling east, the day become shorter and when travelling west, the day becomes longer.

It is good to wear a diabetes medical ID.

Air pollution could increase diabetes risk in women

Does air pollution lead to the risk of type 2 diabetes in women? If a new study has to be believed, then yes air pollution would lead to a risk of developing type 2 diabetes in women.

A group of German researchers have pointed out that low grade inflammation could contribute to higher incidence of type 2 diabetes in women who are exposed to air pollution.

The findings are published in Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP). In the study, women living in highly polluted industrial areas were compared to women living in rural regions with less pollution. After analysing the result of 1,775 women who were 54 or 55 years old, it has been found out that 187 participants were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

They have found that Nitrogen Dioxide and soot in ambient fine particulate matter was closely associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. They also say that living within 100 meters of busy roadways more than doubled the diabetes risk.

Diabetes and Eyes

Diabetes is known as killer disease that can have adverse impact on several organs. This killer disease can play havoc with eyes, heart, kidney, liver and the neuro system.

Some of the problems related to eyes with an impact of diabetes include cataract, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.

Cataract is often a major problem that is seen in diabetic persons. It is clouding of the lens, which can be treated by surgery. Glaucoma is a condition when the eyes get filled up with fluid and when the pressure of the fluid builds up in the eyes. This condition may lead to damage of the optic nerves.

Diabetic retinopathy is a condition when the small blood vessels in the eyes get damaged.

A diabetic person should always take care of the eyes. He or she should go for periodic eye check ups.

Diagnose diabetes early to minimise impact

There is an increase of diabetic patients the world over. Earlier, there was a belief that only old people are liable to diabetes. But the situation has changed and young people are having diabetes. The impact of diabetes is wide ranging as it could affect the eyes, nervous system and kidney.

There is nothing to fear of diabetes. If diabetes is diagnosed earlier, then the impact can be lessened. Most of the time, people fail to diagnose diabetes as they do not frequently do not go for check ups. A person who has crossed 30 should have to go for regular check ups, at least once in six months.

The only thing is that you should have to maintain a healthy life style once you known that you are diabetic. There should not be any compromise in your life style.

Wireless glucose monitor

Researchers have developed a sensor that measures blood sugar continuously and transmits the information wirelessly.
The small device has a pair of sensors and could be implanted in a person's torso. One of the sensors detect oxygen while the other one studies the reaction of oxygen and glucose. This information is then transmitted through an integrated antenna.

The blood glucose monitor, which measures about 1.5inches across, could be available under prescription within a few years. scientists reported in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

The device has been tested in one pig for more than a year and in another for nearly 10 months with no problems, they said.

Lead author Professor David Gough, from the UC San Diego, said that they were now focused on getting the human clinical trials going. He said they hoped to begin the first human trial within in a few months.

Pig cells a new hope for diabetes patients

Pig cells for diabetes patients. A research is underway to find a cure to type one diabetes patients by using pig cells.

A news report says that a procedure developed by Kiwis is being tested on eight patients. The procedure called xenotransplantation, which had been banned by the New Zealand government for over a decade has now once again been given the green light.

Xenotransplantation is a process by which a small incision is made in the abdomen and over one million pig islet cells, each the size of a pinhead, are inserted into the cavity surrounding the liver. Those cells will take several weeks to form a blood supply and hopefully start producing insulin for the patient, the medical experts feel.

His is not the first time that such a trial was being conducted in New Zealand as some patients were injected with pig cells about 14 years ago. However, those trials were halted over concerns that a pig retro-virus may one day emerge.