But I have a genetic disposition to the condition - I’m not overweight, it’s just a family history.

So finally had another test, found the levels were around 16.4 m/mol fasting - and started the tablets last night.

Oh well, all good things come to an end.

Now for more monitoring to see what transpires.

Already this morning - level had dropped to 12.5 m/mol.

Rashid.

Diabetes as a health condition is considered as a chronic disease. The body lacks the ability to generate insulin and break down glucose in the blood. To put it differently again a person diagnosed with diabetes doesn’t have enough insulin in their body –this is why their diagnosed as being diabetic. In a healthy body, the insulin produced is used providing “fuel” for us. However if your diabetic, the sugar is built up in your bloodstream and leaves your body when passing water, this is why diabetics often feel very tired, their bodies don’t get the energy they need to get through the day.

The lack of insulin is called hyperglycemia, which is diagnosed when our blood contains an excessive amount of glucose. High blood sugar levels are known to create complications for your blood vessels, heart, nerves, kidneys and other organs.

Just like with everything else, the best way to control a health condition is to put checks and balances into play. As you probably gathered by now, it is no different with diabetes.

Don’t worry its not that hard, but also keep in mind that your health, well being and longevity is at stake.

How to best manage the condition

Just like with anything in life, we do have to have a plan as how we want to manage certain situations. Now I really don’t see any difference between managing household or managing diabetes as a general approach. We have to have a plan and stick to it to get all the things done we need on a daily, weekly, monthly or even yearly basis.

Now if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with diabetes, we need to make sure that a number of things are getting done on regular bases.

I think I can assume you’d understand that your blood sugar levels need to be checked regularly. I suggest you ask your general practitioner as to how often you should do this and if there is a “best” time to do the checks. It is a good idea to keep a journal in which you record every reading. It also is recommended that you note all the foods your eating in the same journal, again for you to be able to track the reaction your body has to certain foods.

There is a known link between obesity or overweight and the occurrence of diabetes. Therefore it is widely suggested to not only keep a health diet and additionally introduce a regular weekly exercise program.

Again I would suggest recording your physical activities in your journal. Because after a couple of month at the latest you will have found which physical and dietary steps work best to control your blood sugar level. After that you just follow this routine.

Therapies

The best known and widest spread approaches to treating diabetes is the intake of insulin. The intake can take two forms, either oral hypoglycemics or insulin therapy.

Let me explain. With the oral hypoglycemic treatment the patient is required to swallow insulin tablets that help balance the levels of glucose in the blood stream. Treatment option two is the so called insulin therapy. When insulin therapy is prescribed, this means that insulin has to be injected into the patient’s body. This therapy requires that the patient has to be educated in great detail. One of the most important things to keep under tight control is the patient’s blood glucose level. The glucose level determines the amount of insulin to be injected. If these measures are not done properly it can cause a serious health risk and the results could be fatal.

Dear all,

Now here’s something to really think about long and hard and then take massive action. Because as we all know, taking action is the only thing that changes a situation. Thinking about it and doing research is very important too however, if there is the slightest inkling that you could be in danger of being diagnosed with diabetes at some stage in your life, follow George’s suggestions. Its not hard and it makes a lot of sense.

Diabetes is a disease that can silently ambush your health. If you are not aware of the early signs of diabetes you are setting yourself up for the fight of your life. Because recognizing the signs of diabetes is so ultra important you must become an expert at detecting the diabetes early warning signs and symptoms.

The first stage of diabetes is known as pre-diabetes. Pre-diabetes occurs when a person’s blood glucose level is higher than normal but not so high as to trigger a diabetes diagnosis. Even though you might develop pre-diabetes it does not necessarily mean that you will be stricken with full diabetes. You can reverse the clock and return to normal glucose levels.

However, pre-diabetes is sometimes hard to recognize. But if you have any of the following symptoms then you are probably a candidate for pre-diabetes. If you are thirsty a lot, if you have to urinate frequently, if your eyesight becomes blurry at times and if you feel tired most of the time, then you could be experiencing pre-diabetes. If you notice any of these signs you must take immediate action to prevent your pre-diabetes from developing into a more advanced diabetes state.

Here’s what you need to do fast. You must reduce your weight by 5-10 percent and you must engage in modest physical activity for 30 minutes daily. It’s as simple as that. Weight loss and moderate exercise can turn back the clock and return your elevated blood glucose levels to the normal range.

So if you are a couch potato and you are overweight then you should be on the look-out for pre-diabetes. Don’t let pre-diabetes develop into a more advanced stage of diabetes that could detrimentally effect your health for the rest of your life.

George Stark is the owner and operator of DiabetesClearingHouse.com a website devoted to diabetes care and treatement. Visit www.diabetesclearinghouse.com if you need information, insights and inspiration on how to fight diabetes.
Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=George_Stark

Thanks George, it is great of you to share this information with the world, a very noble cause indeed.

[tags] diabetes for breakfast, Dr Simon Evans, 1 of 3 kids will be diagnosed with diabetes in the US, sugar is the main trigger for diabetes, too much sugar in your soft drinks, 10 table spoons of sugar is contained in a can of soft drink, high sugar cereal, dougnuts, type 2 diabetes with kids, our body cannot deal with that much sugar, replace soda pops with plain water it is much healthier, don’t have your kid become part of this sad diabetes statistic, feed them whole grain bread and whole grain breakfast cereals, Dr Simon Evans in his kitchen talking about type 2 diabetes, big reason for diabetes to be on the increase is the huge amount of sugar consumption, waffles contain a lot of sugar too, parents need to take control what children eat for breakfast, replace the soda pop, get healthy food into your kids bodies, [/tags]

Physicians and diabetes specialties are required to a steady and updated source of information to ensure that the latest developments will be shared with their patients.

Obviously it is vitally important for parents whose children have been diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, have all the necessary information available to ensure that their children get the best possible care and treatment available.

One of the most used resources is the internet. The internet is a great way of doing research and getting a handle of what is out there in the market place. However, make no mistake; be careful what you believe, in case of doubt talk to your General Practitioner or your family doctor. Sometimes more harm than good can be done, and the risk is too great. There are some great tools to do research such as wikipedia, but be careful, they do not specialize on health conditions like diabetes and might mislead the reader, which might be dangerous for the patient.

Credible Sources of Diabetes Information

Just like many well meaning but maybe not so accurate sources of information about diabetes, there are many really good and reliable ones available too.

Arguably the best known one is the American Diabetes Association, www.diabetes.org.

This is an excellent site to visit over and over again. It actually is considered as one of the premier organizations providing new, support and advice to all diabetes sufferers as well as their family and friends. It seems that this site provides the most comprehensive information on diabetes, its root causes, cures, books, treatments and more.  

Because of this, anyone with even a passing interest in the subject of diabetes should contact the association for all their informational needs.

This site gets updated constantly, I suggest you bookmark it in your internet browser so that you will have access to it at any time you need the information.

Consider this, reading and reviewing any topic doesn’t make you an expert in the field. This also applies for diabetes and the treatment of this condition. However, gathering and reviewing information on an ongoing basis is great, because one does develop a sense of familiarity with a topic and a greater understanding of the principle of a health condition. By doing this you will develop a sense of what diabetes is, the dangers and treatments that are available and more importantly you will be able to tell which information is based on solid research and which ones to be careful with.

However, always consult with your physician or a specialist and never make adjustments without medical supervision and advice.  After all your  health and wellbeing is at stake.

There is A lot of research is done across the globe

It truly is heartening to know that indeed a huge number of groups and organizations as well as individuals are involved and working hard to find solutions and cures. These include the FDA, Juvenile Diabetes research foundation, the diabetes research and education foundation (DAREF) the diabetes research foundation, the diabetes research institute as well as the diabetes research and wellness foundation. There are many more but I think it should give you an idea that there is a lot of good work produced. And all of us, whether we’ve been diagnosed with the disease or not, should be happy and proud the results these individuals are delivering.

Research is done on different approaches and levels to combat and hopefully make diabetes a disease of the past. Researchers are looking a vaccinations to fight the autoimmune response that results in type 1 diabetes. Currently there are some animal test conducted to be able to get a clearer picture on who the immune system is reacting to this new approach. More research and testing is done with the aim to make the liver produce insulin, by genetic engineering. Some researchers are looking into stem cell creation, stem cells are very important building bocks in the human body, with the ability to recreate different cells in a weakened body. Many of us obviously hold high hopes  for these researchers to succeed in their vision. The stem cell approach could support the production of cells that are able to produce insulin and therefore replace the damaged cell in the pancreas.

Other areas on which such research is being conducted include immunoassay for type 1 diabetes, studying what the effects of exercise training have on people affected by diabetes, and many more in that will hopefully help cure this dreaded disease.

It is a well known fact that cinnamon is helping to reduce the blood sugar levels in your body. Cinnamon constrains the enzymes that are linked to the body becoming insulin resistant.

As an alternative to having to inject insulin into your body, researchers are also looking at the alternative of insulin inhalation.

In most cases diabetes is considered a chronic and incurable disease. It is caused by the fact that your body is not producing any or not enough insulin. Which results in an over supply of glucose in your blood. The hormone called insulin supports the cells in your body to harvest the glucose supplied by food intake, the body to function well.

If the condition is not treated properly and consistently, and there are a number of schools of thoughts on what is right and what is wrong, the body starts malfunctioning. We all have to be aware that over time, with no intervention at all, this disease can have truly debilitating and life threatening effects.

Diabetes Complications

Here’s a list of some of the more serious complications that can occur when diagnosed with diabetes if it’s not treated properly.

·        diabetic retinopathy

·        erectile dysfunction

·        hypoglycemia

·        kidney disease

·        kidney failure

·        stomach nerve damage

·        sexual and urologic problems

Lets explore just a couple of the most common ones.

Erectile dysfunction seems to be one of the widest spread complications which occur when diagnosed with diabetes. This condition is referred to if there is a repeated inability for a man to keep his erection firm enough for sexual intercourse. This condition can turn into a total inability or inconsistent ability to get erection. Diabetes experts seem to believe that there could be psychological factors attached to the cause of erectile dysfunction, they list factors like stress, anxiety, guilt, low self-esteem and the fear of sexual failure.

The most common and best known complication when suffering of diabetes is kidney disease. Statistically it accounts for almost 45 percent of new diabetes related cases. The real trouble is that even if your blood glucose is tightly controlled you not protected from neither nephropathy and kidney failure.

When your kidneys stop functioning properly you need treatment to get your body prepared for kidney replacement. There are a couple of doing this.

One is hemodialysis, which is a machine through which you filter and clean the patients blood, outside of the patients body, to rid the blood of waste such as potassium and urea.

The second treatment is a kidney transplant. Which effectively means that a new kidney from an organ donor is implanted into the patients body.

The first kidney transplantation had been performed in Chicago in the early 1950 and it was successful. As we all know traditional medicine has come a long way in the last 58 years. And as a general rule, even though a kidney transplant still is a complex surgical task, it tends to be very successful.

As mentioned above, there are other health complications related to diabetes, however I’ve covered the major ones by expanding on Erectile dysfunction and kidney failure.  

The best protection from all the listed complications still is a healthy lifestyle, eating a nutritious diet and plenty of physical exercise.

Check out the link below, there is an amazing amount of information avalable. www.dlife.com

This diet is healthy and good for the whole family, so you might want to consider following this nutritional path with your whole family.

Here are 2 real easy to prepare diabetes recipes

1) Black and white bean salad very easy and obviously healthy and nutritious

Ingredients:

2 cups finely chopped onions

2 tbsp. olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

 ¼ cup chopped red pepper

 2 tbsp. minced parsley

 2 cloves minced garlic

 Equal Spoonful, ¼ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper

 1 can of northern beans rinsed

1 can of black beans rinsed

Red pepper rings

Sauté the onions in oil till tender and have them cool down.

Stir vinegar, red pepper, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper and onions into a salad bowl, mix well and add the beans to it. Then garnish with the red pepper rings.

2) Rice Salad

Ingredients:

4 cups hot cooked rice

1 can kidney beans rinsed and drained

1 small onion chopped

¼ cup vegetable oil

2 tbsp. white vinegar

1 tbsp. granulated sugar

1 tbsp. pickle relish

1 ½ tbsp. chili powder

1 medium green pepper chopped

There is so much more to a healthy diet for sufferers of diabetes. I suggest you go an buy a couple of really good cookbooks or alternatively just search the internet. There is plenty available.

What I wanted to show you with this article is that cooking and caring for people with high blood sugar levels is not difficult at all, and the food is actually tasty too.

Happy cooking

Source: Dr Green.org (Diabetes Glossary)

http://www.drgreene.org/body.cfm

Team management: A diabetes treatment approach in which medical care is provided by a team of health care professionals including a doctor, a dietician, a nurse, a diabetes educator, and others. The team act as advisers to the person with diabetes.

Tight control: See intensive therapy

Triglyceride: The storage form of fat in the body. High triglyceride levels may occur when diabetes is out of control.

Type 1 diabetes: A condition characterized by high blood glucose levels caused by a total lack of insulin. Occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas and destroys them. The pancreas then produces little or no insulin. Type 1 diabetes develops most often in young people but can appear in adults.

Type II diabetes: Former term for type 2 diabetes

Ulcer: A deep open sore or break in the skin.

Ultralente insulin: Long-acting insulin. On average, ultralente insulin starts to lower blood glucose within 4 to 6 hours after injection. It has its strongest effect 10 to 18 hours after injection but keeps working 24 to 28 hours after injection. Also called U insulin.

Unit of insulin: The basic measure of insulin. U-100 insulin means 100 units of insulin per milliliter (mL) or cubic centimeter (cc) of solution. Most insulin made today in the United States is U-100.

U-100: See unit of insulin

Urea: A waste product found in the blood that results from the normal breakdown of protein in the liver. Urea is normally removed from the blood by the kidneys and then excreted in the urine.

Uremia: The illness associated with the buildup of urea in the blood because the kidneys are not working effectively. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, weakness, and mental confusion.

Urine: The liquid waste product filtered from the blood by the kidneys, stored in the bladder, and expelled from the body by the act of urinating.

Urine testing: Also called urinalysis; a test of a urine sample to diagnose diseases of the urinary system and other body systems. In people with diabetes, a doctor may check for: Glucose, a sign of diabetes or other diseases. Protein, a sign of kidney damage, or nephropathy. (Also see albuminuria.) White blood cells, a sign of urinary tract infection. Ketones, a sign of diabetic ketoacidosis or other conditions. Urine may also be checked for signs of bleeding. Some tests use a single urine sample. For others, 24-hour collection may be needed. And sometimes a sample is “cultured” to see exactly what type of bacteria grows.

Urologist: A doctor who treats people who have urinary tract problems. A urologist also cares for men who have problems with their genital organs, such as impotence.

Vascular: Relating to the body’s blood vessels

Vein: A blood vessel that carries blood to the heart

Very-long-acting insulin: A type of insulin that starts to lower blood glucose within 1 hour after injection and keeps working evenly for 24 hours after injection. See glargine insulin.

Vitrectomy: Surgery to restore sight in which the surgeon removes the cloudy vitreous tumour in the eye and replaces it with a salt solution.

Wound care: Steps taken to ensure that a wound such as a foot ulcer heals correctly. People with diabetes need to take special precautions so wounds do not become infected.

Xylitol: A carbohydrate-based sweetener found in plants and used as a substitute for sugar; provides calories. Found in some mints and chewing gum.

Source: Dr Green.org (Diabetes Glossary)

http://www.drgreene.org/body.cfm

Pancreas: An organ that makes insulin and enzymes for digestion. The pancreas is located behind the lower part of the stomach and is about the size of a hand.

Pancreas transplantation: A surgical procedure to take a healthy whole or partial pancreas from a donor and place it into a person with diabetes.

Pediatric endocrinologist: A doctor who treats children who have endocrine gland problems such as diabetes.

Pedorthist: A health care professional who specializes in fitting shoes for people with disabilities or deformities. A pedorthist can custom-make shoes or orthotics (special inserts for shoes).

Periodontal disease: Disease of the gums

Periodontist: A dentist who specializes in treating people who have gum diseases.

Peripheral neuropathy: Nerve damage that affects the feet, legs, or hands. Peripheral neuropathy causes pain, numbness, or a tingling feeling

Peripheral vascular disease (PVD): A disease of the large blood vessels of the arms, legs, and feet. PVD may occur when major blood vessels in these areas are blocked and do not receive enough blood. The signs of PVD are aching pains and slow-healing foot sores

Peritoneal dialysis: See dialysis.

Photocoagulation: A treatment for diabetic retinopathy. A strong beam of light (laser) is used to seal off bleeding blood vessels in the eye and to burn away extra blood vessels that should not have grown there.

Podiatrist: A doctor who treats people who have foot problems. Podiatrists also help people keep their feet healthy by providing regular foot examinations and treatment.

Podiatry: The care and treatment of feet.

Point system: A meal planning system that uses points to rate the caloric content of foods.

Polydipsia: Excessive thirst; may be a sign of diabetes.

Polyphagia: Excessive hunger; may be a sign of diabetes.

Polyuria: Excessive urination; may be a sign of diabetes.

Postprandial blood glucose: The blood glucose level taken 1 to 2 hours after eating.

Pre-diabetes: A condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but are not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. People with pre-diabetes are at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes and for heart disease and stroke. Other names for pre-diabetes are impaired glucose tolerance and impaired fasting glucose.

Premixed insulin: A commercially produced combination of two different types of insulin. See 50/50 insulin and 70/30 insulin.

Preprandial blood glucose: The blood glucose level taken before eating.

Proinsulin: The substance made first in the pancreas and then broken into several pieces to become insulin.

Proliferative retinopathy: A condition in which fragile new blood vessels grow along the retina and in the vitreous humor of the eye.

Prosthesis: A man-made substitute for a missing body part such as an arm or a leg.

Protein:

1. One of the three main nutrients in food. Foods that provide protein include meat, poultry, fish, cheese, milk, dairy products, eggs, and dried beans.

2. Proteins are also used in the body for cell structure, hormones such as insulin, and other functions.

Proteinuria: The presence of protein in the urine, indicating that the kidneys are not working properly.

Pump: See insulin pump

Source: Dr Green.org (Diabetes Glossary)

http://www.drgreene.org/body.cfm

Saccharin: A sweetener with no calories and no nutritional value.

Secondary diabetes: A type of diabetes caused by another disease or certain drugs or chemicals.

Self-management: In diabetes, the ongoing process of managing diabetes. Includes meal planning, planned physical activity, blood glucose monitoring, taking diabetes medicines, handling episodes of illness and of low and high blood glucose, managing diabetes when travelling, and more. The person with diabetes designs his or her own self-management treatment plan in consultation with a variety of health care professionals such as doctors, nurses, dieticians, pharmacists, and others.

70/30 insulin: Premixed insulin that is 70 percent intermediate-acting (NPH) insulin and 30 percent short-acting (regular) insulin.

Sharps container: A container for disposal of used needles and syringes; often made of hard plastic so that needles cannot poke through.

Short-acting insulin: A type of insulin that starts to lower blood glucose within 30 minutes after injection and has its strongest effect 2 to 5 hours after injection. See regular insulin.

Side effects: The unintended action(s) of a drug.

Sliding scale: A set of instructions for adjusting insulin on the basis of blood glucose test results, meals, or activity levels.

Somogyi effect: Also called rebound hyperglycemia — when the blood glucose level swings high following hypoglycemia. The Somogyi effect may follow an untreated hypoglycemic episode during the night and is caused by the release of stress hormones.

Sorbitol:

1. A sugar alcohol (sweetener) with 4 calories per gram.

2. A substance produced by the body in people with diabetes that can cause damage to the eyes and nerves.

Split mixed dose: Division of a prescribed daily dose of insulin into two or more injections given over the course of the day.

Starch: Another name for carbohydrate, one of the three main nutrients in food.

Stroke: Condition caused by damage to blood vessels in the brain; may cause loss of ability to speak or to move parts of the body.

Subcutaneous injection: Putting a fluid into the tissue under the skin with a needle and syringe.

Sucralose: A sweetener made from sugar but with no calories and no nutritional value.

Sucrose: A two-part sugar made of glucose and fructose. Known as table sugar or white sugar, it is found naturally in sugar cane and in beets.

Sugar:

1. A class of carbohydrates with a sweet taste; includes glucose, fructose, and sucrose.

2. A term used to refer to blood glucose.

Sugar diabetes: Former term for diabetes mellitus

Sulfonylurea: A class of oral medicine for type 2 diabetes that lowers blood glucose by helping the pancreas make more insulin and by helping the body better use the insulin it makes. (Generic names: Acetohexamide, chlorpropamide, glimepiride, glipizide, glyburide, tolazamide, tolbutamide.)

Syndrome x: See insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.

Syringe: A device used to inject medications or other liquids into body tissues. The syringe for insulin has a hollow plastic tube with a plunger inside and a needle on the end.

Source: Dr Green.org (Diabetes Glossary)

http://www.drgreene.org/body.cfm

Rapid-acting insulin: A type of insulin that starts to lower blood glucose within 5 to 10 minutes after injection and has its strongest effect 30 minutes to 3 hours after injection, depending on the type used. See aspart insulin and lispro insulin.

Rebound hyperglycemia: A swing to a high level of glucose in the blood after a low level. See Somogyi effect.

Receptors: See insulin receptors

Recognized Diabetes Education Programs: Diabetes self-management education programs that are approved by the American Diabetes Association.

Regular insulin: Short-acting insulin. On average, regular insulin starts to lower blood glucose within 30 minutes after injection. It has its strongest effect 2 to 5 hours after injection but keeps working 5 to 8 hours after injection. Also called R insulin.

Renal: Having to do with the kidneys. A renal disease is a disease of the kidneys. Renal failure means the kidneys have stopped working.

Renal threshold of glucose: The blood glucose concentration at which the kidneys start to excrete glucose into the urine.

Retina: The light-sensitive layer of tissue that lines the back of the eye.

Retinopathy: See background retinopathy, proliferative retinopathy, and diabetic retinopathy.

Risk factor: Anything that raises the chances of a person developing a disease.

YouTube DirektLink

Source: Dr Green.org (Diabetes Glossary)

http://www.drgreene.org/body.cfm

Ketoacidosis: See diabetic ketoacidosis

Ketone: A chemical produced when there is a shortage of insulin in the blood and the body breaks down body fat for energy. High levels of ketones can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis and coma. Sometimes referred to as ketone bodies

Ketonuria: A condition occurring when ketones are present in the urine, a warning sign of diabetic ketoacidosis

Ketosis: A ketone buildup in the body that may lead to diabetic ketoacidosis. Signs of ketosis are nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain

Kidney disease: See nephropathy

Kidney failure: A chronic condition in which the body retains fluid and harmful wastes build up because the kidneys no longer work properly. A person with kidney failure needs dialysis or a kidney transplant. Also called end-stage renal disease or ESRD.

Kidneys: The two bean-shaped organs that filter wastes from the blood and form urine. The kidneys are located near the middle of the back. They send urine to the bladder.

Kussmaul breathing: The rapid, deep, and labored breathing of people who have diabetic ketoacidosis.

Lancet: A spring-loaded device used to prick the skin with a small needle to obtain a drop of blood for blood glucose monitoring.

Laser surgery treatment: A type of therapy that uses a strong beam of light to treat a damaged area. The beam of light is called a laser. A laser is sometimes used to seal blood vessels in the eye of a person with diabetes. See photocoagulation.

Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA): A condition in which type 1 diabetes develops in adults.

LDL cholesterol: Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), a fat found in the blood, takes cholesterol around the body to where it is needed for cell repair and also deposits it on the inside of artery walls. Also called “bad” cholesterol.

Lente insulin: An intermediate-acting insulin. On average, lente insulin starts to lower blood glucose levels within 1 to 2 hours after injection. It has its strongest effect 8 to 12 hours after injection but keeps working for 18 to 24 hours after injection. Also called L insulin.

Limited joint mobility: A condition in which the joints swell and the skin of the hand becomes thick, tight, and waxy, making the joints less able to move. It may affect the fingers and arms as well as other joints in the body.

Lipid: A term for fat in the body. Lipids can be broken down by the body and used for energy

Lipid profile: A blood test that measures total cholesterol, triglycerides, and HDL cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is then calculated from the results. A lipid profile is one measure of a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease.

Lipoatrophy: Loss of fat under the skin resulting in small dents. Lipoatrophy may be caused by repeated injections of insulin in the same spot.

Lipodystrophy: Defect in the breaking down or building up of fat below the surface of the skin, resulting in lumps or small dents in the skin surface. (See lipohypertrophy or lipoatrophy.) Lipodystrophy may be caused by repeated injections of insulin in the same spot.

Lispro insulin: A rapid-acting insulin. On average, lispro insulin starts to lower blood glucose within 5 minutes after injection. It has its strongest effect 30 minutes to 1 hour after injection but keeps working for 3 hours after injection.

Liver: An organ in the body that changes food into energy, removes alcohol and poisons from the blood, and makes bile, a substance that breaks down fats and helps rid the body of wastes.

Long-acting insulin: A type of insulin that starts to lower blood glucose within 4 to 6 hours after injection and has its strongest effect 10 to 18 hours after injection. See ultralente insulin.

Low blood sugar: See hypoglycaemia

Source: Dr Green.org (Diabetes Glossary)

http://www.drgreene.org/body.cfm

Macrovascular disease: Disease of the large blood vessels, such as those found in the heart. Lipids and blood clots build up in the large blood vessels and can cause atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease.

Macula: The part of the retina in the eye used for reading and seeing fine detail.

Macular edema: Swelling of the macula

Metabolic syndrome: The tendency of several conditions to occur together, including obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes or pre-diabetes, hypertension, and high lipids

Metabolism: The term for the way cells chemically change food so that it can be used to store or use energy and make the proteins, fats, and sugars needed by the body.

Mg/dL: Milligrams per deciliter, a unit of measure that shows the concentration of a substance in a specific amount of fluid. In the United States, blood glucose test results are reported as mg/dL. Medical journals and other countries use millimoles per liter (mmol/L). To convert to mg/dL from mmol/L, multiply mmol/L by 18. Example: 10 mmol/L _ 18 = 180 mg/dL.

Microalbumin: Small amounts of the protein called albumin in the urine detectable with a special lab test.

Microaneurysm: A small swelling that forms on the side of tiny blood vessels. These small swellings may break and allow blood to leak into nearby tissue. People with diabetes may get microaneurysms in the retina of the eye.

Microvascular disease: Disease of the smallest blood vessels, such as those found in the eyes, nerves, and kidneys. The walls of the vessels become abnormally thick but weak. Then they bleed, leak protein, and slow the flow of blood to the cells.

Mixed dose: A combination of two types of insulin in one injection. Usually a rapid- or short-acting insulin is combined with a longer acting insulin (such as NPH insulin) to provide both short-term and long-term control of blood glucose levels.

Mmol/L: Millimoles per liter, a unit of measure that shows the concentration of a substance in a specific amount of fluid. In most of the world, except for the United States, blood glucose test results are reported as mmol/L. In the United States, milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) is used. To convert to mmol/L from mg/dL, divide mg/dL by 18. Example: 180 mg/dL ÷ 18 = 10 mmol/L.

MODY: See maturity-onset diabetes of the young

Monofilament: A short piece of nylon, like a hairbrush bristle, mounted on a wand. To check sensitivity of the nerves in the foot, the doctor touches the filament to the bottom of the foot.

Mononeuropathy: Neuropathy affecting a single nerve

Myocardial infarction: An interruption in the blood supply to the heart because of narrowed or blocked blood vessels. Also called a heart attack.

Source: Dr Green.org (Diabetes Glossary)

http://www.drgreene.org/body.cfm

Necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum: A skin condition usually on the lower part of the legs. Lesions can be small or extend over a large area. They are usually raised, yellow, and waxy in appearance and often have a purple border.

Neovascularization: The growth of new, small blood vessels. In the retina, this may lead to loss of vision or blindness

Nephrologist: A doctor who treats people who have kidney problems

Nephropathy: Disease of the kidneys. Hyperglycemia and hypertension can damage the kidneys’ glomeruli. When the kidneys are damaged, protein leaks out of the kidneys into the urine. Damaged kidneys can no longer remove waste and extra fluids from the bloodstream.

Nerve conduction studies: Tests used to measure for nerve damage; one way to diagnose neuropathy.

Nerve disease: See neuropathy.

Noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM): Former term for type 2 diabetes.

Noninvasive blood glucose monitoring: Measuring blood glucose without pricking the finger to obtain a blood sample.

NPH insulin: An intermediate-acting insulin; NPH stands for neutral protamine

Hagedorn. On average, NPH insulin starts to lower blood glucose within 1 to 2 hours after injection. It has its strongest effect 6 to 10 hours after injection but keeps working about 10 hours after injection. Also called N insulin.

Nutritionist: A person with training in nutrition; may or may not have specialized training and qualifications. See dietitian.

OGTT: See oral glucose tolerance test.

Ophthalmologist: A medical doctor who diagnoses and treats all eye diseases and eye disorders. Opthalmologists can also prescribe glasses and contact lenses.

Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT): A test to diagnose pre-diabetes and diabetes. The oral glucose tolerance test is given by a health care professional after an overnight fast. A blood sample is taken, then the patient drinks a high-glucose beverage. Blood samples are taken at intervals for 2 to 3 hours. Test results are compared with a standard and show how the body uses glucose over time.

Oral hypoglycemic agents: Medicines taken by mouth by people with type 2 diabetes to keep blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible. Classes of oral hypoglycemic agents are alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, biguanides, D-phenylalanine derivatives, meglitinides, sulfonylureas, and thiazolidinediones.