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According to current estimates by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), diabetes now affects more than 240 million people worldwide, i.e. more than 5% of the entire global adult population, it has been estimated that an equal number of persons with diabetes remain undiagnosed. And the number of people with diabetes is expected to increase dramatically to more than 380 million by 2025. In virtually every developed society, diabetes is ranked among the leading causes of blindness, renal failure and lower limb amputation. It is also now one of the leading causes of death due to its effects on cardiovascular disease (70-80 percent of people with diabetes die of cardiovascular disease).

Diabetes wreaks havoc with many major organ systems in the human body. Among others, it tends to create some of the worst life altering complications in the feet. Over one half of diabetic hospital admissions are foot related. This is typically due to the disease's debilitating effect on the nerves and blood vessels. As a result, one of the most common complications of Diabetes is neuropathy, an altered sensation of your nerve endings which, if unchecked, will eventually lead to numbness.

Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral Neuropathy can manifest itself as abnormal sensations such as burning, tingling, numbness, and pain. Often, patients report feelings of ants crawling on their skin. Treatment can include medications, infra-red light therapy such as Anodyne, and surgical nerve decompression.


Although annoying, these sensations typically represent the early stages of diabetic neuropathy. Often times, the condition can progress to a more dangerous form in which sensation to the foot is diminished or completely lost. With loss of protective sensation, the foot is at a higher risk for complications, including open wounds and infections. Coupled with a bony deformity and ill-fitting shoes, this is a recipe for a disaster. When a diabetic with neuropathy cannot feel rubbing inside the shoe, or cannot feel a cut, scrape, burn or other injury, a wound or infection often ensues, and unerringly complicates.

Signs and Symptoms of Neuropathy

  • Pain
  • Numbness
  • Burning sensation
  • Tingling
  • Lancinating (shooting) pain
  • Hypersensitive areas of the skin
  • Hair loss on the affected part
  • Shiny skin
  • Weakness
  • Muscle atrophy (loss of muscle tissue)

Most common cause of Amputation
Along with countless side effects from Diabetes, complications with the foot can be debilitating. Of the world’s entire amputation rate, complications from diabetes are responsible for 25% of the amputations. This breaks down to roughly every thirty seconds someone is losing a limb to diabetes.

Detection is the key...
IPN's are a phenomenal help

Diabetic Neuropathy can go undetected in Diabetics and therefore the area is not taken care of the way that it needs to be once neuropathy sets in. That is why IPN products such as Neuropad is giving patient’s a needed heads up in the detection of neuropathy.


How will an Indicator Plaster Neuropad, or IPN, change the way we detect Diabetic Neuropathy in the future?
The IPN can be performed either in the office or by the patient at home and takes about roughly 10 minutes. The fact that this test can be performed at home by the patient is phenomenal and it allows the patient to participate actively in the prevention and detection of diabetic foot complications.



Currently, it is suggested that patients utilize the Indicator Plaster Neuropad once a year as a way of detecting peripheral neuropathy. This 10 minute examination results in either a pink light when the nerve conduction is normal or a blue light when nerve damage is present.

Patients who register an abnormal result on the IPN, meaning they have neuropathy, can be instructed on how to better care for their feet and can also schedule more regular foot exams.

Listen Up!
There is no cure for diabetic neuropathy but awareness and care can prevent complications which could become severe enough to warrant amputation. Awareness is key. Like GI Joe used to say: “Knowing is half the Battle won…Go Joe”. If you are well informed about diabetic Neuropathy, then you have the best chance of staving off the complication that will make you foot look like this:



yours truly, RA

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Diabetes is on the rise among Indians and more and more young people are getting diagnosed with the dreaded disease, or should we say, 'Pandemic'. But what is heartening is that timely diagnosis can help patient and doctor understand the exact cause and type of Diabetes and chart out a proper dietary and exercise plan to keep the disease at bay for those not yet affected, and even for people who are diagnosed as diabetic, monitor your blood sugar and keep it under control.


For patients who need to monitor their blood sugar levels on daily basis, utmost care needs to be taken to use sterile and standardized equipment which gives precise readings. Living with diabetes has always been a big chore. But not anymore. Diabetics, now, have an option of choosing from a vast range of Glucometers, having all latest features, which can help you to understand diabetes and not run away from it, which, for the record, is not possible!


How does a Glucometer help you manage your Diabetes better?
Self-monitoring of blood sugar levels (SMBG) plays an important role in managing diabetes. Glucometers simplify SMBG like never before by giving results in 3 easy steps - in just 7 seconds. So you can track your sugar levels-anytime, anywhere. It assists in the following ways:

Diet & Exercise: A test after meals or physical activity helps understand its impact on blood sugar levels. Medication: Results obtained at different times during the day allows the doctor to adjust medication as per needs.

Hypoglycemia: One can easily detect low blood sugar levels and take necessary action.




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Did you know that there are many natural foods and supplements that you can take that will help lower your blood sugar level naturally? Diabetic patients are usually made aware of the countless pharmaceutical products that are available…but what if you want to naturally lower your blood sugar level?


First, let me just make one thing clear.
I am not saying that the use of pharmaceutical products to control diabetes is bad. My mother herself is taking Metformin, also known as Glucophage, and Glipizide, also known as Glucotrol, to regulate her blood glucose levels.

Right now taking these drugs is a must for her, but she is someone who hates taking any form of medication, as I am. If you knew me personally you would know that I’m the kind of person who would always look to avoid pharmaceutical medication whenever possible. I’m a big proponent of a more natural approach to treating diabetes and, as a matter of fact, any disease or medical condition.

What I have been finding more and more, to my eternal joy, is that there are foods and supplements that will naturally lower blood sugar levels. By incorporating these foods and supplements into your already diabetes friendly diet you are increasing your chances of a longer healthier life.

Natural Food And Supplements That Lower Blood Sugar Levels
Cinnamon
Researchers have found that cinnamon reduces blood sugar levels naturally if taken daily. If you absolutely love cinnamon you can sprinkle the recommended six grams of cinnamon on your food throughout the day to achieve the desired effect. If you are not that big a fan of cinnamon there is another alternative…cinnamon capsules. This gives you the recommended cinnamon dose all in one tidy capsule.

Chromium
To help your body’s cells respond properly to insulin you can use Chromium. There are studies that are finding that people with diabetes have lower Chromium levels that people without the disease. So how do you add Chromium to your diet? Well it is a trace mineral so the best bet it to take a Chromium Picolinate dietary supplement.

Zinc
The mineral Zinc plays a huge role in your body’s production and storage of insulin. It is now being brought to light that people with diabetes have Zinc deficiency. You can go about increasing the Zinc in your diet by either taking a supplement or more better, by eating foods that are high in Zinc. This would include your lamb, oysters, pecans, almonds, chicken and sardines.

Salacia oblonga
Something interesting I read in a chance reading through a Diabetes Journal. Salacia oblonga is an herb that’s been used for centuries which is native to regions of India and Sri Lanka. It binds to intestinal enzymes that break down carbohydrates in the body. Ohio State University researchers saw insulin levels drop 23 percent and blood sugar levels drop 29 percent in patients who took a 1,000-mg dose of the herb. Absolutely Amazing!

Obviously, these are just a fraction of the abundance of natural foods and supplements that will lower your blood sugar level naturally, without any side effects. One thing that is essential is that you keep your doctor or health care provider up to date on any supplements that you are or will be utilizing as a natural way to lower your blood sugar. Always consult your doctor before taking anything. They will be able to help you safely figure out what does and does not work for you.

Although I must say that this reaffirms my belief in the saying,
"When in doubt, Go Natural!".

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