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There are different brands of insulin that are available but in each brand there are two different kinds of insulin that are used to control juvenile diabetes.  One is known as fast-acting insulin – once it is injected it acts quickly in your child’s system.  The other type of insulin is called slow-acting or last-lasting and as the name implies it is in the child’s system longer.

For most people with diabetes a combination of the two types of insulin is required.  They can be mixed together in one syringe or they can be taken separately at different times in the day.  In children, the two different kinds of insulin will still react at different times for each individual.

For some the fast-acting insulin will begin to work immediately and could be used up in a short period of time.  In this case, they may have to have a second or even third injection of fast-acting insulin throughout the day.  These are the children who may want to consider an insulin pump to reduce the number of injections they are having in a day.  An insulin pump will also provide them with a steady amount of the fast-acting insulin as they need it.

The long-acting insulin sits in a child’s body for some time before it is put to use.  The amount of time is going to vary by child.  Ideally, once the fast-acting insulin has done its work, the long-acting insulin will take over keeping a steady supply of insulin.

The combination of the two insulins and how they work together makes planning very important.  After some time you will be able to determine how your child reacts to each of the different kinds of insulins.  Planning meals and activities around how the insulin works is important not just when the injection is given.

Birthday parties, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and more are holidays and special
occasions that are centered on food. For most people these are times to anticipate the
celebration and the eating. For a diabetic it can be a stressful time, you want to partake in
all of the good food too but most times it is not made with a diabetic in mind. If the
frequency of these events is not too often, you can adjust your diet for special occasions
so you too can have some of the treats available.

The hardest part about preparing for a special occasion is if you do not know what is
going to be served. If this is the case, a quick call to your host or hostess can be made.
Most people will not mind you asking especially if you have dietary needs that need to be
taken into consideration. Once you do know what is being served, plan your meals for
that day accordingly. You may want to have fewer carbohydrates with your breakfast
and snack to make up for the extra ones you will have at a birthday party where pizza is
being served.

Another option for special occasions is to offer to bring a dish for everyone to share.
Make it something that you enjoy as a treat but still follows the guidelines for your
diabetic diet.

For family favorites and traditions, be creative and look for ways to make the same dishes
with less fat or sugar. You can do this by substituting regular sugar for sugar substitutes
or choose whole wheat flour instead of white for the extra fiber content.

During the holidays and other occasions, closely monitor your blood sugars. Even with
extra care, the change in your diet can still result in a blood sugar that is too high or low.

Because of all the risks and complications associated with poor control of blood glucose levels during pregnancy it is best to keep them in check all the time. But if there is a time during your pregnancy where it is considered more important to have your blood glucose levels under control it is when you are in labor.

If you have a very high blood glucose level while you are in labor, your baby is going to produce enough insulin to compensate for the sugar in your system. But what happens when your baby is born is he or she is no longer exposed to your high blood sugar and has an excess of insulin in their system. This will cause the baby to be hypoglycemic and can be quite dangerous for the baby.

For this reason, your baby’s blood sugar levels will be tested a few times after the birth. The test is administered immediately after the birth and when the baby is a couple of hours old. The blood is taken from the baby’s heel and is tested in the same manner as when you test your own blood with your glucose monitor.

When you go into labor, do not take any more insulin even if it is time for your next injection. When you go to the hospital be sure to bring your insulin and glucose monitor with you and advise all medical staff of your condition. Your doctor will give you more specific instructions to follow about nutrition and your blood sugar. When you pre-register at the hospital, ensure that you write down on your paperwork that you have gestational diabetes and who your care providers are. The more information you can provide the better the care you will receive when you are admitting to the hospital.

Birthday parties, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and more are holidays and special
occasions that are centered on food. For most people these are times to anticipate the
celebration and the eating. For a diabetic it can be a stressful time, you want to partake in
all of the good food too but most times it is not made with a diabetic in mind. If the
frequency of these events is not too often, you can adjust your diet for special occasions
so you too can have some of the treats available.

The hardest part about preparing for a special occasion is if you do not know what is
going to be served. If this is the case, a quick call to your host or hostess can be made.
Most people will not mind you asking especially if you have dietary needs that need to be
taken into consideration. Once you do know what is being served, plan your meals for
that day accordingly. You may want to have fewer carbohydrates with your breakfast
and snack to make up for the extra ones you will have at a birthday party where pizza is
being served.

Another option for special occasions is to offer to bring a dish for everyone to share.
Make it something that you enjoy as a treat but still follows the guidelines for your
diabetic diet.

For family favorites and traditions, be creative and look for ways to make the same dishes
with less fat or sugar. You can do this by substituting regular sugar for sugar substitutes
or choose whole wheat flour instead of white for the extra fiber content.

During the holidays and other occasions, closely monitor your blood sugars. Even with
extra care, the change in your diet can still result in a blood sugar that is too high or low.

In order to diagnose you with gestational diabetes, your healthcare provider will order a
test from the lab. There are two levels of the test that can be taken – the one hour glucose
tolerance test and the three hour glucose tolerance test.

The one hour test involves taking a blood sample after you have fasted and then drinking
a beverage high in glucose and testing your blood again one hour later. With the three
hour version, you proceed the same except the drink has a higher concentration of sugar
and your blood is tested each hour for three hours instead of one. The purpose of these
tests is to see how your body reacts to and process the large amount of sugar in the
drinks.

The American Diabetes Association lists the following blood glucose levels that would
indicate gestational diabetes is present:

* Fasting 95 mg/dl or higher
* One hour 180 mg/dl or higher
* Two hours 155 mg/dl or higher
* Three hours 140 mg/dl or higher

If any two of the above readings come back in the ranges indicated you will be diagnosed
with gestational diabetes. Once you have been diagnosed, you doctor will provide you
with the blood glucose guidelines that should be maintained for the optimal health of you
and your baby. They are:

* First thing in the morning – below 95 mg/dl
* One hour after a meal – below 140 mg/dl
* Two hours after a meal – below 120 mg/dl

There will be occasions when your blood sugar reading is higher than the recommended
range. In that case, adjust your next meal. If you had planned on having a meal that was
higher in carbohydrates it should be changed so that there is more protein. Protein helps
to lower your blood sugar and carbohydrates convert to sugar raising your glucose levels.

Eating and pregnancy go hand in hand. Even though it doesn’t seem fair to be pregnant
and not get to eat what and when you want it is healthier for you and your baby. The old
adage of eating for two is true but many women overeat when they are pregnant and gain
more weight than they should.

The more food that you eat in one sitting the harder it is going to be for your body to
produce enough insulin to turn the sugar into energy. Not only is what you eat important
so is the portion sizes. Your doctor or dietician will provide you with a meal plan and it
is wise to follow it as closely as possible.

Since you will be eating smaller meals, you are going to need to eat more frequently to
keep your energy up. The best way to do this is plan on eating six smaller meals
throughout the day. You will keep a steady stream of nourishment going into your body
and if you eat at the same time each day it will make it easier for your body to regulate
insulin production and use.

A schedule that works for many women is to eat a small breakfast and then continue to
eat approximately every two to three hours. This will include a mid-morning snack,
lunch, an afternoon snack, dinner, and a bedtime snack. If you are still finding you are
hungry in between meals or are finding ketones when you test your urine, consult with
your doctor or dietician. They are sure to have suggestions to help you make changes
that will work better for you. Such as eating more protein at meals or filling up on more
vegetables (something that can be eaten as a free food at any time).

In a perfect diabetic world, you take your insulin, eat your meals and exercise and your
blood glucose levels remain stable. But things happen, you take your insulin late, you eat
a light meal and then spend all afternoon running errands. This is a recipe for
hypoglycemia – a condition when your blood glucose levels fall dangerously low.

Hypoglycemia isn’t so much a hazard for the baby but it is for a mom with gestational
diabetes. The best way to prevent this from happening is to know the signs and how you
feel when you blood sugar is getting low and to carry emergency supplies with you at all
times.

Some of the symptoms of low blood sugar include feeling:

* Hungry
* Nauseous
* Light-headed
* Faint

In the case of any of these symptoms, you should test your blood sugar right away and
have something to eat. The best choice is a glass of juice or another food item that is
considered fast-acting such as a piece of fruit or a piece of candy. Carry something with
you at all times and a regular snack too. If you are out and need to eat (say you are stuck
in your car during a traffic jam) it is important to have food with you.

Other precautions that you should take when you have gestational diabetes include
carrying a card or another item that identifies you have diabetes and what type of insulin
you are taking. The worse case scenario is you passing out and the people who come to
help you need to know that you are diabetic. Make sure people at work and your family
members are aware of your condition and know what warning signs to look for if you
need help and when to bring your some juice or something else to eat.

In type 2 diabetes, the body is still producing insulin but it is not being utilized properly.
This is known as insulin resistance. When a person is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes,
there are more treatment options available to them as opposed to people diagnosed with
type 1 diabetes.

Depending on the blood sugar levels in a patient, their weight and other health factors,
the doctor will decide whether the diabetes can be controlled by one of the following
methods:

* Diet and exercise – a healthy balanced diet with regular exercise can be used for
people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes whose blood sugar levels are only
slightly elevated
* Oral medication – is for patients whose blood sugars are higher than they should
be but not to the point that necessitates an injection of insulin
* Insulin injections – a daily injection (or more) of insulin is needed when higher
blood sugars are present

A type 2 diabetic may cycle through the different treatment methods throughout their
lifetime. It is based on how well they are managing their diabetes and how their body is
reacting to the treatment plan. Some people will never have to go past the diet and
exercise portion and can gain control by maintaining a healthy body weight and eating
the right foods on a diabetic diet.

Other people may start at diet and exercise but as the disease progresses may have to
move from oral medication to injections over time. These changes will be determined by
your doctor based on physical check-ups and the results of your daily blood sugar
monitoring. If you would like to cut back on your medication or the type of treatment
you are on, speak to your doctor about your goal and a plan can be put in place to better
manage your diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes develops because the cells in the pancreas are not producing enough or
any insulin to process the food in the body into energy. The only way to fix this is to
inject insulin into the body to replace the insulin the body should be producing on its
own. Type 1 diabetes is also known as Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM) and
requires insulin treatment for the patient to survive. This is done by via insulin
injections.

There are two different types of insulin that can be used and in most cases a combination
of the two is required. There is fast-acting insulin that is taken and it will start working
immediately or within 30 minutes after taking it. This insulin is good for the beginning
of the day before breakfast. If your body goes through the insulin quickly another
injection of the fast-acting insulin may be required before dinner time. The other type of
insulin is long-lasting. It can be mixed with the fast-acting and injected at the same time
but can take upwards of 2-3 hours before it takes affect. Taking this insulin the morning
should work for lunch or dinner time meals.

If multiple needles to not appeal to you, an insulin pump is another option. It is a
machine that will pump fast-acting insulin into your system as needed. Prior to meal
times, a button can be pressed to inject an extra dose of insulin to process the food that is
going to be eaten. Some find this method offers greater flexibility, a benefit that
outweighs the fact the pump has to be worn 24 hours a day.

The other piece of the treatment puzzle is a balanced diabetic diet. In addition to the
insulin injections the food that is consumed is very important. If the proper food is not
eaten, blood sugar levels will rise and so will insulin requirements.

Learning to deal with diabetes is never easy. It is bad enough we have to live in a greed-based world filled with confusion, violence, media junk, and so on. Still, those with diabetes can live healthy providing they adhere to diet, medications and exercise. Diabetes is a serious condition. The disease is the mother of all disease in the world and it is a killer.

What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease that you can get if you do not eat right or take care of your body. Genetics play a part in diabetes as well. In fact, hereditary is a hard cause of the problem. The disease can cause blindness. The disease can lead to amputation of legs, or feet. Diabetes is a disease that when your body does not produce enough insulin to break down sugar in the bloodstream. Diabetes includes two types, yet various levels are considered. Diabetes includes Diabetes Insipidus and Mellitus.

The first diabetes is where your body is incapable of producing enough insulin to do what its supposed to do. This type of diabetes is treatable. You will need medications, exercise and strict diet to maintain your health. Diabetes Mellitus has five types. Each type results from insulin interruptions whereas the system is disrupted. The disruption causes chaos within the body’s ability to function. The body cannot act naturally and it takes insulin shots to treat this condition depending on the type.

How would I know that I have this disease called diabetes?
If you go to your doctors on a regular basis, your doctor will monitor your health. If you have family history of diabetes, let your doctor know so he/she can conduct random testing. A glucose test is necessary to find diabetes. Blood lab tests are useful also to spot diabetes.

What you should watch for?
Drinking but not filling your thirst quench. If you feel fatigue often and don’t know, then you should be tested. Diabetes, depending on the type makes a person feels weak, endure pain, lose weight, gain weight, etc. The disease is so confusing to the bodily functions that it doesn’t know the direction to head.

What can I do to help me not to get this disease?
No one has control over disease but you. If you adhere to regular checkups, the doctor can spot the disease at an early stage, which the disease then can be managed. You need to eat right and do excises daily to help maintain your weight, since diabetes takes delight in feeding the disease to the point of death.

What happens to those with diabetes?
Unfortunately, the disease is not partial. The disease targets young and old alike. Once the disease develops it puts the person at risk of blindness.

Some people lose their legs or other limbs resulting from diabetes. Most people with diabetes are at risk of kidney failure. If you already have diabetes then listen to your doctor and follow all instructions. One of the top recommendations to diabetes patients is to consume much fluids. Your body is losing fluids as diabetes drains your bodily organs of its natural elements. You will also need to avoid saturated fat foods and basic sugars. In addition, your doctor will need to test you regularly to control your illness.

You want to take care when diabetes is present since it can lead to meningitis, headaches, tachycardia, dehydration, muscle weakness, pain, and so on. In addition, you may endure blurred vision, sexual dysfunctions, slow healing, and so on. Again, diabetes is a killer; so take care of your health.