Friday, January 9, 2009

Urinary Tract Infection Treatment: Antibiotics Vs. A Natural Treatment?




Did you know that almost 10 million people visited the doctor last year for urinary tract infection treatments? Most of these people did this to relieve the painful symptoms associated with urinary tract infections which include: frequent urination; need to urinate but to no avail; frequent needs to urinate during the night; aches above pelvis; clouded urine; blood in urine; fatigue; vomiting; fever; and chills and night sweats. The symptoms of urinary tract infections can make life miserable and a U.T.I. treatment should be considered immediately!



If a urinary tract infection is left untreated, pain will become significantly worse and you could risk greater complications to your body including severe kidney problems. But what should you choose for a treatment? Antibiotics or treating the urinary tract infection naturally?



Unfortunately, of those 10 million doctor visits, most people get prescribed antibiotics to treat their urinary tract infection. Many patients will take the antibiotics and be fine while other patients will take the same antibiotics and nothing will happen except more pain. Even more unfortunate, most patients who take the antibiotics do not understand what urinary tract infection antibiotics are doing to their body.



Antibiotics Uncovered
Antibiotics have their purpose in the medical field and have done some good in some cases. However, antibiotics are being prescribed more than ever before and might be causing more harm and good. If you or a love one suffers from a urinary tract infection please pay close attention! The word 'antibiotic' literally translates as 'anti-life.' Why do you think this is?
Antibiotics (especially urinary tract infection antibiotics) are drugs used to kill bacteria (E-coli). You might think this is good but unfortunately urinary tract infection antibiotics can NOT tell the difference between 'good bacteria' and 'bad bacteria'. In a perfect world, the antibiotics would only kill the E-coli and nefarious germs that cause urinary tract infections in the bladder. However this is not the case, U.T.I. antibiotics will most of the time kill those harmful bacteria and good bacteria. And all bacteria is NOT bad!



Antibiotics Effect on Body
For instance, urinary tract infection antibiotics will also kill intestinal flora which helps digest food and immune system bacteria which aids in a healthy immunity. Over time and through more antibiotics, digestion complications will arise as well as destruction of the immune system. Also, as we become more and more dependent upon antibiotics, the harmful bacteria in our bodies become more and more tolerant of antibiotics. The result is doctors prescribing harsher antibiotics to kill the tolerant harmful bacteria (and more 'good bacteria'). Are you skeptical? A 2003 medical report stated that 42% of E. coli was resistant to one or more of the 12 antibiotics that researchers investigated.



A Better Option
You do not have to treat your urinary tract infection with antibiotics! In fact, one of the best ways to treat a urinary tract infection is by allowing your body to cure the urinary tract infection itself. By given the correct means, the body can actually cure itself in less than 12 hours naturally (no harmful antibiotics). Treating U.T.I is as simple as preventing bacteria from residing in the bladder by simply keeping your acidic levels high while flushing your body with the correct fluids. To learn how to cure your urinary tract infection in 12 hours please visit Barton Publishing Inc.'s Guaranteed Natural Cure for Urinary Tract Infection Website.
http://www.urinaryinfectiontreatment.com/uti1

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About the Author
Joe Barton is an expert of urinary tract infections. His Natural Treatment for U.T.I. Report shares successful ideas for quickly, safely and naturally treating your urinary tract infection.
http://www.urinaryinfectiontreatment.com/uti1

Monday, January 5, 2009

Stress And Diabetes: What To Know For Your Diabetes Management







Stress is any undue strain caused by a difficult situation. It can be physical, such as an illness or injury, or it can be mental, which is generally the kind of stress we hear about. Stress changes your hormone levels, and as diabetes management relies on hormone regulation (particularly insulin), stress affects diabetes management.




When the body is stressed, it enters a “fight or flight” state, where hormones are secreted that allow the body to access more energy from the body’s store. Two examples of stress hormones are adrenaline and glucocorticoid (steroid hormones). Some people with diabetes do not have a proper fight or flight response. Insulin does not allow the stress hormones access to the glucose, and so the elevated glucose circulates in the blood. Stress can increase blood glucose levels.
Stress not only increases blood glucose levels hormonally, it also leads to less healthy lifestyle choices. People might eat out more when they are stressed, or they might turn to comfort foods. These less healthy meal choices in turn lead to poor glucose control.




Stress can also affect how much a person exercises. If a person stops exercising, they will be unable to control their blood glucose, just as if they take less care of their diet. Lack of sleep and irregular sleeping patterns can also cause the body stress.




Stress hormones are designed to fight short-term situations. Some stressors in our lives, however, are long-term (such as illness, divorce, or other psychological situations). It is unhealthy to have stress hormones circulate in the body for a long time.




Sometimes it is an aspect of diabetes that can cause stress. If you find an element of your diabetes management is causing you stress, speak to your health care team. They can help support you in your blood glucose monitoring, diet, and with your medication, as well as with your other concerns.




There are many different ways to reduce stress. Although if you are feeling stressed, it might seem impossible to calm down, try to keep some of these relaxing ideas in mind. It might be helpful to write out some of these ideas, or to write yourself reminders of techniques you can use to cheer yourself up.




Try deep breathing. Simply taking four or five deep breaths will help your respiration and circulation enter a more relaxed mode.




Take some time for you. Choose something that is a treat for you: a massage, a crossword, a long walk, and make that extra time to do it. Even if you are stressed, take the time to take care of yourself. Healthy diet, exercise, and time for yourself will dramatically lower your stress levels.
Get your friends and family to support you. If they know that you are feeling stressed, they can help you find ways to cope. If you think you need to, then consult a professional.




Sometimes, reaching out to help a friend will be something that can help you relieve stress. Doing something nice for someone else makes you feel better about yourself, and so can help you feel less stressed. However, don’t take on other people’s problem. Simply do something small to make their day.




It is the small things that can help you manage your stress. Begin by smiling, which releases endorphins. Try laughing. Hug somebody. These small things which will make your day brighter will also make your diabetes management easier.

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About the Author
Vivian Brennan is the editor of
The Guide to Diabetes. As a mother and diabetes educator, Vivian knows all about stress, and how it can affect your glucose levels.

Friday, January 2, 2009

A Diabetes Blood Test Will Determine Whether Or Not You Have Diabetes


Diabetes is a disease, which is induced by high levels of sugar in the blood. With diabetes, the body cannot break down the sugar in the blood by itself. So to break down the sugar, extra insulin will be required at regular intervals. A specialized diet is also incorporated, which would control the blood sugar level in the body. This disease should be detected by means of a diabetes blood test. And the sooner the better.

How Diabetes Happens in the Body
A normal healthy person will have the capacity to break down any amount of sugar that is consumed with the help of insulin which is a hormone created by the pancreas. However with a diabetic person, the pancreas doesn't generate enough insulin and/or the body develops a resistance to insulin.

Either way, the blood doesn't obtain the adequate amount required to break down the sugar into glucose, which is then absorbed by the tissues, liver and muscles. A diabetic person will have a very large quantity of unabsorbed glucose in the body. With a diabetes blood test, it is easy to detect the presence of this disease.

The 3 Types of Diabetes
A lot of people do not realize that there are 3 types of diabetes and all the 3 types can be detected by a simple diabetes blood test.

Type 1 diabetes: this type typically starts early in childhood. This is a very dangerous disease and it will require regular insulin injections throughout a person's life.

Type 2 diabetes: this is the most common type of diabetes, which over 90% of the people have. This diabetes develops in the adult stage. It typically takes more time for a person to recognize the signs and/or diagnose it. This type of diabetes is rising rapidly because of our inactive lifestyle, the junk food we consume and the lack of exercise in our daily routine.
Gestational diabetes – This type of diabetes is basically a temporary disease and it generally develops when a woman is pregnant.

The Most Common Symptoms Of Diabetes: Things to Look for
All types of problems can develop when a person suffers from diabetes. Excessive thirst, occasional blurry vision, continuous fatigue and never-ending hunger with weight loss. Type 2 diabetes can occasionally make men impotent.

If a person suspects that diabetes may be present in their body, a diabetes blood test should be implemented asap, so that a suitable treatment can be started to keep the disease in check.

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About the Author
Kerry Ng is a successful Webmaster and publisher of The Diabetes Info Blog. Click here for more great helpful information about Diabetes:
http://www.diabetes-info-blog.com/the-best-diabetes-diet

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Natural Diabetes Remedies: Solution For Diabetes?


Diabetes management is not an easy task. Keeping your blood sugar levels within the needed range can be difficult, and insulin injections can sometimes be a hassle in certain situations. Maybe it is for these and other reasons that you have been looking for different alternative ways of keeping your diabetes under control. Many diabetics have tried to use natural remedies to help with their disease management, and many of them have experienced positive results. It is understandable to feel skeptical about natural resources to treat diabetes, since many companies and businesses make outrageous false claims about the results you can achieve with their natural products.


Although the truth is that natural remedies may not cure your diabetes completely of replace your need for insulin shots or pills, they can possibly help you manage your glucose levels and keep your diabetes under control. Let us take a look at three natural remedies that have made a positive impact on diabetes.


Chromium
Chromium is an essential mineral found in many foods that we eat on a daily basis. This trace mineral helps burn carbs and fats, but its main function is to increase insulin efficiency when controlling blood glucose levels. Although people with diabetes usually have low levels of chromium, this is not believed to be a cause for diabetes.


Chromium picolinate is the form of chromium usually sold as a supplement, because it is easier for the body to absorb. Recent studies have shown that chromium has helped people with diabetes and insulin resistance, but it has not been a complete cure for diabetes.


Although it seems like trying this supplement would be a smart thing to do, you must be careful. Other studies have shown that chromium can increase your risk for heart disease, and the truth is that no one really knows what amount is safe to take in supplement form. You should never exceed 120 micrograms.


If you are thinking about giving chromium supplements a shot, do your research. Make sure the company you buy the products from is reliable, and always consult with your doctor before trying out new treatment options.


Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a spice derived from the bark of an evergreen tree, which is native to India. Its active ingredient has been proven to act like insulin and lower blood glucose levels. In medical studies, cinnamon has also been proven to lower bad cholesterol levels. Another great benefit of cinnamon is that it helps neutralize free radicals, dangerous chemicals which are elevated in diabetics. Neutralizing these free radical will help reduce or eliminate risk of serious complications.


Calcium
Calcium is a very important mineral found in the human body, and deficiencies in it have been linked to diseases like diabetes, cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis. Studies have shown that people with high intakes of calcium reduced their risks of type 2 diabetes by a significant percentage.


Having a daily intake of calcium in dietary or supplement form is very important to good health and to avoid serious diseases, including diabetes.


Conclusion
These are just a few natural remedies that you could use to aid in the battle against diabetes. Although these remedies may not completely cure your diabetes or replace your need for insulin shots, they may help you stay healthier and avoid the serious complications that diabetes can cause.

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About the Author
Jesus Chirino is webmaster of Your Life with Diabetes, a website dedicated to providing free diabetes information and resources. For more information on diabetes and possible natural remedies and other for the disease, visit
http://www.isnare.com/www.yourlifewithdiabetes.com

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Natural Cures For Diabetes - How To Cure Diabetes Naturally


A good diet is the key to good health. While in some cases diabetes is caused due to genetic factors or other triggers, more often than not it is diets rich in sugar that lead to blood sugar problems later in life. Every diet has the scope to be tweaked a little bit so that you can ward off the danger of diabetes. If you are overweight, have high blood pressure, low HDL, and eat a lot of processed foods, you fall in the high-risk category.

Everyone ought to slowly wean themselves off highly processed junk food and shift to leaner, more natural alternatives. You can also use the three natural cures for diabetes tips which are listed below:

Diabetes and magnesium
In a study done in England on 11,000 women in the high-risk category, it was shown that those with a high magnesium intake were 27 per cent less susceptible to diabetes. According to research, magnesium is known to lower blood pressure, relax the heart muscles, and controls homocysteine, which is a known trigger for heart disease and diabetes. Magnesium also catalyzes the enzyme system in the body to convert nutrients into energy. Magnesium also relaxes the muscles and reduces muscle spasms.
Dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, avocados and whole grain are excellent sources of magnesium.
Diabetes and Cinnamon
Research has shown that using cinnamon in your diet on a regular basis helps reduce blood glucose levels by 18-29%. In addition, it also reduces other diabetes risk factors like triglyceride (which shows a 30% decline) and LDL cholesterol (a 25% decrease).

Cinnamon contains an extract called Cinnulin PF. This extract works at the cellular level and increases the sensitivity of insulin cell receptors by three times. Poor response of insulin cell receptors is often a major problem in diabetics, which makes cinnamon an important diabetes inhibitor. TI is advisable to consume about 500mg of cinnamon extract, twice a day.

Glucotor 2-a Diabetics' Formulation
Glucotor 2 is a completely natural formula prepared with the specific needs of diabetics in mind. It contains prickly pear cactus, fenugreek, cinnulin PF, bitter melon and gymnema sylvestre, all of which are very beneficial in diabetes control. Glucotor 2 which follows its very successful predecessor Glucotol 1, has been rendered even more powerful by the addition of cinnulin PF cinnamon extracts. Glucotol 1 has a very illustrious history in battling high blood sugar, with a number of true life testimonies to its credit. Glucotor 2 only improves on it, as it adds Cinnulin PF and magnesium, both of which are effective in controlling diabetes. Both these components have been proved efficacious not just for blood sugar control, but also in preventing heart disease.

So, while you may have actually tweaked your eating habits to avoid fatty, high processed foods, you should surely also add a daily dose of Glucotor 2 to your diet plan to ensure even better protection against diabetes and cardiovascular problems. And ou need not fear any harmful side effects from Glucotor 2-it is a tried and tested natural remedy that is uses no artificial chemicals in its preparation.

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About the Author

Controlling blood sugar is an art. If you want to be an expert in it, you should know the full details in
which foods to eat for diabetes and 6 tips on how to lower blood sugar naturally.

Every Person Before Developing Type 2 Diabetes Almost Always Has Pre-diabetes


What is Pre-diabetes? This is a fact that before developing diabetes mellitus type 2, almost always that patient develops Pre-diabetes condition. Though we will not diagnose that person as diabetic, but if he or she will not control his or her blood suger level, he will probably have diabetes mellitus in future. In pre-diabetes, blood sugar levels are in higher limits, but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes mellitus. In USA only, more than 54 million people have pre-diabetes condition.During pre-diabetes damage to heart and circulatory system may already be occuring.


Various studies have shown that if you control your pre-diabetes condition earlier, then there are very less chances to develop type 2 diabetes mellitus, or you can delay it to develop. So always try to manage your blood glucose under control limits when you are in pre-diabetic stage to prevent yourself from developing type 2 diabetes.


Do you have Pre-diabetes Condition, How to Tell? There are two important tests that can tell you that you are having pre-diabetes condition. 1-The fasting plasma glucose test (FPG) 2: Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Your doctor can do any of these two tests. Fasting Plasma Glucose Test values for pre-diabetes are between 100mg/dl to 125mg/dl. If your glucose level is below 100mg/dl, then you have normal metabolism, if above 125mg/dl then you have Diabetes. It means if your level is between 100-125mg/dl, then you will have pre-diabetes. In case of OGTT, if less than 140mg/dl, then normal, between 140-200mg/dl is pre-diabetic condition and above 200mg/dl is diabetic condition.


How you can prevent pre-diabetes? Pre-diabetes can be very lethal to your health if you will not manage it seriously. Sooner or later you will probably have type 2 diabetes. There are two simple things that you can do to get rid of this pre-diabetes situation. You can also even get your glucose level within normal limits if you follow these 3 steps. A: Change in your diet habit. Try to avoid sweets in your diet. B: Half hour moderate exercise C: Weight reduction. Just 30 minutes daily moderate physical activity or exercise, along with a 5-10% reduction in body weight, can produce a 58% reduction in diabetes


Who should get tested for pre-diabetes? If you are overweight and above 45 years of age, then you should have your FPG and OGTT. If you are not overweight and above 45, should consult your doctor. If you are below 45 and overweight, you should also check your fasting plasma glucose level.


How often should I be tested? If you are having normal blood glucose levels you should have FPG test every 3 years. If you have pre-diabetes, you should be checked for type 2 diabetes every year after your diagnosis of pre-diabetes.


Children pre-diabetes Children have much less chances of developing pre-diabetes condition, however if they are very obese then one must think of pre-diabetes condition and get yourself be checked for pre-diabetes

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About the Author
Dr. Armughan Riaz (Consultant Cardiologist) maintaining following sites
Prediabetes Symptoms Diet Treatment High blood Pressure symptoms Diet Treatment

Monday, December 15, 2008

Diabetes Cure

At this time there is no specific cure for diabetes, but research continues to try to find a way to end this disease, rather than just treating and managing it as is now done. The problem with just treating and controlling diabetes is that it requires constant care, attention, and medications that continue to change over an individual’s life. Many people with diabetes are not treated and may be unaware of the condition. This leads to further complications including kidney disease, circulation problems, cardiovascular disease, vision problems, and elevated heart attack and stroke risk. It is estimated that only a third of all diabetics are treated, the other two thirds are not being treated for the condition.

Research continues to focus on curing, preventing and managing diabetes. While there are significant advancements in managing and preventing diabetes, it is public knowledge and education that allows people to understand the symptoms of diabetes and prediabetes, and start prevention programs. Since many people are unaware of the symptoms, they don’t use the prevention programs. Many school health programs now offer advice on diet, exercise and lifestyle choices that will reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

In addition to working on prevention and management there is ongoing research to find a cure for diabetes. There are several surgical or medical procedures being tested to cure diabetes, but at this time they are still largely experimental.

Islet cell transplants
Recent advances have been made in the transplantation of islet cells into the body. Islet cells are made up of two types of cells:


* alpha cells, which make glucagon, a hormone that raises the level of glucose in the blood* beta cells, which make insulin
It is hoped that the production of insulin in the body with this transplant would eliminate the need for daily injections that type 1 diabetes have to do.


The side effects of this transplant include rejection of the cells by the body and reactions to the immunosuppressive drugs. These side effects are very serious and include mouth sores, intestinal disorders, kidney function impairment and increased risk of cancer and other tumors.
Pancreas transplant
This is the full surgical transplant of the complete pancreas. Usually this procedure is only done if the kidneys are being transplanted as well. Again, there are many complications with the procedure, and the side effects of the immunosuppressive drugs may be more dangerous and risky than the continued injection of insulin. There is a fairly high rate of rejection for this procedure, but progress continues to be made.


There is also a process to implant an artificial pancreas, but this is still in the development phase. Many researchers believe that this will prevent rejection problems once the artificial pancreas is perfected.

Genetic manipulation
This cure for diabetes would allow insulin producing cells to be made out of regular cells by inserting the insulin producing gene. This would avoid the need for invasive surgery and would prevent most of the risks associated with surgical procedures.


While at this time there is not a definite cure for diabetes, the research is ongoing. New advances in genetic and medical practices and research will hopefully result in a cure for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes in the future.

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About the Author
Karen Newton is a registered nurse and acclaimed author with over 25 years of health care experience. Her newest book, Diabetic Diet Secrets, is an easy to follow guide to losing weight and getting control of your diabetes. Karen offers a free Diabetic Tips Course at
http://www.diabeticdietsecrets.com/diabetictips.htm