How To Identify High Blood Sugar Symptoms By Yourself

July 28th, 2011

It is very important to identify high blood sugar symptoms in order to prevent any avoidable damage to the body. The rise of glucose or blood sugar in the body, known as hyperglycemia, can be attributed to the body’s inability to make insulin or its incapacity to respond to insulin appropriately. Insulin is required by the body so that the glucose present in the blood can be used for energy. For people suffering from diabetes, the body is unable to use the glucose as energy, which results in an increase in the level of glucose in the body.

The rise in the level of blood sugar can result in a number of minor and major health complications. One of the major problems with the condition is that you can feel absolutely normal with numerous symptoms and miss the obvious increase in the blood sugar level. Additionally, the symptoms may not be very prominent and may take a long time to develop completely. Thus, it is very important to get blood sugar tested regularly and keep a check on the following symptoms:

Dryness of mouth: This condition is characterized by the lack of saliva in the mouth that is necessary to keep it wet. Dryness can also occur due to nervousness, stress or lack of water in the body, but it is temporary. Prolonged dryness can mean serious health complication.

Tiredness: The cells in the body need glucose to function and when the body is unable to supply the glucose to the cells, the cells start working inefficiently, which in turn causes tiredness and fatigue.

Increased Urination: Excess glucose in the body can also get deposited in excess amounts in the kidney, which can result in inability of the kidney to absorb all the glucose. This results in removal of excess glucose with urine.

Frequent thirst: The frequent urination can dehydrate a person and result in making one thirsty. Moreover, excess amounts of glucose present in the saliva can also cause thirst.

Weight Loss: One of the direct effects of high blood sugar is weight loss, which happens due to loss of substantial amounts of glucose in the urine. As glucose is a sugar, it also counts for the calories in the body. Thus, losing glucose means losing calories and as you are unable to process all the calories from the food, you are bound to lose weight. Although this starts by burning fat in the body, it slowly consumes the muscles as well making the person weak and sick.

High blood pressure symptoms are numerous and can be controlled or cured with proper treatment and medication, but it should always be remembered that ‘precaution’ is the best way to avoid them.

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Diagnosing Diabetes Through High Blood Sugar Symptoms

December 19th, 2011

A range of signals could be present within the body that serve to pinpoint recurrent high blood sugar symptoms.

A few of the clearest indicators of diabetes seem obvious by hindsight. The person feels starved and thirsty all the time. He or she drinks copious amounts of water, which leads to frequent visits to the bathroom. The skin is parched and itches.  

77 Diagnosing Diabetes Through High Blood Sugar Symptoms

The trouble at the heart of this condition is the body’s inability to transform the food it consumes into energy to power the body. Instead it has a surplus of something it does not need and a shortage of something it does need. It tries to correct this, but does not quite succeed on its own.  

The presence of excessive quantities of sugar within the blood stream eventually changes the blood in ways that lead to more difficulty. It bonds with the haemoglobin, forming a substance that is part glucose, which is called glycosylated haemoglobin. It is normal to have a modest amount of glycosylated haemoglobin present in the blood.  However, in persons with diabetes, this increases by noticeable levels and becomes potentially life threatening. Haemoglobin transports oxygen from the lungs through the body and if this function is tampered with, some parts of the whole may become starved of oxygen over time and decline in the performance of its duties. When a positive diagnosis of diabetes has been made, the levels of glycosylated haemoglobin will need to be monitored on a regular basis.

While these processes are not visible, their effects on other processes in the body certainly are. One telltale sign that diabetes might be a complication is retardation in the body’s ability to heal itself. Wounds take long to knit and close. Another cause for concern would be visual disturbances. This happens because less oxygen is delivered to the eyes. Over sixty percent of all diabetics experience eye damage within the first fifteen years.  

As the condition progresses, diabetics may report loss of sensation in their feet. This could lead to undetected injuries, especially if no pain stimulus is experienced. Problems with circulation may eventually lead to the amputation of a limb, if care is not taken to avoid this outcome.  

When the accumulation of too much glucose in the blood is not arrested, the person may fall into a coma. This must surely be the most disturbing of all symptoms. Nothing is as frightening as finding a loved one in a state from which he or she is impossible to rouse.  

A positive diagnosis of diabetes is made by assessing and comparing two blood samples. One sample has to be taken early in the morning before any food has been consumed. When these two samples reveal a concentration in excess of 140mg glucose for each decilitre of blood, a doctor will declare the person a diabetic.

When high blood sugar symptoms are neglected, a general deterioration of health may be expected to follow.

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Defining What Is Normal Blood Pressure For Men

December 9th, 2011

The standard measure of normal blood pressure for men is usually given at around 120 systolic over 80 diastolic. When people age, however, the average rate of blood pressure gradually ascends.

74 Defining What Is Normal Blood Pressure For Men

It seems easier in some ways for men to keep their blood pressure in check. Their bodies are far more efficient in the process of turning food into energy. In other words, what becomes fat in women shows up as muscle tone in men.

Societal expectations are less kind to men. Despite equal opportunities at earning, there is still a higher emphasis on male achievement in the business world. The pressure to earn and perform can be enormous.  

Stress is invisible, but you can detect its presence in the manner a person acts. People who are aggressive, temperamental or depressive are acting out the pressures in their day-to-day environment. While they may be unpleasant to deal with, the effect can be far more serious, if the person does not express those feelings.  

Instead, the tension will then lead to lack of sleep, muscle pains and poor digestion. The person battles to function at optimum level and his struggles exhibit themselves in headaches and a pounding pulse rate. If the person does not seek medical advice, the future prospects of such a lifestyle often become a stroke or heart attack.

Uncomfortable within his own body, the person might seek temporary relief in food, alcohol, tobacco or drugs. This hardly solves anything, in the long run.

One of the key challenges is learning to unwind. Pass some of your work responsibilities on to subordinates and learn to delegate to others. Cultivate the ability to detach from your work environment once you walk out the door. An exercise routine can be a wonderful way of managing the transition from work to home. Taking in the right food as fuel for your body and not sacrificing any of your sleep are similarly good strategies to follow.

Chilling out with some of your favorite music is a popular way of getting rid of the stresses of your workday.  Centre on the depth of your breathing to let more energising oxygen into your body.  

Conscious introspection can also help you to discover inner calm. If you have trouble achieving this on your own, try some of the guided meditations that are available.

To ensure a good night’s rest, steer far way from caffeine. If you allow yourself to lean too heavily on the functioning of sleeping tablets, you may end up unable to sleep without them.  

On the other side of the spectrum, active participants in sport, who train regularly usually display a much lower blood pressure reading.  There is nothing abnormal about this, but there would be cause for concern, if it drops to below 90 systolic over 60 diastolic, which is nowhere near normal blood pressure for men.  

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Complications In Maintaining Normal Blood Pressure For Women

November 25th, 2011

While the normal blood pressure for women does not differ from that of men, there are conditions that put a woman uniquely at risk of hypertension. Under normal circumstances, a healthy young woman’s blood pressure should be 120/80.  

73 Complications In Maintaining Normal Blood Pressure For Women

The introduction of the birth-control pill in 1960 revolutionized the lives of many women. Women could plan careers and have smaller families.  The Pill worked on the principle of preventing ovulation by swallowing tablets containing estrogen (oestrogen) and a progestin (progestogen).

With widespread use, some of the side effects of oral contraceptives became known. Progesterone was found to push up blood pressure levels in some women.  The symptoms vary, if encountered. For this reason, a good doctor will always test the blood pressure of his patient, before supplying birth-control tablets. After use has commenced, he or she may test the blood pressure again after a few months. If the problem does occur, there may be alternative choices in contraception. One is to switch to a type of pill that has less progestogen. Some women might be more prone to high blood pressure. Hypertension, heart complaints or problems with blood vessels occurring within the woman’s family could serve as some warning. Smokers, women above 35 or women who are obese could also encounter trouble in this respect.  

Being pregnant can similarly wreak havoc with a woman’s blood pressure. Since the body expands to accommodate the foetus within the womb, this often leads to other changes and adjustments, some beneficial, others less so.  Experiencing hypertension when pregnant is more likely to be a problem in women over 40, women who have been prone to high blood pressure in the past or those who could be classified as obese before falling pregnant. Diabetes sufferers or those diagnosed with kidney disease also stand a higher than average chance of developing this form of hypertension. If unchecked, a hypertensive mother risks organ damage in herself and poor birth weight in her baby. Consult your medical practitioner for the best advice on arresting high blood pressure.  

When women reach the years of menopause, the picture changes yet again. Hormonal changes result for some in tougher battles against the bathroom scale. This, in turn, can adversely affect blood pressure.  Following a hysterectomy, it was once common practice to prescribe hormone replacement tablets, but this, too, can push a woman higher up the scale towards hypertension.  To combat these complications, nothing beats a sensible diet based on low fat and salt intake. Minimize the effect of cigarettes and alcohol and exercise frequently.

When looking at the effects of all such aspects on the normal blood pressure for women, the goal of greater health and quality of living may well seem within reach.  

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When Hypertensive Urgency Is Reached

November 10th, 2011

When the body touches on hypertensive urgency, you can probably say that a state of emergency has been declared. The person’s health is fast approaching the point of no return and if severe lifestyle changes are not implemented at once, it may soon not be necessary anymore.  

The dire prospect that someone with unchecked hypertension faces includes organ malfunction, heart problems or a stroke within five years. By this time, the person might suffer severe headaches or show symptoms of renal failure. Vision may be affected in some way. Timely detection of these risks could turn the person’s health around, if he or she keeps strictly to the doctor’s instructions.  

Uncontrolled high blood pressure significantly pushes up your chances of suffering a stroke. Strokes are categorized in two kinds, one more common than the other. The first happens when a blood clot obstructs the natural movement of blood through the arteries towards the brain. The stumbling block, so to speak, is normally cholesterol or fatty deposits from bad eating habits. The other kind of stroke, which is more rare, happens through the aneurysm of a blood vessel. Blood flows into the brain cells and may cause damage.

When a stroke commences, the victim will feel numb or weak. The person may lose the ability to use one side of the body and experience visual disturbances. Speech is sometimes impossible and the person will act confused and not appear to comprehend attempts to communicate. Someone in this state must immediately be taken to a medical facility for care.

Another organ that suffers when blood pressure is too high is the heart. The increased exertion of maintaining circulation may increase the size of the heart. A bigger danger, of course, is the possibility of a heart attack or heart failure. The cause of a heart attack is usually some obstruction that prevents oxygen-bearing blood from reaching the heart. This in turn sees the heart muscle deteriorate to the point of crisis.

The experience of a heart attack can be extremely alarming. Victims have described it as the feeling of a heavy weight pressing down on the chest, the arms or the breastbone, resulting in an overall weakness. Breathing may be short and shallow.  Some of the symptoms may at first be mistaken for severe heartburn or indigestion. The heartbeat may speed up or show signs of irregularity. As the trauma progresses, the pain will spread to other parts.  

This exploration of the prospects for those at risk of hypertensive urgency will hopefully serve as a wake-up call, before it is too late.

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High Blood Sugar Symptoms And Diagnosing Diabetes

November 10th, 2011

There are a number of signs that could indicate consistent and problematic high blood sugar symptoms.

Some of the best-known basic symptoms of diabetes are frequent hunger, excessive thirst and excessive urination. A dry mouth and dry itchy skin may also be perceived.

Since part of the problem of diabetes lies in the body’s inefficiency in converting food into fuel, this is logical. It demonstrates clearly that some chemical imbalance is in progress and the body seeks to make amends. The composition of the blood changes with diabetes and in response, the body sends impulses in an attempt to rectify this.

Too much sugar in the blood over time alters the haemoglobin component of the blood. It forms a compound with glucose known as glycosylated haemoglobin. Most people will have a small percentage of glycosylated haemoglobin in their bloodstream, but with diabetics that can rise to twelve percent. As haemoglobin carries oxygen, this means that various parts of the body does not receive as much oxygen as it should and this shortage in turn leads to damage and deterioration. Persons who have been diagnosed with diabetes should be tested on the glycosylated haemoglobin present in their blood.

The condition manifests in various ways. One warning light is the stunted ability of the body to heal cuts and scrapes. Another is blurry vision and eventual blindness. In both cases, these are a response to insufficient supplies of oxygen within the tissue. Eventually the damage to blood vessels may be permanent. It is estimated that after fifteen years, two-thirds of persons with diabetes will show visual deterioration of some kind.

Persons with diabetes may over time lose feeling in their extremities, such as the feet. This could be dangerous, as in the absence of pain, injuries may be disregarded, with serious consequences. Persons with diabetes risk losing a limb through amputation, if weak circulation is not countered in some way.

If not detected in time, soaring blood sugar levels may lead to coma. A coma can be described as a state of unconsciousness that has lasted longer than six hours. The patient does not respond to pain or any other stimuli and is impossible to wake. He or she does not make any voluntary movements.

To diagnose diabetes, two separate blood samples must be given. One should occur after a fast, in other words first thing in the morning before the person has had any chance to eat. If both samples positively show more than 140mg of glucose per decilitre of blood, a diagnosis of diabetes is made.

Undetected diabetes and high blood sugar symptoms can negatively impact on the body’s functioning in a number of ways.

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The Hidden Cost Of High Blood Sugar Symptoms

November 9th, 2011

High blood sugar symptoms can be disconcerting, especially when the person displaying them, has not been diagnosed with diabetes, but with a modern diet of sugary, over-refined fast food, literally anyone is at risk. It might help to understand the causes by exploring how digestion works.

Energy is generated in the human body when sugars and starches are broken down into glucose. In a healthy body, the blood stream then carries this to the muscles and the cells to power their functioning. The refined food of today releases its sugar quickly into the blood stream. When the body cannot cope with all this glucose, it slowly tilts towards lowered insulin sensitivity and reduced efficiency in managing sugar levels. In the end, diabetes results.

The process sometimes takes place over years, but long before the body’s condition becomes critical, there are already telltale signs of trouble. Some are evident in the world around us, although not always recognized as such.

Recent research has demonstrated that the true cost of modern society’s addiction to sugary junk food may be far higher than most people realize. Several experimental programmes are cited by well known nutritional medicine author Patrick Holford in his book ’100 % Health’ and the conclusions they draw are thought provoking.

An initiative of the South Cumbria Alternative Sentencing Options is to submit young offenders to a battery of diet-related tests. It was found that every single one of them displayed glucose tolerance abnormalities. A parallel study in Finland, this time conducted among repeat offenders, yielded the same findings. In California in the United States, a programme looked at the intake of 3000 inmates and severely limited access to sugary and refined food. The result was less assault, less anti-social behaviour and considerably less suicides. What these studies outline is the way reactive hypoglycaemia, that rebound sugar low that hits a person several hours after the last snack, leads to depression and aggression.  

Most people do not even realize that their eating habits render them captives on a chemical roller coaster ride. While sugar intake stimulates the quick release of insulin, resulting in speedy processing and delivery of glucose to the cells and brain, the energy provided in this way is not sustainable and the body quickly craves more of it. This leads to headaches, mood swings and fatigue. The solution is to add food types that digest slowly, and release energy in a gradual and balanced fashion.

When high blood sugar symptoms are correctly identified and the necessary dietary adjustments are made, quality of living generally improves.

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Understanding Blood Pressure Guidelines

November 5th, 2011

To better understand the blood pressure guidelines for your age group, you will need to familiarize yourself with the working of the heart. As a muscle, the heart pumps blood to circulate it throughout the body. The heart consists of four chambers or ventricles with valves opening and closing constantly to keep the blood in motion.

For humans, and indeed all mammals, the left ventricle pumps blood into the arteries. The tension reaches its highest point when the heart contracts, a state referred to scientifically as systole. As the heart relaxes, the tension drops to its lowest point and this is known as diastole. This is why blood pressure is always given in two values, the systolic pressure over the diastolic pressure, as measured in millimetres of mercury on the sphygmomanometer. In a young adult person enjoying good health, an ideal reading would be 120/80.

Blood pressure can be affected by many factors, such as stress, illness, alcohol consumption and diet. The amount of blood present in the body can push the tension up for instance.

There are various types of high blood pressure. In its most severe form, where the blood pressure measures over 200/140, the condition can lead to organ damage, heart problems and strokes. By this stage, the person may fall prey to frequent headaches and show warning signs that the organs are battling.

Sometimes, high blood pressure can be an indication that there are other health problems or lifestyle choices that need attention. Changes in kidney function, obesity, heavy drinking and thyroid problems can play a role. Pregnancy, too, often affects blood pressure.

Persons who are overweight or obese, in other words, more than 20 percent above their ideal weight, run a much higher risk of developing high blood pressure.

Paying close attention to your intake can combat high blood pressure. That means, less salt, as little refined food as possible and alcohol in moderation.  

Smoking too can impact on your blood pressure rate. A greater emphasis should be placed on vegetables, nuts, legumes and high fibre food. Red meat, cheese, cream and refined sugar should at least be limited. Opt for leaner, low-fat choices and eat more fish and chicken instead.

Weight problems are not always the result of following the wrong diet, though.  

Sometimes your genetic inheritance should be brought into consideration and the difference between a fast or a slow metabolism can be equally significant. Try to eliminate stress and exercise more.

Sometimes even a small drop in weight can make a huge difference in a person’s reading. By following the blood pressure guidelines for your age group, you should be able to harness greater quality of living.

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Normal Blood Pressure For Men

November 3rd, 2011

The normal blood pressure for men can be taken as somewhere around 120/80, bearing in mind that there is a slight upward gradient as a person gets older.

When it comes to maintaining a healthy level, men do appear to have some advantage over women. The reproductive cycle plays practically no role and male hormones allow for more of a person’s intake to be converted into muscle tissue. In other words, men burn fat more easily.

There are however factors that can impact negatively on a man’s blood pressure. Men were traditionally considered the breadwinners of a household and although that is no longer the case, many are still more prone to the stress of trying to build a career within a hostile environment.

Stress and tension can be evident in a number of behavioural clues. Anger, anxiety, depression and mood swings are just a few signs that the person displaying them feels disempowered. More dangerous, though, is when the person suppresses those emotions. They do not really go away, but rather manifest in physical symptoms. Problems with digestion or a disturbed sleeping pattern spell trouble. Posture betrays tension in grinding teeth and muscles that never seem to relax. The heart rate remains rapid. The person may complain of headaches or simply show forgetfulness, indecision, lack of concentration and general grumpiness. Hidden is the toll these take on his body in other ways, but anyone should be able to see that long-term stress will eventually lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Sometimes the person may feel driven to smoke more, drink more or eat compulsively. Succumbing to chemical enhancers only binds the body to a new tyranny of artificial highs or lows.

Part of the answer lies in learning to relax. Be realistic about your abilities and honest about your problems. Learn to switch off. If the workload is too high, try to find ways of reducing it. A regular exercise programme can help to refocus the mind on regaining lost ground. Make sure that you get enough sleep and follow a healthy diet. Drink with moderation.

There are a number of techniques that can help you to relax. Listening to music has a detoxifying effect on all the mental poisons that beset us in society. Learn to breathe deeply. It lets more oxygen into your system and that always helps.  
Meditation is another great way of finding inner tranquillity. If that does not come naturally to you, invest in some guided meditations and listen to them over earphones when you are alone.

If you have trouble sleeping, avoid caffeine. Try also to avoid dependence on sleeping tablets.

At the opposite side of the scale, athletes in training may find that their blood pressure rate reads slightly lower than normal. This is expected but if blood pressure drops below 90/60, you may need to seek medical advice as well. That reading would also be outside the range of normal blood pressure for men.

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Normal Blood Pressure For Women

October 31st, 2011

The normal blood pressure for women is exactly the same as for men, in other words 120 over 80 (systolic pressure over diastolic pressure). Due to the differences in the needs and functions of a woman’s body, there are specific factors that can put women more at risk of high blood pressure.

Oral contraception was first approved in 1960 and with the widespread use of the Pill, as it was soon dubbed, women gained new control over their fertility options. By artificially taking a combination of the hormones estrogen (oestrogen) and a progestin (progestogen) ovulation is prevented and women can plan when they want to have children without sacrificing an active sex life.

It was however discovered that progesterone, one of the hormones in birth control tablets has the side effect of causing blood pressure to rise. While the result may be minimal in some, others can suffer disastrous consequences if this is ignored.

A professional medical practitioner will always test the blood pressure of his or her patient before prescribing a course of oral contraceptives and recommend other methods, if hypertension is encountered. However, this symptom may only reveal itself once treatment has commenced. There are some indicators, though, that may predict the likelihood of hypertension occurring. These include a family history of high blood pressure, heart problems or blood vessel complications. Smoking is another factor that could exacerbate the problem and women who are over the age of 35 or obese have been proven to be more at risk. The options are usually to change to a pill that contains less progestogen or to try another method of birth control altogether.

In the case of pregnancy, the body grows rapidly to accommodate the safe incubation of new life until it is ready for independence. It is understandable that the resulting weight gain and increasing tension on the circulation can result in a form of high blood pressure referred to as gestational hypertension. High blood pressure during pregnancy can lead to birth complications, lowered birth weight and the risk of organ damage in the mother. Pregnant women over the age of 40, women who had chronic hypertension or were obese before falling pregnant and women who have diabetes or kidney disease are more at risk. Strategies to control blood pressure should be discussed with one’s doctor, if planning a pregnancy or when pregnant.

As a women approaches menopause, new challenges to the blood pressure regime occur. Since some weight gain happens during middle age, the blood pressure too increases. It has also been found that in some, hormone replacement therapy can cause a rise in blood pressure. The secret lies in following a healthy diet, with less salt and fat and exercising regularly. Quit smoking and drink only in moderation.

Bearing all these specific factors in mind, the challenge of achieving the normal blood pressure for women might become a little easier.

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