Canine Diabetes Symptoms

by Samantha Matheny

Canine diabetes is becoming very common in many homes with dogs today. There are many reasons a dog can be diagnosed with diabetes from being obese or predisposed to the ailment. The good news is there are treatment options available.

So what is canine diabetes? In dogs, diabetes is called diabetes mellitus. Diabetes mellitus is very similar to diabetes in humans. There are two types, Type I is due to the pancreas not producing enough insulin, and Type II is due to insulin becoming less effective.

There are some basic symptoms of diabetes mellitus you should be aware of. If you notice your dog is drinking and/or urinating more often than normal or if they seem to always be hungry but are losing weight, it is time to visit the vet. You may also notice your friend may be acting not quite right. These changes in behavior are often the signs of diabetes.

Along with excessive thirst and weight loss, there are other symptoms your pet may be exhibiting if they are diabetic, like:

poor skin poor coat dehydration weakness in back legs vomiting

No one truly knows what causes diabetes in dogs. Some breeds, like beagles, poodles, and schnauzers, seem to be more predisposed than others. The biggest problem seen in veterinary offices is diabetes due to dogs being overweight. If you control how much and what your pet eats and make sure he gets enough exercise being overweight will not be a concern.

If your dog has been diagnosed with diabetes, do not worry. There are treatments. The treatments are very similar to humans. Insulin shots may be called for, but most all diabetes symptoms can be controlled with a strict diet and exercise. You may have to switch your dog to a dry food that is high in fiber and complex carbohydrates (just like YOU would have to do if you had diabetes!) You will have to monitor your dog’s blood sugar levels, so investing in a blood glucose monitor will save you daily trips to the vet's office!

Remember, diabetes is treatable and preventable. Be on the lookout for the warning signs in your best friend. It may save his life! Interested in learning more about your pet's health? Check out more articles and reviews at 4 Legs and A Tail .


About the Author
Samantha is an ambitious young woman from west Michigan who is dedicated to finding a better way to live. She has a wide variety of interests and is always seeking new knowledge. Samantha's love of writing has lead her to become an author of e books and articles in hopes of helping people to live a better, healthier life.

Just Do It!

Exercise helps you function at your best, and if you have diabetes, it is an essential component in what's called the three-pronged approach to controlling diabetes and blood glucose levels -- proper diet, medication, and exercise. For many of us, walking is the easiest, cheapest, and safest way to get exercise. Walking is also one of the least boring or tedious of exercises as you can go wherever you like. Just avoid walking in extremely hot or in extremely cold weather.

We do a lot of walking and it doesn't take us turning on the weather channel to know that winter has finally arrived. Although we may not be up to our knees in snow as some of you and as we were when we lived in the North, we can see the more subtle changes where we live-leaves falling, a cold drizzle a lot of the time, and an even colder chill of the wind from the north. That means, as a person who has diabetes, we must take some extra steps and precautions in order to continue our walking and not get damp feet or body chills while walking. Generally speaking, walking outdoors is fine for people with diabetes at temperatures as low as freezing, but it's best to check with your doctor.

Always consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program. It's recommended that one walk for at least 30 minutes 4 or 5 times a week, but even if it's only for 20 minutes 3 or 4 times a week, you'll start to see a difference in your physical fitness (and most likely blood pressure and blood glucose levels).

When you walk, vary the pace between quick, short stride with strong arm swing, then stroll for a while, then back to pushing it for a short intervals, etc. Keep your posture tall and straight with your chin parallel to the ground and shoulders back and down. Let you arms swing naturally.

As you get further along with your walking program, you might want to start carrying small hand weights to give the upper part of your body additional workout. Remember to stretch your back and leg muscles before you start your walking session and allow for a cool-down period of strolling, followed by leg and back stretching.

Be sure to wear proper socks

How To Prevent Diabetes

by Kolawole Olambiwonnu

In many instances, diabetes is an inherited disorder. People who have first degree relatives with this disease are more prone to developing this disease than people with no genetic disposition. People who have a first degree relative with diabetes can avoid contacting the illness by having themselves tested by their physician. The physician can do a series of blood tests that will determine whether or not the patient is pre disposed to this condition. If a person has a pre diabetic condition, there are many things they can do to avoid getting this disease.

However, Type II Diabetes has become nearly an epidemic in this country. Many in the medical community believe that one of the reasons many people acquire this potentially life threatening condition is from obesity. The diabetes epidemic has mirrored the obesity epidemic currently overtaking the United States as well as other countries. People consume foods that are high in carbohydrates and sugars and low in nutrients at an alarming rate. We often think of diabetics as being people with a sweet tooth who crave sugar. This is not the case. More often, a person who is obese has more of a chance of getting diabetes than a person who maintains his or her weight. One way how to prevent diabetes is by managing your weight. Although there is little you can do about having a genetic disposition to the disease, there are ways you can prevent becoming one of the millions of Americans who develop diabetes each year.

When seeking how to prevent diabetes, the first thing a person can do is watch your weight. Studies indicate that people who are overweight are more prone to developing diabetes. How to prevent diabetes. Rule number one is manage your weight. One way to manage your weight is to stay way from foods laden with saturated fats, and sugars. Stay away from fast food, which is usually high in fats, carbohydrates and sugars. Most fast food offer little in the way of nutrition but are high in fat and carbohydrates.

Another way how to prevent diabetes is to exercise. Exercising regularly improves blood sugar control. Because active muscles dispel glucose from blood quicker than non-exercised muscles, regular exercise can do wonders in staving off or preventing diabetes. In addition, regular exercise also helps to maintain stable weight, another factor in preventing obesity.

Again, the misconception that people contract diabetes through excessive consumption of sugars is inaccurate. It is not only sugar that contributes to the disease. While it is good to eliminate the use of excessive sugar in your diet, carbohydrates are also contributory to the onset of diabetes. One way on how to prevent diabetes is becoming aware of the Glycemic Index. The Glycemic Index was developed in 1981 and rates which carbohydrates are more difficult to eliminate glucose from the blood.

When asking yourself how to prevent diabetes, focus your attention on your weight, exercise and diet. In many cases, simple lifestyle changes can prevent someone from getting this potentially life threatening disease.

How to Exercise for Diabetics

How to Exercise for Diabetics by D.S. Hamilton

Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are the most common forms of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is when the body stops producing insulin, and is also known as adolescent diabetes. Whereas, Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed in older adults and occurs as the body stops producing enough insulin or the body becomes immune to its own insulin.

Your body will lose its ability to utilize sugar no matter what form of diabetes it is. The body will have difficulty in transporting and removing sugar from the blood stream and into cells. Diet, exercise and medication can all help to lower your blood sugar levels.

A very important part of managing diabetes is exercise. Exercise will help those will Type 1 diabetes to maintain insulin sensitivity and will increase the use of glucose by the muscles and help maintain weight and avoid gaining excess weight. It is possible to prevent Type 2 diabetes. Vitamins and herbs are things you should consider when dealing with preventing Type 2 diabetes and are an excellent supplement to exercise to help prevent insulin immunity and will help control weight.

Exercise will not only help with managing diabetes by lowering blood sugar and maintaining insulin sensitivity, it will also minimize several complications that can occur in a diabetic person. Briskly walking just 30 minutes a day has been shown to diminish the possibility of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Exercise will help lower blood pressure and help circulation as most diabetics tend to develop circulatory problems. This will help with getting blood to lower extremities and is a great benefit. There are risks associated with diabetic exercising, but the potential benefits will far outweigh the risks. Those with diabetes should measure their blood sugar before and after they exercise as it does lower blood sugar levels. There is risk that the blood sugar levels becoming too low and causing hypoglycemia, since your body uses more sugar during exercise.

It is always important that others who may be exercising with you that you are diabetic. Inform them of what they should do in case your blood sugar drops and results in hypoglycemia. It's always best to carry fruit juice or candy just in case.

You should be paying attention to how you feel during and after the exercise. A rapid heartbeat, increased sweating, feeling shaky and hungry can be a signal that your blood sugars levels are getting too low.

Exercise is very important in diabetic management and treatment. Exercise will help minimize common diabetic complications such as high blood pressure, heart problems, and circulatory problems.

Exercise should be part of a daily routine if you are diabetic. It should be performed at a slow pace and should never be overdone. Exercise around people you know or at a gym; should something go wrong, you will have people around to help you. Having diabetes should not be a hindrance on your life. Daily exercise can help get your life back in the right and healthy direction.

About the Author I invite you to join "The Weight Loss Weekly Newsletter". The Weekly Weight Loss Newsletter reveals a complete blueprint and weight loss information about how to lose weight and information on how to keep the weight off. What are you waiting for!? Take action and start paving your own road to a healthy life and sexy body! The Weight Loss Weekly Newsletter

Diabetic Photo

The Right Food for Diabetics

The Right Food for Diabetics by Mario Carini

You may not be diabetic. But chances are you are already have some form of glucose intolerance.

Your pancreas is likely producing far more insulin than necessary to move your blood sugar into the cells of your body. It's the direct result from consuming highly processed food that creates unnatural spikes in blood sugar.

Diabetes results from many factors. Heredity, obesity, stress, lack of exercise and what is eaten all can bring on diabetes.

When it comes to food most of us eat what is convenient and lacks the essential nutrients our bodies need to function on a normal level. It's hardly surprising that you get sick since your body is unable to cope with the viruses, bacteria and pathogens that invade it on a daily basis.

Our hurried lifestyle doesn't guarantee we will eat properly. But it is in your hands to make sure that your health matters and you should be prepared to take the time to address it. You simply cannot rely totally on your doctor or a quick fix from a pill.

The first step is to consume a diet that is rich in all the nutrients your body needs. You have to take the time to prepare food and eat properly.

What you should be eating are:

1. Fresh Vegetables: They are the most important part of your diet. the best veggies are the dark, leafy green vegetables such as spinach, kale, cabbage, broccoli, beet greens, collards and Swiss chard. You should eat at least 5 servings of vegetables a day.


2. Fruits: Berries are a good source of vitamins, anti-inflammatory compounds and anti-oxidants. Cherries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries all make for a better snack than a chocolate bar. You should have at least 2 servings of fruit every day.


3. High fiber cereals like oat bran, oatmeal, cream of wheat and farina make for a better breakfast than Corn Flakes which ranks high on the Glycemic Index. Eat bread that is whole grain; stone ground wheat, oats, rye, bulgur and barley. Consume 4 servings of bread, cereal, whole wheat pasta, rice or noodles every day.


4. Fish. We simply don't eat enough of it. Fatty fish such as halibut, sardines, salmon and mackerel are high in healthy omega-3 oils. Eat fish at least once a week. It's believed that the reason we get sick is due to the imbalance between omega 3 to omega-6 oils. We consume far too much omega-6. If you don't like fish, try using a pharmaceutical grade fish oil. That extra omega 3 will do you good.
   
5. Nuts and Seeds. No they're not just for birds. But they do contain a great amount of healthy ingredients. While they contain fat, the fat is mostly of the mono-unsaturated variety. Snack on walnuts, Brazil nuts, almonds, pecans, sunflower, pumpkin and flax seeds.


6. Meats. We love beef and consume way too much. You should eat lean meat that is organic and pesticide free. Turkey, chicken, fish, seafood and eggs are all high in protein and far leaner than beef. Limit your consumption to 2 or 3 servings or about the size of a deck of playing cards.


7. Water. So it's not a food, as such. We can survive quite long without solid food but we must have water. Drink about 8 to 12 glasses of pure water to help flush out toxins. It's been shown that toxins play a large part toward the development of diabetes.

That's a good list to get you started on the road to better health and recovery. Chances are you're not eating half of this list though you should. Cut out the fat, sweets, sugar and salt that makes up the ingredients in most of the foods you've been accustomed to eating.

Changing your diet means more energy and better health. No matter what your age, you have to take the time to change your diet and start eating healthy food.

About the Author
After treating his diabetes through natural means, the author highly recommends a number of products that can help you in your fight against this deadly disease. Here's just one product: http://click-here-4.info/?i=145756

Are you a Diabetic?

by Elaine Kennedy

Being a diabetic can be hard to deal with. Whether you were diagnosed years ago or just a few days or weeks ago, it can be difficult to deal with. There are groups online and offline that can offer you support during this rough time. You don’t have to go at it alone and you shouldn’t.

The American Diabetic Association says 20.8 million children and adults have diabetes, but sadly 6.2 million people are unaware that they have the disease. The ADA also says that diabetes is a mystery. What they do know is it has to do with genetics, obesity, and lack of exercise. Because diabetes can be deadly, it is not something you want to mess with. You need to educate yourself regarding this disease.

A lot of times diabetes goes undetected because the systems seem to be harmless or may be considered something else. Below are some of the most common symptoms.
• Frequent urination • Excessive thirst • Extreme hunger • Increased fatigue If you have one or more of these symptoms, you need to contact your doctor for an appointment right away. You may not have diabetes, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
If you are overweight, losing the weight can be a challenge. When you have diabetes and are overweight, it is an even bigger challenge. When you are diagnosed with diabetes, your doctor will give you ideas that will help you lose weight, keep your diabetes under control, and stay healthy. You can also go to the library or book store to get books that have ideas on weight loss as a diabetic.

When you decide you need to lose weight remember, it will be hard to do, but it will be worth it in the long run. This is where a group or friend will come in handy. They will be able to help you get started, keep you up when you are losing weight, and help you stay up when you are not doing so well with the weight loss. As a diabetic, you have to be careful what you eat and how much you eat. Just because you need to lose weight doesn’t mean you have to go on a diet. It doesn’t mean you have to stop eating out and it doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite foods.

Exercise may be all you need to help you lose weight. Exercise can be as simple as working in the yard or walking your dog to the end of the block and back a couple of times. Joining a gym may be too expensive or not something you want to do. That’s ok because you can go to the mall or super center and walk around for 30 minutes and that would give you something to do as well.
Diabetes doesn’t have to control your life. All you have to do is eat right, monitor your blood sugar, and exercise right and you will be able to control it. Make sure you visit your doctor regularly and you can manage your diabetes easily and confidently.

About the Author
Elaine Kennedy and her husband have three wonderful children. She has been a work at home mom since 2005. She is a licensed financial debt analyst and she also enjoys helping others with their health and losing weight. If you want to help her reach out to others, visit her site at http://www.chocolateforlife.biz/. You can also check out the chocolate that will help you lose weight and stay healthy at http://mxi.myvoffice.com/elainekennedy/.

What Are The First Signs Of Diabetes?

What Are The First Signs Of Diabetes? by James Liow

One of the medical conditions that require long-term medication is diabetes. It has various symptoms and each type [type 1 and type 2] can be identified using the first signs of diabetes.
Frequent urination is one of the common signs of diabetes. It is a warning sign that can also be observed in other medical conditions. Frequent urination is caused by the increase in blood glucose. High glucose level causes the kidneys to fail in filtering it due to insufficient water content. Water from the blood is drawn by the kidneys to supply enough water in order for them to function properly.

When the bladder is full, a person needs to release it by urinating. In the case of diabetics, the bladder is always full, thus the need for frequent urination. However, the water content of the blood decreases in the process, and this signals the brain to ask for more water. Hence, diabetics are frequently thirsty and urinating, and this cycle goes on during the course of the condition.
People with diabetes always crave for water or any fluids. And as mentioned before, frequent urination signals the brain to ask for more fluid intake, and diabetics carry these symptoms at the onset of their condition.

Another sign of diabetes is weight loss. For type 1 diabetes, weight loss is more frequent and prominent among patients compared to the type 2 diabetes. Since diabetics cannot utilize the energy from blood glucose, they always feel hungry and eat more often that usual.
But a diabetic, no matter how much he/she eats, cannot get sufficient energy from food. His/Her body requires more, so energy reserves in his/her body fats and tissues are utilized as well.
When this happens, the body loses fats and tissues, thus the weight loss. Don’t be happy when someone loses too much weight at a very fast pace especially without any exercise or diet program. He/She may be suffering from diabetes and may need immediate treatment.
Even the body cells of a diabetic do not have sufficient energy. Food is not enough to replenish the lost energy and this causes weakening and fatigue.

When there is excessive glucose in the blood, the nerves are also damaged. This causes the tingling sensations or numbness in the extremities. Nerve damage takes a longer time to set in type 2 diabetes which is why it takes years after most of the signs are evident. Diagnosis may be too late for most cases since the disease has already set in and the nerves are already damaged prior to it.

Other diabetes signs are bruises and cuts that don’t heal quickly, blurred vision and dry or itchy skin. Source: Simplediabetesguide dot com

About the Author

For free information on natural treatment for diabetes, juvenile, Type 2, and gestational, visit our Natural Cure For Diabetes site.