26May

Type 2 Diabetes – Obesity and Diabetic Retinopathy

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Diabetes is the leading cause of preventable blindness. One in three diabetic adults over the age of 40 has diabetic retinopathy, although it is not obvious until it begins to impair vision. Controlling blood sugar and blood pressure helps to prevent diabetic retinopathy.

Researchers at the Centre for Eye Research at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, set out to discover whether obesity and other measurements of body shape could also be associated with diabetic retinopathy. Their work was published in the journal Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science in April 2011.

Four hundred and ninety-two volunteers with Type 2 diabetes were included in the study. Obese participants were found to be more than 6.5 times more likely to have diabetic retinopathy than were those with normal weight. High neck and waist circumferences were also associated with the condition and those with high neck and waist circumferences tended to have more severe cases than those with normal neck and waist circumferences.

This news gives Type 2 diabetics more reason than ever to normalize their weight and keep it that way. A normal body mass index (BMI) is between 18.5 and 24.9. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, and 30 or more is termed obese. To find your BMI go to the website: nhlbisupport.com/bmi and fill in your height and weight. If it is 25 or above, it is time to plan an eating plan and exercise program that will get rid of some of the body fat. Check with your doctor for a rational, realistic plan.

One pound of human fat contains 3500 calories, so to lose one pound you need to use 3500 more calories than you take in. Lowering your calorie intake along with exercise is the best way to do this…

bicycle riding less than ten miles per hour or performing water aerobics, uses up about 300 calories per hour, so riding or performing aerobics in the pool for about 12 hours would use up one pound of fat
taking in 300 calories per day fewer than usual would cause one pound of fat to come off in about 12 days
spending an hour a day performing moderate exercise and eating 300 calories fewer per day would take off two pounds in twelve days. Keeping up that program for four months would mean the loss of 20 pounds.

How to lower your calories?

try a vegetarian eating plan. It is known to be good for preventing and treating Type 2 diabetes, and it tends to be lower in calories than high-fat meat and dairy products
if there is a kind of food you can’t live without but it’s high in calories, try having smaller portions
you can stay on a reduced-calorie diet eating one cup of spaghetti once in awhile.

Consult a dietitian or look up the calories in all the foods you eat and control your portions. Weight loss is possible when you have a plan you know you will stick to.

25Apr

Type 2 Diabetes – Evaluate The Best Exercise Routine For You!

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If you are a Type 2 diabetic, being physically active is one of the best natural ways to control your blood sugar according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. However, there are still many other benefits associated with taking part in regular exercise. This may include:

burning calories – even after you have finished exercising, your body continues to burn calories at a higher rate for a while
helping to control your weight especially once you’re approaching your desired weight
helping to increase your cell’s sensitivity to insulin
lowering your blood pressure
lowering the lipid or fat levels in your blood
lowering the risk for the development of heart diseases and vascular problems

What kind of physical activity or exercise is best for Type 2 diabetics?

According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, there are many ways of following a healthy exercise plan for people with Type 2 diabetes:

First off, discuss with your doctor your plan to exercise. Being a “couch potato” will never do you any good even without Type 2 diabetes. But if you continue being inactive, you will have less chance of controlling your blood sugar. With regular exercise, your blood sugar will be more controlled and eventually you will start feeling better:

playing with the kids
taking your dog for a regular daily walk
working in the garden
using the stairs instead of the elevator, and even
washing your car

are a few ways to burn-off a few of those extra calories.

Second method is by performing aerobic exercises. Aerobic exercise makes your large muscles contract continuously and you heart beat a little faster. Aerobic exercise makes you burn-off a lot more calories than you usually do. According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, having a regular aerobic exercise routine thirty minutes a day, five times each week, gives endless benefits in helping to control Type 2 diabetes:

dancing
brisk walking
swimming
hiking
bicycle riding, and
enrolling in an aerobics class

are enjoyable aerobic activities that can help you burn some fat and control you blood sugar.

Exercises not recommended:

The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse explains that there are certain diabetes complications that need to be considered when deciding on the best type of exercise routine for you. If you are having problems with your eyes as a result of your high blood sugar levels, lifting heavy weights may not be good for your eyes. If your feet are numb because of diabetic neuropathy, walking may not be the right exercise for you as you will not be aware of pressure from your shoes giving you blisters.

For most people, physical activity should be a combination of activities that accomplish these three goals:

build strength
increase endurance
increase your aerobic capacity (make your heart and blood vessels work more efficiently)

The best plan is to talk to your doctor. Find out what limitations you might have and how you could help work with them in an exercise program.

18Apr

Type 2 Diabetes – With or Without Drugs!

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Do you have Type 2 diabetes? How do you feel about taking oral anti-diabetic medications or insulin for the rest of your life?

Many diabetics experience medication fatigue… imagine taking the same set of bitter bad-tasting medications day in and day out just for the sake of controlling your blood sugar. For some people, seeing and tasting the same medications everyday can give them enough stress that may last a lifetime. One of the most common questions raised by many diabetics is this: “How can we possibly control our blood sugar without the aid of anti-diabetic drugs?”

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Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic problem that results from high blood sugar levels caused by the increased resistance of your body’s cells to the action of insulin. Insulin, a special hormone that facilitates the transfer of sugar extracted from your meals to your cells, is essential to life and has wide-spread effects all over your body. Risk factors for the development of blood sugar problems include:

age… the older you are, the greater your risk for Type 2 diabetes
being overweight or obese… being overweight predisposes you to diabetes
lack of exercise goes hand in hand with obesity
heredity… if you have a family member who has been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, you are at a greater risk for getting it yourself
sleep habits… insomnia makes you more prone to diabetes
decreased “good” cholesterol level, increased “bad” cholesterol level, high blood pressure and a history of diabetes in pregnancy.

Many experts consider Type 2 diabetes as a lifestyle disease, therefore, with proper correction to the lifestyle you live, this condition really can really be managed without the use of drugs.

According to the Joslin Diabetes Center, many diabetics control their blood sugar levels without the aid of anti-diabetic medications by:

normalizing their body weight
by having regular physical exercise, and
by eating a proper diet

Many studies have shown how both weight loss and exercise can increase the body’s sensitivity to insulin, thus reducing insulin resistance. The more sensitive your cells are to insulin, the healthier you body is. Choose to eat properly and to exercise, and your pancreas will thank you by functioning well. Then no drugs are involved.

However, according to Joslin Diabetes Center many diabetics fail to normalize their blood sugar levels despite their best efforts. For these diabetics it will be necessary for them to continue taking their anti-diabetic medications.

Check your blood sugar reading every day… if your blood sugar still spikes even with your best efforts, there is no other choice but to continue your anti-diabetic medications. This is important in order to prevent both immediate and long-term complications associated with high blood sugar.

01Apr

Warning Signs For Type Two Diabetes

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Type 2 Diabetes is a sign of the times it seems. Today’s society is the perfect breeding ground for type 2 diabetes. Busy, stressful schedules that leave little time for exercise, latch key children and teenagers who spend hours in front of the television or computer, combined with the availability of convenient yet deadly fast food has paved the way for America’s self destruction.

Are you at risk for Type 2 Diabetes? Symptoms may develop slowly and creep upon us unnoticed. As with any health problems, it’s best to catch this deadly disease as early as possible.

Here’s a list of 5 warning signs:

Are you constantly tired or have extreme energy crashes during the day? – Spikes and crashes in blood sugar can cause extreme fatigue. The truth is, no one should have to experience that “after lunch tiredness” although many people talk about it as if it is common and acceptable. A properly functioning body that receives the right kind of fuel can keep going at a steady pace throughout the day. That after lunch tired feeling may not be type 2 diabetes, but it is a warning sign that you are not eating properly and your body is not running the way it should.
Does your vision ever become blurred? – The medical explanation for blurred vision with type 2 diabetes is because during blood sugar spikes necessary fluid is sometimes pulled from the lenses of your eyes. This can impair your ability to focus.
Do you find yourself extra thirsty? When sugar builds up in your blood stream, fluid is needed, so your body will pull it from your tissues and cause you to be extra thirsty.
Do you have intense cravings for starchy foods or bread products? If your body doesn’t have enough insulin to transfer sugar into your cells for fuel, your body will send hunger signals to your brain even though you may have recently eaten. Your body naturally does all it can to survive, so it will trigger hunger because it is unable to use the supply already in your body.
Do you have sores that take exceptionally long to heal or frequently become infected? Non-healing sores are one of the most common signs of diabetes.

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25Mar

Type II Diabetes and EFAs

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How the right fats and oils can protect you from this insidious disease.

What is now called lifestyle or adult onset diabetes is a condition where ones body loses its sensitivity to glucose, and therefore becomes insulin resistant.

This means that cells do not respond properly to insulin when it’s present, because the cells have become less functional.

This happens due to the continued, and long term consumption of too many refined carbohydrates, which release their glucose too quickly into the blood stream, raising blood glucose levels too high, too quickly.

Stress, with the accompanying release of adrenalin, which leads to insulin release, may also have a role to play in the development of this disease.

Type I diabetes, is different, and is a disorder where there is not enough insulin produced, due to faulty functioning within the pancreas, which is responsible for producing insulin.

Unfortunately, excess glucose, due either to the inability of insulin to do its job, or a lack of insulin, in getting the glucose into the cells, both lead to increased free radical damage, which will cause further damage to cells and cause you to age faster.

The lining of your arteries, the endothelial cells, are also damaged by excess glucose, so the entire circulatory system will become dysfunctional over time.

In diabetes, particularly type I diabetes, there is an impairment of the conversion of dietary Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s) to HUFA’s (highly unsaturated fatty acids) such as EPA, DHA, AA (arachidonic acid) and DGLA (dihomogammalinolenic acid). If these derivatives aren’t produced, there are many vital functions that are unable to occur or are impaired in fundamental ways.

There is also an inability to incorporate these HUFA’s into cell membranes, likely linked to an enzyme dysfunction.

Damaged fats, such as trans fats and saturated fats, also stop insulin from working properly, which means that it is unable to get the glucose out of your blood stream and into your cells quickly enough.

Consuming the right kinds of fats and oils can therefore facilitate insulin activity, so knowing what these special fats are, is therefore important. They are called essential because you body cannot manufacture them – they have to consumed in your diet. If you don’t eat them you will be deficient, and it is estimated that 95% of people are deficient in them, for various reasons.

Depression puts you at greater risk of getting diabetes, and suffering from diabetes puts one at a significantly greater risk of getting depression, with figures indicating that depression is twice as common among diabetics than among people who don’t have diabetes.

Having both of these conditions worsens the course of both. So the situation can become a vicious cycle. Furthermore, depression is a risk factor for Cardio Vascular Disease (CVD) too. And, having Diabetes also puts you at a much greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

Many researchers believe that the underlying mechanism that links all these disease states may very well be a deficiency in EFA’s, coupled with an inability to convert them into the various derivatives required for optimal cell and membrane health.

However, as medical practitioners continue to look at diseases as separate and distinct, they are unable to piece the puzzle together and come up with the whole picture.

Whatever they may uncover as time goes by, it is accepted that Essential Fatty Acids have an enormously important role to play in overall health, so supplementing with the right blend will improve your health on many levels.

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17Feb

Type 2 Diabetes – Should You Take Vitamins When The News Says They Don’t Work?

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Hopefully by now you are realizing just how important vitamins and minerals are to your health as a diabetic. In fact, if it’s difficult for the average person to get enough vitamins and minerals from their food, then imagine how difficult it is for a diabetic to do so!

Taking a multivitamin with minerals is a good start, but it’s not enough. You need to go the entire distance and get a customized report of which exact vitamin and mineral you need and in what dosage for what amount of time. Apcalis jelly

Many people report that by taking their vitamins and minerals, they feel much better than when they don’t.

But what about the reports that say that vitamins don’t do any good? You may be wondering this…

The answer is that many of those research studies are quite flawed. The researchers make mistakes and they’re often bad ones! For example, they won’t use the right form of a vitamin or mineral. Or they will neglect to even run an assay or a lab test to determine whether or not the vitamin or mineral levels were low in the first place.

This second error is pretty bad. Think about it. If you want to see if a vitamin is going to benefit a patient or a research volunteer, then you must recall the basic principle of nutrition: giving vitamins and/or minerals to someone who has adequate levels does absolutely no good! It would be similar to putting more gasoline into your car when the levels in the gas tank are already at three-quarters full. Will you get any extra benefits? No, except in the car case, you may travel more distance. But you don’t travel more distance figuratively speaking when you give someone extra vitamins or minerals when they didn’t need them.

The vitamin and mineral deficiency signs and symptoms were established back in the years between 1920 and late 1970s. These research studies proved that if someone has a deficiency, certain signs and symptoms occur. And by replacing them into the diet, the signs and symptoms go away.

So don’t fear the news reports that say that you aren’t benefiting from vitamin supplements. If you need them, you will benefit. Try them and see. The difference can often be seen in a week or two. But please do so with the aide of a health professional who can actually test you for where your levels are. Canadian generic propecia

When you have diabetes, Type 1 or Type 2, many uninformed or unscrupulous people are more than happy to sell you an array of unproven treatments. Another reason for you to consult with a health professional who can guide your choice of vitamins and anti-diabetic supplements.

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16Feb

Diabetes Epidemic – Overcoming and Reversing the Symptoms of Diabetes

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Diabetes is becoming a problem for many people and you may have just received this diagnosis or know someone with this disease. Diabetes continues to increase year after year and about half of diabetics do not even know that they have this debilitating disease. Dealing with the diabetes epidemic and overcoming diabetes and reversing the symptoms of this disease requires making certain lifestyle changes.

The majority of new diabetes cases are mainly due to making poor nutritional choices in addition to the sedentary lifestyle that is fairly common in this modern age. It is possible to manage diabetes and even overcome diabetes. While there are various medications that are prescribed for diabetes management, the best approach to the treatment and cure of diabetes is adopting the holistic approach to the treatment of diabetes.

What is Diabetes?

Insulin which is required to transfer the glucose in the blood stream to the various cells in the body is produced by the pancreas. Glucose is required by the body for energy for daily activities and for the proper functioning of the body. When you consume food particularly carbohydrates, the body converts this food into glucose which is the simplest form of sugar.

When a person has diabetes, the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or the body does not respond to the insulin produced for any number of reasons. In addition, the pancreas may also not produce any insulin at all.

This leads to the accumulation of glucose in the blood that cannot be transferred to the various body’s cells. This accumulation is then secreted by the body through urine leading to the loss of necessary energy needed for day to day activities.

Diabetes Types

a. Type 1

A Type 1 diabetes diagnosis leads to the reliance on daily injections of insulin. Injecting insulin is the quickest way to enable the insulin to quickly start transferring the glucose in the blood to the various cells and organs in the body.

Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed during childhood and results from a malfunctioning pancreas that stops producing insulin which means that diabetics with this type will rely on injections of insulin in order to survive.

b. Type 2

With Type 2 diabetes the pancreas does not produce enough or the body rejects or does not know how to use the insulin produced. Type 2 diabetes diagnoses have been exploding each year and this is mainly due to poor lifestyle choices. With this type of diabetes, it is possible to cure it by making better nutrition choices and adding daily activity.

If not properly managed, Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes can lead to various long term damage to the heart, kidneys, eyes and the nerves if glucose continues to accumulate in the blood stream with no place to go.

Diabetes complications that can result from this damage include dealing with blindness, heart disease, kidney disease, various skin conditions, the nerve damage can lead to the necessity for limb amputations, etc. Diabetes complications can also lead to a diabetic coma or death.

c. Gestational

Gestational diabetes is usually pregnancy related and usually goes away a few months after giving birth. It can also develop into Type 1 diabetes later on. Gestational diabetes usually develops during the third trimester.

Symptoms of Diabetes

Because the symptoms of diabetes usually develop gradually, diabetes is known as one of the silent killers. It is important to note that because some diabetics with Type 2 diabetes many not show any diabetes symptoms, it is especially important to get tested for diabetes. Some of the symptoms of diabetes include;

a. Excessive hunger

b. Excessive thirst

c. The need to urinate frequently

d. If you experience sudden changes in eye sight or sudden vision problems

e. Fatigue problems

f. If you have bruises and cuts that are very slow to heal

g. Unusual weight loss that is sudden

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10Feb

Type 2 Diabetes – Chronic Eye Complications of Uncontrolled Diabetes!

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Type 2 diabetes is a continuously increasing burden to the government and to society. As stated by the National Diabetes Statistics, 1.6 million new cases of Type 2 diabetes were discovered and diagnosed in the United States in 2007 and this prevalence rate is continuously and exponentially growing every year.

Do you ever wonder why your doctor is so keen for you to control your blood sugar? You see, uncontrolled diabetes may result in multiple, yet preventable types of chronic complications. As mentioned in an article published by the Centers for Disease Control, early diagnosis and the application of available measures is a must to reduce the incidence and the severity of these chronic complications.

Diabetes is the most common cause of blindness in the United States. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control, diabetics are twenty five times more prone to the development of eye problems compared to the general population.

There three most common eye complications of uncontrolled diabetes are:

1. Diabetic retinopathy: Diabetic retinopathy is an eye problem in diabetics that affects the nerve-containing tissue of the eye. It is one of the leading causes of blindness among American adults each year. Believe it or not, the lifetime prevalence of this eye problem in diabetics is seventy percent. As mentioned again by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), diabetic retinopathy is almost always asymptomatic during its treatable stages. And so, if you happen to have Type 2 diabetes, the most reasonable way to prevent this eye problem from occurring is to regularly check with your opthalmologist.

2. Cataracts: As stated by CDC, diabetics are 1.6 times more prone to develop cataract in one or both eyes compared to those who do not have diabetes, Type 1 or Type 2. Diabetics most commonly acquire snowflake cataracts which usually resolve with good blood sugar control. However, there are those that develop persistent cataracts who need to undergo cataract extraction to restore their vision. In most cases, cataract extraction can restore ninety to ninety-five percent of the normal vision.

3. Glaucoma: Glaucoma is a problem caused by the increased pressure within your eye. There are two types of glaucoma seen in diabetics:

the open-angle glaucoma, the most common form of glaucoma in the diabetic population, and
the neovascular glaucoma, the more severe kind of glaucoma that usually occurs concomitantly with diabetic retinopathy

Early diagnosis and emergency surgery are the most needed medical interventions to save your eye from the full development of this problem.

Regular eye check-ups and good blood sugar control are the cornerstone for proper eye care in people with diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2. The more you control your blood sugar the lesser your chances in developing these eye problems.

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04Feb

Can You Reverse Type 2 Diabetes?

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Is it possible to reverse type 2 diabetes? This is a question that many people ask, but few people know the answer to. The standard medical design for addressing diabetes is geared towards slowing down the development of the disease, but little effort is put into reversing type 2 diabetes.

If we look back through history we have to remember that we once thought that the earth was flat, and that it was impossible to fly. Individuals with diabetes are generally placed into the traditional model of treatment and many gradually get worse. As time goes on medications typically increase, and each of these medications brings unwanted side effects.

The financial burden of this standard treatment can also be overwhelming. Economists have predicted that diabetes could by itself bankrupt our health care system. Is there no additional way to handle type 2 diabetes? Or is it more profitable to keep doing what we are currently doing to treat this disease?

If it is possible to reverse type 2 diabetes what might that mean? It would mean a significant loss of money to the prescription drug companies, along with a tremendous financial loss to our current medical model. It is very profitable to medicate people who have diabetes indefinitely. It is also profitable to treat the long term effects of this disease when they arrive. Why would the people making money from this disease have any interest in concentrating on treatments other than medication? We have a very good medical care system in the United States that is driven by profit, and occasionally that can mean that the patient get what they need. Profit is king, and in the world of diabetes this can be a real problem.

For decades our medical system has been following an approach that obviously has not had the type of results that most people are looking for. After being diagnosed patients are instructed to lose weight, exercise, eat better and to take medications. This seems like great advice and three to six months later patients are scheduled to come back for another checkup.

The reality is that diabetes is a syndrome of multiple organ systems. In order to begin reversing type 2 diabetes it is critical to test each of these areas to asses function. The clinics doing this type of in-depth testing are achieving results that were thought to be impossible just a few years ago.
Programs like the Chicago Diabetes Program are revolutionizing the way we look at type 2 diabetes today. By finding the cause of the disease instead of the symptoms, doctors are able to begin supporting organ areas that need assistance. As proper function returns to the body, blood sugar levels also begin to normalize.

21Jan

Type 2 Diabetes – Long-Term Sugar Control and Diabetic Retinopathy!

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A technique known as “measuring lens fluorescence” is a useful way of assessing life-long blood sugar levels. The lens lasts a lifetime and it’s ageing process is affected by blood sugar. By measuring lens fluorescence, scientists can see how much ageing the blood sugar levels have caused, allowing them to estimate the amount of sugar that has been in the body over time.

Researchers in the Department of Ophthalmology, Glostrup Hospital, University of Copenhagen in Denmark carried out lens fluorescence imaging to discover whether the life-long level of blood sugar could be associated with the risk of diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is an important cause of blindness in diabetics, both Type 1 and Type 2. The blood vessels at the back of the eye are then affected and bleed into the eye. Results of the study on lens fluorescence were published in the journal Diabetologia in December 2010.
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Nine hundred volunteers between the ages of 30 and 60 were admitted to the study. One hundred and seventy were found to be diabetic and 35 already had a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. Retinopathy was diagnosed in 46 people, or 22 per cent of 205 volunteers with Type 2 diabetes. Those with twice the amount of lens fluorescence as the volunteers with lower amounts of fluorescence, had more than five times the risk of diabetic retinopathy. Smoking, blood pressure, height and weight proportions, and HbA1c were also found to be associated with retinopathy. It was also concluded retinopathy is associated with the amount of sugar in the blood in both Type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes, and that life-long control of blood sugar could help to prevent diabetic retinopathy.

How will you keep your blood sugar levels down?

  • one way of satisfying a sweet tooth is to drink hot or iced tea with sucralose or stevia
  • some people like to sweeten seltzer water with non-sugar sweeteners and add some fruit juice for flavor
  • fruits are another good way of getting something sweet with less sugar and more fiber than you would get with high-sugar snacks made with highly refined flour and sugar
  • many people are reportedly including their dogs in their getting-fit resolutions for 2011, taking them for walks and playing with them. Even brushing your dog several times a week for fifteen minutes, changing hands halfway through will work your arms and please your dog

Why not check out the local gyms… many of them are competing with lower fees so shop around for the bargains. Some gyms offer discounts if you bring a friend along, and the added benefit of bringing a friend is that you can encourage each other. A membership to a local fitness center is a great way to get exercise in a safe and social environment.

Keeping your blood sugar levels in the range as discussed with your doctor, will help to prevent all diabetic complications.

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