Have You Been Diagnosed With Diabetes?

Receiving a diabetes diagnosis will bring tremendous changes into one's life.  To protect your health and manage the disease education is necessary.  Taking care of your health will involve managing the medications you have to take and your diet.

Here are some useful  things to do and know once diagnosed with diabetes.

1. Know fact from fiction
2. Incorporate flexibility into your diabetes diet
3. Be aware of risks of diabetes medication
4. Ask family members to take a self assessment
5. Lower your AIC levels without medication
6. Protect your heart
7. Know more treatment options.

It will be necessary to make lifestyle changes to prevent complications of diabetes and to reduce it as a health risk factor for other health problems. Important lifestyle changes would involve diet, exercise and weight  management. Reduce or eliminate the following:

• Unhealthy eating
• Overweight/obesity
• Sedentary lifestyle

  You can learn to eliminate risk factors with these resources at manageyourhealthonline.com.

Risk Factors For Breast Cancer

A number of studies have identified risk factors that increase the risks for breast cancer.
The studies involved risk factors such as:

• Smoking
• Previous smoker
• Exposure to second hand smoke
• Body mass index
• Physical activity
• Waist and hip circumference

These risk factors are also used to teach people how to  prevent cancers and other non-communicable diseases. CLICK HERE.

One study compared women who never smoked with those who smoked for some time. The highest risks were among:

• Current smokers
• Women who smoked during their teens
• Women who smoked before their first full term pregnancy

The researchers found that those who smoked  for some time and quit had a 9% increased risk for invasive breast cancer, while those who were current smokers had a 16% increased risk.

Among those who quit, the increased risk continued for up to 20 years after.  Compared to those who were not exposed to second hand smoke, those who had extensive exposure had a 32% increased risk.

Another study looked at body mass index and physical activity. The researchers found that in postmenopausal women as the body size increases and physical activity decreases, the risk for breast cancer increases. The participants were 155, 000 women.

Women who have a family history of breast cancer or a history of benign breast tumors must protect their health by avoiding these risk factors.  All women can prevent non-communicable diseases by pursuing a healthy lifestyle.

Vitamin D-Things You Should Know

Vitamin D is called the sunshine vitamin, it is necessary to prevent diabetes, to build strong bones and teeth
 and for general health.

We produce it ourselves through exposure to the sun.

Unfortunately we need a lot more sun than we can get to produce enough vitamin-D for our health.

Due to the harmful effects of the sun we need to protect our health from it.  Actions and products that can do so also prevent us from the exposure necessary to produce vitamin-D.

Certain people are especially vulnerable,they are:

• People who live in regions where there is not enough sunlight
• People with dark skin who are naturally protected from sunburn by their pigment
• People who protect their skin from ultra violet rays with sunscreen

Because of these reasons vitamin-D has to be taken in the diet or by supplements.
 
Adults need 400IU per day, children and teenagers 200IU, babies and infants need 400IUper day.
 
Sources of Vitamin-D

• Milk  
• Eggs,
• Cheese
• Liver
• Salmon, 
• Canned tuna 
• Sardines

Some foods such as Infant formula, milk and fruit juice are fortified with vitamin D.

Breast milk does not provide vitamin-D, so breastfed babies and infants need to get their daily recommended dose through fortified foods or supplements.

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What Can Abdominal Pain Be?

If you have abdominal pain it could be a simple stomachache, it can be due to heartburn, a heart attack, menstrual cramps or even kidney stones.

The two common conditions are: appendicitis and ulcers.

Ulcers: Pain in the upper,central abdomen. It may be a few hours after eating or during the night. It may be relieved by taking antacids. An ulcer can bleed or rupture at which time it is a medical emergency.

Appendicitis: Inflammation of the appendix starts with pain in the center of the abdomen around the belly button. As the pain becomes worse, it moves to the right lower abdomen.An inflamed appendix can rupture at which time it becomes a medical emergency.

Seek emergency assistance for your pain immediately if:

• You have a fever
• You are vomiting blood
• You are constipated
• You also have chest, neck or shoulder pain
• You are dizzy or light headed
• Your abdomen is rigid and tender to touch

Contact your physician if the pain is accompanied by:

• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• If you may be pregnant
• Diarrhoea
• Burning or pain when urinating
• If pain becomes worse with antacids
• Nausea
• Bloating for more than two days

Your doctor will ask you specific questions such as:

• When did it start?
• How long does it last?
• What makes it feel better?
• Is the pain sharp or dull
• Is it cramps.
• Does the pain come and go? ____________________________________________________________________________