Female Care

Already linked to a reduced risk for a variety of heart-related ailments, an ingredient in red wine has now been found to have possible life extension benefits in a series of studies that have been hailed as groundbreaking.

Resveratrol, a chemical found in red wine and other foods, has been shown in mice to reverse the effects of obesity, help the animals live longer, and increase their exercise endurance as well. Articles published in November 2006 in the journals Cell and Nature have cited several research studies in which ordinary lab mice given resveratrol can run twice as far as mice without the components, have greater energy in their muscles, and also have a reduced heart rate: some of the same characteristics seen in trained athletes. Though the studies involved only mice, the researchers said they had no reason to believe that similar health and life extension effects couldn’t be achieved in humans as well.
Continue reading »

Gestational diabetes occurs in approximately 5% of pregnancies.  Several complications arise for both the baby and the mother if gestational diabetes is left uncontrolled, including large birth weight and difficult delivery, preeclampsia (high blood pressure), and the chance of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.  For the expectant mother recently diagnosed with gestational diabetes, the revelation and information regarding treatment can be overwhelming.  However, there are several steps a woman can follow to minimize the complications. Continue reading »

Affecting about 4% of all pregnancies, gestational diabetes is not a common condition but one that should be taken seriously. With about 135,000 new cases of gestational diabetes diagnosed each year, it is enough of a concern that all pregnant women are tested for it between weeks 24 and 28 of their pregnancy. Continue reading »

Once diagnosed with gestational diabetes, treatment for the pregnant woman will begin quickly. The first thing your doctor will do is counsel you to visit with both an endocrinologist or perinatologist and a nutritionist. Your team of specialists will work with you with the ultimate goal of lowering your blood sugar levels to those that are considered in a normal range for pregnancy. Continue reading »

By Marie McCarren (author of american Diabetes association Guide To insulin & Type 2 Diabetes. She lives in Arnold, Md.)

There are now six classes of diabetes pills and several combination oral meds. Each has a different way of helping you control your diabetes.

About 90 percent of diabetes in the U.S. is the type 2 form, which occurs in most people after the age of 40.  Type 2 diabetes is increasing in young people, especially among those who are overweight, physically inactive, or have a family history of diabetes. Obesity is a major risk factor for diabetes. Upper-body obesity is a stronger risk factor for type 2 diabetes than excess weight below the waist. Regular physical activity can protect against type 2 diabetes, while a lack of exercise is a risk factor for developing diabetes.

if you’re a typical person with type 2, your blood glucose levels are high because you have:

# a pancreas that doesn’t make enough insulin to control your blood glucose
# a liver that releases glucose inappropriately
# muscle cells that don’t easily take in glucose
Continue reading »

If you are overweight, you are at risk for diabetes. And if you are a woman, you should know that diabetes can affect you differently than a man, particularly your heart.

Diabetes is on the rise, both in men and women, young and old. Some 16 million Americans have diabetes, about one-third of whom do not know it. More people than ever before are developing type 2 diabetes, mainly because of obesity and inactivity, the two major risk factors for this type of diabetes. Most women with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, which is more common in older people. Women who develop diabetes during pregnancy, known as gestational diabetes, are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

Diabetes can lead to blindness, kidney failure, nerve damage that can result in foot or leg amputation, heart disease, and stroke . Special attention must be paid to this public health problem, particularly in women.

Did You Know That…

# About 90 percent of diabetes in the U.S. is the type 2 form, which occurs in most people after the age of 40.
# Type 2 diabetes is increasing in young people, especially among those who are overweight, physically inactive, or have a family history of diabetes.
# Obesity is a major risk factor for diabetes. Upper-body obesity is a stronger risk factor for type 2 diabetes than excess weight below the waist.
# Regular physical activity can protect against type 2 diabetes, while a lack of exercise is a risk factor for developing diabetes.

Continue reading »