Know Your Diabetes and learn to manage it..

Diabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar.
                       Fasting                  Post-prandial
Early Diabetes 101-126 mg/dl      140-200 mg/dl
Diabetes          >126 mg/dl          >200 mg/dl
There are two main types of diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes - the body does not make insulin. Insulin helps the body use glucose from food for energy. People with type 1 need to take insulin every day.
Type 2 diabetes - the body does not make or use insulin well. Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes. 

 Classical symptoms of diabetes are  

• Polyuria (frequent urination), 
• Polydipsia (increased thirst) and 
• Polyphagia (increased hunger) 

Symptoms can due to excess of blood sugar or may be an effect due to over-medication for the same 

Less energy, lethargic, tired and thirsty, poor healing, skin, or bladder infections.

Diabetes is a serious disease, with many complications.

• Eye problems that can lead to trouble seeing or going blind.
• Nerve damage that can cause your hands and feet to feel numb. Some people may even lose a foot or a leg.
• Kidney problems that can cause your kidneys to stop working. 
•  Heart disease and stroke.

 but you can learn to manage it via following a few uncomplicated steps !

When to be cautious?

• If you are obese ie have a BMI>30 or overweight, BMI >25kg/m2 {BMI is Body Mass Index Weight /height^2 }
• Have a family history
• High blood pressure >140/90 mmHg
• Have Low levels of HDL "good" cholesterol and high triglyceride levels
• Females with gestational diabetes and PCOD
• Age over 45 years. 

                                                                                   To be continued...

Difference in blood pressure between arms..

A sign of high risk of developing heart diseases..

If you tend to have a  potential value of an inter-arm difference you may run the risk of developing increased cardiovascular risk.
The first study, which was published in The Lancet, suggested that a difference of more than 10mmHg or 15mmHg in systolic blood pressure (the upper reading of B.P) was an indicator of increased risk of vascular disease and mortality.
A research team from the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry reported the first systematic review of findings related to the risk factors associated with a difference in blood pressure between arms.
The second study, which was published on the 20th March 2012 by the British Medical Journal looks at data from patients over a 10-year period, suggested that there is a link between a difference in blood pressure between arms and vascular disease and mortality and further emphasized the need for two-arm blood pressure checks to become the norm.

The study followed up 230 patients receiving treatment in the practice for hypertension. Two-arm blood pressure readings were taken from participating patients at the start of the study during three successive surgery attendances and they were then followed for 10 years.Of the 230 patients, 24 percent had a difference between the arms in systolic blood pressure measurements of more than 10mmHg and nine per cent registered a difference of more than 15mmHg.
Findings:

• A difference of 10mmHg indicates an increased risk of peripheral vascular disease (the narrowing and hardening of the arteries that supply blood to the legs and feet).
•  A difference of 15mmHg or more is associated with increased risk of peripheral vascular disease; pre-existing cerebrovascular disease (affecting the blood supply to the brain and often associated with conditions such as dementia) and mortality.

By carrying out a study over 10 years, the research team was able to assess the impact of an inter-arm difference in blood pressure over a longer period of time and so witness the long-term effect on patients' health.
Blood pressure chart for reference

Risk factors for  B.P

• Smoking or being exposed to second hand smoke daily 
• Frequent consumption of alcohol.
• Some risk factors are unavoidable such as family history of hypertension, and old age.
• Being overweight (If you are overweight and have hypertension losing even 10 pounds can lower your blood pressure) or leading and inactive lifestyle also contributes in controlling high blood pressure.
• Taking oral contraceptives, having kidney disease and diabetes are some other risk factors.

Controlling high blood pressure is a common undertaking recommended by Physicians to anyone with a blood pressure over 140/90mm Hg.So from next time while you get your blood pressure monitored, pay heed to the inter-arm difference as well.

Plantar Fasciitis..

Plantar Fasciitis also known as "Policeman's heel "is a painful condition resulting in symptoms of pain under the heel. It is  the most common cause of heel pain. Some people mistake it for heel spur which is a very different condition indeed.

As the name suggests plantar fasciitis has something to do with some fascia now coming to what exactly is this fascia?

Site of pain

Plantar Fascia is a thick, broad, inelastic band of fibrous tissue that courses along the bottom of the foot.It is attached to your heel bone at one end and then fans out to attach to the bottom of metatarsals bones in the region of the ball of the foot.Now because the normal foot has an arch, it acts like a bowstring to maintain the foot arch.

Who can suffer?

Overuse of the plantar fascia or arch tendon of the foot can lead to this condition.Repeated strain can cause tiny tears in the ligament. It is common in middle-aged people, chances increase if you have flat feet tight calf muscles, overuse your feet, overweight, wear shoes that don't fit you well, walk or stand on a hard surface for long periods of time.It also occurs in younger people commonly in  athletes or soldiers. The main cause of Plantar Fasciitis is over-pronation. This means that with every step we take our ankles roll inward and arches lower. Thus anything that can cause an excess of stress over the tendon (for long time) can in a way lead to it.Tight calf muscles and tight Achilles-tendon produces repeated stretching of fascia.

Symptoms :  

Pain on palpation of the inside of the heel or arch indicates plantar fasciitis.Most people with plantar fasciitis have pain when they take their first steps after they get out of bed or sit for a long time.Stiffness and pain may decrease after a few steps.Pain typically  increases on climbing stairs or standing for a long time.

What can you do ?

• Rest your feet.
• Reduce pain and swelling, try putting ice on your heel.Hot and cold fomentation may help.
• Stay at a healthy weight for your height.
• Do calf stretches and heel stretch.
• Choose shoes with good arch support and a cushioned sole. One may also try shoe inserts or orthotic insoles.Put on supportive shoes as soon as you get out of bed. Going barefoot or wearing slippers puts stress on your feet. Basically we are trying here to cushion and release excess stress on the fascia.
• Exercises that helps: 

1. Place your affected leg behind your unaffected leg with the toes of your back foot pointed towards the heel of your other foot.
2. Lean into the wall.
3. Bend your front knee while keeping your back leg straight with your heel firmly on the ground.
4. Hold the stretch for a count of 10. A set is 10 repetitions.
5. Perform the stretch at least 3 times a day. 

Medicines like Arnica, Belladona, Bryonia, Calcarea flour, Causticum, Graphites, Hypericum, Mag phos, Medorrhinum, Rhustox, Ruta, Silicea.

The best medicine would be the one which has symptoms most similar to you in its proving.

Plantar fasciitis most often occurs because of injuries that have happened over time. With treatment, you will have less pain within a few weeks. But it may take time for the pain to go away completely. (A few months to a year)