According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2007 an estimated 186,300 people under age 20 had diabetes in the United States. Although diabetes presents challenges that must be addressed during times of exercise, sports...
One of the first ways doctors test for high blood sugar is with a urine sample. People with high blood sugar often have glucose in their urine. Normally urine contains very little glucose, so this test is the first indicator that blood sugar...
If you suffer from a chronic medical condition, including diabetes, you may have trouble getting health insurance. Even if you can get approved for a policy, its premiums, co-payments and exclusions of coverage may mean the policy is of little or...
Diabetes affects 26.3 million individuals in the United States, costs $174 billion and is the seventh leading cause of disease-related death in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite new drugs that have...
The OneTouch UltraMini blood glucose meter is a tool that lets diabetics monitor their blood glucose at home. You should only use OneTouch UltraMini test strips with the OneTouch UltraMini--other test strips may produce unpredictable results, if...
The American Diabetes Association recommends self-monitoring of blood glucose levels for all people with diabetes, especially those who take medications, who are having trouble controlling their blood glucose levels or who are pregnant. Your...
Using diabetic testing supplies is a fairly easy process once you are familiar with the necessary supplies. You will need a lancing device and corresponding lancets. The lancing devices pricks your finger with the lancet inserted into its tip to...
Helping someone who has diabetes can be a very easy task if his condition is not severe. However, managing a diabetic is a task you can’t expect to be a snap. Diabetes is a condition that often can affect an individual for a lifetime. Your...
Your legs can itch when you exercise for a variety of reasons, ranging from bug bites and dry skin to internal diseases such as diabetes, poor circulation, kidney failure or iron deficiency. If the cause is not readily apparent, see your doctor to...
AIDS, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, is the disease that results from a human immunodeficiency virus infection. The virus HIV can remain in the body for years before becoming AIDS and can be transmitted to others even if the infected...
Beta blockers are prescription medications that are used to help lower blood pressure. Besides treating hypertension, they are also sometimes used to treat migraine headaches and glaucoma. You should ask your doctor for an exercise stress test if...
Determining the cause of secondary hypertension may be as simple as having your doctor draw a blood sample. A lab will examine your blood or urine specimens to see whether they contain the correct levels of hormones, like adrenaline. Some blood...
BUN and creatinine tests are common medical lab tests used to assess kidney function. The BUN, or blood urea nitrogen test, measures amounts of nitrogen in your blood. A creatinine test is used to check for how well your kidneys are filtering...
It has long been thought that iron deficiency may be involved in depression, but there is some controversy about the severity of low iron in causing mood swings. A study by the USDA's Agricultural Research Service, published in the May 1999 issue...
In coronary heart disease, plaque consisting of fat, cholesterol and calcium builds up inside the coronary arteries and forms blockages that diminish or prevent blood supply to the heart. A test of the amount of calcium in the coronary arteries...
The complete blood count is a commonly ordered lab test that measures the cellular components in the bloodstream. The white blood count is a major component of this test and can supply important information concerning a patient's state of health...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Of the more than 1 million persons in the United States living with HIV/AIDS, an estimated 21 percent are unaware they are infected." Early testing of individuals who have been exposed...
An ECG treadmill test, also called a stress test, checks for changes in heart function during physical stress. ECG treadmill tests are typically performed in a testing lab and take about 60 to 70 minutes to complete. The results, which are usually...
You need protein to promote cell regeneration, bone development and tissue repair. Without protein in your diet, you can end up with low bone mass, weak muscles, brittle hair and rough, prematurely aging skin. Protein is present in body fluids and...
Treadmills are very popular exercise machines. The Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association says more than 40 million treadmills are purchased each year in the U.S. Treadmills make up more than 30 percent of all home exercise equipment sales. ...
Human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, is a virus that, without treatment, will ultimately lead to acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS. HIV damages the immune system by destroying specific blood cells known as CD4+ T cells, which are...
Undescended testes, or cryptorchidism, is characterized by one or both of the testes failing to completely descend from the abdomen into the scrotum before birth. The undescended testicles can be found anywhere along or outside of the path to the...
Human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG, is a type of growth hormone that is only present in the human body during pregnancy. HCG, from its name, indicates that it is a molecule that stimulates the gonads or sex organs. HCG is made by the placenta...
Coronary angiography is a specialized type of X-ray test that allows clinicians to view the arteries supplying blood to the heart, or the coronary arteries. Normally these arteries do not appear on X-ray, but by injecting a special dye into the...
Blood and urine tests are vital to the diagnosis, monitoring and management of diabetes. This is true whether you have type 1 diabetes, caused by the body's inability to make insulin, type 2 diabetes, arising from the body's inability to use...
Many foods you eat contain soybeans, a complete protein. Tofu, textured vegetable protein, infant formula, cheese and other dairy substitutes can be made from soy. The main isoflavones in soy include genistein, daidzein and glycitein. These are...
Hypoglycemia, also known as low blood sugar or insulin shock, is a dangerous condition triggered by your body’s glucose levels being too low. Eating whole grains, such as brown rice, can help control hypoglycemia. However, you must eat...
The spine consists of a column of bones, known as vertebrae, connected together with a gel-filled disc between each bone to act as a shock absorber. Degenerative disc disease, also known as spondylosis, describes a spinal condition that occurs...
Chantix is the brand name for the drug varenicline, which is used to help people quit smoking. Chantix works on your brain, making smoking less pleasurable. If you enjoy smoking less, you're more likely to give it up. Chantix works best when you...
