Blood tests done in a doctor's office gives allows the primary health care provider to diagnose diabetes, prescribe medication and determine the best course of action for their patient. However, once diagnosed, diabetics also test their own blood...
In 2007, approximately 23.6 million Americans had diabetes, according to Umesh Masharani, M.B., Professor of Medicine at the University of California in "Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment." Insulin moves glucose out of the blood and into...
Blood tests are available to diagnose diabetes and monitor sugar levels. Decades ago, people had to test their urine for the presence of sugar. This showed only that blood sugar levels were much too high. Today's diagnostic tools show both the...
Pregnant women undergo many tests during pregnancy, often without fully understanding the reasons for the tests. Some tests, done at every prenatal visit, seem so routine that their importance is often lost on mothers-to-be. While waiting to see...
There are thousands of blood tests, and quite a few of them require a fasting blood specimen. The instructions for the test give a time frame such as overnight, nothing after midnight or something similar. The rules for fasting before a blood test...
Ashwagandha is also known as Withania somnifera and Indian Winter Cherry. It's a shrub cultivated in North America as well as India, and its roots have been used by Ayurvedic practitioners for thousands of years. This member of the nightshade...
Once you find out that you're expecting, you may find yourself full of new questions. This is quite normal for expecting moms, especially if it's your first pregnancy. Don't hesitate to ask your health care provider questions that you may have in...
Pregnant women are regularly preoccupied with wondering exactly what their baby looks like at that moment. While you don't have a window to your womb, medical science has taught us a lot about development in pregnancy. By knowing what is going on...
Enzymes are a common and integral part of all body systems. They are coded for and constructed by cells, with each cell making different enzymes specific to the cell's function, as well as enzymes common to all or most cells. Enzymes help chemical...
If you're a newly diagnosed diabetic, or you live with the disease but are trying new approaches to getting your disease under control, the hemoglobin A1c tests may be some of the best tests available to your and your doctor. Unlike a single blood...