Type 2 diabetes refers to a chronic disease of uncontrolled blood sugars. Insulin is a chemical made in your body, and its job description is to lower blood glucose levels. In this type of diabetes, your body no longer makes or responds to...
If you're diabetic, there are a number of tests you can use to help you manage your blood glucose levels. One is by monitoring your glucose levels yourself using a portable glucose monitor. Another is by having your blood drawn by a clinical...
HA1c--also called hemoglobin A1c, HBA1c or glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test--is a blood test done to show the average blood sugar level for the past two to three months. The test works by measuring the percentage of blood sugar attached to...
According to the 2007 National Diabetes Fact Sheet put out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 18 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes and another 57 million are at an increased risk of developing diabetes or are...
Diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are too high due to problems with a hormone called insulin. Patients who do not make enough insulin or who are resistant to its function can develop diabetes. One method of measuring blood...
Several tests exist to check blood sugar levels. According to the National Institutes of Health, the standard fasting glucose test measures blood glucose levels after a fasting period of at least eight hours. The oral glucose tolerance test...
Red blood cells circulating in the body contain a molecule known as hemoglobin, which transports oxygen. If glucose, or sugar, is stuck to the hemoglobin, it is called glycated hemoglobin. The A1c test measures the percentage of red blood cells...
According to the American Diabetes Association, an international expert committee recommends the A1c blood test as the gold standard for diabetes testing. As of June 5, 2009, the American Diabetes Association, the International Diabetes Federation...
Glucose is the main form of energy for the body and travels in the bloodstream. The body requires a certain amount of glucose to function properly, but having too much or too little glucose in the blood is harmful and can lead to many...
You have several forms of hemoglobin in your red blood cells. The most abundant is hemoglobin A, or alpha-hemoglobin. It accounts for 90% or more of the hemoglobin in adults. Most of your hemoglobin A is subtype A1. When hemoglobin A1 absorbs...
Whether a friend or relative believes they might have type 2 diabetes or they have risks that lead you to think this disorder might be present, there are three key strategies to follow. Your primary goal is to encourage the person to schedule...
Green tea is consumed to help manage many health conditions. There are claims that it supports weight loss, improves memory, calms stomach upset and gastrointestinal symptoms and reduces the risk of heart disease and some forms of cancer....
When you are newly diagnosed with diabetes, there are many terms that might be new to you. It may be confusing when your doctor is talking to you about your condition and management of this very common but serious disease. There are a few terms...
Diabetes is a condition that requires a diagnosis and treatment to prevent serious complications. Without treatment, blood glucose levels can become dangerously high, causing damage to blood vessels and nerves throughout the body, says the...
If you have diabetes, you try to keep your blood glucose (sugar) level stable to lower the risk of serious complications such as nerve and kidney damage, heart disease, and vision problems. You can check blood glucose levels daily, but the...
The sugar in your blood, or blood glucose, provides your body with the energy it needs to function properly. Your blood glucose fluctuates in response to the foods you eat. If you are healthy, several hormones keep the amount of glucose in your...
Diabetes occurs primarily in two types, type 1 and type 2. Persons with type 1 diabetes don't produce the insulin needed to utilize glucose in the blood. Those with type 2 diabetes may not produce enough insulin, or their bodies may not be able to...
The HbA1c test stands for hemoglobin A1c. The test indicates what level of blood sugar a person maintained over the course of the three previous months. It presents information that the standard glucose test does not. Often used routinely, the...
The term prediabetes refers to a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but they are not high enough to classify as type 2 diabetes. If left unmanaged, prediabetes usually progresses to type 2 diabetes within a period of...
Diabetes is a disease in which the pancreas stops producing insulin. Patients who are diabetic may be asked to monitor their blood sugar daily at home with a glucometer. The hemoglobin A1C test is a simple blood test that calculates your average...
Diabetes is a chronic disease that effects close to 26 million Americans, according to the American Diabetes Association. Around 90 to 95 percent of those have type 2 diabetes. As a type 2 diabetic, your body has become resistant to insulin, the...
Being overweight or obese increases your risk of type 2, or adult-onset, diabetes. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body is no longer able to metabolize blood sugar properly. This leads to increased levels of glucose, or sugar, in the blood....
Diabetes is a condition that causes blood glucose levels to be elevated. Monitoring blood glucose helps diabetics avoid some of the complications of this disease, which include heart disease and vision problems. Blood glucose and hemoglobin A1c...
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...
Borderline, or prediabetes, is a condition defined by the presence high blood sugar and predisposition to the disease. According the the American Heart Association, borderline diabetes is determined by higher than normal levels on impaired fasting...
Your blood naturally contains a certain amount of a sugar known as glucose. Glucose is the predominant fuel for cells within the body. High blood glucose levels can be a sign of diabetes, a condition caused by problems with how your body produces...
Diabetes is a condition in which patients have elevated blood sugar. Patients with type 2 diabetes do not produce enough of a hormone called insulin, which pulls sugar out of the blood. This can be due to decreased insulin production and the body...
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...
Pomegranate juice is not only high in vitamin C but also contains a group of antioxidants called polyphenols, which have been associated with reducing "bad" -- low-density lipoprotein -- cholesterol and improving blood flow. Although pomegranate...
