Diabetes

Ramesh Koppikar, a heavy smoker for 35 years, made several unsuccessful attempts to quit smoking. It finally took a heart attack for him to break the nicotine addiction and kick the habit for good. Read and share his experience. I started smoking cigarettes at the age of 23 when I was studying engineering at BHU, Varanasi. I was staying in the hostel on campus and my friends and I would go for a walk after dinner. The BHU campus is large and green, hence our walks would be…

Dr Anoop Misra, Chairman National Diabetes, Obesity and Cholesterol Foundation (N-DOC0 says diabetes is 80% dependent on lifestyle.  Genes need to interact with the environment for expression. Even if a gene for diabetes is present in an individual, healthy lifestyle can alter gene expression in a favourable manner.    

Jimmy Ong from Singapore relates his personal experiences of being a patient with Type 1 Diabetes and suffering frequent bouts of hypoglycaemia to learn diabetes management the hard way Early Diagnosis  I was diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic in June 1979 at the age of 28 when I also happened to be overweight. At the time of diagnosis, I had very high glucose in my blood, a count of about 23.  Symptoms  I was urinating abnormally and drinking liquid excessively. I used to wake up a…

Many people with diabetes encounter difficulties with sex but are hesitant to address them. Some of you have asked us anonymously. Diabetologist Dr Rajiv Kovil from Mumbai offers some information and advice. Sexual problems (sexual dysfunction) are common among people with diabetes. Both men and women with diabetes experience sexual difficulties as a result of complications from the disease. How common is the problem? Although no official statistics are available for the extent…

Management of Obesity includes:  Weight Loss Set certain goals for losing weight Fix a target to lose 5-10% of your current weight over 6 months. this will also reduce the risk of other systemic conditions like diabetes and coronary heart disease  Lose weight slowly at the rate of 0.5 to 1 kg per week which would make it as a habit thereafter.  Joining local Weight loss group Lifestyle changes can help in achieving long-term weight-loss success. Focusing on balancing energy…

If you would like to prevent becoming obese, you must take the following precautions: Track your weight, body mass index, and waist circumference. These should be especially tracked among children. Most countries are now looking at National childhood obesity prevention programs. They vary from country to country. They are typically designed for parents and caregivers to help children 8 to 13 years maintain a healthy weight.  Encourage healthy eating  Increase physical activity…

While Obesity should be managed by making lifestyle changes as described in Obesity Management section, in some cases you may need medications or surgery as prescribed by your doctor.  Medications If your BMI is 28 or more medications like Sibutramine (Meridia®) Orlistat (Xenical® and Alli®): This drug reduces the absorption of fats, fat calories, and vitamins A, D, E, and K thereby promote weight loss. Causes most of the weight loss within the first 6 months of taking the medicine. These…

The most simple and reliable method of diagnosing obesity is through measuring the BMI Range of BMI: Below 18.5: underweight 18.5-24.9: normal 25-29.9: overweight 30 or higher: obese Categories of obesity Obesity level l: BMI of 30-34.9 Obesity level ll: BMI of 35-39.9 Obesity level lll: BMI of 40 or higher, which some also call as "morbid" obesity   The Edmonton Scale Obesity experts also use the Edmonton obesity staging system. It takes BMI a step further by relating it to your…

Types of Obesity There are multiple classifications of Obesity. I. Depending on the area of fat deposition, there are three forms of obesity Peripheral: Accumulation of excess fat in the hips, buttocks and thighs. Central: Accumulation of excess fat in the abdominal area. Combination of both peripheral and central obesity.  Abdominal area is considered the most dangerous area for the accumulation of fat because it is closely located to the vital organs and their blood supply.  II.…

What are the signs and symptoms of obesity? Weight gain is the most common sign of obesity. Weight gain happens over time. Some ways that people know they have put on weight are: The early and simple sign is the clothing get tight and people go for larger sizes of clothes. Presence of extra fat around the waist. A higher than normal body mass index (BMI)  Waist circumference and a higher reading on the weighing scale. It is important to keep an eye on these signs and symptoms and address…