It’s A Shame Not to be Tested For Diabetes
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
Diabetes is one of the most devastating diseases one can have. But although a growing number of people are diagnosed with it every year. not many people really know what it is. The phrase diabetes mellitus has an intriguing origin. The word “mellitus” comes from a Greek word that means sweet. “Diabetes” is the Greek word for siphon. At some point the Ancient Greeks discovered that when certain people drank a lot, the liquids almost immediately left their body in the form of urine – as though it were siphoned from their body.
In addition to the frequent urination, the Greeks noted that the urine from these people had a slightly sweet taste. Hence the phrase “diabetes mellitus” or sweet flavored siphoned liquid. So what were the ancient Greeks doing tasting urine? They used it as a mouthwash, to prevent the formation of cavities. Remember, this was before the name brand mouthwashes that are so popular today.
Diabetes is a slow developing disease. By the time it’s diagnosed, the body has already been going through changes for many years. Together these signs are often known as pre-diabetes. To test for pre-diabetes, you first have to find the blood glucose levels in your bloodstream. You can locate low cost diabetic testing supplies in medical supply houses and drug stores.
Researchers have defined a blood glucose level threshold that defines diabetes. They’ve also defined a glucose level below which a person is considered normal. If your blood glucose levels fall in the middle of these ranges, you will most likely be diagnosed with pre-diabetes.
But being diagnosed with pre-diabetes is not a sign that you will eventually get diabetes. But it is a warning sign. and it does mean that you should begin to watch your lifestyle. Many people after being diagnosed with pre-diabetes make lifestyle changes and never experience diabetes.
Diagnosis of diabetes is easy today, but it use to be trickier. A diagnosis of diabetes means that you have a high percentage of glucose in the bloodstream. Over the years, however, standards have changed over the year. And levels of blood glucose that in the past were not considered diabetic are now considered diabetic. Today, the American Diabetes Association has set the threshold to be a blood glucose level of 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) when the patient is given the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test.
But one test is not conclusive. In order to be 100% that a person has diabetes, that person will need to have multiple tests. That’s because a diabetes test can give you a false positive.
Many of the complications from diabetes result from the body being unable to process the glucose that’s in the body. If the body can’t process glucose, the cells can’t get nutrients. The result is often a feeling of tiredness and listlessness. The reason for the body being unable to process glucose is often a deficit of insulin in the body.
Insulin is a “magic” hormone. It breaks down glucose into glycogen, a fuel that can be stored in the body as fat and used when needed. Another chemical just as magical is insulin. It changes the structure of the body’s cells so that they can accept nutrients.
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