Blood glucose

Bolus and Basal Injections and What You Need to Know

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The bolus-basal insulin injection regime for those living with diabetes works like your body should, but may not be a suitable fit for everyone.

If you have insulin dependent diabetes, you’re very familiar with bolus insulin, the type of insulin that is short-acting, typically taken with meals. However, not as many people with diabetes are as familiar with the other kind, basal insulin or, for that matter, the bolus-basal insulin regime. Read on to learn the difference between bolus and basal injections and why a bolus-basal routine might be right for you.

The bolus-basal routine involves taking multiple insulin injections throughout the day. It requires the use of a longer acting form of insulin, basal insulin, to keep blood glucose levels stable through periods of not eating, where cells convert glucose into energy. Basal literally means “background” so this is the type of insulin that remains in the background of the bloodstream and is taken once or twice a day. Bolus insulin is the shorter acting insulin taken at mealtime to prevent rises in blood glucose levels as a result of eating.

The bolus-basal regime is an attempt to emulate how a completely healthy body would deliver insulin. The routine is applicable to people with both Type I and Type II diabetes.

Advantage

The main advantage of a bolus-basal regimen is that it allows you to fairly closely match how your own body would release insulin if it was able. Another big advantage is that it allows for greater flexibility when scheduling meals and for how many carbohydrates you can consume per meal since insulin is adjusted and injected throughout the day. This can be a large perk for adults with busy schedules and less control over meal times and type of food available.

Disadvantages

If there are advantages, there must also be disadvantages. One downside to the regime is that it requires more frequent insulin injections every day. This may be a bigger issue for some more than others, like children who must grow accustomed to the habit.

Of course, not every type of routine is right for everyone. Consult your doctor if you think the bolus-basal injection regime might work for you.

Source : www.diabetespharmacist.com

 

Foods with Zinc can fight Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes is an escalating issue in the United States, and there are no signs of this health ailment diminishing. According to the American Diabetes Association, 23.6 million adults and children have diabetes in the U.S. That is 7.8% of the population according to the latest data formed from 2007, and 1.6 million new cases are diagnosed each year. Luckily, there are many natural remedies that may aid in suppressing the negative effects of diabetes. Many of these remedies may completely cure or prevent diabetes when used properly.

Research shows that zinc, an essential trace element responsible for more than 300 enzyme functions, can aid in normalizing the negative effects of diabetes mellitus. According to the study, zinc has been shown to mitigate the harmful effects of diabetes by improving glycemic control in type I and type II diabetes. Many of the enzyme systems in which zinc is a necessity for are involved with the metabolism of blood sugar, and therefore make zinc a natural catalyst for insulin secretion.

The pancreas is an endocrine gland responsible for producing hormones like glucagon, somatostatin, and–you guessed it–insulin. The beta cells that secrete insulin in your pancreas are also highly stored with zinc. Without the high concentrations of zinc, the beta cells suffer. Luckily, beta cells are equipped with their own special transporter called ‘zinc transporter 80, which makes it easy for the beta cells to store the zinc. However, it is known that any metamorphosis of the genes in the zinc transporter 8 causes type 2 diabetes. It is also now known that antibodies against the zinc transporter are present in type 1 diabetic patients, which means that these antibodies are associated with type 1 diabetes.

It is no wonder why zinc is as popular as it is for supplementation. In addition to mending the difficulties brought on by diabetes, zinc also serves to maintain a healthy immune system, controls hair loss, halts impotence, improves brain function, prevents loss of taste or smell, and much more. Although supplementation is a viable option to obtain the amount of zinc that you need, it is not the only option thanks to the abundant amount of foods rich in zinc that are available to the general public. To reap the many benefits of zinc, one could include any of the following foods into their diet:

Wheat Germ
Sesame Flour and Tahini
Low Fat Roast Beef
Roasted Pumpkin and Squash Seeds
Dried Water Melon Seeds
Cocoa Powder and Chocolate
Peanuts
Almonds
Avocado
Bananas
Cashew
Cheese
Chickpeas (including hummus and falafel)
Crab, Dungeness
Cucumber
Fish
Kiwi Fruit
Lettuce
Lima Beans
Olives
Onion

Source: Information center