Life Expectancy with Type 1 Diabetes

An overview of how diabetes type 1 impacts your lifespan and how to naturally remedy it.

Diabetes, no matter what the type, is never a good thing health-wise. Those who suffer from it are left vulnerable to a host of other ailments and diseases that affect their overall life expectancy. Though prevention, by living healthy, is always the best course of action, those who are afflicted with diabetes should know that this isn’t the end of the road.

With the right information, a good treatment plan, and full-proof determination to get healthy: life expectancy and quality will improve sooner than one might realize.

Type 1 Diabetes

Juvenile diabetes life expectancyAlso known as juvenile diabetes, this is the kind of diabetes that occurs through genetic complications or even viruses. It is known to afflict the young or adolescents but can arise in adults too.

It is caused by the inability of the pancreas to produce enough insulin – a hormone needed to allow glucose to enter cells and create energy. Though there is currently no known cure for type 1 diabetes, a combination of insulin shots and a healthy diet can effectively manage the condition and live normally.

Life Expectancy of those with Type One Diabetes

Much of the factors that affect the life expectancy surrounding those with type one diabetes is the maintenance of proper insulin and sugar levels in the body constantly. This means rigorously watching what one eats and safeguarding the supply of insulin.

This gets even more complicated when one considers the financial strain that treatment puts on a person. Some people with diabetes simply cannot afford to pay for the cost of insulin.

These along with environmental and dietary factors can greatly reduce the life expectancy of a person dealing with type 1 diabetes. In a 2015 report by HealthDay News, men lose up to 11 years of life expectancy compared to men without the disease. And, women with type 1 diabetes have their lives cut short by about 13 years. This comes off the heels of a study published in the Jan. 6 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

How To Deal With It

As stated above, there is currently no known cure for type 1 diabetes though the research continues. There are, however, several proven methods to effectively manage the disease and live life as normally as possible. These treatments include:

  • Taking insulin. This is the main course of action and, sadly, insulin shots will likely be a necessity for the rest of the afflicted’s life.
  • Carbohydrate, fat, and protein counting. This makes sure that the levels of sugars in your body are optimal. Anything excessive or deficient can lead to complications.
  • Frequent blood sugar monitoring. Also part of ensuring the optimal levels of glucose in the body.

Natural Remedies

Apart from the normal medical advice, some natural remedies are shown to help or be just as effective. These can include:Do Type 1 diabetics have a shorter lifespan?

  • Aloe vera.
  • Bilberry extract.
  • Bitter melon.
  • Cinnamon.
  • Fenugreek.
  • Ginger.
  • Okra.

These herbs and natural remedies can either be consumed through eating or in the Diabetes type one life expectancyform of tea depending on where they best lend themselves. Along with these, be sure you’re eating healthy foods. A balanced diet that avoids any junk foods, fast foods, or sugary treats helps manage the symptoms and extend life expectancy as much as possible.

Another perfectly natural way to deal with it is by exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight. All this should be part of the overall plan to give a person with type 1 diabetes as many resources to live as long and normally as possible.

Bottom line

And that was the life expectancy of a person with type 1 diabetes along with some advice on how to best manage it. Though it might seem that type 1 diabetes is a lifelong sentence, it should not be a lifelong burden.

Many people have come to live long and fulfilling lives with the disease and there really should be any reason why you can’t do the same.

Armed with the remedies that nature can provide, good information, and a little determination, there’s no doubt type 1 diabetes doesn’t stand a chance against you.

Read more about Juvenile diabetes HERE!

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The Obesity Epidemic and Juvenile Diabetes

In recent years, there has been a sharp increase in the number of people with type 1 diabetes who are also obese. Even though obesity has been strongly linked to the pathogenesis as well as initiation of type 2 diabetes and a risk factor for complications, very little is known about its role in the development and progression of type 1 diabetes.

Recent studies suggest that obesity plays a role in the development of cardiometabolic complications, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance in type 1 diabetes.

These co-morbidities may require to be addressed using therapeutic strategies in the context of insulin therapy which has been shown to promote weight gain. Therefore, there’s an urgent need for guidelines for the management as well as prevention of type 1 diabetes.

These clinical recommendations are being developed using a trans-disciplinary research approach addressing molecular mechanisms, metabolism, neuropsychology, novel therapeutics, and lifestyle.

Can diabetes lead to obesityWhat is the relationship between obesity and juvenile diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes, which is also known as juvenile diabetes, is a chronic immune-mediated condition that is characterized by the loss of beta cells in susceptible subjects.

Beta cells are mainly responsible for producing insulin in the pancreas. The main genes contributing to juvenile diabetes susceptibility are located in the HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) class 2 locus on chromosome 6.

The Human Leukocyte Antigen genes have been linked to about 50% of the familial clustering of juvenile diabetes.

Obesity and overweight are related to type 1 diabetes in various aspects. In addition to being a risk factor for juvenile diabetes, obesity can also be a challenge when it comes to managing and treating the disease.

Moreover, obesity and overweight increase the risk of micro and macro-vascular complications in juvenile diabetes. Such challenges typically arise in adolescence and may become even more common in adults.

Essential points

  • Obesity has been known to be a predisposing factor and concurrent phenotype for type 2 diabetes. However, its physiological attributes, consequences, and prevalence in juvenile diabetes are poorly understood.
  • As the prevalence of type 1 diabetes increases in the United States and many other parts across the globe, it is important to develop specific guidelines for the treatment and prevention of obesity and the achievement and maintenance of optimal glycemic control in type 1 diabetes.
  • The characteristics and role of energy balance in juvenile diabetes are not completely defined and are likely to be affected by both medical therapy and glycemic control.
  • Studies show that potential driving mechanisms of obesity in juvenile diabetes include microbiome, epigenetics, genetics, enteroendocrine hormones, and effects on various organs, organelles, cells, and tissues.
  • Developing well-defined weight management approaches in people with juvenile diabetes requires a multi-disciplinary research strategy that includes expertise in endocrinology, epidemiology, translational metabolism, exercise physiology, clinical psychology, nutrition, advanced analytics, and mathematical modeling.

The impact of obesity and overweight on juvenile diabetesDiabetes bracelet

It is evident that more studies need to be conducted to understand the role of the whole activity spectrum which includes sedentary behavior, sleep, and physical activity on youth with type 1 diabetes who are obese or overweight.

For example, although research clearly shows that fear of hypoglycemia can be a barrier to engaging in physical activity, its effects can be compounded for young adults who are obese or overweight and have a negative activity toward exercise.Juvenile diabetes bracelet

  • Sedentary lifestyle

Youth with type 1 diabetes may also be predisposed to weight gain as a result of supplementing carbohydrates to avoid hypoglycemic events as a result of physical activity. Addressing the role of sedentary behavior, especially reducing screen time, is one intervention strategy that can help expend calories without affecting variability in blood sugar levels.

  • Poor sleep quality

Obesity and overweight may have negative effects on sleep, especially in youth with type 1 diabetes. A 2006 study on adolescents and children revealed that sleep duration has an inverse relationship with obesity in youth, and being overweight increases the risk of a wide range of sleep problems.

Studies show that variations in blood sugar and nocturnal hypoglycemia alter sleep patterns in young adults with type 1 diabetes and thus they face a higher risk for obesity and poor sleep quality than those without diabetes.

Diabetes educators and nurses play a very important role in helping children and adolescents develop appropriate lifestyle behaviors to tackle the prevalent issue of obesity and overweight in youth with type 1 diabetes.

Although clinical care in juvenile diabetes has focused more on accurate carbohydrate counting and good metabolic control, weight control has been grossly overlooked.

Caregivers and healthcare professionals have paid less attention to issues related to sedentary behavior, sleep, and physical activity.

Read about Smartphone Diabetes Management Apps!

The bottom line

Given the high incidence of obesity and overweight in children and youth with type 1 diabetes, additional studies are needed to explore the consequences and antecedents of excessive weight in type 1 diabetes.

Although this article has identified viable lifestyle modifications for weight management including sedentary behavior, sleep, and physical activity, there’s a need for further research to inform effective intervention strategies for this vulnerable population.

Check out the TOP 5 Diabetes Carb counter Apps HERE!

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Toddlers with Diabetes: Caring for the Littlest Patients

Type 1 diabetes usually occurs when the immune system, which is responsible for fighting toxins and other harmful organisms, attacks insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. The reasons behind this are not well understood but researchers believe that environmental factors (such as exposure to viruses) or genetics could be responsible for triggering this autoimmune response.

Warning Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes in Toddlers

It’s particularly important to understand that some of the signs of diabetes can be easily mistaken for normal daily-life occurrences, such as increased thirst on a warm or hot day. Therefore, if your toddler has any of the diabetes warning signs outlined below, it is vital to immediately contact your doctor, who can either diagnose or rule out diabetes.

  1. Dehydration or increased thirst

diabetes in toddlersExcess blood glucose draws fluid from cells and this causes dehydration or increased thirst. Although your child consuming more fluids could have a wide variety of natural causes, including being especially active or hot weather, it can also be a sign of diabetes or other conditions, especially if it is combined with other signs or is prolonged.

  1. Increased or frequent urination

You may notice that your child needs to use the bathroom more often or more frequently bedwetting. If your toddler is not potty-trained you may find that you have to change more diapers.

  1. Severe diaper rash

A more severe diaper rash can have several causes including a yeast infection or food allergy. However, it could also be a sign of diabetes especially if it does not respond to common treatment routines such as the use of barrier creams or more frequent diaper changes.

  1. Weight loss

Your toddler may lose appetite persistently resulting in weight loss or they may show an increased appetite and still lose weight. Loss of appetite tends to be the more common sign in toddlers.

  1. Persistent vomiting

If accompanied by weakness or drowsiness, persistent vomiting could be an early warning sign of diabetes in toddlers.

  1. Blurred vision

High amounts of glucose in the blood can draw fluids from the eye lenses, which can cause issues such as problems in focusing. For instance, if you notice that your child is unable to see properly, let your doctor know, as it is one of the most common signs of diabetes in toddlers.

  1. Unexplained fatigue or tiredness

Unexplained fatigue or tiredness without any reason may be a result of cells not getting enough blood sugar for energy.

Cuts and sores that take unusually long to heal are also common signs of diabetes.

Diagnosing diabetes in toddlers

If your doctor suspects diabetes, they may suggest tests to check your child’s blood sugar level. Some of the common tests performed on toddlers to help diagnose or rule out diabetes include:

  1. Random blood sugar test: A blood test done at any random time to determine blood glucose levels.
  2. Fasting blood sugar test: This test requires blood samples to be taken after fasting overnight.
  3. Glycated AIC (hemoglobin) blood test: This test helps determine the percentage of blood sugar attached to hemoglobin.
  4. Oral glucose tolerance test: The test is usually done when your doctor suspects type 2 diabetes.

Your doctor will explain the entire testing procedure and you can also interpret the results together.

Treating diabetes in toddlers

If your baby is diagnosed with diabetes, treatment and management can begin right away. Your healthcare provider can help you create a diabetes care team; including a dietitian, diabetes educator, and doctor. This team works closely with you to help monitor your child’s blood sugar level and maintain it within the recommended range.

Although diabetes does not have a cure, with consistent care and treatment, your toddler can go on to have a perfectly normal life. Diabetes treatment mainly depends on whether your toddler has been diagnosed with juvenile diabetes (type 1 diabetes) or type 2 diabetes. However, the treatment regimen may include:

  • Taking insulin: For toddlers with juvenile diabetes, life-long management of the condition with insulin is necessary. In some cases, indoor outdoor trampoline for toddlerstoddlers with type 2 diabetes may also require insulin. Although insulin is often administered as an injection, it can also be administered through pumps. Your doctor will guide you on how to use a pump or give injections, and when your child is old enough you and your doctor can show them how to it themselves.
  • Blood sugar monitoring: It is recommended that you check your child’s blood glucose levels regularly, at least 4 times a day to ensure they are within the recommended range.
  • Regular exercise; Ensure that your child gets at least 1 hour of physical activity each day. You can make it more interesting by getting involved and making it part of the family routine. You can do this in many different and exciting ways, For instance, you can take your family on hikes, play ball together, bounce around on an outdoor trampoline or play tag.
  • A healthy diet: Adopting a healthy diet and timing meals properly is a critical element of any diabetes treatment regimen. Your dietitian or healthcare provider will create a tailor-made meal plan for you to adhere to.
  • Medication: Toddlers with type 2 diabetes may be given medications like liraglutide (which stimulates the pancreas to make and release more insulin, especially after meals) or metformin (which helps reduce the amount of blood glucose released into the bloodstream by the liver).
  • Counting carbs: For toddlers with type 1 diabetes, your physician will explain how calories in food are counted in order to calculate your toddler’s dose accurately.

The bottom line

Diabetes typically requires lifestyle changes and consistent care that can be a challenge to explain and implement with toddlers. Despite being a life-long condition that requires keen attention and management, diabetes can be treated and support is available to help make sure patients remain healthy and productive throughout life.

If you have any questions about your child’s health or treatment plan, be sure to consult your healthcare provider.

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How Vitamin D can Help Juvenile Diabetics

Vitamin D is well known for its critical role in regulating skeletal metabolism. Recently, there has been speculation regarding whether the levels of vitamin D in the body are associated with juvenile diabetes.

This is largely because vitamin D receptors are present in immune cells and insulin-producing beta cells, as well as the impact of vitamin D on autoimmunity and the immune system in general.

According to recent studies, children with low levels of vitamin D are at a higher risk of developing islet autoimmunity, compared to those with higher levels. Islet autoimmunity is a condition where the immune system is unable to distinguish foreign elements from healthy cells and starts mistakenly attacking insulin-producing beta cells.

Vitamin D DiabetesA study conducted by the Colorado School of Public Health shows that high levels of Vitamin D in the blood might play a preventive role against autoimmunity.

Type 1 diabetes can occur at any age. However, onset is most common during childhood. Statistics obtained from the American Diabetes Association show that around 1.25 people in the U.S have type 1 diabetes.

Vitamins D2 and D3 in the body are converted into calcidiol, a metabolite that is in turn metabolized into calcitriol. In the body, calcitriol is mainly responsible for helping prevent or suppress autoimmunity.

Studies suggest that Type 1 Diabetes can be partially attributed to damaged islet beta cells as a result of the immune system attacking itself. This promotes the hypothesis that vitamin D can help manage and prevent juvenile diabetes by regulating autoimmune responses.

The Relationship Between Vitamin D, Type 1 Diabetes, and Genes

Vitamin D is commonly known as the “sunshine vitamin”, because the sun is the main source of it. It is also present in various foods including, fatty fish, egg yolks, and cheese. Vitamin D is also available as a supplement.

Although studies show that vitamin D supplementation might help prevent and manage type 1 diabetes, the answer is not quite that simple. Your unique combination of genes could determine whether vitamin D supplementation will help prevent type 1 diabetes. The relationship between type 1 diabetes and vitamin D is influenced by enzymes involved in the metabolism of vitamin D, vitamin D binding protein, and genes for vitamin D receptors. As a result, responsiveness to supplementation with vitamin D varies depending on your genetic makeup.

Vitamin D and Diabetes – What Does Research Say?

Numerous studies have proven that supplementation with vitamin D especially during early childhood can help decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes. According to a Norwegian study, high levels of vitamin D particularly during the last trimester of pregnancy help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in offspring.

According to data compiled by Grassroots Health (a health research organization), infants who are given 4000 IU/day have a significantly lower incidence of type 1 diabetes.

However, the results have inconsistencies. A Finnish study on newborns showed that the concentration of vitamin D at birth was not linked with the risk of developing type 1 diabetes later in life.

Such inconsistent results can be attributed to the specific roles played by metabolism genes in the development of type 1 diabetes as a result of islet autoimmunity. For instance, according to a Norwegian study, a higher level of vitamin D in the blood at birth was linked to a significantly lower risk of type 2 diabetes in newborns with a specific genetic composition.

What are the 6 Signs of Juvenile Diabetes?

Can Vitamin D Supplementation Help Juvenile Diabetics?

Vitamin D supplements for KidsVitamin D supplementation would most likely have the best impact if done preventively. However, even for people who have already been diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, supplementation could help make them healthier and reduce the risk of developing other life-threatening or chronic conditions.

Vitamin D Juvenile diabetes

What’s next?

The relationship between type 1 diabetes and vitamin D is complicated by many different factors.

Therefore, further long-term studies with different dosing schedules should be conducted, while taking into account various factors such as individual genetic receptiveness to vitamin D and specific populations of juvenile diabetes patients.Vitamin D supplements designed for kids diabetes

Currently, various studies are being conducted with the main goal of identifying factors that protect against type 2 diabetes and those that trigger the condition. All these studies are also examining the effects of vitamin D supplementation. Recent findings suggest that higher levels of vitamin D during childhood can help prevent islet autoimmunity.

If more clinical studies can confirm a defensive role of vitamin D in type 1 diabetes, it will have a huge impact on the lives of predisposed people as well as those who have already been diagnosed with juvenile diabetes.

The positive impact will be realized particularly through regular monitoring of vitamin D levels and supplementation.

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Type 1 Diabetes Vaccine headed For Human Trials

A Vaccine for Type 1 Diabetes – Clinical Trials to begin 2018!

It is estimated that by the year 2050 in the United States alone, more than 5 million people will be living with Type 1 Diabetes. Since this condition is neither curable nor preventable, people who have been diagnosed with the condition must monitor their blood sugar levels constantly and manage them through activity, diet, and insulin injections in order to avoid complications that are usually life-threatening.

Is Preventing Diabetes Actually Possible?

Although preventing or reversing diabetes might sound like a dream, the idea of a diabetes vaccine has been around for decades. However, a truly effective vaccine for Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) has remained out of scientists’ grasp. In order to understand the search for a Type 1 Diabetes vaccine, it’s essential to first understand how Type 1 Diabetes works. T1D was initially known as juvenile diabetes mainly because it usually shows up within the early years of life when the body’s immune system destroys beta cells in pancreatic tissue.

Diabetes Vaccine and Our Immune System

Our immune system is a very essential part especially when it comes to our survival in the biosphere which is filled with dangerous toxins, viruses, and bacteria. When our immune cells detect an invader, they immediately attack and destroy the foreign cells. However, in some cases, specialized immune cells go haywire and mistake beta cells for invaders. This misguided assault is responsible for type 1 diabetes. Over time, the body’s ability to produce insulin is also impaired.

A vaccine that could prevent this autoimmune disease in children has been in the making for decades and is ready to start clinical trials in the year 2018. Although this is not a cure that will eliminate this disease, the vaccine might reduce the number of new diabetes cases.

Researchers at the University of Tampere in Finland have provided evidence linking a virus known as coxsackievirus B1 to the autoimmune reaction that triggers the body’s own immune system to destroy beta cells in pancreatic tissue. Type 1 Diabetes is the decreased ability of the pancreas to produce insulin which helps our cells to absorb sugar out of the blood. This is usually the result of beta cells being destroyed by the immune system early in life.

There are various ways this process can be triggered and one example is infection by enteroviruses which can also cause meningitis, myocarditis, hand, foot, and mouth disease, and polio. In 2014, a team of virologists from the University of Tampere led by Heikki Hyoty conducted a pair of studies on children with T1D to show that coxsackievirus in the B group was associated with Type 1 Diabetes.

Studies have shown that enteroviruses are very common in newborns. On the other hand, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has established that about 25% of the 444 enterovirus infections in the United States are caused by CVB1 (coxsackievirus B1). For some of these children, it’s the start of an incurable condition.

vaccine for Type 1 DiabetesAn estimate from the data shows that less than 5% of the children infected with CVB1 go on to develop T1D (Type 1 Diabetes). Although this does not seem like a lot, it suggests that hundreds of children around the world develop T1D each year.

Additionally, if the other CVB members also contribute to the condition, which they might, this number could be much higher. However, this newly developed diabetes vaccine might put a stop to this.

In fact, Hyoty says that this vaccine has already been proven to be safe and effective on mice. Therefore, the process has taken a huge leap forward because the next stage is simply studying this new vaccine on humans.

Although the pre-clinical trials for Diabetes Type 1 Vaccine are the first step, the next step involves testing the vaccine on healthy humans to help identify any potential complications. This newly developed vaccine might also reduce other dangerous enterovirus infections.

“As a bonus, the vaccine might protect patients from infections and diseases that are caused by enteroviruses including myocarditis, ear infection, meningitis, and the common cold,“ says Hyoty.

However, it could take another 8 years before we know whether the vaccine actually does what it is supposed to do. Meanwhile, groups such as the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) are funding research into the discovery of better ways to treat and prevent T1D by finding new ways to regenerate cells that produce insulin or by improving modern technology that can mimic the function of the pancreas.

Researchers recently identified immature cells in the human pancreas which can be stimulated to take up the job of beta cells that have been destroyed.

If people are given the vaccine early enough, it might actually prevent them from developing diabetes by teaching the immune system not to kill the beta cells. Researchers have also identified warning signs at the molecular level that can be used to tell when the immune system is getting ready to attack the pancreas even before the symptoms appear. This makes it possible for physicians to screen people who are categorized as high-risk individuals.

It is also possible that a diabetes vaccine could reverse or halt beta cell decline in type 1 diabetes patients in order to reduce their need for insulin injections. Let’s hope there’s some good news on this soon!

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