Health

DIABETES Q&A EXERCISE Sr Christine Manga, RN, MSc Diabetes Education (South Wales) is a Diabetes Nurse Educator and answers some important questions about diabetes. What is diabetes? This is a condition of high blood glucose levels. What causes diabetes? To answer this question, I need to explain the 2 main types of [...]

MENOPAUSE And BLOOD GLUCOSE Does menopause affect glucose control? Is diabetes more prevalent after menopause? Dr Angela Murphy answers these questions. Let us first make sense of all the terms that get used during this period. MENOPAUSE – this is officially the time when the ovaries have stopped working and reproductive life is at [...]

CAN TYPE 2 DIABETES BE REVERSED? In short – yes, Type 2 diabetes can be reversed. However, it is neither easy nor possible for all patients. It is possible to have remission of diabetes if certain criteria are met. Dr Angela Murphy continues. According to the American Diabetes Association these criteria are: Full diabetes [...]

Insulin This year we celebrate 100 years since the discovery of insulin and the fact that people diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes can live a long life. Dr Angela Murphy continues. Insulin Fast Facts Basal insulin gives the necessary background insulin and specifically controls glucose released by the liver when a person has [...]

THE NEW ‘KIDS ON THE BLOCK’ – INNOVATIVE MEDICATIONS FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES Dr Angela Murphy explains further. Cardiovascular disease includes heart attack, angina, heart failure, stroke, and blockage of the arteries in the legs (peripheral arterial disease). In addition, patients with Type 2 diabetes are 10 times more likely to develop end stage [...]

DIABETES Dr Angela Murphy explains: The incentive to test sugar in the early days of diabetes was centred on diagnosis - hence initial urine test kits would just have established if sugar was present or not. Once insulin was discovered, and eventually oral treatments as well, it became important to monitor blood glucose [...]

BARIATRIC SURGERY AS TREATMENT FOR OBESITY Registered dietician, Sunette Swart explains: We know there are multiple causes with behavioural, hormonal, and neurological elements.  Obesity can lead to almost 200 different health problems, including diabetes and hypertension.  It is a treatable condition, and it has been shown that a 5% weight loss or more reduces [...]

DIABETES GUIDELINES Dr Angela Murphy replies : Doctors, or other health care providers, will use their academic knowledge, clinical experience and consensus when making that all important decision of how to treat the patient in front of them.  Today many of fields of medicine use guidelines as well.  Guidelines are released after careful [...]

DIABETES Dr Angela Murphy continues. The International Diabetes Federation estimate 1 in 11 people globally have diabetes. Over 90% will have Type 2 diabetes – this occurs because of both resistance to insulin action and decreasing secretion of insulin over the years. Type 2 diabetes is commonly associated with obesity and although still [...]