Globally 8th March is marked as the “International Women’s Day”, while in India 10th March is being recognized as National “Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) Awareness day” on the occasion of birthday of Dr. V. Seshiah (Padmashri), who has done the pioneering work in the field of pregnancy diabetes in our country. High blood glucose in mother during pregnancy enters into foetal circulation which stimulates beta cells of foetus to secret insulin, causing hyperinsulinemia in the developing foetus. This increases the risk of developing non-communicable diseases like diabetes, obesity, hypertens ..read more

Traditionally, it is presumed that diabetes, if seen in children and young adults will expectedly a case of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus), while those who develop in middle and old age will be Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. But nowadays, many people are developing Type 2 DM between 20-35 years of age, and due to childhood obesity, Type 2 DM is also seen in the teenagers. There is another type, which is called as 1.5 diabetes, this is a slowly progressing disease, which behaves as Type 2 DM in the beginning but becomes Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus after 1-2 years and the ..read more

Sitting is a new Tobacco. If you are sitting for a long time, you are likely to enter into a high risk zone of developing diabetes & other co-morbid diseases. So try to be physically active & if you are in a sitting job, try to get-up and move after every 1 hour. To check whether you are diabetic or not, get your Glycosylated Haemoglobin A1c (GHb%) test or Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) with 75gm of glucose. OGTT is the gold standard for the diagnosis of diabetes, informed Dr. Sunil Gupta. Answering on a query online, Dr. Kavita expressed that calories distribution is different for ..read more

Everyone is aware of Type 1 DM (Insulin dependent diabetes, seen commonly in children) & Type 2 DM (usually seen in adults & majority are controlled on oral drugs & Lifestyle Modification ). Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a kind of diabetes, which appears in the 2nd or 3rd trimester of pregnancy and disappears after delivery. GDM occurs when the woman’s beta cells are not able to overcome the antagonism created by the anti-insulin placental hormones of pregnancy. Which causes increase in the blood glucose during pregnancy. Women with a history of GDM are at increased risk o ..read more

As the festive season approaches, it is important for people with diabetes (PWD) to celebrate festival with a balance approach. Sankranti is marked by the exchange of a typical sweets (laddu & chikki) made of Til and Gud (Sesame & Jaggery). Sesame seeds (Til) have many benefits to and is good source of iron, magnesium, vit –B, protein, fibre and calcium. Jaggery is rich in iron & has thermogenic effect. PWD should avoid sweets in all such occasions. Rarely if you consume in a very small amount, it should not be taken immediately after the meal, and should be taken 3-4 hrs after the ..read more

Type 2 diabetes is multifactorial ailment. Genes, age, obesity, dietary habits, lifestyle, physical activity and many more factors are responsible for diabetes occurrence. Many people have positive family history (genetic risk), but still don’t develop diabetes, because they protect themselves from environmental risk factors. Diet play an important role like, healthy breakfast is very important to start the day- said Dr. Kavita Gupta. She also added seasonal fruits can be taken in moderation if blood sugars are under control. Dr. Sunil & Dr. Kavita Gupta appealed that, every person with di ..read more

The prevalence of obesity is increasing globally, which  increases the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular diseases etc.  Around 70 % of people with diabetes are either overweight or obese. In last 1-2 decades, obesity is also affecting children / people with T1DM, primarily due to changing dietary habits and poor exercise compliance.  Individuals with T1DM who are overweight/ obese, have clinical features of insulin resistance (as that of Type 2 DM), are known as "double diabetes". It is challenging for a person with double diabetes to a ..read more

We in India celebrate 14th November as Children’s Day, which is the birthday of the 1st Prime Minister of India Shri Jawaharlal Nehru. Similarly, World Diabetes Day is celebrated on the same date to mark the birthday of Dr. Fredrick Banting who discovered insulin along with Charles Best in 1921, for the treatment of diabetes. In January 1922, Leonard Thompson, a 14-year-old boy became the first human being to receive insulin injection. Millions of people with diabetes around the world do not have access to diabetes care. People with diabetes require ongoing care and support to manage their con ..read more

Uncontrolled high blood sugar damages nerves and interferes with their ability to send signals, leading to diabetic neuropathy. High blood sugar also weakens the walls of the small blood vessels (capillaries) that supply the nerves with oxygen and nutrients. High blood glucose levels and high levels of fats, such as triglycerides, cholesterol can damage nerves. Different types of nerve damage cause different symptoms. Symptoms can range from pain and numbness in your upper & lower limbs & it may also affect the functions of internal organs, such as heart and urinary bladder, sex organ ..read more

Wish you all a Happy Navratri festival. Many people with diabetes wishes to practice fasting during these 9 days of Navratri. So, during fasting they should practice smart fasting, keep yourself hydrated, include healthy fat like nuts, seeds, avocados in your diet. Eat at small intervals. Avoid high fat & tried foods. Check your blood sugars regularly. Always consult the physician before fasting. (Narrated by Dr. Kavita Gupta) Dr. Sunil Gupta expressed his view on lipids. Lipid abnormalities are observed in 70-80% of PWD. This include high triglycerides increase in smaller & denser low ..read more