Glucose Tolerance

Somewhere between the 24^th and 28^th week of your pregnancy, your obstetrician is going to have you take a glucose tolerance test to check for gestational diabetes. There isn’t much that needs to be done to prepare for the test, however, you will have to fast for 8-12 hours before the test is administered. Many women schedule the glucose tolerance test first thing in the morning to prevent having to fast during the day. You will not have to alter any of your eating habits during the weeks leading up to the test.

On the day of the test, you will have your blood drawn. This will give the physician a baseline reading. Then you will have 5 minutes to consume a glucose solution, which will contain about 95 grams of sugar. Your blood will be drawn 2 hours after you drink the solution to measure your body’s reaction to the glucose. If your blood sugar levels are elevated you will have to repeat the test with a blood draw at one, two and three hour intervals.

If you are at risk of, or diagnosed with gestational diabetes you will have to carefully monitor your glucose levels and your diet throughout the rest of your pregnancy.

Millions of Americans are Diabetic, But Don’t Know It. Here’s How to Find Out if You’re One of Them.

While many people may not want to acknowledge it, if they engage in poor eating habits, high sugar intake, and are overweight, they may not only be candidates for Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, they already may be diabetic but not know it yet.

The fact remains that while there are tens of millions of Americans diagnosed with diabetes, there are also millions who are already afflicted with the diseases, but aren’t diagnosed. Therefore, it is important for individuals to be aware of the symptoms of diabetes and contact a physician immediately should any apply.

Common symptoms include an unexplained increase in urination and thirst, an unusual boost in one’s appetite (as the body cells lack sufficient energy), and severe weight loss. In addition, diabetics suffer from an inability for glucose to enter cells; this can lead to extreme mental fatigue and blurry vision. This increased glucose level also damages blood vessels, contributing to tingling and numbness legs, hands, or feet.

In some cases, these symptoms may be due to less drastic scenarios, like extreme stress or anxiety.t However, in other instances, it may be symptoms of a far more serious condition that demands immediate medical attention.

New Anti-Childhood Diabetes Efforts in Atlanta Sparks Nationwide Controversy

Given the alarming rise of childhood diabetes, health policy experts have expressed a wide array of strong opinions around the best way to curb this epidemic. All experts and pediatricians are in agreement, for example, that teaching kids the importance of exercise and a good diet is critical. Yet a recent effort to curb childhood obesity has kicked off a controversy around the most effective strategies available for reducing childhood obesity and, in turn, childhood diabetes.

Atlanta has the nation’s second-highest childhood obesity rate, so a local group called Strong4Life launched a billboard campaign showing unhappy obese children with messages like, “Chubby isn’t cute if it leads to Type 2 diabetes” and “Being fat takes the fun out of being a kid.”

Needless to say, it sparked a firestorm, as opponents argued such messages were damaging to the self-esteem of obese children and could even encourage bullying. Strong4Life, meanwhile, countered by saying the ends justify the means: obese children are more likely to become diabetics, and in turn, have their lives be in danger.

It’s a tremendously complicated issue, and one in which its importance to balance the fact that while children do need to be reminded of the importance of a good diet, their self-esteem is particularly fragile and must be dealt with accordingly.

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