Do you know that diabetes can affect your skin? Although unintended weight loss, frequent urination, thirst, and fatigue are common symptoms of diabetes, changes in a person’s skin can also be early warning signs of the disease.
Diabetes is a chronic disease characterized by high blood sugar levels caused by insufficient insulin production or failure to effectively use insulin for the regulation of blood glucose.
In many cases, skin changes appear in a person with diabetes even before the diagnosis. If you are already a diabetic patient, skin issues may indicate that blood sugar levels are high, and the diabetic treatment needs adjustments.
These are the common skin changes that indicate high blood sugar levels:
1. Dry and itchy skin: When the blood sugar levels are high, the body pulls fluid from its cells to produce enough urine to remove the excess sugar, making the skin dry. A person with diabetes also has poor blood circulation, which again can make the skin itchy and dry.
2. Acanthosis nigricans: It is the most common sign of pre-diabetes that indicates that the body has too much insulin. The body shows velvety, thick, and dark skin in areas of folds and creases such as the back of the neck, armpit, and groin. They can appear in people who are overweight, have hormone disorders, or with the use of certain medications like systemic glucocorticoids and oral contraceptives.
When the blood sugar is brought under control, or by treating the underlying condition that causes acanthosis nigricans, the color and texture of the skin can be improved.
3. Digital sclerosis: The condition causes the skin on fingers to become tight, thick, and waxy, and turns the finger joints to become stiff and hard to move. It is mostly seen in people with type 1 diabetes, who have high blood sugar levels. Bringing the blood sugar levels down and treatments using physical therapy helps to relieve the symptom.
4. Skin tags: The condition is characterized by growths on the skin that hang from a stalk. The harmless skin condition commonly seen in many older people can sometimes indicate high insulin levels in the blood or type 2 diabetes. The skin tags can drop off by themselves over time.
5. Skin infections: People with diabetes are prone to bacterial injections on any area of their body, including the scalp, toes, and around nails. These infections are usually painful, and the skin appears red and swollen.
Fungal infections are also common in people with diabetes. These infections can cause itchy rashes and scales on the skin, often in warm moist folds in areas like under the breast, armpits, groin, and around nails.
6. Blisters: Bullosis diabeticorum, also known as diabetic bullae, is a type of large blister that appears on the hands, feet, legs, or forearms. They look like blisters after a serious burn, but are not painful. The condition is unique to patients with diabetes mellitus.
7. Eruptive xanthomatosis: It causes pimple-like bumps on the skin that appear yellowish. The pimples can appear in areas like the buttocks, thighs, crooks of the elbows, or backs of the knees. They are usually tender and itchy, and often clear when diabetes is well-controlled.
In many cases, skin changes appear in a person with diabetes even before the diagnosis. pixabay
Long days of work, lack of sleep, and stress at the office can be the most common factors that make you feel tired. However, feeling “tired all the time” (TATT) without known reasons can be an indication of an underlying health issue that needs immediate attention.
Finding the exact cause of the lingering tiredness can be the first step toward solving the symptom.
Health conditions that cause fatigue:
1. Anemia – Anemia is one of the most common causes of fatigue. A person who has anemia does not have enough red blood cells in the body, causing symptoms such as tiredness, dizziness, feeling cold and crankiness.
Most often, anemia is caused by iron deficiency. Hence, the condition can be best resolved by including iron-rich foods in the diet and use of iron supplements.
2. Sleep Apnea – It causes the body to stop breathing momentarily during sleep. The condition can affect the quality of sleep and hence make you feel fatigued.
For milder cases of sleep apnea, lifestyle changes such as losing weight or quitting smoking can help solve the sleep disorder. In more severe cases where there is an obstruction in breathing, surgeries and therapies can help.
3. Diabetes – A person who has diabetes has changes in blood sugar level, which can cause fatigue. A patient who is already on diabetic medication can also experience tiredness as a side effect of the medication.
Early identification and taking the correct treatment is the key to managing diabetes. Losing extra weight and having a healthy diet also help in the treatment.
4. Thyroid – Thyroid diseases can be due to an overactive or an underactive thyroid gland. In people who have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), the metabolism slows down leading to symptoms such as lethargy and fatigue. In people with an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), the metabolism speeds up leading to fatigue and difficulty sleeping.
Right diet and lifestyle choices, along with medications, can help in thyroid management.
5. Infections – A person can show symptoms of fatigue when the body is fighting a viral or bacterial infection. Infections ranging from the flu to HIV can cause tiredness.
Along with fatigue, other symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, shortness of breath and appetite loss can also accompany the infection. Treating the symptoms and taking adequate rest helps in faster recovery.
6. Food allergies – Fatigue may be an early warning sign of hidden food allergies and autoimmune disorders such as celiac disease. Identifying the allergen using a food allergy test or through an elimination diet can help in allergy treatment.
7. Heart disease – If you feel exhausted from an activity that used to be easy, then it is good to check your heart health, as fatigue can be an indication of underlying heart disease.
8. Depression/ anxiety – Fatigue can also be an indicator of a mental health disorder such as depression or anxiety. A combination of medication and psychotherapy can help relieve symptoms.
Lifestyle causes
Apart from serious health conditions, certain lifestyle habits such as dehydration, poor diet, stress and insufficient sleep can cause exhaustion. Having a well-balanced diet, regular exercise and routine sleep can help solve fatigue caused by lifestyle habits.
Picture this: you’re burning the midnight oil, studying or binge-watching your favorite shows, all at the expense of a good night’s sleep. Have you ever stopped to think about the toll it takes on your body and mind? The consequences can be more serious than you might realize.
Not getting enough sleep can translate into a multitude of issues, including weight gain, lack of focus, tiredness, a haze of confusion, and even depression. If you too are encountering similar issues lately then chances are you have a sleep debt.
Wondering what is sleep debt?
People from 13-18 years of age need 8 hours of sleep, whilst adults beyond that age will require at least 7 hours of snooze.
Sleep debt is a collection of the total hours you haven’t slept or traded your sleep for something else. Sleep debt keeps piling up as a person falls short of the total hours of sleep recommended for an adult, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
And when you keep letting go of your sleep for other activities, the body adapts to the new normal and effects start to reflect on the energy levels, which deplete.
“However, like every other debt out there, this too has a repayment option,” Dr. Kunal Kumar, medical director of the Sleep Center at Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, told Livestrong.
Below are some expert-vetted ways you can pay back the sleep debt. (Courtesy: Livestrong and Sleepfoundation)
Just like financial debt, imagine sleep debt as a debt you owe to your body. It needs to be repaid. The good news is that catching up on sleep is indeed possible.
Maintain a set sleep schedule: Overhauling the sleep schedule is a pretty difficult task to achieve, and it’s best to do that gradually. Create a set sleep schedule by making some small changes to your routine. Instead of making abrupt shifts in your bedtime or wake-up time, adjust them gradually by 15 to 30-minute increments.
Minimize your gadget usage: Wind down activities and minimize electronic usage before bed to promote better sleep. Relax and prepare for quality sleep by dimming the lights and setting an alarm for 30 minutes to an hour before bed.
Reshuffle your sleeping arrangements: Are you finding it hard to get a good night’s sleep due to excessive sweating? Well, here’s a handy solution: consider upgrading to a cooling mattress or opting for cooling sheets. These innovative sleep essentials can help regulate your body temperature, and keep you comfortably cool throughout the night, ensuring a more blissful slumber. Memory foam pillows can work wonders in relieving neck and back discomfort in case you are struggling with backache.
Improve the bedroom environment: Create a sleep-friendly bedroom environment by adjusting the temperature for comfort, and blocking out disruptive lights, or noises that might disturb your restful slumber. And if your mattress, pillow, or sheets are worn out or no longer providing the support you need, consider treating yourself to new ones.
Omega-3 fatty acids are known for a range of health benefits, from promoting brain and heart health to reducing inflammation and protection against several chronic conditions.
In a new study, researchers found that omega-3 acids, especially the type found in foods like flaxseeds, walnuts, chia seeds, canola oil and soybean oil, can slow down the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
It is a debilitating nervous system disease that gradually worsens over time and can be fatal. The condition results in a loss of muscle control and affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease after the baseball player who was diagnosed with it.
The initial symptoms of the disease include muscle weakness, difficulty in walking and hand movements. The symptoms can slowly progress to difficulties with chewing, swallowing, speaking and breathing.
The exact cause of ALS is not known. However, around 10% of people get it from a risk gene passed down from a family member. It is estimated that more than 32,000 people in the U.S. live with the condition.
In the latest study, researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Massachusetts evaluated 449 people living with ALS in a clinical trial. The team assessed the severity of their symptoms, the progression of their disease, along with the levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood, for 18 months.
The study suggested that alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a type of omega-3 found in plants, is particularly beneficial in slowing the progression of ALS. The participants with the highest levels of ALA had a 50% reduced risk of death during the study period compared to those with the lowest levels of ALA.
Researchers also found a reduction in death risk in participants who had eicosapentaenoic acid, the type of omega-3 fatty acid found in fatty fish and fish oil, and linoleic acid found in vegetable oils, nuts and seeds.
A previous study conducted by the same team suggested that a diet high in ALA and higher blood levels of the nutrient could reduce the risk of developing the condition.
“In this study, we found that among people living with ALS, higher blood levels of ALA were also associated with a slower disease progression and a lower risk of death within the study period. These findings, along with our previous research suggest that this fatty acid may have neuroprotective effects that could benefit people with ALS,” said Kjetil Bjornevik, the lead author of the study.
