What's up With Being So Tired...Sleepless in Diabetes.

As a Diabetic I find that I am extremely tired out.  I am a not sure that it is not from a couple other health issues I have but for sure I know part of it is my Diabetes.  I'm Yawning right now as I do this blog. 

I was reading a couple of forums and the answers to that very questions, "Why am I so tired all the time?"  Many different answers from a lack of exercise to coming down from the high glucose levels.
Some even going so far as to say there is a lack of vitamins B-12, B-6 etc.  The one thing it really didn't even mention was depression.  This came from several diabetics and a couple of pre-diabetics.

Depression comes along with Diabetes.  I do know though that exercise does help fight depression and so does proper diet and nutrition. 

In addition, high blood glucose can cause fatigue through inflammation. Blood vessels get inflamed by the sugar. When this happens, according to new research, immune cells called monocytes come into the brain, causing fatigue. 
Source:  http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/Blog/David-Spero/what-causes-diabetes-fatigue/

Depression, Stress, Diet are other things that have some bearing on weather or not your fatigue is actually caused by Diabetes, or if your Diabetes are causing issues with these things.

Depression is very common with diabetes. Most depressed people feel fatigued, even if they don’t feel sad. Even at low levels, depression can sap your motivation. Why get up? You can take a free test to see if you are depressed here.

Too much carbohydrate — especially refined carbs — can make anyone tired, especially with diabetes
Source:  http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/Blog/David-Spero/what-causes-diabetes-fatigue/

I'm sure by now you are realizing that there are many things related to or caused by Diabetes that can cause fatigue.  I hope that understanding some of these things will help you to understand more about why you may be feeling tired and then solving the issue of your tiredness or at least lessen it. 

I hope you will share this blog with your friends and family and that each one of us as a member of the Diabetic communities around the world can share information so that we can get healthier and feel better. 

If you are interested in being a guest blogger or if you have questions or information you wish to share please contact me @ diabetic.day2013@Gmail.com or  @DiabeticDay on Twitter or on Facebook at Gwen Johnsons Diabetic Day. 

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How our Weight is affected by Diabetes

I was diagnosed at the age of 11 years with being borderline Diabetic.  I was always a chubby kid when I was growing up.  A little over weight for me at 5ft 5in.  I was told then I had to control my weight and my foods or I would become Diabetic in the future.  Unfortunate for me I had a mom who cooked very country foods and I guess because I was the last child at home she wanted me to feel not alone so much so she let me eat sweets much to often.  I don't think she realized the seriousness of what my pediatrician had told us. 
It was in the 70's.

As an adult living with Diabetes I now know that what I had done up to the time of being told I was diabetic was really only harming me.  I didn't listen to what doctors said to me either about losing weight, or I had been told that I had Celiac Disease, which causes a problem from any type of products with gluten in it. 
That was a key fact I should have listened to, but didn't.  I never really understood why I was always craving noodles, starchy foods.

The fact is many things can play a part on why a Diabetic is having weight Issues.  To understand
more about this I did some reading and researched the why's of Diabetes and Weight.

1.  Our body converts digestible Carbohydrates into Blood Glucose (Sugar)
2.  Our Blood Glucose can affect how much energy we have and how hungry we get and how
      energetic we  feel.
3.  This determines if we will store fat or if we will burn the fat.

Our pancreas creates a hormone called insulin that transports blood sugar into our body's cells where it is used for energy. When we eat refined grains that have had most of their fiber stripped away, sugar, or other carbohydrate-rich foods that are quickly processed into blood sugar, the pancreas goes into overtime to produce the insulin necessary for all this blood sugar to be used for energy. This insulin surge tells our body that plenty of energy is readily available and that it should stop burning fat and start storing it.
  However, the greater concern with the insulin surge is not that it tells our body to start storing fat. Whatever we eat and don't burn up eventually gets turned into fat anyway.
 Source:  http://www.caloriesperhour.com/tutorial_sugar.php

 There are things to watch for regarding Carbohydrates.  Here is a list of things and a great source for information regarding Carbohydrates.  

1.  Simple Carbohydrates, such as sugar, sucrose, fructose, lactose, glucose any of the ones ending in "ose".
2.  Hidden Sugars in Processed Foods, Peanut butter, applesauce, jelly, canned fruits, ketchup, soups,
     salad dressing....etc.
3.  Beverages also hold large amounts of sugars, so be careful to watch how much they have. 
     Try to stay on  the low end of the sugar count. 
4.  Fat Free Products often replace the lack of taste of being fat free with sugar.  Be aware of this fact
     and check your labels on packages.
5.  Cereal is another one that uses deceptive ways to change sugar content but still remain high in sugars.
     They do this by calories, carbohydrates, fat, fiber and other nutrients that are almost identical to
     the full-sugar cereals. Always Check labels on products and try to stay to more Raw grain products.
6.  Things that say No Sugar Added does not mean they don't contain natural sugars.  Most of your fruit    
      items will contain Fructose a natural form of sugar,
Source:  http://www.caloriesperhour.com/tutorial_sugar.php

I hope this has helped in understanding the breakdown of what creates our weight and why we have so much of an issue with trying to take it off.  It seems that our body is quite confused when we have this Diabetic Disease.  It doesn't know when to store fat and when not to thus weight becomes an issue for us.  The best way to fix this is to maintain a good Diabetic Diet and exercise program.  There are many good sources out there on the internet and in our communities for Diabetics.  Use your resources and if there isn't anything then start one.  I bet your community would love to have a free Diabetic exercise program. 

We as a community will win the battle over this disease with continued support and dialog among us.  If you have a story or a blog idea, even if you just have a question or want to chat contact me at :  diabetic.day2013@gmail.com.