Is There a Test Better than PSA for Predicting Prostate Cancer?
A study has determined that the IsoPSA blood test is more accurate at predicting prostate cancer than is the traditional PSA test. (more…)
You Know You Might Have Diabetes When…
Over seven million Americans have NO idea they have diabetes!
Is it really so difficult to know you probably have diabetes without having blood tests?
Many people actually do worry they “might” have diabetes despite not having seen a doctor. (more…)
Why Does Blood Sugar in Diabetes Go Up without Eating?
It’s strange that blood sugar in a diabetic can rise despite not having eaten anything, since typically, eating causes blood sugar to go up.
But it’s not an uncommon occurrence that in diabetes, glucose or blood sugar levels can actually rise in the absence of eating.
“When we don’t take food into our body for energy, our liver will try to help us by releasing glucose into our blood so we have the energy we need to stay alive,” says Lucille Hughes, RN, CDE, president of Diabetes Insights LLC.
“For people with diabetes, the liver may release too much glucose, causing blood sugar to go up.”
This is why it’s so important for diabetics to regularly take blood sugar readings, even if they feel fine.
The liver has hundreds of jobs. One of those jobs is to release glucose into the bloodstream for energy — because the body requires energy to function, even when at rest or asleep.
Basic bodily functions require energy — and glucose provides that energy. Even thinking requires energy.
In diabetes, be it type 1 or type 2, things are out of whack in the body.
The liver in the diabetic individual may sometimes overestimate how much sugar to release into the bloodstream.
Or, to put it another way, the liver may over-correct what it “thinks” is a shortage of blood sugar.
The only way that a diabetic person can stay ahead of this curve is to monitor their glucose levels on a regular basis throughout the day to make sure that the sugar level doesn’t sneak its way into getting into a dangerously high range.
Keeping Blood Sugar Under Control
It’s not enough for those with diabetes to faithfully take glucose readings.
A person with diabetes (either type 1 or type 2), even when they’re not hungry, should not go long periods without eating.
This is because irregular eating patterns can lead to fluctuations in blood sugar levels.
Skipping meals can cause blood sugar to drop too low, a condition known as hypoglycemia, which can result in symptoms like dizziness, weakness and confusion.
On the other hand, eating in an inconsistent way can also lead to overeating later, potentially causing blood sugar spikes, not to mention weight gain.
Even a snack sized amount of food will help solve the problem of going long periods without eating.
Snack items should include fruit, nuts, seeds, strips of chicken, a few hard boiled eggs, a tuna salad and other foods with limited processing.
For 35+ years Lucille Hughes has worked as a certified diabetes educator for inpatient acute care, home care, private endocrinology practice and outpatient diabetes education centers. She is board certified in advanced diabetes management and is a fellow of the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/ Hdc Photo
Duration of Standing on One Leg Predicts Future Hip Fracture
Want to know how likely you’ll suffer a hip fracture in the future?
See how long you can stand on one leg before toppling over.
How long a person can stand on one leg without holding onto anything is inversely proportional to risk of a hip fracture down the road. (more…)
Why Must DVT Patients Take Blood Thinners for Six Months?
Ever wonder why, if the body has a natural clot-dissolving mechanism, DVT patients must continue with blood thinners for many months even after the blood clot is dissolved? (more…)
How Much Does a Double Mastectomy Affect the Deadlift?
If you were deadlifting a good amount of weight prior to your elective double mastectomy, you’ll be wondering how the surgery will affect your ability to get back to the weignt you were lifting at. (more…)
How Often Can a Biopsy Miss Prostate Cancer and Why?
“A traditional prostate biopsy, which is a random sampling of the prostate, can miss prostate cancers,” says Michael Herman, MD, Director of Urologic Oncology at South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside, NY. (more…)
How Long Does It Take Prostate Cancer to Spread to Hips?
Do you live in fear of prostate cancer every time your hip bone area begins aching, as you imagine that this is a metastasis from a tumor in your prostate?
“Every prostate cancer is unique,” says Michael Herman, MD, Director of Urologic Oncology at South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside, NY. (more…)
Da Vinci Surgery for Prostate Cancer: Erectile Dysfunction?
Many men with prostate cancer fear becoming impotent after being treated with the da Vinci robot procedure. (more…)
Can Prostate Cancer Cause Cloudy Urine?
Cloudy urine has many potential causes.
Many men just cannot get the idea of prostate cancer — which has a lifetime risk of one in six U.S. men—out of their mind, and obsessively check their excrement, sometimes even imagining that it just might be a bit murky.
If their urine seems to be a bit cloudy or foggy, they then fear that this is a sign of prostate cancer.
If you’re compelled to frequently check what your stream looks like as it gets voided or as it enters the toilet bowl, make sure that the lighting is good rather than dim or shadowy.
Also you should confine your checking to just one bathroom so that the lighting, contrast, etc., is always the same.
Make sure that the toilet bowl is perfectly clean, as a dirty one can skewer appearances.
“Prostate cancer very rarely causes cloudy urine,” says Michael Herman, MD, Director of Urologic Oncology at South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside, NY.
Prostate cancer. Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Wikimedia Commons
Under what conditions can prostate cancer cause urine to appear cloudy?
“If a prostate cancer is very advanced, it can sometimes cause a urinary tract infection (UTI) by obstructing the bladder, but this is extremely uncommon,” says Dr. Herman.
So though it’s not impossible for prostate cancer to lead to cloudy urine, chances are pretty good that if you notice that your urine is cloudy, hazy, murky or looks like there’s sediment in it, this isn’t being caused by prostate cancer.
Dr. Herman also explains, “However, if a patient does notice cloudy or bloody urine, they should be evaluated by a urologist because even benign causes of abnormal urine [such as bladder stones] can be very serious.
“Cloudy urine is very rarely a symptom of prostate cancer.
“It is much more likely to be caused by a urinary tract infection or other benign causes, such as kidney stones.
“Even though this is very unlikely to be caused by prostate cancer, abnormal-appearing urine should always be evaluated, as it could be a sign of other serious health conditions.”
- Bladder: difficulty emptying
- Blood in semen
- Blood in urine
- Burning during urination
- Erectile dysfunction
- Incontinence
- Pain in the back, hip or pelvis
- Painful ejaculation
- Urinary frequency
- Urine flow: difficulty starting
- Urine flow: interrupted
- Urine flow: slow or weak
Dr. Herman’s interests include reducing the over-diagnosis and over-treatment of prostate cancer by utilizing the latest biomarkers and imaging techniques. He is at the forefront of treatment and research of urologic cancers.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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