![]() Browse Topics in Diabetic Diet. 1,800-Calorie Diabetic Diet Plan with Serving Sizes; About the American Diabetes Association; Appetizer Recipes for Diabetics.![]() ![]() Diabetic dessert recipes everyone will love - easy diabetic cake recipes, diabetic cookies, sugarfree pie recipes and more. The best diabetic dessert recipes. The Best Diet for Diabetic Weight Loss. Although diabetics do need to be careful about how many carbs they eat, a diabetic weight- loss meal plan includes a variety of healthy, carb- containing foods. The American Diabetes Association says diabetic meal plans often contain three meals and two snacks daily. The best diet for diabetic weight loss consists of a regular meal plan, reduced calorie intake and a controlled carbohydrate intake. The number of calories diabetics should eat daily for weight loss depends on their usual calorie intake. ![]() ![]() However, eating 1,2. The American Diabetes Association suggests diabetic diets provide about 4. Since carbs provide 4 calories per gram, following a 1,2. Since carbs are your body’s preferred energy source, diabetics do need to keep carbs in their diet during weight loss. However, limiting carbs to about 6. American Diabetes Association. Choosing foods that contain healthy carbs helps keep blood sugar in check. High- fiber carbs or foods containing carbs combined with protein - - such as whole grains, legumes, nonstarchy vegetables, milk, yogurt, fruit, nuts and seeds - - have lower glycemic indexes, which is beneficial for blood sugar control. While diabetics don’t have to follow low- carb diets to be healthy and lose weight, choosing plenty of foods rich in protein or healthy fats is another excellent way to help control blood sugar during weight loss.
Edit Article wiki How to Live a Healthy Life As a Diabetic. If you have diabetes, you'll be looking into improving and maintaining your health for the long run. The basic elements of the diabetic diet including a look at carbohydrates, what foods to focus on and a brief overview of two common approaches. Examples of healthy low- carb options that are rich in protein - - a satiety booster - - include seafood, unbreaded poultry, seafood, egg whites, reduced- fat cheese, low- fat cottage cheese, plain nonfat Greek yogurt, nuts, seeds and nut butters. Though lacking in protein, plant- based oils contain heart- healthy fats and are carb- free. A sample 1,4. 79- calorie diabetic weight- loss menu that consists of about 4. For a midmorning snack, try 1. Greek yogurt. A healthy lunch might include 2 ounces of grilled chicken breast, 2 teaspoons of olive oil, 1 cup of asparagus and 1 cup of cooked quinoa. For an afternoon snack, try 1 cup of sliced strawberries, 1 ounce of almonds and 1 ounce of reduced- fat cheese. A nutritious dinner includes a lean turkey burger on a whole- grain bun, 2 cups of leafy greens, 1 tablespoon of Italian salad dressing and five whole- grain crackers. The Diabetic Diet: How Diabetics Count Calories and Plan Their Diets. The mainstays of diabetes treatment are: Working towards obtaining ideal body weight. Following a diabetic diet. Regular exercise. Diabetic medication if needed. Note: Type 1 diabetes must be treated with insulin; if you have type 2 diabetes, you may not need to take insulin. This involves injecting insulin under the skin for it to work. Insulin cannot be taken as a pill because the digestive juices in the stomach would destroy the insulin before it could work. Scientists are looking for new ways to give insulin. But today, shots are the only method. There are, however, new methods to give the shots. Insulin pumps are now being widely used and many people are having great results. In this Article. Working towards obtaining ideal body weight. An estimate of ideal body weight can be calculated using this formula: For women: Start with 1. Add 5 pounds for every inch over 5 feet. If you are under 5 feet, subtract 5 pounds for each inch under 5 feet. This will give you your ideal weight. If you have a large frame, add 1. If you have a small frame, subtract 1. A good way to decide your frame size is to look at your wrist size compared to other women's. Example: A woman who is 5' 4. Add 6 pounds for every inch above 5 foot. For a large frame, add 1. For a small frame, subtract 1. There are differing philosophies on what is the best diet but below is a guideline with some general principles. Patients with type 1 diabetes should have a diet that has approximately 3. If you have a child who has type 1 diabetes, we encourage you to read our article about meal planning for children with type 1 diabetes. How much do you know about the diabetic diet? Patients with type 2 diabetes generally are put on a 1,5. However, this may vary depending on the person's age, sex, activity level, current weight, and body style. More obese individuals may need more calories initially until their weight is less. This is because it takes more calories to maintain a larger body, and a 1,6. Men have more muscle mass in general and therefore may require more calories. Muscle burns more calories per hour than fat. In general, lower carbohydrate intake is associated with lower sugar levels in the blood. However, the benefits of this can be canceled out by the problems associated with a higher fat diet taken in to compensate for the lower amount of carbohydrates. This problem can be improved by substituting monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats for saturated fats. Most people with diabetes find that it is quite helpful to sit down with a dietitian or nutritionist for a consult about what is the best diet for them and how many daily calories they need. It is quite important for diabetics to understand the principles of carbohydrate counting and how to help control blood sugar levels through proper diet. Below are some general principles about the diabetic diet. Diabetes Slideshows You May Like. There are 3 basic food groups: fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. The carbohydrates are the foods that can be broken down into sugar. It is essential to have all 3 food groups in your diet to have good nutrition. Why Count Carbohydrates? Carbohydrates make your blood glucose level go up. If you know how much carbohydrates you've eaten, you have a good idea what your blood glucose level is going to do. The more carbohydrates you eat, the higher your blood sugar will go up. Which Foods Contain Carbohydrates? Most of the carbohydrate we eat comes from 3 food groups: starch, fruit, and milk. Vegetables also contain some carbohydrates, but foods in the meat and fat groups contain very little carbohydrates. Sugars may be added or may be naturally present (such as in fruits). The nutrient term for sugars can also be identified by looking for - ose at the end of a word ( ie, glucose, fructose, and sucrose are all sugars). Look for these on food labels to help identify foods that contain sugar. Below are some examples of carbohydrate grams for some common food items: Food. Amount. Carb grams. Food. Amount. Carb grams. Bran Chex. 2/3 cup. Frosted Flakes. 3/4 cup. Raisin Bran. 3/4 cup. Tbsp. 3. 0pancakes - 4. Tbsp. 4. To make things easy, many people begin carbohydrate counting by rounding the carbohydrate value of milk up to 1. In other words, one serving of starch, fruit, or milk contains 1. Three servings of vegetables also contain 1. Each meal and snack will contain a specific total number of grams of carbohydrate. For example: Each gram of carbohydrate provides 4 calories. A person with diabetes on a 1,6. This would be a total of 8. At 1. 5 grams per exchange, this would be about 1. The amount of food you eat is closely related to blood sugar control. If you eat more food than is recommended on your meal plan, your blood sugar goes up. Although foods containing carbohydrates (carbs) have the most impact on blood sugars, the calories from all foods will affect blood sugar. The only way you can tell if you are eating the right amount is to measure your foods carefully. Also, it is important to space your carbohydrates out throughout the day to avoid sugar . Your local bookstore and library have books that list the carbohydrate in restaurant foods, fast foods, convenience foods and fresh foods. You will still need to weigh or measure the foods to know the amount of grams of carbohydrates present. How Do You Count Carbohydrates? Carbohydrates can be counted in number of grams or can be counted as exchanges. One carbohydrate exchange equals 1. Free Foods. These are foods that you can eat without counting. A free food or drink is one that contains less than 2. If your serving of a food contains more than 5 grams of carbohydrates, you should count it in your meal plan. Examples of free foods: Bouillon or broth. Carbonated or mineral water. Club soda. Coffee or tea. Diet soft drinks. Drink mixes, sugar- free. Tonic water, sugar free. Sugar- free hard candy. Sugar- free Jell- OSugar- free gum. Jam or jelly, light or low- sugar, 2 tsp. Sugar free syrup, 2 tsp You should spread out free foods throughout the day and not eat them in one sitting. Fitting Sugar in Your Meal Plan. It is commonly thought that people with diabetes should avoid all forms of sugar. Most people with diabetes can eat foods containing sugar as long as the total amount of carbohydrates (carbs) for that meal or snack is consistent. Many research studies have shown that meals which contain sugar do not make the blood sugar rise higher than meals of equal carbohydrate levels which do not contain sugar. However, if the sugar- containing meal contains more carbs, the blood sugar levels will go up. Can I Eat Cake and Not Worry About It? No! A slice of white cake with chocolate icing (1/1. That is 3 starch servings and over 2 fat servings. Before you have a slice of cake, ask yourself the following questions: Will that small piece of cake be satisfying or will I still be hungry? How will it fit into my meal plan? Do I have 3. 00 calories to ? Are there other choices I could make which would contribute less fat? A 1/1. 2 slice of angel food cake has less than 1 gram of fat and only 3. This may be a better choice. Controlling All Carbohydrates. It is important to realize that sugar is not the only carbohydrate that you have to . Your meal plan is designed so that the carbohydrate content of your meals remains as consistent as possible from day to day. A Word of Caution. Although sugar does not cause the blood sugar to rise any higher than other carbohydrates, it should be eaten along with other healthy foods. If you choose to drink a 1. What a waste of calories! High sugar foods are more concentrated in carb. Therefore the volume would be smaller than a low sugar food. High sugar foods might not be a good choice if they will just tempt you to eat more. If you would rather eat larger portions, select low sugar choices. Look at the differences in portion size you get for equal amounts of carbohydrate in these cereals! Granola. Frosted Flakes. Corn Flakes. Cheerios. Puffed Wheat. 1/4 cup. In addition, many sugar- containing foods also contain a lot of fat. Foods such as cookies, pastries, ice cream and cakes should be avoided largely because of the fat content and because they don't contribute much nutritional value. If you do want a ? A New Study Says Yes, You Can.
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![]() Quick and Dirty Tips . When you finally begin working out again, your body just doesn’t feel right - your lungs burn, your muscles are sluggish, and you feel like you’re going to hurt something. Whether you’ve been inspired by a New Year’s resolution, an uncooperative wardrobe, or an unfriendly bathroom mirror, this article will teach you how to get back into shape quickly and safely after a break from exercise. If you try to jump right back into the same type of workout routines you were doing before you quit exercising, then your body rebels against you in several ways: Since your lungs have lost elasticity, you have to suck wind much harder to get oxygen into your body, and this increased strain on your inspiratory and expiratory muscles can cause the notorious side ache. So for any given effort, you feel as though your heart is pumping out of your chest. With significantly less muscle to support your exercising joints, and smaller blood vessels delivering the ingredients for lubricating fluid to those joints, your knees, elbows, shoulders, wrists, ankles, and hips can feel incredibly stressed when you try to suddenly push them back into a workout routine. This is called a “neuromuscular adaptation.” Within 4- 6 weeks of exercise, your body has completed significant anatomical changes that include increased muscle, wider blood vessels, higher blood volume, and more efficient oxygen delivery. The 45-minute transformation workout to get back in shape fast. If you just want to get back in shape in 2017 and you're a crazy-busy dude. Burn Fat Fast;. ![]() One ELLE.com editor finds out if it is possible to get in shape and reset her bad. I Tried to Get in Killer Shape in Just Two Weeks. For example, if you used to do a machine- based exercise circuit consisting of 4 sets of 1. The best strategy is to use hard- easy intervals, such as run- walk intervals to get yourself back into cardiovascular shape. Once I could run again, I started by going out for 3. I would run for a minute every 4- 5 minutes. Each week, I would run for a longer period of time (and walk less) until I got to the point where I could run continuously for 4. This strategy allowed me to get back into shape without experiencing the tortuous effort of trying to run for 4. Get Arms In Shape Fast![]() Get in shape without leaving. But can you really get a great workout without leaving. The Go-To Workout Get back into shape, now. Use this routine whenever you want to build muscle fast. This program will help you get back on track fast. You don't have to spend hours in the gym every day to get results. Try this 20 minute workout to see for yourself that there's a better way. How to Get Back Into the Workout Routine. Follow some tips to help you get back into shape after a break. May 13, 2013. A regular seven-minute workout may be all you need to stay in shape. The "Get Back in Shape" Workout Plan. The best lower body exercises to include to get in shape fast are compound exercises because they. Amp up your booty work in the gym to totally slay in whatever spooky, sultry, or just plain silly costume you choose. Pushup Rules Every Woman Must Know. This multi- tasking move can work wonders for your body, but are you doing it right? Muffin Top Melter. When winter weight has collected around your middle, use this tummy- targeting workout to blast away the bulge. Top 1. 0 Moves for Thinner Thighs. Slim, strengthen, and define your thighs with this power circuit! The 1. 0 Best Exercises for Women. Steal this volleyball athlete's go- to moves to shape up from head to toe. The Vertical Abs Workout. Get up off the floor to work your core even more with these 6 sculpting moves. The Better- Posture Workout That Makes You Look Seriously Sculpted. Show your shoulder and back muscles some love- -and they'll make you look amazing in return. Do This 2. 0- Minute Pilates Workout for Killer Abs. Strengthen every angle of your core with these killer moves. Oblique Exercises for a Flat Stomach, Fast. Show off your good sides (that's right, both of them) with moves that whittle your middle. Every Runner Should Do This Barre Workout. Barre is seriously awesome cross- training for runners. The Big Slim Down Challenge. Get your workout and diet in order for a healthier- than- ever you! The Best Way to Flatten Your Lower Belly. This no- equipment workout targets your lower abs while also engaging every major muscle group to maximize your burn. The Dead- Butt Syndrome Workout. Nix that pain- in- the- butt feeling you get from sitting all day with moves that zero in on your glutes and hip flexors. The No- Squat, No- Lunge Butt Workout. Sick of sinking your rear to the floor and back? Reap all the benefits of traditional booty shapers with these 6 lesser- known sculpting moves. ![]() Related: Dieted; dieting. An obsolete word for this is banting. The adjective in this sense (Diet Coke, etc.) is from 1. American English. Lezlye Donahue survived Hurricane Katrina. Going on “The Biggest Loser,” she says, was worse than that.“It’s my biggest nightmare,” she says, “and it’s with me to this day.”Lezlye Donahue in 2. Getty Images. Following a controversial study that claims to explain why almost all “Biggest Loser” contestants regain massive amounts of weight, numerous ex- Losers reached out to The Post to dispute its findings — exclusively revealing that the show encouraged contestants to take street drugs while starving themselves and to lie about how much weight they were losing. The federally funded study, conducted by Dr. Kevin Hall at the National Institutes of Health and published two weeks ago, says changing metabolic rates, hormone levels, and genetic predispositions explain post- show weight gain. ![]() What’s missing, former Losers tell The Post, is any examination of the show’s secret and brutal tactics, which include providing illicit drugs to contestants and submitting them to questionable medical exams by the show’s resident doctor, Rob Huizenga, known as “Dr. H.”Huizenga collaborated with Hall on the NIH’s study.“People were passing out in Dr. H’s office at the finale weigh- in,” says Season 2’s Suzanne Mendonca. He knew exactly what we were doing and never tried to stop it.”Many contestants return with grave medical issues they had never suffered before.“That show is so corrupt,” a source close to production says. This source confirms that show trainer Bob Harper and one of his assistants have supplied contestants with Adderall and “yellow jackets” — pills that contain ephedra extract. Ephedra is used to promote weight loss and boost energy, and was banned by the FDA in 2. Bob Harper was my trainer,” says Joelle Gwynn, of 2. Couples” season. He’s got this brown paper bag that’s bundled up. I was like, . The next day, Dr. H gave us some lame explanation of why they got added to our regimen and that it was up to us to take them . People chastise Bill Cosby for allegedly offering meds to women, but it’s acceptable to do to fat people to make them lose weight. I feel like we got raped, too.”Dr. Rob Huizenga (left) and trainer Bob Harper allegedly urged contestants to take meds and go hungry. ![]() Wire. Image; Getty Images. Huizenga denied the claim in an email to The Post.“Nothing could be further from the truth,” it read. Urine drug screens and the evaluation of serial weights are repeatedly used to flush out possible illicit use.”Harper, Gwynn says, told her off- camera to lie about how much she was eating and losing. In keeping her daily log, Gwynn says Harper told her, “Lie and say you were following the directive of intaking 1,5. I want you to do 8. All the best real-life stories, celebrity fad diets and tips and advice for dieting healthily. English food and diet vocabulary. Here are some words and phrases to help you talk about food, methods of cooking and diets in English. Types of food. People would take amphetamines, water pills, diuretics, and throw up in the bathroom,” Season 2’s Mendonca says. I vomited every single day. Bob Harper tells people to throw up: . NBC also declined to comment, but the show’s producers issued a statement to The Post. I feel like we got raped, too.’ - Joelle Gwynn, a 2. The safety and well- being of our contestants is, and always has been, paramount,” it reads. Yoni Freedhoff at the University of Ottowa, who specializes in obesity. He says the study’s findings aren’t conclusive.“This show permanently damages people’s metabolic rates,” Freedhoff says, “but it’s impossible to say why this has happened.”Freedhoff says it’s extremely rare for an obese person to permanently lose half their body weight through diet and exercise: Surgery is the only way, so there will never be a control group to prove the study’s thesis.“One of the reasons this adaptation seems to be so severe and irreversible,” he says, “could be due to psychological stress.”Every contestant who spoke to The Post cites this very factor in their post- show weight gain.“. Mentally, emotionally, financially — you come back a different person. Half the people from my season have gotten divorced. The ripple effect isn’t just weeks or months. It’s years.”For some contestants, the torture begins well before filming.“When I was going through the applicant process, they told me, . She was 5- foot- 6 and says she weighed 2. NIH standards.“They said, . Keep eating.’ ” Mendonca entered the show at 2. They manipulate you,” says Lezlye Donahue. A single mom to one young son, Donahue was depressed, in debt and vulnerable when casting directors spotted her. She was given a free consult with Huizenga.“He says to me, . It won’t open all the way, and the reason is: You’re fat.’ ”Like all participants, Donahue was separated from family and friends, contact completely cut off. During crash dieting (about <1000-1200 calories for women and <1600-1800 for men depending on body size) scales show that weight is being lost. By feasting on nutrient-dense foods, you can lose weight faster and more efficiently. The goal of this crash diet is to dive right in, making the habits you learn and. At least my experience after weight loss dieting fits the description: obsession with food, increased drive to eat, easier weight gain than before. For her season, producers installed contestants in a former psychiatric hospital and put 1. LA heat, with no air conditioning.“It was hot as hell, and the smell was horrible,” Donahue says. From diet books and recipes to your Instagram feed, the clean eating trend seems to be everywhere lately.The contestants were forced to shower together with no curtains or barriers of any kind. There were also no working toilets during Donahue’s season, so producers made these severely overweight contestants squeeze into Port- a- Potties — a challenge even for thin people, and yet another humiliation. Donahue’s daily food intake consisted of seven asparagus sticks and 3 ounces of turkey. Once eliminated, all contestants go home and are expected to keep losing weight, with no support from the show. They’re contractually obligated to weigh in on the show’s finale.“I wasn’t going to go, but they threaten to sue you,” Donahue says. WeightWatchers is a byword for dieting success - so why, this week, has it completely changed its approach? By Judith Keeling for MailOnline Updated: 06:04 EDT, 4. How to Diet Properly. It can be very frustrating to feel like you are overweight, not to mention the health risks involved. You might feel less confident and even a. Vegan meaning, definition, what is vegan: a person who does not eat or use any animal products, such as meat, fish, eggs, cheese. Learn more. Suzanne Mendonca regained her weight and no longer has her job as a cop. Getty Images; Helayne Seidman. Since the show, she’s gained all the weight back. She says she lost her job, suffers from depression, and has thousands of dollars in medical bills as a result of the trauma her body went through.“I read that . I took away an eating disorder. I have nightmares about it.”Numerous contestants told The Post that they were contacted throughout the years by Huizenga, who said he was working on a study and asked them to fly to LA so he could evaluate them.“This is without a doubt the most important research project I have ever been involved in,” Huizenga wrote to Mendonca, who shared an email dated Dec. The Post. He goes on to promise “a wild Hollywood party to follow.”“After the show, I was so physically ill that it took a while to address the psychological ramifications,” says Kai Hibbard (Season 3). She never saw drugs on set: “Not my season,” she says. But that’s how brainwashed I was.”Yesitis has suffered from depression. Your metabolism is all screwed up, but you think it’s you.”“You don’t know how messed up you are until it becomes incredibly obvious,” says Jen Watts (Season 2). When she got off the show, “I thought, . My marriage — that only took a couple of years to disintegrate.”Watts blames her months- long sequestration and her obsession with food and exercise for her family’s struggles. Last season, which aired from Jan. On May 1. 3, Bob Harper, the trainer, went on the “Today” show to discuss the NIH study. He called it “super- interesting.”As for Huizenga’s participation in the NIH study, Dr. Freedhoff is flummoxed.“Dr. Huizenga has said things that challenge my understanding of obesity in general,” he says. Genetic Liver Diseases List: Types, Symptoms, & More. The two most common inherited liver diseases are hemochromatosis and alpha- 1 antitrypsin deficiency. Hemochromatosis. Hemochromatosis is a disease in which deposits of iron collect in the liver and other organs. Due to the circulatory link between the liver and spleen, many disease processes affect both. Hepatitis C; Electron micrograph of hepatitis C virus from cell culture (scale = 50 nanometers) Specialty: Gastroenterology, infectious disease: Symptoms. The primary form of this disease is one of the most common inherited diseases in the U. S. When one family member has this disorder, siblings, parents, and children are also at risk. A secondary form of hemochromatosis is not genetic and is caused by other diseases, such as thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder that causes anemia. The iron overload associated with hemochromatosis affects men more often than it does women. Because women lose blood through menstruation, women are unlikely to show signs of iron overload until after menopause. Hemochromatosis is more common in people of Western European descent. What Are the Symptoms of Hemochromatosis? The symptoms of hemochromatosis may include: People with hemochromatosis may also have signs of diabetes and heart disease and may also develop liver cancer, cirrhosis, testicular atrophy (wasting away), and infertility. How Is Hemochromatosis Diagnosed and Treated? Whenever hemochromatosis is suspected, a blood test to look for excess iron in the blood is performed. If excess iron is found, a genetic blood test (hemochromatosis DNA test) may be ordered. ![]() ![]() The genetic test is also used to screen family members of patients with a positive genetic test. The goal of treatment is to remove excess iron from the body, as well as reduce any symptoms or complications that have resulted from the disease. Excess iron is removed from the body in a procedure called phlebotomy. During the procedure, one- half liter of blood is removed from the body each week for a period of up to two or three years until the iron buildup has been reduced. After this initial treatment, phlebotomies are needed less frequently. ![]() The frequency varies based on individual circumstances. Another treatment for hemochromatosis is iron chelation therapy. Iron chelation uses medicine to remove excess iron from your body, and it is a good option for people who can't have routine blood removal. Continued. The medicine used in iron chelation therapy is either injected or taken orally (by mouth). ![]() ![]() ![]() How do babies develop cirrhosis? Can they be treated? Biliary atresia, a condition caused by absent or injured bile ducts, is the most common cause of cirrhosis in. What do gallstones look like? What causes gallstones, and who gets them? There are various treatments available that can help the symptoms of mono and get you back on your feet again. But monos recovery may take a while and complications. Injected iron chelation therapy is done at a doctor's office. Oral iron chelation therapy can be done at home. To help keep iron levels down, people with hemochromatosis should avoid iron, most commonly found in vitamin preparations. If you have hemochromatosis, your health care provider or a dietitian can put together a diet that is right for you. Most people with hemochromatosis should avoid alcohol. If hemochromatosis has caused cirrhosis, the risk of liver cancer becomes higher. As a result, screening for cancer should be performed on a regular basis. Alpha- 1 Antitrypsin Deficiency. In this inherited liver disease an important liver protein known as alpha- 1 antitrypsin is either lacking or exists in lower than normal levels in the blood. People with alpha- 1 antitrypsin deficiency are able to produce this protein; however, the disease prevents it from entering the bloodstream and it instead accumulates in the liver. Alpha- 1 antitrypsin protein protects the lungs from damage due to naturally occurring enzymes. When the protein is too low or non- existent, the lungs can become damaged, leading to difficulty breathing and, in many people with the condition, emphysema. People with this disease are also at risk of developing cirrhosis. What Are the Symptoms of Alpha- 1 Antitrypsin Deficiency? The first symptoms of alpha- 1 antitrypsin deficiency will usually be symptoms of its effects on the lungs, including shortness of breath or wheezing. Unexplained weight loss and a barrel- shaped chest, which is commonly associated with the presence of emphysema, can also be signs of the condition. As the disease progresses, symptoms typical of emphysema or cirrhosis include: How Is Alpha- 1 Antitrypsin Deficiency Diagnosed and Treated? Physical signs, such as a barrel- shaped chest and respiratory problems, may lead your doctor to suspect alpha- 1 antitrypsin deficiency. A blood test that tests specifically for the alpha- 1 antitrypsin protein will help confirm the diagnosis. There is no established treatment to cure alpha- 1 antitrypsin deficiency but it can be treated by replacing the protein in the bloodstream. However, experts are not clear on how effective this technique is and who should receive it. Other approaches to treating alpha- 1 antitrypsin deficiency involve treating the complications of emphysema and cirrhosis. This includes antibiotics to combat respiratory infections, inhaled medication to make breathing easier, and diuretics and other medication to reduce any fluid buildup in the abdomen. Continued. Personal behavior, such as avoiding alcohol, quitting smoking, and eating a healthy diet, can also help keep symptoms and complications from becoming severe. Your health care provider or dietitian can recommend a diet that is right for you. Because the disease affects the lungs, people with the condition are more prone to respiratory infections. Therefore, both flu and pneumoniavaccinations are recommended to help prevent these infections. If you feel you are developing a cold or cough, contact your health care provider immediately so treatment can begin as soon as possible. Occasionally, the lungs or liver deteriorate despite treatment. In such cases, a liver transplant may be needed. What Is the Prognosis for People With Inherited Liver Diseases? With proper treatment, hemochromatosis and alpha- 1 antitrypsin deficiency disease are usually not fatal. However, complications associated with the diseases can be. It is very important that people with inherited liver diseases do all they can to stay healthy. Sources. SOURCES: Web. MD Medical Reference. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. National Institutes of Health. American Diabetes Association. All rights reserved. Testing for liver disease in dogs and Diagnosis of canine liver disease. A thorough approach is needed for a correct diagnosis of any liver problem. An organ like the liver thatis so intimately involved with other important organs will exhibit symptoms that mimic disease in these other organs. Also, what initially might appear as a diseased liver is in reality a disease elsewhere in thebody that is involved with the liver secondarily. This is why it is crucial to follow a thorough and methodical approach called the diagnostic process. Examination. Specifically noting signs which may indicate liver disease. Periodic ascites, intolerance of a high protein diet, icterus, chronic weight loss, abnormally colored feces or urine, bleeding disorders, chronic illness, and all that has been mentioned above. Sometimes urinary crystals formed from the improperly metabolized proteins and amino acids may indicate liver disease. Liver disease can occur in pets of any age. If it occurs in young animals we tend to think more of toxicity, a liver shunt or a viral disease like adenovirus in dogs. In older pets we tend to think more of inflammation and cancer as the cause of the liver problem. Several canine breeds are prone to getting liver disease: Bedlington terriers, Skye terriers, Doberman pinschers, and West Highland White terriers get aproblem with excessive copper accumulation that results from failure of normal biliary excretion of copper. Cocker spaniels have an increased incidence of chronic hepatitis. History. Early signs of liver disease are subtle, and might exhibit as some of the symptoms described above. It is important to remember that some pets do not show any symptoms early in the course of the disease. This is another reason for yearly exams, along with blood and urine samples in dogs and cats 8 years of age or more. Even though many cancers do not show up in a blood sample, we can sometimes get indirect evidence there is a problem, leading to additional diagnostic tests that might find cancer. The recent use of pesticides, insecticides, and drugs might give us a clue. Some Labradors are sensitive to the use of the arthritis medicine Rimadyl. These dogs should have a blood panel analyzed prior to initiating Rimadyl therapy. Every 6 months this panel should be repeated. A history of poorly controlled diabetes mellitus might also clue us in to liver problems. Pets withliver shunts might have stunted growth and become depressed right after eating. Physical Exam. Routine physical exam findings might include: Distended abdomen due to enlargement of the liver (hepatomegaly) might be found. This can be palpated in some situations, especially in the smaller animals. This includes heart disease and Cushing’s Disease. Enlarged lymph nodes due to secondary bacterial infections or spread of a primary or metastaticliver tumor. Bruising (hematoma) might be observed under the skin, or when a blood sample is obtained. This isdue to the liver’s affects on the clotting mechanism. Fever- a rectal temperature of greater than 1. F could accompany liver disease when inflammation or infection is present. Skin infections and wounds that do not heal, or recur after antibiotics are stopped. Yellowish discoloration (icterus or jaundice) of the ears, gums, or hairless areas of the skin. Anemia might be observed by checking the mucous membranes for a normal pink color. Extensive Blood Work and Diagnostic Testing. A complete blood count to check for anemia and blood cell abnormalities. A CBC (complete bloodcount) and BCP (biochemistry panel) should be run on every pet 8 years of age or more, especially if they have any of the symptoms of liver disease. The CBC might show a decrease in the number of red blood cells (RBC’s). This decrease in RBC’s is called anemia. The white blood cell count (WBC) might be elevated (leukocytosis), normal, or decreased (leukopenia), mostly depending on the cause of the liver problem and how long it has been present. A change in the WBC’s does not necessarily indicate there is a liver problem. A complete chemistry screen, including ALT, ALP, AST, bilirubin, glucose, urea, electrolyte levels,albumin, globulin and bile acid levels. The bile acid levels should be checked on an empty stomach and two hours after feeding. All these values, with the exception of the bile acids, usually are included ona standard Small Animal Data Base Screen. Important Liver Enzymes. Traditionally the medical practitioner has measured the relative concentration of several enzymes which may indicate alterations in liver health. The following enzymes typically change values in the face of liver failure. Alanine Aminotransferase: ALT – Liver specific. Cell damage will cause elevations of ALT due to leakage. The elevation of the enzyme correlates with the number of cells damaged. Falling levels of ALT may indicate recovery or may indicate a failing number of functional liver cells. Rapid increases in ALT may indicate an acute process, while slow increases may indicate bile duct obstruction. Normal Test Range: 1. U/L*Aspartate Aminotransferase: AST - an enzyme seen in the liver, heart, kidney, skeletal muscle and brain. The half life of the AST in the blood stream is much shorter than that of ALT, therefore the values of AST tend to drop more rapidly once liver function is resumed. AST elevations and ALT elevations should parallel each other in liver disease. Normal Test Range: 5- 5. U/L*Alkaline Phosphatase: ALKP/ALP – This enzyme is present in many tissues, therefore it not very specific in liver disease, but it appears very early in the progress of liver disease, therefore it is considered quite sensitive. ALP tends to be slightly more specific in the cat, but not quite as sensitive. A similar enzyme or isoenzyme is secreted as a result of high levels of cortisone, therefore an effort must be made to separate Cortisole induced ALP or CALP and normal ALP. Liver ALP is released from the liver when many anticonvulsant drugs are administered to the dog. This must be taken into account when evaluating ALP levels. ALP levels typically are greatly elevated in the young, growing animal and therefore a veterinarian should not mistake any elevations as disease in a young animal. Normal Test Range: 2. U/L*Gamma Glutamyltransferase: GGT – This enzyme is has its highest concentration in the kidneys and pancreas, but it is also found in the liver and other organs. The major proportion of GGT in the serum seems to come from the liver. Elevations of GGT in disease seem to stem from new synthesis rather than leakage, therefore the changes seen due to disease are not spectacular. Large elevations of GGT are more commonly associated with pancreatitis and bile duct obstruction. Bile Acids. These series of organic acids circulate almost entirely in the localized blood flow between the intestinesand the liver (a. The flow is typically from the liver, into the bile duct system, then excretion into the intestines to aid digestion after a meal, to be re- absorbed into the portal system and recycled by the liver. Very little of the bile acids escape from the portal circulation system into the rest of the body. Leakage is considered abnormal and is a sure sign of a liver abnormality. This is one of the most sensitive tests available to diagnose liver disease. While the liver does actually manufacture this product, it has tremendous reserve capacity and can easily meet the bodies demand for bile acids despite severe disease. As a result of this reserve, the bile acid levels do not typically drop due to liver disease. Normal Test Range: Pre = Less than 7. L, Post = Less than 1. L*A complete urine analysis. Check urobilinogen levels, bilirubin levels, glucose levels, protein levels. Again all this is usually on a standard urinalysis panel. Radiograph the abdomen. X rays can show increased liver size, decreased liver size liver abscesses, abnormal mineralization , and circulatory abnormalities (using special dyes). Ultrasound the liver Perfect technique for visualizing the circulation of the liver, the bile duct system, the density of the liver tissue, the size of the liver. Ultrasound is highly beneficial in the diagnosis of liver disease. We recommend ultrasounding a liver when the liver enzymes tests are elevated over time, or the bile acids test is abnormal. The internal structure (called parenchyma) can be analyzed, and post- hepatic liver disease can be differentiated from hepatic liver disease. This can be very important because disease in the liver can often be diagnosed with a biopsy during the ultrasound. Post- hepatic liver disease cannot easily be diagnosed in this matter. Instead it is diagnosed and treated with an exploratory surgery (called a laparotomy). Biopsy of the liver. While this is a surgical technique, it is the ultimate for diagnosis, since it allows us to directly examine and test liver tissue, give an absolute diagnosis and hopefully a final treatment regime. Biopsies can be taken by full laparotomy, where the surgeon actually looks at the liver and removes a small piece, or they can be done by a biopsy needle guided by ultrasound through the body wall. The liver will regenerate any piece that has been removed, therefore liver biopsy is usually a low risk procedure in capable hands.*The ranges for the test results listed above are dependent on the lab, the testing done and are relative. Some specialist allow for a much larger range before they diagnose “true” Liver Disease. After receiving your test results, please consult with an internal specialist and have them explain the results to you. Tags: ALKP, ALT, AST, BCP, bile acids, biopsy, blood test, brusing, canine, CBC, chemistry screen, diagnosis, distended abdomen, dog, enlarged lymph nodes, examination, fever, history, liver disease, physical exam, radiograph, Symptoms, testing, ultrasound, urinalysis, x- ray. |
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November 2017
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