Que devriez-vous manger avant et après le vaccin COVID? Voici ce que dit un nutritionniste

Dans quelques semaines, chaque adulte  sera éligible pour recevoir le vaccin COVID-19. Si vous n'avez pas encore eu le vôtre, vous vous demandez peut-être comment vous préparer, y compris quoi manger ou boire avant ou après votre vaccination et ce qu'il faut éviter.

Il est important de savoir que les vaccins COVID ont été testés sur des personnes qui suivaient leur régime alimentaire habituel. Cela signifie que les vaccins se sont avérés efficaces sans aucune préparation nutritionnelle particulière. Mais il existe une poignée de stratégies alimentaires qui ont tout simplement un sens pour mieux répondre aux besoins de votre corps, à la fois avant et après la piqûre.

Évitez l'alcool avant et après votre vaccination

Autism is a member of the group of pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs), which appear in early childhood, usually before the age of 3. Although symptoms and severity vary, all of these disorders affect a child's or adult's ability to communicate and interact with others.

The most common TEDs are:

Causes of autism

Autism is believed to be a developmental disorder, the exact causes of which are still unknown. Researchers agree that many factors are at the origin of PDD including genetic and environmental factors, influencing the development of the brain before and after birth.

Several genes are believed to be involved in the development of autism in a child. These are thought to play a role in fetal brain development. Certain genetic predisposing factors could increase a child's risk of having autism or PDD.

Environmental factors, such as exposure to toxic substances before or after birth, complications during childbirth or infections before birth, could also be involved. In any case, the education or the behaviour of the parents towards the child is not responsible for autism.

In 1998, a British study1 attributed a link between autism and exposure to certain vaccines, in particular the vaccine against measles, rubella and mumps (MMR in France, MMR in Quebec). However, several studies have subsequently shown that there is no association between vaccination and autism.

Associated disorders

1. Epilepsy (estimated to affect 20 to 25% of children with autism18).
2. Mental retardation (estimated to affect up to 30% of children with PDD19).
3. Bourneville tuberous sclerosis (up to 3.8% of children with autism20).
4. Fragile X syndrome (up to 8.1% of children with autism20).

• Problems sleeping (falling asleep or staying asleep).
• Gastrointestinal problems or allergies.
• Seizures that start in childhood or adolescence. These seizures can lead to unconsciousness, convulsions, that is, uncontrollable shaking of the whole body, or unusual movements.
• Psychiatric disorders such as anxiety (very present and related to difficulty adapting to changes, whether positive or negative), phobias and depression.
• Cognitive disorders (attention disorders, executive function disorders, memory disorders, etc.)

Living with a child suffering from autism brings about many changes in the organization of family life. Parents and siblings have to face this diagnosis and a new organization of daily life, which is not always very simple. All of this can create a lot of stress for the entire household.

Diagnosis of autism

 While regular physical activity helps prevent the onset of many diseases, it is essential for all people with diabetes and plays an essential role in treatment, along with a balanced diet and medication. Studies show its many benefits, including improving blood sugar balance.

A global public health issue

The opportunities to be physically active are increasingly scarce as the prevalence of sedentary lifestyles increases in most countries, with serious consequences for health, sustainability and the economy. Faced with the widespread development of non-communicable diseases, a call to decision-makers around the world to make physical activity a health priority was materialized by the Toronto Charter for Physical Activity in 2010. Since 2012, inactivity physical has become the number one preventable cause of death in the world, responsible for more deaths than smoking.

Sedentary lifestyle, physical activity, sport ...

The practice of physical or sports activities contributes to the maintenance of health in healthy subjects (Ottawa Charter) and contributes to people living with a chronic non-communicable disease to improve the state of health and prevent complications related to the disease.

Some definitions to help you find your way:

Sedentary lifestyle: little or no physical activity with an energy expenditure close to zero. The time spent sitting or lying down while awake, between getting up and going to bed, is a good indicator. It must be less than 8 hours/day, taking into account all the activities during which we are seated (meals, travel, work, time spent in front of a screen).

Physical activity: all the bodily movements produced by the activation of the muscles and leading to an increase in energy expenditure above the resting metabolism. The WHO global recommendations are at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week.

Sport: the form of physical activity which, through organized or unorganized participation, aims to express or improve the physical and mental condition, develop social relations or obtain results in competition at all levels.

 Chinese medical vocabulary and jargon

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) did not come up against the scientific approach until the last century when the Chinese government developed its policy of cohabitation of the two medicines (Western and traditional). Thus, TCM has still little adopted the technical language which accompanies the process of research and scientific validation, and which makes it possible to describe with precision the complex systems of the real - from the visible to the infinitely small - and to define the laws of Biochemistry.

TCM still retains an ordinary and concrete language today. It was originally a language perfectly adapted to account for multidisciplinary knowledge where all knowledge had to lead to a possibility of action. This language could not be dissociated from a way of life where the arts of cooking, healing, painting, calligraphy and doing health exercises ... It translates into a world in which the true man - One who desires balance and health for himself and others - must accept both public and family responsibilities while seeking to penetrate the deeper meaning of life. This is why medical texts are never purely technical or mechanical. Thus, even if they are essentially composed of recipes and pragmatic therapeutic processes, they are still imbued with strong philosophical connotations.

To account for abstract, invisible or partly hidden realities (a fever or a bacterial infection, for example), TCM employs an intuitive and speculative approach and uses terms that designate, symbolically or by analogy, quite real realities. Concrete.

Cold wind attacks Lung

We will say that a person with a cold is the victim of a Wind because this attack often occurs at the time of climate change accompanied by wind or by exposure to a draft. The Wind also symbolizes the power of the Air which transports a pathogenic factor and makes it penetrate. We will then qualify it as an external wind. A person who suffers from tremors will be said to be suffering from an Internal Wind because his symptoms look like what the wind causes: squalls, leaf shaking, etc. The Wind is therefore an image that serves as a concrete and analogical point of departure to designate a specific set of pathological symptoms, and which serves to classify them in a category or to associate them with a clinical portrait.

These images can be refined more and more: we will speak of an external or internal Wind, a direct attack of the Wind, a Wind-Heat which attacks the Lung or a Wind-Humidity which attacks the Surface, Each expression designating particular and different clinical realities, calling for a specific treatment. The language of TCM is old but practical. Being imaging has the advantage that it can be easily understood and used by people who have little medical knowledge.

However, we must make the effort not to interpret the terms from a scientific perspective, nor to take them literally. Being affected with Cold Heart does not mean that the heart is physically cold, but that it exhibits characteristics associated with Cold such as a certain lack of vigor, or that the functions it controls are affected in the same way, causing Symptoms such as a weak pulse, decreased appetite, fatigue, decreased libido, etc.

We must always remember that these are images and analogies, a bit like when we say that we have caught a cold (caught on the fly?) Or that we have heartache (when We suffer from digestive disorders). And if the Chinese terms seem too simplifying, we can remember that our medical terms sometimes go into the opposite excess: if you suffer from idiopathic alopecia, it means that you are losing your hair and the cause is unknown ...

Capital letters: lung or lung?

Many Chinese concepts have no equivalent in our vocabulary. For example, the word Fei designates a specific entity comprising the lungs and functions that biomedicine would attribute to other organic structures (such as the heart) which together make up an organic sphere that TCM holds responsible for respiration, synthesis Of the energy acquired, of the transmission of the defensive energy and of the diffusion of the organic liquids in the periphery of the body (sweat, nasal secretions, etc.). For lack of anything better, we call this entity the Lung (with a capital letter), even if it does not correspond to what the word lung designates in French.

Likewise, the Wind is a term which is used to designate, not only the meteorological phenomenon, but also a pathogenic factor and various types of affections; And Air includes the physical constituents of air (oxygen, nitrogen, water vapor, etc.), but also its energetic and vibratory constituents.

Eat well: the main principles of a good diet

Eating well is essential for staying healthy and aging well. In this sheet, you will discover the main principles of diet, basic nutritional needs, how our body assimilates food, the benefits of a good diet, how to eat well in practice, how a consultation with a nutritionist takes place and Finally, how to exercise in this area. 

How to eat well?

The vast majority of food specialists, whether or not they are from the official world, agree on a certain number of principles that can serve as guides, here they are:

A balanced diet: it is advisable to choose foods from the different food groups: vegetables and fruits (half of the plate), cereal products (a quarter of the plate), meats and substitutes (l 'other quarter), to which we will add a supply of calcium, by consuming dairy products, for example. Thus, your meal will contain a good dose of carbohydrates, enough protein and little fat.

A varied diet: 

To achieve the necessary range of nutrients and avoid deficiencies, you must not only eat foods from each food group every day but several foods from each group.

Fresh and good quality food: a fresh and local diet is recommended. Refined products and hydrogenated fats should be avoided.

Eat-in reasonable amounts: 

Being overweight promotes the development of many diseases, and significantly reduces life expectancy. A slightly under-calorie diet (but without nutrient deficiency) maintained over the long term may help prevent certain cancers and increase longevity. In addition, it helps to limit oxidation and prevent clogging. An example of an adjustment: Systematically reduce portions of high-calorie foods (pasta and rice, for example) by a quarter or a third and replace them with nutritious, low-calorie food, such as a vegetable.

Tasty food: 

First and foremost, it is the flavor that determines our food choices. If so many people give up on a diet, it is because it does not give them pleasure. However, the high salt, sugar and fat content of processed foods seem to be more and more appreciated and is even, among young people, becoming the norm. To counterbalance the attraction of these “over-favoured” dishes, you have to treat yourself to the healthy foods that you particularly appreciate and prepare them in a tasty way - using, in particular, herbs, many of which are good. Source of nutrients ...

Mindful eating:

 By taking your time and savoring each bite, mindful eating is an effective technique for learning to rediscover the flavors of food, while reducing the proportion of foods absorbed during a meal.

Adopt chrono-nutrition: 

Chrono-nutrition consists of eating in a certain way according to the different times of the day. For example, it is advisable to eat fatty in the morning, dense at noon and light in the evening. Over the long term, this technique helps you regain your healthy weight and improve your health.

Managing your meals:

 For optimal nutritional intake and to avoid weight gain, it is essential to be organized. Indeed, unbalanced meals are often due to improvisation, which is why it is recommended to plan the content of breakfast the night before and each morning what the meals of the day will consist of.

Be careful with cooking: 

To preserve all the benefits of food, it is preferable to cook at a low temperature below 100 ° C because the high temperature distorts the properties of the food. It is advisable to limit grilling, which contains a lot of free radicals. The microwave should also be avoided because it denatures the chemical form of food.

Eat well: basic nutritional needs

The basic nutritional needs to know can be divided into two categories that we will develop below: macronutrients (proteins, lipids, carbohydrates) which provide energy, and micronutrients (vitamins, trace elements, etc.), which are essential for the assimilation, processing and proper use of macronutrients.

Macronutrients

The proteins

Proteins are essential for a balanced diet. They help the proper functioning of organs thanks to the amino acids of which they are made: isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, valine. Our cells need these eight essential amino acids, and the lack of just one of these amino acids blocks protein synthesis, which is essential for rebuilding our DNA.

Lipids

Lipids are the basis of the manufacture of all our cells, our hormonal system, and all of our cell membranes. They provide the energy necessary for the body to function and regulate multiple physiological functions. Omega 3s in food are essential for a good diet. You have to know how to choose your oils with quality fatty acids rich in monounsaturated (olive oil) and polyunsaturated (rapeseed oil) fatty acids.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are just as essential for providing energy to our body. Food sources of carbohydrates are starches (cereals, legumes, potatoes, rich in starch), green vegetables, sweet products and fresh and dried fruits. The three types of carbohydrates are simple sugars, complex sugars, and fiber. It is best to avoid white sugar and brown sugar which are refined and addictive. These are present in sweets, confectionery and sugary drinks.

Micro-nutrients

Today's food is increasingly poor in micronutrients, because of the cultivation methods (use of pesticides, fungicides, etc.), the food extraction methods (refining, high temperatures), the cooking methods ( Microwave, frying) and preservation methods destroy these micronutrients. These cannot be manufactured by the body and must therefore be provided by a varied, balanced and good quality diet.

The major antioxidant vitamins are vitamins A E, C, which are contained in fruits, vegetables, green tea…
Vitamin A tones the eye area.
Vitamin C helps the body make collagen, which provides cohesion, elasticity and regeneration of connective tissue. It also has an action on the immune system and is present in the liver, brain and endocrine glands.
Vitamin E contained in vegetable oils plays an important role on the membrane of the intestines, therefore in the digestive process. A powerful antioxidant, it synergizes with vitamin C.
As for other vitamins, group B vitamins are useful for the nervous system, vitamin D enters into hundreds of functions in the body, vitamin K is essential for normal blood clotting and plays a role. Role in bone consolidation.
Care should be taken not to consume too many grains and legumes, which in large quantities cause maldigestion and block the assimilation of nutrients due to the anti-nutrients they contain (lectins, phytates, saponins, etc.).

Food assimilation

Digestion begins in the mouth and is not even completed 2 days later. During this process, countless chemical transformations take place in which various enzymes and several organs collaborate. In addition, many personal characteristics influence the way our body assimilates nutrients: age, state of health, food allergies or intolerances, the amount of fatty tissue, the nutrient reserves in the body, the type of work, physical activity, quality of sleep, smoking, emotional and nervous state, time of the meal, posture during meals, etc.

The assimilation process is so complex that, for a long time, all kinds of approaches have been recommended that are supposed to better suit our digestive system: vegetarianism, the choice of foods according to one's blood type, acid-base balance, Food combinations, raw food, various diets (Montignac method, Pritikin, Kousmine ...), not to mention Chinese dietetics, Ayurvedic diet, etc. In addition, public health organizations in most countries publish official food guides that are constantly evolving. But, even today, specialists do not get along with each other and new dietary hypotheses appear regularly.

The benefits of a good diet

The list of benefits of a good diet is long, depending on the environment, the emotions, the source of the food, the method of cooking, the physiology of the individual and his ability to assimilate nutrients, among them. :

Ensure the acid-base balance

As we age, tissues tend to acidify, which in turn demineralizes them. The liver is the most important deacidifying organ. According to most experts, the white sugars found in pastries, sweets, meats, sausages, canned goods, industrial drinks and many other foods are acidifying if abused. This is why it is essential to properly balance your diet with alkalizing foods (such as minerals), and to oxygenate the tissues by practising physical activity

Optimize digestion

Some tips can help digestion, such as taking the time to sit down during a meal (avoiding eating in front of the computer or television). Mindful chewing allows the brain to transmit the feeling of satiety, and the digestive system to perform its functions of salivary secretion in order to make crushed food more digestible.

Protect the intestinal ecosystem (or microbiota)

The intestinal ecosystem requires a nutritional and emotional balance in order to be optimal. It is made up of our intestinal flora, but also “friendly” bacteria, which ensure good digestion, contribute to the immune system and act on multiple functions in the body (appetite, assimilation of nutrients, etc.). In order to multiply, they need fiber, polyphenols, omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin D.

Avoid fatigue and food compulsions

Avoiding snacking helps ensure the proper functioning of our biological (circadian) rhythm. This helps regulate blood sugar and the overall metabolism to prevent fatigue and sudden cravings for food.

Preserve our liver with light and easy-to-digest diet

This, therefore, consists of limiting foods that are too fatty, overcooked, too sweet, alcohol. Favor a diet devoid of toxins and pollutants which can slow down the metabolism and make it sick.

Fight against certain cancers

Certain foods such as turmeric, green tea and pepper lower the risk of developing certain cancers. In contrast, excessive meat consumption promotes the development of colorectal cancer.

How to eat well in practice?

There are 7 major families of foods, all essential for a balanced diet:

Meats / fish / eggs

This family contains eggs, cold meats, seafood, meats ... These foods mainly provide proteins and lipids as well as certain vitamins essential for the functioning of the nervous system and for the mineralization of the bones (B1, B2, D).

Milk and dairy products

In this family, we find yogurts, cheeses and of course milk. These products provide proteins, lipids, calcium, phosphorus as well as vitamin A, D, B2 and B12. They are therefore mainly involved in the construction of bones. Too high a dose, dairy products can promote the development of prostate cancer.

Fruits and vegetables

Dried fruits, oleaginous, frozen, fresh vegetables ... The products of this family are very rich in water, which allows the body to stay hydrated. They provide carbohydrates, vitamins (A and C), calcium as well as dietary fibers, which participate in good digestion.

Fatty substances

This family contains the most caloric foods: butter, margarine, oil ... They provide energy, vitamins (A, D, E) as well as omega 3 and omega 6.

Sugar and sweet products

Mainly comprising carbohydrates and minerals (magnesium), sugary products provide energy. Even if they provide a lot of pleasure, it should not be abused because they do not have a very important nutritional value.

The drinks

Our body is made up of more than 60% water. It is the basis of a healthy diet because it helps dilute acids in the body. Good hydration is essential for good physical shape and for cleansing the body. Specialists consider that an adult should drink between 1.5 and 2 litres of water per day, i.e. 4 to 6 glasses of water, light tea, herbal tea, soup, or even more depending on the ambient heat and the activity. Physical.

Cereals and starches

Rice, pasta,  bread, potatoes ... Foods in this category satisfy the feeling of hunger and provide a lot of energy. They contain protein, carbohydrates, magnesium, iron, dietary fiber as well as vitamin B.

Some tips in practice:

It is preferable to consume the fruit outside of meals (ideal 5-6 p.m.) to avoid intestinal fermentation.

Favor white bread: in white flour, only the central part of the wheat seed (starch) is preserved. It is, therefore, preferable to consume bread with semi-wholemeal flour, which contains more vitamins and minerals. Even better, “natural sourdough” bread, which allows better assimilation of food.

Try the Mediterranean diet: it consists mainly of semi-complete or whole grains, olive oil, starches (pasta, rice, potatoes), legumes, green vegetables (5 to 15 varieties), Sheep's or goat's cheese, fruit and a little butter. Oilseeds (nuts, almonds, hazelnuts), condiments and aromatics (garlic, turmeric, onion, thyme, savoury, fine herbs, sweet spices) are added very regularly. Protein is provided mainly by poultry fish eggs and rarely beef or lamb. Very few sweets. The wine is consumed on a regular but moderate basis. The herbal teas are regular, and the coffee exceptional.

Type 2 diabetes 

Type 2 diabetes is a disease characterized by chronic hyperglycemia, that is, by having too much glucose (sugar) in the blood. This disease usually occurs in older adults, and more commonly affects people who are obese or overweight.

Type 2 diabetes: understand it all in 2 min

In a healthy individual, blood sugar is controlled by insulin, a hormone secreted by the pancreas. Insulin allows sugar to enter cells for use as fuel, especially in muscles and the liver. In a person with type 2 diabetes, the body becomes unable to regulate blood sugar, which is the level of glucose in the blood. This is when blood sugar levels rise (this is called hyperglycemia). In the long term, if blood sugar is not lowered by treatment, it can cause serious health problems, especially cardiovascular problems.

This chronic disease requires individualized treatment and close monitoring by the affected person and the medical team. Healthy lifestyles are the basis of treatment. If these habits are not enough to lower blood sugar, drugs can be used.

There are 2 main forms of diabetes, type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes, both characterized by chronic hyperglycemia.

Type 1 diabetes occurs in young people and often develops in childhood. It is caused by the autoimmune destruction of the pancreas that no longer produces insulin. The cause is poorly understood and there is currently no possible prevention. People with the condition are therefore dependent on insulin, which must be given by injection.

As for type 2 diabetes, which accounts for 90% of diabetes cases, it occurs later in life. It is mainly due to a state of insulin resistance and is associated with being overweight.

A rapidly growing disease

The number of people with type 2 diabetes is growing steadily, and this trend is attributed to the “western” lifestyle, which is associated with a sedentary lifestyle and obesity, as well as an ageing population. Globally, the International Diabetes Federation predicts that the number of people with diabetes could increase from 285 million in 2010 to 438 million in 2030.

In Canada, in 2009, 6% of people over the age of 12 reported having diabetes. This rate increases with age, reaching almost 18% among those 65 and over. In total, more than 9 million Canadians have diabetes or prediabetes, including 650,000 Quebecers. In addition, many cases of diabetes are unknown because they go undetected.

Type 2 diabetes usually begins after the age of 40 but is now affecting more children and adolescents, due to obesity affecting more and more young people.

Causes

Diabetes results from a combination of genetic and environmental factors, as well as lifestyle factors. In general, each person carries hereditary baggage which predisposes them to suffer from diabetes or, on the contrary, protects them. Researchers now know several genes that put an individual at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. In people genetically predisposed to the disease, it is generally overweight and particularly the accumulation of fat in the organs of the body. Abdomen that leads to insulin resistance, the first step to type 2 diabetes.

Initially, to compensate for insulin resistance, the pancreas begins to produce more insulin. However, over time the pancreas becomes exhausted and insulin secretion decreases. There is therefore a relative lack of insulin and blood sugar levels remain continuously elevated.

Type 2 diabetes is therefore the result of two phenomena: first, insulin resistance, then exhaustion of the pancreas.

Diagnostic

Because type 2 diabetes is rarely accompanied by symptoms in the early stages, it is often discovered incidentally during a routine medical examination.

Blood glucose tests can be used to detect this: a fasting or random blood sugar test and, sometimes, a test for induced hyperglycemia. This last test consists of a blood glucose reading 2 hours after having ingested a sweet juice containing 75 g of glucose. Often, fasting blood sugar gradually rises over the years from a normal level to an intermediate state of prediabetes and then to the threshold for diabetes.

Blood sugar can be measured by a blood test or estimated with a blood glucose meter (glucometer), which allows blood sugar levels to be analyzed on a drop of blood taken from the fingertip.

Even if the results are normal, it is usually recommended that you have these tests at regular intervals in order to find the disease as soon as possible.

Possible complications

For information on acute complications (hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia caused by adjustment of treatment and hyperosmolar hyperglycemia syndrome in untreated diabetics), see our Diabetes fact sheet (overview).

In the long term, many diabetics see their condition worsen as a result of their disease, especially if the diabetes is not well controlled and monitored. This is because chronically high blood sugar gradually damages nerves and blood vessels, mainly in the eyes and kidneys. Diabetes can therefore be the cause of cardiovascular disease, irreversible vision loss, pain due to nerve damage or kidney failure. For more information, see our Complications of Diabetes fact sheet.

Type 1 diabetes: what is it?

 Type 1 diabetes accounts for 5-10% of all diabetes cases. This form of the disease appears most often in childhood or adolescence. At the very beginning, type 1 diabetes does not cause any symptoms because the pancreas remains partially functional. The disease does not become apparent until 80-90% of the pancreatic insulin-producing cells are already destroyed.

Type 1 diabetes: understand it all in 2 min

Diabetes (overview)

 Diabetes is an incurable disease that occurs when the body fails to properly use sugar (glucose), which is an essential 'fuel' for its function. Glucose, poorly absorbed by cells, then accumulates in the blood and is then released into the urine. This abnormally high concentration of glucose in the blood is called hyperglycemia. Over time, it can cause complications in the eyes, kidneys, heart and blood vessels.

Diabetes can result from a partial or total inability of the pancreas to make insulin, which is a hormone essential for the absorption of glucose by cells. It can also arise from an inability of the cells themselves to use insulin to take up glucose. In both cases, the cells being deprived of their main source of energy, there necessarily follow significant physiological consequences, such as extreme fatigue or healing problems for example.

Glucose comes from 2 sources: foods rich in carbohydrates that are ingested and the liver (which stores glucose after a meal and pours it into the blood as needed). Once extracted from food by the digestive system, glucose passes into the bloodstream. In order for the body’s cells to be able to use this indispensable source of energy, they need the intervention of insulin.

The main types of diabetes

For a detailed description of the types of diabetes (symptoms, prevention, medical treatment, etc.), consult each of the sheets devoted to them.

Type 1 diabetes. 

Also known as “insulin-dependent diabetes” (IDD) or “juvenile diabetes,” type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas either no longer produces or does not make enough insulin. This can be caused by a viral or toxic attack, or by an autoimmune reaction that destroys the beta cells in the pancreas, which are responsible for the synthesis of insulin. This type of diabetes mostly affects children and young adults, although the incidence in adults appears to be increasing. It affects about 10% of diabetics.

Type 2 diabetes. 

Often referred to as “non-insulin-dependent diabetes” or “adult diabetes,” type 2 diabetes is when the body becomes resistant to insulin. This problem usually occurs in people over 45, but the incidence is growing sharply in younger people. This type of diabetes, by far the most common, affects nearly 90% of diabetics.

Gestational Diabetes.

 Defined as any diabetes or glucose intolerance that manifests itself during pregnancy, most often in the 2nd or 3rd trimester. Often, gestational diabetes is only temporary and goes away soon after childbirth.

Another form of diabetes is diabetes insipidus. 

This is a fairly rare disease caused by insufficient production of the antidiuretic hormone by the pituitary gland called 'vasopressin'. Diabetes insipidus is accompanied by an increase in urine output, while blood sugar levels remain completely normal. So, it has nothing to do with diabetes mellitus. It is called 'diabetes' insipidus because, like in diabetes mellitus, urine output is abundant. However, urine is tasteless rather than sweet. (The term comes from ancient diagnostic methods: urine tasting!)

Diabetics, more and more numerous

Although heredity plays a role in its onset, the increasing prevalence of diabetes is associated with the diet and lifestyle that prevails in the West: an abundance of refined sugars, saturated fat and meat, poor dietary fiber. , excess weight, lack of physical activity. The more these characteristics increase in a given population, the greater the incidence of diabetes.

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, in a report published in 2008-09, 2.4 million Canadians were diagnosed with diabetes (6.8%), including 1.2 million between the ages of 25 and 64.

The pattern seems to be confirmed when studying the incidence of the disease in developing countries: as large sections of the population adopt a diet and lifestyle similar to ours, the incidence of diabetes, Both type 1 and type 2, increases1.

Possible complications of diabetes

In the long term, people with diabetes who have inadequate control of their disease risk a variety of complications, primarily because prolonged hyperglycemia causes tissue damage in the blood capillaries and nerves, as well as narrowing of the arteries. These complications do not affect all diabetics, and when they do, it is to varying degrees. For more information, see our Complications of Diabetes sheet.

In addition to these chronic complications, poorly controlled diabetes (for example due to forgetfulness, incorrectly calculated insulin doses, suddenly altered insulin requirements as a result of illness or stress, etc. ) can cause the following acute complications:

Diabetic ketoacidosis

This is a condition that can be fatal. In people with type 1 diabetes who are untreated or who receive inadequate treatment (eg lack of insulin), glucose remains in the blood and is no longer available for use as a source of energy. (This can also happen in people with type 2 diabetes taking insulin.) The body must therefore replace glucose with another fuel: fatty acids. However, the use of fatty acids produces ketone bodies which, in turn, increase the acidity of the body.

Symptoms:

 fruity breath, dehydration, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. If no one intervenes, difficult breathing, confusion, coma, and death can occur.

How to detect it: high blood sugar, most often around 20 mmol / l (360 mg/dl) and sometimes more.

What to do:

 If ketoacidosis is detected, go to a hospital emergency department and contact your doctor afterwards to adjust the medication.

Hyperosmolar state

When type 2 diabetes is left untreated, the hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome can develop. This is a real medical emergency that is fatal in more than 50% of cases. This condition is caused by the accumulation of glucose in the blood, exceeding 33 mmol / l (600 mg/dl).

Symptoms:

 increased urination, intense thirst and other symptoms of dehydration (weight loss, loss of skin elasticity, dry mucous membranes, increased heart rate and low blood pressure).

How to detect it: 

blood sugar that exceeds 33 mmol / l (600 mg/dl).

What to do: If a hyperosmolar state is detected, go to a hospital emergency department and contact your doctor afterwards to adjust the medication.