Diabetes Center for Teens
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Metabolism
Your body gets the energy it needs from food through a process called metabolism. Get all the facts on metabolism in this article.
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About Recipes for Teens With Diabetes
A diabetes educator and dietitian chose these recipes, but they're not just for people with diabetes. Almost anyone looking for nutritious meals and snacks can enjoy them.
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Carbohydrates and Diabetes
If you have diabetes, your doctor may have recommended keeping track of how many carbohydrates (carbs) you eat. But what exactly are carbs and how do they affect your blood sugar?
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Eating at Restaurants When You Have Diabetes
Dining out is probably a part of your social scene. If you have diabetes, you can pretty much eat the same foods as your friends and family. You just have to keep track of what you eat and enjoy certain foods in moderation.
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Strawberry Graham Dip
This recipe is especially for teens with diabetes, but can be a nutritious part of almost anyone's diet.
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Tomato Basil Pizza
This recipe is especially for teens with diabetes, but can be a nutritious part of almost anyone's diet.
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Dialysis
Dialysis is a medical treatment that can take over the job of filtering the blood until a person's failing kidneys heal or are replaced with a kidney transplant. Find out more in this article for teens.
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Endocrine System
The endocrine system influences almost every cell, organ, and function of our bodies. It is instrumental in regulating mood, growth and development, metabolism, and sexual function, among other things.
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Weight and Diabetes
Weight can influence diabetes, and diabetes can influence weight. Managing weight can really make a difference in a person's diabetes management plan.
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What Problems Can Diabetes Cause?
Thinking about your diabetes a little bit now — and taking some steps to prevent problems — can make things easier down the road.
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When Blood Sugar Is Too High
For people with diabetes, controlling blood sugar levels is important. Having a blood sugar level that's too high can make you feel lousy, and having high blood sugar levels a lot can be unhealthy.
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Blood Glucose Record
If you have diabetes, you can use this printable sheet to record your blood glucose levels.
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Can Diabetes Be Prevented?
The things you do now could help prevent diabetes later, depending on the type of diabetes. Here's the scoop on diabetes prevention.
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Dialysis
Dialysis is a medical treatment that can take over the job of filtering the blood until a person's failing kidneys heal or are replaced with a kidney transplant. Find out more in this article for teens.
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Keeping Track of Your Blood Sugar
To keep your diabetes under control, stay healthy, and prevent future problems, you need to keep blood sugar levels in a healthy range. To do that, check and track those levels regularly.
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Refilling a Prescription
Tips and advice for teens on refilling a prescription.
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When Blood Sugar Is Too High
For people with diabetes, controlling blood sugar levels is important. Having a blood sugar level that's too high can make you feel lousy, and having high blood sugar levels a lot can be unhealthy.
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When Blood Sugar Is Too Low
When blood glucose levels drop too low, it's called hypoglycemia. Very low blood sugar levels can cause severe symptoms that need to be treated right away.
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Blood Test (Video)
These videos show what's involved in getting a blood test and what it's like to be the person taking the blood sample.
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Definition: Autoimmunity
Sometimes the immune system makes a mistake and attacks the body's own tissues or organs. This is called autoimmunity.
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Definition: Beta Cells
Beta cells are cells that make insulin, a hormone that controls the level of glucose (a type of sugar) in the blood.
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Definition: Blood Glucose Level
Blood glucose level is the amount of glucose in the blood.
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Definition: Blood Glucose Meter
A blood glucose meter is a small, portable machine that's used to check how much glucose (a type of sugar) is in the blood (also known as the blood glucose level).
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Definition: Bolus
For a teen with diabetes, a bolus is a dose of insulin taken to handle a rise in blood glucose.
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Definition: Carbohydrate
Most of the nutrients in food fall into three major groups: proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
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Definition: Carbohydrate Counting
Many people with diabetes use carbohydrate ("carb") counting to estimate the amount of carbohydrate in the foods they eat.
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Definition: Certified Diabetes Educators (CDEs)
Certified diabetes educators are health care professionals who specialize in treating people with diabetes.
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Definition: Diabetes
Diabetes is a condition that happens when the body can't use glucose (a type of sugar) normally.
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Definition: Exchange Meal Plan
Many people with diabetes use a food-balancing program called the exchange meal plan to guide what they eat each day.
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Definition: Fats
The body uses fat as a fuel source, and fat is the major storage form of energy in the body.
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Definition: Fatty Acids
Fatty acids are the building blocks of the fat in our bodies and in the food we eat.
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Definition: Glucagon
Glucagon is a hormone that raises the level of glucose (a type of sugar) in the blood.
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Definition: Glucose
Glucose is the main type of sugar in the blood and is the major source of energy for the body's cells.
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Definition: Glycemic Index
The glycemic index measures how fast and how much a food raises blood glucose levels.
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Definition: Glycogen
When the body doesn't need to use the glucose for energy, it stores it in the liver and muscles. This stored form of glucose is made up of many connected glucose molecules and is called glycogen.
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Definition: Glycosylated Hemoglobin Test (Hemoglobin A1c)
The glycosylated hemoglobin test shows what a person's average blood glucose level was for the 2 to 3 months before the test.
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Definition: Hormones
Hormones are chemical substances that act like messenger molecules in the body.
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Definition: Hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia occurs when the level of glucose in the blood is higher than it should be.
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Definition: Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia occurs when the level of glucose in the blood is lower than it should be.
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Definition: Insulin
Insulin is a hormone that lowers the level of glucose (a type of sugar) in the blood.
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Definition: Insulin Injections
Although researchers are testing other ways to give insulin, it's only available now in a form that must be injected just under the skin.
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Definition: Insulin Pump
An insulin pump is an insulin-delivering device that's used by some people with diabetes.
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Definition: Insulin Resistance
Insulin resistance occurs when the body doesn't respond as well to the insulin that the pancreas is making and glucose is less able to enter the cells.
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Definition: Islet Cells
The pancreas contains clusters of cells that produce hormones. These clusters are known as islets.
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Definition: Ketoacidosis
Ketoacidosis is a severe life-threatening condition requiring immediate treatment.
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Definition: Ketones
When fats are broken down for energy, chemicals called ketones appear in the blood and urine.
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Definition: Kidney
The kidneys are a pair of organs that are found on either side of the spine, just below the rib cage in the back.
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Definition: Nephropathy
Nephropathy is a medical term for kidney disease.
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Definition: Neuropathy
Neuropathy is a medical term for disease of the nervous system.
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Definition: Pancreas
The pancreas is a long, flat gland that lies in the abdomen behind the stomach.
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Definition: Pediatric Endocrinologist
A pediatric endocrinologist is a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of children with diseases of the endocrine system, such as diabetes and growth disorders.
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Definition: Polydipsia
A person with polydipsia drinks excessive amounts of fluid.
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Definition: Polyphagia
A person with polyphagia eats excessive amounts of food.
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Definition: Polyuria
A person with polyuria makes large amounts of urine.
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Definition: Retinopathy
Retinopathy is the medical term for disease of the retina.
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Definition: Urinalysis
A urinalysis is a laboratory examination of a person's urine.