Employee Health Screening

Diabetes is a disorder of the body’s sugar-regulation abilities. Most of the time it goes undiagnosed because the symptoms are not very clear. There are many symptoms, but they don’t appear in all cases. The symptoms include frequent urination (polyuria), which occurs because of the high glucose levels. High glucose levels result in an overflow of glucose from the kidneys, carrying the fluid along with it. Because there is a constant loss of body fluid through urination there is a constant thirsty feeling (polydipsia).

Diabetes is usually accompanied by sudden weight loss, due to the body not being able to utilize the available glucose to generate energy. This can result in the individual being hungry throughout the day (polyphagia), which leads to weakness and fatigue. In diabetes the high sugar levels don’t allow some of the body tissues and cells to work normally; therefore, it can result in poor or blurred vision. This also results from the shrinking of the lens of the eye due to excess glucose. A diabetic person is prone to yeast and fungal infections, as these organisms can survive well in tissues, which cannot utilize sugar themselves, and therefore have a large amount of extra food for the yeast and fungi to grow.

There is also a tingling feeling or numbness in the hands and feet, which heightens at night. The skin of a diabetic person becomes very dry and flaky due to excessive loss of water, leading to dehydration. This situation might also lead to the person going into a coma. As the basic body fuel, glucose, cannot be converted into energy, the person seems very tired and lethargic most of the time. Also it takes a long time for any sores, cuts or wounds to heal in a person suffering from diabetes. They’re also very susceptible to infections, since the immune system is very weak.

Some patients also experience pain in the legs while walking (claudication). There is also a constant itchy feeling (pruritis) in some diabetics.

Though the symptoms are many, it’s very difficult to say for sure that you are a diabetic only on the basis of these symptoms, as these symptoms are not exclusive to diabetics. Therefore, to find out if you are diabetic, it’s advisable to approach a medical doctor if any of these symptoms are seen, so that he can guide you in the proper direction.

Diabetes provides detailed information on Diabetes, Symptoms Of Diabetes, Diabetes Supplies, Diabetes Diets and more. Diabetes is affiliated with 1200 Calorie Diabetic Diets.

If you have been diagnosed with kind 2 diabetes, how to lower blood sugar is likely one of your first questions. You can do it — beginning right now — but it’s both easy and hard.

Why is it easy? Because the steps are simple and uncomplicated.

As to why it is hard? It means changing our way of life up to this point. How we look at how we eat (the wrong foods) and exercise (not enough).

Never fear, you are able to do it! High blood sugar ravages your body, but, here are three easy ways to decrease your blood sugar and escape the damages that having high blood sugar afflicts on your body.

But First –  You’re Not Alone

First, remember that if you have type 2 diabetes, you are not alone. There are millions of people out there who already have this disease. And people have it in different degrees as well. Some people are just slightly over the edge, while others suffer from brittle diabetes (i.e. uncontrolled diabetes).

You’ve plenty of company. Some famous people with diabetes include Patti LaBelle, Stephen Furst and Mick Fleetwood, to name three. Diabetes doesn’t discriminate; it strikes people of all races, nations and ages.

Lowering Blood Sugar to a Safe Range

First, what is a safe range? You need to know your fasting blood sugar, and this generally means testing it the first thing in the morning, before you eat. You want the range somewhere between 4.5 to 6.5 mg/dl.

So let’s get down to it — three ways to lower blood sugar and even reverse kind 2 diabetes.

First Be sure to look at Your Diet

Diet is the first and the most important step you can take to lower your blood sugar. Think about it; ignoring your diet is probably part of why you have kind 2 diabetes in the first place. What’s the secret here? It is what you’ve heard all along; plenty of fresh veggies, lean proteins and healthy fats.

Go Easy on the Carbs

All to many diabetics do not think about the carbohydrates in “healthy” foods, like fresh fruits and whole grains. yes, you need these as part of a new lifestyle, but caution is necessary. You see, fruits and grains both contain sugar and sugar-like substances.

Oh, and forget about fruit juice; the kind you purchase is normally sweetened with HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) which is appalling for your glucose levels.

Be certain to get Your Exercise

You knew this was coming, right? Your goal is to get in at least 30 minutes a day. Can’t do 30 minutes right now? Make certain to work up to it. We are talking your health and even your life here!

The higher your current level of blood glucose, the more you need to make exercise a daily affair. Straight out, exercise helps to regulate blood sugar.

You can’t just ignore diabetes and hope it will just go away. You must takes steps — today — to ensure your health for the future.

When an employee ignores directions from a doctor, who’s responsible when the employee causes a serious accident on the job?

In some cases, it’s your firm that ends up on the hook â.” both for workers’ comp and for other people ’s injuries caused by misuse of a prescription drug.

Situations like these raise three questions that even HR/benefits pros have trouble answering. Just how are you â.” or supervisors â.” supposed to know what meds individuals  are on and whether they’re taking them as directed by their physicians?

In most cases, you won’t.

Are you able to determine without violating HIPAA or other laws?

You can’t, unless the staff member volunteers the info or a doctor notes the effects of medication being the reason for the accident.

So when you won’t know and can’t find out, how on earth can your firm be held responsible after the fact?

It all depends on the circumstances. Three key danger signs -

o  A supervisor already has knowledge of an employee’s health condition, when not the meds themselves. Example –  the worker requested a schedule change and said it was because of a particular health problem

o  The person has a history of erratic behavior that management suspects is medication-related, and/or

o  The employee’s job involves potentially hazardous situations.

Spotting possible danger

A Florida case (Johnson v. Rentway) is a classic example of the two of the three large danger signs.

1.  The supervisor knew an employee had insulin-dependent diabetes.

2.  The staff member was under physician’s orders to take insulin at specific times, which required the company to adjust the employee’s schedule.

But due to short staffing, the worker was often forced to work shifts that overlapped with times he was supposed to take injections.

What’s more, the worker worked a potentially perilous job (he was a professional truck driver).

Finally, the inevitable happpened.  The worker suffered a diabetic blackout at the wheel, causing a serious crash that injured himself and another driver.

The worker filed for workers’ comp, and the injured driver sued the corporation.  The firm fought â.” and lostâ.” both cases. Total cost –  $5 million.

Diabetes mellitus occurs when there is a high content of sugar or glucose in the blood making the body and organs unable to function properly. Glucose can either come from the liver or from the digested starchy foods including rice, bread, chapattis, yams, potatoes, and plantain from sweet foods including sugar.

Diabetes can be classified as type 1 if the body has the inability in producing any insulin. This occurs before an individual reaches 40 years old and treated by injecting insulin, and following a regular diet and exercise.

Diabetes is classified as type 2 if the body can still produce insulin but not good enough to work properly. This case is often linked to overweight conditions affecting individuals over 40 years old and is treated by changing the person’s lifestyle through healthy diets, increasing exercise and losing weight. Insulin tablets or injection could be required so that normal glucose levels in blood are achieved.

There are medical supplies able to help in the successful prevention or treatment of diabetes. It includes Blood Glucose Meters, Blood Glucose Monitors, Safety Lancets, Test Strips, Diabetic Footwear and Footwear, Diabetic Supplies for testing Blood Glucose.

These medical supplies are able to protect the patient and help them in maintaining insulin levels. It helps in achieving the major goal of treating diabetes to maintain, as much as possible, normal blood glucose, cholesterol level, and blood pressure in addition to improving the person’s well being through a healthy lifestyle to protect them from a long term damage of the kidneys, eyes, heart, nerves and major arteries.

If you are someone living with diabetes you no doubt know that what you eat will have a severe effect on how you feel and how well you do with controlling your diabetes. It’s critical that you keep track of what you are eating and know how to judge your insulin levels based on what you eat. Sugars and fats are very important. You need to be able to keep track of those two especially if you want to remain healthy. When you are attempting to control your blood sugar, you have a couple different options for buying food.

You can buy pre-packaged food especially for diabetics, or you can buy regular foods and monitor how much sugar you are putting into your body and how that’ll affect you. Before you begin experimenting with which type of diet is going to be best for you it’s important to recognize that every person is different and that it’s best to get an opinion from your doctor to be sure that you are going about this the right way. Pre-packaged food for diabetics can sometimes be terrible for you as they don’t feature any natural sugars.

Instead of sugar, they feature artificial sweeteners. Some people don’t realize that just because you are diabetic, does not mean you have to cut out sugars completely from your diet. These artificial sweeteners do have some pros to them, one being that they will not cause such a sharp rise in your blood sugar right after eating them like real sugars do. Also, compared to real sugars these artificial sugars don’t have as many calories in them. Possibly the most important food group for diabetics to get a healthy dose of is the grain food group. These foods are important because whole grains have the most needed, energy generating carbohydrates.

Diabetics should attempt to include foods like pasta, cereal, rice, and bread into their diets thoroughly. It is advised that you have 5-7 servings of these foods every day. Vegetables are another food group that diabetics should attempt to get a healthy dose of each day. Green vegetables are the good for diabetics because they are low in fat and high in minerals, vitamins, and nutrients. Vitamins like broccoli, carrots, spinach, tomatoes, lettuce, and cauliflower are very good choices. A person with diabetes should attempt to have at least 3-4 of these servings every day.

The dairy category is the next best category for a diabetic to be eating out of, followed closely by the fruit category. Diabetics ought to eat about 2 servings of fruit a day. This is less than the average person as fruits are high in sugar. Fruits that are high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber are important. Diabetics should also try to get about two servings of dairy products daily too.

This is important to get your daily advised dose of protein and calcium. When it comes to the meat category, it is advised that diabetics get around five servings of meat daily. This is important to get your protein and iron up. Meats that are low in fat will be best for you. Foods that are high in sugar such as candy are the least favorable for Diabetes 2. If you are a big fan of the sweets, try to refrain from treating yourself too often.

Having even one problem drinker on your medical plan – including a covered family member with abuse issues â.” can cost your corporation big.

Some estimates place the potential cost as high as $35,000 a year per case. What’ your company’s risk?

A lot of health promotion programs are geared toward managing employees’ health risks associated with diseases like diabetes or asthma.

But unless the health promotion program is integrated with an worker assistance program (EAP), chances are alcohol abuse-related risks go undetected. Here are two strategies that’re getting good results.

1. Include alcohol in health screenings

When you already sponsor confidential staff member health-risk assessments, it’s easy to screen for alcohol risks, too. This could be as simple as making sure three questions are added to the current appraisal -

o  Exactly how often do you’ve a drink containing alcohol?

o  Precisely how many alcoholic drinks do you have on a typical day? And

o  How often in the last month have you had six or more drinks?

For male staff members, more than 14 drinks per week, or one or more episodes of heavy drinking suggests a possible problem. for women, more than seven drinks in a week, or one or more episodes of drinking four or more drinks, is a red flag.

Alternative – If you don’t offer appraisals, you are able to refer workers to a free, confidential web-based screening.

Benchmarking tools

Many experts say drug-free workplace policies and worker assistance programs (EAPs) are the two most proven solutions within companies’ grasp for minimizing the risks and costs of alcohol abuse by health plan enrollees.

To see when sponsoring an employee assistance program (EAP) makes financial sense, you are able to calculate your own firm’s current cost risk for free here. Plug in your business type, locale and number of employees.

You’ll get a customized estimate of each year direct (absenteeism, disability, ER visits) and indirect (presenteeism, turnover) costs from alcohol misuse by a covered worker or family member.

To design a drug-free workplace policy â.” or check when your existing one is up to par and compliant with the law – more guidance is available here.

For many type 2 diabetics their diet has the double duty of not only controlling their blood sugar levels but also losing weight, that’s an important step in reducing the risk factors for complications presented by this disease. The diabetic weight loss diet is an important part of keeping blood sugar levels in check by striking a balance between the carbohydrates, fats, and protein eaten at each meal.

Picking healthy food is one of the most important parts of whoever’s diet, but for the diabetic it can literally be the difference between life and death. Without proper blood sugar control the list of complications suffered by those with diabetes is quite scary. It’s also important to remember that while some people can control their diabetes with diet and exercise, others who are at higher risk may also need to make food options based on the medications they are currently taking.

For many diabetics trying to figure out the precise amount of carbohydrates they can eat can be a little frustrating. In the past everyone followed the same general guidelines but in recent years that thinking has changed. Diet plans for diabetic are now individualized and are based on each person’s ability to tolerate and maintain good blood sugar control. One thing that helps individuals keep good glucose maintenance is the ability to measure glucose levels with personal portable blood glucose monitors that are quick and easy to use. The ultimate goal of a type 2 diabetic diet is to provide the necessary calories and nutrients needed while keeping blood glucose levels in the normal range and allowing the diabetic to lose weight.

The good news is a diabetic diet because of it very nature easily allows those who follow it the ability to lose the weight that can cause so many health problems and may be a contributor to their diabetes. The diet is low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and simple sugars while emphasizing leafy green vegetables, fruits in moderation because of their high sugar and starch content, and whole grains high in fiber. Protein from lean sources is also important, particularly those that are high in omega-3 fatty acids such as can be found in certain fish like salmon. A good starting point for anybody with diabetes is the diabetic food pyramid that can be found of the American Diabetes Association website.

Type 2 diabetes is becoming a rapidly increasing epidemic with the current obesity problem that is affecting nearly every region of the world. Because of this being able to control blood blood sugar levels along with effective weight loss and control is vitally important for whoever who must follow a diabetic weight loss diet.

Many people suffer from high blood sugar, and it is not a disease that affects only diabetic people. This article is intended to analyze the different aspects of high sugar levels in your blood, such as; what the levels after eating are, reasons why your glucose is increased, symptoms of high glucose levels, range of concentration, how to test your levels and why this is important. Finally some tips about how to control sugar levels. Hopefully after this reading, you’ll get a better understanding of the blood glucose process.

o  Blood sugar goes up after consuming, but returns to normal range within 1 to 2 hours. Blood glucose level is the amount of sugar in the blood. It’s also known as serum glucose level. BS levels 1 to 2 hours after eating are called postprandial. Research studies show that BS levels in people with diabetes can more than double after consuming, even when their BS before eating is normal.

o  These levels are increased in the early morning hours because of the normal release of hormones – growth hormone and corticosteroids -, a reaction called the dawn phenomenon. And blood glucose can shoot too high if the body releases sugar in response to low glucose levels, known as “somogyi effect”. levels below 45 mg/dl are almost always associated with a serious abnormality.

o  Blood sugar levels just above the safe range can make you feel tired and thirsty. You may sweat, feel very hungry, weak and anxious, feel your heart pounding in your chest. However, If your level stays higher than normal for weeks, your body will adjust to that level, and you may not have as many symptoms of high blood sugar, for that reason is very important that you control your blood sugar levels regularly.

o  BS concentration, or glucose level, is tightly regulated in the human body. Generally, the blood glucose level is maintained between about 4 and 8 mmol /L (70 to 150 mg/dl).

o  BS tests measure how well your body processes sugar. Some blood sugar tests are used to diagnose prediabetes or diabetes.

o  Blood sugar that is too low, known as hypoglycemia, may make you feel sick as well. Then, monitoring and maintenance is namely important for those who suffer from diabetes.

o  The way to control BS is trough insulin, this one is a hormone made by the pancreas, it carries the sugar from your blood into your cells, where the sugar is used for energy. The right amount of insulin helps keep your blood sugar level balanced.

Lastly, this article gives you some basic information about how glucose levels work in your body. However, it’s quiet important that you visit your doctor for specialized advise.

It’s easy to feel like your PBM holds all the power over you. In most cases, it does.

A landmark 2004 study compared what pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) charge employers’ plans to what they actually pay pharmacies.

Scientists found staggering overcharges – namely for generic drugs. Regrettably, four years later, the situation has scarcely changed. All too often, PBMs improve their own bottom line at the expense of the plan sponsor’s.

Chances are, it’s your medical insurance vendor – not yourself – who contracts with the PBM to administer the prescription drug portion of your health benefits.

So how can you feel confident your firm is getting the best value and service? Begin by asking your health-plan broker these four questions about the current or prospective PBM.

1. Exactly how does the PBM calculate price?

A lot of PBMs gain hidden profits off your plan through a practice called “differential pricing,” says consultant Gerry Purcell.

In other words, the PBM compensates one price to drug retailers and then sets a lesser discount off the average wholesale price (AWP) for your company’s plan. Example -

o  The PBM compensates the drugstore the AWP minus 18%

o  your plan and staff members pay AWP minus 15% for meds, and

o  The PBM pockets the difference.

Now for some good news. You do have some leverage in this area. If your drug plan is covered beneath the ERISA umbrella, the PBM must disclose this info.

Ideally, you’ll find the rates are the same on both contracts. But if there’s differential pricing, insist your firm get the full discount.

2. What’s the PMPM?

One key cost figure PBMs can’t manipulate is the per-member-per-month (PMPM) cost of your plan. This number will show when your plan’s costs actually increased or lowered.

The PMPM is calculated by dividing the total costs spent by the number of employees enrolled in the drug plan.

It’s also a great tool for comparing different PBMs to see which is the most cost-efficient for the size of your corporation, says Peter Reed of Managed Benefits Strategies.

3. can we get rebates, too?

Some PBMs receive money from drug businesses that your brokers won’t tell you about – but might  be able to leverage to your plan’s advantage. Example – A lot of PBMs get rebate checks from drug businesses (typically 50 cents to $1.25 per claim) for assisting increase the sales of their products.

When you push hard enough for it, your broker may able to work an arrangement where you either -

o  split rebates from your plan evenly, or

o  let the PBM keep the entire rebate in exchange for a price break on administrative fees.

Important –  Ask to figure out all the payment types the PBM gets from the drug firms. Rebates are often couched in the form of grants or classified as access fees or formulary fees.

4. Precisely how do changes in the formulary work?

In most states, PBMs can change your plan’s list of approved medications without prior notice.

The problem –  PBMs often make mid-year switches that save them money, but might not save your organization or workers a dime.

Example – When the PBM adopts a mail-order-only coverage policy on a certain formulary drug, an worker who needs same-day access to the medication may  be forced to pay full price for it at a pharmacy.

Meanwhile, your plan is still charged the formulary price.To avoid such unpleasant surprises, insist the PBM give written notice of formulary changes, including the addition of new generics.

Azadirachta indica (Neem) extract also has marked hypoglycemic properties.

Gymema sylvestre (Gurmar) Leaf material stimulates insulin secretion and has blood sugar reducing properties.

Tenospora cordifolia (Gilo) enhances glucose utilization and checks release of glucose from the liver.

Casearia esculenta (Chilla) increases the utilization of glucose by the body.

Ficus bengalensis (Bargad) sap of this tree is effective in controlling the diabetes and increasing capacity of pancreatic cells.

Coccinia indica (Bimbi) plant reduces blood sugar.

Helicterus isora (Mororphali) decoction or juice of root bark given in diabetes to lessen -the quantity of sugar.

Catharanthus roseus (Sadabahar, Violet Flowers) also possesses hypoglycemic properties. Five leaves three times a day keeps diabetes in control.

Luffa acutangula (Turai) is also useful in diabetes as it reduces the level of sugar.

Lawsonia inermis (Mehndi). The seed extract isa proven remedy for diabetes.

Plants assisting the diabetics indirectly (because diabetes may lead to the conditions like hyper-lipidaemia, arthosclerosis and mycordial infraction etc.) are Trichosanthus dioca (Parval), Gyamposes tetragoloba (Juar) Plumago zeylanica (Chitrak), Boswellia serrata (Bhilawan) and Commiphora mukal (Gum Guggul) which lowers down the total cholesterol when taken over a period of time.

Diabetes that starts in middle age is generally a much milder disease. The patient is commonly overweight when first symptoms appear. Overeating brings diseases like obesity, diabetes, hyper-lipidaemia, arthosclerosis, coronary heart disease and other maladies. Diabetes is incurable but a managable disease, often strikes late in one’s life. The reason behind it’s the limited supply of effective insulin. By eating less one can keep well because his diet will remain within the limit of what his own insulin can manage.

Diabetes can only be controlled by adopting an optimistic view on life and by following a good diet regimen and exercise.

As it’s rightly said, “When people tell you diabetes cannot be controlled, ask them to go and take a walk”. Even the easiest form of exercise, like walking helps to control diabetes. Exercise improves metabolism which in turn leads to better control of glucose. It also helps to reduce weight and lowers blood pressure-that is commonly elevated in diabetics. More importantly, exercise can facilitate reduction of insulin dosage and other oral drugs. Along with regular physical activity you must also control your diet. And remember to substitute your sugar with aspartame-based sweeteners. Additionally, control the urge to take a cab for short distances. Walk instead. You may be walking away from diabetes.

Medicines

Ayurvedic -Medhumeha

Unani – Dolabi

Homeopathic – Uranium drops, 5-10 drops in half cup water 3 times daily.