Ravensong Poetry And Writing Blog by Donovan Baldwin

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Labels: donovan baldwin, poems, poetry

# posted by Donovan Baldwin @ 11:34 AM 0 comments

Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It occurs when the body either cannot produce enough insulin or cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone essential for regulating blood sugar levels, and its imbalance can lead to serious health complications. This article delves into the types, causes, symptoms, and management of diabetes.

Types of Diabetes

1. Type 1 Diabetes: An autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. It usually develops in childhood or adolescence and requires daily insulin therapy.

2. Type 2 Diabetes: The most common form, it occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or the pancreas cannot produce enough. It is often linked to lifestyle factors, such as obesity and inactivity.

3. Gestational Diabetes: Develops during pregnancy and typically resolves after childbirth, though it increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later.

4. Prediabetes: A condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as Type 2 diabetes. It serves as a warning sign and an opportunity for early intervention.

Causes and Risk Factors

While the exact causes of diabetes vary by type, common factors include genetics, lifestyle choices, and certain medical conditions. Risk factors include:

• Family history of diabetes

• Obesity or being overweight

• Sedentary lifestyle

• Age (higher risk for Type 2 as people get older)

• High blood pressure or cholesterol levels

Symptoms

Recognizing the symptoms early can help in managing diabetes effectively. Common symptoms include:

• Frequent urination

• Excessive thirst

• Unexplained weight loss

• Fatigue

• Blurred vision

• Slow-healing wounds

Complications

If left unmanaged, diabetes can lead to severe complications, including:

• Cardiovascular diseases

• Nerve damage (neuropathy)

• Kidney disease (nephropathy)

• Eye damage (retinopathy)

• Foot problems that may require amputation

Diagnosis and Treatment

Diabetes is diagnosed through blood tests, including fasting blood sugar, oral glucose tolerance tests, and HbA1c levels. Once diagnosed, the treatment plan often includes:

• Medication: Insulin or oral medications to control blood sugar.

• Lifestyle Changes: A balanced diet, regular exercise, and weight management.

• Monitoring: Regularly checking blood sugar levels.

Prevention and Management

While Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented, Type 2 and gestational diabetes can often be avoided through healthy lifestyle choices. Here are some tips:

1. Healthy Eating: Focus on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins.

2. Regular Exercise: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week.

3. Weight Management: Maintain a healthy weight to reduce the risk.

4. Routine Check-Ups: Regular medical check-ups can help detect early signs and prevent progression.

Living with Diabetes

Managing diabetes requires a proactive approach and support from healthcare professionals, family, and friends. Technological advancements, such as continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps, have made it easier to live well with diabetes.

In conclusion, diabetes is a manageable condition with the right knowledge, care, and lifestyle adjustments. Early detection and consistent management are key to reducing complications and maintaining a high quality of life. By understanding the condition and taking preventive measures, individuals can lead healthier lives even with a diabetes diagnosis.

MORE ABOUT DIABETES

Labels: diabetes

# posted by Donovan Baldwin @ 6:03 PM 0 comments

 BY DONOVAN BALDWIN

Until I learned German and went to Germany, I assumed that everybody had the same thoughts, the same way, just in their own language.

Labels: donovan baldwin, essay, German, hooplah, language, oops, opinion

# posted by Donovan Baldwin @ 7:17 AM 0 comments

By Ron Hicks

two sad lovers cursed

their most powerful desires

cannot defeat fate

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two tidal lovers

a sea of exclamations

a pounding of waves

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below the surface

it's so sweet resting down here

in your soul's ocean

-----

mid shadows of fire

there among the leaping flames

your image dances

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powerful her tides

strong the waves which cast about

we entwined lovers

-----

i cannot be one

my helmet and my rifle

as true as my pen

-----

kissing your closed eyes

telling you secrets with touches

smiling at your smile

-----

Donovan Baldwin

REVITOL SKINCARE PRODUCTS

Labels: donovan baldwin, love poems, poems, poetry

# posted by Donovan Baldwin @ 10:48 AM 0 comments

BY DONOVAN BALDWIN

Basically, th U.S. population is undergoing a quiet revolution, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  They predict that by 2030, the U. S. population aged 65 and older will reach about 71 million.  This is roughly double the present number.

As those of us who are already classified as seniors know, the CDC recognizes the increasing health and financial burdens which begin to accrue with age.  Also, there is a diminished quality of life and risk of disease and/or long-term illness.

However, as I have often pointed out in this blog and in other articles, many of which have been published on other websites, and on my website at nodiet4me.com, not all of the negative expectations, which are real, need be as negative as most people assume.

Again, the CDC and I are in agreement, they based on research and me based on my own life experiences.

A great amount of the very real illness, disability, and death which go hand-in-hand with the normal progress of aging can be controlled, at least to some extent, and, in some cases, be reversed.  The most common steps towards healthy aging do not require extreme measures or esoteric potions or nostrums.  

The CDC and I agree that some of the best steps to take include regular exercise, proper nutrition, avoiding dangerous habits such as tobacco use, proper sleep and rest, and regular medical checkups.

There are a lot of things about aging that make life hard, but we don't have to make life harder to effectively administer our own personally designed anti-aging program.

REVITOL SKINCARE PRODUCTS

Labels: aging, CDC, donovan baldwin

# posted by Donovan Baldwin @ 7:19 AM 0 comments

Boy of the wind and wave,

Bending trees beneath him,

Burning naked beneath the sun,

Taught poetry by nature,

By promises written on

The horizon of The endless sea,

Which became his mistress,

And, with words, his desire.

-----

caught him watching

never thought herself sexy

until that moment

-----

merely a poet

who's learned to remain hidden

only his words wanted

-----

At my age,

It's seldom about

Feeling good.

More likely

Feeling better,

Than yesterday.

Since yesterday

I might have felt like...

Well, you know.

Feeling better than that,

Might still NOT be

Feeling good.

-----

dawn's sensuous rise

love gloriously displayed

over earth's oceans

-----

she brings me flowers

offering them with a smile

beside which they pale

-----

we smile together

when we hear the ocean's song

though so far apart

-----

touched so many times

gentle smile and loving words

i seek every day

-----

ocean or fountain

i seek out a water nymph

to share poetry

-----

the more words she read

the more that she realized

that he wrote for her

-----

was it you or me

first saw the written poems

as our love letters

-----

ocean between us

joining not separating

singing us its song

-----

some words frighten her

yet they fill his poetry

and make her wonder

-----

redder than a rose

she's more brightly blossoming

by singing waters

-----

i await your touch

even if only in words

to know you read this

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Only a story,

A tale on the night wind,

A dancer by the fire,

Or sitting with me watching,

As life unfolds and becomes poetry,

Unconventional images stepping

Into the light,

Summoning us into the shadows

Where we may make love in private,

With words and touches,

And sigh and moans.

-----

At first adrift,

She gathers speed,

Sailing towards

Her ocean's edge...

Drawing back,

Anticipating,

The next foray,

Each new adventure,

Again and again,

The next turn

Of her tide

Until...

The ocean swells,

And she, swept on,

By the power of each

Successive wave,

Falls over the edge,

Into ecstatic oblivion.

-----

Sometimes it's hard to care

Without someone to care with.

It's lonely among people,

Who have no clue of who you are,

And would stare at you as they

Backed away if they did know...

It's a life full of echoes, when,

Only you understand yourself,

Or care...

Comes back to that...

Understand,

Accept,

Care...

Love?

I've got lots.

Wish you had some,

Somebody?

Echoes again,

Just echoes.

-----

his cursive etchings

true love graven in her skin

delight in each curve

-----

ecstatic climax

as everything that she is

unites for pleasure

-----

quivers with pleasure

the  words thar stripped her naked

filling needs and wants

-----

takes hold of his words

in her mind they come alive

touching her inside

------

murmuring his words

like love's liquid in her mouth

tasted drop by drop

-----

she sacrifices

dies a little death for him

for herself as well

-----

Labels: donovan baldwin, ocean, poems, poetry, poetry blog

# posted by Donovan Baldwin @ 3:39 PM 0 comments

There are some things that cannot be changed, and your genetic inheritance is one of them.  If you are at risk for high cholesterol due to the genetic makeup inherited from your ancestors, then that is a fact.

This is of concern because high cholesterol puts you at risk for heart disease and heart attacks.  Often, cholesterol must be controlled with medications, However, at already at a high cholesterol level or not, on medication or not, you can usually lower your cholesterol levels by several points by making some simple lifestyle changes.  

1.  Get Regular Exercise:  Participating in regular physical activity such as gardening, walking, or swimming, or in a formal exercise program, has several well-documented health benefits.  Some of these benefits affect your cholesterol levels indirectly or from another angle, but exercise can reduce cholesterol levels itself.  Even something as simple as squeezing in a few short exercise sessions daily can help produce results.

2.  Lose Weight:  It has been shown that losing as little as 10 lbs can help reduce cholesterol levels, and exercise is one of the more effective strategies for healthy weight loss.  That's one of the indirect aspects of exercise mentioned earlier.

3.  Eat Right:  Hey!  Here we go again.  Healthy eating helps promote weight loss.  Healthy weight loss can help encourage interest in exercise, as can getting the proper nutrition.

A general rule of thumb for healthy eating is that the closer to the source the food is, usually the better for you it is.  Get rid of trans fats generally found in fried foods and bakery products.  Select lean cuts of meat, low fat dairy products, and exercise portion control.  Eat a wide range of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.  By all means, read the labels!  Pick foods with lower cholesterol levels.  For example, I was buying one brand of a certain product I used daily until I read the label and found that it had a much higher cholesterol level than another brand which provided the same nutrients.

4.  Keep Alcohol Consumption at Low Levels:  It has been found that a low level of alcohol consumption, generally no more than one or two drinks a day, can be of some health benefit and can help increase "good" cholesterol.  Red wine has an ingredient, resveratrol, which apparently helps protect cells against the effects of aging.  However, high levels of alcohol consumption can lead to serious health problems, including high blood pressure, heart failure and stroke. 

5.  Don't Smoke:  As an ex-smoker, I cannot beat on this drum enough!  If you already smoke, stopping smoking can improve your HDL cholesterol level. The health benefits don't end there, either. Only 20 minutes after your last cigarette, your blood pressure decreases. Then within 24 hours, your risk of a heart attack begins to decrease. Within just one year, your risk of heart disease is already down to half that of a smoker. It gets even better.  Within 15 years, your risk of heart disease is similar to someone who never smoked.

Generally, lifestyle changes don't cause huge decreases in cholesterol levels, but, given time, they will, in most cases, produce results.  However, as mentioned earlier, some people may need medication to actually reduce cholesterol levels effectively.  Even in those instances, it is still in the individual's best interest to include the lifestyle choices as a part of their plan for good health overall and cholesterol control in particular.

Labels: article, donovan baldwin, health, lower cholesterol

# posted by Donovan Baldwin @ 9:06 AM 0 comments