Diabetes means that your blood glucose (sugar) is too high. Your blood always has some glucose in it because the body uses glucose for energy; But too much glucose in the blood is not good for your health. Your body changes most of the food you eat into glucose. Your blood takes the glucose to the cells throughout your body. The glucose needs insulin to get into the body's cells. Insulin is a hormone made in the pancreas, an organ near the stomach. The pancreas releases insulin into the blood. Insulin helps the glucose from food get into body cells. If your body does not make enough insulin or the insulin does not work right, the glucose can't get into the cells, so it stays in the blood. This makes your blood glucose level high, causing you to have diabetes. If not controlled, diabetes can lead to blindness, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputations (having a toe or foot removed, for example), and nerve damage. In women, diabetes can cause problems during pregnancy and make it more likely that your baby will be born with birth defects.

Pre-diabetes means your blood glucose is higher than normal but lower than the diabetes range. It also means you are at risk of getting type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The three main types of diabetes are:

In type 1 and type 2 diabetes ,the exact causes of both types of diabetes are still not known. For both types, genetic factors make it possible for diabetes to develop. But something in the person’s environment is also needed to trigger the onset of diabetes. With type 1 diabetes, those environmental triggers are unknown. With type 2 diabetes, the exact cause is also unknown, but it is clear that excess weight helps trigger the disease. Most people who get type 2 diabetes are overweight.Changing hormones and weight gain are part of a healthy pregnancy, but these changes make it hard for your body to keep up with its need for insulin. When that happens, your body doesn't get the energy it needs from the foods you eat. The risk factors for type 1 diabetes are unknown. Things that can put you at risk for type 2 diabetes include:

• Age , being older than 45
• Overweight or obesity
• Family history ,having a mother, father, brother, or sister with diabetes
• Race/ethnicity 
• Having a baby with a birth weight more than 9 pounds
• Having diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes)
• High blood pressure ,140/90 mmHg or higher. Both numbers are important. If one or both numbers are usually high, you have high blood pressure.
• High cholesterol , total cholesterol over 240 mg/dL
• Inactivity 
• Having other health conditions that are linked to problems using insulin, like Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
• Having a history of heart disease or stroke

What are the signs of diabetes?

• being very thirsty
• urinating a lot
• feeling very hungry
• feeling very tired
• losing weight without trying
• having sores that are slow to heal
• having dry, itchy skin
• losing feeling in or having tingling in the hands or feet
• having blurry vision
• having more infections than usual

There is no cure for diabetes at this time, but there is a great deal of research going on in hopes of finding cures for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Many different approaches to curing diabetes are being studied, and researchers are making progress.

Acne is a disorder that causes outbreaks of skin lesions commonly called pimples. It is caused by the skin’s oil glands making too much sebum, an oily substance, which leads to plugged pores. It also can be caused by the rapid production of a bacteria P. acnes. Acne lesions occur mostly on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders. It is the most common skin disease. Although acne is not a serious health threat, severe acne can lead to disfiguring and permanent scarring. Most young women and men will have at least a few pimples over the course of their lives.

But acne seems to affect men and women in different ways. Young men are more likely to have a more serious form of acne. Acne in young women tends to be more random and linked to hormone changes, such as the menstrual cycle. As women get older, acne often gets better. But some women have acne for many years. Some women even get acne for the first time at age 30 or 40. For many women, acne can be an upsetting illness. Women may have feelings of depression, poor body image, or low self-esteem. But you don’t have to wait to outgrow acne or to let it run its course. Today, almost every case of acne can be resolved. Acne also can, sometimes, be prevented. Many things can trigger acne in women:

• Hormone changes during puberty: During puberty, girls have an increase in male sex hormones called androgens. This increase causes the glands to get larger and make more sebum.
• Hormone changes as an adult: The menstrual cycle is one of the most common acne triggers.  Other hormone changes, such as pregnancy and menopause, improve acne in some women. But some women have worse acne during these times. Stopping use of birth control pills can play a role as well.
• Medicines: Certain medicines, such as those used to treat epilepsy and types of depression.
• Make-up
• Pressure or friction on the skin
• Family history: If other people in your family have acne, there is a greater chance you will have it.

You can help prevent acne flare-ups and scars by taking good care of your skin:

• Clean your skin gently with a mild soap or cleanser twice a day. You should also gently clean the skin after heavy exercise.
• Wash your hair on a regular basis.
• Do not squeeze or pick at acne lesions. This can cause acne scars.
• Avoid getting sunburned. Many medicines used to treat acne can make you more prone to sunburn.
• Choose make-up and hair care products that are “non-comedogenic” or “non-acnegenic.”
• Talk with your doctor about what treatment methods can help your acne.

Cancer is a disease in which cells become abnormal and form more cells in an uncontrolled way. With breast cancer, the cancer begins in cells that make up the breasts—usually in the tubes that carry milk to the nipple or the glands that make milk. The cancerous cells form a mass of tissue called a tumor. Sometimes, the cancer spreads to other parts of the body.

Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women. Every woman has a chance of getting breast cancer. About 1 in 8 women will find out she has breast cancer at some point in her life. This might sound scary. But today, fewer and fewer women are dying from breast cancer. Many women have overcome breast cancer and are living life to its fullest. With breast cancer screening tools, including mammograms, doctors often can find cancer early. Treatment is more likely to work well when cancer is found early.

Anemia occurs when you have less than the normal number of red blood cells in your blood or when the red blood cells in your blood don't have enough hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein that gives the red color to your blood. Its main job is to carry oxygen from your lungs to all parts of your body. If you have anemia, your blood does not carry enough oxygen to all the parts of your body. Without oxygen, your organs and tissues cannot work as well as they should. More than 3 million people in the United States have anemia. Women and people with chronic diseases are at the greatest risk for anemia. Anemia happens when:

1. the body loses too much blood (such as with heavy periods, certain diseases, and trauma)
2. the body has problems making red blood cells
3. red blood cells break down or die faster than the body can replace them with new ones
4. More than one of these problems happens at the same time

There are many types of anemia, all with different causes:

• Iron deficiency anemia (IDA):

IDA is the most common type of anemia. IDA happens when you don't have enough iron in your body.You need iron to make hemoglobin. People with this type of anemia are sometimes said to have iron-poor blood or tired blood. A person can have a low iron level because of blood loss. In women, iron and red blood cells are lost when bleeding occurs from very heavy and long periods, as well as from childbirth. Women also can lose iron and red blood cells from uterine fibroids, which can bleed slowly. Other ways iron and red blood cells can be lost include:

- ulcers, colon polyps, or colon cancer

- regular use of aspirin and other drugs for pain

- infections

- severe injury

- surgery

- Eating foods low in iron

- Pregnancy:It can cause IDA if a woman doesn't consume enough iron for both her and her unborn baby.

- Some people have enough iron in their blood, but have problems absorbing it because of diseases, such as Crohn's disease and Celiac disease, or drugs they are taking.

• Vitamin deficiency anemia (megaloblastic anemia):

Low levels of vitamin B12 are the most common causes of this type of anemia. Vitamin B12 defeciency anemia (pernicious anemia)  happens due to a lack of vitamin B12 in the body.body needs vitamin B12 to make red blood cells and to keep your nervous system working normally. This type of anemia occurs most often in people whose bodies are not able to absorb vitamin B12 from food because of an autoimmune disorder. It also can happen because of intestinal problems. You also can get this type of anemia if the foods you eat don't have enough vitamin B12.  Folic acid supplements  can treat this type of anemia. But, folic acid cannot treat nerve damage caused by a lack of vitamin B12.Not getting enough vitamin B12 can cause numbness in your legs and feet,walking problems , memory loss and seeing problems. The treatment depends on the cause. 

•  Folate deficiency anemia:

Folate, also called folic acid, is also needed to make red blood cells. This type of anemia can occur if you don't consume enough folate or if you have problems absorbing vitamins. It also may occur during the third trimester of pregnancy, when your body needs extra folate. Folate is a B vitamin found in foods such as leafy green vegetables, fruits, and dried beans and peas.

• Anemias caused by underlying diseases:

Some diseases can hurt the body's ability to make red blood cells. For example, anemia is common in people with kidney disease. Their kidneys can't make enough of the hormones that signal the body to make red blood cells. Plus, iron is lost in dialysis (what some people with kidney disease must have to take out waste from the blood).

• Anemias caused by inherited blood disease:

If you have a blood disease in your family, you are at greater risk to also have this disease like sickle cell anemia and thalassemia. The red blood cells of people with sickle cell disease are hard and have a curved edge. These cells can get stuck in the small blood vessels, blocking the flow of blood to the organs and limbs. The body destroys sickle red cells quickly. But, it can't make new red blood cells fast enough. These factors cause anemia.People with thalassemia make less hemoglobin and fewer red blood cells than normal. This leads to mild or severe anemia. One severe form of this condition is Cooley's anemia.

• Aplastic anemia:

This is a rare blood disorder in which the body stops making enough new blood cells. All blood cells(red cells, white cells, and platelets)are affected. Low levels of red blood cells leads to anemia. With low levels of white blood cells, the body is less able to fight infections. With too few platelets, the blood can't clot normally.

• fatigue (very common)
• weakness (very common)
• dizziness
• headache
• numbness or coldness in your hands and feet
• low body temperature
• pale skin
• rapid or irregular heartbeat
• shortness of breath
• chest pain
• irritability
• not doing well at work or in school

All of these signs and symptoms can occur because your heart has to work harder to pump more oxygen-rich blood through the body.

The treatment your doctor prescribes for you will depend on the cause of the anemia. For example, treatment for sickle cell anemia is different than treatment for anemia caused by low iron or folic acid intake. Treatment may include changes in foods you eat, taking dietary supplements (like vitamins or iron pills), changing the medicines you are taking, or in more severe forms of anemia, medical procedures such as blood transfusion or surgery.

Most people get enough iron by making healthy, balanced food choices and eating iron-rich foods. But some groups of people are at greater risk for low iron levels:

• teenage girls and women of childbearing age (who have heavy bleeding during their period, who have had more than one child, or use an intrauterine device [IUD])
• older infants and toddlers (mainly those who drink a lot of milk or are having a growth spurt)
• pregnant women (about half of pregnant women have iron-deficiency anemia)
• Female athletes who engage in regular, intense exercise

These groups of people should be screened at times for iron deficiency. If the tests show that the body isn't getting enough iron, iron pills (supplements) may be prescribed. Many doctors prescribe iron pills during pregnancy because many pregnant women don't get enough iron. Iron pills can help when diet alone can't restore the iron level back to normal.

Pregnant women need to consume twice as much iron as women who are not pregnant. But about half of all pregnant women do not get enough iron. During pregnancy, your body needs more iron because of the growing fetus, the higher volume of blood, and blood loss during delivery. If a pregnant woman does not get enough iron for herself or her growing baby, she has an increased chance of having preterm birth and a low-birth-weight baby.

A person with anorexia nervosa, has an intense fear of gaining weight. Anorexia is more than just a problem with food. It's a way of using food or starving oneself to feel more in control of life and to ease tension, anger, and anxiety. Most people with anorexia are female. An anorexic:

• Has a low body weight for her or his height
• Resists keeping a normal body weight
• Has an intense fear of gaining weight
• Thinks she or he is fat even when very thin
• Misses 3 menstrual periods in a row (for girls/women who have started having their periods)

While anorexia mostly affects girls and women (85 - 95 percent of anorexics are female), it can also affect boys and men. It was once thought that women of color were shielded from eating disorders by their cultures, which tend to be more accepting of different body sizes.People with different cultural backgrounds may develop eating disorders because it’s hard to adapt to a new culture. There is no single known cause of anorexia. Eating disorders are real, treatable medical illnesses with causes in both the body and the mind. Some of these things may play a part:

• Culture. Women in the U.S. are under constant pressure to fit a certain ideal of beauty.
• Families. If you have a mother or sister with anorexia, you are more likely to develop the disorder. Parents who think looks are important, diet themselves, or criticize their children's bodies are more likely to have a child with anorexia.
• Life changes or stressful events. Traumatic events  as well as stressful things (like starting a new job), can lead to the onset of anorexia.
• Personality traits. Someone with anorexia may not like her or himself, hate the way she or he looks, or feel hopeless. She or he often sets hard-to-reach goals for her or himself and tries to be perfect in every way.
• Biology. Genes, hormones, and chemicals in the brain may be factors in developing anorexia.

Osteoporosis is a condition that means your bones are weak, and you’re more likely to break a bone. Since there are no symptoms, you might not know your bones are getting weaker until you break a bone! A broken bone can really affect a woman’s life. It can cause disability, pain, or loss of independence. It can make it harder to do daily activities without help, such as walking. This can make it hard to participate in social activities. It can also cause severe back pain and deformity. Osteoporosis can happen to any of your bones, but is most common in the hip, wrist, and in your spine, also called your vertebrae. Vertebrae are important because these bones support your body to stand and sit upright. Things that can increase your chances of developing osteoporosis include:

• being female
• small, thin body (under 127 pounds)
• family history of osteoporosis
• being postmenopausal or of an advanced age
• race Caucasian or Asian race, but African American and Hispanic women are also at significant risk for developing the disease
• abnormal absence of menstrual periods or having an eating disorder, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia that can cause menstrual periods to stop before menopause, and loss of bone tissue from too much exercise
• low testosterone levels in men
• a diet low in dairy products or other sources of calcium and vitamin D
• inactive lifestyle
• long-term use of glucocorticoids (medicines prescribed for many diseases, including arthritis, asthma, and lupus).Anti-seizure medications; gonadotropin releasing hormone for treatment of endometriosis; aluminum-containing antacids; certain cancer treatments; and excessive thyroid hormone
• cigarette smoking and drinking too much alcohol

 Building strong bones during childhood and adolescence is the best defense against getting osteoporosis later. Building strong bones at a young age will lessen the effects of the natural bone loss that starts around age 30. As you get older, your bones don’t make new bone quickly enough to keep up with the bone loss. And after menopause, bone loss increases more quickly.

Bones are made of calcium. The best way to prevent osteoporosis is to get enough calcium in your diet. You need enough calcium each day for strong bones throughout life. You can get it through foods and/or calcium pills, which you can get at the drug store. Pregnant or nursing women need the same amount of calcium as other women of the same age.

It is also important to get enough vitamin D, which helps your body take in calcium. You can get vitamin D through sunlight and foods like milk. You need 10-15 minutes of sunlight to the hands, arms, and face, two to three times a week to get enough vitamin D. Other nutrients, like vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, and zinc, as well as protein, help build strong bones too. Milk provides many of these nutrients. But you can also get these nutrients by eating a healthy diet, including with foods that have these nutrients. Some examples are lean meat, fish, green leafy vegetables, and oranges.

Pregnancy-associated osteoporosis is believed to be a rare condition that is usually found in the third trimester of a woman’s pregnancy or after giving birth. Women affected usually complain of back pain, have a loss of height, and have vertebral fractures. As of 1996, there had been 80 cases of this condition reported. Researchers do not know if this condition occurs as a result of pregnancy or because of other health problems the woman had.

Things that may cause this condition, such as genetic factors or steroid use, are being studied. Even though there is stress on a pregnant woman’s calcium supply, and calcium leaves her body more often because of frequent urination, other changes during pregnancy, like increases in estrogen and weight gain, may actually help bone density. There is much more to be learned about how a woman’s bone density is affected by pregnancy.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a collection of symptoms that occur when the nerves and muscles in a person's bowel (the colon, or large intestine) do not work like they should. With IBS, a person's bowel is extra sensitive, causing discomfort and changes in bowel activity. IBS is a chronic condition, meaning it lasts a long time. Symptoms of IBS may include:

• cramping
• pain in the stomach area
• bloating
• gas
• mucus in the stool
• changes in bowel habits

Some people with IBS have constipation (infrequent stools that may be hard, dry, and painful). Others have diarrhea (frequent loose stools). Some people have both. Sometimes a person with IBS has a crampy urge to empty the bowels but cannot do so. IBS is a "functional" disorder, which means that the bowel doesn't work as it should.The cause of IBS is not known, and there is no cure for IBS. Other symptoms include:

• mucus in the stool
• swollen or bloated stomach area
• feeling like you haven't finished a bowel movement
• heartburn
• discomfort in the upper stomach area or feeling uncomfortably full or nauseous after eating a normal size meal

Some women with IBS have more or different symptoms during their menstrual periods.

Breastfeeding is normal and healthy for infants and moms. Breast milk has disease-fighting cells called antibodies that help protect infants from germs, illness, and even sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Breastfeeding is linked to a lower risk of various health problems for babies, including:

• Ear infections
• Stomach viruses
• Respiratory infections
• Atopic dermatis
• Asthma
• Obesity
• Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
• Childhood leukemia
• Necrotizing enterocolitis, a gastrointestinal disease in preterm infants

In moms, breastfeeding is linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and postpartum depression. Infant formula cannot match the exact chemical makeup of human milk, especially the cells, hormones, and antibodies that fight disease. For most babies, breast milk is easier to digest than formula. It takes time for their stomachs to adjust to digesting proteins in formula because they are made from cow's milk. It is best to give your baby only breast milk for the first six months of life. This means not giving your baby any other food or drink — not even water — during this time. Drops of liquid vitamins, minerals, and medicines are, of course, fine, as advised by your baby's doctor. It is even better if you can breastfeed for your baby's first year or longer, for as long as you both wish. Solid iron-rich foods, such as iron-fortified cereals and pureed vegetables and meats, can be started when your baby is around six months old. Before that time, a baby's stomach cannot digest them properly. Solids do not replace breastfeeding. Breast milk stays the baby's main source of nutrients during the first year. Beyond one year, breast milk can still be an important part of your child's diet.

All infants and children, including those who are exclusively breastfed and those who are fed formula, should have at least 400 International Units (IU) of vitamin D per day, starting during the first two months of life, to help them build strong bones. New research suggests that mothers should be getting 200-400 IU of vitamin D per day to ensure plenty of vitamin D in her milk and for her own health. You can buy vitamin D supplements for infants at a drug store or grocery store. Sunlight can be a major source of vitamin D, but it is hard to measure how much sunlight your baby gets. Ask your doctor and your baby's doctor about vitamin D as well as sun exposure.