Laboratory tests are used by doctors to help identify illnesses, to determine what particular type of infectious organism is causing a problem, and to learn how serious a disease may be. Some procedures can be performed right in the doctor’s surgery, others must be done in a laboratory where more complex equipment is available. Some common tests and procedures are described here.

Urinalysis means analysis of a specimen of urine, the liquid form of body waste. Urine tests can reveal infections in the kidneys, the bladder, and the rest of the urinary tract. The chemical and cell content of urine can also show how well the digestive system is working.

Urine can be tested in four different ways. First, it can be examined visually for color and texture. Normal urine is a clear yellow; if it is cloudy, reddish, or some other color, an infection or an injury may be present in the body. Second, the water content of the urine can be measured. This shows how well the kidneys are doing their job of filtering the body’s wastes. Third, the chemical content of the urine can be analyzed, to find out if the body is discarding necessary chemicals that should be retained. Finally, the urine can be examined under a microscope to find out what cells, bacteria, and other material are present. This is done to identify an infection or disease more exactly.

Chemical analysis of urine is often used as a screening test for diabetes, a disease in which the body does not properly use the carbohydrates (sugars and starches) that are its chief sources of energy. To test for diabetes, the amount of glucose (a form of sugar) in the urine is measured by dipping a chemically treated stick in the urine and comparing the color of the stick with a color chart. If the glucose is above a certain level, diabetes may be the cause. Additional blood tests are then done to verify the diagnosis.

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Blisters are a buildup of clear or almost clear fluid between layers of the skin. They may be caused by heat burns; chemical burns; rubbing (friction); infection by bacteria; viruses; hand, foot, and mouth disease; funguses; allergy to insect bites; or allergy to certain plants. Blisters range from the size of a pinhead to several centimeters across.

Signs and symptoms

Blisters are obvious from their typical appearance – a raised bubble of skin containing clear fluid. The cause of blisters is sometimes determined by their location. When blisters appear on the palms or heels, they are usually due to rubbing; most blisters of the feet are caused by ill-fitting shoes or by not wearing socks. Blisters on the soles and toes may be caused by a fungus. Blisters on the cuticles or backs of fingers almost always mean an infection.

Home care

Do not break open blisters caused by rubbing or by burns. Protect them with gauze and bandages. If a blister is accidentally opened, trim away the major portion of loose skin, cleanse with soap and water, and bandage. If the blister becomes infected (redness and increasing tenderness are signs of infection), it should be soaked in an Epsom salts solution. An infected blister should be checked by a doctor.

Precautions

• Red streaks spreading from a blister indicate spreading infection. If red streaks appear, see your doctor.

• Soaking unbroken blisters in too weak a solution causes marked enlargement of the blisters (suggested Epsom salts solution is at least 110 grams salts to a liter of water).

Medical treatment

Your doctor will determine the cause of the blister and look for signs of possible infection. Infected blisters are opened and the fluid cultured to determine the type of infection. Soaks or oral antibiotics may be prescribed individually or in combination.

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Refined carbohydrate foods

These foods include sugar and foods with very high sugar content, and are unsuitable to include in the diet.

Sugar – White, brown, raw, icing, castor, coffee crystals etc.

Commercial flavoured milks – e.g. Big ‘M’

Flavoured mineral water

Glucose Powder

Jam, marmalade, lemon butter, sweet spreads

Honey, Golden syrup, treacle

Lollies, chocolates, toffee etc.

Powdered drinks, e.g. Fruit Saline, Tang

Sauces e.g. tomato, mint, barbecue

Soft drinks and cordials (ordinary sweetened)

Sugar coated breakfast cereals

Sweet desserts, jelly crystals

Sweetened condensed milk

Sweetened tinned fruits, glace fruit

Sweet Sherry, liqueurs, port, stout, sweet wines

Tonic water

Toppings and syrups

Sweetening agents & dietary products

Excessive use of any type of sweetening agent is unnecessary and not recommended. Try to educate your child to prefer less sweet foods. Why not learn to have unsweetened tea and coffee? Sweetening agents can be divided into two (2) groups.

1. Energy – Free Sweeteners

These sweeteners do not provide any energy (kjoules/calories) and include agents such as saccharin and cyclamate. They are usually purchased in liquid or tablet form – e.g. Sugarine, Sucaryl, Hermesetas, Nutrasweet, Equal.

Saccharin and Cyclamate are frequently used in the manufacture of low calorie or low joule dietary products which are suitable for people with diabetes.

Aspartame also has very low energy content.

2. Energy Providing

These sweeteners provide the same amount of energy (kjoules/calories) per gram as sugar (sucrose). However they do not influence blood glucose levels in the same way.

Those commonly used in the manufacture of dietary products include fructose, sorbitol, and mannitol.

Products prepared with these sweetening agents are often labeled ‘Carbohydrate Modified’.

The use of products containing fructose, sorbitol, mannitol in the diet must be limited for the following reasons:

a. When taken in excess fructose, sorbitol, mannitol may cause diarrhea.

b. Excessive intake may interfere with glucose metabolism.

c. Many carbohydrate modified products are high in fat – e.g. chocolate and should be only used occasionally.

d. The total energy content is often very similar to products prepared with sugar (these products are not low in energy [kjoules/calories] and are not recommended for use by the overweight diabetic).

Examples of products sweetened with fructose, sorbitol or mannitol include:

(Ingredients are generally printed on the label.)

Carbohydrate Modified Jams e.g. Mrs. Trewins

Diabetic Chocolate

Blizzards or SL’s – all flavours

Sugarless Chewing Gum

Diabetic/Carbohydrate Modified Biscuits

Carbohydrate Modified Ice-cream

The carbohydrate exchange list provides information for the inclusion of a variety of normal biscuits and ice-cream, making these products unnecessary.

Note: A small range of powdered sweeteners using a combination of mannitol and cyclamate is available e.g. Sweetaddin and Slim Line. In moderation they are suitable for use in cooking except where weight control may be a problem. A substitution of 1/3-1/2 cup for 1 cup sugar is generally satisfactory.

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