Diabetes and Diet

Cholesterol is very important basic fatty substance that is essential for our survival. Over 85% of cholesterol is produced in our liver and we only need to get 15% from outside sources. The problem is that we are consuming way more cholesterol than what our bodies need from sources outside our bodies and that’s the beginning of the problem. Cholesterol’s only outside food source is the animal kingdom like bacon, sausages, hotdogs, butter and other dairy products, heavy creams, sour cream, cheeses, fatty cuts of meet or pork and lard. Coconut and palm oils are the 2 sources for cholesterol sources from a non-animal kingdom.

Bringing these 2 silent killers cholesterol and blood pressure are covered in an e-book titled “Lifestyle Makeover: Defeat High Cholesterol and Blood Pressure”

Moreover, we have become more than ever a largely physically inactive society. We are sitting throughout an entire 8 to 12 hour work day then go home and sit in front of the TV some 5 or 6 hours more while consuming large meals, snacks and beverages that are rich in fats (especially saturated fats), salt, and loads of sugar all of which contributing to more belly fat build up. Belly fat buildup causes the start of inflammation in our arteries contributing to plaque build up and insulin resistance and leading to heart attacks and diabetes. All of the daily unfavorable choices we are making every day are literally killing us.

People are also leading highly stressful lives and vent off by eating more sugar or smoking worsening the situation and mortality outcomes.

When people don’t read nutrition labels they tend to consume very dense food, snacks and sugary beverages that are nutrient deficient. These foods are available all over at fast food restaurants or vending machines and contain loads of sugar, fats and unwanted calories. For refreshments and hydration instead of water people’s main form of hydration are large SUGARY soft drinks, “lemonades”, “sweetened tea”, “smoothies”, “lattes and frappucinos” which contain loads more of sugar which turns in the body to belly fat (increasing waist lines and triglycerides levels that float in the blood to block more arteries.

That’s how people build their own time bombs by blocking their own arteries with their own unfavorable choices.

People are awesome at taking care of their home and family, awesome at business planning and forecasts, excellent marketers, excellent 1,3 and 5 year projection planners but their health (which is THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR) is in utter shambles and they may not survive these forecasts or may survive with major blows and debilitations to their vital organs due to all these risks factors that will tumble on their heads and make them magnets to all kinds of PREDATOR MANMADE DISEASES.

People spend a ton of money on outside looks and makeovers for their businesses, closets, their office, home but they neglect the most crucial makeover to their lifestyles which is the one that will protect their vital organs and spare their lives.

For someone who has cholesterol, lifestyle changes along with medication treatment and periodically monitoring cholesterol to track progress are essential for an effective Lifestyle Makeover and avoiding harms way.

If you are diagnosed with high cholesterol and if your doctor prescribes medications then take them as instructed every day. High cholesterol presents no symptoms just a sudden heart attack that can be deadly. I see it every day in my pharmacy practice that people believe that by taking medications they are safe and they can indulge and remain inactive. Along with medications you need to make balanced lifestyle choices, increase the walking you do every day, cut back on eating fried foods and sugars. Switch to water and limit all other beverages to a couple non-sugar containing beverages. Increase your intake of fiber from oats, whole grain bread, beans, brown rice and whole wheat pasta.

For more details on how you can bring your cholesterol and blood pressure under control log on to www.LifestyleMakeoverEbook.com and check out the e-book titled “Lifestyle Makeover: Defeat High Cholesterol and Blood Pressure” and other e-books to help you manage your stress, sexual health, consume alcohol in balance and quit smoking (if you’re a smoker).

Take a simple True and False quiz NOW and test your knowledge by clicking on the link above.

For more detailed information on any of these topics log on to: www.LifestyleMakeoverEbook.com and check out these information packed lifesaving book and e-book volumes: LIFESTYLE MAKEOVER FOR DIABETICS AND PRE-DIABETICS and four other e-books: Lifestyle Makeover: Sex, Stress, and Alcohol , Lifestyle Makeover for All Couch Potatoes , Lifestyle Makeover: Defeat High Cholesterol and Blood Pressure , and Lifestyle Makeover for all Tobacco Users . The author of this article is also the author of these volumes.

George Tohme
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/is-cholesterol-the-bad-guy-have-our-choices-been-killing-us-677960.html

The most common prescription for diabetes is Insulin and Insulin often causes damage to the small blood vessels of the body. This damage also impact the retina of the eye and result in loss of vision and slowing this damage is extended to the delicate blood vessels in the filters of the kidneys. Diabetes may also damage the nerves in the body including the bladder; it may be difficult to pass urine with infected bladder. The pressure from urine building up in the bladder can cause kidney damage.

Chances of a diabetic person developing a kidney disease are very high (more than 60%). If left untreated, this could lead to more kidney damage or kidney failure.

One can have serious kidney damage without being aware of it. There are usually no specific symptoms of kidney disease until the damage is severe. However, if you have diabetes, you should be tested once a year to see if diabetes has affected your kidneys. Your doctor can arrange a urine test for protein (a random urine test for “albumin to creatinine ratio”), and a blood test to check how well your kidneys are functioning (the “serum creatinine”).

Symptoms:

Early symptoms of kidney disease show high level of protein in the urine. Eventually excess loss of protein from the blood causes the water from the blood to move into the body tissues causing swelling (edema). Itchiness, breathlessness and tiredness may also occur before the kidney failure occurs.

Cause of kidney disease:

Kidney infection is another major cause of kidney failure. Diabetic patients show high level of sugar in their urine causing the growth of bacteria. People with diabetes must take special care to avoid infections and have them treated immediately.

Kidney failure:

When the kidneys are about to fail you might experience tiredness, nausea and vomiting. You could also retain salt and water, which could cause swelling of your feet and hands, and shortness of breath. You may also find that you need less insulin than usual. When the kidneys fail, wastes and fluids will accumulate in your body and you will need dialysis treatments or a kidney transplant. You may be referred to a nephrologist (a kidney specialist) if your doctor thinks the damage to your kidneys is severe.

What can you do to prevent kidney damage?

There are special treatments (including proper food choices and medications) which may help to delay kidney failure. It is necessary to start these treatments as soon as your doctor notices any of the early signs or risk factors.
There are many things you can do to help prevent kidney damage:

? Have your urine, blood and blood pressure checked regularly by your doctor
? Maintain good control of your blood sugar
? Control high blood pressure (less than 130/80* on most readings)
? Stop smoking
? Exercise regularly
? Make the proper food choices
? Avoid excess alcohol
? See your doctor if you think you have a bladder infection
? Get enough sleep

If you are suffering from kidney failure and would like more information on alternative medicine, please visit www.kundankidneycare.com

Oankar Kundan
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/diabetes-impacts-kidneys-707732.html

For the type 1 and type 2 diabetic the importance of a diet for diabetes cannot be overstated. Used in conjunction with drug therapy a proper diet is considered the single most important part of managing this deadly disease. Those who are newly diagnosed need to be properly educated with regards to diet, exercise, and medication to help avoid and minimize the complications that diabetes creates.

Significant lifestyle changes need to be made by anyone who suffers from this disease and the first person to tell them this will be their doctor when they are diagnosed. The doctor will be the primary point of information and reference for their diabetes care and management. A good doctor will also be able to refer their diabetic patients to a licensed nutritionist who is skilled at helping create a diet for diabetes that is individualized to each of their clients.

The most important aspect of this type of diet is controlling blood glucose (sugar) levels. This can be hard for people who have an inherent sweet tooth but avoiding foods and snacks with large amounts of sugar is a basic necessity for the diabetic. The good news is that there is no shortage of foods available that the diabetic can eat along with plenty of recipes to help prepare tasty meals.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has a website full of dietary information for the diabetic. They also have information about the latest treatments and medical research that those with diabetes need to stay current with. You will also find the Diabetic Food Pyramid on the ADA site. The food pyramid for diabetes is much like the regular food pyramid most people are familiar with except that it breaks down the food groups based on which are the better choices and the daily amounts a diabetic should be eating.

Because diabetes is becoming such a serious and growing health issue for an estimated 17 million people in the United States the food industry in this country has created a large array of food items aimed at people with diabetes. The situation is only going to get worse because the obesity epidemic will continue to create type 2 diabetics at an alarmingly growing rate into the future. Fortunately these products not only help to control blood glucose levels but give those who suffer this disease a variety of foods that will satisfy just about everyone, even those who have a sweet tooth.

A diet for diabetes is a drastic change for most people diagnosed with this disease, but if they are to successfully manage and live with their condition it is something they must do. Having the support and understanding of family and friends during this transition to a dietary change is also important and will help more quickly deal with their diabetes and the complications it can cause.

Andrew Bicknell
http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/information-about-a-diet-for-diabetes-730247.html

Diabetes is growing by 3 percent each year for children and youth

November 14 is celebrated each year as Children’s Day and World Diabetes Day. This year the theme is “Diabetes in children and youth”. Let me take this opportunity to write about diabetes in children.

Diabetes is one of the most common diseases that affect children. It can strike children of any age, even toddlers and babies. If not detected during early childhood, the disease can have deadly consequences or result in serious damage to the brain. Diabetic child is often completely overlooked. This is the time miss-diagnosed as flu or doctors fail to diagnose it at all. Every parent, teacher, doctor involved in child care should be familiar with the warning signs and be alert to the threat.

The warning signs are Frequent urination, Excessive thirst, Increased hunger, Weight, Fatigue, Lack of interest and concentration, Blurred vision, Vomiting and abdominal pain (often mistaken as the flu).

In children with type 2 diabetes, the symptoms may be moderate or not. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes: Diabetes occurs as a result of problems in production and supply of the hormone insulin in the body. The body needs insulin to use energy that is stored in food. When a person has diabetes their body cannot create insulin (Type 1diabetes) or their bodies cannot use the insulin made effectively (type 2diabetes).

Type 1 diabetes is most common type of diabetes in children. However, as a result of increasing childhood obesity and always lifestyles, type 2 diabetes is also increasing rapidly in children and youth. In some countries type 2diabetes has become the most common type of disease in children.

Type 2 diabetes in children is probably under-diagnosed because it may have no symptoms. To prevent Type 2 diabetes in children, emphasis should be laid on physical activity, less frequent activities such as television and views of a healthy diet. If diabetes is diagnosed, paying close attention to all cardiovascular risk factors, as well as prevention is important. We need to fit in the modern industrial city on a healthy way. Diabetes is a serious health problem and expensive and there is much that can do to reduce its impact. The earliest description of diabetes from the Philippines to 2,500 years ago and the role of obesity, frequent behaviour and dietary factors are known in ancient times. What is needed now is concerted public health action against the risk factors for diabetes.

We can do our bit to prevent diabetes and other diseases. Food for children with diabetes is a minor consideration. A dietician will be able to tell you more but it is certain essential that your child has a healthy, balanced diet, high in complex carbohydrates and fibre. It is necessary to be careful Sweets but it need not be 100 per cent from the menu. Some of the foods planning of goals for children with diabetes are the same as for other children. They must eat food that will help them have good general health, normal growth and a healthy weight. But children with diabetes also have to balance their carbohydrate intake with their insulin and activity levels to maintain their levels of blood sugar under control. In addition, children with diabetes should also eat foods that help maintain the level of lipids or fats in the blood (such as Cholesterol and triglycerides) in a healthy range. Food this way may help prevent some of the long-term health problem that can cause diabetes. These days, with huge amounts of food choices, we need to teach them to read the labels of food, especially the carbohydrate content. They must understand the serving size and how to change one food for another.

Children with diabetes face the same challenges of food everyone – largely sticking to healthy eating habits over time. It can be difficult with so many temptations, so it is important to prepare food that your child enjoys. The food may make you plan vary depending on your child’s diabetes, but to help your child Dietician, you can tailor meals to planning your child’s food preferences and eating habits

maxilolee
http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/diabetes-in-children-and-youth-671923.html

Diabetes is the inability to transfer sugars in blood into the sugar-storage sites of your body, the muscles and liver. Sugars, called carbohydrates, are found mainly in cereals, rice, bread, pastas, potatoes, milk products, fruits, fruit juices and sweets. When we consume these foods, they pass from the stomach into the intestines and get broken down to the most basic sugar form, glucose. Glucose (sugar) normally moves into the blood via a web of blood vessels that are connected to the intestines. When the movement of glucose into the blood stream raises its average level above 100 points (mg/dl), it triggers the secretion of a hormone called insulin from the pancreas. When insulin is secreted into the blood, it causes the excess glucose (sugar) to be stored in muscles and liver cells. It is stored in a form called glycogen, which may be used at a later time as an immediate source of energy.

This energy is used for activities of up to three minutes: lifting or throwing an object, running away from danger, sprinting, stop-and-go actions such as a short walk, or any sports activity. Some people have impairment in their insulin production or in the functioning of their insulin. This insulin impairment causes the level of glucose to rapidly rise above the 100-point mark, and that is the condition we call diabetes. High sugar levels, left untreated, can gradually cause damage to vital tissues, such as blood vessels, the nervous system, kidneys, heart and arteries. This can cause debilitating strokes, heart disease, erectile dysfunction, loss of sensation or pain in the feet and hands, leading to leg amputations, kidney failure and blindness.

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes is when someone can produce little or no insulin, due mainly to immune and genetic (inherited) defects in the pancreas. People with Type 1 Diabetes create approximately only 10% of all of people diagnosed with diabetes. Type 1 can occur at a relatively young age, especially during childhood. At the time of diagnosis, people are usually of average weight, experiencing weight loss; frequent urination, blurred vision and dry mouth and their blood fasting sugar are way above 125 points (mg/dl). Type 1 diabetics have to depend on insulin use for the rest of their lives, in order to survive and making good lifestyle choices is integral to diabetes control. Oral Diabetes medications that are Sensitizers (see detailed discussion of this group of drugs in Action Step 2 right after the Insulin section) can be prescribed along with Insulin for people with Type 1 which can help reduce the amount of daily insulin used. Also leading and maintaining an active Lifestyle and making favorable food choices and raising your fiber intake can all help bring Diabetes under control and reduce the amount of total daily insulin dose (decisions about insulin dosing can ONLY be made by your doctor). Refer to Action Step 4 for a detailed discussion on how to start and maintain an active Lifestyle and make favorable food choices.

Impaired Glucose Tolerance or Pre-diabetes

This is a condition where glucose levels are higher than normal but not enough to be diagnosed as diabetes namely at a range from 100 to 125 mg/dl on a fasting state (first thing in the morning before eating). Typically, the more than 54 million people in this category are overweight or obese. They are people who consume large amounts of “junk food” (nutrient-deficient foods and drinks such as soft drinks and all other sugar containing juices and drinks. Foods that are loaded with sugars and unfavorable sources of fat such as animal fat, butter, margarine and Trans Fatty Acids that are found in the majority of packaged processed sweet and or salty snacks) and lead totally sedentary lifestyles; they also have high cholesterol and triglycerides and have low HDL (the good cholesterol). Studies show that these people will eventually develop diabetes and other preventable chronic ailments, such as: high cholesterol, high blood pressure and heart disease, “unless” they are identified early and they start making favorable lifestyle choices.

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes affects some women during pregnancy and is characterized by consistently higher than 95 points (mg/dl) on a fasting state first thing in the morning, and over 120 points 2 hours after a meal. Most women who suffer from Gestational Diabetes will return to having normal blood glucose levels after delivery. Up to 45% of women who develop diabetes during pregnancy may progress to having full-blown diabetes later in life unless they make favorable lifestyle choices and change their eating and activity habits. The main predisposing factors for gestational diabetes are family history of diabetes, obesity and sedentary lifestyles . It is crucial that women at risk be identified, since high blood sugar causes fetal harm.

Who Should Test?

All women, early on in their pregnancy, who have the following criteria must be tested for high blood sugar; women who are: overweight, over the age of 25, who have family history of diabetes, those who belong to ethnic groups other than Caucasian, those who have previously had gestational diabetes, or who have previously delivered large babies over 9 pounds.

Treatment

Gestational diabetes is initially treated with Lifestyle interventions such as making balanced food choices and increasing activity as described in Action Step 4. If fasting (first thing in the morning before eating) blood sugar is not brought to 95 points (mg/dl) or to 120 points 2 hours after lunch or dinner then Insulin is the ideal drug that is used. Your doctor will decide which insulin product and dose is appropriate for you. (See the discussion about insulin in Action Step 2).

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, usually affects people later on in life, after the age of 25 or 30. However, Type 2 Diabetes has alarmingly been plaguing children at a much younger age than ever witnessed. Kids as young as 15 and 17 who are obese and leading sedentary lifestyles and commonly seen in grocery stores shopping while riding electric shopping scooters, are now diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. About 90% of people with diabetes have Type 2. People with Type 2 Diabetes produce insulin from their pancreas, but due to lifestyle factors such as obesity and inactivity the insulin is not able to perform and move the extra sugar from the blood into the muscle and liver cells, resulting in the buildup of sugar levels in the blood. This defect is referred to technically as insulin resistance. The diagnosis for Type 2 Diabetes is when people have a fasting (before eating in the morning) blood sugar level of 126 points (mg/dl) and over on 2 separate readings.

Type 2 Diabetes can be of hereditary origin. Non-Caucasians are more predisposed to getting it. But the vast majority of people get it due to inadequate lifestyles such obesity, overeating and sedentary lifestyles. A staggering 75% of people with diabetes are obese and inactive . This lends to the worsening of their conditions. I witness this trend every single day in my pharmacy practice. People drop off several prescriptions for diabetes, cholesterol and blood pressure, and they sit the entire time in the pharmacy waiting area. When I counsel them about their medications and suggest they might increase the amount of daily walking, their invariable answer is, “I don’t have time.” Sometimes, they drop off their prescriptions and go food shopping; they bring back a cart full of bacon, cookies and other packaged snacks such as popcorn, jugs of soft drinks, pretzels, butter, white bread, and let’s not forget the cigarettes!

People with Type 2 Diabetes may be treated with: medications, either taken by mouth and/or through insulin injections, and by making favorable lifestyle choices . Medications alone without an active lifestyle will never be an efficient way to control diabetes and/or other chronic lifestyle-related diseases. Your doctor has many medication options from which to choose. What is important is to get diabetes under control in order to avoid deadly complications ! Your health is your responsibility, and staying in close contact with your doctor and pharmacist is the only way to avoid diabetes complications and hugely important in keeping your diabetes under control.

The message that I bring you is that, “You are not doomed.” Certainly, you can control diabetes, but you have to be aware of some simple facts and act on them . Inaction will cause these deadly ailments to creep up on you and systematically destroy your internal organs and claim your life prematurely. You can become involved, seriously and consistently, in your health; take the lead and the primary responsibility for managing your health and disease! It is simpler than you think.

If you take charge of this responsibility, you reap the benefits of living your lifespan to the fullest, enjoying the best quality of life. It is very simple. You just have to take charge by starting to apply the reliable, simple, and practical recommendations in LIFESTYLE MAKEOVER FOR DIABETICS AND PRE-DIABETICS

For more detailed information on any of these topics log on to: www.LifestyleMakeoverEbook.com and check out these information packed lifesaving book and e-book volumes: LIFESTYLE MAKEOVER FOR DIABETICS AND PRE-DIABETICS and 4 other e-books: Lifestyle Makeover: Sex, Stress, and Alcohol , Lifestyle Makeover for All Couch Potatoes , Lifestyle Makeover: Defeat High Cholesterol and Blood Pressure , and Lifestyle Makeover for all Tobacco Users . The author of this article is also the author of these volumes

Test your knowledge on these various issues and take a simple True and False quiz by logging on to: www.LifestyleMakeoverEbook.com

Copyright © 2008 by George Tohme All rights reserved.

George Tohme
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/what-is-diabetes-and-the-differences-between-type-1-and-type2-diabetes-684243.html

This scares me to death, every day you walk down the street it is becoming more and more apparent that the average person is becoming larger and this trend has escalated over recent years.

Why are they getting fatter? Here are some reasons…

* Less incidental activity

* Automated and computerized lifestyle

* Longer working hours and less leisure

* Increased consumption of processed foods

* Our food servings are larger than ever

Being overweight, or obese, has now moved from a social nuisance and domestic embarrassment to an official disease. The American Heart Association has announced obesity is a major risk for heart disease.

Obesity itself has become a major and dangerous epidemic. More than 70% of US adults are overweight and that figure is rapidly increasing.

What do most people do to rid their body of unwanted fat? They diet! Dieting is now a trillion dollar industry and just about every month a new diet is announced.

If you do have weight problems how do you find a diet that is safe, effective and sustainable?

What you do is try to find a diet that includes a variety of foods that you can live with comfortably. You have to take a long-term view and include plenty of exercise.

A good diet is one that supplies all of the essential vitamins and minerals, and is not high in fat or protein.

Research on people, who have successfully lost a lot of weight and kept it off long term, shows that the vast majority succeeded by consuming a low fat diet high in fibre coupled with strength training and cardiovascular activity.

Be wary of diets that

* Ban a specific food group

* Promise a quick fix

* Replace a balanced meal with a drink or a snack bar

* Make recommendations based on single studies

* Make recommendations to help sell a single product

Excess weight does not appear overnight and nor will it disappear overnight! In fact the faster you lose weight, the more likely you are to pile the pounds back on.

Seek out a program that will help you maintain long-term body fat losses by providing attainable solutions such as a program that promotes lifestyle changes, healthy eating and regular exercise.

Regular exercise is important (i.e. strength training) as it burns fat, boosts your metabolism and also increases your energy levels.

Dietary changes can lead to initial weight loss, but this is only for the short term. Exercise is essential for maintaining weight loss for the long term.

Now let’s take a closer look at what food is made up of and then you will have a good idea of what to look for in your daily eating plan. Firstly we need a wide range of nutrients to perform various functions for a healthy life.

These nutrients include carbohydrates, proteins and fat and are all present in the food we eat on a daily basis.

The foods containing these nutrients are cereals, legumes, nuts, vegetables, fruits, milk products and flesh foods (fish, meat and poultry).

We need all these nutrients to live and thrive and since we receive them through the food we eat, our food must be well balanced and in the proper proportions. Food is a fuel; the body requires this fuel for energy, which is measured in fats, carbohydrate and protein.

Each of these nutrients provides different amounts of energy and these are measured in calories.

Nutrient Calories per Gram

Carbohydrate 4

Protein 4

Fat 9

Let’s look at carbohydrates first, carbohydrates supply energy for our body, they provide fibre for the prevention of disease and taste and texture to food. They are found in cereals, potatoes, fruits and vegetables.

They come in two basic forms, simple and complex. Simple carbs are easily identified by their taste and are sweet. Complex carbs, such as potatoes are pleasant to the taste buds, but are not sweet.

They are then divided into two groups, high fibre and low fibre.

High-fibre foods are the healthiest choices for nutrition and the intake of these foods is associated with a lower incidence of cancer and diabetes. Carbohydrates supply the sort of calories easily burned during cardiovascular exercise.

They are often wrongly feared and considered fattening, but the most important factor in weight control is balancing the energy (calories) consumed.

Please remember:

Energy In is more than Energy Out = Weight gain

Energy In is equal to Energy Out = Weight maintenance

Energy In is less than Energy Out = Weight loss

Different foods affect the ability to exercise at different levels. High levels of exercise (cardio and strength training) require carbohydrate as a fuel source; at lower levels it is fat.

A lack of carbohydrate in the diet will lead to fatigue, the inability to exercise effectively, and excess fat consumption. When our food is digested, carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars.

These sugars are absorbed by the body and used by the muscles or stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver. As our glycogen storage capacity is limited, carbohydrate needs to be continually topped up by the foods we eat.

But the body has an unlimited storage capacity for fat!

The average person is extremely vulnerable to fad diets and extreme dieting behaviours. The low carbohydrate diet is one of the latest eating plans to hit the streets.

This current diet craze is very popular but there are safer and more effective methods based on scientific research, to reduce body fat levels.

Low carbohydrate dieting is simply wrong.

Why is this? Just as a car runs better on a certain fuel, so does the human body. Unfortunately the latest low-carbohydrate fad diets are not the fuel mix the human body was designed to run on.

Carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram, whereas fats contain 9 calories per gram. For weight loss, the priority is to decrease total calorie intake. Reducing the amount of fat in the diet will make the biggest difference in reducing total daily calorie intake and hence weight loss.

Carbohydrate intake is not fattening, excess calorie intake is fattening.

If you aren’t having enough carbohydrates in your diet you will experience:

* Fatigue due to low blood sugar levels inadequate intake

of vitamins and minerals

* Low fibre intake, which may affect bowel movements

* ‘Bad’ breath due to the breakdown products of fats

(called ketones)

The bottom line for carbohydrates and weight loss is to:

* Try to balance carbohydrate intake with activity levels

* Maintain energy levels by eating carbohydrate rich foods on

a regular basis

* Carbohydrate rich foods are normally low in fat and

nutrient-rich

A real weight loss program includes all the food groups, strength training, and low-level aerobics, a slight decrease in your daily calorie levels and a program that can be followed for life.

In conclusion try to achieve a balanced diet, eating a balanced variety of foods will help you to feel great every day, ensure better long-term health and improve weight control.

Gary Matthews
http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/carbohydrates-what-you-must-know-122454.html