The metabolic syndrome is a cluster of the most dangerous heart attack risk factors including diabetes and pre-diabetes, abdominal obesity, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Here are some alarming facts:

1) One quarter of the world adult population has metabolic syndrome.

2) People with metabolic syndrome are twice as likely to die from it, and three times as likely to have a heart attack or stroke compared with people without the syndrome.

3) People with metabolic syndrome have a five times greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

4) Up to 80% of the 200 million people with diabetes globally will die of cardiovascular disease.

5) This puts the mortality rate of metabolic syndrome and diabetes miles ahead of HIV/AIDS and yet the problem is not as well recognized.

Early diagnosis by physicians is key to identifying those at risk and one of the primary treatments is weight loss. Researchers from the University of Ulm, Germany, have found that increased amounts of protein in the diet lead to greater improvement in metabolic syndrome risk factors when compared to consuming a standard level of protein.

The study, which was presented at the annual meeting of the Obesity Society in Phoenix, enrolled 110 overweight subjects with the metabolic syndrome who were randomly divided into two groups, and were followed for one year.

For the first three months, during the weight loss phase, those in the high protein group were instructed to follow a diet that supplied about twice the protein that would be obtained from a typical diet. They also replaced two meals a day with a high-protein meal replacement shake. The other group was instructed to eat a standard amount of protein from an all-food diet.

For the remaining nine months of the study – the weight maintenance phase – everyone used one meal replacement shake a day as part of their meal plan, and both groups maintained the level of protein intake in the diet they had consumed during the previous three months.

Everyone lost weight after a year, but the high protein group lost more weight (nearly 25 pounds, compared with about 14 pounds for the standard protein group). They also lost more body fat, and maintained lean body mass. More significant, however, was the finding that at the end of the study, 64 percent of those in the high protein group no longer met the criteria for the metabolic syndrome, compared with 41 percent who consumed the standard amount of protein.

Nearly 47 million Americans have the metabolic syndrome, and the numbers continue to grow along with the rise in obesity. Marion Flechtner-Mors, Ph.D., one of the researchers on the study and head of the Obesity Research Group at the University of Ulm, Germany, said “Effective interventions, such as the use of high protein meal replacements for weight loss, could improve the risk factors associated with the metabolic syndrome and affect the lives of millions of people”.

Gen Wright
http://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles/weight-loss-the-metabolic-syndrome-effective-treatment-with-highprotein-shakes-701880.html

If you have diabetes then there are certain guidelines as to what you should eat to maintain your health. Whilst you will have to change certain aspects of your diet, you will not have to drastically cut out all sugars or your favourite meals. In general guidelines are there to help you plan your meals at the same time as enjoying what you eat.

The foods you eat should be designed to maintain healthy blood sugar levels to avoid further complications with diabetes. To manage your nutrition effectively you will need to use a meal plan that is designed especially for you. There is no set plan for everyone, as each person varies in their requirements and preferences. For advice when you first devise this plan you should contact your doctor. Once you have worked it out you can start to experiment with recipes that fit with the diabetic nutritional guidelines.

There are different ways of devising meal plans, and you should use the one that is most convenient for you. You should monitor groups in certain categories, such as carbohydrates, meat and fats. You will then choose an appropriate amount from each category in the meals you choose to eat every day. This will apply to all of your meals as well as any snacks that you eat throughout the day.

In general, a meal plan will let you know what to eat and when to eat it. Your medication will be matched to what you eat, so it is important to be organized. Once you have an outline, you can cook a number of dishes that fit in with this plan.

willyboy
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/how-to-follow-diabetic-nutritional-guidelines-to-help-maintain-a-healthy-and-balanced-diabetic-diet-708373.html

The Diet Solution

A Comprehensive Weight Loss Program

How many of you have tried one or two of the Hollywood diet scams over the years? How about diet pills, impossible-to-follow starvation diets, or late-night infomercial gimmicks? I must admit to have fallen for some of those fad diets myself. And all I lost was my hard earned money. Wouldn’t you like to hear about a proven, easy way to live and eat that will eliminate your weight loss and health struggles in just a matter of days?

This brand new eating plan is research-proven. It will destroy your urges for bad foods and binge-eating; plus you will burn belly fat, cellulite, and all of your extra pounds.This simple, refreshing eating plan promises to unchain you from fatigue, your depression, your frustrations, and allow you to live your life to the fullest.

First, there is one revolutionary principle that any person wanting to lose weight must know! You must control your insulin levels to lose weight! Now don’t stop reading because you think this sounds like it will be too difficult to understand and follow. The hardest part has already been done for you over the past 15 years of research and mistakes.

We keep searching for the diet that tells us what we want to hear. The diet plan that tells you that you don’t need to eat healthy, just take our pill”. But when will we face the truth? You can’t eat absolute junk and still lose weight, and be healthy. Come on. Deep down you know that’s the truth.

But how can we eat healthy food and still enjoy it? That’s what no plan has ever told you before. We have the manual with the correct nutritional program you will need to lose weight, and even resolve conditions such as heart disease, high cholesterol and diabetes.

You can say goodbye to calorie counting forever. (Who has the time to calculate that on a daily basis anyway?) You will be told exactly how much to eat and teach you the secret behind “just looking” at your food and knowing how much is the right amount for you.

Learn a specific way to determine your personal metabolism so that you can choose the precise foods that are best for you (no nutrition program can begin without this) And did you know that the #1 health food that is causing everyone to gain weight? We can fill you in on that information as well.

People that try this program can’t believe how easy it is. By just putting in place a few simple principles, following the detailed daily meal plans, the weight just keeps coming off.

We are so confident in the Diet Solution Program that it comes with a money back guarantee if you’re not satisfied. But when so many people have already achieved their health goals and improved their quality of life, I’m sure you will be happy with The Diet Solution as well.

Larry Buhrandt
http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/the-diet-solution-683374.html

The Diet Solution

A Comprehensive Weight Loss Program

How many of you have tried one or two of the Hollywood diet scams over the years? How about diet pills, impossible-to-follow starvation diets, or late-night infomercial gimmicks? I must admit to have fallen for some of those fad diets myself. And all I lost was my hard earned money. Wouldn’t you like to hear about a proven, easy way to live and eat that will eliminate your weight loss and health struggles in just a matter of days?

This brand new eating plan is research-proven. It will destroy your urges for bad foods and binge-eating; plus you will burn belly fat, cellulite, and all of your extra pounds.This simple, refreshing eating plan promises to unchain you from fatigue, your depression, your frustrations, and allow you to live your life to the fullest.

First, there is one revolutionary principle that any person wanting to lose weight must know! You must control your insulin levels to lose weight! Now don’t stop reading because you think this sounds like it will be too difficult to understand and follow. The hardest part has already been done for you over the past 15 years of research and mistakes.

We keep searching for the diet that tells us what we want to hear. The diet plan that tells you that you don’t need to eat healthy, just take our pill”. But when will we face the truth? You can’t eat absolute junk and still lose weight, and be healthy. Come on. Deep down you know that’s the truth.

But how can we eat healthy food and still enjoy it? That’s what no plan has ever told you before. We have the manual with the correct nutritional program you will need to lose weight, and even resolve conditions such as heart disease, high cholesterol and diabetes.

You can say goodbye to calorie counting forever. (Who has the time to calculate that on a daily basis anyway?) You will be told exactly how much to eat and teach you the secret behind “just looking” at your food and knowing how much is the right amount for you.

Learn a specific way to determine your personal metabolism so that you can choose the precise foods that are best for you (no nutrition program can begin without this) And did you know that the #1 health food that is causing everyone to gain weight? We can fill you in on that information as well.

People that try this program can’t believe how easy it is. By just putting in place a few simple principles, following the detailed daily meal plans, the weight just keeps coming off.

We are so confident in the Diet Solution Program that it comes with a money back guarantee if you’re not satisfied. But when so many people have already achieved their health goals and improved their quality of life, I’m sure you will be happy with The Diet Solution as well.

Larry Buhrandt
http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/the-diet-solution-683374.html

Diabetes is sometimes a disease that has undiagnosed signs and many people are surprised when the physician’s diagnosis reveals that the patient has the disease. While it may not have signs that produce pain and agony, the disease working in the background can create serious problems if left unknown. Think about the heredity you have been given and school yourself on controlling and offsetting diabetes. Do it for you and your loved ones.

Do any of these diabetes symptoms appear in your life?

1. Frequent bathroom trips

2. Irritability

3. Extreme hunger

4. Unusual weight loss

5. Increased fatigue

6. Excessive thirst

7. Blurry vision

Can you avoid or postpone the onset of diabetes? After all, it can come from heredity. Many people have it, it has been considered for years and you may feel if you are going to get it, then there is nothing to be done. But, the symptoms of diabetes are so random and often not observed that many pre-diabetics do not seek help.

The two main workings of preventing diabetes are those that will give you multiple benefits as well: physical training or just increasing your measure of physical movement and proper nourishment in your diet.

You want to increase your fiber, your vegetables and proteins, and decrease your high sugar, high carbohydrate foods, and highly fatted foods. Even though it may seem scary at first, you can make the proper choices inclusive of a little action and proper arrangement so you win the battle against this illness. In other words set yourself up to win.

Even families that have diabetes and taking medication can often revert to proper blood sugar levels. This can be accomplished with the addition of more, or consistent, physical activity and proper diet in their lives. Some studies have shown, in fact, that this combination of diet and exercise can work as well as medications with out the potential side effects. Of course, you should not go off any treatments unless you plan a program with your physician first and have the proper normal readings on your diabetes tests.

Another imperative item to consider is an eye exam. This should be done every year to allow your physician to catch any upcoming or progressing diseases, including diabetes. Early detection is very meaningful as mentioned above. You have more of a chance to offset the disease by corrective measures if you know you can keep control of your situation by simple problem solving techniques.

In conclusion to this article then are:

1. Control your health by searching out handy food items and preparing them in a healthful way. If you need to improve on your meal preparation, take counsel with the American Diabetes Association, your local hospital, your physician’s office. You may also want to do a Google search on diabetes recipes.

2. Keep your weight at a normal measure for your age and height. This is often hard to do, but even a 10% decrease in your weight brings great rewards.

3. Get tested regularly for diabetes, even if you show no diabetes symptoms, especially if the disease is inherent in your family tree.

4. Follow your physician’s recommendations regarding the treatments and take them regularly until you have the diet and athletics under control. Then, maybe, you will be able to decrease or eliminate the medications you are using.

5. If you notice any of the diabetes symptoms listed above, please get a fasting diabetes test as soon as plausible to prevent the onset of any serious medical conditions that can be elevated or heightened by diabetes such as stroke or joint problems.

Inspection the diabetes problem in the United States just a little bit and you will catch why everyone should be aware of this dangerous and often misunderstood and often not diagnosed disease.

In summary: This article was written to give you an outline of diabetes. And to also make you aware of some of the diabetes symptoms. If you want to take care of a problem like reducing blood sugar or a potential problem go to the resource box.

Aron Wallad
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/do-you-have-any-diabetes-symptoms-109465.html

This story will help you with your decision if you are considering this diet as a solution over the holiday season. The Medifast diet plan forces your body into a metabolic state known as ketosis. Your body is tricked into turning on itself, and it begins burning fat reserves. This is why you eat so frequently when following this diet. It maintains your metabolism on a regular basis and burns fat for an extended time period which is more than you can do with a lot of fad diets.

An excellent way to lose weight and keep it off for a long time is to follow the Medifast diet. Not only will it help you shed pounds, it can also alleviate certain health problems such as diabetes .In order to preserve their health, those with diabetes usually need to reduce their weight. But as a diabetic, you also need to eat particular types of foods, due to the manner in which your body manufactures insulin, making it a challenge to decide on the optimum way for you to reduce your weight.

This diet has a large array of complete meal plans and an eager support network. You will probably find that losing weight with Medifast is much simpler than any diet you have tried in the past. If it is time to get rid of the excess pounds, make sure to research information beforehand. Ensure that you talk with your doctor before diving into a finer lifestyle for you and your family\’s future well-being.

According to the Medifast organization, it is normal to shed 2-5 pounds each week by using the popular 5 plus 1 plan. In one month\’s time, you could lose a minimum of 8 pounds or a maximum of 20 pounds. On the lower end of the scale, you will shed about 8 pounds. Whatever the case may be, these numbers prove that you can be successful with this diet. This could have an enormous positive impact on large and morbidly obese individuals.

The majority of people will be very pleased with these results. If you shed “merely” eight pounds per month every month, it would end up to 48 pounds in half a years\’ time or 96 pounds in a year. This can help overweight and evenly morbidly obese people change their life. As far as this author is concerned, Medifast is the best diet and weight loss system; it is the easiest, most convenient, and most effective program to use. Those that have struggled with obesity and extra pounds have turned to it as a way of life.

John Darby
http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/evaluating-the-medifast-diet-program-695776.html

South Asians are genetically different from the rest of the world. This makes them more prone to lifestyle related diseases like obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Over the years, our diets have also changed from the traditional Desi Diet to the more westernized fast food with more calories and saturated fats and less fibre.
Children and youngsters are especially moving from a desi diet to a predominantly western format diet. These changes coupled with metabolic syndrome lead to the development of early diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
For those of you who are wondering what a desi diet is and how is it different from the traditional western diet; a Desi Diet can be described as a diet of a South Asian origin.
South Asians have very different dietary habits. Their diets are rich in carbohydrates and many of them are vegetarians. A desi diet would therefore include chapattis and rice in every meal and would mostly be eaten with lentils or vegetables; in contrast to a western diet that is predominantly meat based and has lesser emphasis on carbohydrates.
South Asians mostly prefer cooked hot meals and like to prepare their own food. This means that a Desi Diet is not just a set of different ingredients but a different eating pattern altogether. Many westerners cannot have a desi diet because it is extremely spicy and full of pungent and strong flavours.
Most desi diets, if planned well, are healthy because they are high in fibre and provide a healthy mix of carbohydrates and proteins in every meal. Traditionally, desi diets also included a lot of pulses, milk and milk products, and vegetables.
For South Asians who want to have a healthy diet, it is important that they plan their diets basis their dietary habits. A desi diet can be easily modified into a healthy diet. This will not only ensure a balanced intake of nutrients but will also lead to better compliance since it is better to modify your existing diet to suit your needs rather than to try and take up a different dietary pattern altogether.

Robin
http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/diet-plans-india-desi-diet-different-from-the-rest-of-the-world-724686.html

While the Low GI Diet is one of the most effective diets around and the easiest for many people to stick with over the long term, some people have found it difficult to come up with low GI Diet recipes they can fit into their diet plans. Below are two low GI Diet recipes that can be easily fit into your plan and prepared right at home.

For a great main entrée consider this recipe below for grilled salmon served with elegant baby spinach leaves.

Grilled Salmon

Ingredients
Baby spinach leaves, lightly rinsed
2 oz watercress
16 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 salmon fillets, trimmed and boned
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, halved
balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cannellini Bean Sauce
14 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 garlic clove, crushed
1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

First, start by preparing the cannelloni bean sauce. Place the beans, lemon juice, thyme, oil, garlic and 2 tbsp of water in the blender. May add salt and pepper to taste. Blend until the mixture has formed a smooth sauce. You may need to add a bit more water. Move the mixture to a saucepan and heat it on low heat for 5 minutes. Stir frequently until the mixture is very hot.

While the mixture is heating, cook the salmon. Start by placing the garlic in a non-stick frying pan and heating it for about 1-2 minutes. Next, add the salmon and cook for another 5 to 8 minutes. Be sure to turn the salmon halfway through the cooking process.

Next, drizzle the spinach leaves with some balsamic vinegar and toss them well. Place the cannellinni sauce on each plate along with a few additional spinach leaves. Top everything with the salmon. You may wish to add some olive oil for additional seasoning. Serve alongside the salad immediately.

Don’t forget to top your meal off with this luscious and creamy low GI diet recipe for yummy ice cream. It takes only 15 minutes to prepare and is ready to eat after another 2 hours in the freezer.

Mango Orange Ice Cream Dessert

Ingredients
4 large oranges, halved
2 large mangoes, peeled and stoned
2 tablespoons finely grated
unwaxed orange zest
3 tablespoons low-fat natural yoghurt
3 tablespoons low-fat
crème fraîche
2 squares plain chocolate, grated

Directions

Begin by scooping out the fleshy part of the fruit from the oranges, but making sure you have left the skins of the oranges intact. Place the flesh of the mangos and the oranges in the blender along with the orange zest, crème fraiche and yogurt. Blend the mixture until smooth; may take a few minutes. Next, spoon the blended mixture into a freezer safe container. You may need to stir the mixture from time to time to break up any ice crystals that have formed. This dessert can be served in a bowl or you may choose to spoon it back into the orange halves for an elegant presentation. If you choose to serve it in the orange halves, you may need to return it back to the freezer for another 30 minutes or so. Garnish with grated chocolate for an even more decadent dessert.

With a little creativity and imagination it doesn’t have to be hard to follow the low GI diet. These low GI diet recipes are just two examples of how easy it can be to dine well and still lose weight on the diet plan.

If you need to better manage diabetes or lose weight consider the Low GI Diet Plan. It provides numerous advantages such as reducing the risk of life threatening illnesses along with the ability to lose weight and maintain weight loss.

Wesley Atkins
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/top-tips-for-low-gi-diet-recipes-110377.html

Approximately 4% of women who are pregnant in the United States will be affected by gestational diabetes. It is a misunderstood disease in that medical research has been unable to pinpoint why women suffer from it during pregnancy only to see it disappear after the baby is born. The stress and increased hormonal activity associated with pregnancy is thought to be a factor but women who are at risk will need to follow a diet for gestational diabetes.

Expectant mothers who were already diabetic at the time of conception will also need to follow this type of diet.

Any woman with gestational diabetes should consult with a registered dietician to help create the proper diet plan for her and her unborn baby. Control of blood sugar levels during pregnancy is of the utmost importance and modification of dietary intake is the best way to accomplish this.

During a pregnancy the goal of the diet for gestational diabetes is to ensure the proper amount of calories and nutrients for the mother and baby while also keeping blood glucose levels under control. The diet itself is individualized to each woman based on her height and weight.

Blood glucose levels will also need be tested and measured at least four times a day. This is done to ensure that the woman’s blood sugars remain under control through out the day. The frequency of testing can be decreased once good glucose control is established but self monitoring will need to continue through out the pregnancy.

It is important that the meal plan meet the nutritional and weight gain needs of a normal pregnancy. During the first trimester of a normal pregnancy the woman should gain from 2 to 4 pounds. Once the second and third trimester starts the weight gain should average a pound a week. Caloric intake will need to be increased by approximately 100 to 300 calories per day during the second trimester. At the same time protein will need to be increased to 10 grams per day. This can be accomplished by drinking 2 glasses of milk or eating 1 to 2 ounces of meat each day.

One of the biggest dangers of inadequate caloric intake is diabetic ketoacidosis. A pregnant woman should never restrict the amount of calories she eats unless so directed by her doctor. The calories she does eat should come from highly nutritious foods and should not be less then 1700 to 1800 per day.

Any pregnant woman who is diagnosed with this dangerous disease will need to follow a diet for gestational diabetes to ensure the health and well being of her unborn baby.

Andrew Bicknell
http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/diet-for-gestational-diabetes-671209.html

One of the fastest growing trends in dieting is the so-called Mediterranean diet. This formula for healthier nutrition has been said to have amazing benefits, including cancer prevention and diabetes control. If you’re interested in learning more about this diet plan, you’ll find useful information below.

What is Mediterranean Diet?

If you want to follow the Mediterranean diet plan for nutrition, you’ll need to change a few of your eating habits. For example, you’ll probably need to consume larger quantities of fruits and vegetables, as well as fish. At the same time, you’ll need to lower down your consumption of red meat and get additional protein from small portions of nuts. Drinking red wine and adding more healthy oils, such as canola and olive oils, to your diet are also important.

Benefits of the Diet

According to the Mayo Clinic, a study released in 2007 found that people who followed the diet outlined above had much lower risks of cancer and heart disease than did people who followed a more Western diet. Additionally, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports that choosing to follow this lifestyle change has a number of powerful benefits for people with diabetes, especially because it is lower in sugar and carbohydrates which can cause spikes in blood sugar levels.

Reasons to Switch

If don’t want to go through the stress and negative effects of cancer treatment in your lifetime, changing to eat more of these Mediterranean foods could be a smart idea. After all, many of the known cancer causes do relate to improper nutrition. Plus, if you want to have a healthy immune system to fight back against abnormal cells you’ll need adequate nutrition that you won’t find in your average fast food meal. Most of the foods included, such as the heart healthy oils, will do double or triple duty protecting you from chronic disease.

Amit Kothiyal
http://www.articlesbase.com/cancer-articles/preventing-cancer-and-diabetes-with-a-mediterranean-diet-719804.html