Diabetes and Diet

When you are diagnosed with diabetes you may think that your diet has to change completely. The truth is that you can still enjoy your favourite foods so long as they are part of a generally balanced and healthy diet. Here are some tips to make sure you have a balanced diet each day.

When cooking you should bear in mind the fact that foods are divided into five groups, which need to all be included in our daily eating habits. A diabetic diet is the same sort of balanced diet that everyone is recommended to eat, where it should be lower in fat, salt and sugar and higher in fruit and vegetables.

As part of maintaining a balanced diet you may have heard of ‘portions’ of the main food groups. It is recommended that we eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, and this usually means about a handful’s amount of the food. Of course, each of us is different and as such will need different sized meals to keep us healthy. However, it is always a good rule to follow that excess fats should be cut out whenever possible, and this may include reducing the portion of one food in the meal (such as the meat) and increasing the size of the vegetables to make up for it.

You will also need to make sure that you eat regular meals, and don’t skip meals such as breakfast. This will help diabetics to help control their blood glucose levels as well as maintaining a healthy appetite.

willyboy
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/balancing-your-diet-when-your-diabetic-how-to-cope-with-diabetes-by-using-the-right-recipes-708319.html

I have been told I have type 2 diabetes and it can be controlled by diet living in Vietnam with all the good fruit and vegetables where can I find a web site that can give me easy food guides. How much fruit can I eat and what fruits to avoid and also what calories does all food contain. thank you for your advice
This was diagnosed whilst back in the UK with in last month.

There is no one-size-fits-all diet for diabetics. In general, the foods that spike blood sugar the most are carbohydrate. That means bread, grains, oatmeal, rice, potatoes, noodles, pasta, corn. You will often hear people talking about ‘good’ unrefined carbs versus ‘bad’ refined carbs but in reality, a carb is a carb. All carbohydrates turn to sugar in the blood, so wholegrain bread is the same as a sugar donut, it all becomes pure sugar. As diabetes is about uncontrolled high blood sugars, all diabetics need to be careful in their consumption of whatever spikes blood sugar the most, i.e., all carbohydrate.

You should eat to your meter. Buy a blood glucose meter if you have not got one already. Log everything that you eat. Test 2 hours after eating. If you are under 140mg/7.8 mm/ol, then you are OK. If you are above this target, then you need to look at what you ate. Either reduce the portion, or cut it out entirely.

Everyone’s body is different. Only by testing will you find patterns that are right for YOU, and only by testing will you know how much carb you can eat. Note too that the amount of carb you can tolerate might be different depending on the time of the day (most people are more insulin resistant in the morning), the time of the month if you are female, stress, and exercise.

As to your unique challenges living in Vietnam:

I think this will be challenging. I love Vietnam and my favourite cuisine in the world is Vietnamese. BUT Vietnamese cuisine is extremely high in carbs. And diabetics cannot metabolize carbohydrate! In particular, Type 2 on diet/exercise therapy really do need to watch their carbohydrate intake. That’s going to be really difficult living anywhere in Asia.

You will find that the standard servings of rice and pho will almost certainly be too high in carbs for you to tolerate. (As measured by your post-meal readings of blood sugar.) And because carbs as a staple are ingrained in local culture, you might find it hard to eat in a way that is more blood sugar friendly.

Here’s how I adapt my Vietnamese dishes to make them diabetes-friendly:

- Pho : I don’t eat any of the rice noodles. I just have the soup, the meat and all the raw vegetables and herbs I can stuff into the bowl.

- Bun dishes : I only eat the meat part. I ask them to leave out the rice vermicelli and just have the meat with the vegetables and some of the sauce. The sauce has some sugar in it, but not as much sugar as in the rice vermicelli!

- Rice dishes : I eat them without rice. Yes, that gets me strange looks in Vietnamese restaurants, but I can’t eat rice and keep within blood sugar targets.

How much fruit can you eat? Test your blood sugar 2 hours after eating to find out.

Calories? Don’t count calories. Diabetes is not about calories, it’s about carbs. Learn how to count carbs.

Finally, you might have problems looking for information online because most of the information is tailored towards people living in Western countries and eating a Western-style diet. But you will never go wrong by trusting the data you get from your blood glucose meter. Your blood glucose meter will be your best friend. It will never lie to you

Doctors have always asked themselves why some people develop diabetes and some not, and so, by studying, they have discovered that there are some factors that interfere with the installation of diabetes.

The most important factor is heredity. If you have a family history of diabetes it is highly probable for you to develop this affection someday. There is a gene responsible for all this, especially for the Type II transmission. But you do not need to worry because nowadays there are many easy to apply home measurements, and you can live a normal life.

Another factor is the inappropriate diet. If you eat too much sugar, proteins, fats and refined carbohydrates, which transform into sugar, you can unleash the diabetes. Studies have shown that in the poor countries, people are not affected of diabetes in such a large number because they do not overeat. The most dangerous stuff is: biscuits, chocolate, bread, cookies, candies, pudding and ice-cream.

Obesity is a trigger for diabetes and in US, 60 to 85% of the diabetics are known as overweight. If there is too much fat, the insulin will not be able to allow the sugar in the blood to enter the muscle and tissue cells and so, the blood sugar level will be high.

By losing weight one can improve the blood sugar level having to bare only a mild form of diabetes.

People who have suffered a great loss, who are worried, stressed and unhappy, who have problems in their marriage or in their business tend to develop diabetes because all these factors have an enormous impact on the human metabolism causing sugar to appear in the urine.

If you smoke, it is best for you to give up. Studies have shown that especially women who smoke 25 or more than 25 cigarettes a day have a greater risk of developing diabetes, by 40% more than those who are nonsmokers.

It is recommended to follow an active lifestyle because you lose weight, you transform sugar into energy and you sensitize your muscle and tissue cells to insulin, and the pancreas does not have to work so much any more.

Therefore, by controlling your weight, your diet and giving up smoking you can easily control diabetes and live a healthy normal life.

For more information about diabetes, diet, treatment and causes, visit: http://www.diabetesmellitus-information.com

So, if you want to find out more about diabetes treatment or even about type 1 diabetes please follow this link http://diabetes-info-center.com/

Groshan Fabiola
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/what-are-the-causes-of-diabetes-88852.html

iabetes is a condition that occurs when the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin. Some people are born with this condition or has the onset of diabetes at an early age. This is called juvenile diabetes or type 1. Type 1 diabetes usually requires insulin injections. The onset of diabetes later in life is called type 2. Type 2 diabetes can be treated and in most cases prevented with simple lifestyle changes.

There have been several factors in the cause of diabetes type 2, but none are definitive. Some studies indicate heredity, obesity, and living a sedentary lifestyle. Also, there are insulin abnormalities that can be the cause of diabetes type 2.

Insulin Abnormalities-
Muscle cells can become resistant to insulin which make excessive insulin to compensate for the resistance. What then happens is a drop in insulin production.

Obesity-
Too much body fat causes the body to work harder to make insulin. Extra sugar is stored in the body as fat, which makes losing weight harder.

Heredity-
Having a sibling or parent who has diabetes means that your are more likely to develop diabetes.

Age-
Nearly 20% of adults over the age of 65 commonly have diabetes type 2.

What Causes Diabetes

Now the main cause of diabetes is currently obesity and with 30% of the USA clinically obese it is no wonder that 24 million people suffer from diabetes in the USA alone. As you can see diabetes is a growing illness and with more and more people being diagnosed with diabetes it is important that you know what the main causes of diabetes are.

A second important cause of diabetes is diabetes being inherited through the bloodlines. A major cause of diabetes which is brought down through generations, however it does not mean that if your father or gran father has diabetes that you will also be diagnosed with diabetes merely that you are at a higher risk. Therefore you should watch out more for the symptoms of diabetes.

To ensure that you are at a lower risk of being diagnosed with diabetes you need to have a healthy and balanced diet of protein, fibre, carbohydrates and a low percentage of fats. Exercise is another great way of not only staying healthy but decreasing the risk of being diagnosed with diabetes. Regular exercise 3-5 times a week will not only keep your heart rate and blood levels in the right places but also ensure you are maintaining your body and reducing the risk of diabetes.

Treatment

1. Reduce the levels of carbohydrates

Chose carbohydrates with a lower glycemic index. That is, carbohydrates that converts into blood glucose relatively slower. More companies are now supplying information on glycemic index. Kicking out the sweets, biscuits and cakes and substituting with appropriate fruits and vegetables would certainly be a step in the right direction.

Eat more regular and smaller carbohydrate or food portions throughout the day instead of having “one-off ” large main meals. This keeps your insulin levels lower.

2. Increase fat levels

There are many misconceptions about fat intake. Much of it is caused by deception from companies with their clever advertising and marketing methods of selling cheap and nasty health threatening fats and oils. A selection of margarines, deep-fried foods and cheap and nasty oils such as rapeseed, canola, soy and cottonseed oils are examples. Trans-fats should be avoided. Consumers may be totally unaware of the damage these fats and oils can do to the body.

Good fats help to promote the mechanism by which the body’s cells take up glucose from the blood. Learn to discern these from the nasty ones. They include naturally occurring fats like omega-3 fatty acids, flax seed oils and fish oils…

Rich jammes

Diabetes is an affection that prevents the human body from using insulin in transforming the glucose from the blood, leading to an accumulation of glucose in the blood, also known as a high sugar level in the blood.

As a consequence of diabetes, the human body is unable to transform food into energy, and so, it develops other problems involving the heart, the eyes (leading to a blurred vision), and even blood clotting which is very dangerous because it can get you to a cerebral vascular accident (stroke).

By a recent estimate, in the US are known to be 17 million people suffering by diabetes, leading to the conclusion that diabetes is quite a common disease.

Nowadays, people affected by diabetes can use many home remedies to improve their living and to keep their blood sugar levels constant, leading to controlling the diabetes.

People suffering of diabetes are known as owners of a weakened immune system, causing them a lot of inconveniences, such as planter warts.

Planter warts are caused by the attack of a virus called The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), and they occur on the sole of the foot. Also, due to this weakened immune system, the planter warts will not cure so easily.

The doctor will inform the person affected by diabetes that this illness can not be cured, but it can be held under control by keeping the sugar lever in the blood within a limit. So, the patient will follow an appropriate diet, will self monitor his blood sugar concentration and will follow an active lifestyle.

Another solution to become insulin independent it to have a kidney-pancreas transplant, but this is costly and risky and not most people will opt for this.

Nowadays, researchers try to find a remedy for diabetes using stem cells, but their solution is not ready to be applied on humans yet.

One of the most reliable methods to control diabetes is to keep a proper diet. Patients with diabetes type I should eat 35 calories/kg of body weight daily, equalizing to 16 calories/ pound/ day. Patients with diabetes type II can eat 1500-1800 calories/day and even more if they are obese.

Carbohydrates are very important, because they keep the blood sugar levels low, and so, they should represent 50% of the daily calories.

Another effective home remedy is the bitter gourd, also known as Karela. One tablespoon of Karela juice/day can amazingly lower your blood sugar level, but it does not taste too good. A tablespoon of Amla juice taken daily for two months can stimulate your pancreas to secrete insulin. The leaves of Butea tree are also effective.

Another popular remedy is: ten Tulsi leaves, ten Belpatras and ten Neem leaves, with a glass of water taken on an empty stomach.

People suffering of diabetes must follow an active lifestyle. Doctors recommend 30 minutes of exercises daily and a supplement of vitamins and minerals.

One of the most important things in trying to control the diabetes is the support of the family and friends during the first weeks of the new adjustments in the patient’s life.

So, if you want to find out more about type 1 diabetes or even about symptoms of diabetes please follow this link http://diabetes-info-center.com/

Groshan Fabiola
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/do-not-let-diabetes-control-you-87696.html

Diabetes is a growing health problem in the world today. Did you know that approximately 20.8 million children and adults are diagnosed with diabetes in the United States alone? These numbers are growing every day. The exact cause of diabetes is not clear, however, lack of exercise and obesity are huge factors in the development of diabetes. This article will give some general information about diabetes.

Glucose is considered the body’s fuel. We get glucose from the foods that we eat. It is not just sugar alone that is converted into glucose, but also starches and carbohydrates are chemically broken down into glucose. Without glucose your body would not function. All muscles and major organs in your body need glucose. But how does the glucose get to the proper destinations?

Insulin is the hormone that distributes the glucose to the liver, fat cells and muscles. A diabetic does not produce enough insulin or for some reason, his body is not able to process it effectively. When this happens the glucose stays in the blood and produces high blood sugar.

Diabetes can be classified into the following three types:

Type 1 Diabetes

In type 1 diabetes the body produces little or no insulin and daily injections of insulin are necessary to sustain life. This type is usually present from childhood and is also called insulin dependent diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes

It is the more common type of diabetes and usually develops in adulthood. With type 2 diabetes, the body is unable to effectively use the insulin produced. Most type 2 diabetics are managed by diet and oral medications.

Gestational Diabetes.

This type develops during pregnancy and usually goes away after the birth of the baby.

It is important to know the risks factor of diabetes. One of the biggest risks factors is a family history. If you have a parent or sibling with diabetes, your chances of developing diabetes are very good. Also being over 45 years of age, being obese, having poor eating habits or being of African American or Native American descent can increase your chance of becoming a diabetic.

If you have any of the above risk factors, be aware of the warning signs of diabetes. Contact you doctor if you have any of these signs and symptoms:

- Increased appetite
- Increased thirst
- Frequent urination
- Slow healing cuts or infections
- Increased amount of infections
- Blurry vision

If you are diagnosed with diabetes, treatment will usually involve diet changes and oral medications. In more severe cases, insulin injections may be prescribed.

Diabetes is manageable if the proper treatment regimen is followed. Talk with your doctor and a good diabetic educator. Have your doctor set you up an appointment with a registered dietician. She can show you what you can and cannot eat on a diabetic diet. Check your blood sugar levels frequently. Educate yourself about all the treatment options out there. Lose weight and become more active. Getting a diagnosis of diabetes is no reason to stop living.

Jeff Wilson
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/introduction-to-diabetes-126238.html