Diabetes and Diet

They are the biggest killers in America: Diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and heart disease. The most common causes of these deadly conditions are: Physical inactivity, fattening snacks and beverages, obesity, stress, and smoking. The shocking news is that these diseases are so easily preventable.

A frequent cause of blame is the unhealthy food choices people make regularly. It’s okay to splurge once in a while, but it is the habits you follow daily that will determine your overall health. Constantly consuming chips, bacon, cakes, sugary drinks, candy, sausage, and cigarettes will get you nothing but poor health, deadly diseases, and a ticket straight to heaven prematurely.

According to the CDC over 63% (that’s over 180 million) of the US population is overweight or obese and is physically inactive, resulting in tens of millions who have chronic deadly, but preventable, conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and pre-diabetes. Recently the CDC reported that more than 70% (over 1.7 million) of all causes of death in America are caused by only three preventable factors: obesity, sedentary lifestyles, and smoking. The very fact that these factors are easily preventable is heartbreaking.

One of the major contributors to poor health is the excessive consumption of cholesterol. The body produces over 85% of the cholesterol we need and the sugar stores in our liver and muscles remain saturated due to physical inactivity. Because we are largely a couch-potato society and the food we consume every day is loaded with animal-based fats, the extra fat gets dumped into our arteries, belly areas, and under the skin all over our bodies.

Another major contributor to deadly diseases, poor health, and premature aging and death is physical inactivity. Most of us sit throughout an entire workday then go home and sit in front of the TV for another 5 to 6 hours while consuming large fatty meals, snacks, and sugary or alcoholic beverages that are rich in saturated fats, salt, and sugar, all of which contribute to increased belly fat. Shockingly, belly fat is the most dangerous kind because it causes inflammation in the arteries contributing to plaque build up in the arteries and insulin resistance leading to heart attacks and diabetes.

Yet another common issue is that people are unaware of how unhealthy the foods they consume are. When people don’t read nutrition labels they tend to consume very dense food and sugary beverages that are nutrient deficient. These foods are readily available in fast food restaurants and vending machines and contain loads of sugar, fat, and unwanted calories. Sugary soft drinks (which alone contribute to over 33% of all US obesity), sugary lemonade, sweetened iced tea, smoothies, lattes, and frappucinos, which contain loads of sugar and fat that further contribute to the accumulation of belly fat, make you more of a magnet to all sorts of deadly, but preventable, diseases. One of the worst mistakes people make as well is skipping meals which makes the body more efficient at storing and gaining fat weight.

Fortunately there are important steps to help you make balanced food and activity choices and help you start a lifestyle makeover process which will be your shield against deadly diseases as you age gracefully:

? If you have any chronic disease(s) take your medications as prescribed.

? Eat 3 main balanced meals, reduce your portion sizes, and raise your fiber intake.

? Consume 2 fruit and nuts snacks between meals.

? Switch all sugary drinks to water or diet soft drinks. Sweeten all other hot or cold beverages with artificial sweeteners or sugar-free flavoring powders. Limit all non-water beverages to a couple a day.

? Increase your daily walking activity to over 10,000 steps a day by making more frequent trips at home, the office, while shopping, and anywhere else.

The good news is that diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic diseases can be prevented, managed, and reversed with your own choices, actions and a lifestyle makeover. Now is the time to start putting these tips to good use and begin feeling better and living healthier right away!

George Tohme

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

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

After eating, the food we eat is broken down into sugar (glucose) through the process of digestion. This sugar then enters the bloodstream so that it can be delivered throughout the body, where it is called blood sugar. Insulin, which helps metabolize blood sugar and is made in the pancreas, takes blood sugar from the bloodstream and delivers it into the body’s cells. This sugar provides energy to the cells in organs such as our heart, lungs, and kidneys, which help function properly.

Type 1 diabetes, also called insulin-dependant or juvenile diabetes, occurs when the pancreas no longer makes insulin. This is because the immune system becomes confused and begins attacking and destroying the cells in the pancreas that produce the insulin. Instead of going into the cells where it is needed, the sugar stays in the blood. Often beginning in childhood, people with Type 1 diabetes have to take a least one shot of insulin each day in order to stay alive.

The most common kind of diabetes, which often starts in overweight adults with high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, is Type 2 diabetes. Although the pancreas is usually producing enough insulin in Type 2 diabetes, the body does not use the insulin effectively. In this type of diabetes, the cells do not respond to the insulin’s attempt to enter with glucose, so in turn, the pancreas produces more and more insulin. Because the cells do not respond, high levels of glucose build up in the blood, causing Type 2 diabetes. Once the pancreas senses that the insulin isn’t needed, it eventually stops making it. People with Type 2 diabetes often need to take prescription drugs to lower there blood sugar levels.

In both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, the sugar stays in the bloodstream rather than going into the cells where it is needed. After it builds up in the blood, it causes the cells to be starved for energy and, after a long time, damage to the blood vessels, nerves, eyes, and kidneys. Type 1 diabetes, which develops very quickly, can be recognized by symptoms including: frequent urination, intense thirst, increased hunger, and weight loss. Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, develops very gradually without any symptoms at all. Unfortunately, Type 2 diabetes is usually only diagnosed after the occurrence of a complication, such as circulation problems, nerve damage, eye problems, or kidney damage.

All of these complications are caused by high blood sugar levels; however, most of them can be prevented. The longer these blood sugar levels are elevated, the greater the risk for having complications is. Because high blood sugar levels damage blood vessels, they eventually become thicker and less flexible. This causes poor circulation which can complicate healing. These high blood sugar levels also cause higher levels of fat in the bloodstream, which clogs and narrows blood vessels. This partial blockage will deprive the heart of necessary nutrients, resulting in a heart attack, heart pain, or a stroke. Because high blood sugars can cause nerve damage, a person with Type 2 diabetes may lose feeling in parts of their body or have a painful pins-and-needles-like feeling. Diabetes can also damage and weaken blood vessels in the retina, which causes them to leak fluid, resulting in a swelling in the eye, which will blur vision. Since the blood vessels are so fragile, they can break open and bleed into the eye, which will cause scar tissue to form, along with the possibility of the retina to break away from the back of the eye, resulting in visual impairment, or even blindness. The blood vessels in the kidneys can also be damaged, preventing it from filtering out the body’s waste. The longer the blood sugar levels are left uncontrolled, the greater the amount of kidney damage that can occur. If the kidney damage isn’t stopped, a kidney transplant or dialysis machine may eventually be needed.

All of these complications can be prevented through vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplements, which keep people with diabetes healthy and provide powerful tools that prevent the serious complications from occurring. The most helpful nutritional supplement should contain powerful vitamins, minerals, and herbs in a synergistic formula that can lower blood sugars effectively and provide nutrients which people with diabetes need. The supplement should be taken twice a day in addition to a high quality multivitamin. Because a diabetic formula is complementary, it means it should be taken in addition to your multivitamin, not as a replacement.

Since diabetes is a disease that requires active participation, you must be aware of your problem and be in control of it as much as possible. If you use a home glucose monitor to check your blood sugars, you may feel more comfortable checking your glucose levels more often when you first begin the diabetic formula supplement. However, you should always follow your doctor’s recommendation as to how often you should check your blood sugar levels. According to most licensed health care practitioners, a good blood sugar range for most people with diabetes before a meal is from about 70-150, ideally between 70 and 120. By taking a supplement formulated especially for diabetics, your blood sugars should be right where they are recommended. Successful diabetes management means doing lost of positive things, among these include visiting your licensed health care practitioner often, choosing foods wisely and staying active, and taking a diabetic formula supplement, but remember, this diabetic formula supplement is meant to be an addition to a healthy diet, not a substitute.

Darrell Miller
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/what-is-diabetes-and-how-can-you-control-it-83009.html

Brewer’s Yeast: Brewer’s yeast is a wonder food. It is rich in traces of mineral chromium. This mineral helps the pancreas produce more insulin. It is one of the best supports for normal handling of sugar by the body. According to an article by Dr. Richard J. Doisy and others, which appeared in the Medical World News, Brewer’s yeast has lowered the insulin requirements of many diabetes patients.

Broccoli: Broccoli, a close relation of the cauliflower, has long been a popular food in Europe. This vegetable has proved to be an effective anti-diabetic food. It is rich source of chromium, a trace mineral that seems to lower blood sugar. This trace mineral regulates blood sugar, thereby often reducing the medication and insulin needs of diabetes. In cases of mild diabetes, chromium may prevent the onset of the full-fledged disease. If a person’s glucose tolerance is on border, chromium can help control it. Even low blood sugar levels can be brought to normal with chromium.

Curd: Curd injects friendly bacteria in to the digestive system that stimulate the pancreas. It also washes the pancreas of its acids and wastes. These cleansing actions enable the pancreas to perform much better and thereby help in the production of insulin.

Garlic: In scientific trials garlic and its constituents have been found to lower blood sugar in diabetes. This vegetable is rich in potassium, which effectively replaces the large quantities of potassium lost in the urine of diabetics. It also contains zinc and sulphur, which are constituents of insulin. Some authorities believe that low levels of zinc may be one of the factors responsible for the onset of diabetes. Garlic also contains manganese, a deficiency of which can contribute towards diabetes.

Garlic constituents appear to act by blocking the inactivation of insulin in the liver. The result is higher blood insulin levels and lower blood sugar.

Garlic has other benefits for diabetes besides lowering blood sugar. It prevents arteriosclerosis, which is a common complication of diabetes and relieves body paid. Diabetics can take the equivalent of one or two cloves of garlic a day in any form they like, either raw or cooked in food or as capsules. Garlic milk, prepared by adding four cloves of crushed garlic to 110 ml of milk, is one good way of taking garlic. The best way, however, is to chew raw garlic thoroughly first thing in the morning.

Bengal Gram: Bengal gram, also known as chickpea, is a widely used important component of Indian diet. It is a valuable anti-diabetic food. Experiments have shown that the oral ingestion of the water extract of Bengal gram increases the utilization of glucose in diabetics as well as normal people. In a study conducted at Central Food Technological Research Institute in Mysore, the requirement of insulin of chronic diabetes patients decreased from 40 units a day to 20 units, when kept on a diet which included liberal supplements of Bengal gram extract.

Diabetic patients who are on a restricted diet, which does not severely limit the intake of carbohydrates but includes liberal amounts of Bengal gram extract, have shown considerable improvement in their fasting blood sugar levels, glucose tolerance, urinary excretion of sugar and general condition.

Bitter Gourd: The bitter gourd is a common vegetable cultivated extensively. It has excellent medicinal virtues. This vegetable has been used as fold medicine for diabetes from ancient times. Research has established that it contains insulin like principle designated as plant-insulin, which has been found beneficial in lowering blood and urine sugar levels.

Bitter gourd is thus and effective anti-diabetic food and should be included liberally in the diet of a diabetic. Juice of three or four bitter gourds taken every morning on an empty stomach has been found more effective than eating fruits. The seeds of bitter gourd can be powdered and added to regular meals. A decoction prepared by boiling chopped bitter gourd is water is equally effective, as is its dry powder mixed with liquid foods.

Bitter gourd is rich in all essential vitamins and minerals especially vitamins A, B1, B2, C and iron. Its regular use, therefore, prevents many complications associated with diabetes including hypertension, eye complications, neuritis and the defective metabolism of carbohydrates.

Black Gram: Black gram is a highly prized pulse in India. It is an anti diabetic food. Germinated black gram taken with half a cup of fresh bitter gourd juice, forms and effective remedy for treating mild types of diabetes. It should be taken once a day, for three to four months, with a restricted intake of carbohydrates.

In severe diabetes, regular use of this combination is an effective complement to other treatments. It is also a useful health food for preventing complications due to malnutrition in diabetes. Milk prepared by grinding sprouted whole black gram is also recommended for diabetics.

Groundnut: Groundnuts are valuable in diabetes. Eating a handful of groundnuts daily by diabetics will not only prevent malnutrition, particularly the deficiency of niacin, but also checks the development of vascular complications.

Find complete diabetes information, diabetes supply, diabetes treatment, diabetes diet, diabetes causes, diabetes types. More on Diabetes Mellitus Information and Treatment Supply. Also see Natural Ayurvedic Herbal Cure for Diabetes.

Dr John Anne
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/recommended-foods-for-diabetes-61198.html

If diet and exercise aren’t enough, you may need diabetes medications or insulin therapy to manage your blood sugar. People with diabetes have problems converting food to energy. Treatment includes taking diabetes medicines, making wise food choices, exercising regularly, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol, and taking aspirin daily for some.

A diagnosis of diabetes can be made based on test results, confirmed by retesting on a different day. If the results of the second test are the same, you likely have diabetes. If glucose can’t be absorbed by the cells, it builds up in the bloodstream instead, and high blood sugar is the result. As a result, the amount of glucose in the blood increases while the cells are starved of energy. An autoimmune disease results when the body’s system for fighting infection, the immune system, turns against a part of the body. As a result, sugar accumulates in your bloodstream. If the test results are normal, repeat the test every three years. If your results are border line, have a fasting blood sugar test every year.

Some women develop gestational diabetes late in pregnancy. Gestational diabetes is caused by the hormones of pregnancy or a shortage of insulin. Some people have symptoms but do not suspect diabetes.

Many people do not find out they have the disease until they have diabetes complications, such as blurry vision or heart trouble. If you find out early that you have diabetes, then you can get treatment to prevent damage to the body. Your doctor will tell you if you have normal blood glucose, pre-diabetes, or diabetes.

Pre-diabetes means your blood glucose is higher than normal but lower than the diabetes range. However, you can reduce the risk of getting diabetes and even return to normal blood glucose levels with modest weight loss and moderate physical activity. You can do a lot to lower your chances of getting diabetes.

Sandy Klocinski