Wednesday 28 September 2016
Eating Healthy When You Have Diabetes
What Is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease that causes the body to either not produce enough insulin, which is necessary for breaking down the foods we eat, or not using the insulin it does produce properly. If you have been diagnosed as having diabetes, it is more important than ever to make sure that you are eating right. There are three types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes, or juvenile diabetes; Type 2 diabetes; and gestational diabetes. When a person has diabetes, it means that they have extremely high sugar counts in their blood and this must be controlled. Depending on which type of diabetes you have, controlling your sugars could be as easy as making some dietary changes-or you may need to take insulin to keep your sugars regulated.
Type 1 Diabetes - People who have Type 1 diabetes do not have enough insulin coming from the pancreas and must rely on insulin shots to make sure that they have enough. At one time, this involved taking needles, sometimes several times daily. Today, there is a device called an insulin pump, which is attached to the stomach and will supply insulin to the body as it needs it. Often, Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune disorder, and the person with this type of diabetes has an immune system that actually destroys the pancreas cells, making the organ unable to produce enough insulin.
Type 2 Diabetes - When the body does not properly use the insulin created by the pancreas, it is known as Type 2 diabetes. Often, this is a condition that is caused, or at least worsened, by being overweight. It is thought that excess body weight will inhibit the body's ability to absorb and use insulin, and one way to alleviate this is by losing weight. This can be done by eating a healthy weight loss diet that is meant for diabetics. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease, affecting between 90 and 95% of all diabetics.
Gestational Diabetes - This is the only type of diabetes that is a temporary one. It usually occurs when a woman is in the latter half of her pregnancy. It is always important to eat healthy when pregnant, but when gestational diabetes comes into play, it is even more important.
When a woman has gestational diabetes, her pancreas is not able to produce enough insulin, and she will have to make some dietary changes, as well as monitor her blood sugar levels regularly. Fortunately, this form of diabetes usually goes away once the baby is born, and it is rare that it will cause the baby to be born with diabetes. It is important for women who are pregnant to be tested for gestational diabetes, so they can start making the dietary changes necessary to control the condition and have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.
What Are the Symptoms of Diabetes?
There are many different symptoms of diabetes and although many people experience many of the same symptoms, others may not, depending on the type of diabetes they have. Some of the most common symptoms associated with Type 1 diabetes include:
- Extreme thirst and hunger
- Frequent urination
- Loss of weight
- Blurred vision
- Extreme fatigue
The symptoms of Type 2 diabetes are often very similar to those of Type 1 diabetes, but they are not usually as severe and they come on more gradually. Weight is a huge factor and about 80% of people with Type 2 diabetes are overweight.
Risk Factors for Developing Diabetes
There are a number of risk factors for diabetes and if you find that you have some of these risk factors, you should have your physician test you for diabetes. The risk factors for diabetes include:
- If you have a family history of diabetes, you may be at risk of developing the disease yourself.
- Being overweight can greatly increase your risk of developing diabetes and the more overweight you are, the greater the risk.
- Certain ethnic groups are at a higher risk for developing diabetes, including Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanics, and Latinos.
Blood Sugar Levels
When a person has diabetes, it is essential that they monitor their blood sugar levels and take the appropriate steps to make sure that the levels are what they should be. Before eating, blood sugar levels should be between 90 and 130 and after eating, less than 180. If you have Type 1 diabetes, you will have to monitor your blood sugar levels several times a day. Your physician will be able to help you figure out just how often you should be doing this. In order to make sure that your blood sugar levels are regulated, you may have to take insulin (Type 1 diabetes), change your eating habits and get plenty of exercise.
A Healthy Diet Is Essential for Diabetics
There are certain things that must be included in a diabetic diet and foods that definitely need to be avoided. It is important for diabetics to know what to eat, how much to eat, and when they should eat. When a person is first diagnosed as being diabetic, the dietary changes may seem colossal, but they are not really that bad, especially if the person is already somewhat used to eating healthy. It is also important to get enough exercise, which will also help in weight loss and overall good health.
About Protica Research
Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm specializing in the development of protein-rich, capsulized foods (dense nutrition in compact liquid and food forms). Protica manufactures Profect protein beverage, IsoMetric, Fruitasia and more than 100 other brands in its GMP-certified, 250,000 square foot facility.
Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm specializing in the development of protein-rich, capsulized foods (dense nutrition in compact liquid and food forms). Protica manufactures Profect protein beverage, IsoMetric, Fruitasia and more than 100 other brands in its GMP-certified, 250,000 square foot facility.
Tuesday 27 September 2016
Diabetes Type 1: What Everyone Needs to Know
Diabetes is a difficult disease for a child and parent. Physical,
emotional, and psychological tolls exist on a daily basis for those
living with diabetes. The rate of newly diagnosed patients has increased
exponentially over the years, inexplicably by doctors, yet awareness
and education has not. It is crucial that in order to work towards a
cure for type 1 diabetes, an awareness of the disease, symptoms,
treatment, management, complications, and prevention must first be
established.
Diabetes exists in two forms-type 1 and type 2. Approximately 95% of people suffering from diabetes have type 2, while only 5% of Americans suffer from type 1. Though type 2, sometimes referred to as adult on-set diabetes, is more prevalent, type 1, otherwise known as "juvenile" diabetes, is often considered the more serious of the two. Type 1 diabetes is most commonly diagnosed in children; however, it is possible to be diagnosed in adulthood. When the body ingests food, the stomach begins to break down its contents into protein, fat, and carbohydrates. It is carbohydrates that further break down into glucose, which the body uses for energy. In a normal, healthy body, the pancreas releases a hormone called insulin, which helps the cells absorb and use the glucose. The insulin acts as a key to the cell, so that when it is released, it opens the cell allowing glucose to be absorbed. However, when insulin is absent, the cell cannot open and absorb the glucose from the bloodstream. A type 1 diabetic's pancreas does not function properly-it releases little to none of the hormone, insulin, as it should. Therefore, when glucose enters the bloodstream, it is forced to remain there because insulin is not present to open the cell for absorption. It is key to understand that type 1 diabetes is "considered to be an auto-immune disease because the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas are attacked and 'erroneously' destroyed by the immune system early on in the disease process, resulting in little to no insulin production in the pancreas". Thus, a type 1 diabetic requires insulin therapy to maintain normal blood glucose levels.
Diabetes is an auto-immune disease that scientists believe has to do with genes. Genes are "like instructions for how the body should look and work...but just getting the genes for diabetes isn't usually enough. In most cases something else has to happen-like getting a virus infection-for a person to get Type 1 Diabetes". In other words, diabetes is not considered to be an infectious disease, and it is not like a cold that can be caught from being in contact with someone who suffers from the disease. Unfortunately, doctors still cannot predict who will develop the disease and who will not.
There are many classic symptoms associated with type 1 diabetes that can develop either suddenly or gradually. The most common symptom is frequent urination, followed by increased thirst, weight loss, fatigue, and increased appetite. If anyone experiences these symptoms, especially if there is a family history of diabetes, it is important to seek medical attention immediately. Failure to treat these symptoms could result in other health problems such as "stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, breathing problems, and even loss of consciousness. Doctors call this diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA".
Currently, there is no cure for type 1 diabetes; however, there are some treatments being explored. The three main treatments being explored are Pancreas transplants, Islet cell transplantation, and Stem cell transplants. Pancreas transplants are quite rare because of the risks associated with them. Upon transplantation, one would need a "lifetime of potent immune-suppressing drugs to prevent organ rejection". In addition to these immune-suppressing drugs, a "high risk of infection and organ injury" exists among those receiving a transplant. Islet cell transplantation "provides new insulin-producing cells from a donor pancreas". Similar to a pancreas transplant, islet cell transplantation requires the use of immune-suppressing drugs, which carry the same risks. The risk of the immune system destroying the transplanted cells is also a risk. Finally, stem cell transplant is another treatment being explored. Stem cell transplantation involves "shutting down the immune system and then building it up again-[which] can be risky". All three of these treatments are promising, yet scientists are still working toward finding a more successful and permanent treatment for diabetes.
While there is no cure for diabetes, it is important to follow a strict diabetes management plan in order to live a healthy life. Regular blood glucose monitoring and insulin therapy are two important forms of proper diabetes management. Fortunately, technology advancement over time has allowed blood glucose monitoring to very simple. Upon diagnosis, patients receive a blood glucose meter to carry with them at all times for blood glucose testing. This meter allows a diabetic to monitor their blood glucose, or "blood sugar" level, at liberty in order to maintain better diabetes control. A meter only requires a small drop of blood, and readings are available in approximately five seconds. It is important to keep blood sugar levels between 80 and 120 as much as possible. If steady glucose levels are not maintained or diabetes management is neglected over time, serious complications can result such as "seizures, blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, amputations and strokes.
Insulin therapy is another key to healthy diabetes management. Regular insulin doses help control blood glucose levels following meals and overnight. There are two main types of insulin: short-acting and long-acting. Short-acting insulin is administered during the day or following meals. It is called short-acting because of the small amount of time needed for the insulin to take effect. This is especially important following meals because, as the body absorbs the glucose from food, blood glucose levels rise quickly. Short-acting insulin combats the swift rise in glucose levels and helps maintain a steady blood glucose reading.
The second type of insulin is long-acting insulin. This is administered before going to sleep at night because the insulin slowly acts upon glucose levels. Instead of immediately having an effect on blood glucose levels, the long-acting insulin slowly applies itself keeping glucose levels steady throughout the night. The amount or type of insulin that a diabetic receives varies from person to person-no one person is the same. As a diabetic becomes adjusted to their body and the disease, they will begin to assess their body's need for insulin. Some will require more insulin than others, and this generally happens over time. As a diabetic patient continues to live with the disease, their body will become more and more dependent on synthetic, or manufactured, insulin rather than its own.
In addition to blood glucose monitoring and insulin therapy, a healthy diet and active lifestyle are key to proper diabetes management. Living with diabetes can mean making a significant dietary adjustment for a newly diagnosed patient. While fats, proteins, and carbohydrates may have never been considered prior to diagnosis, a type 1 diabetic's diet revolves around them. Careful planning and measuring of food intake to insulin ratio is strenuous and time-consuming, yet essential. It is important for the body to receive all of its essential nutrients while maintaining proper blood glucose levels. This requires careful calculation of carbohydrate, or carb, to insulin ratio. Each diabetic has a standard ratio of insulin per one carb. Fifteen grams of carb is, for general purposes, considered one carb. Based on how many grams of carb are in a meal, the ratio of insulin can then be calculated. It is difficult to imagine doing calculations like this for every meal, but that is the reality of living with diabetes.
The final element of proper diabetes management is maintaining an active way of life. A healthy lifestyle allows a person with diabetes to maintain better control over their diabetes. Being active helps lower blood sugar because "muscle contraction, increased blood flow and increased body temperature cause the body to be more responsive or 'sensitive' to insulin during and soon after exercise. In addition, when muscles contract, they can take up glucose from the bloodstream independently of insulin". Since muscle contraction can take up glucose from the bloodstream without insulin during exercise, being active is particularly encouraged when blood glucose levels are elevated. This will help bring high glucose levels down to a more normal reading quickly. Thus, a well-balanced diet and active lifestyle are imperative to proper diabetes management.
Serious complications can evolve from poor management of diabetes. Seizures, diabetic coma, ketoacidosis (ketones present in the blood stream cause the kidneys to shut down), loss of vision, depression, amputation, and premature death are all complications of diabetes. Lauren Stanford, at 13, felt the frustrations of living with diabetes: "I wanted so bad to be like my other teenage friends who were free to worry about nothing more than boys and movies and fun," she says. Lauren, like many teenagers, began to neglect her diabetes in order to feel "free" like other children her age. Not only did she neglect to monitor her blood glucose levels, but she began skipping insulin doses as well. Lauren went on to say that, "On October 30th I collapsed and was rushed to Children's Hospital in Boston where I was put in the ICU. I could have died. Diabetes almost got me". Ignorance and neglect of diabetes management can carry serious health risks as seen in Lauren's story. It is important to realize that diabetes is not a disease that will go away if ignored. Rather, serious complications can evolve from neglect. Therefore, it is very important to handle Diabetes in a serious and responsible manner.
Type 1 diabetes is a serious disease that carries serious consequences and health risks from poor management. Therefore, the bruises, holes, and tender skin from finger pricks and injections are a necessary part of life for one living with diabetes. Many parents suffer from the guilt of hurting their child with daily sticks, but this is what keeps a child with diabetes alive. Regular glucose monitoring, insulin therapy, a healthy diet, and active lifestyle are the most important steps in proper diabetes care. Many children and adults suffer from type 1 diabetes, but with the advancements of technology, those suffering from diabetes are able to live a healthy and happy lifestyle until a cure is found.
Diabetes exists in two forms-type 1 and type 2. Approximately 95% of people suffering from diabetes have type 2, while only 5% of Americans suffer from type 1. Though type 2, sometimes referred to as adult on-set diabetes, is more prevalent, type 1, otherwise known as "juvenile" diabetes, is often considered the more serious of the two. Type 1 diabetes is most commonly diagnosed in children; however, it is possible to be diagnosed in adulthood. When the body ingests food, the stomach begins to break down its contents into protein, fat, and carbohydrates. It is carbohydrates that further break down into glucose, which the body uses for energy. In a normal, healthy body, the pancreas releases a hormone called insulin, which helps the cells absorb and use the glucose. The insulin acts as a key to the cell, so that when it is released, it opens the cell allowing glucose to be absorbed. However, when insulin is absent, the cell cannot open and absorb the glucose from the bloodstream. A type 1 diabetic's pancreas does not function properly-it releases little to none of the hormone, insulin, as it should. Therefore, when glucose enters the bloodstream, it is forced to remain there because insulin is not present to open the cell for absorption. It is key to understand that type 1 diabetes is "considered to be an auto-immune disease because the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas are attacked and 'erroneously' destroyed by the immune system early on in the disease process, resulting in little to no insulin production in the pancreas". Thus, a type 1 diabetic requires insulin therapy to maintain normal blood glucose levels.
Diabetes is an auto-immune disease that scientists believe has to do with genes. Genes are "like instructions for how the body should look and work...but just getting the genes for diabetes isn't usually enough. In most cases something else has to happen-like getting a virus infection-for a person to get Type 1 Diabetes". In other words, diabetes is not considered to be an infectious disease, and it is not like a cold that can be caught from being in contact with someone who suffers from the disease. Unfortunately, doctors still cannot predict who will develop the disease and who will not.
There are many classic symptoms associated with type 1 diabetes that can develop either suddenly or gradually. The most common symptom is frequent urination, followed by increased thirst, weight loss, fatigue, and increased appetite. If anyone experiences these symptoms, especially if there is a family history of diabetes, it is important to seek medical attention immediately. Failure to treat these symptoms could result in other health problems such as "stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, breathing problems, and even loss of consciousness. Doctors call this diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA".
Currently, there is no cure for type 1 diabetes; however, there are some treatments being explored. The three main treatments being explored are Pancreas transplants, Islet cell transplantation, and Stem cell transplants. Pancreas transplants are quite rare because of the risks associated with them. Upon transplantation, one would need a "lifetime of potent immune-suppressing drugs to prevent organ rejection". In addition to these immune-suppressing drugs, a "high risk of infection and organ injury" exists among those receiving a transplant. Islet cell transplantation "provides new insulin-producing cells from a donor pancreas". Similar to a pancreas transplant, islet cell transplantation requires the use of immune-suppressing drugs, which carry the same risks. The risk of the immune system destroying the transplanted cells is also a risk. Finally, stem cell transplant is another treatment being explored. Stem cell transplantation involves "shutting down the immune system and then building it up again-[which] can be risky". All three of these treatments are promising, yet scientists are still working toward finding a more successful and permanent treatment for diabetes.
While there is no cure for diabetes, it is important to follow a strict diabetes management plan in order to live a healthy life. Regular blood glucose monitoring and insulin therapy are two important forms of proper diabetes management. Fortunately, technology advancement over time has allowed blood glucose monitoring to very simple. Upon diagnosis, patients receive a blood glucose meter to carry with them at all times for blood glucose testing. This meter allows a diabetic to monitor their blood glucose, or "blood sugar" level, at liberty in order to maintain better diabetes control. A meter only requires a small drop of blood, and readings are available in approximately five seconds. It is important to keep blood sugar levels between 80 and 120 as much as possible. If steady glucose levels are not maintained or diabetes management is neglected over time, serious complications can result such as "seizures, blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, amputations and strokes.
Insulin therapy is another key to healthy diabetes management. Regular insulin doses help control blood glucose levels following meals and overnight. There are two main types of insulin: short-acting and long-acting. Short-acting insulin is administered during the day or following meals. It is called short-acting because of the small amount of time needed for the insulin to take effect. This is especially important following meals because, as the body absorbs the glucose from food, blood glucose levels rise quickly. Short-acting insulin combats the swift rise in glucose levels and helps maintain a steady blood glucose reading.
The second type of insulin is long-acting insulin. This is administered before going to sleep at night because the insulin slowly acts upon glucose levels. Instead of immediately having an effect on blood glucose levels, the long-acting insulin slowly applies itself keeping glucose levels steady throughout the night. The amount or type of insulin that a diabetic receives varies from person to person-no one person is the same. As a diabetic becomes adjusted to their body and the disease, they will begin to assess their body's need for insulin. Some will require more insulin than others, and this generally happens over time. As a diabetic patient continues to live with the disease, their body will become more and more dependent on synthetic, or manufactured, insulin rather than its own.
In addition to blood glucose monitoring and insulin therapy, a healthy diet and active lifestyle are key to proper diabetes management. Living with diabetes can mean making a significant dietary adjustment for a newly diagnosed patient. While fats, proteins, and carbohydrates may have never been considered prior to diagnosis, a type 1 diabetic's diet revolves around them. Careful planning and measuring of food intake to insulin ratio is strenuous and time-consuming, yet essential. It is important for the body to receive all of its essential nutrients while maintaining proper blood glucose levels. This requires careful calculation of carbohydrate, or carb, to insulin ratio. Each diabetic has a standard ratio of insulin per one carb. Fifteen grams of carb is, for general purposes, considered one carb. Based on how many grams of carb are in a meal, the ratio of insulin can then be calculated. It is difficult to imagine doing calculations like this for every meal, but that is the reality of living with diabetes.
The final element of proper diabetes management is maintaining an active way of life. A healthy lifestyle allows a person with diabetes to maintain better control over their diabetes. Being active helps lower blood sugar because "muscle contraction, increased blood flow and increased body temperature cause the body to be more responsive or 'sensitive' to insulin during and soon after exercise. In addition, when muscles contract, they can take up glucose from the bloodstream independently of insulin". Since muscle contraction can take up glucose from the bloodstream without insulin during exercise, being active is particularly encouraged when blood glucose levels are elevated. This will help bring high glucose levels down to a more normal reading quickly. Thus, a well-balanced diet and active lifestyle are imperative to proper diabetes management.
Serious complications can evolve from poor management of diabetes. Seizures, diabetic coma, ketoacidosis (ketones present in the blood stream cause the kidneys to shut down), loss of vision, depression, amputation, and premature death are all complications of diabetes. Lauren Stanford, at 13, felt the frustrations of living with diabetes: "I wanted so bad to be like my other teenage friends who were free to worry about nothing more than boys and movies and fun," she says. Lauren, like many teenagers, began to neglect her diabetes in order to feel "free" like other children her age. Not only did she neglect to monitor her blood glucose levels, but she began skipping insulin doses as well. Lauren went on to say that, "On October 30th I collapsed and was rushed to Children's Hospital in Boston where I was put in the ICU. I could have died. Diabetes almost got me". Ignorance and neglect of diabetes management can carry serious health risks as seen in Lauren's story. It is important to realize that diabetes is not a disease that will go away if ignored. Rather, serious complications can evolve from neglect. Therefore, it is very important to handle Diabetes in a serious and responsible manner.
Type 1 diabetes is a serious disease that carries serious consequences and health risks from poor management. Therefore, the bruises, holes, and tender skin from finger pricks and injections are a necessary part of life for one living with diabetes. Many parents suffer from the guilt of hurting their child with daily sticks, but this is what keeps a child with diabetes alive. Regular glucose monitoring, insulin therapy, a healthy diet, and active lifestyle are the most important steps in proper diabetes care. Many children and adults suffer from type 1 diabetes, but with the advancements of technology, those suffering from diabetes are able to live a healthy and happy lifestyle until a cure is found.
Monday 26 September 2016
Diabetes - The Chronic Killer
Diabetes mellitus or DM is a disease affecting multi-organ
systems due to the abnormal insulin production, improper insulin usage
or even both. It is a very serious health problem throughout the world
effecting thousands of people.A survey conducted in United States showed
that almost 6.2% of the population suffers from this disease. It is a
matter of great issue that almost one -third of the population is
unaware of the disease.
Incidence
Diabetes is actually the fifth leading cause of deaths in the country of United States. And the real incidence is expected to have a steady increase in the coming years. Diabetes has a very important role in leading to heart disease, adult blindness, stroke, non traumatic amputation of lower limb etc. it is found that diabetic people do have a risk of almost two fold to develop coronary artery disease and that too with more than 65% suffering from high blood pressure.
Diabetes - a short review
Diabetes mellitus are of mainly three types, they include type 1 diabetes mellitus, type ii diabetes mellitus, gestational diabetes and also secondary diabetes. Gestational diabetes as its name refers to deals with the diabetic episode during pregnancy or during the gestational period. It will subside once after delivery. Secondary diabetes is another form of diabetes where diabetes will occur secondary to other diseases, for instance chronic hypertension.
Type I diabetes mellitus or juvenile diabetes
It is known as juvenile diabetes since it is more common among the juveniles or young people below 30 years of age. It is insulin dependent diabetes with a peak onset during the age group of 11 to 13. Type I diabetes is caused due to the progressive destruction of pancreatic beta cells that occurs by the auto immune mechanism. Clinical symptoms include increased frequency in urination or polyuria, excessive thirst or polydipsia, increased hunger or polyphagia, weight loss, fatigue etc are seen. Ketoacidosis is a very serious complication seen in children due to diabetes and is often life threatening and may lead to metabolic acidosis.
Type II diabetes mellitus
Over 90% of diabetes mellitus is type ii diabetes.here the pancreas continues to produce insulin,but this amount of insulin is either poorly used up by tissues or is either inadequate for bodily needs. There are mainly three abnormalities or factors leading to type ii diabetes mellitus. One of them is insulin resistance, where insulin receptors are either minimal in number or will remain unresponsive. Another factor is the poor ability of pancreas to produce insulin. The final factor comes with inappropriate glucose production by the liver.
Risks related to diabetes
When we analyze the analyze risk group for developing diabetes mellitus, a condition that requires primary importance is impaired glucose tolerance or IGT. It is a disease condition caused by the mild alteration of beta cell function. Here the blood glucose level is usually high but not to a level to be called as a case of diabetes. But most people with impaired tolerance for glucose have a high risk for developing type ii diabetes within the next 10 years.
Another important risk related to diabetes is insulin resistance syndrome, also known by the name syndrome x,it is in fact a cluster of abnormalities which will act in a synergistic manner so a stop increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. It is usually charactracterised by increase insulin levels, high amount of triglycerides, hypotension.
Once identified, then complete cure of the disease is not so easy though proper measures can help you to control diabetes in a very effective way. Though there are many environmental as well as genetic factors involved in causing diabetes, exercises. Balanced diet, adequate rest and sleep and a stress less life could help you to keep away from diabetes or to stop diabetes.
There are a lot of management measures for diabetes control. It chiefly includes nutritional therapy, exercise therapy, oral anti-glycemic agents, insulin treatment etc. therefore a collaborative management is usually preferred for treating diabetes mellitus. Nutritional therapy is one of the main management for diabetes mellitus.
Diabetic diet
Diabetic diet management is one of the main components of the collaborative management. Some of the general guidelines for diabetic diet include the following.
Effect of diet is very much crucial in type I diabetes as not only food control but also insulin therapy is also a must in type I diabetes. Uniform timing for meals is considered very strict in the case of type I diabetes mellitus because of the multi doses of insulin's but this is just desirable for type II diabetes mellitus. If needed, intermittent snack can be taken for diabetic patients with type I form, though it is not much recommended for type II diabetes. Usually the frequent snack is not recommended for type diabetic people.
It should very seriously note that diet teaching should not only focus on the patients but also to his family and caregivers. It is most suitable to give adequate teaching to the person who is cooking and serving. But still, the ultimate responsibility to maintain their blood glucose fall on to the patients. Try to avoid alcohol also since it could again worsen your body and health by causing hyper glyceridemia. Besides all these, regular exercises, strict drug regime, periodic screening etc should be done to control diabetes and its effects. Diabetes if monitored and maintained in a very appropriate way, it could be effectively controlled.
Incidence
Diabetes is actually the fifth leading cause of deaths in the country of United States. And the real incidence is expected to have a steady increase in the coming years. Diabetes has a very important role in leading to heart disease, adult blindness, stroke, non traumatic amputation of lower limb etc. it is found that diabetic people do have a risk of almost two fold to develop coronary artery disease and that too with more than 65% suffering from high blood pressure.
Diabetes - a short review
Diabetes mellitus are of mainly three types, they include type 1 diabetes mellitus, type ii diabetes mellitus, gestational diabetes and also secondary diabetes. Gestational diabetes as its name refers to deals with the diabetic episode during pregnancy or during the gestational period. It will subside once after delivery. Secondary diabetes is another form of diabetes where diabetes will occur secondary to other diseases, for instance chronic hypertension.
Type I diabetes mellitus or juvenile diabetes
It is known as juvenile diabetes since it is more common among the juveniles or young people below 30 years of age. It is insulin dependent diabetes with a peak onset during the age group of 11 to 13. Type I diabetes is caused due to the progressive destruction of pancreatic beta cells that occurs by the auto immune mechanism. Clinical symptoms include increased frequency in urination or polyuria, excessive thirst or polydipsia, increased hunger or polyphagia, weight loss, fatigue etc are seen. Ketoacidosis is a very serious complication seen in children due to diabetes and is often life threatening and may lead to metabolic acidosis.
Type II diabetes mellitus
Over 90% of diabetes mellitus is type ii diabetes.here the pancreas continues to produce insulin,but this amount of insulin is either poorly used up by tissues or is either inadequate for bodily needs. There are mainly three abnormalities or factors leading to type ii diabetes mellitus. One of them is insulin resistance, where insulin receptors are either minimal in number or will remain unresponsive. Another factor is the poor ability of pancreas to produce insulin. The final factor comes with inappropriate glucose production by the liver.
Risks related to diabetes
When we analyze the analyze risk group for developing diabetes mellitus, a condition that requires primary importance is impaired glucose tolerance or IGT. It is a disease condition caused by the mild alteration of beta cell function. Here the blood glucose level is usually high but not to a level to be called as a case of diabetes. But most people with impaired tolerance for glucose have a high risk for developing type ii diabetes within the next 10 years.
Another important risk related to diabetes is insulin resistance syndrome, also known by the name syndrome x,it is in fact a cluster of abnormalities which will act in a synergistic manner so a stop increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. It is usually charactracterised by increase insulin levels, high amount of triglycerides, hypotension.
Once identified, then complete cure of the disease is not so easy though proper measures can help you to control diabetes in a very effective way. Though there are many environmental as well as genetic factors involved in causing diabetes, exercises. Balanced diet, adequate rest and sleep and a stress less life could help you to keep away from diabetes or to stop diabetes.
There are a lot of management measures for diabetes control. It chiefly includes nutritional therapy, exercise therapy, oral anti-glycemic agents, insulin treatment etc. therefore a collaborative management is usually preferred for treating diabetes mellitus. Nutritional therapy is one of the main management for diabetes mellitus.
Diabetic diet
Diabetic diet management is one of the main components of the collaborative management. Some of the general guidelines for diabetic diet include the following.
- Fiber rich diet: Always include the fiber rich food in the diet as it could increase the bulk of your stomach and can add on to your satisfaction.
- Restrict sodium intake up to even 2400mg/dl.
- Include whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables in the diet.
- There is an alternative mode of planning the diabetic diet which is considered as one of the convenient method. This often referred as plate method. The most important advantage of this method is that here the patient itself could visualize the amount of starch, vegetables, and whatever food filled in the nine inch plate.
- For lunch and the dinner, half of the plate is to be filled with non starchy vegetables, one fourth with starch and another one fourth with any non vegetarian items up to 2-4 oz. A single glass of milk with low fat and a small piece of fresh fruits could complete the meals.
- When we look on to the breakfast, the plate has to be filled with starch around half and another one forth with optional proteins.
- This plate method is found to be very useful as it could owe about 1200-1400 cal/day, which adds on to an appropriate balanced diet plan.
Effect of diet is very much crucial in type I diabetes as not only food control but also insulin therapy is also a must in type I diabetes. Uniform timing for meals is considered very strict in the case of type I diabetes mellitus because of the multi doses of insulin's but this is just desirable for type II diabetes mellitus. If needed, intermittent snack can be taken for diabetic patients with type I form, though it is not much recommended for type II diabetes. Usually the frequent snack is not recommended for type diabetic people.
It should very seriously note that diet teaching should not only focus on the patients but also to his family and caregivers. It is most suitable to give adequate teaching to the person who is cooking and serving. But still, the ultimate responsibility to maintain their blood glucose fall on to the patients. Try to avoid alcohol also since it could again worsen your body and health by causing hyper glyceridemia. Besides all these, regular exercises, strict drug regime, periodic screening etc should be done to control diabetes and its effects. Diabetes if monitored and maintained in a very appropriate way, it could be effectively controlled.
Sunday 25 September 2016
Why Do Young, Slim People Get Diabetes Type 2?
According to the National Institute of Health, about 80% of
people with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese. Without a doubt,
obesity is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes because increased
body fat makes it difficult for the body to use insulin properly.
Does this mean that diabetes is just a disease of the obese? Unfortunately, being skinny is not always a protection against diabetes. Many who do not fit the typical physical description of a diabetic-overweight and older-can get diabetes. Although increased body weight is a risk factor for diabetes, it is not the only risk factor. Lean people can be at risk for type 2 diabetes for other reasons not directly related to body weight. This risk, however, is low especially in comparison to obese individuals.
It's in the Genes
Aside from commonly known risk factors for diabetes, such as excess weight and old age, there are two strong risk factors for diabetes that are often overlooked-genes and family history. Some people are born more likely to have diabetes, regardless of their weight. In fact, according to the American Diabetes Association, type 2 diabetes has a stronger link to family history than type 1 diabetes, especially in twins. If one twin has type 2, the other twin's risk is up to 75%. A research study published in PloS Genetics found that most lean cases are people with a strong genetic predisposition for type 2 diabetes. Even a family history of heart disease can increase a person's risk for diabetes.
Lifestyle
It's important to note that in the field of health and nutrition, the word "skinny" does not always mean "healthy". Even a relatively skinny person can have a poor diet and low activity levels. Unhealthy lifestyle choices can increase the risk for diabetes. Low physical activity encourages insulin resistance. Coupled with a poor diet, a sedentary lifestyle can lead to increased body fat, especially a dangerous type of body fat called visceral fat. This type of fat is not the fat found under the skin. This is the fat that surrounds internal organs, especially around the waist area.
Such poor lifestyle choices increase the risk of hypertension, high cholesterol, and high triglyceride levels in the blood. All of these health problems can encourage the development of type 2 diabetes as well.
Smoking can also increase your risk for type 2 diabetes, regardless of your body weight. According to the American Journal of Epidemiology, a heavy smoker (16-25 cigarettes/day) has a risk for type 2 diabetes three times greater than that of a non-smoker.
Specific Populations
Research has shown that certain population groups are more susceptible to diabetes than others. For example, thin cases of diabetes are more common in the elderly or certain non-Caucasian ethnicities. These include African-Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders. Since these ethnic backgrounds are more vulnerable to diabetes, body weight may not make a huge difference in the risk for diabetes.
During pregnancy, women can develop a temporary type of diabetes called gestational diabetes. If this occurs, their chances of developing type 2 diabetes are higher for the next decade or so, regardless of their weight. If a woman gave birth to at least one baby weighing more than 9 pounds, she is at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes regardless of her weight or family history.
Understand Diabetes to Prevent or Delay It
There are overweight people without diabetes and thin people with diabetes. However, the diabetes epidemic (nationally and globally) lies mainly, but not exclusively, in obese individuals. According to a 2014 study published in Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes for overweight people is about 1.5-5 times higher than normal weight individuals.
Many of the risk factors for type 2 diabetes in lean people are out of their control, such as family history or genes. Weight, on the other hand, is a factor that can be controlled. If you are at risk for type 2 diabetes, weight loss is an important measure to take to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes.
The facts show that people can develop type 2 diabetes at any age or weight, even during childhood or in a lean person. However, this type of diabetes develops most often in middle-aged and older people. Regardless of the risk factors you may or may not have, it is important to recognize the warning signs of diabetes and to make healthy lifestyle choices that can help prevent it.
Does this mean that diabetes is just a disease of the obese? Unfortunately, being skinny is not always a protection against diabetes. Many who do not fit the typical physical description of a diabetic-overweight and older-can get diabetes. Although increased body weight is a risk factor for diabetes, it is not the only risk factor. Lean people can be at risk for type 2 diabetes for other reasons not directly related to body weight. This risk, however, is low especially in comparison to obese individuals.
It's in the Genes
Aside from commonly known risk factors for diabetes, such as excess weight and old age, there are two strong risk factors for diabetes that are often overlooked-genes and family history. Some people are born more likely to have diabetes, regardless of their weight. In fact, according to the American Diabetes Association, type 2 diabetes has a stronger link to family history than type 1 diabetes, especially in twins. If one twin has type 2, the other twin's risk is up to 75%. A research study published in PloS Genetics found that most lean cases are people with a strong genetic predisposition for type 2 diabetes. Even a family history of heart disease can increase a person's risk for diabetes.
Lifestyle
It's important to note that in the field of health and nutrition, the word "skinny" does not always mean "healthy". Even a relatively skinny person can have a poor diet and low activity levels. Unhealthy lifestyle choices can increase the risk for diabetes. Low physical activity encourages insulin resistance. Coupled with a poor diet, a sedentary lifestyle can lead to increased body fat, especially a dangerous type of body fat called visceral fat. This type of fat is not the fat found under the skin. This is the fat that surrounds internal organs, especially around the waist area.
Such poor lifestyle choices increase the risk of hypertension, high cholesterol, and high triglyceride levels in the blood. All of these health problems can encourage the development of type 2 diabetes as well.
Smoking can also increase your risk for type 2 diabetes, regardless of your body weight. According to the American Journal of Epidemiology, a heavy smoker (16-25 cigarettes/day) has a risk for type 2 diabetes three times greater than that of a non-smoker.
Specific Populations
Research has shown that certain population groups are more susceptible to diabetes than others. For example, thin cases of diabetes are more common in the elderly or certain non-Caucasian ethnicities. These include African-Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders. Since these ethnic backgrounds are more vulnerable to diabetes, body weight may not make a huge difference in the risk for diabetes.
During pregnancy, women can develop a temporary type of diabetes called gestational diabetes. If this occurs, their chances of developing type 2 diabetes are higher for the next decade or so, regardless of their weight. If a woman gave birth to at least one baby weighing more than 9 pounds, she is at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes regardless of her weight or family history.
Understand Diabetes to Prevent or Delay It
There are overweight people without diabetes and thin people with diabetes. However, the diabetes epidemic (nationally and globally) lies mainly, but not exclusively, in obese individuals. According to a 2014 study published in Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes for overweight people is about 1.5-5 times higher than normal weight individuals.
Many of the risk factors for type 2 diabetes in lean people are out of their control, such as family history or genes. Weight, on the other hand, is a factor that can be controlled. If you are at risk for type 2 diabetes, weight loss is an important measure to take to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes.
The facts show that people can develop type 2 diabetes at any age or weight, even during childhood or in a lean person. However, this type of diabetes develops most often in middle-aged and older people. Regardless of the risk factors you may or may not have, it is important to recognize the warning signs of diabetes and to make healthy lifestyle choices that can help prevent it.
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Our frozen Diabetic meals can be put in the freezer upon arrival. Take them out over the week as needed.
Saturday 24 September 2016
What's Your Risk Of Developing Diabetes?
A study published in the Lancet, a leading international
medical journal, in August 2014 found that the risk of developing
diabetes is increasingly rapidly among Americans.
The study also found that this risk depends on your race, your education and where you live, and that diabetics are living longer.
This study is the first in more than a decade to calculate the risk Americans face of developing diabetes during their life-time. It was conducted by epidemiologists at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, who have been tracking and analysing the prevalence of diabetes and the rate at which news cases are diagnosed for many years.
These researchers used mortality data for almost 600,000 persons from 1985 to 2011 (25 years) to assess the risk of developing type 1 or type 2 diabetes (excluding gestational diabetes).
Though the study only examined diabetes in the context of American people, it is likely that similar results would have been obtained had the study been conducted using European data or data from other countries where a Western-type diet and life-style is the norm.
The ever increasing risk of diabetes
The study revealed that there was a dramatic rise between 1985 and 2011 in the overall risk that an American will develop diabetes.
In 1985, American boys had a 21 percent chance of developing diabetes, and girls 27 percent. By 2011, however, that risk had jumped to 40 percent for both boys and girls. In other words, the risk for boys had almost doubled, while the risk for girls had gone up 50 percent.
The Lancet study did not analyse why this is so. But part of the reason could be the fact that people are living longer so that they have more years during which they can develop diabetes.
Diabetics are living longer
The good news is that America children diagnosed with diabetes can now expect to live more than 70 years with the disease.
Indeed, between 1985 and 2011, the number of years for which men diagnosed with diabetes can expect to survive increased by 156 percent. For women, the figure was 70 percent. Though no explanation was given by the researchers, this is probably due to advances in medical knowledge and treatments over the last 25 years.
Being diabetic shortens your life-span. Over the 25 year period examined by the researchers, the average number of years lost due to diabetes for the population as a whole increased by 46 percent in men and 44 percent in women. This is obviously due to the increasing prevalence of diabetes. It may also be partly due to the fact that there are probably fewer undiagnosed cases nowadays.
While the picture for the population as a whole seems to be getting bleaker, things are improving for the individual diabetic.
The number of years of his life a man diagnosed with diabetes can expect to lose on average decreased by almost two years (from 7.7 to 5.8 lost years) between the 1990s and the end of the 2000s. Women also gained an average of two years (their losses decreasing from 8.7 to 6.8 years) over the same time span. These improvements are probably due to better treatment regimes.
Race, gender and diabetes
While Americans overall have a gloomy 40 percent chance of developing diabetes, the outlook for Blacks and Hispanics is much grimmer.
White boys have a 37% and White girls a 34% risk of developing diabetes. By contrast, the chances for Black men are 44.7%, while for their sisters the risk is a whopping 55.3%. The chances of developing diabetes for Hispanic boys and girls are 51.8% and 51.5% respectively.
These figures, which refer to the risks of developing diabetes, reinforce the idea that diabetes has a genetic origin, at least to the extent that your genes can predispose you to diabetes. Most medical researchers agree that it's your life-style that kicks it into action.
According to the researchers, they analysed race because that was the data they had available; but they did state that socio-economic status is probably as important as, if not more important than, race.
Nevertheless, the risk of developing diabetes for Whites is much less than it is for Blacks and Hispanics. Indeed, the risk for White girls is a third less than the risk for Black and Hispanic ladies.
As you can see, Hispanics of both sexes, as well as Black women, have a risk that exceeds 50 percent. But why Black men have a risk that is almost 10 percentage points less than Black women cannot be explained away by genetic differences.
Education and diabetes
The less educated you are, the greater your risk of developing diabetes.
According to the Lancet, in 1990 the number of new diagnoses among high-school drop-outs was 6.5 per thousand, while among high-school graduates it was 3.6 and for those who studied beyond high-school 3.2 per thousand.
This figure for the number of new diagnoses of diabetes among high-school drop-outs, high-school graduates and those who continued to study after high-school has been increasing steadily. In 2008 it peaked at 15.6, 9.4 and 6.5 per thousand respectively.
Since then the rate at which new diagnoses are being discovered has dropped off a bit. This may be due to improving life-styles.
At the same time, according to the latest statistics high-school dropouts are likely, on average, to develop diabetes at about twice the rate of persons who continued their education after graduating from high school.
It seems likely that the more educated you are, the more likely you are to live a healthy life-style and to take the threat of diabetes seriously.
Where you live and diabetes
The risk of developing diabetes also seems to vary from state to state in the USA.
In Mississippi, for example, 11.7 percent of the population have diabetes. In Louisiana, the figure is 11.5 percent. In South Dakota and Hawaii, by contrast only 7 percent of the population are diabetic.
The percentage of people with diabetes in the other states of the Union is between these two extremes of 7 to 11.7 percent.
What accounts for these differences is not known, though it's probably a mixture of education, food cultures, exercise habits and genetics. Climate might also play a part, though this has not been investigated as far as I am aware.
The take-away
Continuing increases in the numbers of new cases of diabetes diagnosed each year combined with longer life-spans have led to increases in the risk of developing diabetes and in the number of years spent coping with the disease. At the same time, the average individual is losing fewer years from his life-span due to the disease.
These findings of the Lancet study mean that there will be a continued need for health services and extensive funding to manage the disease. They also emphasise the need for effective interventions to reduce the incidence of diabetes, such as education in healthy life-styles and regular testing of the entire population to detect pre-diabetes.
The study also found that this risk depends on your race, your education and where you live, and that diabetics are living longer.
This study is the first in more than a decade to calculate the risk Americans face of developing diabetes during their life-time. It was conducted by epidemiologists at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, who have been tracking and analysing the prevalence of diabetes and the rate at which news cases are diagnosed for many years.
These researchers used mortality data for almost 600,000 persons from 1985 to 2011 (25 years) to assess the risk of developing type 1 or type 2 diabetes (excluding gestational diabetes).
Though the study only examined diabetes in the context of American people, it is likely that similar results would have been obtained had the study been conducted using European data or data from other countries where a Western-type diet and life-style is the norm.
The ever increasing risk of diabetes
The study revealed that there was a dramatic rise between 1985 and 2011 in the overall risk that an American will develop diabetes.
In 1985, American boys had a 21 percent chance of developing diabetes, and girls 27 percent. By 2011, however, that risk had jumped to 40 percent for both boys and girls. In other words, the risk for boys had almost doubled, while the risk for girls had gone up 50 percent.
The Lancet study did not analyse why this is so. But part of the reason could be the fact that people are living longer so that they have more years during which they can develop diabetes.
Diabetics are living longer
The good news is that America children diagnosed with diabetes can now expect to live more than 70 years with the disease.
Indeed, between 1985 and 2011, the number of years for which men diagnosed with diabetes can expect to survive increased by 156 percent. For women, the figure was 70 percent. Though no explanation was given by the researchers, this is probably due to advances in medical knowledge and treatments over the last 25 years.
Being diabetic shortens your life-span. Over the 25 year period examined by the researchers, the average number of years lost due to diabetes for the population as a whole increased by 46 percent in men and 44 percent in women. This is obviously due to the increasing prevalence of diabetes. It may also be partly due to the fact that there are probably fewer undiagnosed cases nowadays.
While the picture for the population as a whole seems to be getting bleaker, things are improving for the individual diabetic.
The number of years of his life a man diagnosed with diabetes can expect to lose on average decreased by almost two years (from 7.7 to 5.8 lost years) between the 1990s and the end of the 2000s. Women also gained an average of two years (their losses decreasing from 8.7 to 6.8 years) over the same time span. These improvements are probably due to better treatment regimes.
Race, gender and diabetes
While Americans overall have a gloomy 40 percent chance of developing diabetes, the outlook for Blacks and Hispanics is much grimmer.
White boys have a 37% and White girls a 34% risk of developing diabetes. By contrast, the chances for Black men are 44.7%, while for their sisters the risk is a whopping 55.3%. The chances of developing diabetes for Hispanic boys and girls are 51.8% and 51.5% respectively.
These figures, which refer to the risks of developing diabetes, reinforce the idea that diabetes has a genetic origin, at least to the extent that your genes can predispose you to diabetes. Most medical researchers agree that it's your life-style that kicks it into action.
According to the researchers, they analysed race because that was the data they had available; but they did state that socio-economic status is probably as important as, if not more important than, race.
Nevertheless, the risk of developing diabetes for Whites is much less than it is for Blacks and Hispanics. Indeed, the risk for White girls is a third less than the risk for Black and Hispanic ladies.
As you can see, Hispanics of both sexes, as well as Black women, have a risk that exceeds 50 percent. But why Black men have a risk that is almost 10 percentage points less than Black women cannot be explained away by genetic differences.
Education and diabetes
The less educated you are, the greater your risk of developing diabetes.
According to the Lancet, in 1990 the number of new diagnoses among high-school drop-outs was 6.5 per thousand, while among high-school graduates it was 3.6 and for those who studied beyond high-school 3.2 per thousand.
This figure for the number of new diagnoses of diabetes among high-school drop-outs, high-school graduates and those who continued to study after high-school has been increasing steadily. In 2008 it peaked at 15.6, 9.4 and 6.5 per thousand respectively.
Since then the rate at which new diagnoses are being discovered has dropped off a bit. This may be due to improving life-styles.
At the same time, according to the latest statistics high-school dropouts are likely, on average, to develop diabetes at about twice the rate of persons who continued their education after graduating from high school.
It seems likely that the more educated you are, the more likely you are to live a healthy life-style and to take the threat of diabetes seriously.
Where you live and diabetes
The risk of developing diabetes also seems to vary from state to state in the USA.
In Mississippi, for example, 11.7 percent of the population have diabetes. In Louisiana, the figure is 11.5 percent. In South Dakota and Hawaii, by contrast only 7 percent of the population are diabetic.
The percentage of people with diabetes in the other states of the Union is between these two extremes of 7 to 11.7 percent.
What accounts for these differences is not known, though it's probably a mixture of education, food cultures, exercise habits and genetics. Climate might also play a part, though this has not been investigated as far as I am aware.
The take-away
Continuing increases in the numbers of new cases of diabetes diagnosed each year combined with longer life-spans have led to increases in the risk of developing diabetes and in the number of years spent coping with the disease. At the same time, the average individual is losing fewer years from his life-span due to the disease.
These findings of the Lancet study mean that there will be a continued need for health services and extensive funding to manage the disease. They also emphasise the need for effective interventions to reduce the incidence of diabetes, such as education in healthy life-styles and regular testing of the entire population to detect pre-diabetes.
Paul D Kennedy is a type 2 diabetic. He used his skills as
an international consultant and researcher to find a way to control his
diabetes using diet alone and, about five years ago, he stopped taking
medications to control his blood glucose levels. You can find out more
from beating-diabetes.com or by contacting Paul at paul@beating-diabetes.com. His book Beating Diabetes is available for download from Amazon or as a printed edition from Create Space online book store.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Paul_D_Kennedy/226416
Friday 23 September 2016
Reversing Type 2 Diabetes - Is It Possible?
In the long-term, diabetes causes very serious medical problems such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, nerve damage, neuropathy, glaucoma, cataracts and retinopathy, a weakened immune system, and digestive problems.
Though these medical conditions develop slowly, eventually they can be devastating. Persons who let their diabetes get out of control risk going blind, experiencing a variety of infections, having a foot or leg amputated, requiring kidney dialysis or a transplant, or becoming incapacitated or dying from a stroke or heart attack, among a host of other serious outcomes.
Thus taking steps to beat diabetes is critical. It's not that hard - so it can be done.
Diabetes and your genes
There is a persistent myth that diabetes is all about poor diets, unhealthy life-styles and obesity.
While it may be true that most people who are diabetic are overweight, some thin people also get diabetes. And some people who have an unhealthy lifestyle manage to avoid the disease. Why so?
It is because genetics plays a part in the onset of diabetes. This can be seen from the fact that diabetes seems to run in families.
However, unlike other kinds of genes, the diabetes gene does not 'dictate' that you will get diabetes. It only makes it likely that diabetes will develop under particular circumstances.
For example, if the gene that controls the colour of your eyes says that you eyes will be blue, then your eyes will be blue and there is nothing you can do about it. The same goes for the type and colour of your hair. If your genes decree wavy, brown hair for you then that's what you get.
The kinds of genes that govern diabetes are different. They merely state that if certain conditions come about then you will get diabetes, ie they predispose you to getting the disease.
For example, if your parents were diabetic, it is likely that you inherited the genes that predispose you for type 2 diabetes. So, if you eat the same food as your parents, you are likely to develop diabetes. But if you change your diet and lifestyle, you can probably avoid your parents' fate.
The big question is, once your diabetes has developed, can it be cured?
The short answer is NO. There is no cure.
But you can beat your diabetes - ie prevent the horrendous consequences mentioned above from developing - by eating a plant-focused diet and taking up exercise.
This is relatively easy to do. If your diabetes is not too far advanced, you should be able to stop taking your diabetes medications.
You may also be able to reverse your diabetes - ie revert to your state of health before you ever had diabetes at all - by eating a vegan diet and following an extreme exercise regimen.
Beating Diabetes
To beat your diabetes, you must reduce the excess amounts of glucose and insulin swirling around in your bloodstream.
To do so, you need a diet that is: (1) low in sugar, (2) low in fat, (3) low in salt, (4) high in fibre, and (5) digested slowly. Your diet must also exclude all dairy products and eggs.
The easiest way to devise such a diet is to concentrate on natural, unprocessed foods that are mostly plants. You also need to drink plenty of water, to aid the absorption of the fibre you eat.
You should also take a range of supplements in order to cover any possible dietary deficiencies you might encounter by avoiding dairy products.
This is the basis of the diet I am using to beat my diabetes, so I know it works.
And it is easy to put into practice. All you need to do is to learn how to read food labels so that you can buy the most appropriate food products.
Because you have diabetes, you are likely to be quite overweight if not obese. Once you have been following a beating-diabetes diet like this for three or four weeks, you will notice your weight beginning to drop rapidly.
This is due to the reduced fat and sugar in your diet. You weight will drop until it has reached its natural level with a BMI (body mass index) of less than 25.
Exercise
I got my blood glucose under control by following the kind of diet outlined above without doing any extra exercise. So it seems that exercise is not necessary in order to beat your diabetes.
However, I have since discovered that exercise does help. For example, I eat the same breakfast every day and check my blood glucose two hours later. Normally I get very similar results. But I have noticed that if I go for a 20-minute walk before checking my blood, my glucose reading will be up to ten percent lower than it would be without that walk.
My experience with diabetes and exercise is borne out by recent studies.
In one recent study, people with type 2 diabetes exercised for 175 minutes a week, ie 15 minutes a day for seven days a week and ate a low calorie diet. Within one year, ten percent were able to give up their diabetes medications or had improved to the point where their glucose readings could be classified as pre-diabetic rather than diabetic.
These average results were much better for those who has less severe or newly diagnosed diabetes or who lost the most weight. Among these people, 20% were able to give up taking their diabetes medications.
I feel that if the subjects in this study had been put on the sort of diet I outlined above, rather than a diet that merely restricted calories, most of them would have been able to give up their medications entirely as I have done.
Reversing diabetes
Properly-conducted clinical trials (published in 1990) showed that a vegan diet along with changes to a patient's lifestyle can reverse blockages in arteries.
This diet excluded all meat, fish, dairy products and eggs, so that all animal fat and cholesterol was eliminated from the diet.
Each patient had an angiogram when they first joined the trial and again after one year. An angiogram is a an x-ray technique that uses a special dye and a steady stream of x-rays to take pictures of the blood flow in an artery or vein in the head, arms, legs, chest, back, or stomach.
The results of these trials were impressive. The patients' chest pains ceased and their average LDL (or 'bad') cholesterol level fell by 40 percent.
In addition, comparing the angiograms at the start of the trial with the angiograms taken after one year showed that blockages in the coronary arteries (the arteries that lead to the heart muscle) were starting to shrink and that these arteries were opening up again.
The difference could be seen clearly on the angiograms of 82 percent of patients after one year on the special diet and exercise programme - with no heart bypass operations, angioplasties (artery-widening techniques) or cholesterol lowering drugs.
Given the strong connection between heart disease and diabetes - two-thirds of diabetics eventually die of heart disease - it is likely that such a diet can reverse diabetes to the point where the patient is as healthy as he or she was before their diabetes developed, provided the diet is leavened with a rigorous exercise programme.
Conclusion
It seems to me that you can beat your diabetes, ie prevent it damaging your body beyond repair, by following a plant-focused diet along with some exercise. This is a relatively easy thing to do (as I found out for myself) and, provided you avoid all dairy products and eggs, should enable you to give up taking your medications for diabetes.
Reversing your diabetes, so that you revert to the state of health you were in before you developed diabetes, would be a much harder thing to do. But I believe it can be done, by eating a strictly vegan diet (no meat products of any sort at all) and an extreme exercise programme.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8385198
Diabetes - A Silent Killer
I am on the subject of health, specifically people who suffer from Diabetes.
This article is useful even if you don't suffer from diabetes, because you may know someone who has it or you may get it in the future (statistically).
Having been in the health and fitness industry for over 15 years, I have learned a lot of things. To be perfectly honest I never thought I would be talking about some of the things which I do in today's article.
Its as controversial a discussion as ever, and I will be explaining to you why many people including some of my clients are going completely against government nutrition guidelines and their doctors advice.
Sound crazy?
Read on and maybe you will learn something completely new about diabetes.
Diabetes is a generic term used when a person's blood sugar is above normal levels.
This raise in blood sugar is caused either by the pancreas not providing enough insulin or due to the cells not responding to the insulin produced. (called insulin resistance). Tip - Exercising improves insulin sensitivity and reduces resistance.
About 3.8 million people in the UK have diabetes, but the charity Diabetes U.K. have made predictions that that could become high as 6.2 million by 2035/2036.
These figures do not include the many people who often go undiagnosed. Its been suggested that including these undiagnosed people would treble the total figure. It's a can of worms the NHS don't want to open as the costs could be huge.
Silent Killer
There are not many symptoms of having diabetes and people are often "picked up" as having it whilst having general check ups or treatment for other things.
That's the silent bit. It just creeps up on you and you can't see it coming.
The most common physical symptom is actually being very thirsty. Other symptoms include weight loss and loss of muscle bulk, tiredness and urinating frequently at night. Symptoms which are so mild they are easy to miss, and even easier to ignore.
The easiest way to check if you are at risk is getting your blood sugars tested.
It can be done for free by the nurse at the surgery.
You can also do it at home, but you will need a glucose meter or a self test kit.
The reading will tell you two things, what your "fasted" blood sugar actually is and if it's normal or if there is any reason to see a GP. A GP will usually do at least two more tests to confirm that you have either pre-diabetes or diabetes.
There are three main types of diabetes, type 1, type 2 and the third is called gestational diabetes (during pregnancy).
This post is mostly related to people who suffer from type 2 diabetes or DIET controlled diabetes as it is often called.
People who suffer from type 2 diabetes do so because their cells fail to respond and use insulin properly, known as insulin resistance.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form and around 90% of diabetes sufferers in the UK have type two diabetes. Obese people often suffer from type 2.
We are told by GP's, health practitioners, government dieticians and many other people 'in the know', not to do certain things, so we listen and do what they say.
When I worked with GP referrals for 6 years, the recommendations that I used to see, given by the dieticians, to diabetics, were incorrect, but I did not know this at the time.
Now, if you are a diabetic, and have been given(and followed) this advice(high carb low fat), you would have more than likely gained weight, the opposite of your goal I would guess.
I'm not saying doctors recommend the wrong thing on purpose (they do what they are trained to do).
It would be a risk for a doctor to recommend to their patient to do something which goes against the normal grain, doctors back up all of the theories by saying it is 'evidence based' where in reality there is often a lot of evidence which also proves its ineffectiveness.
However at the very least I would think that the doctors and people who are there to help diabetics, need to take a second look at this area. And fast.
It's a messed up situation.
I would also say that you should never make any changes without first discussing things with your doctor or diabetic nurse.
So what are type 2 diabetes sufferers being told by their doctors?
They are being told that the best way to treat their condition is to follow a diet high in carbohydrates and low in fat. On the NHS website it recommends that people who suffer from type two diabetes consume starchy carbohydrates with each meal!
What is wrong with this?
It has been suggested by more recent research that following a high carb, low fat diet leads to problems with blood sugar levels, and also people have to use more insulin (which is a growth hormone, especially for fat growth).
There is an increasing movement which suggests that following a low carb diet is better for type 2 diabetes sufferers.
There are very few doctors who recommend this as it goes away from what they have been trained to say.
One doctor who isn't afraid to go away from conventional advice is Dr Briffa. In many of his articles Dr Briffa goes against outdated conventional ways of dealing with health problems, especially diabetes.
Just so you know I'm not just making this stuff up and many other professionals share the same opinion, I have a few words from the main man Dr Briffa, he said when speaking about type 2 diabetes
"This is a subject that is close to my heart, because I know only too well that this is a condition that so often responds well to the appropriate diet (in my opinion, that's one low in carbohydrate). Yet, it is often the case that the dietary advice given to diabetics is woeful: diabetics are often encouraged to emphasise carbohydrate over fat, which almost inevitably ensures problems with blood sugar control and reliance on medication."
In his article called "Diabetics appear to be very interested in low carb eating".
Dr Briffa says
"Diabetes UK gives diabetics incomplete and misleading information that is likely to make their blood sugar control harder and their risk of complications higher than they need be".
Lastly I have a little story for you from Dr Briffa.
The article is about a man who suffers from type 2 diabetes, by adopting a low carb diet he personally showed great health improvements.
The man went to the doctors and this was his experience:
I had my 6 monthly diabetes check-up last Wednesday. The diabetes consultant was really happy with all of my figures on cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, weight (I've lost another 4 kg since February without really trying), kidney and liver function are excellent - in fact he was really impressed and asked me what I was doing to get these improvements.
Simple, I said, I've stopped eating wheat in all its forms and grains in general, I avoid rice and all potato products. I eat animal fat and the only oil that I use is extra virgin olive oil. Breakfast is typically a one-egg omelette and with a small amount of bacon, smoked salmon or Parma ham. I have spinach or other leafy greens and tomatoes. Lunch is often not taken as I do not feel hungry until 6.00 pm when I have my evening meal. Another small portion of meat and plenty of veggies. The only fruit that I have are a few blueberries, wild strawberries (when they are available) and raspberries - and I mean a few.
I sleep better than ever, don't feel tired and have lost weight. I really ought to exercise though, that is the only flaw in my regime.
"No, you MUST eat some carbohydrates" he said.
"I do, I told you, I eat plenty of vegetables." I said.
"No, no, starchy carbohydrates, you NEED them"
"Why do I NEED them?"
"For energy, your body needs carbohydrates for energy" came his concerned reply.
"How do you think that I've managed to survive since you last saw me then? And, you told me how pleased you were with all of my readings - doesn't that suggest that I'm doing fine without refined, starchy carbohydrates?"
He had no reply other than to repeat to me that I MUST eat carbohydrates for energy.
I told him that the bullsh*t that he'd been taught by the food industry-research funded nonsense that the Government taught him is causing all of the major health problems that he has to deal with every day.
I also said that I throw a fat-fuelled log onto the fire in the morning rather than the carbohydrate kindling throughout the day to keep me provided with energy and avoid the feeling of hunger. Again, nothing seemed to penetrate that simple head of his; it was full of the guff that he'd been taught not to question.
That was quite a strong piece but it backs up what I am saying about the health and nutrition advice we are given today. It takes a brave person to question their doctor, they are there to help us, but just by asking more questions and suggesting different things we could start to make a difference.
?Did You Know?
Before modern medicine, back in the old days, before insulin injections were discovered, diabetes was treated with a... (drum roll) low carb diet.
The doctors back then, who were true masters of their trade if you ask me, took a logical view that if diabetics couldn't control their blood sugar levels, then they should not eat any sugar or starchy carbohydrates.
It makes sense. However...
"Common sense is not always common practice"
They replaced that logical approach with the one we currently have.
More and more diabetics are discovering the massive benefits that low carb eating can have on their health.
I tell everyone about the big benefits of consuming fats and for diabetics it can be great too. It can give you a great amount of energy so you don't need carbs to do this. Fats also leave you full for longer, carbs can often leave you unfulfilled and therefore much more likely to overeat and snack.
From what I have found, a diet made up of quality eggs, fish, meat, nuts, seeds, good oils, and vegetables, fruits and plenty of green leafy vegetables, is the best way to control blood sugar levels and reduce the negative effects associated with type 2 diabetes.
It seems as if more and more diabetes sufferers are becoming increasingly frustrated with the results they get when following their doctors advice and are trying a different approach.
A diabetics aim is to to reduce levels of HbA1c (glycosylated haeomglobin).
This HbA1c reading is an indication of overall blood sugar levels over a three month period. People who follow a high carb diet normally have very high levels of HbA1c.
Here is what one man had to say about his results on a low carb diet:
'I've been a Type 2 diabetic for 10 years now, but my HBA1c results are consistently non-diabetic normal (around 5.5%) The reason is that I keep carbs to the absolute minimum - about 40-50 grams a day, mainly from vegetables. The great thing about this approach is that as well as keeping blood sugars low, it also reduces most of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
Health professionals are stuck with a 40-year old policy based on the theory that fats were the big danger, and that advising diabetics to make carbs the main element of every meal would reduce fat consumption. There was at the time no scientific evidence to back this assumption, and every major trial since then has failed to support it.'
Diabetics can't handle sugar so why are they being advised to eat a diet rich in sugar? It doesn't make sense.
More and more people are starting to adopt this way of thinking and hopefully it can have a massive positive effect on how people cope with diabetes.
Does eating less carbs help control of type 2 diabetes? The research would suggest so.
One study, for instance, found that a low-carbohydrate diet over 6 months allowed more than 95 per cent of type 2 diabetics to reduce or eliminate their medication entirely(1). (wow )
Any problems with low carb diets?
Some people may suggest that if a diet is low in carbohydrate then it must be higher in fat and this will in turn cause problems, leading to diabetes.
However even if a diet is high in fat, as I have said many times before, it has been proven that fat does not make you fat (or affect your blood sugar levels as acutely as sugar and starches), this applies even for saturated fat.
The types of fat which cause all the problems are any poor quality fats (from hormoned and pesticided sources), hydrogenated fats and trans fats.
Remember you should always ask your GP or diabetic nurse before making any major changes.
Please share your experiences by commenting below, especially if you are a diabetic (type 1 or 2).
Thanks for reading,
Richard
Reference:
(1) Westman EC, et al. The effect of a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-glycemic index diet on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nutrition & Metabolism 2008;5:36
This article is useful even if you don't suffer from diabetes, because you may know someone who has it or you may get it in the future (statistically).
Having been in the health and fitness industry for over 15 years, I have learned a lot of things. To be perfectly honest I never thought I would be talking about some of the things which I do in today's article.
Its as controversial a discussion as ever, and I will be explaining to you why many people including some of my clients are going completely against government nutrition guidelines and their doctors advice.
Sound crazy?
Read on and maybe you will learn something completely new about diabetes.
Diabetes is a generic term used when a person's blood sugar is above normal levels.
This raise in blood sugar is caused either by the pancreas not providing enough insulin or due to the cells not responding to the insulin produced. (called insulin resistance). Tip - Exercising improves insulin sensitivity and reduces resistance.
About 3.8 million people in the UK have diabetes, but the charity Diabetes U.K. have made predictions that that could become high as 6.2 million by 2035/2036.
These figures do not include the many people who often go undiagnosed. Its been suggested that including these undiagnosed people would treble the total figure. It's a can of worms the NHS don't want to open as the costs could be huge.
Silent Killer
There are not many symptoms of having diabetes and people are often "picked up" as having it whilst having general check ups or treatment for other things.
That's the silent bit. It just creeps up on you and you can't see it coming.
The most common physical symptom is actually being very thirsty. Other symptoms include weight loss and loss of muscle bulk, tiredness and urinating frequently at night. Symptoms which are so mild they are easy to miss, and even easier to ignore.
The easiest way to check if you are at risk is getting your blood sugars tested.
It can be done for free by the nurse at the surgery.
You can also do it at home, but you will need a glucose meter or a self test kit.
The reading will tell you two things, what your "fasted" blood sugar actually is and if it's normal or if there is any reason to see a GP. A GP will usually do at least two more tests to confirm that you have either pre-diabetes or diabetes.
There are three main types of diabetes, type 1, type 2 and the third is called gestational diabetes (during pregnancy).
This post is mostly related to people who suffer from type 2 diabetes or DIET controlled diabetes as it is often called.
People who suffer from type 2 diabetes do so because their cells fail to respond and use insulin properly, known as insulin resistance.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form and around 90% of diabetes sufferers in the UK have type two diabetes. Obese people often suffer from type 2.
We are told by GP's, health practitioners, government dieticians and many other people 'in the know', not to do certain things, so we listen and do what they say.
When I worked with GP referrals for 6 years, the recommendations that I used to see, given by the dieticians, to diabetics, were incorrect, but I did not know this at the time.
Now, if you are a diabetic, and have been given(and followed) this advice(high carb low fat), you would have more than likely gained weight, the opposite of your goal I would guess.
I'm not saying doctors recommend the wrong thing on purpose (they do what they are trained to do).
It would be a risk for a doctor to recommend to their patient to do something which goes against the normal grain, doctors back up all of the theories by saying it is 'evidence based' where in reality there is often a lot of evidence which also proves its ineffectiveness.
However at the very least I would think that the doctors and people who are there to help diabetics, need to take a second look at this area. And fast.
It's a messed up situation.
I would also say that you should never make any changes without first discussing things with your doctor or diabetic nurse.
So what are type 2 diabetes sufferers being told by their doctors?
They are being told that the best way to treat their condition is to follow a diet high in carbohydrates and low in fat. On the NHS website it recommends that people who suffer from type two diabetes consume starchy carbohydrates with each meal!
What is wrong with this?
It has been suggested by more recent research that following a high carb, low fat diet leads to problems with blood sugar levels, and also people have to use more insulin (which is a growth hormone, especially for fat growth).
There is an increasing movement which suggests that following a low carb diet is better for type 2 diabetes sufferers.
There are very few doctors who recommend this as it goes away from what they have been trained to say.
One doctor who isn't afraid to go away from conventional advice is Dr Briffa. In many of his articles Dr Briffa goes against outdated conventional ways of dealing with health problems, especially diabetes.
Just so you know I'm not just making this stuff up and many other professionals share the same opinion, I have a few words from the main man Dr Briffa, he said when speaking about type 2 diabetes
"This is a subject that is close to my heart, because I know only too well that this is a condition that so often responds well to the appropriate diet (in my opinion, that's one low in carbohydrate). Yet, it is often the case that the dietary advice given to diabetics is woeful: diabetics are often encouraged to emphasise carbohydrate over fat, which almost inevitably ensures problems with blood sugar control and reliance on medication."
In his article called "Diabetics appear to be very interested in low carb eating".
Dr Briffa says
"Diabetes UK gives diabetics incomplete and misleading information that is likely to make their blood sugar control harder and their risk of complications higher than they need be".
Lastly I have a little story for you from Dr Briffa.
The article is about a man who suffers from type 2 diabetes, by adopting a low carb diet he personally showed great health improvements.
The man went to the doctors and this was his experience:
I had my 6 monthly diabetes check-up last Wednesday. The diabetes consultant was really happy with all of my figures on cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, weight (I've lost another 4 kg since February without really trying), kidney and liver function are excellent - in fact he was really impressed and asked me what I was doing to get these improvements.
Simple, I said, I've stopped eating wheat in all its forms and grains in general, I avoid rice and all potato products. I eat animal fat and the only oil that I use is extra virgin olive oil. Breakfast is typically a one-egg omelette and with a small amount of bacon, smoked salmon or Parma ham. I have spinach or other leafy greens and tomatoes. Lunch is often not taken as I do not feel hungry until 6.00 pm when I have my evening meal. Another small portion of meat and plenty of veggies. The only fruit that I have are a few blueberries, wild strawberries (when they are available) and raspberries - and I mean a few.
I sleep better than ever, don't feel tired and have lost weight. I really ought to exercise though, that is the only flaw in my regime.
"No, you MUST eat some carbohydrates" he said.
"I do, I told you, I eat plenty of vegetables." I said.
"No, no, starchy carbohydrates, you NEED them"
"Why do I NEED them?"
"For energy, your body needs carbohydrates for energy" came his concerned reply.
"How do you think that I've managed to survive since you last saw me then? And, you told me how pleased you were with all of my readings - doesn't that suggest that I'm doing fine without refined, starchy carbohydrates?"
He had no reply other than to repeat to me that I MUST eat carbohydrates for energy.
I told him that the bullsh*t that he'd been taught by the food industry-research funded nonsense that the Government taught him is causing all of the major health problems that he has to deal with every day.
I also said that I throw a fat-fuelled log onto the fire in the morning rather than the carbohydrate kindling throughout the day to keep me provided with energy and avoid the feeling of hunger. Again, nothing seemed to penetrate that simple head of his; it was full of the guff that he'd been taught not to question.
That was quite a strong piece but it backs up what I am saying about the health and nutrition advice we are given today. It takes a brave person to question their doctor, they are there to help us, but just by asking more questions and suggesting different things we could start to make a difference.
?Did You Know?
Before modern medicine, back in the old days, before insulin injections were discovered, diabetes was treated with a... (drum roll) low carb diet.
The doctors back then, who were true masters of their trade if you ask me, took a logical view that if diabetics couldn't control their blood sugar levels, then they should not eat any sugar or starchy carbohydrates.
It makes sense. However...
"Common sense is not always common practice"
They replaced that logical approach with the one we currently have.
More and more diabetics are discovering the massive benefits that low carb eating can have on their health.
I tell everyone about the big benefits of consuming fats and for diabetics it can be great too. It can give you a great amount of energy so you don't need carbs to do this. Fats also leave you full for longer, carbs can often leave you unfulfilled and therefore much more likely to overeat and snack.
From what I have found, a diet made up of quality eggs, fish, meat, nuts, seeds, good oils, and vegetables, fruits and plenty of green leafy vegetables, is the best way to control blood sugar levels and reduce the negative effects associated with type 2 diabetes.
It seems as if more and more diabetes sufferers are becoming increasingly frustrated with the results they get when following their doctors advice and are trying a different approach.
A diabetics aim is to to reduce levels of HbA1c (glycosylated haeomglobin).
This HbA1c reading is an indication of overall blood sugar levels over a three month period. People who follow a high carb diet normally have very high levels of HbA1c.
Here is what one man had to say about his results on a low carb diet:
'I've been a Type 2 diabetic for 10 years now, but my HBA1c results are consistently non-diabetic normal (around 5.5%) The reason is that I keep carbs to the absolute minimum - about 40-50 grams a day, mainly from vegetables. The great thing about this approach is that as well as keeping blood sugars low, it also reduces most of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
Health professionals are stuck with a 40-year old policy based on the theory that fats were the big danger, and that advising diabetics to make carbs the main element of every meal would reduce fat consumption. There was at the time no scientific evidence to back this assumption, and every major trial since then has failed to support it.'
Diabetics can't handle sugar so why are they being advised to eat a diet rich in sugar? It doesn't make sense.
More and more people are starting to adopt this way of thinking and hopefully it can have a massive positive effect on how people cope with diabetes.
Does eating less carbs help control of type 2 diabetes? The research would suggest so.
One study, for instance, found that a low-carbohydrate diet over 6 months allowed more than 95 per cent of type 2 diabetics to reduce or eliminate their medication entirely(1). (wow )
Any problems with low carb diets?
Some people may suggest that if a diet is low in carbohydrate then it must be higher in fat and this will in turn cause problems, leading to diabetes.
However even if a diet is high in fat, as I have said many times before, it has been proven that fat does not make you fat (or affect your blood sugar levels as acutely as sugar and starches), this applies even for saturated fat.
The types of fat which cause all the problems are any poor quality fats (from hormoned and pesticided sources), hydrogenated fats and trans fats.
Remember you should always ask your GP or diabetic nurse before making any major changes.
Please share your experiences by commenting below, especially if you are a diabetic (type 1 or 2).
Thanks for reading,
Richard
Reference:
(1) Westman EC, et al. The effect of a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-glycemic index diet on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nutrition & Metabolism 2008;5:36
Now you know some vital information which will hopefully help
your exercise program and increase your chances of achieving your goals.
I am an elite personal trainer, fitness business coach, published
sports scientist and fitness professional from Swansea in South Wales.
For more information from me on personal training, diet and nutrition,
psychology, motivation, mindset and much more visit: http://richard-clarke.co.uk/
There are many easy to read helpful articles and information which can inspire you to reach your fitness and exercise goals FASTER!
Thanks for reading.
There are many easy to read helpful articles and information which can inspire you to reach your fitness and exercise goals FASTER!
Thanks for reading.
Thursday 22 September 2016
What Is Diabetes? Types Of Diabetes
Diabetes is also referred to as diabetes mellitus, and may
broadly be classified as a category of ailments wherein a person has
high blood glucose levels. This could be either because insulin
production in one's body is not sufficient, or the body fails to respond
to the insulin in the required way. Some of the symptoms that are very
commonly associated with diabetes are frequent thirst, hunger and
urination.
In some cases, diabetes could be a lifelong condition, characterized by high blood glucose levels. The condition is commonly prevalent, and in the year 2013, 382 million people across the world were suffering from the disorder.
Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes is very often classified as Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. When one suffers from type 1 diabetes, the body ceases to produce insulin. This type of diabetes is relatively rarer, and only 10% of people suffering from the ailment are ailing from Type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is also sometimes referred to as insulin dependent diabetes or early onset diabetes. And this type of diabetes is more prevalent in people under 40 years of age, even in one's teenage years or early adulthood.
If one is ailing with type 1 diabetes, he has to take insulin injections for the rest of his life, follow a specific diet and also monitor his blood glucose levels by carrying out blood tests at regular intervals.
However, type 2 diabetes is a lot more prevalent type of diabetes, and nearly 90% of people who suffer this disorder are ailing with type 2 diabetes. When one suffers from type 2 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin in adequate quantities, or the body cells do not react to insulin, in a condition known as insulin resistance.
For many people, type 2 diabetes is a condition relatively easier to control, and one can keep a check on symptoms of type 2 diabetes by maintaining one's weight in recommendable limits, making sure that one consumes a healthy diet, getting some regular exercise, and monitoring one's blood glucose levels at regular intervals.
Gestational Diabetes
An important classification of diabetes is gestational diabetes which affects women during pregnancy. During pregnancy, women sometimes have blood glucose levels which are more towards the higher side, and their body does not produce adequate insulin to transport this glucose into their cells.
Diagnosis of gestational diabetes can be made only during pregnancy, and a vast majority of patients can control their condition by means of diet and exercise. However, 10-20% of patients need to take specific medications to keep a check on their blood glucose levels.
An important way that can enable one to prevent the condition is by making sure that one consumes a low cholesterol diet during pregnancy.
When Do People Get Diabetes?
When one is overweight, he is at a higher risk of developing diabetes. One of the reasons for the same is because when one is obese, the body releases chemicals which can work towards destabilizing body's metabolic and cardiovascular systems.
So being overweight, not consuming the right kind of a diet and developing type 2 diabetes are all interrelated. Another important factor that is known to greatly enhance the risk of developing type 2 diabetes is aging.
Alternately, some of the other factors that can cause diabetes are genetics, one's family history, or even following an unhealthy diet regimen.
Some Simple Lifestyle Changes To Overcome Diabetes!
To keep a check on diabetes, one must avoid skipping meals. This could hike the blood sugar levels, and could even lead to weight gain. Taking care of one's diet is a factor that can go a long way in enabling one keep a check on diabetes, or even overcome the condition.
Similarly, consuming a diet which is high on fruits and vegetables can help control diabetes, because fruits and vegetables are full of fibers. This helps us keep full, and the high vitamin and mineral content in fruits and vegetables helps ensure that the body receives nutrition. This keeps one energetic, and one is not tempted to go for sugary foods.
As a rule, one must avoid all foods which have a higher glycemic index, like chips and salty snacks, and one must keep a check on consumption of fatty foods as well. Similarly, starches from white rice, potatoes and whole grains could also influence diabetes.
Something as simple as drinking 6-8 glasses of water every day is a factor which can go a long way towards prevention and control of diabetes. In the same way, even a slight weight loss can work wonders for someone who is a diabetic. While being the healthiest way to get over diabetes, a slight weight loss of up to 5-10% can have the same effect on a diabetic as anti-diabetic pills!
And if you are considering getting some good exercise, walking stands out as one of the best options!
Walking reduces risk of many ailments like diabetes, dementia and osteoporosis; this keeps the heart stronger and also helps you lose weight.
In some cases, diabetes could be a lifelong condition, characterized by high blood glucose levels. The condition is commonly prevalent, and in the year 2013, 382 million people across the world were suffering from the disorder.
Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes is very often classified as Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. When one suffers from type 1 diabetes, the body ceases to produce insulin. This type of diabetes is relatively rarer, and only 10% of people suffering from the ailment are ailing from Type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is also sometimes referred to as insulin dependent diabetes or early onset diabetes. And this type of diabetes is more prevalent in people under 40 years of age, even in one's teenage years or early adulthood.
If one is ailing with type 1 diabetes, he has to take insulin injections for the rest of his life, follow a specific diet and also monitor his blood glucose levels by carrying out blood tests at regular intervals.
However, type 2 diabetes is a lot more prevalent type of diabetes, and nearly 90% of people who suffer this disorder are ailing with type 2 diabetes. When one suffers from type 2 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin in adequate quantities, or the body cells do not react to insulin, in a condition known as insulin resistance.
For many people, type 2 diabetes is a condition relatively easier to control, and one can keep a check on symptoms of type 2 diabetes by maintaining one's weight in recommendable limits, making sure that one consumes a healthy diet, getting some regular exercise, and monitoring one's blood glucose levels at regular intervals.
Gestational Diabetes
An important classification of diabetes is gestational diabetes which affects women during pregnancy. During pregnancy, women sometimes have blood glucose levels which are more towards the higher side, and their body does not produce adequate insulin to transport this glucose into their cells.
Diagnosis of gestational diabetes can be made only during pregnancy, and a vast majority of patients can control their condition by means of diet and exercise. However, 10-20% of patients need to take specific medications to keep a check on their blood glucose levels.
An important way that can enable one to prevent the condition is by making sure that one consumes a low cholesterol diet during pregnancy.
When Do People Get Diabetes?
When one is overweight, he is at a higher risk of developing diabetes. One of the reasons for the same is because when one is obese, the body releases chemicals which can work towards destabilizing body's metabolic and cardiovascular systems.
So being overweight, not consuming the right kind of a diet and developing type 2 diabetes are all interrelated. Another important factor that is known to greatly enhance the risk of developing type 2 diabetes is aging.
Alternately, some of the other factors that can cause diabetes are genetics, one's family history, or even following an unhealthy diet regimen.
Some Simple Lifestyle Changes To Overcome Diabetes!
To keep a check on diabetes, one must avoid skipping meals. This could hike the blood sugar levels, and could even lead to weight gain. Taking care of one's diet is a factor that can go a long way in enabling one keep a check on diabetes, or even overcome the condition.
Similarly, consuming a diet which is high on fruits and vegetables can help control diabetes, because fruits and vegetables are full of fibers. This helps us keep full, and the high vitamin and mineral content in fruits and vegetables helps ensure that the body receives nutrition. This keeps one energetic, and one is not tempted to go for sugary foods.
As a rule, one must avoid all foods which have a higher glycemic index, like chips and salty snacks, and one must keep a check on consumption of fatty foods as well. Similarly, starches from white rice, potatoes and whole grains could also influence diabetes.
Something as simple as drinking 6-8 glasses of water every day is a factor which can go a long way towards prevention and control of diabetes. In the same way, even a slight weight loss can work wonders for someone who is a diabetic. While being the healthiest way to get over diabetes, a slight weight loss of up to 5-10% can have the same effect on a diabetic as anti-diabetic pills!
And if you are considering getting some good exercise, walking stands out as one of the best options!
Walking reduces risk of many ailments like diabetes, dementia and osteoporosis; this keeps the heart stronger and also helps you lose weight.
Tuesday 20 September 2016
How to cure diabetes naturally
Discover How Thousands of Men and Women Worldwide Have Already Used The Reverse Diabetes Today™
System To Completely And Safely Reverse Their Type 2 Diabetes in Three
Weeks Or Less!
- Normalize Your Blood Sugar In The First Day and Stabilize It In The Next 14 Days
- Restore Pancreatic Function and Eliminate Insulin Resistance
- Prevent Or Reverse Diabetes Complications
- Increase Insulin Production and Insulin Sensitivity So You Can Safely and Easily Lose Weight and Keep It Off For Good!
- Get Completely OFF Your Diabetes Medications Permanently!
- Turbocharge Your Immune System and Improve the Quality Of Your Life Dramatically... Guaranteed!
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