Diabetes Information

Diabetes Detection and Care

2012-02-12T18:10:00.000-08:00

Complications include heart disease and stroke, kidney disease, eye complications, infections, metabolic difficulties, impotence and pregnancy problems.

What are the symptoms of diabetes?
• Excessive urination
• Excessive thirst
• Fatigue
• Unusual weight loss
• Irritability
• Blurry vision

Always refer to your physician for the proper diagnosis and treatment of diabetes. There are various methods to check for your blood glucose level.
a. Fingerstick blood glucose check. This is a simple test that can be performed in a medical or doctor's office or for home monitoring.
b. Fasting plasma glucose test
c. Oral glucose tolerance test
d. Random plasma glucose test
e. Other tests eg. glycohemoglobin test, fructosamine test, Glycosylated Serum Protein test etc.

What are Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes once known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the body produce little or no insulin. Insulin is a hormone needed to convert sugar (glucose) into energy.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. It is due to your pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or your body does not properly use the insulin it produces.

What types of treatment are available?
One key goal of diabetes treatment is blood glucose control. Type 1 diabetes is treated with insulin, exercise and a diabetic diet. Type 2 diabetes is treated first with weight reduction, a diabetic diet, and exercise. When these measures fail to control the levels of blood sugars, oral medications are used. Further treatment with insulin is considered if oral medication is insufficient to control the blood sugar level.

What are the available alternative treatment?
Medical reports dating back to 1853 indicated that brewer's yeast that is rich in Chromium (a mineral) can be helpful in treatment of diabetes. People with low blood levels of Vitamin E have higher likelihood of developing type 1 and type 2 diabetes. People with type 1 diabetes tend to have lower Magnesium and Vitamin C in their blood levels. Vitamin C may improve glucose tolerance of type 2 diabetes. Vitamin B6 supplements will help most people with diabetes as their blood levels are usually low on this vitamin. Other nutrients that could help include Biotin, Niacin, Zinc, Manganese etc.

What are the advantages of having Blood Glucose Meter?
You can monitor your blood glucose level at home on regular basis. This helps you to alter your diabetes management strategy so as to reach your target blood glucose level. It also helps you to reduce risk from long-term complications of diabetes.

What type of supplies should I keep?
Recommended supplies include blood glucose monitor, blood glucose test strips, lancet devices and lancets, alcohol swaps, glucose control solutions, insulins, insulin pumps etc.

How do I get delivery of my regular supplies?
There are various companies that can deliver the supplies to you on regular basis. Most of them will offer a free Glucose Meter valued at $70. Additional benefits like free shipping, free diabetic supplies, no out of pocket expenses are available for Medicare participants.

Type 2 Diabetes - Preventing Diabetes in Young People!

2012-02-12T06:11:00.000-08:00

Sadly, Type 2 diabetes is now no longer known as adult-onset diabetes due to the epidemic of this form of diabetes in younger people, largely because of poor eating habits, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. Investigators at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, USA, looked at children 7 to 9 to discover whether extra fat could be lining them up for Type 2 diabetes. Their results were published in the journal Obesity in September 2011.

The Study: One hundred and twenty-three children were included in the study, and several tests were given to obese and non-obese participants:

    * oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) showed obese children were less able to take in sugar while keeping their blood sugar levels normal than were non-obese children.
    * obese children showed higher cholesterol and lower HDL (good cholesterol) levels than normal-weight children, and higher levels of LDL (bad cholesterol), fats in the blood, and blood pressure.

Insulin insensitivity is the hallmark of Type 2 diabetes. The obese children, having difficulty lowering their blood sugar levels to normal after eating sugar and carbohydrates, demonstrated they were not as sensitive to the insulin made by their body, not as much as they should be. Diabetics also tend to have high cholesterol levels, low levels of HDL, and high levels of LDL.

Metabolic syndrome varies among people, but it typically includes Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. All the components of metabolic syndrome put people at high risk for heart and blood vessel disease.

It was concluded that obesity lined the children up for Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome at as early as 7 years of age.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 17 per cent or 12.5 million children between the ages of 2 and 19 in the United States are obese. The rate of obesity among children and adolescents has almost tripled since 1980. Stopping the epidemic is important to prevent the serious complications of diabetes and metabolic syndrome in an ever-growing segment of society.

Parents can help their children to be healthy by planning and carrying out some healthy low-calorie meals. Instead of taking the family to McDonald's for an outing, families can spend the same time in the kitchen preparing something good for themselves.

    * children can be taught to wash vegetables and place them onto a plate, and even cut them when they are old enough to wield knives safely.
    * kids like using computers, so they can be set the task of finding the most healthful fruit and vegetable recipes for the family to eat.
    * children love to take on responsibilities, so having them plant a garden, water it, pull weeds, and harvest what they have grown for the family's table can help to keep them both happy and healthy. Instead of watching television as a family, going out and playing every evening can help family members build bonds and develop healthier bodies.

Instead of watching television as a family, going out and playing every evening can help family members build bonds and develop healthier bodies.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

The Case for Medical Alert Jewelry for Diabetics

2012-02-11T02:04:00.000-08:00

Diabetic jewelry might be a steel medical alert necklace, or it could be a gold charm on a chain. Whether it costs $5 or $100, it could make a huge difference in your life.

It's easy to argue against diabetic jewelry. What if you never need it? That's the same argument you could use against wearing seatbelts and locking your doors. You may never need those things, but if the time comes that you do, you will bless the day you chose to use them.

Emergency medical people say that over 95% of them do look for medical alert jewelry, and 75% of them say they look for them first before they do anything else.

Here' another statistic. Half of medical errors occur on admission or discharge from a hospital. Diabetic jewelry and other medical alert items could keep that from happening to you.

Why It's Important

Type 2 diabetes symptoms include hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. And one of the most troubling side effects of low blood sugar is confusion. I know from personal experience that you don't have to be in a diabetic coma to be unable to speak for yourself clearly.

And if you don't have a friend or family member who knows everything the hospital or EMT person will need to know to be able to make good decisions for you, it's nice to have a backup plan. That's when your diabetic jewelry fills in the blanks for them.

Every diabetic should have diabetic jewelry on his or her neck and/or wrist. If you have drug allergies or you are on blood thinners, even if it's only daily aspirin, medical people need to know it. Also, if you are on multiple medications, doctors and EMTs need to be aware of that.

Keeping a list of your medications in your wallet or purse, including the dosages, will save a lot of time, and now there is a medical alert necklace that can store everything a doctor will need to know. It's a flash drive (or thumb drive) inside a necklace charm.

Of course, your doctor has to know how to use one, but all computers now have USB ports. They just plug your flash drive in and get your entire medical history. If you're worried about privacy, it is password protected. That means someone would need to know your password besides you.

That may be an idea that's ahead of its time. But it's still a good thing to have if you have trouble keeping all your medical information in your head.

Are you worried about expense? You can spend as little as $5 on diabetic jewelry. The website for the Jonas brothers, a singing group, tells about one way to get a medic alert necklace. Nick Jonas has type 1 diabetes, and he sells a stainless steel dog tag through Bayer. Some of the money goes to his charity for diabetes.

If you want to spend more, you can go as high end as you want. There are plenty of sites that sell diabetic jewelry. There are also sites that cater to younger diabetics

One of the interesting ones is a business that was started by a type 1 diabetic, Micah Marie Lynch, at age 19. She uses an insulin pump, and there is a clear plastic cap that she used to discard every three days. She stopped throwing them away and started painting them instead, and made herself some bracelets.

Her first year in college, she was making jewelry from the caps to sell. Now she has a website. Her hand painted medical bracelets and necklaces are unusual and beautiful. You can see them at her website, http://micahmarie.com. Her site states that 5% of each sale goes to your choice of charity, either the American Diabetes Association or a diabetes summer camp.

Diabetic jewelry is a medical necessity. Type 2 diabetes symptoms like confusion and diabetic coma are the best reasons to get diabetic jewelry. Identifying yourself as a diabetic right away may save your life someday. And as you've seen, it does not have to be expensive.

I have yet to find a legitimate website that gives away medical alert jewelry, The one website I did find was just fishing for e-mail addresses to sell. I'm hoping to find one someday so I can let my diabetic friends know about it.

A diabetic bracelet is worth it if it removes the worry of being misdiagnosed in an emergency. I wear my medical alert necklace all the time. I hope you will too.

Martha Zimmer, webmaster, http://a-diabetic-life.com, and author of juvenile series, The Smallborn

By Martha J Zimmer

The Care To Be Taken In Case Of High Blood Sugar Symptoms

2012-02-10T02:03:00.000-08:00

Analyzing the presence of high blood sugar symptoms and taking appropriate care is essential to maintain good health. The basic to having controlled levels of sugar and glucose in the blood is to have a controlled diet. Proper medication and regular physical exercise will also help a great deal in maintaining these levels within acceptable parameters. By definition, the blood sugar level or the blood glucose level indicates the amount of sugar or glucose present in the blood of a person.

It is a widely known fact that glucose is the best source of energy that helps in the efficient functioning of the body cells. This glucose is derived from blood with the help of a hormone called insulin that is again produced by the body. The amount of insulin released depends upon the amount of glucose in the blood. In certain cases the body either doesn't produce the required quantity of insulin (type 1 diabetes) or the insulin produced is not reacting with the body (type 2 diabetes). In these cases, the glucose remains in the blood. When tested high levels will be shown, indicating the need for action. High blood sugar level leads to hyperglycemia.

When a person has hyperglycemia for a relatively longer period of time, he may develop various other severe health problems. In people with diabetes, the level of blood sugar varies significantly on a daily basis. It hence becomes important to monitor these levels in order to get the right medication. They don't just cause damage to the vital organs of the human body but also increase the risk of heart failure, kidney failure or problems relating to vision. Hence, it is extremely important to closely monitor the blood sugar level and take appropriate doses of medicines. The care for the patients of diabetes or people having hyperglycemia lays emphasis on providing the right dosage of insulin and other medicines. Incorrect dose will only aggravate the problems. Diabetes care also involves medication and meditation apart from constant monitoring of the blood sugar level.

Stress is a major factor that causes hyperglycemia. It has been observed that diabetic patients who have any sort of mental or physical stress have greater variations in blood sugar level. The secret is to combat these higher levels by restricting sugar content in foods by avoiding for example high carbonated drinks and by plenty of exercise. The high swings of sugar levels can be dangerous for diabetic patients. Family support and care hence becomes extremely important to people with high blood sugar symptoms so that they can lead a stress free life.

By Betty D Dawson

The Profect Solution for Diabetics

2012-02-09T18:09:00.000-08:00

Diabetes, which affects more than 6% of the US population or over 18,000,000 people [i], is diagnosed when the body is not creating or effectively utilizing the hormone called insulin. While genetics and environmental factors play a role, the exact cause of diabetes is as yet undetermined. Generally speaking, people with diabetes do not eat a standard “one size fits all” diet. Rather, they must adhere very closely to the healthy eating guidelines prescribed by their doctor.

However, these recommendations, which generally apply to the general public as well [iii], include principles such as eating a low-fat diet, and limiting calories from saturated fat to less than 10% of daily caloric intake. The recommendations also include eating complete sources of protein, and limiting calories from protein to 20% of daily caloric intake [iv]. It is worth noting that protein also plays an added support role in a diabetic diet, because protein can slowly transforms into glucose. As such, ingesting appropriate amounts of complete protein can help a diabetic manage blood-sugar levels.

At the same time, maintaining low blood pressure is of enhanced important for those with diabetes. As such, a diet that helps maintain a healthy body weight is essential, since high blood pressure is related to obesity and overweight conditions [v].

Diabetics know full well they should eat a calorie-smart diet that is low in fat, fortified with complete protein, and scores low on the Glycemic Index [1]. Unlike individuals without diabetes who can, if they must, “snack” on unhealthy foods from time to time, persons with diabetes are well advised by their qualified doctors to ensure that a very healthy eating regimen is consistently followed. Yet following this regimen is indeed difficult; especially since so many foods in restaurants and vending machines are utterly devoid of healthy ingredients.

At most, one might expect to find some low fat options when eating out; but these usually have high calories, high sodium – to compensate for flavor lost due to reduced fat – and a high GI score. Fortunately, a product called Profect has been medically engineered to provide diabetics with a practical eating solution. Profect, with its low Glycemic Index, contains absolutely no sugar. Therefore, diabetics do not have to worry about their blood sugar levels spiking after eating a serving of Profect.

As an added benefit to those with diabetes, Profect contains 25 grams of complete protein [2] -- and zero fat. As such, Profect can be eaten along with other foods to slow down the overall absorption cycle. Ultimately, this means that Profect can effectively reduce insulin spikes and the subsequent creation of fat cells; which, as noted above, can lead to weight gain and high blood pressure.

Yet perhaps most appreciated by diabetics is the fact that eating Profect is very convenient. It requires no cooking ability, nor the creation of a messy – and potentially poorly configured – health “shake” that might actually add too much protein to the system, and lead to adverse toxic buildup.

People with diabetes, just like most of the population, lead busy lives in which time is of the essence. Finding 2 or 3 hours each day to create foods is oftentimes unrealistic.

It is because of this need for a convenient and easily accessible food that Protica Research created the 2.7 fluid ounce container to protect each serving. These containers are extremely strong, easy to carry and store, and are deliberately suited for busy, time-starved lifestyles.

Daily – one might say hourly – some of the finest brains in science are searching for preventions and cures that will help millions of people diagnosed with diabetes to lead full, healthy lives. Aligned with this ultimate mission is Profect’s eating solution for diabetics and healthy eaters alike.

ABOUT PROTICA
Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect, a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. Information on Protica is available at http://www.protica.com

REFERENCES
[i] Source: “All About Diabetes”. American Diabetes Association.
http://www.diabetes.org/about-diabetes.jsp

[ii] Source: “Diabetes”. Diet-i.com.
http://www.diet-i.com/diabetes-diet.htm

[iii] Source: “Diabetic Diet Questions”. Anne Collins.
http://www.annecollins.com/diabetic-diet-questions.htm

[iv] Source: “Diabetes Diet”. MedlinePlus.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002440.htm

[v] Source: “Diabetes”. Diet-i.com.
http://www.diet-i.com/diabetes-diet.htm

[vi] Source: “Diabetes Cases Could Double in Developing Countries in Next 30 Years”. World Health Organization.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2003/pr86/en/

Diabetes Medication Management, How to Lower Expenses

2012-02-09T02:01:00.000-08:00

Diabetes medication management is expensive, but there are things you can do to lower your expenses.

Right now one in ten people in the U.S. have diabetes. If the trend continues as it has been going, in 2050 one in three people in the U.S. will have it. That's mind boggling. Another fact: diabetics spent twice as much for diabetes medications in 2007 as in 2001. That does not include medications for the other things that go along with diabetes, like high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

That means type 2 medication treatment is big business. But the saddest fact is it's estimated that only 25% of diabetics are getting the treatment they need, and the biggest reason is the expense.

There Are Things You Can Do About That

First you need to know you can fight diabetes with lifestyle changes. People have proven it when they began to exercise and educate themselves about better eating habits and change bad ones. If they smoked, they quit. Those three things can remove you from a prediabetes status, or put you in a category of controlling diabetes with diet and exercise. It's the only true diabetes cure right now.

And it's basically free. If you need help with exercise, a gym membership is much cheaper than diabetes medications, and so is the Wii if you like that kind of thing. You can run, walk, step, dance, play tennis and go bowling, among other things.

And if you need medications, there are things you can do to save money. New kinds of diabetes medication are coming out thick and fast. The problem is that most of them are just new versions of old medications. And studies so far are showing that the older drugs are just as effective as the new ones, and some of them have fewer side effects too.

The great advantage of older drugs is that they have become generic. Generic is the least expensive form of a prescription medication. And places like Walmart have put some of them on their $4 prescription list, making them the bargain of the prescription world. An example is metformin, a widely prescribed drug for type 2 diabetes treatment.

Some pharmacies are providing free generic diabetes medication. Shoprite, Pricechopper, Meijer and Publix are the ones I checked on. They seem to be hoping this will give them a competitive edge, but the offers are legitimate and require nothing except a prescription.

Free glucose meters are available too. But be cautious about free meters from pharmacies that offer them with a rebate. Rebates are notoriously slow to return, and some never do. In my experience it's better to get a free meter directly from a major company like Bayer or OneTouch than a generic one with a rebate. Make sure you check into what you're going to get.

Another way to save money on diabetic supplies is to look for clinical trials. Universities, hospitals and labs are doing clinical trials all over the U.S., especially around large cities. There's a lot of money available for this kind of research. Diabetes medication management is a huge industry. They are looking for people from all walks of life, and they will sometimes prefer test subjects who have not been diabetic very long, but it's worth checking out.

If they accept you, you might get your travel expenses paid for to and from their testing site, and you'll probably get the best diabetic care you've ever had. Diabetic researcher doctors are on the cutting edge of diabetes treatment, and they are going to be thorough. Their standards of care will be high.

Test subjects will get free medicine, although about half of the test subjects will just be getting placebos. Either way they will monitor you closely to see how the medications affect your diabetes and look for side effects with care, something your doctor probably never had time to do.

They'll probably give you a new meter free and all the testing strips you'll need during the entire testing period (and it might be years). There will be free lab tests regularly and lots of checkups too. You'll be treated the way you would if money were no object, because for researchers in diabetes money really is no object.

The downside is that you'll have to stick to whatever diet regimen they ask for, and that might be tough. Also, you will have to keep more records than you might be used to, and journals about things like how you're feeling.

If you'd like to know more about what to expect from clinical trials, there is a good video at the website for Clinical Connection, one of the places you'll find information about open trials for diabetics.

Don't forget the old standby of contacting the drug company that makes the drug for which you've been given a prescription. Some doctors will help you do this. All drug companies have assistance programs to make sure you get the drugs they are making.

One warning - when you go searching for free diabetic supplies, whatever you do, double check and make sure the offer you are getting from someone you find on the internet is legitimate. And free should mean free. Don't let anyone talk you into giving financial information, I don't care what they say they need it for.

And beware of anyone who says they have a cure. About 99 out of 100 of those are looking for your money. I've already given them enough of mine. Diabetes medication management for type 2 diabetes treatment needs people like Dr. Banting who gave away the patent for insulin and changed the face of diabetes for all of us.

My name is Martha Zimmer, and I'm the webmaster of a site about my journey with type 2 diabetes, http://a-diabetic-life.com. I'm also writing a juvenile series for preteens called The Smallborn. My website for the series is http://smallborn.com

By Martha J Zimmer

Type 2 Diabetes - Screening For Diabetes!

2012-02-08T02:00:00.000-08:00

Although Type 2 diabetes, also known as adult-onset diabetes and non-insulin dependent diabetes, is the most common form of the disease; there are still estimated to be millions of Americans who have it and are not aware. But this isn't a case of not being informed. It's a matter of people not understanding how the screening process works.

There are several ways that someone can be screened for Type 2 diabetes.

One is the fasting plasma glucose test (FBG). In this test, the individual is restricted from consuming food or drink for a period of up to 12 hours, but at least 8 hours prior to the test. The best time to do it is first thing in the morning after fasting all night.

Blood is drawn and any blood sugar reading above 126 mg/dL (7 mmol/L) is considered to be a provisional diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. Then, another blood drawing on a return trip will be used to confirm the diagnosis.

An oral glucose tolerance test is similar (OGTT). No food for up to 12 hours prior to the first drawing of blood; 75 grams of oral glucose is then given by mouth, and then the blood test repeated approximately 2 hours later. For this test, a blood sugar reading of 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) gives a positive sign of Type 2 diabetes. This test also has to be repeated on a different day to confirm the reading.

The random plasma glucose test is different from the other two in that no prior fasting is required. It does not require any previous scheduling and can be drawn at any time. This test requires a blood sugar reading of 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) or more. But the reading also has to be accompanied by other diabetic symptoms as well. The individual will have to return for a separate blood drawing in order to confirm diagnosis.

If you are not accustomed to skipping meals, then a fasting episode may make you fell pretty lousy. In this case, it would be a good idea for you to have someone with you at the lab; someone who can drive you home afterwards. It is also a good idea to have the test performed on your day off as the effects could stay with you for several hours.

If having someone take you home isn't an option, or even taking the rest of the day off, you may want to try a trial test to see how you will react so that you will have a better idea of whether or not you will be okay by yourself. To do this, try skipping a meal to see how your body reacts. Do this for several days in a row to acclimate your body to missing out on food for such a long period.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

Using The Power Of Food To Heal Type 2 Diabetes

2012-02-07T01:58:00.000-08:00

In order to cure diabetes mellitus naturally, using food is one of the best ways to do so. Exercise is another way that can help to manage or cure diabetes. Not learning how to manage diabetes can lead to many of the unpleasant symptoms of diabetes. With the greater understanding of this chronic disease, there isn't a better time than now to arm yourself with the tools you need without feeling overwhelmed.

What Is Diabetes?

This disease is sometimes known as one of the "silent killers" because it takes a while before the symptoms of diabetes begin to show up especially with Type 2 diabetes. This condition results when the pancreas does not produce enough or any of the hormone insulin. Insulin is necessary to transfer glucose that is deposited in the bloodstream as a result of the body's normal digestive processes to the cells in the body that need this glucose to function and for daily activities.

When there is a deficiency in insulin, this glucose accumulates in the blood. A prolonged accumulation leads to the development of the various diabetes symptoms as well as diabetes related complications.

When the cells are starved of glucose, it can lead to fatigue, dizziness, and the more serious damage to the eyes leading to blindness, nerve damage that can require limb amputation, kidney disease, blood vessel damage, the immune system damage, etc. Some of the complications can be fatal when a patient falls into a coma.

The most serious type of diabetes is Type 1 diabetes which begins in childhood and requires daily injections of insulin because the body produces no insulin or too little for normal functioning. This type is less common that Type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes usually begins in adulthood although younger and younger patients are being identified as a result of the explosion of Type 2 diabetes in the past decade or so mainly due to poor food choices and a lack of physical activity practiced by many. This type of diabetes results when the body does not produce enough insulin or the body becomes resistant to the insulin produced. It doesn't generally require insulin injections.

Diabetes Diet - Healing Through Food

There is a commonly held view that type 2 diabetes can not only be managed through diet but can also be prevented or reversed. Gone are the days when a diabetic had to suffer through a strict diet. Nowadays, diabetic diets vary from one sufferer to another and the diets are not usually restricted as long as a proper balance is maintained.

Glucose which is the simplest form of sugars and needed for energy or stored until needed results from the carbs that are consumed. Carbohydrates are either complex carbohydrates which are derived from such foods as rice, pasta, beans, etc, or simple carbohydrates that come from fruits, vegetables, cane sugar, honey, etc. With rice, pasta, flour, etc, the unrefined kind provides the necessary complex carbohydrates. The "white" kind is bereft of all nutrients.

Carbohydrate Counting

Diabetics are usually encouraged to eat more complex carbohydrates to help control this disease. For diabetics, it is usually recommended that about 50% of total daily calories be derived from carbs.

Since the treatment of diabetes tends to vary from one diabetic to another nowadays, a nutritionist or dietician will need to determine how many carbohydrates are required by the sufferer on daily basis. This information then helps a sufferer manage diabetes and the symptoms of diabetes through a process of carbohydrate counting which helps to manage blood sugar and is crucial for any diabetes diet.

This means that a diabetic can enjoy any food even the "bad" foods such as a candy bar as long as he or she knows how this one candy bar affects their daily required carbs amount through carb counting.

Fats

While most diabetics are encouraged to reduce the amount of fat consumed, for some other sufferers, they may actually be required to increase the fat intake in their diabetes diet. Your doctor will usually tell you which group you fall under. But even when a diabetic is required to eat more fat, this does not mean that food should be doused in fat, even the good fats such as those from olives or avocado.

Fiber

For any kind of disease, fiber is always very important as it helps the body properly and quickly eliminate waste as well as disease causing toxins from the body. There are two kinds of fiber which include insoluble fiber otherwise known as roughage which does not dissolve in water and usually helps to cure or prevent constipation.

The second kind of fiber is the soluble kind which is crucial for a diabetes diet as it helps to manage and stabilize blood sugar levels. Soluble fiber also helps the cells become more sensitive to insulin which results in more blood sugar being transferred to the cells from the blood stream which all works to prevent the symptoms of diabetes when the blood glucose levels remain constant without dipping or rising significantly. Eating more legumes, oat bran, oatmeal and fruits can help a diabetic increase the amount of soluble fiber in the body.

These are only a few aspects of a diabetes diet that can effectively manage or cure diabetes mellitus naturally while preventing the various symptoms of diabetes. Discover more on the healing power of food and other natural treatments for diabetes by visiting, http://www.squidoo.com/treatment_for_diabetes_reverse_symtoms_naturally.

By Terry Robbins

How the American Diabetes Association Helps You

2012-02-06T18:07:00.000-08:00

The American Diabetes Association is a national nonprofit organization that promotes scientific research in diabetes, public information regarding diabetes and advocacy for diabetics. The organization was founded in 1940 and has programs operational in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia. The stated mission of the American Diabetes Association is to find ways to prevent and cure diabetes as well as to improve the lives of all people who are affected by diabetes. Diabetes affects millions of Americans and the Association works on their behalf to find ways to make the disease easier to live with and possibly to prevent. It also supports research efforts at a number of academic organizations.

The American Diabetes Association funds scientific research and publishes the scientific findings that its researchers discover. The Association provides whatever information or service people with diabetes, their loved ones, health professionals or the public may need. Advocating for the rights of those with diabetes is also a part of what the association does on a routine basis.

The American Diabetes Association supports a national call center that received over 350,000 calls in the past year from people with questions, concerns or who needed support from the organization. It raises money to support research efforts, information programs and advocacy programs to help the 20 million individuals in the United States who suffers from diabetes mellitus.

The American Diabetes Association feels it has a responsibility to make sure that all work done under the auspices of the Association is above board. For that reason, they have developed a whistleblower program that allows people to report any suspected fraudulent or dishonest conduct related to resources supported by the Association.

One of the ways the American Diabetes Association raises money is through its online store. This is where they sell a large variety of cookbooks for diabetics, meal planning devices, self-care guides and other educational material for those who need help in managing their diabetes. An individual can become a member of the American Diabetic Association as an individual or as a health professional. In addition, the Association has thousands of children and adults who volunteer each year and various fundraisers and to help the Association function. Celebrities also help to make money for the organization every year.

Corporations can sponsor the American Diabetic Association. Through corporate sponsorship, research can be accomplished and a large amount of funds can help the Association function every year. It even collaborates with Nickelodeon to help children understand the benefits of diabetic prevention and management.

Find Out More Information About Diabetes Symptoms

2012-02-06T01:55:00.000-08:00

Diabetes is becoming an increasingly common condition in the United States. This may be due to our fast pace, challenging lifestyles.

Some of us don't feel that we have the time to focus on healthy eating and convenience food is becoming increasingly prevalent. The problem with a lot of this type of food is that it is largely unhealthy. Yes it may be convenient to grab a pizza or a burger, but this type of eating behavior compounded over time, may have negative consequences for your health. One such related problem is diabetes. Individuals are becoming increasingly concerned about this condition and are looking for the facts relating to diabetes symptoms.

Diabetes is the seventh highest cause of death of adults in the United States. This is a staggering figure made worse by the fact that many of these deaths could be avoided with the right diagnosis, treatment and lifestyle change. Good diet and weight can help remove most of the complications associated with diabetes. Leading a healthy lifestyle can also significantly reduce the risk of actually developing diabetes. You following points are regarded as common diabetes symptoms:

Type 1 Diabetes
• Excessive and frequent urination.
• Unquenchable thirst.
• Increased appetite and excessive hunger.
• Constant tiredness and increased irritability.
• Unexplained weight loss.

Type 2 Diabetes. Can include any of the above symptoms in addition to:
• Reduced immune system - increased illness and infection.
• Slow healing cuts, wounds and bruises.
• Problems with blurred vision.
• Repeat infections. Particularly skin, mouth, bladder and yeast infections.
• Pins and needles in hands and feet.

It is also worth noting that some sufferers of Type 2 Diabetes may not display any symptoms what so ever. If you have experienced any of the above symptoms you should consult with your physician immediately. Your physician will be able to use one or all of the following tests to establish a diagnosis:

• A random plasma Glucose test. This test measures the blood glucose levels in the body. You do not need to fast unlike the two tests below. This test is used in conjunction with an assessment of your symptoms.

• A oral glucose tolerance test. This test requires you to fast for 8 hours prior to the test. You are provided with a glucose based drink 2 hours prior to the reading. This test can establish if you have diabetes or pre diabetes. Pre diabetes means that you are at risk of developing Type1 and Type 2 diabetes.

• A fasting plasma glucose test. This test required you too fast for 8 hours. Again this test is used to diagnose both pre diabetes and diabetes.

By Kathie Dionisio

Are Your A1C Levels Rising?

2012-02-05T01:53:00.000-08:00

People diagnosed with type 2 diabetes often find their a1c levels rising over time, even when diet and lifestyle are unchanged. Newly diagnosed diabetics are often unaware that Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease - the body's ability to produce insulin declines as time passes. To bring an a1c level back to a preferred range, review diet, method of treatment, and exercise program.

The first place to look for possible changes is the amount and timing of carbohydrates consumed. Review your diet and the frequency of meals and snacks. Working with a nutritionist, you can determine where changes should occur. Remember, quantity of carbohydrates is only one piece of the puzzle. Take a look at the types of carbohydrates as well. If you love ice cream, perhaps you should trade your favorite flavor for a piece of fruit.

Should the diet have the proper carbohydrates, look at your treatment program. High glucose levels also result from the body's overproduction of its own glucose. For example, many people find a blood sugar reading higher than expected when they get out of bed in the morning. This can result when the body is producing glucose. If your treatment is diet only, you may need to add a diabetic medication. If you are on one diabetic medication, perhaps adding additional variety will be helpful. People injecting insulin may need to adjust the quantity and timing of their insulin intake or change the type of insulin. A doctor can help with each of the needed changes.

Regular exercise helps control blood sugar levels and increase levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. Exercise also burns excess calories and fat to help achieve optimal weight and avoid high blood pressure. In reviewing the exercise program, consider a variety of types: aerobic, strength training and stretching. An aerobic workout could involve walking briskly, dancing, swimming, playing tennis, riding a stationary bike, or taking an aerobics class. For strength training, weights or exercise bands are helpful. Diabetics need to be careful moving into heavy weight routines. Stretching and yoga routines help you stay flexible. Experiment and find activities you enjoy. Be aware that the level of physical activity can lower blood sugar too much, making you feel shaky or faint. Plan ahead.

With time, a type 2 diabetic may see a rise in the a1c levels. When this occurs, the appropriate course of action is to work with professionals in reviewing the diet, method of treatment, and exercise program. For additional information, check out http://lifeasadiabetic.com

By Lane Anderson

The Importance of Monitoring Insulin Resistance

2012-02-04T01:52:00.000-08:00

Diabetes is one of the more pervasive diseases affecting millions of Americans each day. As a result, it is not unusual that so many of our medical dollars go towards treating it. However, the number of people who eventually contract diabetes could be significantly decreased if many of them were diagnosed before they got the disease. And there is a very easy way to do this by simply testing for insulin resistance.

What is insulin resistance? Basically, it is a condition in which the body starts to have difficulty processing the glucose that is released into the bloodstream whenever we eat food. The worrisome fact is that, in this country, it is occurring earlier and earlier in the population. Already one in every 400 children or adolescents has diabetes. And, of the ones that don't have the disease, it is estimated that about 25% of them have some level of insulin resistance.

From a medical standpoint of pre-diagnosing diabetes, the important thing is that insulin resistance is usually a precursor to diabetes. But, by catching the condition at this stage, the person can often make dietary changes that can possibly delay or even prevent him from getting diabetes at all. The best way of identifying those at risk for insulin resistance is to simply look at its known risk factors.

One of the most prevalent risk factors is obesity. In particular it is the excess amount of visceral fat surrounding the abdomen that increases the risk of diabetes and pre-diabetes. The solution here is simple - lose weight. However, the act of losing weight is one that frustrates millions of dieters and they are ultimately unable to follow through. But, if the person is able to lose weight, the body will often regain its ability to process glucose normally.

Testing for cholesterol levels is now a part of many people annual physical. If your HDL levels are significantly low, or if you have an unusually high triglyceride level, you are also at increased risk for developing insulin resistance.

And, finally, pregnant women have to pay particular attention to their glucose levels. At the time comes nearer to the birth of their child, the woman becomes increasingly at risk for developing insulin insensitivity.

The issue of insulin insensitivity is also especially important because, it is a sign that the person may be at risk for other diseases and abnormalities a well. Specifically, hypertension, the beginnings of coronary heart disease, and blood fat abnormalities are particularly related to the degree of insulin resistance.

By Alice Saracho

Diabetic Organizations

2012-02-03T18:06:00.000-08:00

The National Institutes of Health, or NIH, has a department called the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. It is very important to diabetics. In fact, it is the federal government's lead resource for diabetic research. If you want diabetes information, this is the clearing house for that information, as all information from all diabetic research passes through this organization.

The National Diabetes Education Program, or NDEP, is also vital. This organization works to make the treatment and outcome better when one is diagnosed with diabetes. They encourage early diagnosis of diabetes, and work to educate the public on diabetes prevention.

Weight control is an important aspect of blood sugar level control for diabetics. Therefore, the Weight Control Information Network (WIN) is also going to be very important to you. You can lose the weight, and this organization will help you do it.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also plays an important role in educating the public about diabetes -- especially controlling the disease and preventing it. The CDC is also vital in setting policies surrounding all diseases.

Among government and collegiate organizations that aid in the education of diabetes, there are also many volunteer organizations, such as the American Diabetes Association (ADA). The mission of the ADA is to prevent and cure diabetes. They also strive to make the lives of people who are affected by diabetes better.

There are numerous other associations and organizations that can help you if you have diabetes. It is important that you seek them out, including local support groups, so that you can educate yourself concerning your disease.

Prediabetes: Preventable Diabetes

2012-02-03T01:50:00.000-08:00

Diabetes has grown to pandemic proportions. It is estimated that 8.3% of the US population,or 25.8 million people, have diabetes. About 95% of these have type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is the main cause of kidney failure, limb amputation, and new-onset blindness in American adults. People with diabetes are more likely than people without diabetes to develop and die from diseases of the heart and blood vessels, called cardiovascular disease. Adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates about two to four times higher than adults without diabetes. The risk for stroke is two to four times higher among people with diabetes.

Prediabetes refers to the intermediate metabolic states between normal and diabetic glucose homeostasis. This term was first introduced in 1979 to replace 'borderline' diabetes. Pre-diabetes is becoming more common and more recognized in the United States. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 79 million Americans had prediabetes in 2007. It is estimated that 314 million people worldwide have prediabetes, and the number is projected to grow to 418 million in 2025.

Why worry about prediabetes? It has been estimated that between 35% and 65% of adults with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within six years of the prediabetes diagnosis. Even before progressing into full blown diabetes, these people have an increased rate of microvascular (retinopathy, protein in the urine, polyneuropathy) and macrovascular (heart attack and stroke) complications.

How do you diagnose Prediabetes? Prediabetes is usually diagnosed with any one or more of the following blood test readings: A fasting blood glucose level of:110 to 125 mg/dL (6.1 mM to 6.9 mM, according to the World Health Organization criteria or 100 to 125 mg/dL (5.6 mM to 6.9 mM), according to the American Diabetic Association criteria. A blood sugar level of 140 to 199 mg/dL (7.8 to 11.0 mM) at the end of two hours after ingesting a standardized 75 gm glucose solution as part of a two hour glucose tolerance test. A glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) between 5.7 and 6.4 percent.

Are you at risk? There are certain indications that you have or may be at an increased risk of developing prediabetes. These include increasing age, inactivity, sleeping less than 6 hours per day and being overweight or obese. Certain races are at an increased risk, namely Asian Americans, Hispanics/Latinos and non-hispanic blacks. Other risk factors include abnormal lipids, especially high triglycerides and low HDL (the good cholesterol) and diagnosed cardiovascular disease. If you had gestational diabetes (high blood sugar during pregnancy), or gave birth to a child weighing more than 9 lbs, you are also at risk. Two other rather uncommon conditions, namely polycystic ovarian syndrome and acanthosis nigrans also indicate increased insulin resistance and predisposition to prediabetes and diabetes. And finally, patients with psychiatric disorders, especially schizophrenia, on multiple psychotropic drugs, also have a high incidence of prediabetes.

Symptoms: Prediabetes is often asymptomatic and suspicion often rests solely on risk factors mentioned above. If present, the symptoms of prediabetes, are the same as those of diabetes: constant hunger, increased thirst and urination, unexplained weight loss, weight gain, generalized malaise, blurred vision, slow healing from minor wounds like cuts and bruises, tingling or loss of sensation in the hands or feet, frequent or recurring gum, skin, vaginal or bladder infections.

How do you treat? The call for early treatment of prediabetes is gaining momentum. Several recent studies have evaluated the role of life-style changes and medications for the treatment of this malady:

1. Exercise: Regular physical activity prevents progression into diabetes. In the Da Qing IGT and Diabetes Study of 110,660 men and women in China( Diabetes Care 1997;20:537-44.), progression to diabetes decreased from 67.7% to 41.1%, when comparing an uncontrolled group to a controlled exercise group over a period of 6 years.

2. Diet: In a Finnish study (N Engl J Med 2001;344:1343-50), there was an incidence of 23% of progression into diabetes in a control group compared to only 11% in an intervention group over a period of 4 years. Interventions were aimed at reducing weight 5% or more, reducing dietary fat to less than 30% of the total caloric intake and increasing dietary fiber to at least 15g per 1000 calories ingested.

3. In al large study involving 27 clinical centers around the US(N Eng J Med, February 7, 2002),3234 prediabetic overweight participants were divided into two groups. One group received intensive training in diet, physical activity, and behavior modification. The aim was to reduce body weight by 7% and maintain the loss, and exercise 150 minutes a week. The second group received metformin 850 mg twice a day. At the end of the study, the lifestyle intervention group reduced diabetes progression by 58% compared to 31% in the metformin group.

4. A prediabetes task force (American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists 18th Annual Meeting, Houston,Tx. 2009) suggested a more aggressive therapeutic approach to these patients, recommending treating high-risk individuals with diabetic medications such as metformin, acarbose, glucagon-like peptide 1 agonists and thiazolidinediones. These treatments are not yet FDA approved for prediabetes, but are backed by strong scientific data indicating that battling insulin resistance early protects the pancreas and prevents progression into diabetes.

The health and monetary costs of prediabetes are not known. But diabetes is an expensive disease, costing about $174 b billion annually in the US alone. Direct medical costs account for about $116 billion and indirect costs such as disability payments, time lost from work, and premature death account for the remaining $58 billion.

Millions of lives and billions of dollars can be saved by aggressive life-style and therapeutic intervention in patients suffering from prediabetes.

Remember: Prediabetes means preceding diabetes. But it also means preventable diabetes.

Dr. Shashi K. Agarwal is a Board Certified Internist and Cardiologist with a private practice in New York City and New Jersey. He is also a diplomat of the American Board of Holistic Medicine and the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine.

By Shashi Agarwal MD

Type 2 Diabetes - Are Artificial Sweeteners Safe For Diabetics?

2012-02-02T01:47:00.000-08:00

Everyone loves to have sweets, with some increasing the frequency with which they enjoy them a little more than others. But when it comes to eating sweets, things have to change once an individual is diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Or do they?

Telling someone to give up sweets when they are accustomed to having them is, in many cases, probably not feasible. In fact, sweets are probably one of the main contributing factors to why they developed Type 2 diabetes in the first place. But while it isn't reasonable to ask them to give up the sweet stuff, it is reasonable to ask them to change the way that they consume them.

Artificial sweeteners are an excellent way to occasionally indulge without causing the significant harm that sugar can bring with it. But like other artificial foods, there has to be some caution built into the way you embrace the way they are used or else you could create a whole new problem.

One important point to remember is that artificial sweeteners replace the sugar, but they do nothing for the carbs and calories. Those are still there and have to be taken into account.

Artificial sweeteners provide one hundred times the sweetening ability, or more, of regular sugar. This means that when you are making diabetes conscious desserts you cannot substitute them in equal amounts. You will have to compensate for the magnified effect the artificial sweetener brings to the recipe or you won't be able to eat it.

One good point about these sweeteners is that they are not broken down by the body so there is no need to count any calories for them. They are especially beneficial to diabetics since they don't contain carbs and they have no effect on blood sugar levels.

Stevia is one brand of sweetener that is particularly popular because it is plant-based. It is hundreds of times as sweet as sugar and has none of sugar's unhealthy drawbacks and can be used in cooking. Aside from the list of artificial sweeteners, it has also received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

So far only five artificial sweeteners have gained the stamp of approval from the FDA. They include:
    * aspartame,
    * acesulfame,
    * neotame,
    * saccharin, and
    * sucralose.

They can be found in a multitude of food items from gum to diet drinks. Some may come with a slight after-taste so it's best to try a few out and see which one is more favorable to you.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

Risk Factor Of Diabetes Includes Red and Processed Meats

2012-02-01T01:45:00.000-08:00

As if red meats didn't have enough bad press, having been fingered as a cause of heart disease and some cancers... here's some more which names them as a risk factor of diabetes.

Red meats, particularly the processed varieties such as bacon and hot dogs might actually raise your risks of getting type 2 diabetes. Not surprisingly, the team who undertook the study saw that the more red meat you ate, the larger the risk for disease.

Type 2 diabetes affects over 25 million Americans and has long been associated with carrying too much weight, and is a disease where the body can't produce enough insulin, or the body cells don't use the insulin they get properly.

Insulin works to assist the body in using glucose (also known as blood sugar) to produce energy. If blood sugar stays high as it does with diabetes, problems like heart disease, blindness as well as kidney and nerve damage can be the result. This is why it is so important to identify diabetes and follow whatever treatment plan you and your doctor have created.

In the most recent study, subjects who ate a single serving (about the size of a deck of playing cards) of non-processed red meat (hamburger, steak) a day had a 20% higher chance of getting type 2 diabetes.

Participants who ate half the amount of meat, but of the processed variety (hot dog, 2 slices of bacon, bologna or salami) had a 51% higher chance of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

This current research included information on 37,063 men and just over 167,000 women. As part of the current study, the team also conducted a literature review analysis that included data from the most recent research and earlier projects.

Even though the amount of meat intake isn't very large, the risk associated with it is rather high. The findings of this research are important considering the increasing numbers diagnosed with diabetes and the ever-increasing amount of red meat consumed by most people.

Just how red meats might impact the risk of diabetes is unknown. It might be that the processed meats high nitrate content ups the risk of insulin resistance. This is a pre-diabetic condition that happens when the body cells become resistant to insulin. What's more, processed meats have high levels of iron, with high stores of iron in the body also being linked to a higher risk of diabetes.

The team suggests people keep their intake of processed and red meats as low as possible. Try not to make the meat the center of your plate and instead load up on healthier sources of protein like nuts, low fat dairy (yogurt), whole grains, chicken and fish.

It's clear that processed meats are much more dangerous than the unprocessed variety, though these are by no means harmless. It's important therefore that your diet changes from being reliant on red meat for protein to include more diverse ways of eating.

The meat industry disputes the research findings - stating they're suggestive of an association but not proof of cause and effect. They insist there is a large body of research that shows lean beef is an important element of a healthy diet, and that the most important advice for cutting the chance of type 2 diabetes is to keep your weight under control and be active.

Experts continue to recommend that the best eating plan for those with a risk factor of diabetes is a personalized one, with saturated fats making up no more than 7% of your total daily calories. And while no one can say for sure that cutting out the red or processed meats will be a benefit, it's something to consider along with the other changes you're making to keep your body healthy and your risk of disease at bay.

By Kirsten Whittaker

What Disease Are You Fighting Against?

2012-01-31T18:03:00.000-08:00

The headline article in Arizona Woman, October 2006—“The Fight Against Breast Cancer Expands," prompted me to write this article.

In spite of all the research, chemotherapy, etc. cancer is on the rise.

Many books have been written on the important fact that our thoughts and feelings create our reality. I know from my own experience and from the experience of my clients whom I help heal from dire dis-eases—cancer, diabetes, lupus, Hepatitis C, Fibromyalgia, MS, high blood pressure, mitral valve prolapse and the list goes on. I hope I can explain the origin of dis-ease that will inspire you to transcend victim consciousness and live the life you were born to live—healthy, happy and with peace of mind.

First we need to look at how reality is created. Thoughts are created in the mind and feelings follow. Thoughts and feelings are impulses of energy. The human body is made up of trillions of cells. Cells of the nervous system, called nerve cells or neurons, are specialized to carry "messages" through an electrochemical process. The human brain has approximately 100 billion neurons.

Neurons have specialized projections called dendrites and axons. Dendrites bring information to the cell body and axons take information away from the cell body. Information from one neuron flows to another neuron across a synapse. The synapse is a small gap separating neurons. The synapse consists of:
1. a presynaptic ending that contains neurotransmitters, mitochondria and other cell organelles,
2. a postsynaptic ending that contains receptor sites for neurotransmitters and,
3. a synaptic cleft or space between the presynaptic and postsynaptic endings.

Thoughts and feelings are impulses of energy and information. They send out vibrational pictures, patterns, and colors (not words or language). This energy affects the atmosphere (energy field) around the person thinking the thought or feeling the feeling. What we see in the outer world is a reflection of collective humanity's thoughts and feelings.

Radio, TV programming and popular publications create our future. It's simple to understand how reality is created when you understand the Science of Consciousness. Collective consciousness is the sum total of humanity's beliefs, thoughts, feelings and actions. Media, public relations firms, and advertising constantly send out thought-forms that program us for sickness, drugs, violence, fear, and materiality. These thoughts go into collective consciousness and create a huge cesspool of dysfunctional beliefs from which we draw our personal thoughts. Perception is carefully and precisely regulated by pharmaceutical and medical practices.

Most conventional wisdom is implanted into the public consciousness by a thousand contrived media clips per day. Whose Thoughts Are You Thinking? Where attention goes—reality is created. Have you wondered why most people in America generally think the same thing about most issues? The thought is created first-then it manifests in everyday life. For example, constant awareness to medical problems creates more drug customers. Constant awareness to being a victim creates more people feeling victimized.

Cancer was rare until someone told us about it and programmed fear thoughts into consciousness. People did not think about flu shots until the media promoted them. Have you ever wondered about the ethics of TV Allergy Reports being sponsored by a drug company? Do you believe allergy medicine will cure allergies or are pharmaceuticals a profit making industry? What's true is that awareness to allergies promotes allergies. Remove those thoughts from your energy field and your allergies will be gone. In spite of all the research, chemotherapy, etc. cancer is on the rise. Thoughts and feelings create disease!

Let's explore conventional thought streams promoted in today's society which are creating public consciousness:
1) An education guarantees financial success,
2) war will create peace,
3) fluoride protects your teeth,
4) take out your gall bladder, tonsils, spleen, appendices and after a certain age, remove breasts, uterus, ovaries, testicles, etc., because they aren’t really needed or that is the way to create health. Think about it—if these body parts weren’t needed why did the human body evolve with them in tact?
5) HIV causes AIDS,
6) without vaccines infectious diseases will return,
7) the FDA thoroughly tests all drugs before marketing them,
8) if it's written in the newspaper, on TV or professional journal, it's true,
9) flu shots prevent flu,
10) menopause complications are something every woman can expect,
11) pharmaceutical drugs restore health. Think about it—if drugs restored health why are thousands of people taking numerous drugs?
12) pets need drugs, shots and surgery,
13) scientists and doctors are god-like,
14) be afraid of sun causing cancer,
15) "own a piece of the rock," makes you wiser, wealthier
16) the purpose of life is shopping—shop ‘till you drop.

Being a weirdo is healthier, than allowing yourself to be programmed to have all the diseases the pharmaceutical companies want you to have so they can sell drugs. Most people are ignorant-not evil. The result of ignorance however, is why I rely on Universal Laws. These laws transcend man-made laws, and hold true without fail. If you jump out of a window on the 10th floor you will go down--Newton's Law of Gravity ... and if you plant potato seeds you will get potatoes—not corn. Thoughts are planting seeds. Feelings follow thoughts. Thoughts and feelings create disease!

"We cannot create solutions to problems with the same consciousness that created them."—Einstein. —Anonymous.

When you understand the truth about how reality is created, you will think beyond living in only a "physical world" and think in terms of an "energy world". To break free of collective programming you will need to shift your thought programming and then vigilantly select each thought and feeling. Shifting your thought programming is much like installing an upgraded computer program onto your computer. "Fighting Against" Energy Creates More Of What You Don't Want and Collapses Your Energy Field.

Don't waste your energy fighting against what you don't want. It's more productive to decide what makes you fulfilled and create it. Only invest in positive thoughts. Make the necessary changes to your preferred state of functioning. Your energy, time and money will increase because you're not "fighting against something" or "ruminating about getting rid of something." People or experiences are never more than a thought away.

The Internet is helping people learn about being connected. Just as you can send e-mail via the Internet, we constantly send people "energy e-mail" messages. To create the reality you prefer - you need to be very selective with each thought you allow to enter your mind, and carefully monitor the thoughts and feelings you send to others. "Hedging Against" and "Ruminating." To Protect Yourself Most people have been programmed to hedge against inflation, to purchase insurance to protect against disability, fire, death, and illness, etc. The "save for a rainy day" mindset is also "hedging against." This attracts to you what you don't want in your life. The hidden motivation to save for retirement is usually driven by a desire to protect against old age. "Has the campaign, "Say NO to drugs" worked, if not, why not? It can't work because, the brain only records the last word … drugs … drugs … drugs. The mind set of AGAINST vs. FOR … profits huge industries. People buy vitamins, hair and beauty aids, their children's education, and get regular medical tests and checkups for the negative reasons of protecting themselves. All of the above scenarios are fear-based motivations that dis-empower you, collapse your energy field and create the opposite of your intentions.

PR Firms Raise Lots Of Money For Organizations "Hedging Against" something. I know several people who had a health crisis, after training for today's popular fund raising events. Well-intended participants are running, walking or biking, with the intent to avoid cancer or honor someone they knew who experienced cancer. What they have not understood is that by putting these thoughts into their minds—the disease gets created. What if people knew they get what they are thinking and feeling—not what they think they are thinking and feeling … AND that whatever they give attention to will expand. Words and feelings are powerful creators of reality. Avoid putting cancer thoughts in your consciousness (consciously or unconsciously)—you won’t create cancer in your life. A magnet does not stick to wood—only to metal. Remove the thoughts from millions of people's consciousness (and even from your family genetic consciousness)-and the disease or conditions disappear.

Your brain can't hold two thoughts simultaneously. You can't simultaneously hold a happy and sad thought, or healthy and sick thought. It's impossible to think about “Fighting Breast Cancer” and simultaneously hold the thought of total health and vibrant aliveness. The answer is, the more attention you put on the disease—the more people experience it.

Health is our natural state. Disease is abnormal and can't exist in a healthy body. Remove the thoughts of victim, fear, worry, war, disease, etc., and the thoughts are deleted from the collective thought cesspool. Spell check makes sure words are spelled right. Empower yourself by using a "thought-check" system for the next 30 days and see how your life changes. Allow only thoughts of health, joy, peace, integrity, and harmony. Watch how everything changes. We need to hold the pharmaceutical and medical profession liable for the results of their actions.

A well-known PR firm claims they have netted more dollars for breast cancer and AIDS charities more quickly than any known private event enterprise in United States history. But the goals are not aligned to natural laws and universal principles. Dis-ease consciousness creates dis-ease-and that is why there have been no solutions, no real cures for a variety of dis-eases. This is why there have been no solutions, no real cures for a variety of dis-eases. To quote the promotional brochures for the fight against cancer, "3 Days Of Walking from Santa Barbara to Malibu to FIGHT breast cancer with 3,000 others like you. 3 Days Of Kindness, commitment and friendship. 3-Days of Meaning you'll remember for the rest of your life." If walking from Santa Barbara to Malibu created a cure for breast cancer, why then has the number of women having breast cancer increased?

My high school peers who are zealots for long term care insurance, and fighting against every disease imaginable are dying at very young ages. They constantly think about how awful it is for people to get ill and lose their life savings and retirement money. Their real motivation was FEAR. From their fear, they manifested their greatest fear in their own life. Another analogy how thoughts create reality—did the campaign, "Say, NO to drugs" work, if not, why not? It can't work because the brain only records the last word … drugs … drugs … drugs. Think about this, grocery stores are now "Food & Drug Stores." Unless you own stocks in pharmaceutical companies and don't care about the future world or yourself, your children and grandchildren will live in … please take heed. Now that you are more informed and aware about how thoughts/feelings create reality, how would you like to work for the Orange County Financial Abuse Specialist Team? They specialize in training financial abuse specialists in agencies and organizations that serve the elderly. Or are you willing to support the National Drug and Alcohol Awareness Week, where a PTA organization puts a "death toll poster car" on display at the high school campus depicting people killed last year by drunk drivers in Orange County. Their stated objective "We hope to increase a greater awareness of substance abuse through this project." How awful that our children have to suffer because of ill informed, dysfunctional thinking adults; Or the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society … Fighting Blood-Related Cancers; Or TV evangelists, who play on people's emotions using starving children's pictures or pictures of the helpless and hopeless; Or a concert to "STOP THE ABUSE of Afghanistan women or children;" Or "Help Stamp Out Hunger." Or, America's Walk For Diabetes; Or, run or walk the marathon in Honolulu for the Arthritis Foundation? Joints In Motion with a slogan, "Take it on!" Or, Race for the Cure-112 events nationwide and this organization is the leading catalyst in the FIGHT AGAINST this devastating disease...every woman is at risk-great perks, extra monograms, T-shirts, and complementary refreshments; Or you can create more awareness to arthritis by becoming a member of the Arthritis Foundation's Joints in Motion Training Team, take a vacation, and run the "I Love Paris In The Springtime Marathon." What about, "Prevent CHILD ABUSE?" Again, the brain records child abuse; Or Alzheimer's Memory Walk-a fun way to join the FIGHT AGAINST Alzheimer's Disease, where participants are instructed to bring pictures of their loved ones to remind them of why they are walking. The brochure shows four generations with only two generations with Alzheimer's disease; Or Project Sister …sexual assault crisis services educating the communities we serve about the nature and causes of sexual violence; Or these Internet sites: The Hunger site, The Kids AIDS site, The Landmine site, The Rainforest site, or The Child Survival site. Is it any wonder why hospitals, doctors and drug companies have so many patients? In addition to all the previous information in this article, many magazines use full front page headlines like, "The Diabetes Epidemic...a killer disease. This creates conscious awareness to diabetes and creates patients for the medical profession.

Consider this: A Walk For Peace in Celebration of the United Nations; Walking the Camino for the purpose of a spiritual and physical challenge... and with the intention to find one's deepest "spiritual meaning," and write a book about it, as Shirley McClaine did. Can you hear the difference in the motivations and energetic vibration?

Polarized Thinking Presenting information with polarized viewpoints is another way to increase negative results through creating apathy. The back and forth bantering does the same thing to your psyche as a cat that bats a mouse back and forth until it's lethargic. To create public opinion PR firms select specific radio, TV, magazines and newspapers and use third party endorsements, institutes, foundations, celebrity endorsements, scientists for hire, attack strategies, and the media uses press releases from pharmaceutical companies ostensibly as investigative news. The sole purpose of press releases as news is to keep you in fear and uncertainty so you will watch again and be subjected to more advertising. Polarized talk show participants keep consciousness stuck in no-win situations.

Dowsing and Kinesiology Testing has been used for eons to find water, oil and gold. . What Dowsing proves is the impact on a person's energy field of all the information I've been sharing. If it's truth—the field expands. If it isn't—the field collapses. It's amazing to witness testing someone who doesn't even know what the "pink cancer ribbon" means, yet we get negative test results.

There is a disease of the month celebrated every month—What are we creating when we celebrate a disease? What do you think Breast Cancer Awareness month will create—more health or dis-ease? Do you want to be part of the problem, or part of the solution? —Voltaire

Stop reading popular magazines and newspapers…stop watching TV and listening to radio…and you will be amazed at how different you think and feel.

It takes great courage to pull out of the cesspool of dysfunctional thinking ... and live the Universal Laws of truth. It's time to wake-up and take responsibility for your health, wellness and happiness. What we envision is what we will create. Consider how different the world would be if TV and radio programming only broadcast information about the positive aspects of life, instead of all the ills and deviants. Their negative thought forms are a major factor in creating society today. Think about the world our children and grandchildren will live in. Be discerning, selective—and only support people and empowering causes that truly make this world a better place to live.

Diabetic Weight Loss Through Diet and Control

2012-01-31T01:42:00.000-08:00

Diabetes is an illness that controls how your body process a hormone called insulin. This hormone, produced by your pancreas, helps your body process glucose, or blood sugar. Every time you eat a carbohydrate your body turns it into glucose. Your body needs to have that glucose for energy. Insulin helps the cells in your body absorb that glucose and turn it into energy. Excess glucose in your body can be expelled naturally, but it can also stay in your body, and cause problems.

Diabetes happens when your body either doesn't produce enough insulin, or the insulin doesn't work very well anymore. Type I diabetes, generally found in children, means the body doesn't produce insulin, or only a very small amount of it. Type II diabetes is generally diagnosed in adults, usually in middle age, but, because of the obesity epidemic, it is getting diagnosed earlier and earlier. It happens because your body doesn't process insulin correctly anymore. Type I diabetics will need to take insulin their entire life. They may need to check their blood up to 6 times a day so they can adjust the insulin, and may need to have as many as 6 shots a day.

People with Type II diabetes can generally control their diabetes through diet and exercise. There are some people who will need to take medication no matter what, but most people will be able to take no medication, as long as they eat right. Controlling what goes into your body by controlling your diet is the best way to control Type II diabetes. The biggest risk factor of a person becoming diabetic is obesity.

If you have been diagnosed as a type 2 diabetic, then one specialist you should ask to see is a nutritionist. A nutritionist can help teach you about what foods you should and should not eat, as well as sit down with you in a one on one setting and create a diabetic weight loss program designed with you in mind. This diet will be low in carbohydrates, especially simple carbohydrates, and high in vegetables and protein. It will also focus on proper serving size. Many type 2 diabetics do not have a clue what a proper serving size is. Making sure that you are eating the right serving size can go a long way towards helping you lose weight and control your diabetes through your diet.

For more information on how to effectively manage diabetes the natural way starting today, visit Integrative Health of Tampa at www.ihealthtampa.com/tampadiabetes/. Dr. Jonathan Berns, DC offers effective solutions to help you maintain a healthy blood sugar level. Visit Integrated Health of Tampa to learn more about how you can begin to manage your diabetes, as we are dedicated towards providing effective diabetes solutions to our patients.

By Jonathan Berns, D.C.

Diabetic Kidney Disease: Learn More About This Diabetic Complication

2012-01-30T01:41:00.000-08:00

Patients with diabetes are at an increased risk for multiple complications from their condition. Years of uncontrolled blood sugars can damage different organ systems fairly quickly. Even when sugars are in decent control, the body can suffer damage from slightly elevated levels of glucose. Common complications of diabetes include diabetic retinopathy, nerve problems and chronic kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease caused by diabetes is one of the leading causes of end-stage renal disease requiring dialysis in the United States. The official term for this condition is diabetic nephropathy and it is very serious condition that can progress rapidly if ignored.

The kidney is compromised of approximately a million little filtration units called nephrons. High sugar levels can cause damage to these nephrons, leading to problems with the removal of toxins from the blood. One signal of this damage is the spillage of proteins into the urine. When proteins, or albumin, are spilled into the urine in small amounts, this is called microalbuminuria.

Microalbuminuria is the first sign of renal damage secondary to diabetes. This abnormality indicates that there is blood vessel damage to the nephrons and it should prompt your doctor to pay careful attention to your blood test readings. A routine blood test called the basic metabolic panel measures certain markers of kidney function called a blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level and a creatitinine level. As the creatitine levels rises, it signals a loss of nephrons. For every doubling of this number, it signals a 50% loss of the remaining nephrons. These values are inserted into a formula to calculate the filtration rate of the kidneys. The progression of kidney failure from stage 1 to end-stage renal disease is determined base don this calculation.

If you are looking to preserve your kidney function and have diabetes talk to your doctor about these important tips!

1. Excellent sugar control! Patients with tight glucose control tend to have slower progression of kidney disease.

2. Routine screening! The diabetic patient should have their renal function monitored annually at a minimum. This is done using a urine test and a blood test. If there is damage, the patient may need more frequent monitoring.

3. Blood pressure control! High blood pressure accelerates kidney damage.

4. Medication! A medication called an ACE inhibitor can help protect the kidneys from progressive disease in diabetic patients. Even a very low dose of this medication can be helpful!

5. Quit Smoking! Smoking contributes to accelerated kidney problems and can increase blood pressure and reduce blood flow.

If you have diabetes, be sure that your doctor is watching your kidney function closely because once the damage is done, it cannot be reversed.

For more information about diabetic nephropathy and how to improve sugars to prevent complications with diabetic snacks visit us at knowyoursugar.com!

By Abby Sanders

Chronic Diabetes And The Needs Of Those Affected

2012-01-29T01:39:00.000-08:00

Diabetes care is a daily challenge that causes strain on relationships and can alter the way family members interact with each other. Type 1diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes, is usually diagnosed in children although young adults may be diagnosed with it as well. This type of chronic diabetes means that the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin, which is required to process glucose and other sugars into usable energy for the body.

With proper education, medications, glucose monitoring, and proper diet, experts agree those with diabetes can have a very high quality of life. However, the person who has diabetes often affects nearly everyone around them because of their specialized needs. There are several informative websites that offer support and education for families about chronic diabetes and supply details on how to cope with the circumstances that may come about if the person associated with someone affected with diabetes may not be aware of their condition.

While parents of diabetic children have to help them understand and manage their illness, others in their lives will be affected as well. As they begin dating and marry, the mate will have to be made aware of the ramifications of what a person with diabetes has to cope with. Although they will need to recognize all those aspects, they should also be informed about what all is involved when it comes to helping to care for someone with diabetes.

More sever health problems could develop for those who suffer from diabetes as they get older. These problems can include strokes, kidney disease and heart problems. Diabetes is also to blame for most leg amputations that aren't associated with physical trauma like those from car accidents. Experts advise that patients and their loved ones or care givers find all the information possible about the disease and to have consistent monitoring and examinations to be aware of and to prevent further medical complications.

Diabetes is something that has to be dealt with every day. There's not a day that goes by where a diabetic can skip testing, can drop their guard about their diet and not worry about the proper levels of medications. Diabetics have to be aware of their condition continually and just in case the diabetic is careless with their care for some reason or another, those around them must be aware as well. Managing diabetes isn't just a job for the diabetic: it's a job for everyone around them as well.

By Patty Morris

Information About a Diet for Diabetes

2012-01-28T18:01:00.000-08:00

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

The doctor will be the primary point of information and reference for their diabetes care and management. A good doctor will also be able to refer their diabetic patients to a licensed nutritionist who is skilled at helping create a diet for diabetes that is individualized to each of their clients.

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

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

Because diabetes is becoming such a serious and growing health issue for an estimated 17 million people in the United States the food industry in this country has created a large array of food items aimed at people with diabetes. The situation is only going to get worse because the obesity epidemic will continue to create type 2 diabetics at an alarmingly growing rate into the future. A diet for diabetes is a drastic change for most people diagnosed with this disease, but if they are to successfully manage and live with their condition it is something they must do. Having the support and understanding of family and friends during this transition to a dietary change is also important and will help more quickly deal with their diabetes and the complications it can cause.

The Four Types of Diabetic Foods

2012-01-28T01:38:00.000-08:00

This may definitely be a surprise for most of you-especially for those who are diabetic. Because diabetes is a chronic disease that may only be managed by medications and diet, it would really be best if you learned more about the foods as part of your diet.

Most people who are diagnosed with diabetes actually have nutritionists and physicians to assist them in making necessary changes in their lifestyle from exercise to meal planning. But even so, you should still be involved in all these especially with what you are going to eat. Ideally, a diabetic diet should help in absorbing blood sugar, promote insulin sensitivity, helps in lowering oxidative stress and protects the diabetic from glycation. In order for these criteria to be followed, understanding the 4 types of diabetes food will make a big difference.

Metabolizers
Foods that belong to this type are those that help in making sure that proper sugar metabolism is happening. Having excess blood sugar can be alarming to people who are diabetic because it can really harm a person's health but with the help of metabolizers, this can be avoided. These metabolizers should come in 3 different kinds in 2 servings for meals.

Promoters
If there is one thing that type 2 diabetes is known for is insulin resistance. The hormone insulin is actually what helps glucose enter the cells of the body. Foods that are considered promoters are what helps promote insulin sensitivity and studies have shown that these foods often do better than traditional medications. Lean red meat belongs to this food type, having 2-3 serving of dark green veggies are also belong to this type.

Reducers
Reducers actually help when there is excess blood sugar. When our bodies have very high amounts of blood sugar, oxidative stress are high. This can be damaging to the body because of the transformation of reactive molecules where cells and tissues are destroyed giving less time to replace them. Antioxidants are very helpful to diabetics and are great reducers. 2-3 servings of these reducers will really help a lot.

Protectors
One of the things that diabetics should keep in mind to combat the disease is by being aware of how diabetes works such as how blood glucose can cause damage to the body. One process of this is called glycation where sugar molecules react with proteins producing nonfunctional structures in our body and this is where complications begin as it can cause heart attack, nerve damage and even blindness. It is with foods that are considered protectors where glycation effects can be fought. Great choices of protectors are chili peppers and fish.

By Nikole Dy

Type 2 Diabetes - How Diabetes Affects Your Skin!

2012-01-27T01:25:00.000-08:00

Type 2 diabetes is a whole body problem. In other words, it doesn't just affect one small portion of your body. Instead, it can have complications throughout many of your different organ systems, including your skin. The skin is the largest organ in your body, so it only makes sense that Type 2 diabetes would also show up there.

Studies show that up to 33 percent of people who have diabetes will be affected by a skin disorder at some point during their lives. The good thing is that many of these skin conditions can be prevented or treated easily as long as they are caught in the early stages.

Problems with the skin are among the least serious complications of diabetes, but they can be troublesome and distressing because the skin figures so prominently in people's self-image and self-esteem.

Although anyone can get a skin disease or disorder, people with Type 2 diabetes are much more prone to it. This is because they are susceptible to fungal and bacterial infections. In addition, itching can cause a whole host of issues with the diabetic as it can allow more bacteria into the body. There are certain skin conditions that only happen to diabetics including:
    * necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum or NLD. NLD appears as a pink or red discoloration of the skin, which tightens and becomes shiny, similar to the skin of an apple.
    * diabetic blisters,
    * diabetic dermopathy, and
    * eruptive xanthomatosis. These are orange fatty plaques that can appear around your eyes or on your elbows, shins, or ankles. They are often related to fat levels in your body, especially the levels of cholesterol of triglycerides.

Some of the more common skin conditions that could come up for diabetics are:
    * boils,
    * folliculitis,
    * nail infections,
    * styes, and
    * carbuncles.

Of course, people without diabetes can also get these conditions so having them doesn't necessarily mean that you are a diabetic. These inflamed tissues normally feel hot, red, painful and swollen. Most of the time, they are caused by organisms which turn into infections. The most common organism Staphylococcus bacteria, also known as a staph infection. Your doctor may wish to take a culture and prescribe a medication to help clear them up.

Thankfully, antibiotics can control all of these skin issues. Of course, it's important for the diabetic to get diagnosed early so the infection does not spread. Diabetics are especially susceptible to virulent bacteria, so it's important to let your doctor know if you show any signs of these skin conditions.

Diabetics often have to deal with fungal infections as well. Many of these come from candida albicans. These yeast infections often create rashes in moist, warm areas. Sometimes, they will cause scales and blisters also. These kinds of infections are most likely to happen in areas such as:
    * between the fingers and toes,
    * under the breasts,
    * around the fingernails or toenails, and
    * in the corners of the mouth.

They can also happen in the armpits or groin area.

Examples of these would be athletes foot, vaginal infection and ringworm. Again, it's especially important for diabetics to let the doctor know if they are experiencing any of these types of skin conditions.

Since many skin problems are intensified or triggered by stress, using stress-reduction techniques such as exercise, meditation, counseling or support groups, may help with control.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

Prediabetes! - Resolve to Wean Yourself From Sugar

2012-01-26T01:23:00.000-08:00

There can be many reasons why you are considering eating less sugar. For example, your doctor might diagnose you as having Prediabetes. Even though I don't believe that there is such a thing as Prediabetes, you would do well to use this to make an association about your wellness and the power you possess to preserve it.

Instead of putting your energy and concern in agonizing about the fact that you are getting ill, use this label as the genesis for a new beginning for the rest of your healthy lifestyle.

This will keep you from 'victim thinking' and instead of feeling that this is your daily cross to bear, you can begin to relish in the idea of seeking total wellness.

Think of it this way, there are more persons in your town or city living without diabetes and you can be one too. Next rejoice that your awareness is now opened to the plight of people who are living with diabetes and that you have a chance to nip this in the bud.

The research on diabetes is pretty straight forward. You can start taking medication or you can use another avenue to change this type of 'meds taking' lifestyle. The choice is all yours, the ball is now in your court, not your doctor's.

Simply consider this, because if you rely on a drug that is not a cure but just controls the dynamic process of your body metabolizing sugar, the only way that this can progress is on a downward spiral.

Why wait for your body cells to refuse to accept sugar and then change your medication to a prescription for someone with full fledge diabetes.

To some people this is all acceptable. It's the family game. They watched their mother do it, their brother did it and this is the family cross you have to bear; all the while you are clinging to sugar or trying to satisfying your sweet tooth with diet soda, beer, wine or sugar laden daily desserts or coffee. Or you might be eating food like white bread and crackers that turns into sugar the moment it hits your saliva. This has been the case with my family. I lost my father to diabetes when I was just a toddler. The gift out of this tragedy is that I grew up determined to understand my body so I became a cell biologist; a college lecturer and a wellness coach so that I can share this good news with you.

Here is a brighter concept to perk up your life and make it just as sweet. Relish in the idea of having the peace of mind of being symptom free. I have experience this with my family and I can tell you the paramount change you have to make is about your lifestyle.

This requires only two simple changes. One is a change in mindset about how to approach this disorder. If you are having difficulty with this, being guided by a wellness coach will do wonders for executing the old mind set. Next is your willingness to consider a new eating lifestyle.

For instance a new lifestyle approach might to become more in tune with the working of your muscles, your breath, your method and frequency of feeding. Then resolve that life can be sweet with indulgence in a little self love.

For example you could decide to use your breath and body more in a yoga class, which mainly teaches you how to use your breath to communicate with your muscles and change your mind and body energy.

This is quite a bonus for playing on a mat, mindfully using your breath while doing precise movement; as you get more oxygen than your body is used to, and increase your energy level without sugar.

This alone can initiate a huge change in attitude towards becoming a more aware, health conscious person.

Why am I mentioning this in association with Prediabetes? Because adapting to a new attitude will help you in a way that is energetically positive for your mind and body. It will open your awareness of the natural gift you have to heal naturally...

Prediabetes and diabetes is all about precise use of physical and chemical energy. No one else can change your energy and how it is used but you. And your activity and choice of nourishment determines the quality of your energy. You alone have to adopt the mindset that says it's possible to live symptom free. Then the rest is easy! All you need is, "an apple, a book and a passion to cook

Celia Westberry is an author, speaker and wellness lifestyle coach. She helps clients to reprogram their minds and bodies to have a personal relationship with food to be happier, healthier and more contented.

Her award winning book, Eat Yourself Younger Effortlessly, the easy way to slow aging, feel, great and look good has glycemic ready recipes to help you with making healthy eating choices for syndromes like prediabetes. Visit her at http://www.westberrywellness.com to learn more about healthy aging from her ebook - Secrets of Healthy Aging Revealed.

By Celia Westberry

Diet Cure for Type 1 Diabetes-Important Things You Need To Know

2012-01-25T17:59:00.000-08:00

Whether you are suffering from type1 or type2 diabetes, you need to follow a health diet, period. There is no question regarding the fact that the types of foods we eat and the diet pattern we follow have a considerable impact on the level of glucose in our blood. However, there are different opinions and views regarding the best diet cure for type 1 diabetes. In this article, I will tell what type of foods should be given to patents suffering from type1 diabetes. It is my hope that after reading this article, you will be able to change your diet pattern and incorporate only those foods in your diet that control rather than trigger type1 diabetes.

Several researches have been done over the years with regards to the diet cure for type 1 diabetes, and the general consensus is that a diet which is rich in fat and protein but contains a very low quantity of carbohydrates is the best diet cure for type 1 diabetes. The less the amount of carbohydrates you intake, the less your blood glucose level will be. However, since you are depriving your body of carbohydrates, you would need to eat foods which are rich in fat and protein in order to compensate your body for the loss.

The best diet cure for type 1 diabetes is one which strikes a good balance between food and insulin. The activities of food and insulin are connected- insulin is a hormone that breaks down the food and takes away the excess amount of glucose and uses it to form energy or stores it elsewhere for future use. If insulin and food become out of balance then you won't be able to control diabetes even if you want to. People who do not suffer from diabetes however, won't be facing this problem as they produce the right quantity of insulin needed to control the flow of blood glucose that increase after having a meal.

You should include foods like rice, bread, pasta, and other starchy foods in your daily diet. It is obvious that a healthy diet is very important for a diabetes patient. For example, if you consume huge quantities of a particular food and on top of that, take food at odd hours, you won't be able to prevent diabetes even if you are having a healthy diet. If you need more information regarding the best diet cure for type 1 diabetes, simply click on the link in my resource box below.

Type 2 Diabetes - Blood Sugar and Dementia!

2012-01-25T01:21:00.000-08:00

Anyone diagnosed with diabetes runs a greater than the average risk of developing dementia. An article in the journal Neurology reported on the incidence of dementia in a village of over 1000 people studied by researchers at Kyushu University. Between 1988 and 2003, twenty-seven per cent of people with diabetes were diagnosed with dementia, compared with only 20 per cent of healthy people.

Results of another study from Kyushu University, reported in the journal Neurology during September 2011, looked at how well people were able to handle sugar and their risk of dementia. One thousand and seventeen individuals who were at least 60 years of age, were included in the study and given an oral glucose tolerance test. The test determined how well the participants' bodies were able to bring blood sugar levels down to normal after they were given sugar by mouth. After 15 years...
    * dementia,
    * Alzheimer's Disease, and
    * dementia caused by sick blood vessels

were seen significantly more often in people with diabetes than in non-diabetic participants. Those with high blood sugar levels two hours after taking in sugar had a higher risk of dementia than those whose blood sugar levels returned to normal after 2 hours.

In Type 2 diabetes, the body has difficulty in lowering blood sugar levels because, although the pancreas makes insulin, the body's cells are insensitive to it. The job of insulin is to help cells take in sugar to use it for energy, and when cells are resistant to insulin they are unable to take in sugar and burn it. Fortunately, Type 2 diabetes is amenable to lifestyle changes that can improve insulin sensitivity.

Another study again... in August 2011, the journal Metabolism reported the results of a study performed on improved insulin sensitivity carried out at the University Institute of Cardiology and Pneumology in Quebec, Canada. One hundred and four men with:
    * waist sizes of at least 35 inches,
    * a high level blood fat, and/or
    * low levels of good cholesterol,

were included in the study. After one year of a healthful diet and exercise, both belly fat and fat under the skin were lost and insulin sensitivity improved. Even those with normal blood sugar levels at the beginning of the study showed improvement, showing it is not necessary to wait for problems to arise before starting a program of lifestyle changes.

Your doctor or healthcare advisor can give you a program for what lifestyle changes are safe for you. Going for a walk every day at lunchtime or after work can be a good start. Adding more fruits, vegetables, and other high fiber foods to your diet can begin to help you lower your body's fat content.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

Serial Murder and Hypnosis: Diabetes Is Killing Every Seven Seconds And How Hypnosis Can Help

2012-01-24T01:19:00.000-08:00

According to the International Diabetes Federation (an umbrella group of more than 200 national associations), an estimated 366 million people worldwide are diabetic and every 7 seconds, one of them is dying.

That is 4.6 million people dying every year from a largely preventable disease.

What can help stop this carnage and pain that affects many times more the people afflicted with diabetes? Hypnosis.

The clinical value of hypnosis has been well documented in the book "21st Century Medicine: Clinical Evidence For The Healing Power of The Mind".

An important question is this: How does diabetes kill? In a variety of mostly very unpleasant ways but the main cause is this: excessively high blood sugar levels which adversely affects various organs and functions of the body which leads to illness and ultimately, death.

So, the basic step is to reduce blood sugar levels. Non-pharmaceutical methods include diet, exercise and better food choices.

Is there a drug that can safely help a person who wants to diet, exercise and/or make better food choices? No.

Of course, there are diet drugs of all kinds but they generally come at a high price; especially when compared to the safety and effectiveness of hypnosis.

One Diabetes-Help Fact that is clinically proven is this: Relaxation can drop a diabetic's long term blood sugar level just about as much as a diabetes drug.

Dr. Richard Surwit of Duke University conducted a study on 108 Type II diabetics. All they did was listen to a 20 minute relaxation session 3 times a week! That's it.

And hypnosis is relaxation therapy but only much better and more powerful. Now, consider the following 5 remedies you can immediately use to reduce stress. In fact, hypnosis can help you program the below 5 Stress Reduction Tips into your unconscious.

1-Turn stress into an ally instead of an enemy. When your 'friend' Mr./ Mrs./Miss Stress is getting your attention, remember that is a signal to take a break from whatever is stressing you out. If you don't have a chance to do so right away, then promise yourself a nice soothing bath or walk as soon as you can. Just the thought that at some point your stressful event will be over is often enough to help a person begin to feel better.

2-Stress is like the common cold. Don't catch it from others! Have you ever noticed that some people seem to want others to be as stressed out as they are? I don't know about you but if someone handed me poisonous snake, I wouldn't take it. So, whenever someone near you is handing out 'stress snakes', make sure you are not receiving.

3-Learn from good stress managers. Look around. Who do you know that handles stress well? If no one, then no wonder you're stressed! If however, you know of someone who is cool under fire, get his or her secrets!

4-Remember to breathe! Many times people feel stressed because they have forgotten to breathe. Seriously. Or, some people begin to breathe only in their chests (rather than belly breathing). Chest breathing actually raises anxiety levels.

5-Interrupt stressful thoughts. Practice your breathing techniques when you are aware of stressful triggers. Speaking of stress triggers, bear in mind that if you've had too much coffee it may be time to cut back just a little.

Remember, even if you reduce your stress levels a little bit, it can make a big difference so start now!

Hypnosis must be used in conjunction with standard health care sooner rather than later to help those with diabetes (as well as other challenges) because although drugs can be life saving, their negative side-effects are numerous, often unnecessary and costly in many ways. And, the lack of patient compliance is making their usefulness questionable.

And keep in mind that there are things hypnosis can do that drugs cannot. Doctors at the University of Minnesota have talked about how among many things, hypnosis can help increase self-control as well as positively regulate behavior. There is not a drug in the world that increase self-control and/or help someone positively regulate their behavior.

Hypnosis is a long recognized healing tool. The question that must be asked is this: If a well-researched and verified remedy can work just as well, if not better than a drug, then shouldn't that remedy be considered first or at least in conjunction with other remedies?

"Speak well to yourself because your body is always listening."

Devin Hastings is a published author and international speaker on the documented healing powers of the mind. He is also president of the Minnesota Institute of Advanced Communication Skills, a premier persuasion school.

Devin's books include the following titles:
'21st Century: Clinical Evidence For The Healing Power of The Mind'
'Control Your Diabetes With Hypnosis'
'Anxiety, OCD and Hypnosis: New Answers For Those Who Suffer In Silence'

To read more interesting and informative articles such as 'NLP For Eliminating Self-Sabotage', Google the article title or Google 'Devin Hastings'.

By Devin Hastings

Type 2 Diabetes - Does Diabetes Cause Depression?

2012-01-23T01:17:00.000-08:00

Many people don't realize that individuals who have diabetes are at a greater risk of developing depression. In fact, simply having poor control over your blood sugar levels can mimic the same symptoms as depression. Feeling sad every once in a while is normal for everyone. After all, life doesn't always go the way that we want it to. However, if you're feeling this way more times than not, you might be suffering from depression.

Many people with Type 2 diabetes are depressed about:
    * receiving their diagnosis,
    * changes they need to make in their life,
    * alterations they have to make to their routine to keep blood sugar control.

No two people will respond in the same way on being told they have Type 2 diabetes, Responses range from quiet acceptance to intense anger. If you are lucky your doctor will take the time to discover what perceptions about diabetes you have.

Most people who have diabetes don't suffer from depression, however studies do show that people with diabetes are at a greater risk of developing it than those without the disease. There is no one clear-cut answer as to why this is true. It is stressful to live with the daily management of diabetes. It can make you feel quite alone and different from all of your friends and family. There's no question it's a lot of extra work to manage diabetes on a daily basis.

In addition to managing your blood sugar levels, you might also be dealing with complications from the disease. This can include things like nerve damage, kidney problems, high blood pressure and other associated complications.

There are several signs that you should look for when trying to spot depression in yourself or someone else. One sign is the loss of pleasure in things that you used to enjoy...

    * if you feel like everything is a struggle and you really don't want to do anything, this could be a sign of depression.
    * often times, depressed people report that they simply want to stay at home and not partake in activities that they used to enjoy so much.
    * if you've noticed a change in your sleep patterns, such as trouble falling asleep or sleeping more than usual, this could also be a sign of depression.
    * if you wake up often during the night, that can also be a symptom.

On the other hand, getting up earlier than you normally do can be a sign of depression, especially if you can't get back to sleep. A major change in appetite, such as eating way more or way less than you used to, can also be an indicator of depression.

Depression can have all kinds of signs and symptoms including:
    * suicidal thoughts,
    * nervousness, and
    * trouble concentrating.

If you or anyone you know appears to be suffering from depression, get help early. There's absolutely no reason to continue feeling sad all the time. Speak with your doctor and they can give you some options to help you to start heading back in the right direction.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

Treating and Researching Diabetes

2012-01-22T17:58:00.000-08:00

Diabetes is a problem that affects so many people, both in the U.S. and worldwide, surprisingly, however, very little is known about the disease.

There are a number of organizations that are researching exactly what causes diabetes, as well new and better methods for controlling it, monitoring blood sugar levels, getting insulin into the blood, newer medicines to correct the problems and even how to stop it before it starts.

There are numerous groups and organizations involved in research such as the FDA, the Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation, or DAREF, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Diabetes Research Institute and the Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation and many, many others, in the United States, Great Britain, Australia and many other countries.

• A vaccination against the autoimmune response that causes type 1 diabetes. Testing is currently being carried out on animals.
• Genetic engineering to make liver cells that produce insulin. Although insulin is produced there is no internal control mechanism as there is with the pancreas, so the insulin levels from such cells remains constant regardless of the body's requirement for this hormone.
• Stem cells are the very basic building blocks of the human body and have the ability to develop into any kind of cell. It is possible that researchers will find a way to use stem cells to make insulin producing cells to replace those that have been damaged by the autoimmune problem that causes type 1 diabetes.
• Immunoassay for type 1 diabetes.
• The impact of exercise training for those with diabetes.
• A recent report that transplanted pig cells have been successful in reversing diabetes in test monkeys.
• Arterial issues.
• Enhancing the cell survival of important agents in diabetes.
• A type 1 diabetes medication that helps the beta cells in the pancreas to live longer, the loss of the beta cells is one thoughts of causes of type 1 diabetes, is currently underway by the Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation (DAREF) that may prove to help patients create insulin on their own, thus reducing the dependence on outside sources of insulin

Other research currently underway is the use of cinnamon to lower blood sugar levels. Dr. Richard Anderson at the United States Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Resource Center has been able to effectively isolate a compound in cinnamon that causes lowered blood sugar.

The reason that cinnamon is so helpful to someone with diabetes is the way that it inhibits enzymes in the body that may be responsible to insulin resistance. This is especially noteworthy to those who are afflicted with Type II diabetes and have insulin resistance problems. Cinnamon also was shown to increase the body's sensitivity to insulin causing insulin to be used more efficiently.

If you or someone you know is afflicted with this chronic illness, funding a research team may allow you to benefit immediately and enable you to play a role in research and the treatment of the millions of other diabetes sufferers in the world.

A couple of the more recent treatments currently in trials
A medicine that is based on the saliva of a venomous lizard – the Gila Monster. The drug containing this new treatment is delivered by injection in much the same way as insulin, however the early trials have seen many participants withdraw because of an increase in side effects when compared to those caused by insulin. All research so far undertaken has been sponsored by the pharmaceutical company that produces this drug.

Another new treatment going through trials is the delivery of insulin through inhalation. The insulin is prepared in a dry micro fine powder form which is inhaled directly into the lungs from where it is absorbed into the blood stream.

Good Foods For Diabetes - Choose The Right And Keep Safe

2012-01-22T01:14:00.000-08:00

People prone to diabetes are advised to keep their body weight under check and maintain a healthy body. This is feasible by keeping check on what they consume daily. The food intake usually has a main role not only in building the body but even in keeping the body fit for healthy living. That is why dietitians always suggest to pay more attention on what foods a diabetic should eat and what foods diabetics should avoid to eat for managing diabetic condition. The food intake is not merely to generate energy to the body but simultaneously to help keep off anything detrimental to health enhancement.

Though a diabetic patient is having the right choice of food intake and feels cool with normal daily activities, he should not be confined with that alone. What is required to confirm his body condition balanced in all aspects is to have regular monitoring of the diabetic sugar levels in the bloodstream. Daily activities including the food consumption should be well planned so that the sugar level does not gear up at any cost. This is the basic thing a diabetic should have concern over.

Good foods for diabetes

The foods that top the list of good foods a diabetic can eat are as follows:

1. Foods low in fat: If you still remain a victim of diabetes, it requires that you have a good knowledge of your daily meals balanced with low fat diabetic diet. Along with periodic checking of sugars in what you consume, it also requires to pay attention on the amount of carbohydrates contained in your choice of low fat diabetic diet. It means that you are maintaining low glycemic index carbohydrates by consuming low fat diabetic diet. This helps you stay healthy along with the intake of less saturated fats, and plenty of fiber. As such, it is advised to eat more of fresh fruits, and green vegetables with no fats but for calcium, and vitamins. Simultaneously, testing your blood sugar levels periodically, and adjusting your diet accordingly to maintain normal sugar levels are absolutely needed.

2. Foods low in sugar: If you are eating foods low in sugar, it means a healthy choice is made to be free from diabetic condition. Any sugar-free food or snack can be helping a diabetic to avoid obesity, the foremost enemy for diabetes. When the natural food choice is sugar-free, some diabetics may have an aversion and choose to consume artificial sweeteners. Though the sweeteners contain no calories, they are sweeter than natural sugar. However, eating flavored snack may lessen the craving for eating foods high in natural sugar. That means you are fairly safe from developing blood sugar in the bloodstream. As such, you are advised to consume fresh fruits low in sugar and whole grains in the form of breads and salads.

3. Foods high in fiber: If the foods are high in fiber, the digestion is slowed down and generation of energy is gradual and acceptable to the body. There is very low chance to store excess sugar in the blood cells when the digestive system is regulated. For this, eating daily one apple and one orange may keep off a diabetic from the risk of increased blood sugar.

A final say: Try the above and notice the amazing results!

Are you ever born to develop diabetes complications with you? No, start controlling blood sugar which is really an art. If you want to be an expert and safe, you should keep up with good foods for diabetes AND diabetic foods to avoid.

By Varadharajan R

What Is Type 1 Diabetes?

2012-01-21T01:12:00.000-08:00

Type 1 Diabetes is a disease that will follow you for life when the pancreas no longer produce insulin. Insulin lets sugar (glucose) into the cells of your body to produce energy. Without insulin, sugar accumulates in your blood, over time high blood sugar can damage blood vessels and nerves throughout the body increases the risk of eye disease, heart, blood vessels, nerves and kidneys. Type 1 Diabetes can occur at any age Type 1 Diabetes can develop at any age, but it usually develops in children and adolescents. Diabetes type 1 in children and adolescents referred to as insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM)

What causes type 1 Diabetes.

Insulin is produced by certain cells (beta cells) in the pancreas. Type 1 Diabetes develops when the body's immune system destroys beta cells, so the loss of pancreatic insulin production.

Symptoms

The main symptoms of high blood sugar or diabetes are thirst, frequent urination, weight loss, fatigue, increased appetite, blurred vision. These symptoms are usually changes in a few days to several weeks. Some people have these symptoms before being diagnosed with diabetes, but they do not recognize the symptoms. Most of them believe that the symptoms are the flu or some other illness.

When insulin levels decreased in low blood sugar can rise very high and threaten the lives of patients. Symptoms include skin redness, hot and dry, his breath smells strange, people feel anxious, sleepy, sleep, difficulty waking up, the kids can we less active, tired eating, abdominal pain, vomiting, not sharp.

As the disease becomes severe can cause difficulty breathing, swelling of the brain, coma or death. But if the additional regular insulin your blood sugar level will allow you to avoid the dangers of the disease.

The main symptoms of low blood sugar are sweating (almost always sweating), nervousness, tremors, weak body fatigue, dizziness, headache, no longer lucid, slurred raised.

Low blood sugar when the sugar (glucose) in the blood falls below the level allowing to maintain the normal functioning of the body. People at risk are those who do not eat enough, skipping meals, drinking too much medicine containing insulin, excessive exercise makes blood sugar levels rapidly decrease.

If blood sugar drops low (less than 20mg/dl), you may faint or have seizures. As is the case then you should be eating or drinking beverages that contain sugar to draw your blood sugar levels return to safe levels. But when your expression with serious you need to now the medical establishment to be the best care.

The required tests for diabetes

You must check your blood sugar 3 times or more in a day to ensure that sugar levels allow. You should have a check in the amount of sugar to regular inspection. You should maintain close contact with your doctor to know your blood sugar levels within permitted. You should regularly check blood pressure and cholesterol levels as if these indicators will highly increase the risk of diabetes complications.

Treatment

The treatment of Diabetes type 1 is done by injecting insulin into your body every day to keep sugar levels allow. That's the best way to reduce the risk of complications from diabetes. For those who have blood sugar levels drop too low to resort to the advice of doctors to control their sugar. Glucose level was 70mg/dl to allow 130mg/sl 180mg/dl before meals and after eating 1 to 2 hours. This is your index to monitor their glucose. The treatment of Diabetes type 1 is done by injecting insulin

Also you can treat your disease with a healthy diet and regular exercise.

When you have diabetes also increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, you can use aspirin to reduce the risk of heart disease. After diabetes diagnosis and treatment of blood sugar levels you back to normal. The insulin-producing cells of the pancreas to work harder to supply enough insulin for the body. During this period you can use or not use less insulin, but this does not mean that you have recovered from illness. When recurrent disease you must continue taking insulin to treat their disease.

For diabetes affects life

If you keep your blood sugar within healthy for you and longevity. This requires you to combine skillfully between diet, physical exercise and augmented insulin every day. If your child is sick, then when they grow up they will have the responsibility to care for themselves. A diet exercise every day will make you feel afraid, do not give you it will gradually become a habit, if you have trouble finding a doctor for help.

Once infected you can learn how to take care of themselves as self-monitoring their blood sugar levels, insulin self-injection, the symptoms found in the blood sugar level is high or low... Take care of yourself is part of important in your life, please take care of themselves very well to stay healthy with diabetes.

By Bong Yeu Le

Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms and How to Deal With Them

2012-01-20T01:10:00.000-08:00

Type 2 diabetes accounts for about 90% of all diabetes cases, making it the most common type of diabetes. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a disease that is indicated by high blood sugar levels and it can be categorized into 2 types. Type 1 occurs when body fails to produce insulin. On the other hand, Type 2 occurs when cells in the body do not respond properly to insulin and/or the body's insulin production is not enough to support the body's need.

Type 2 diabetes symptoms develop in a very slow rate that most of its sufferers do not realize that they have the disease until it has reached an advanced stage. Common symptoms of the disease include: constant fatigue, blurred vision, erectile dysfunction for male sufferers, dark patches on the skin around folds and creases of the body, frequent urination, increased thirst, increased hunger, dry mouth, headaches, and unexplained weight loss. Other symptoms may also include weight gain, itching around the groin or vaginal area, frequent yeast infection, slow-healing sores, and numbness around feet or hands.

To treat type 2 diabetes, a sufferer can't rely on medication alone. In fact, he or she also needs to make some lifestyle changes. Below are the things you can do or take to treat the disease:

Medication - Besides daily insulin injections to control the glucose level in the blood, your doctor may also prescribe alternatives which can be taken orally or by injection such as Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors (acarbose), Meglitinides (repaglinide, nateglinide), Thiazolidinediones (rosiglitazone, pioglitazone), Biguanides (metformin), Sulfonylureas (glimepiride, glyburide, tolazamide), and other injectable medicines (exenatide, mitiglinide, pramlintide, sitagliptin, saxagliptin). Consult your doctor prior to taking the medication.

Regular exercise - Regular exercise offer many health benefits; it increases energy, improves blood pressure and blood flow, enhances heart beat and breathing rate, and reduces tension. It also helps your body burn calories which is beneficial for weight loss program. Check with your doctor to find out which exercises are safe for you.

Weight control and Diet - Weight control and diet for type 2 diabetes sufferer can be different from regular diets done by people who do not have the disease. You should consult with a doctor or nutritionist about proper nutrition (e.g. carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, etc) intake. Today, you can easily find healthier alternatives for your favorite foods. For example, if you are a fan of chocolate chip cookies, you can still enjoy low-calorie diet cookies which are equally tasty.

By Muftah Ali

Writing For Health Magazines

2012-01-19T17:56:00.000-08:00

Freelance writing for health publications will not only keep you on the edge of the latest trends and advice for maintaining a healthy mind and body - it can also be healthy for your bank account.

Freelance writers produce articles covering a range of diverse topics including nursing, disabilities, diseases, prevention and cure, health research and education, alternative treatments and more.

On the technical writing side medical writers also work in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, writing materials that include regulatory documents, investigative drug brochures, and clinical study protocols.

Consider for a moment for 76 million baby boomers that have been entering their fifties. They are worrying more about their health. They want to lose weight. Everyone wants to be healthy and avoid sickness in order to feel better and enjoy life.

Here Are A Few Examples of Health Publications
The following are just a few examples of health publications that you could work for as a freelance writer.

360 Magazine
An ezine accepting articles on all topics related to the wheelchair community, including health, travel, sports and relationships. Payment ranges from $0.10 to $0.25 per word.

Arthritis Today
A national consumer health magazine published by the Arthritis Foundation. Contains information about arthritis research, treatment, self-care and emotional coping. This publication pays up to $2,000 for feature articles of up to 2,000 words.

Cure
Providing the latest cancer updates' research, and education. Pays freelance writers $1.00 per word.

Diabetes Health
Providing patients, educators and healthcare professionals with practical advice and the latest information on new methods, technologies and research related to diabetes. Payment varies with experience and length of article.

Healthplan
This magazine of trends, insights, and best practices is published by the American Association of Health Plans. Pays freelance writers $0.65 per word.

In addition to specialty health magazines, remember that you can also write about health topics for hundreds of other magazines, such as family magazine or men's and women's interest publications.
- American Medical Writers Association
- Australasian Medical Writers Association
- European Medical Writers Association
- Health Sciences Communications Association
- National Association of Medical Communicators
- World Association of Medical Editors

So be healthy. Be wise. And become a health writer. It's a great niche for freelance writers.

Signs of Diabetes in Men by a Type 2 Diabetic

2012-01-19T01:08:00.000-08:00

Signs of Diabetes in Men

Signs of diabetes in men, you might think would be an easy subject. But from a man who has been diagnosed as having type 2 diabetes, it is clear that it is not that simple.

It could be said that my own case study is a typical example of a man being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. My visit to the doctor was due to tiredness and chest discomfort, it was only after I was diagnosed that someone said that my breath had been smelling a bit sweet for a while so you might say that the latter could be listed as one of the signs of diabetes in men but this would also apply to the female sex.

It would appear that there are no typical signs of diabetes in men that can be picked up on; diabetes is more often diagnosed as a result of blood being tested for some other condition and the results showing an above normal blood glucose level. In other words there is sugar in the blood that the body is failing to absorb and use.

As already mentioned, my general practitioner sent a sample of my blood for analysis and if there was to be a problem it was expected to be cholesterol. However I was quickly asked to go for a repeat test and then for a glucose intolerance test where I firstly had a fasting blood test and then had to drink a measured amount of a sugary drink to be tested later to see if my body could cope with the intake of glucose. No it could not and I have to live with type 2 diabetes for the rest of my life.

I have read that one of the signs of diabetes in men is being overweight or even obese. This is not one of the signs of diabetes in men but a probable cause. Another possible reason for developing type 2 diabetes is that it is in your genes, which is the case with me. I am not overweight and never have been and yet now have this chronic condition. But both my mother's sisters were type 2 diabetics so the likelihood is that no matter how good a lifestyle I would eventually suffer from type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is one of the fastest growing health problems in the world today with thousands walking around undiagnosed. Yet it is takes a simple test and so little time to discover whether or not you are one of the unlucky ones to be diabetic. The bad news may be that it cannot be cured but the good news is that it can be controlled with a sensible diet, drugs and exercise.

So, although there is no definitive list of signs of diabetes in men, do not be one of those men who ignore the possibility or probability. Catch the condition early and be put on a control programme. The alternative is that if you do ignore it you may develop problems with your eyes, kidneys and feet that may still be controlled but irreversible damage has also been done.

Read more in Bill White's Diabetes Diary http://start-to-diet.com/diabetes/.

By Bill W.

Why Is Diabetic Foot Care So Important?

2012-01-18T01:06:00.000-08:00

The sad fact is that diabetes is becoming increasingly common. So common in fact that it's bordering on becoming an epidemic. Although everyone knows that diabetes has to do with insulin and blood sugar, many people are surprised at how many other parts the body are affected. They also may be very surprised at all the emphasis their physicians and other healthcare providers place on taking care of their feet. Why is this? Why is diabetic foot care so important?

There are two main types of diabetes. In type I, a person's pancreas can't produce enough insulin to control blood sugars. In type II, at least in the early stages a person's pancreas can't produce insulin but because of factors such as diet, obesity and being overweight the insulin becomes less and less effective. That is, a given amount of insulin has progressively less effect on lowering the blood sugar. This is referred to as insulin resistance.

In either case, the end result is high blood sugar. When the blood sugar gets too high it can combine in unusual ways with a number of proteins. Because of this it can create problems in lots of organs.

Some of the more common problems caused by diabetes has to do with injury to the kidneys, eyes, blood vessels and nerves. With regards to the feet, the damage to the circulation of blood vessels are particularly relevant.

When the nerves are damaged it's like they're injected with Novocain. In that situation a person can step on a nail, for example, and never know it.

The nerve injury diabetics experience is called diabetic neuropathy. In the earlier stages it may be painful even as the nerves are failing to do their job of reporting abnormal pressure or other damage to the feet. In the later stages it most often is just a numbness.

The injury also affects the small muscles in the foot that control the alignment of the bones. When these aren't working properly it's very common for the bones to shift out of position causing deformity of the foot. This deformity makes even more likely that abnormal pressure points and areas of injury will develop.

At the same time damage to the circulation by the diabetes compounds the risk for problems.

The mainstay of care, of course, should be the best possible control blood sugars. This can actually prevent, or at least greatly reduce the risk of any serious problems developing.

But even with good blood sugar control, meticulous preventive care is important. This really is a situation where an ounce of prevention is worth way more than a pound of cure. Not to create anxiety and anyone, but the sad fact is that diabetes and the foot problems it causes are the leading cause of leg amputations. That's why diabetic foot care is so important.

By Matt Wilkins

Finding the Perfect Glucometer!

2012-01-17T01:04:00.000-08:00

For diabetic patients, finding the perfect glucose meter is often challenging but it is a very important task. Patients with diabetes should love their testing device because it should be used multiple times every day. In addition, it should be portable because it should travel where ever you go. This is why it is so important that you find a glucose meter that fits your personality, lifestyle and personal health needs. With so many meters to choose from, selecting the right glucometer can be quite overwhelming. Two popular meters that are available today are the Bayer Contour glucose meter and FreeStyle Lite glucometer.

Bayer Contour
The Bayer Contour is an extremely popular glucometer because it is compact, fast and easy to use. This meter is designed to meet the unique style of almost any patient because its sleek design comes in multiple colors. This meter lacks many of the bells and whistles of other, more complicated meters. The Bayer Contour is designed for the diabetic on the go. Small and discrete, it is possible to test your sugar quickly and in almost any situation without attracting attention.

Features of the Contour glucose meter include rapid testing that is uncomplicated. It also allows for flexibility in testing sites for patients with tired, sore finger tips. The broad results range allows for accurate readings. In addition, this machine is capable of storing up to 480 test results and will track data over seven days. This meter is the perfect choice for many busy diabetics.

FreeStyle Lite
The FreeStyle Lite is a glucose meter that is also very easy to use. It is perfect for patients that need a little help remembering how to operate the device because it uses pictures to prompt the user through the testing process. This meter has a very large, backlit display that is easy to read for people with poor vision. Like the Bayer Contour, this meter returns your results quickly and can store data. Although it stores fewer readings, it is able to average these readings over a month. In addition, the FreeStyle Lite can remind patients to test their blood sugars using its built in alarm system. Most modern glucometers offer alternative site testing including the FreeStyle Lite.

Choosing the right glucometer is very important because this meter provides you so much information about your daily sugar control and how your diet influences your health. In addition, the glucometer can save your life by detecting extreme highs and lows in blood sugar levels. Be sure to carefully research the different meters that are available today. Find one that is easy for you to use and has features that are helpful.

Learn more about Free Style Lite Glucometers and the Bayer Contour Glucose Meter at knowyoursugar.com

By Abby Sanders

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus and Possible Causes of It

2012-01-16T17:55:00.000-08:00

Type 1 diabetes, or Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM), is a disease characterized by “auto-destruction” of the pancreatic beta cells that produce insulin. Overtime, your body silently destroys these cells creating an insulin deficiency. IDDM appears to stem from an inherited defect in the immune system, triggered by some environmental stimuli. The exact cause of the disease is still unknown; however, scientists have isolated a few factors that may be related to development of the disease.

Genetics
Recent mapping of the human genome has opened many areas to explore in the field of diabetes research. Animal models and large population studies have led to some possible genetic links. The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on chromosome 6 is a regulator of immune response because it recognizes “self” and “not-self” things in the body. If something is seen as foreign, the MHC will stimulate antibody production. Genes encoded on the MHC are associated with IDDM, particularly the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II alleles, DQ and DR. Although the HLA-DQ locus appears to be the best single marker for susceptibility among Caucasians, at least 40% of family-related diabetes cases have combinations of both DQ and DR alleles. The insulin gene region at chromosome 11 is also associated with IDDM risk.

Studies conducted in the 1970’s established an HLA association and contribution of IDDM while comparing siblings with the disease. When comparing the relationship between family members, results are inconsistent. Current estimates suggest that HLA is 40-50% related to genes passed down by family members. The risk of developing IDDM for a twin of someone who already has the disease is about 70%, and this rises depending on the specific HLA alleles that the twins share. When comparing the risk of developing the disease for first-degree relatives vs. the US population, the risk is 1/20 and 1/300, respectively. Research in the area of HLA has been extremely difficult. Definitive answers cannot be drawn because not everyone holding these “susceptible” genes develops IDDM. Actually, less than 10% of genetically susceptible individuals progress to diabetes, implying that other factors are responsible for progression of the disease. Researchers have explored these other factors, particularly environmental factors such as early introduction of cow’s milk, dysregulation of the gut immune system, viral infections, drinking water and a number of others.

Cow’s Milk
Several population studies have found a link between exposure to cow’s milk and increased risk for IDDM in genetically susceptible individuals. A few studies have also shown an increased risk for infants exposed to cow’s milk or cow’s milk based formulas within the first 3 months, and also later in life. It has been found that infants fed cow’s milk had increased levels of bovine insulin anti-bodies compared to those that were breast-fed. Bovine insulin is found in the milk of cows. The antibodies binding to bovine insulin appear to cross-react with human insulin. Bovine insulin is considered immunogenic because it differs from human insulin by 3 amino acids.

Insulin-specific antibodies (ISA), those specific for IDDM, and increased T cell levels from exposure to cow’s milk have been found in those carrying diabetes associated HLA risk alleles. Of all the studies to date however, levels of insulin binding antibodies seem to decrease as the child approaches 9-18 months. This suggests that the infant is building a tolerance to dietary antigens. However, Vaarala et al. discovered that infants who developed ISA’s, also had increased levels of bovine insulin antibodies, suggesting that insulin specific immune responses in children prone to develop autoimmunity cannot be prevented. Other studies have found bovine insulin antibody levels to decrease when human insulin was presented in the body.

Early weaning (2-3 months) from breast milk has been shown to increase the risk for IDDM. Maternal milk contains colostrum, a light fluid that contains a variety of protective factors for the infant. Infants have an immature and easily penetrable gut system allowing food, in this case cow’s milk, to easily cross into the bloodstream. Several cow’s milk proteins have been shown to be related to IDDM such as bovine albumin, beta-lactoglobulin, and beta casein.

A study by Karjalainen et al. in 1992 was conducted to assess whether bovine serum albumin (BSA) was a trigger for IDDM. Researchers measured the levels of anti-BSA and anti-ABBOS (specific part of the albumin protein) antibodies in the serum of children with newly diagnosed IDDM, children without IDDM, and blood donors’. Antibodies that react to the ABBOS also react with a beta cell surface protein that may represent a target for autoimmune attack. All children in the study with IDDM had the highest amount of both antibodies, especially ABBOS, compared to the children without IDDM and blood donors’. Antibody levels declined after one or two years of exposure to cow’s milk. This suggests that albumin has a section that is capable of reacting with “beta-cell specific surface proteins”, which could contribute to islet cell dysfunction because of molecular mimicry.

What is molecular mimicry?
When an antigen is present in the body, T cells latch onto a short segment, consisting of about 10 amino acids. T cells then present the antigen to macrophages that engulf it and break it down into smaller protein fragments. The macrophages bring the fragments to the cell surface where capable T cells can bind to it. Bovine serum albumin has a short amino acid sequence similar to a beta cell surface receptor ICA69 and beta casein shares a similar sequence with a glucose transporter. If molecular mimicry occurs here, then presentation of BSA or beta casein in the body would lead to autoimmune destruction.

Contrary to Karjalainen et al.’s study, Vaarala et al. found no association with BSA, but did find an increased risk for newly diagnosed IDDM with beta-lactoglobulin, another cow’s milk protein. A study conducted by Cavallo et al. found an association with increased risk of newly diagnosed IDDM with beta casein, another milk protein. However, no differences were noted with BSA and other proteins assessed. Despite these conflicting results, it does appear that some form of “cross-reactivity” may occur with cow’s milk proteins and islet-cell antigens, leading to “auto-attack” of the beta cells.

The role of cow’s milk related to IDDM is not clear. Few studies have found a link between cellular immunity to BSA and IDDM. A recent study found that reactivities to beta casein were similar between newly diagnosed individuals with IDDM, their immediate relatives without the disease, and non-related healthy subjects. One confounding factor of the previous study was the lack of appropriately matched subjects, because researchers failed to use HLA matched relatives. Also, when comparing breast-feeding vs. cow milk formula, it is unclear at what point there is an increased risk, as well as the actual amount needed to induce an immune response. Despite all of the evidence presented here, exposure to cow’s milk and risk for IDDM is only suggestive because the exact cause is unknown.

Viral Infections
Viral infections have been considered to be “more” responsible for diabetes development, than milk proteins. Identifying the exact virus responsible has been extremely daunting for several reasons. Individuals are exposed to many viral infections within their lifetime. Although IDDM is primarily a juvenile disease, by the time the disease is diagnosed, children have been exposed to many viruses.

Coxsackie B Virus
Coxsackie B virus is an enterovirus, a virus part of a group of picornaviruses, related to those that cause polio. Several studies have found that after or with exposure to Coxsackie B that individuals developed IDDM. Also, large population studies have found antibodies against the virus in children with newly diagnosed IDDM. Coxsackie B viruses have been isolated from the pancreas in children who have developed IDDM very rapidly. Plus, inducing certain mouse strains with the virus has caused these mice to develop the disease.

Molecular mimicry has been postulated in the case of Coxsackie B virus. The virus increases the expression of an enzyme GAD in the pancreas. GAD is a highly potent autoantigen of the autoimmune response in humans and mice models. Coxsackie B and GAD share a similar sequence that may lead to cross reactivity.

Other, but not limited to, factors that may be responsible for Coxsackie B and IDDM are altered immune system regulation because of viral infection, altered memory of the T cells causing them to forget which are “self” and “not self” in the presence of viral infection, and persistent infection of the beta cells because of viral antigens expressed within them.

Rubella Virus
About 12-20% of fetal infected individuals with rubella will develop diabetes within 5-20 years. In some adults, development of diabetes has occurred after infection with rubella. Although this poses a threat to genetically susceptible individuals, vaccination programs have decreased the amount of rubella cases.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
There have been individual case reports of children developing IDDM after exposure to CMV. There have been recent studies done showing that newly diagnosed individuals with IDDM were recently exposed to CMV. It has been suggested that molecular mimicry may be partly responsible because CMV proteins share a resemblance with a protein in the islet cells of the pancreas. Pak et al. discovered that about 20% of individuals with IDDM have CMV DNA in the islet cells. Despite all this evidence however, a large Swedish study found no correlation between CMV infection and risk for IDDM. Besides all of this, vaccinations against the virus have lowered the prevalence of CMV infections.

Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)
Individual cases have been noted where those infected with EBV develop diabetes. However, IDDM development as a result of EBV infection is probably not responsible for the disease in the majority of subjects. Little research and single cases are not enough to consider this a major cause.

Other Viruses
There have been reports of individuals developing IDDM after exposure to influenza, hepatitis A, varicella zoster, mumps, measles, rotavirus, polio, and Coxsackie A virus.

Other Environmental Factors
Recent studies have found a positive association between zinc levels in drinking water and protection against diabetes. Magnesium levels in tap water have been shown to be related to diabetes protection as well, however conflicting evidence resides with this. Despite possible relationships with heavy metals and diabetes, more research must be done to ascertain the actual relationship.

Of all the evidence presented here, researchers have been unable to find the exact cause for development of IDDM. What we do know is that genetically susceptible individuals have an increased risk for diabetes. As displayed here, researchers have located genes that seem to predispose individuals to diabetes. Genes are not enough however, because not everyone who has these genes develops diabetes. Environmental factors are another part of the picture. Whether it is milk proteins, viral infections, or impaired gut function, those with genetic susceptibility tend to develop the disease after exposure to these.

Type 2 Diabetes - What Is Diabetic Gastroparesis?

2012-01-16T01:02:00.000-08:00

Diabetic gastroparesis is a condition by which the food takes too long to empty from the stomach. It is a possible complication of diabetes, although other people can experience this condition without being diabetic. It's basically a type of neuropathy, otherwise known as nerve damage, which can also cause other secondary effects for diabetics.

The nerves damaged are the ones that control the automatic muscular activity of the stomach. This disrupts the normal emptying process, and the stomach ends up behaving like a floppy bag. Food is normally squeezed out of the stomach in a matter of hours, but when gastroparesis is present, stomach emptying is variable and food may even remain in the stomach for days. This condition can make it impossible to control diabetes, especially in diabetics who have an injection of insulin before each meal. Because the absorption of food is completely unpredictable, it is impossible to make the normal calculations about the type of food and the dose of insulin.

Thankfully, most cases of gastroparesis can be treated using a combination of drugs, diet and insulin management. In rare cases, a feeding tube could be required. Antibiotics have been used with variable results. In recent years, specialists have treated gastroparesis by injecting botulinum toxin into the muscles at the outlet of the stomach. Early results of this procedure are promising.

Gastroparesis can come about in people who have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. When someone has this condition and eats a meal, their food seems to sit in their stomach for hours and hours. This is called delayed gastric emptying. The nerve that controls the movement of food through the digestive tract is called the vagus nerve. If it is damaged or doesn't work at all, the stomach muscles and intestines cannot properly move food along. This causes the food to be slowed or stopped along the way.

Diabetes can be the cause of damage to the vagus nerve just like it can cause other kinds of nerve damage throughout the body. Since the stomach cannot move the food along fast enough, this can lead to blood sugar levels that are high and out of control. The high blood sugar levels continuing throughout the body causes more chemical changes in the nerves. This in turn damages blood vessels that are carrying nutrients and oxygen to the nerves.

What are the symptoms of gastroparesis?

They include things like:
    * abdominal bloating,
    * gastroesophageal reflux,
    * heartburn,
    * nausea,
    * weight loss,
    * erratic blood sugar levels,
    * throwing up undigested food,
    * feeling full early when eating,
    * stomach wall spasms, and
    * lack of appetite.

Symptoms can be mild all the way through to severe, depending upon the person. There are several complications associated with gastroparesis including bacterial overgrowth since food sits in the system too long and has a chance to ferment. In addition, food can have time to harden into solid masses, called bezoars, which can obstruct the stomach. This is a very dangerous situation.

Gastroparesis can be diagnosed in several ways including:
    * a barium x-ray,
    * barium beefsteak meal, and
    * a gastric emptying scan.

The doctor can also do something called gastric manometry which measures the electrical and muscular activity in your stomach. Blood tests can also be ordered, but they won't be conclusive for gastroparesis without other tests. Your doctor may also choose to do an ultrasound and/or an upper endoscopy to rule out other conditions.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

Type 2 Diabetes - Five Simple Ways To Help You Manage Your Diabetes!

2012-01-15T00:59:00.000-08:00

When you first found you had Type 2 diabetes, you probably experienced a wave of emotions; concern, fear or confusion. Despite the fact this is a serious condition, the good news there is much you can do to stay healthy and improve your quality of life.

Having diabetes is definitely not an easy thing for anyone. Managing it on a day-to-day basis can be quite difficult, especially when you factor in all the dietary challenges that can come along with it. If you're on medication or have any complications associated with diabetes, it can be kind of difficult to figure out a way to manage your day-to-day life while working and handling other obligations.

Here are five quick tips to help you manage your diabetes more effectively on a day-to-day basis:

1. Keep a pair of shoes by the door: We all know that one of the scariest complications associated with diabetes is neuropathy that affects the delicate nerve endings that extends to your legs and feet. Because a diabetic can easily get a cut and not feel it due to nerve damage, bacterial infections are a real risk factor. There is no good reason to go outside barefoot when you're diabetic. You should keep a pair of slippers or shoes by the door so that you have no temptations to step outside of your home with no shoes on.

2. Look over your body: Every day, as you dry off from your shower or change your clothes, you should inspect your body from your toes to your head. Look for any sores or dry spots. If you have cuts or any other places where bacteria can infiltrate your body, these are things to keep an eye on. You may want to invest in a full-length body mirror so that you can see yourself easily.

3. Take snack packs: Diabetics are naturally prone to blood sugar swings, so it makes sense to keep pre-made snack packs with you; snacks that you can throw into your purse or in your car. This might include just a few pieces of hard candy. If you get hypoglycemic, you are likely to feel dizzy, shaky and hungry. Skipping a meal or exercising too hard can lead to quick blood sugar dips, so always have snacks handy.

4. Blood sugar check: Always check your blood sugar first thing in the morning and before bed. As a reminder, simply lay your glucose monitor on your nightstand so it's the first thing you see when you wake up and the last thing you see when you go to bed.

5. Drink your water: Having high blood sugar can cause your body to lose fluid quickly. It can also cause dryness in your skin which can become itchy and crack. These things can lead to infection. Drinking plenty of water will help keep your skin to stay moisturised.

Diabetes is definitely not an easy illness to deal with, but these five things can help you manage your life effectively.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

Type 2 Diabetes - Using Mobile Phones For Recording Your Food Intake!

2012-01-14T00:56:00.000-08:00

Keeping track of what you eat and your activity levels can be a powerful tool for weight loss and controlling your blood sugar levels. Dieters find recording everything they eat can help them avoid mindless munching and help them to focus on what they are taking in. Some people using the diaries decide to avoid too many snacks simply because they do not want to have to write it down.

Keeping a food diary can help diabetics discover their food triggers... much as smokers discover what entices them to smoke. Patterns of overeating while watching television, for example, can make over-eaters stop and consider whether it is possible to watch the tube without eating. Eating at times of anxiety or boredom can become easier to detect when food intake is written down along with the time and activity that went with it.

Several types of food diaries are now available. The basic elements of any food diary are:
    * type of food,
    * portion size, and
    * time of day.

Including the place where the food was eaten, emotions, and the degree of hunger can also be helpful in tracking down reasons for overeating and eating unhealthful foods. For diabetics it is useful to include blood sugar levels to find out how the levels fluctuate depending upon what types and quantities of foods are eaten.

Food diaries have been a traditional way of keeping track of what people eat, but now a mobile phone application called Nutricam can be used to photograph foods and explain them with a voice recording before eating them. The information is then sent to a website where it can be analysed by a dietitian.

Investigators at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia, tested the new mobile application on 10 people with Type 2 diabetes. Their results were published in the Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare in September 2011. The participants recorded their food consumption with both Nutricam and a written food diary for 3 days. The number of calories was slightly underestimated in the phone applications, possibly because some of the photographs were obscured and voice recordings were unclear. Six participants found that recording by telephone was faster than using the written diary and two reported the time involved was about the same. It was therefore concluded that with some improvements the telephone system could be a viable alternative to using a written diary.

Start recording what you eat; you might be surprised what you discover about yourself.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

Cure For Type 2 Diabetes - Is It Available Now?

2012-01-13T17:53:00.000-08:00

Is there a cure for Type 2 diabetes? If some herbal supplement manufacturers and natural cure promoters are to be believed, there is. Unfortunately, scientific studies and results say otherwise.

What is Type 2 diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes mellitus was once referred to as non-insulin-dependent diabetes that causes an abnormality in the metabolism of carbohydrates, protein and lipids in the body. Type 2 diabetes is also called the dult-onset diabetes because it often appears in adults as a result of lifestyle choices.

It is a condition that is associated with impaired secretion of and resistance to insulin. Insulin resistance can lead to the advancement of the disease and its complications. Symptoms of this disease develop gradually and people who have Type 2 diabetes will usually not recognize that they have the disease until it has progressed.

How is Type 2 diabetes 'cured' or at least, treated?
Treatment is extremely important when dealing with Type 2 diabetes because it can lead to complications that are life-threatening. These complications include kidney failure, heart disease and blindness. In fact, diabetes mellitus is one of the leading causes of blindness in people between the ages of 20 and 75. Diabetes is also the reason behind 40% of kidney failure cases and has been known to cause cardiovascular problems.

The main thrust of any treatment for Type 2 diabetes is to control the amount of glucose found in the blood. This helps prevent symptoms such as pain, tingling, burning and numbness and to prevent other complications. The treatment will not cure these symptoms, but they can be effectively minimized and the complications avoided.

For Type 2 diabetes, a semblance of a cure can be produced with the use of a controlled and sensible diet, regular exercise and weight loss. This is usually the first course of treatment, primarily because weight and a lack of physical activity are often lead contributors to Type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes diet and lifestyle
There is no specialized diet for Type 2 diabetes, but portion control and preference for healthier foods should be implemented. Typically, people who have diabetes will work with a nutritionist or dietitian in order to create a diet plan to regulate blood sugar levels. A sensible diabetic meal plan usually involves several types of carbohydrates, a moderate amount of protein and low fat.

Regular physical activity is important to help prevent complications involving the heart and also to promote weight loss. Recently, researchers found that the risk of a person developing Type 2 diabetes increases by about 4% with every pound of weight exceeding his or her ideal range. Weight loss, combined with a good diet plan appears to help the body process insulin effectively.

Living a sensible lifestyle, while still not a cure, is usually enough to regulate a diabetic's blood sugar level. However, this may not be effective as a long-term treatment for Type 2 diabetes. Eventually, medication will have to be used. Oral medications are often prescribed as the first course of treatment. These include drugs such as sulfonylureas, metformin, alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, troglitazone and repaglinide. These drugs are formulated to bring down blood glucose levels. If taken in controlled doses and monitored, these drugs should be an effective means with which to manage Type 2 diabetes.

Oral medications are effective for about 40% of people who have Type 2 diabetes while about 40% will need insulin injections.

Beyond the hype
When headlines trumpet that a cure for Type 2 diabetes is possible, they're almost tempting to believe. The only problem is that this news may be misleading and can be quite dangerous because until now, no cure for Type 2 diabetes has been discovered. It remains an incurable condition and will have to be managed with a combination of medications and lifestyle changes.

If a 'cure' for Type 2 diabetes suddenly appears, exercise prudence and common sense when considering it.

The future of Type 2 diabetes
Research about Type 2 diabetes is ongoing and the main goal is to finally find a cure for this disease. Its exact cause is still unclear, although there is plenty of research being performed on any effects environmental and genetic factors might contribute. Until a real solution is found, we will have to rely on these methods and medications in order to ensure that Type 2 diabetes is managed and its symptoms and associated complications are minimized.

Type 2 Diabetes - Is Diabetes Simply Arthritis In Different Clothes?

2012-01-13T00:54:00.000-08:00

Many people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes struggle with autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and celiac disease. However, a study from Toronto General Hospital found that all of these conditions may just be the same disease manifesting in different forms. If true, this research would be a massive paradigm shift in the way diabetes is viewed and treated.

In this study, researchers discovered that people with Type 2 diabetes tend to have a specific antibody in their bodies that people without Type 2 diabetes just don't. This may help explain why many obese people don't develop Type 2 diabetes (but that doesn't mean you shouldn't maintain a healthy body weight!). Simply put, those that are susceptible to Type 2 diabetes have an over reactive immune system.

This same antibody is thought to fuel nearly all of the commonly seen autoimmune diseases. Interestingly, even though the researchers found a genetic component that seems to contribute to the antibody's presence, body fat still made all of the difference.

The Toronto General Hospital scientists note that this antibody doesn't get produced in the body unless someone has a lot of body fat hanging around. In fact, this antibody is the direct result of excess body fat. Even if you happen to have the gene for the antibody, the gene won't become expressed unless you're obese.

Fortunately, there are ways of killing many autoimmune diseases with one stone.

Here's how diabetics can get their immune system under control...

Get Checked for Celiac: Celiac disease is a surprisingly common autoimmune disease, affecting approximately 1 in 100 people. Even more people have what's known as gluten intolerance, or an abnormal immune response to ingesting wheat.

If you have celiac disease, your body's immune system goes haywire every time you inject any wheat-containing product. Rather than cut out wheat, check with your doctor to get screened for this disease. Uncontrolled celiac disease can promote inflammation and autoimmunity.

Here's another tie-in to diabetes. People with Type 1 diabetes and celiac disease, also have a higher prevalence of autoimmune thyroid disease.

Watch Your Fats: The fats in your diet play an important role in your immune system. Most people eat far too many omega-6 fats and not nearly enough omega-3 fats. An out of whack omega-6/omega-3 ratio tends to make the immune system overly sensitive and prone to autoimmune reactions. Limit your consumption of omega-6 rich foods like vegetable oils and start chowing down on fatty fish, flax-seeds and nuts.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

Type 2 Diabetes - Stretching As A Form Of Exercise For Diabetes

2012-01-12T00:35:00.000-08:00

Physical activity is known to be helpful in preventing and controlling Type 2 diabetes, but strenuous exercise is not always possible or palatable for everyone. Investigators at Louisiana State University looked at the possibility of using stretching exercises to lower blood sugar levels in individuals with Type 2 diabetes or for those at risk for the condition. Their results were published in 2011 in the Journal of Physiotherapy.

The study: Twenty-two participants either with Type 2 diabetes or at risk for the disease, were included in the study.

    * two hours after eating a meal the volunteers drank 355 ml of fruit juice, with about 43 grams of carbohydrates.
    * after half an hour some of the participants performed six lower body and four upper body stretches.

Twenty minutes after exercising, and again 40 minutes after exercising, blood sugar levels were significantly lower in the stretch group than in the non-stretch group. It was therefore concluded stretching exercises could help to lower blood sugar levels in people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and in people at risk for developing the condition.

The Mayo Clinic recommends stretching exercises that can be performed at a desk...

    * sitting straight up, lower your head, grasp your arm above the elbow and draw it across your chest, making sure not to turn your torso as you do so. The stretch should be felt in your shoulder muscles. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds and repeat for the other shoulder.
    * lift one arm as high as it will reach and bend your elbow down behind you so that it is touching your back just below your neck.
    * grasp your elbow with the other and push down. You should feel a stretch in the bent arm. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat with the other arm.
    * place both hands upon the back of your neck, elbows out at the sides. Rotate your arms so that your elbows go as far back as possible. Hold for 15 seconds.
    * sitting all the way back in your chair, lift your leg from the hip. Grasp your thigh with your hands, sitting straight up, and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat with the other leg.
    * now sit at the edge of your chair and straighten out one leg in front of you, placing your heel onto the floor. Keeping your back straight, hands on your thigh, lean forward and hold for 30 seconds. 27

The Women's Heart Foundation suggests...

    * lifting arms out in front of you to shoulder height and interlacing your fingers.
    * turn your palms outward and hold for 20 seconds.
    * then stand with your hands on your hips, knees slightly flexed, and twist at the waist until you feel a stretch. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds, and repeat in the opposite direction.

Discuss with your doctor, trainer or physical therapist whether stretching exercises would be good for you, and get some other suggestions.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

Keep Your Blood Glucose Levels Under Control And More With Chlorogenic Acid

2012-01-11T00:33:00.000-08:00

Chlorogenic acid is a hydroxycinnamic acid and phytonutrient that is mainly found in coffee. Research has revealed that it is very effective at treating diabetes and can help sufferers keep their blood glucose levels under control. It also keeps you safe from a number of nasty health disorders. In this article I will be providing a full breakdown of chlorogenic acid and discussing how it can benefit your body.

1) DISCOVERY:

Chlorogenic acid was discovered in 1932 but it is not known who made this discovery.

2) HEALTH BENEFITS:

Chlorogenic acid is an excellent nutrient for people suffering from diabetes (a disease where your blood glucose levels become dangerously high). Research has revealed that it can ensure glucose is released into your blood more slowly after eating, reduce overall blood glucose levels and enhance the production of insulin (a hormone that allows your body's cells to take glucose from the blood).

In addition to this, it acts as an antioxidant (a substance that protects your body's cells from dangerous free radicals), prevents atherosclerosis (a condition where hard plaques form on your artery walls and restrict the flow of blood) and prevents cancer (a health disorder where your body's cells start to grow in a rapid, out of control way)

Finally, this hydroxycinnamic acid reduces blood levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (a type of cholesterol that blocks the artery walls and increases your heart disease risk), reduces your heart disease risk (by preventing atherosclerosis and reducing blood levels of LDL cholesterol) and supports healthy weight loss (by stimulating the use of body fat for energy).

3) RECOMMENDED DAILY ALLOWANCE (RDA):

Chlorogenic acid is not believed to be essential for human survival so no official RDA has been established. However, research indicates that ingesting between 60 milligrams (mg) and 185mg of this hydroxycinnamic acid on a daily basis will allow you to activate its health benefits. This is the equivalent of 1 or 2 cups of coffee per day.

4) FOOD SOURCES:

Coffee is the best natural source of chlorogenic acid and contains between 35mg and 175mg of this hydroxycinnamic acid per 100 millilitres (ml). Apples, blueberries, pears, sunflower seeds, tea and tomatoes are also good food sources of this phytonutrient but the exact amounts they contain are not known.

5) SUMMARY:

As you can see, coffee has a lot more to offer than just caffeine. So make sure you do not neglect this impressive hot beverage. Not only is it a brilliant way to wake yourself up in the morning but it is also 1 of the best ways to supply your body with a healthy dose of chlorogenic acid.

By Thomas Parker

How to Avoid Diabates

2012-01-10T17:51:00.000-08:00

Everyone wants to avoid diabetes. This newsletter will provide you with more information on diabetes and perhaps will lead to lifestyle changes that can help you, your friends, and family, avoid this terrible and mostly preventable disease.

A person with "adult-onset" diabetes (Type II) has high blood sugar levels because the cells of the body do not respond to insulin (they are "insulin-resistant"). Insulin is a hormone released from the pancreas and stimulates blood sugar uptake by cells of the body.

The cells then use this sugar for energy, however chronically elevated blood sugar levels can be unhealthy. Type II diabetes is referred to as a lifestyle disease.

By lifestyle disease, this means that factors under our control are the primary factors behind the development of diabetes. The biggest risk factors are obesity, lack of exercise, and poor nutrition. These factors are promoted in Western society by the convenience and hectic schedule that seem to plague everyone.

The North American diet is full of processed foods with poor nutritive value. According to American Society of Bariatric Physicians, obesity has increased due to increased sugar consumption. Processed foods (i.e. white bread) quickly increase blood sugar and are referred to as high-glycemic index (GI) foods. The Nurses Health Study from Harvard examined 75000 nurses and found women eating more high-GI foods had twice the risk of heart disease. As well, high blood sugar levels may damage blood vessels and induce insulin resistance over time.

In addition, this sedentary lifestyle has led many to abandon daily exercise. Again and again, authors state that changes in diet, exercise, and weight loss are the keys to treating and preventing diabetes. Authors recommend reducing processed food and sugar intake.

Avoid a "Mega-sized burger, fries, and pop" habit. Weight loss is a big help in avoiding diabetes as well. Losing 10% of excess fat can improve health. Researchers believe that diabetes is also a "skeletal muscle" disease and that people should go to the gym and resistance train. Lose fat. Add muscle.

On a disease-related exercise note, research has also shown that intense aerobic exercise prevents heart disease. The key was intensity and not duration. So lift, work hard, eat proper and in moderation, and you will increase your odds of long-lasting good health.

There will always be people that can smoke, drink, eat poorly, and not exercise and still live to 90 years of age. However, statistics suggest that more people will be getting ill due to their lifestyle choices. Fortunately, the stats show that this can be avoided and even treated with lifestyle changes. Make the necessary changes and read more on how lifestyle interacts with diabetes.

How Proper Meal Planning And Nutrition Can Help Elderly Diabetics

2012-01-10T00:31:00.000-08:00

According to statistics, some 23.1% of Americans aged 60 or older are diabetic. Elderly diabetics require a diet that is low in glycemic carbohydrates or ones that metabolize quickly. These carbohydrates can cause a spike in blood sugar so if you have to consider a diabetic's needs when you prepare meals be aware that you are definitely not alone.

Feeding a Diabetic: Meeting the Challenge

Just because someone is a diabetic doesn't mean they have to give up enjoying meals or feeling satisfied about what you're eating as meals are an important part of daily life. Actually, meals planned around low glycemic foods and proteins are good for diabetics and non-diabetics alike. A home health strategy which includes good nutrition is very important. High nutrient, low glycemic food choices are a recommended part of a healthy diet for diabetics.

Preparation Tips for Low Glycemic Foods

1. Fresh omelets are a great way to begin the day or having a bowl of cream of wheat, bran flakes, muesli or steel cut oatmeal served with yogurt or skim milk works as well.

2. Using a tortilla wrap instead of white bread may be a change for many diabetics but serving those with chili or beans for lunch is a healthy change. Split peas and lentils, limas or kidney beans are all low glycemic index foods. Believe it or not canned salmon is actually a better choice than canned tuna.

3. One way to eat healthier is to replace high starch foods like pizza and pasta with whole grain alternatives like brown rice, quinoa or mullet that are high in protein, especially when served with steamed vegetables like corn, broccoli and carrots that have a low glycemic index as well.

4. Low glycemic fruits are a great alternative to sugars for a sweet tooth. Bananas, cherries, pears, Peaches and strawberries are both low glycemic fruits.

There are lots of great food choices for elderly diabetics. Websites like the Mayo Clinic site have lots of great recipes for great meals based around low glycemic foods.

Finding Help

Regardless of whether your loved one can handle meal preparation on their own or whether they need someone to prep meals for them, there are caregiver organizations that can provide complete support and companionship with meal prep and planning included. Being a diabetic of any age doesn't mean you have to sacrifice good food and an enjoyable meal environment. It merely means that they have to take the initiative and change their nutritional habits to make sure all meals and snacks are totally healthy.

By Patty Morris

Type 2 Diabetes - Food Labels And What They Don't Tell You!

2012-01-09T00:29:00.000-08:00

The way your Type 2 diabetes plays out is largely in your hands. You might be feeling afraid by both the diagnosis and responsibility but you can turn that fear into a determination to get your health back on track.

While food labels were put into place to inform the consumer on what the package contains, it is not a fool-proof system. The Food and Drug Administration, the governing authority on food labels, requires food labels to specify certain information, but there is also much information food companies are not required to divulge.

Take fat, for instance. Each label lists the amount of fat the product contains. But what exactly does that mean? Even if the food is labeled as either fat-free or cholesterol-free, it can still have some hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil in it.

Trans fats are no safer. A food label can depict zero trans fat as long as it is less than half a gram per serving. This is not encouraging news for those who have issues with cholesterol, or heart disease.

Another problem is found in some items advertised as "all natural". Just because it carries this title does not make it so. Foods are allowed to call themselves "all natural" and still contain preservatives, as well as additives. These foods can also be sweetened with man-made products such as high fructose corn syrup.

Sugar, or yet, sugar-free products can also be misleading. When products say "sugar-free", this may mean that they lack sugar, but the sweet taste has to come from somewhere. It comes from artificial sweeteners such as sorbitol. While sorbitol may be a tasty replacement for the real sweet stuff, the label will not inform you that sorbitol and other artificial sweeteners wreak havoc on the digestive system. They can lead to diarrhea and vomiting.

Food labels do not inform you as to what chemicals were applied to the ingredients while they were growing. There could be a whole assortment of chemicals, pesticides and poisons used in the growing process that you will never know about. You can wash fresh fruit and vegetables, but you can't do a thing about packaged ones.

You also have no idea where the ingredients for your food came from. Some countries have much higher governing rules about food quality, and the handling of it. Being able to pick your food from countries with stricter guidelines would be nice, if it were possible.

The process by which your food was made is also not available. Some foods are injected with:

    * traces of other foods in order to heighten it's taste,
    * make it last longer on the shelf,
    * retain water more easily, or
    * add weight to it.

None of these options are really good for you.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

How Diabetes Affects The Body?

2012-01-08T00:26:00.000-08:00

There are many factors that contribute to the development of diabetes, such as leading a sedentary life, poor eating habits and dealing with constant stress and anxiety. If these triggers are alleviated, it is possible to prevent onset of diabetes. Diabetes is a quite serious health problem and the effects are far-reaching. It has the ability to affect multiple organs in the body. If people realize how diabetes affects the body, they will be ready to take preventive measures.

If diabetes is not treated appropriately, it can impair vision. One of the most common eye ailments is glaucoma, where the fluid pressure within the eyes increases and ends up damaging the optic nerves. Once the optic nerves are damaged, the person suffers from loss of vision. However, it is diabetes retinopathy that causes most damage to the eyes, as it affects the blood vessels in the retina. This, in turn, impairs the vision and can lead to total blindness.

Due to constant rise and fall in the blood sugar level, the kidneys are often affected adversely. This condition is known as diabetic nephropathy. While diabetic nephropathy does not always result in kidney failure, it makes the person more susceptible to kidney diseases, such as urinary tract infection.

The constantly fluctuating blood sugar levels also have an adverse effect on the brain. This is more often seen when a diabetic patient tends to suffer from low blood sugar level, or hypoglycemia. The person will suffer from slurred speech, blurred vision, fatigue, dizziness, confusion and headache. However, if the blood sugar level returns to normal, these symptoms often disappear. In addition, diabetes can also result in memory problems and loss of cognitive function. In some people, diabetes can harden the arteries in the brain which can lead to a stroke.

Another problem with diabetes is nerve damage, which is medically known as diabetic neuropathy. When blood sugar is not controlled, it ends up weakening the nerves. This causes numbness to develop where the nerves are affected. In most cases, diabetic neuropathy occurs in the feet, but it can also occur in the hands.

Diabetes is a potentially dangerous disease, which should be controlled under all circumstances, especially if there is a family history of the disease. While diabetes cannot be cured, steps can be taken to prevent onset of the disease. A person, who has been diagnosed with diabetes, should take all measures to keep their blood sugar levels in check and follow the doctor's order to the T.

By Kum Martin

Diabetes Treatment at Home: 5 Tips to Minimize Complications

2012-01-07T17:49:00.000-08:00

The treatment of diabetes is highly individualized. It will depend on the type of diabetes, whether you have other active medical problems, as well as your age and general health at time of diagnosis. However, one fact remains constant in treatment: if you have diabetes, you must make healthier lifestyle choices in diet, exercise, and other habits. These will help to improve glycemic (blood sugar) control and prevent or minimize complications of diabetes.

1. Diet: A healthy diet is key to controlling blood sugar levels and preventing diabetes complications.
• If you are obese and have had difficulty losing weight on your own, talk to your health care provider.
• Eat a consistent, well-balanced diet that is high in fibre, low in saturated fat, and low in concentrated sugars.
• A consistent diet that includes roughly the same number of calories at about the same times of day helps your health care provider prescribe the correct dose of medication or insulin.
• It will also help to keep your blood sugar at a relatively even level and avoid excessively low or high blood sugar levels, which can be dangerous and even life threatening.

2. Exercise: Regular exercise, in any form, can help reduce the risk of developing diabetes. Activity can also reduce the risk of developing complications of diabetes such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, and leg ulcers.
• Any exercise is beneficial; no matter how light or how long, some exercise is better than no exercise.
• If you have complications of diabetes (eye, kidney, or nerve problems), you may be limited both in type of exercise and amount of exercise you can safely do without worsening your condition. Consult with your health care provider before starting any exercise program.

3. Alcohol use: Moderate or eliminate your consumption of alcohol. One drink is considered 1.5 ounces of liquor, 6 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of beer. Excessive alcohol use is a known risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Alcohol consumption can cause low or high blood sugar levels, nerve pain called neuritis, and increase in triglycerides, which is a type of fat in our blood.

4. Smoking: If you have diabetes, and you smoke cigarettes or use any other form of tobacco, you are raising your risks markedly for nearly all of the complications of diabetes. Smoking damages blood vessels and contributes to heart disease, stroke, and poor circulation in the limbs. If you need help quitting, talk to your health care provider.

5. Self-monitored blood glucose: Check your blood sugar levels frequently, at least before meals and at bedtime, and record the results in a logbook.
• Better equipment now available makes testing your blood sugar levels less painful and less complicated than ever. Your daily blood sugar diary is invaluable to your health care provider in seeing how you are responding to medications, diet, and exercise in the treatment of your diabetes.
• Medicare now pays for diabetic testing supplies, as do many private insurers and Medicaid.

Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes - Top Warning Signs

2012-01-06T21:45:00.000-08:00

Unless something bad occurs, most signs and symptoms of diabetes are dismissed as being minor annoyances and are usually ignored. Of all diabetes sufferers, nearly a third don't realize they have the disease since the diabetes symptoms are fairly mild and unnoticeable in the beginning.

In the absence of other factors, the signs and symptoms of diabetes are troublesome to recognize so it helpful to learn about the different symptoms and the different types of diabetes. Making an effort to learn about diabetes can serve to aid you recognize diabetes symptoms in yourself or someone you care about. There are 3 basic kinds of diabetes, insulin-dependent or Type 1 diabetes, non-insulin-dependent or Type two diabetes and gestational diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes was once called juvenile diabetes since it mainly affected children and young adults. With Type 1 diabetes, the body is unable to produce insulin and the immune system typically attacks the pancreatic cells. Type one diabetics require insulin from an external source since their bodies are unable to produce it naturally. Type one diabetics are at greater risk for developing heart disease and kidney problems in addition to suffer from nerve damage and problems with vision.

Commons symptoms for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes include extreme tiredness, nausea, increase in thirst, more frequent urination and problems with maintaining weight.

Even however Type two diabetes is the more typical form of diabetes, diabetes symptoms alone'll not be enough to indicate the presence of the disease. You can live with plenty of signs and symptoms of diabetes for a long period of time, sometimes years before other complications arise. The signs and symptoms of diabetes frequently look like the natural aging process and as a result are not viewed as alarming. Because early signs and symptoms of diabetes can appear fairly harmless, it is vital to be tested for the disease once your reach your forties.

As you will guess, gestational diabetes takes place only during a pregnancy. Blood sugar levels can and do fluctuate somewhat during standard pregnancies, however it they are elevated for long periods, there may be a issue. As few as four% of all pregnant women develop gestational diabetes, however it is still necessary to monitor for it at various stages of the pregnancy. Your unborn baby can be injured and you could be at risk for miscarriage or other complications if gestational diabetes is left untreated. Symptoms of gestational diabetes are similar to those of the other types of diabetes and as well include recurring urinary tract and vaginal infections, nausea, extreme fatigue, greater thirst and more frequent urination. Several of the gestational diabetes symptoms are rather similar to typical symptoms of an ordinary pregnancy, so it is essential to be screened for diabetes during pregnancy.

While not each symptom raises the specter of diabetes, it is vital to pay attention to the risks and search out medical attention if you suspect something is not right. Diabetes is a serious disease with severe and life threatening consequences if ignored.

When it comes to your health, you should not take any risks. You want relevant information and you want it right away. Wish to learn more? Visit www.TreatingDiabetesSymptoms.com

By Johnny B May

Diabetic Diet Samples

2012-01-05T21:43:00.000-08:00

Diabetes has entered your life with a bang. Perhaps you know others who are diabetics, perhaps not. Perhaps you have friends or family members who are diabetic. Perhaps you were secretly expecting diabetes to strike, perhaps it came as a surprise. You are now faced with some important choices - first and foremost, your diet.

Any diabetic must think and plan his or her meals. This planning becomes second nature in time and will not always be as overwhelming as it may seem when you are newly diagnosed. Since the majority of diabetics suffer from Type II diabetes, or adult onset diabetes, you have likely had poor eating habits for some time now. You will now need to take some time to educate yourself and to actually sit down and write out your menu.

One of the first people that your diagnosing physician will direct you to will be a registered dietician. Your dietician will help you in planning your meals and will likely provide you with recipes for healthy eating. You will go over your own individual diet needs. Each diabetic is different. You may need to lose weight in addition to managing you diabetes. You may need to gain weight in addition to managing you diabetes. Your lifestyle will have a bearing on what your diabetic needs are. Diabetics with active lifestyles have different caloric needs than those who lead relatively sedentary lives. Your dietician will consider all of these factors and then will assist you in developing a diabetic diet sample from which you will determine the meal plan that is right for you.

With the wealth of information that is now available via the internet, diabetics have many resources right at their fingertips. Diabetics are no longer limited to the information that they are given. Diabetics are encouraged to find as much information as they can about their condition. Education is the key to living a healthy diabetic lifestyle. Many reputable diabetes organizations have internet web sites and most of them provide surfers with a diabetic diet sample. Many of these web sites have forums on which you can network with other diabetics that can offer more diabetic diet samples. Diabetics today have more information available to them than diabetics did just a decade or two ago.

A well-planned diabetic diet sample will take the reader through at least one day of planned meals. Using what will likely be the diabetic food pyramid, the diabetic diet sample should include food exchanges and how to use them. Using an example, the diabetic diet sample will build meals based on a number of exchanges to clarify the method that a diabetic will use to create his or her own meals. A diabetic diet sample may also include recipes that are based on food exchanges. Cooking a stew, for example, may include exchanges from several different food groups. You may use meat exchanges, vegetable exchanges, and fat exchanges to create a stew or casserole. Meals based on a combination of exchanges may seem difficult at first but will soon become second nature. Keeping your diabetic diet samples and your diabetic recipes close at hand will give you the tools you will need for a successful diabetic diet.

Arm yourself with as many diabetic diet samples as you can access. The more samples you have the more food choices you will have to begin with. Until you become familiar with the process of creating meals from you allotment of food exchanges, let these diabetic diet samples will be your guide. Don't' worry at first about creating your own meals. Once you are comfortable with planning your own recipes and meals, you will find that you can share your own diabetic diet samples with other newly diagnosed diabetics.

Rebecca J. Stigall is a full-time freelance writer, author, and editor with a background in psychology, education, and sales. She has written extensively in the areas of self-help, relationships, psychology, health, business, finance, real estate, fitness, academics, and much more! Rebecca is a highly sought after ghostwriter with clients worldwide, and offers her services through her website at http://www.forewordcommunications.com/

By Rebecca Stigall

New Diabetes Treatment

2012-01-04T21:40:00.000-08:00

The latest approach to diabetes treatment puts you in charge of your own care. You become the boss of your diabetes team. Hiring the staff that best serves your needs, tracking your progress and keeping your eyes on the ultimate goal-your health and well-being.

Assemble your staff

Getting the best treatment foe your diabetes is not simply a matter of keeping your doctor's appointments and taking pills. Diabetes affect many aspect of your life. and since nobody knows your life better than you do, you must step into the role of the "general" of your diabetes care in order to get your treatment needs met.

As the general, you'll want to surround yourself knowledgeable, trustworthy, expect "advisor" -your diabetes care team -who can help you get the information, advice, treatment, and support you need to manage your diabetes effectively. This team is usually composed of your doctor, diabetes educator, dietitian, pharmacist, and dentist. It may also include a mental-health professional, a podiatrist (foot doctor), and a cardiologist (heart specialist). As you go about assembling your team, remember that this people work for you. You are hiring them to help you learn about diabetes understand how it specifically affects you, and provide you with the tools that let you make you own informed health care decisions.

Your first task is to find a doctor. You'll not only want a physician who has skill and experience in diagnosing and treating diabetes, but also one who will support and work with you in becoming your diabetes general. Together you and your doctor need to develop a good working relationship where there is mutual understanding, respect and trust. You will need to feel comfortable talking with and asking question of your doctor. If you are unable to develop such relation, you need to find another doctor.

There are many diabetes specialists, you can get a list of the doctors in your area contacting your local chapter of the American Diabetes Association (see Resources). You can also call you local medical society and ask for a list of doctors who are "board certified in endocrinology (the specialty that focuses on hormonal disorders, such as diabetes) internal medicine, or family practice. If you cannot find a specialist near you, pick a primary care doctor who will work with you and who will not hesitate to refer you to a specialist when one might be needed.

Education is by far the most basic tool of diabetes care. It involves learning how to take care of yourself and your diabetes, and it brings you into the decision-making process for your own health. So after You find a doctor, you'll need to add A diabetes educator to your team. The diabetes educator will provide you with information and one-on-one guidance. As with your doctor the educator you choose should be someone you feel comfortable talking and someone you feel you can contact with question about the practice details of diabetes care.

Most often, a diabetes educator will also be a nurse, dietitian, or pharmacist by training. If possible choose a certified diabetes educator, or CDE. A CDE is a health professional who is certified by the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators to teach people with diabetes how to manage the disease. CDEs must have at least two years experience in diabetes education, must have successfully completed, and must retake national examination every five years to remain certified.

Your physician may be able to recommend a diabetes educator, or you can contact the American Association of Diabetes Educators (See Resource) for the names of diabetes educators near you. With the help of your doctor and diabetes educator, you should be able to get additional referrals to a dentist, eye doctor, podiatrist, and cardiologist if needed. If you already have an established relationship with a dentist or eye doctor, be sure to discuss your diabetes diagnosis with them and perhaps even put them in touch with the other members of your team so that they can collaborate on your care.

Diabetes patients have always been bothered by possible diabetes control means that will enable them get on with their life.

Below are few sure diabetes information that will help a patient put his or her problem to a reasonable level:

Dietary management: In general principle, dietary measures are required in the treatment of all diabetic patients in order to achieve the overall therapeutic goal.
Endeavour to exercise yourself as much as possible.

By Pierre Labux

What is the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation?

2012-01-04T17:48:00.000-08:00

The Juvenile Diabetes Foundation is the leading advocate for children who have been diagnosed with type one diabetes. Through research, the mission of the foundation is to find a cure. The JDF is responsible for funding many centers, organizations, and events to raise money and awareness about the disease and help as many people as children and parents of children who have been diagnosed.

The Juvenile Diabetes Foundation awarded more than $130 million in research in 2007. The foundation also funded over 650 centers, grants, and fellowships. The primary funds for the foundation come from parents of diabetic children and tax deductible donations.

Since 1970, the JDF has awarded over $1 billion to researching diabetes to find a cause for the disease. The Foundation is responsible for the Countdown for Kids magazine, which is a magazine targeting diabetic kids. This magazine allows for kids to read about other kids and how they cope, things they can do, tons of fun facts, and more! This magazine is a great way for children to cope with their disease.

The JDF has a website also, which is www.jdrf.org. This website is a great place for parents and kids to get information about the disease, things they can do, diets, traveling, tips and tricks, events, and more. This website is a wonderful place, providing a central place for parents to gather all of the information they need about their child's illness. Events, such as the Walk to Cure Diabetes are listed on the site for people to learn more and be able to attend. Information about clinical trials and the research being conducted to find a cure can be found on the site. The Juvenile Diabetes Foundation has been helping children who have been diagnosed with type one diabetes since 1970.

Diabetics Deadly Sin Number 1

2012-01-03T21:38:00.000-08:00

Based on my observations and experiences over the many years that I have been battling diabetes, I came up with what I call, "The 7 Deadly Sins of Diabetics." I strongly believe that anyone who learns these 7 deadly sins, and then overcomes them, will completely eliminate type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes from their life. And you know what that means: health, energy, and a much longer, happier life. Here is the first one.

Diabetics Deadly Sin #1 - You Have No Knowledge or Understanding of Diabetes

When I was first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, I literally knew almost nothing about this condition. In fact, at the time, I thought I was now cursed with some awful, incurable 'disease' that would eventually kill me. Of course, that has proved to be wrong. At least so far. :o)

So I set out to learn all I could about type 2 diabetes because I was determined from the start that this 'disease' was not going to beat me; I was going to beat it, STOMP it out of my life. Since that initial diagnosis I have learned a lot about diabetes, diet, and nutrition including these three things:

   1. Type 2 diabetes is not a disease; it is a condition of the body brought about mostly by a poor diet and lack of exercise, although some of us ARE genetically predisposed for this problem.
   2. Type 2 diabetes does not have to be a killer; in fact, you can eliminate type 2 diabetes from your life IF, repeat IF, you take the proper action.
   3. Most people who have type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes know very little about the problem or what to do about it.

Those three things are the main reasons that I am building a network of websites, writing ebooks, and developing software for diabetics; it's all to spread the knowledge and help others to easily learn about their condition, meaning type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes, and learn what they need to do in order to confront and STOMP this condition from their lives.

Because in order to control, manage, and ultimately eliminate your type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes, you must first understand it.

Knowledge is critical to your success. Most people don't have it and unfortunately don't take the time to gain it. As a result, they struggle and struggle battling type 2 diabetes. And suffer and suffer. How is your knowledge level? Can you answer these 10 questions?

   1. What is type 2 diabetes?
   2. What are the risk factors for type 2 diabetes?
   3. What are the symptoms of type 2 diabetes?
   4. What are the complications of type 2 diabetes?
   5. How can type 2 diabetes be prevented?
   6. If I am diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, how should I be treated?
   7. What are some of the tests that I should have and why?
   8. What are the ADA's current recommendations for diabetics?
   9. Why do I have type 2 diabetes?
10. Where and how do I start my diabetes education?

If you were able to answer most of these questions, then you have a basic understanding of type 2 diabetes. If not, then you need to get started, TODAY, to learn about this condition. It is critical for you to know what you need to know so that you can improve your health and your everyday life. Otherwise you are on a slow track to increased misery and an early death.

Once you overcome this First Deadly Sin of Diabetics, you are on your way to STOMPING on type 2 diabetes and eliminating it from your life. Plus, you need to be educated on diabetes before you can hope to overcome the next Six Deadly Sins of Diabetics.

To learn more about The 7 Deadly Sins of Diabetics, visit Stomping Diabetes to claim your free report.

Danny Lowell is a professional software developer, project manager, and information technology consultant. Diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in 1997, Danny has spent years battling this condition and searching for a real solution to this problem. After thousands of hours of research and testing, he has developed a comprehensive Stomping Diabetes Plan that is now working to eliminate Type 2 Diabetes from his life. You can learn more at http://www.stompingdiabetes.com.

By Danny Lowell

A Natural Way of Reversing Type 2 Diabetes is Needed Now More Than Ever

2012-01-02T21:36:00.000-08:00

Diabetes is a growing health problem in the United States and has risen about six-fold since 1950, now affecting approximately 20.8 million Americans. About one-third of those 20.8 million do not know that they have the disease. Reversing type 2 diabetes is a possibility for millions of people with the illness. A natural diabetes treatment can be used using healthy organic foods in the right combination.

Diabetes has become an epidemic that affects one out of every 12 adult New Yorkers, for example. It is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. Diabetes is a disorder of metabolism-the way the body uses digested food for growth and energy. Most of the food people eat is broken down into glucose, the form of sugar in the blood. A natural diabetes treatment reduces the blood sugar level through proper eating habits.

Diabetes disrupts the normal balance between insulin and glucose. After a meal, carbohydrates usually are broken down into glucose and other simple sugars. You need to keep track closely of your consumption of key foods. There is software to do that. One program is called Diabetes Pilot. It organizes the information you need, whether you're at home or on the go. The mobile versions of Diabetes Pilot works as a team with Diabetes Pilot Desktop - information you enter in one can be transferred to with the other.

Diabetes Pilot records glucose measurements, insulin and other medicine, meals, exercise, blood pressure, test results, and other notes. It tracks the carbohydrate, calories, fat, protein, fiber, sodium, cholesterol and other nutrients in the foods that you eat. Diabetes Pilot has an integrated food database with information on thousands of foods, including hundreds of fast foods. It helps you see trends in your blood sugars, medications, diet, and other areas with various reports and graphs. It lets you categorize records by time of day or any other system that you'd like, further helping you to find important patterns. It also allows you to transfer your data in various ways for further analysis and communication with your health care team.

Type 2 diabetes can damage blood vessels and nerves and decrease the body's ability to fight infection. You may not notice a foot injury until an infection develops. Diabetes is running rampant in our country. Diabetes can also occur in animals. Most commonly occurs in middle age to older dogs and cats, but occasionally occurs in young animals. When diabetes occurs in young animals, it is often genetic and may occur in related animals. Treatment is based on the severity of the disease. Cats with ketoacidosis require prompt intensive care, which usually includes fluid therapy and short-acting insulin injections.

Diabetes is closely associated with severe coronary heart disease and increased risk of heart attack. Diabetes mellitus is characterized by constant high levels of blood glucose (sugar). The human body has to maintain the blood glucose level at a very narrow range, which is done with insulin and glucagon. To reversing diabetes type 2 brings glucose levels back into normal ranges.

Diabetes Health cited a study that confirms daily doses of 2,000 mg of absorbic acid improved both fasting blood glucose and HbA1c readings in patients with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes may cause nerve damage in your hands, legs and feet, or eyes. In some cases, diabetes can cause blindness or lead to amputation. Diabetes is a disability when it substantially limits one or more of a person's major life activities. Major life activities are basic activities that an average person can perform with little or no difficulty, such as eating or caring for oneself.

Diabetes is a chronic medical condition, meaning that although it can be controlled, it lasts a lifetime. To reverse type 2 diabetes through diet and exercise can be accomplished. Diabetes can cause many short term, long term, acute and chronic complications. By losing weight and following the appropriate diet, type 2 diabetes can be controlled and even reversed leading to a healthy happy lifestyle. A natural diabetes treatment that works.

Diabetes is a global problem with devastating human, social and economic impact. Today more than 250 million people worldwide are living with diabetes. Reversing diabetes naturally through diet and exercise can alleviate suffering in many cases. Diabetes symptoms may include increased thirst and urination, blurred vision, and fatigue. Being able to live without those symptoms is a significant benefit to a person afflicted with the illness.

I have been interested in the possibilities of reversing type 2 diabetes naturally and have learned so much from professional sources. I can apply the techniques I have learned into real life situations.

By Leighton Gregg

Diabetes Symptoms - Ignore Them If You Don't Mind Aggravating Your Condition

2012-01-01T21:34:00.000-08:00

The diabetes symptoms sometimes do not seem so harmful, like signs of just getting older. And because of that, almost one third of all people suffering from diabetes do not even know they have it. Here we will go into the different sorts of diabetes and some of the most common symptoms of each of them, to help you recognize diabetes a little better.

The main three types of diabetes are: juvenile diabetes, adult onset diabetes and gestational diabetes.

1 - JUVENILE DIABETES OR TYPE 1 DIABETES

This sort of diabetes is also called immune-mediated or insulin-dependent diabetes. It occurs when your body cannot generate insulin. Your immune system destroys the cells that produce insulin in the pancreas. This sort of diabetes typically shows in young adults and children, and that is why it was formerly called juvenile diabetes.

This kind of diabetes increases the threat of other serious complications such as nerve injure, kidney failure, blindness and heart disease.

Some other symptoms include increased urination and thirst, weight loss even with increased hunger, nausea, abdominal pain, weakness, and absence of menstruation, among others.

2 - ADULT ONSET DIABETES OR TYPE 2 DIABETES

This kind of diabetes is the most widespread and it also frequently fails to be diagnosed. It progresses gradually and causes symptoms such as repeated skin infections, slow healing of cuts and sores and vision tribulations as well. It is usual that neither these complications nor the diabetes itself are diagnosed before years of mild symptoms.

The problem here is that people usually do not have severe symptoms and then do not seek medical advice until it is somewhat late. They see the symptoms as just getting older. For this reason it is imperative to get tested for diabetes on a regular basis over the 40's, the most ordinary age group. Sometimes the doctor may treat other diseases, without realizing the need to test for diabetes.

3 - GESTATIONAL DIABETES

Gestational diabetes shows in women throughout pregnancy. Pregnant women who had previously never had diabetes but have high blood glucose levels during pregnancy are said to have gestational diabetes. It affects four percent of all women throughout pregnancy.

Symptoms include increased urination and thirst, weight loss in spite of increased hunger, weakness, nausea, recurrent infections, including those of the vagina, skin and bladder, and also blurry visualization.

Gestational diabetes is frequently missed in pregnancy. It usually begins with mild symptoms that habitually can be attributed to other causes. It is important to get tested throughout pregnancy, because the high blood glucose from gestational diabetes can do damage to the baby, and sometimes it can lead to various complications.

Even if you are not pregnant, you should make it a main concern to get tested. Many women suffer from gestational diabetes and see their symptoms as being something natural for the period of pregnancy. You never know, maybe it is, but it is always a better idea to get tested.

TAKE MY ADVICE, FOR YOUR OWN SAKE

If you suspect you are having any of the diabetes symptoms, it is important for you to see your medical doctor, the sooner the better. Even if you think it is almost nothing. It is always better to be protected than remorseful. Furthermore, there are many other diabetes symptoms besides the above mentioned. Seek further information on the web.

JOSE TALAVERA - Health advisor. Diabetes expert, consultant and author. If you like this article, please visit the web site below for more advice and resources for diabetics, http://conquer-diabetes.blogspot.com.

By Jose Talavera

How Effective Are Diabetes Management Guidelines?

2012-01-01T17:46:00.000-08:00

Everyday, many people go to work to earn a living. Diabetes is just one of the many risk factors which causes heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases. Patients with diabetes usually have high blood pressure that makes them prone to complications and heart diseases.

Is there an effective way to manage diabetes? Many organizations and institutions were able to device management guidelines for diabetic patients. The most common error of these diabetes management guidelines is having a slow-stepwise approach of the treatment. Diabetes requires an aggressive initial response and it would depend on the degree of your condition. It is therefore a pre-requisite that diabetic patients check the class of medication that would be given to them.

Patients with diabetes should undergo different screenings, like:
- cholesterol; an annual check is recommended however, if you have goals to meet you should check it frequently
- diabetic nephropathy; this should be done annually for type 1 diabetes after 5 years upon diagnosis, and for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus the screening begins upon diagnosis
- diabetic retinopathy; should be done annually
- Diabetic foot; an annual exam is recommended to assess the foot structure, protective sensation, and skin integrity.

Prevention is still better than cure, so while you are still young and healthy, make improvements in your lifestyle. If you live a healthy life, you will have very little chance of getting diabetes.

Pathophysiology of Diabetes Mellitus - Get to Know the Meaning

2011-12-31T21:32:00.000-08:00

What is Diabetes Mellitus?

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic health situation in which the body stop working to generate adequate amount of insulin or react strangely to insulin.When we talk about the categorization of diabetes mellitus, it is of three natures, namely,

1. Diabetes

2. Diabetes and Gestational diabetes.

3. Hyperglycemia which is the ultimate outcome for all the three types of diabetes.Pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus is complicated, as the disease is characterized by diverse etiologies but share some related signs,symptoms and complications.

Meaning of pathophysiology

Pathophysiology means the learning of alteration seen in natural mechanical, bodily, and biochemical functions that are maybe caused by a disease or as a result of an irregular syndrome. The pathophysiology of any given ailment or syndrome give details to its source,symptoms and effects

Pathophysiology and Diabetes Mellitus

Pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus (all types) is connected to the hormone insulin, which is concealed by the beta cells of the pancreas. This hormone is responsible for keeping the glucose level in the blood. It also allows the body cells to use glucose as the major energy source. though, in a diabetic person, due to the improper insulin metabolism, the body cells and tissues do not utilize the glucose from the blood and as a result of that,it raise the level of hyperglycemia..Within some period of time, elevated glucose level in the bloodstream can lead to critical condition, such as eye disorders, cardiovascular diseases, kidney injury and nerve problems.

In type 1, the pancreas cannot produce sufficient amount of insulin hormone needed by the body. The pathophysiology of type 1 diabetes propose that it is an autoimmune disease, in which the body's own immune system produces secretion of substances that attack the beta cells of the pancreas. As a result, the pancreas give off little or no insulin. The type 1 is more familiar with children and young adults between 20 years. For the reason that it is common among young folks and insulin hormone is used for treatment, the type 1 diabetes is also known as (IDDM) meaning Insulin Dependent Dabetes Mellitus.

The type 2 diabetes mellitus is a normal way to manufacture of insulin hormone except that the body cells are resistant to insulin.For the reason that the body cells and tissues are not sensitive to insulin, glucose stays in the bloodstream. It is ordinarily noticeable by middle-aged adults about 40 years or more.Since the insulin is not required for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus,so it is regarded as (Adult Onset Diabetes) or (NIIDM) meaning Non-insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus.

On the other hand,gestational diabetes occurs between pregnant women. It is as well triggered due to rise and fall of the hormonal level throughout pregnancy.More often,the blood glucose level come back to where it supposed to be after the baby is born.

Like I said before,the symptoms/signs and effects of the entire three types of diabetes are alike.The apparent clear symptoms contains escalation in dehydration known as (polydipsia),escalation in urination known as (polyuria), escalation in appetite also known as (polyphagia),too much tiredness, mysterious weight loss and body irritation.

In relation to the meaning of diabetes mellitus, it is frequently described as a fasting blood glucose level of 126 milligrams per deciliter or more.And as per statistics,the type 2 diabetes is mainly the occurring type,contrast to the remaining two types of diabetes mellitus.

Knowing the correct type of diabetes is very essential to avert rigorous health effects. Subsequent to diagnosis, a medical doctor may prescribe suitable medicine for curing of diabetes, which could contain insulin vaccination or oral insulin medicines, depending on the type of diabetes mellitus the person is a victim of. In addition, healthy lifestyle modifications, especially diet and exercise are recommended for the effective management of symptoms and long-term effects. Since diabetes is a global health issue, studies regarding the pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus are currently in progress in order to minimize its associated health effects.

Diabetic patients have always been bothered by possible easy diabetes control measures that will enable them get on with their life. Below are few sure diabetes control, prevention and management tips that will help you put the problem of diabetes to a reasonable level, if not cured entirely:

- Dietary management. In general principle, dietary measures are required in the treatment of all diabetic patients in order to achieve the overall therapeutic goal.

- Endeavor to exercise yourself as much as possible.

- Then grab the much talked about Diabetes Control Made Easy. A 100% safe, natural, and effective ways you can manage and even fully recover from your diabetes in as little as 90 days ... and so that you never have to take insulin again, or have to suffer painfully dull diets even again! Check the links below for useful Diabetes Management Tips your doctor does not want you to see.

By Dave Woodgate

The Diabetic Weight Loss Challenge - Where to Start?

2011-12-30T21:29:00.000-08:00

Many people diagnosed as having the disease called diabetes, are advised to lose weight. Easily said, but sometimes difficult to accomplish.

The advice usually emphasizes the need to eat the right foods, your diabetic menu should avoid the foods that are high in saturated fats and with a high sodium content. It is difficult to change old habits but it will also probably be necessary to eat less and exercise more. Something we know but do not do.

So those are the generalities -- unless the diabetic is provided with a more detailed meal planning guide, it is left for the individual to work out their own approach and ways to achieve a weight-loss goal, to find out for themselves just what to eat and how much to eat.

Initially, it can be a complicated process to determine a weight target and what foods are appropriate, so if possible the diabetic should request the healthcare team to give advice and a tailored diet plan.

The reason why
Simply stated, the reason weight is gained is because more food is consumed than is needed to stay alive. The body converts any excess and stores it in the form of fat.

Expressed in calories, some foods are richer, weight for weight, than others. Fats provide more calories per gram than do non-fats. The body needs fat, just as it needs protein and carbohydrate, but it makes sense to eat less fatty foods.

Nutritionists have established ratios of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats considered appropriate to maintain good health for the general population.

Carbohydrates supply most of the glucose needed by the cells of the body for energy. Although if there were no carbohydrates, the body would use protein to make the glucose needed. It is the glucose that is the problem for the diabetic whose body cannot control the glucose content in the same way as the non-diabetic. In the case of the diabetic, much of the glucose does not get into the body cells that need it but stays in the blood stream for a long time, and that is harmful and damaging.

There are different categories of carbohydrate, classified by the complexity of the content of their sugar containing molecules, of which there are many, and the more complex they are the longer it takes for the body's digestive system chemical actions to break them down to glucose. The longer time in doing so diminishes the peak of the increased glucose load in the bloodstream that always occurs after eating. With the diabetic, that elevated blood-glucose conditions lasts longer than it does for the non-diabetic, that is the problem.

Carbohydrates provide the needed glucose and glucose causes the diabetes
That is what diabetes is all about, high blood sugars for too long a time, leading to so many other health problems.

Differing viewpoints
There are two conflicting schools of thought regarding the amount and ratio of carbohydrates, compared to other essential nutrients, which should be consumed by the diabetic.

So the approach followed by some well-known and successful medical practitioners is to keep the main source of glucose, the carbohydrate ratio, to the low end of the scale in comparison to the protein and fat content. Some suggest as low as 15%, some 25%. In this way, less sugar be will be manufactured which surely make a lot of sense.

One well-known and leading advocate of the low carbohydrate approach, a type 1 diabetic himself, now in his sixties, is Richard K. Bernstein, M.D. author of the 'Diabetes Solution' and also the 'Diabetes Diet'. This could be a worthwhile read for those diabetics who need to lose weight and who are having trouble controlling their blood glucose levels.

There are many other physicians who agree with Dr. Bernstein's views and many research studies confirm the effectiveness of the low carbohydrate diet, supported by exercise and certain vitamin and dietary supplements.

The other approach suggests consuming a higher carbohydrate intake, as high as 50 to 60 percent, and is recommended by the American Diabetes Association and other national diabetes associations and many other organizations dealing with diabetes, including physicians and nutritionists. The high carbohydrate content advocates recommend the inclusion of as many complex forms of carbohydrates as possible in their dietary approach since it takes longer for the digestion process to breakdown complex carbohydrate to provide the ultimate glucose, meaning slower absorption into the bloodstream.

To aid in identifying complex carbohydrates, a chart has been devised, called the Glycemic Index, which provides a numerical rating of carbohydrate containing foods. An explanation of that index and a modification of it, called the Glycemic Load, can be found on the Diabetic Food List Plus blog-site listed in the author's reference below.

Although supporting the high carbohydrate approach, the American Diabetes Association, defying logic somewhat, recognizes that lower carbohydrate diets are helpful to diabetics in controlling their high glucose problems but in their view, even though producing the right results, are too difficult to follow for any length of time.

Perhaps the individual would be better able to make that decision, but the national diabetic associations make little effort to make diabetic patients aware of what the lower carbohydrate diets can accomplish.

Excellent and comprehensive diabetes meal planning and advice is available from both the low carbohydrate and the higher carbohydrate advocates.

Losing weight and following a weight loss program is a serious process and should the discussed with a doctor. It is the right and responsibility of the diabetic patient to decide which route to follow, but it is wise to confide in and discuss the merits of their choices with their doctor. Much of the control and management of the diabetic condition is left to the patient and requires monitoring levels of glucose in the blood every day and sometimes, when control is poor, several times each day.

By James K. Robinson

How to Reduce the Risk of Developing Diabetes

2011-12-29T21:25:00.000-08:00

Diabetes mellitus is perhaps the most alarming of the medical problems in the developed world. Notwithstanding all the efforts of diabetes experts and diabetes researchers, the problem is becoming even worse, with increasing numbers of people being diagnosed as suffering from diabetes mellitus each and every year.

Some researcher maintain that up to 10% of people in the USA have diabetes, and many of these poor people are unaware of the fact! Moreover, for many of these poor people, it may well have been avoidable if they had known about earlier in their lives.

The most important danger in the diabetes problem is ignorance of the problem amongst those who are at risk.

If you believe that you could be in a high risk group, it is sensible to get as much information as you can about the main types of diabetes, the most important symptoms to watch out for, what you can do to decrease the threat of diabetes, and what the key diabetes management techniques are. Additionally, if you are expectant, you need to learn about the dangers of gestational diabetes, a type of diabetes which can be present in up to one in four pregnant women.

Although Type 1 diabetes is quite uncommon, Type 2 diabetes is approaching crisis point in the US, with other nations following on behind. Diabetes Type 2 used to be called "adult-onset" diabetes, but in the present day this expression is not really appropriate as overweight teens in the United States are becoming diabetic at a rapid rate.

In these examples of diabetes in kids, most diabetes specialists think that modern-day teenager's daily food intake, (which has really unhealthy levels of refined carbs), is to blame as it can result in insulin resistance, and that can cause type 2 diabetes.

Irrespective of the fact that the true cause is unknown, what we know is that diabetes is a serious illness, it cannot be cured at the moment, and it can bring about long term health risks.

The quickest approach to lessen the chance of getting diabetes mellitus is to take up a healthy way of life.

If you adhere to the advice listed below, you will decrease the chances of getting diabetes, and if you already have it, minimize the damage that it may lead to.

1. Pattern of eating.
It may well seem evident, but if you eat sensibly then you are in a better position than individuals who eat badly.

Experts give advice to people who are at risk of diabetes that if they don't want to develop this disease they should:
* Eat more fruit and vegetables particularly those that are low in carbohydrates.
* Enjoy more whole grain foods like lentils, beans and grains.
* Consume more lean protein foods, like turkey and fish.

2. Lose Weight.
Being too fat is also a considerable issue for those who are prone to diabetes mellitus. Diabetes specialists say that individuals who are heavy have a far larger chance of contracting diabetes as it can be the cause of high resistance to insulin.

3. Keep Fit.
Many diabetes specialists believe that those who have a regular exercise program have a much reduced likelihood of developing diabetes mellitus. For additional background, try searching for a web site where they discuss the benefits of keeping fit for diabetics in some detail.

4. Drinking and Smoking
Drinking and smoking are also quite dangerous for those who are prone to diabetes. It is not that smoking and drinking alcohol lead to diabetes, but that they affect the same parts of the body.

In truth, most of these guidelines are sound advice for people who are not diabetic too.

What is also important is the fact that if you go by the strategy discussed here, you will not only lower the odds of contracting diabetes, but also improve other aspects of your health and reduce the risk of heart disease at the same time.

By Roger Wakefield

Causes Definitons of Diabetes

2011-12-29T17:44:00.000-08:00

Before studying the causes of diabetes you must understand what is diabetes? Diabetes is a disease caused by hormonal imbalance. Insulin is helpful in supply of sugar to various parts of the body. When the beta cells in either produce low quantities of insulin or does not produce insulin in the pancreas, such a stage is called diabetes. In other cases the insulin is produced in the pancreas but the blood cells do not respond to the insulin. This factor of insulin imbalance leads to diabetes.

Diabetes is classified in different categories based on the above factors. They are commonly known as Type-1 & Type-2 Diabetes.

In Type-1 Diabetes the insulin is not produced in the pancreas. This happens because beta cells producing insulin are attacked and destroyed by the body’s cells. This system of attacking and destroying insulin producing cells has a name called “autoimmune reaction”. There are no proven results available to establish the cause of this destruction of cells.
a) It may be result of specific bacterial or viral infection.
b) It may be the result of toxins which are consumed through food.
c) According to some scientists it is the result of cow milk feeding at a very young infant stage.

The other form of diabetes – Type-2 Diabetes develops under the following circumstances:
a) Insulin Resistance. In this stage though the insulin is produced in the pancreas but the blood cells do not respond to the insulin. This leads to excess production of insulin. This over production of insulin results in getting insulin-producing cells exhausted.
b) As a result of insulin producing cells getting exhausted, there may not be sufficient insulin available or the available insulin may not be normal for your body system.

Here are some other factors which may increase the risk of occurrence of Type-2 diabetes. These factors are Increasing Age, Overweight and Physical Inactivity.

There are some other causes which may increase the risk of diabetes occurrence. Continued prolonged consumption of certain drugs/steroids/medicines may elevate the blood sugar leading to diabetes.

Women may suffer from Gestational diabetes during pregnancy period. However, this type of diabetes is temporary but chances of it converting into Type-2 diabetes can not be ruled out.

Some diseases affect the pancreas. The pancreas may be damaged as a result of these diseases. This results in the malfunction of the pancreas and non-production of insulin. This can lead to diabetes.

What doesn’t cause diabetes?
You know that obesity – which is the cause of diabetes - is the result of eating sweets or the wrong kind of food. But eating sweets or the wrong type of food does not itself result in the occurrence of diabetes.

Stress may worsen the condition of diabetes but stress can not cause diabetes. Diabetes is not contagious. If you follow certain tips like eating nutritious food, regular daily exercise, and avoid the use of steroids.

Diabetes is Not a Disease - It is Only A Disorder

2011-12-28T21:22:00.000-08:00

Introduction :

This article is mainly intended to make the reader understand what diabetes is, what causes diabetes, the diagnosis, the signs and symptoms, the types and the treatment to help the reader remove his worst fears about this disorder.

So What is Diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by the elevated blood sugar level. It occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or put in other words, when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.

What Causes Diabetes?

Diabetes is basically a genetic disorder influenced by environmental factors such as obesity, lack of exercises and stress which may trigger the disease in predisposed individuals. Heredity is also one of the main reasons.

Signs and Symptoms :

Diabetes can appear with or without symptoms. The most common symptoms are increase in frequency in urine(poly urea), increase in thirst(polydypsia), giddiness, weakness, delayed wound healing and unexplained weight Loss.

Diagnosis :

Diabetes is diagnosed by a simple blood test for the presence of excess sugar. The blood sugar is measured in milligrams per deciliter or mg/dL which is the standard measuring unit. Any blood sugar reading that is 126 mg/dL, or higher is considered a diabetes diagnosis. If your reading is between 100 and 125 mg/dL, you will be categorized as prediabetes with Type2 in future unless you can reverse the direction.
Typical Glucose or Blood Sugar Level
- Fasting Blood Sugar: 70-99mg/dL
- 2 hours after eating(Post Prandial) : 70-145mg/dL
- Random(casual): 70-125mg/dL

Types of Diabetes :

There are three types of diabetes: Type1, Type2 and Gestational diabetes. Type1 diabetes is also known as insulin dependent diabetes or juvenile diabetes. It is most commonly diagnosed in childhood. Type2 diabetes, also called non-insulin dependent
Diabetes, is the most common form of diabetes. Gestinal diabetes occurs in pregnant woman(most commonly 24th to 28th week of gestation), but usually disappears when a pregnancy is over, Women who have had gestinal diabetes are at the increased risk of later developing Type2 diabetes.

Effects of Diabetes :

Diabetes can damage body vessels and nerves and decrease the body's ability to fight infection.That is why it leads to all sort of complications. Diabetes can contribute to eye disorder and blindness, stroke, kidney failure, amputation and nerve damage.

Treatment :

First and foremost, you should consult a doctor as soon you find one of these symptoms. Depending on the type of diabetes[falling under one of the above mentioned categories] you would be prescribed a treatment. Natural diet and exercises help diabetic people to a great extent. Practising yoga is a natural way of keeping your body healthy and your mind peaceful. A life without stress and a light happy heart will help one to have good control over your body.

Conclusion :

Ok, the fact is 'Diabetes is complex and complicated'. But it is definitely in your hands to make it 'Simple and Keep it well under your Control'. Diabetes is a universal problem. Consult your doctor regularly and get your levels checked. Type2 diabetes is the prominent type, almost more than 80% of people have it. By maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly, practicing yoga and leading a sound healthy way of life, one can even get away without medication for Type2 Diabetes!!!!

Having given you an overview of what diabetes is, here I am to help you make reversal of diabetes possible, something I have done in my personal life!!! Follow the link:

[http://diabetes-natural-cure.com/] to find a way to a healthy life! After all HEALTH is WEALTH.

About Author: G Dharmar is the CEO of a Computer Sales and Service company. Being a diabetes person himself for the past twenty three years, he now knows the best ways to reverse it in a systematic way as a part of his daily routine and would like to share his good learning experience with all. Click here [http://diabetes-natural-cure.com/] to know what Dharmar practiced to set path his way to a healthy life.

By Dharmar Guruswamy

Eye Symptoms of Diabetes - Preventive Measures

2011-12-27T21:19:00.000-08:00

Many older diabetic patients present with symptoms from the complications of diabetes in the eye (cataract, retinopathy). In diabetic patients, sometimes there are problems in the blood vessels behind the eye, leading to retinopathy which is a disease of the retina, especially one that is non-inflammatory and associated with damage to the blood vessels of the retina and sometimes blindness.

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most serious complications of diabetes which usually occurs in people with chronic diabetes. People with type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes are usually affected. A diabetes research has shown that retinopathy is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States.

According to diabetes research, the symptoms of diabetes that associate diabetic retinopathy are spots floating, dark streaks or red films that block the vision, loss of vision, poor vision in the night, shadows or missing areas in the sight.

When you notice warning signs and symptoms of diabetes retinopathy, a dilated eye exam for the diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy is necessary. This test is performed by examining the retina and dilating the pupils using eye drops. The doctor examines for abnormal blood vessels, swelling, damage to the nerve tissues, growth of new blood vessels and scar tissues, bleeding in the retina, and retinal detachment. For the diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy, retinal photography test is also necessary.

Treatment for retinopathy in diabetes is decided depending upon the type and severity of the condition. An already damaged retina can't be reversed. The treatment is aimed at preventing the disease from getting worse and stopping further damage. However, laser treatment can be administered if necessary.

A prompt surgical treatment may be required. Surgical treatment helps to stop the progression of the disease. Regular eyes check-up after the treatment is necessary because there is a possibility of further retinal damage and vision loss in diabetic people.

The only way to prevent diabetes retinopathy is to know the right steps to take to keep your diabetes under control. Firstly is recognizing the early signs of diabetes and its symptoms. The early signs of diabetes are often confused with symptoms of other health problems. A good number of people who have diabetes are not aware that they suffer from the disease. The early signs and symptoms of diabetes you must know are frequent urination, increased thirst and appetite, weight loss, skin infections etc.

Know the appropriate diabetes diet and exercises to control diabetes. A well-planned diabetes diet helps maintaining the blood sugar level. Ensure to monitor and maintain your blood sugar levels using blood glucose tests regularly. Nutritious diabetes diet and regular exercise help in controlling blood pressure and cholesterol. There are certain healthy diabetes diet recipes which can be enjoyed by diabetic patients. The type of diabetes diet recipes not only reduces the risks of developing diabetes, but they are also essential for general good health. Diabetes diet should also have sufficient proportions of vegetable and non-vegetable foods as well. Simple carbohydrates must be avoided in diabetes diet, as they lead to food cravings and weight gain in most people. Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, are high fiber foods.

Most importantly, for a complete diabetes diet recipe, refrain from 'junk foods' and high calorie snack foods and desserts. Try having boiled foods as far as possible and reduce the amount of fried foods. Boiled foods reduce levels of cholesterol and accumulation of fat in the body. A strict adherence to diabetes diet recipe is necessary and enjoyable.

Any notice of slight changes in vision should be directed to an eye specialist.

By Piere Arnold

Diabetes - Prevent Feet and Leg Amputation - Be Educated

2011-12-26T21:17:00.000-08:00

This is a follow-up to my earlier article, "When you ignore diabetes: feet and legs". I am focusing on the feet and legs specifically as there are diabetes sufferers out there who are not fully aware of the danger of diabetes, especially to their legs and feet. Why the legs and feet? To lose even a single toe, not to mention a leg, will be a big blow to a human being. He or she will have to re-learn how to be mobile again with the use of an aid, be it a crutch or a prosthetic leg. For diabetes sufferers, avoid this at all cost.

Once forewarned of this danger, those suffering from diabetes can take the correct action to prevent the loss of their legs to amputation due to diabetes. It is a fact; once a person is struck by diabetes, there is the possibility of losing the legs to diabetes. In the past, when complications occur to the legs of a diabetes sufferer, the easy way out by some doctors were to have the diabetic legs amputated. Even in today's modern world, the option chosen by some doctors is to have the legs amputated if they find that nothing much can be done for the person suffering from diabetes. I should know because I saw it happened to my own aunt. Her leg was amputated as a result of diabetes, and it was not too long before she passed away as she failed to take care of herself. I want to emphasize, through this article, the importance of looking after a diabetic person's legs. Also, being more aware of what could happen to a diabetic sufferer's leg is to help to educate the diabetic person to avoid an amputation.

There has been a lot of things said about foot ulcer, but how does one knows what a foot ulcer is? According to Dr. Vijay Viswanathan, foot ulcers are sores on the feet that often occur in people with diabetes. (Viswanathan, Vijay (2009). Feet first. Beta, 1 (3), Retrieved July 10 2009). This is due to the poor supply of blood flow to the legs. Because of poor blood circulation, a diabetes legs would be less sensitive than a healthy person's legs. That is why whenever there is a problem with the leg; a person with diabetes does not usually realize it. So this posed a serious health problem to them.

According to a report, diabetes sufferer would frequently developed premature and severe arteriosclerosis. To make a long story short and to avoid the medical jargons, it was stated that a consequence of this is that a diabetic person would most likely have small and thinner arteries. The damaged arteries are not as efficient as those that are healthy and would not be able to ensure the smooth flow of blood. A possible result of this is that there is a risk of gangrene developing. (Falkel, Jeffrey E. (1983 ). Amputation as a consequence of diabetes mellitus. Physical Therapy, Retrieved July 10 2009)

A number of diabetes sufferers will, in a few years time lose all sensation in their legs. Losing the feelings in the legs is a danger to diabetics. They are at risks as they would not be able to feel pain in their feet. Should they injure themselves further in the feet, they may not even realize it (Zulfiqarali, Abbas. Diabetes foot damage in developing countries: the urgent need for education. 2005 November, Diabetes Voice, 50, Retrieved July 10 2009). A person suffering from diabetes can damage his feet further if inappropriate or ill-fitting footwear is used. Even the simple act of cutting toenails may cause damage to a diabetic foot if it is not cut properly. Sometimes people are not aware that such simple acts may lead to disastrous results due to lack of education on diabetes. However, it must be noted that foot infection can be prevented.

A person having diabetes should not take it lightly if gangrene is found in the legs. Immediate medical attention is needed. Do not self-medicate. Having reach this stage, the diabetic person life is already in danger. He or she has to be admitted to a hospital. Even if it is too late to save the leg, at least the person's life can be saved.

Normal foot problems such as corn, bunions, calluses and blisters are common foot problems for most people. It is different for a diabetes sufferer. They have to be more careful with these common foot ailments. The major risk to diabetics is that if left untreated, it may develop into something more serious. If you have these, go and seek medical attention. Do not self-medicate or you may make the problem worse.

Tom YC, a trainer by profession, advocates life-long learning and that age is no barrier. His motto is "Gain new information to scale new heights". He was recently diagnosed with diabetes and other ailments. This resulted in him looking for more information on the diseases but such information is not easily available. He hopes to provide a one-stop website for such information for the layman.

Quick updates on diabetes information are available at: http://diabetesanswer.blogspot.com/ ;
More information on diabetes can be found at: [http://www.diabetes.inforichweb.com/]

By Thomas Yancy

Does Glucosamine Cause Diabetes?

2011-12-26T17:42:00.000-08:00

Glucosamine supplements are a popular remedy for arthritis pain relief, especially for osteoarthritis. Unlike NSAIDs and other anti-inflammatory drugs, the pain relief provided by glucosamine lasts even after a person is no longer taking the supplements. This is because glucosamine helps repair damaged cartilage in joints. There has been some concern that glucosamine might cause insulin resistance and that people with diabetes should not take glucosamine.

This concern is because of previous animal and human studies that found “giving glucosamine can impair insulin’s action, which can potentially make [people] diabetic or worsen diabetes.” This is according to Rajaram J. Karne, now of the Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus.

Most people take glucosamine orally, not by injection.

Karne and his collaborators in Bethesda, Md, at the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, tested a commonly used dose of oral glucosamine in 20 normal weight and obese adults. The dose they tested was three 500-milligram pills of glucosamine daily or a placebo.

Unlike the high doses of injected glucosamine used in previous studies, this oral dose of glucosamine is what is normally recommended by health care professionals and what is most commonly used by folks taking glucosamine supplements.

Six weeks of glucosamine didn’t make any measurable difference in insulin’s action. This study indicates that at least in adults who don’t already have diabetes, three 500-milligram glucosamine pills does not effect insulin resistance or cause diabetes. This dose should be safe for those taking it for osteoarthritis pain relief.

Diabetes Diet That Helps Diabetics Live Longer

2011-12-25T21:15:00.000-08:00

Diabetes diet is one factor that should diabetic patients should never overlook. Diet is a form of medicine. Food is the most natural medicine on earth. One cannot talk about diabetes without talking about food and dietary habits. Food is a major factor in any illness. This is especially true in the case of diabetes. Any treatment of diabetes should begin with proper food combination. It is good to note that drugs do not cure any illness. Drugs only help to strengthen the immune system and aid the system in fighting against illness.

Some diabetic patients have always reasoned that diabetic drugs can cure their illness. Such people give less attention to the kind of food they eat and how they eat it. Most of the sufferers of diabetes are mislead by some kind of 'medical recommendation' that mandates them to eat plenty of meat, beans, plantain and avoid yam, cassava, honey, fruits and sugar." At most cases, when I ask them how many times they eat in a day, they would respond twice or thrice a day.

As a diabetic, it is not good for you to eat only twice or thrice daily, for such meal is often heavy. If you take a heavy meal even once a day, your sugar level will rise, because there is insufficient insulin in the body to metabolize the food. The secret is to eat a little as often as you wish. In other words, eat five or six times daily, but just a little at a time. Failure to observe this simple diabetes diet rule has sent many diabetics to their grave. Despite all the complicated and expensive diabetes medications, they did not get better. Taking proper diabetes diet

Our food consists of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. To be healthy, we need to maintain a balance of these nutrients in our diet. Carbohydrates include sugar, starch, cassava, yam, rice etc. Protein is found in meat, fish, eggs, milk, beans, etc. Saturated fats are found in butter, coconut oil, palm oil, fish, meat and eggs. This kind of fats is dangerous for the system and can lead to heart disease. Unsaturated fats, which are derived from groundnut oil, Soya bean oil, cotton seed oil and Castor oil, are healthier.

Fruits also provides the one of the richest diabetes diet. Vitamins and minerals come mainly from fruits and vegetables. Keep in mind that these fruits and vegetables are best when taken in their natural state. Raw vegetables are more nourishing than cooked ones. So often, I hear diabetics say that they have been told to abstain from eating fruits like paw paw, banana and oranges, as well as all natural juices like honey. The sugar in honey is pre-digested and cannot be compared to artificial, refined honey sold in the stores. The sugar in honey is only 70%, even though it has a very sugary taste.

If diabetics do not eat fruit, how can they survive? What is bad is not the fruit itself, but the manner of eating it. Diabetic patients should not combine fruits with any other food. This is one mistake which so many diabetic patients make.

Diabetes diets should involve eating plenty of onions, carrots, garlic and ginger. As much as possible, eat green vegetables in their natural state. Green leaves such as bitter leaf and paw paw leaves are very good for the body. So often, people squeeze out the bitterness from these leaves before preparing their meal, thereby rendering the leaves useless. The bitterness is what actually makes the leaves medicinal. Okra is a very good for diabetes diet that tend to meet the requirements to counter the scrunching effects of diabetes.

In as much as diabetes diet guidelines are fashioned based on some basic principles, the best diet plan for a particular diabetic patient are best achieved by getting in touch with a nutritionist that has an in depth knowledge of diabetes experience.

Diabetic patients have always been bothered by possible easy diabetes control measures that will enable them get on with their life.

Below are few sure diabetes control, prevention and management tips that will help you put the problem of diabetes to a reasonable level, if not cured entirely:

Ø Dietary management. In general principle, dietary measures are required in the treatment of all diabetic patients in order to achieve the overall therapeutic goal.

Ø Endeavor to exercise yourself as much as possible.

Ø Then grab the much talked about Diabetes Control Made Easy Guide. A 100% safe, natural, and effective ways you can manage and even fully recover from your diabetes in as little as 90 days ... and so that you never have to take insulin again, or have to suffer painfully dull diets even again!

By Morres Pastor

Type 1 Diabetes - How to Cope With It

2011-12-24T21:11:00.000-08:00

Type 1 diabetes may not be as common as type 2 diabetes, but it does not mean that this should not be given the same amount of attention.

Type 1 diabetes happens because the pancreas is unable to produce insulin, or even if it is able to do that at all, the amount of insulin is not enough. Insulin, as you must know is a hormone that is responsible in converting glucose into energy. Normally, the insulin breaks down glucose in the blood and the essential nutrients are then distributed in the blood stream. Unfortunately, what happens with diabetes is that instead of getting the essential nutrients, the cells become starved because excess glucose is excreted out of the body through the urinary system.

Such being the case, people with type 1 diabetes may present the following signs and symptoms:

o excessive urination
o excessive thirst
o dehydration
o dry mouth
o weight loss
o fatigue

There may also be:

o nausea and vomiting
o abdominal pain
o blurred vision
o breathing problems
o frequent skin infections, UTI, vaginal infections

It is not really clear what causes type 1 diabetes, but genetics and environmental factors seem to be linked to this diabetes type. According to some studies, there is a virus that seem to attack the pancreas, rendering it unable to produce insulin.

It is also said that type 1 diabetes occurs usually before the age of 20, the reason why it is called juvenile diabetes.

People with type 1 diabetes often need insulin injections to control the problem. The type of insulin you need depends on your body's response to insulin, your lifestyle, your willingness to do the injections and monitor your blood sugar level, and your age. Insulin may be fast acting, intermediate acting, short acting or long acting.

Close monitoring is very important if you are taking insulin injections for type 1 diabetes; that is why it is often recommended of diabetics to use a blood sugar monitoring device. This way they get to check their blood sugar levels at random times.

Controlling Diabetes

Controlling type 1 diabetes is very important because uncontrolled diabetes can lead to more serious diseases, such as retinopathy, kidney damage, and diabetic ketoacidosis which can be fatal. Controlling diabetes can be achieved through insulin injections, but diabetics are nonetheless advised to embark on a healthy lifestyle, that means eating the right foods and engaging in regular exercises.

Life with Diabetes

People who are recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes are concerned about the kind of life they will have to live now that they are confirmed diabetics. One major issue is the need for insulin injections for life. Then there's also the matter of avoiding sweets. For chocoholics and sweet lovers, having diabetes is tantamount to the end of the world, but of course, that should not be the case at all.

Yes, you may need some changes in your food choices, but keep in mind that fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are not only healthy - they are truly delicious, too!

The fact that you have diabetes should not dampen your mood at all. Strong family support is very important, and thankfully there are now many diabetes support groups that you can join to help you cope with diabetes better.

Diabetics can still live a long, normal and healthy life, even in the midst of type 1 diabetes.

By Diana Mortenson

Diabetes Treatment - Discover the Ultimate Solution to Diabetes

2011-12-23T21:09:00.000-08:00

Diabetes treatment, for some people, remains a mystery. For so many years, people have been led to believe that diabetes has no cure; that once you were diagnosed as a diabetic, you are a diabetic for life.

Indeed, when you think about it a number of diabetes treatment options are geared towards the control of diabetes only. The right diet, regular exercise, diabetic medications or insulin injections are all aimed at regulating blood sugar levels. This means that even if you have to do this everyday, you are not going to get rid of your diabetes totally; the most that you can do is only to control it so it does not worsen.

Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to a host of problems, some of which are debilitating, if not deadly. The unfortunate thing is that that more and more people from all over the world are now confirmed diabetics, making diabetes a worldwide concern; thus the urgent need for the ultimate diabetes treatment.

Thankfully, there just may be, although the ultimate diabetes treatment may not happen very soon. New studies of alternative treatments for diabetes are providing glimmers of hope for diabetics. The stem cell therapy technology and inhaled insulin, for instance, are said to revolutionize diabetes treatment if ever they get approved for implementation.

Stem Cell Therapy

One diabetes treatment proposal is called the stem cell therapy. This form of diabetes treatment which will make use of viable cells injected with proteins to trigger an insulin response. This, however, is still on the developmental stages and is yet to be tested on humans; nonetheless, if all goes well, the stem cell therapy is certainly going to provide relief for diabetics as this can mean no more insulin injections.

Inhaled Insulin

Inhaled insulin is a proposed form of diabetes treatment that enables diabetics to inhale insulin in powdered form via an inhaler. Once inhaled, the insulin goes directly to the lungs and then distributed into the bloodstream.

Apparently, these proposed alternative diabetes treatment options require more studies, and more researches, and of course they have yet to be approved by the regulating bodies prior to implementation.

Another approach to diabetes treatment that is worth looking into is the use of herbal remedies. Actually, a lot of people these days are preferring to go natural, especially when it comes to health. Herbal remedies are safe and without side effects, unlike certain medicines.

A number of herbs and spices are said to work well against diabetes, among which are:

o Cinnamon - cinnamon is very powerful spice in regulating blood sugar levels. Accordingly, a dash a cinnamon can cause a significant drop in the blood sugar levels. Diabetics on medications are even advised to observe themselves closely for signs of hypoglycemia if ever they take cinnamon along with their regular diabetic medications.
o Garlic - garlic not only lowers blood sugar levels, it also improves circulation and immunity to diseases
o Bitter melon
o Fenugreek
o Ginseng tea
o Huckleberry - this is believed to increase production of insulin

These herbs and spices may be taken in different forms and preparations, but of course, it is always best to consult with your diabetologist or physician first before taking any of these.

By Diana Mortenson

Diabetes and Women's Sexual Health

2011-12-23T17:41:00.000-08:00

Almost one quarter of all women with diabetes will experience a sexual side effect at some point in her life. This does not mean that all diabetics can’t have a great sex life: on the contrary, with a little forethought (and foreplay?) sex can be great and safe for people with diabetes.

Most women with diabetes will have already noticed that their blood sugar changes before and after her period. The menstrual cycle affects the blood glucose cycle, and as such, has to be monitored more closely during and around your period.

Sex has two main components: a physical component and a mental or emotional component. As diabetes can have both physical and emotional effects, take both elements into consideration when you are trying to improve your sex life.

Building a strong relationship between both partners is key to having a good emotional attitude for sex. Some women with diabetes want to be independent with their treatment: this is good. However, it is also important to keep your partner informed and to education your partner on diabetes so that s/he will feel included in your life. You can also address this with your partner. Finding a nice balance between independence and reliance will help give you the basis for sex that you need.

One of the possibly physical side effects of diabetes is neuropathy. Luckily, vaginal dryness can be easily treated with a lubricant available from any drug store. Poor vaginal lubrication can also be treated with hormone therapy. If your vaginal dryness is caused by low hormone levels, don’t be afraid to ask your doctor about taking a hormone supplement (sometimes these are oral or topical). Although it used to be thought that women with diabetes couldn’t use hormones, now it has been found that hormones do not affect blood sugar, and that you can find a hormone dosage that will fit into your diabetes management routine.

Women with diabetes, especially after menopause, can be at a higher risk for yeast infections, which can make sex less desirable. To prevent yeast infections, regulate your blood sugar. Wash yourself regularly (but don’t douche). You can also consider hormone replacement therapy.

If you find that your sex life is adversely affected because you no longer desire sex, consider talking to your partner, or talking to a professional. The anxiety or depression that sometimes affects people with diabetes can be challenging to overcome, especially in bed.

Some doctors advise their patients to check their blood pressure before and after sex. This can help women tell if they are having an orgasm or if they have low blood sugar. Orgasms and low blood sugar can have similar symptoms, and some women have trouble establishing the source of their heart palpitations and sweating. Keep some lifesavers with your condoms and lubricant, to help you practice safe sex with diabetes.

Diabetes Mellitus - Causes and Treatment Options

2011-12-22T21:07:00.000-08:00

Diabetes mellitus - who hasn't heard of it? Indeed, diabetes mellitus (DM) seems to be a universal language for high blood sugar.

Millions of people are diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, a fact that is indeed getting a lot of attention from health care experts all over the world. The complications of diabetes mellitus can, after all, cause serious health problems leading to death.

The General Classifications

Diabetes mellitus are generally of three types:

o type 1 diabetes which is insulin-dependent or juvenile onset
o type 2 diabetes which is non-insulin-dependent or adult onset
o gestational diabetes which occurs during pregnancy

The Signs and Symptoms

Knowing the tell-tale signs of diabetes mellitus is important in order to be diagnosed and treated early. For type 1 and type 2 diabetes, the presenting signs and symptoms are basically the same:

o increased urination
o increased thirst
o weight loss
o feelings of hunger
o blurred vision
o nausea
o fatigue

For gestational diabetes, though, it may be difficult to conclude because all these signs and symptoms can be easily mistaken as pregnancy-related. The best thing to find out is to undergo an oral glucose tolerance test --- this is the most definitive test for gestational diabetes It's usually conducted on the fifth month of pregnancy.

The Treatment Options

The treatment options for diabetes mellitus include eating the right diet, engaging in regular exercises, and medications. In milder cases of diabetes mellitus, eating the right foods and engaging in exercises are enough to keep the blood sugar levels down, but in more serious cases, diabetic medications have to be administered.

The right diet for diabetics includes starches in the form of whole grains, bread, cereals; fresh fruits and vegetables, some meat products, and just a little of fat and sweets. How much you need to eat of these, though, may depend on your body weight and other needs. It's always best to consult a dietician to program a diabetic meal that is just right for you.

Exercise should be made part of any diabetic treatment plan. Exercise helps you to lose weight and keeps you generally healthy.

Type 1 diabetics most likely need insulin therapy, but type 2 diabetics may be able to manage their diabetes with oral medications. Insulin needs to be injected into the body, the reason why a lot of diabetics frown on the idea of insulin therapy. Insulin may be rapid-acting, intermediate-acting or long-acting.

Diabetic Emergencies and Complications

Managing diabetes mellitus is extremely important in order to prevent complications such as:

o atherosclerotic heart disease
o myocardial infarction
o peripheral vascular disease
o cerebrovascular disease
o renal artery stenosis
o diabetic retinopathy
o diabetic nephropathy
o peripheral neuropathy

At the same time, you may also want to prevent the likelihood of medical emergencies such as:

o diabetic ketoacidosis which can cause coma and eventually death. Intensive care is essential
o nonketotic hyperglycemic-hyperosmolar coma

Responsibilities of a Diabetic

As a diabetic you also need to do your share in the treatment, that means:

o making regular visits to your diabetologist
o constant monitoring of your blood sugar levels
o observing yourself for anything that indicates an increase in your blood sugar levels and reporting the matter to your doctor
o eating the right diet
o doing daily or regular exercises
o strictly taking your medications

With these tips, you should be able to cope well with diabetes mellitus.

By Diana Mortenson

Bad News - This is What You Might Have to Face With Diabetes

2011-12-21T20:52:00.000-08:00

Having Diabetes is no child's play.

You might think that it's only a matter of having a problem with your pancreas and your body's inability to use glucose floating in your blood stream, but that's not the full story.

Having Diabetes is so much more, there are so many other organs and systems that are affected by diabetes and we will be discussing a few. It is very important to know what diabetes is about and what you are facing in future, as failure to do so is like jumping into the ocean with a weight tied around your neck...... you will surely not survive.

Living with Diabetes is a challenge; it's about lifestyle changes, about keeping away from the wrong things and about monitoring your glucose every day making sure you are maintaining healthy glucose levels.

Even if you do all of the above, it is not guaranteed that you will be in the lifeboat and not in the sea. Staying inside the lifeboat is a whole different mission, but you can get there with the right information and education.

As said, having diabetes makes you susceptible to so many other conditions, and they will surely be on your way. Here is just a very short version to introduce you to some of your competitors that you will be facing.

Diabetes associated conditions:

Diabetic Cardiovascular disease:
We kick off by looking at our vascular system and the changes that diabetes causes to this system. Diabetes causes major structural changes in the arteries and veins of your body like atherosclerosis and thickening of capillary basement membranes. This can cause an obstruction to blood flow which can lead to high blood pressure, peripheral vascular diseases or a total blockage which will cause a stroke, a heart attack or ischemia.

Diabetic Neuropathy:
As already discussed diabetes can cause changes in the blood vessels which supplies all areas of our body with oxygen, nutrients and water. These structural changes will also affect the nervous system and causes deterioration or loss of nerve function.

Diabetic neuropathy can manifest with no symptoms while the sufferer may also have symptoms such as pain, tingling, or numbness-loss of feeling-in the hands, arms, feet, and legs. According to research, about 60-70% of all diabetics have some form of diabetic neuropathy.

Diabetic Ketoacidosis:
Diabetic ketoacidosis is a is a life-threatening complication in patients with diabetes mellitus. If you do not have enough insulin in your body, you run the risk of developing this condition and urgent medical intervention is needed to prevent a sufferer from falling into a coma or even death.

Since you do not have enough insulin in your body, your glucose levels will increase and your body needs to get rid of the excess glucose by excreting it in the urine. When the glucose is excreted, so is a large amount of water causing the sufferer to become dehydrated.

Since the body does not have any glucose to use for energy, it starts burning fat and protein from muscle tissue in an attempt to generate energy. This is an extremely unhealthy way of generating energy as the liver becomes involved in fat burning. The by-product of this process is ketones. The ketones build up and your blood becomes acidic...... and this is VERY bad indeed. This will cause your blood to become a toxic environment for all your other organs.

Your body will try to counter this acidic environment by shifting electrolytes and this will cause your body to lose potassium and retain sodium.
Potassium affects your heart rhythm and if you lose potassium this will cause severe arrhythmias. Potassium is also needed by the brain for vital functions, and if there is a deficiency of potassium for the brain to use, you run the risk of a coma. Untreated diabetic ketoacidosis can result in coma or death......

Diabetic Ketoacidosis is serious business, but you can avoid it if you are aware of the risks.

Diabetic Retinopathy:
One of the most severe long term effects of diabetes in my opinion must be Retinopathy. As changes in the vascular system occur, the eyes are not spared. Diabetes causes long term changes to the capillaries in the retina of the eye which also decreases blood flow to vital areas of the eye.... just like with neuropathy where the nerves are affected.

The structural changes can cause a high blood pressure in the eyes. This can cause damage to the veins and causes the veins to leak. When the vessels leak, it can leak in the white area (vitreous humour) of the eye causing an increase in pressure of the eye ball or into the macula which is the most light-sensitive part of the retina with highly specialized cells. This can cause the sufferer to see floaters.

The sufferer may also see double vision when the nerves affected is the nerves controlling the eye muscles. Usually Retinopathy only manifests after 10 years of being diabetic, but do not wait until then to start treatment or take corrective measures. Make sure that you visit your optometrist at least once a year for a dilated eye exam. During this exam the optometrist can see how your diabetes is progressing and monitor any eye problems.

If you experience any of these signs, see your eye doctor immediately.

Diabetic Nephropathy:
As the eyes, nerves, heart and other body systems are not spared, so is the kidneys affected by diabetes. As previously discussed, diabetes causes structural changes to the cardiovascular system which in turn causes high blood pressure. This high blood pressure also causes damage to the tiny blood vessels in the kidneys which will prevent the kidneys from functioning normally. This is called kidney failure.

Not all sufferers of diabetes get kidney damage and doctors do not understand yet why only some people are affected and some don't. Out of a 100 people, as many as 40 will get kidney damage.

There are no symptoms in the early stages. So it's important to have regular urine tests to find kidney damage early. The first sign of kidney damage is the trace of a small amount of protein in the urine. This can be detected by a simple urine test. Sometimes early kidney damage can be reversed if detected in time.

Diabetic Hypoglycemia:
People with diabetes runs a risk of having a very low blood sugar and develop a condition called hypoglycemia. This is when the body does not have any glucose left to burn to be used as fuel for cells.

Diabetics experiencing hypoglycemia can have a variety of symptoms which may include feeling weak, drowsiness, hunger, dizziness, paleness, headache, irritability and trembling.

Diabetics can bring on hypoglycemic attacks by missing or delaying meals, drinking too much alcohol, exercising too much or taking too much insulin in comparison to food. This can be easily corrected by eating food that is known for increasing the glucose level in the blood.

As you can see diabetes is a very unforgiving disease and it's best to be prepared for it. As Sir Francis Bacon said: "Knowledge is power" and if you know what to expect, you know how to prevent it.

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By A. Pens

Why Diabetics Struggle With Weight Loss

2011-12-20T20:49:00.000-08:00

One of the most perplexing problems that diabetics face is weight loss. Many doctors insist it is a simple matter of consuming less calories than are burned. And, in a perfect world that works. But most diabetics will insist that there is more to it, because when they do the same things as non-diabetics, they get no results, while their non-diabetic friends drop pound after pound. Fad diets do not work, diet products do not work, even exercise shows little or no results. The struggling diabetics are right-- there is more to it than just cutting calories.

Diabetes is caused by eating a bad diet, and a good diet is a key part of regaining control. But it is the bad diet that has placed a number of conditions in place that must be understood in order to win the fat war. There are a number of interrelated circumstances that contribute to making diabetic weight loss difficult. First, let's look at how the problem originated, then we can investigate how that information can lead to reversing the problem.

Years of bad diet, containing fats, sweets, high glycemic index foods, prepared foods and dairy products caused inflammation. A complete detailed explanation of how inflammation caused diabetes can be found in the "Diabetics Handbook" (see below). The following will be a gross oversimplification, due to space limitations, but hopefully, it will demonstrate the important aspects of the problem. Pro-inflammatory substances (pro-oxidants) are normally used by the body to fight disease and infection (via the immune system). They play many important roles in the body including digestion, and even breathing. Normally, the body uses antioxidants to control these processes. However, years of bad diet, which is characteristically very low in antioxidants, causes an immune system to lose the ability to shut down. Consequently, the immune system begins to attack healthy cells causing serious damage. In type I diabetes, the beta cells (insulin producing cells) are destroyed. In type II diabetes many cells are damaged setting up a condition known as insulin resistance. Insulin resistance occurs when the body's cells cannot properly communicate when using insulin to uptake and burn glucose.

When the body digests food, particularly carbohydrates, it is converted into glucose. Glucose is distributed throughout the body in the bloodstream by the liver. The liver will normally control fat levels. When very high levels of fat are in the bloodstream, due to diet, the liver cannot process it all. It begins to fill its cells with sacs of triglycerides (converted glucose for storage) and it places the excess in the adipose tissues (belly fat).

The brain, vital organs and muscle tissue rely on glucose which provides energy to function. As these organs use glucose, the liver will place more in the bloodstream to replace it. In a perfect world, the organs and tissues would use it efficiently, and hopefully in proportion to the amount produced by food. Insulin resistance reduces the amount of glucose that is absorbed and stored by the organs and muscle tissue. Add to that, the fact that most diabetics lead a sedentary lifestyle, meaning that they get minimal amounts of exercise resulting in much less glucose being burned.

When the body is impaired by insulin resistance (type II diabetes), the cells do not use as much glucose. The body senses that glucose levels are building up in the bloodstream, so it instructs the pancreas to release more insulin. The body now has high glucose levels and high insulin levels in the bloodstream. Insulin is a hormone that performs many functions, besides allowing cells to absorb glucose. Insulin will also attempt (vigorously) to remove excess glucose from the bloodstream by placing it in storage as fat. Once in storage, insulin will block the process of breaking fat down to remove it from storage. Many doctors say that the presence of high levels of insulin in the blood causes unnecessary water retention in the body, which is a factor in weight gain. This is a key aspect of beating diabetic obesity, which means that insulin regulation is very important. Insulin also acts on the brain. It promotes cravings that result in eating more and on the liver to manufacture more fat. The liver removes insulin from the bloodstream, but insulin causes fat to be deposited in the liver which, in turn, prevents the liver from removing insulin from the bloodstream. People with belly fat store too much fat in their livers (fatty liver disease - see below), which prevents the liver from removing insulin. consequently, insulin levels rise higher and higher, which can contribute to heart attacks and more abdominal obesity.

Also, fat in the abdominal area functions differently than fat elsewhere in the body, such as the hips. Blood flow from the belly fat goes directly to the liver. The blood flow from other fatty areas, such as the hips, goes into the body's general circulation. Belly fat has an efficient blood supply and has as more receptors for cortisol (a stress hormone). Cortisol levels vary throughout the day, but will elevate and remain elevated if the body is under stress. High stress and high cortisol levels promote fat deposits in the belly area. It goes to the belly area because there are more cortisol receptors there. Chronically high cortisol levels kill neurons in the brain. They also interfere with neurotransmitters (such as dopamine and serotonin - the good mood neurotransmitters) which leads to depression and feeling more stressed. Depression is common in diabetics, which adds to the problem since depression causes a stress type reaction in the body. In other words, depression promotes the development of belly fat.

The fat that is stored in the adipose tissue (belly fat) is also a characteristic of diabetes. That means that diabetics are genetically prone to belly fat. Belly fat (central obesity) is associated with higher rates of cardiovascular disease, and several types of cancer as well. Heredity plays a role in overall body type (apple vs. a pear shape). Genetics accounts for 25-55 % of the tendency to develop the most serious diseases associated with abdominal fat, the remainder is lifestyle. As belly fat builds up, it does several things. First, it stops the production of the hormone leptin, which normally would curb appetite. Second, it causes insulin resistance to further increase, which has obvious consequences. The cells use less glucose, the body produces more insulin, and guess what... more fat goes into storage. Fat storage is the body's way of following ancient mechanisms designed to protect the body during lean times. Cave men would sometimes go long periods of time between successful hunting campaigns. So the body learned to take advantage of good times to prepare for the bad times. The body converts glucose into glycogen and triglycerides which are very efficient methods of storing energy.

When the cells of the liver fill up with triglyceride fat sacs, the liver's function is impaired. It cannot process fats efficiently. It quickly runs out of room to store more fat, and when the body's tissues and organs are not using as much, the liver simply puts it all into storage as belly fat. The number of fat cells a person has is determined at birth. The numbers remain constant unless the fat cells become full. When they become full, the cells will divide creating new fat cells. The new cells will remain throughout the balance of the person's life. However, a successful diet will reduce the size of the fat cells. Fat cells are fed by blood vessels in the belly area. Each fat cell is in contact with at least one capillary. The blood supply provides support for the metabolism. The blood flow will depend upon body weight and the overall nutritional state. The number of vessels will increase during fasting or high demand for glucose. Increased numbers of blood vessels can contribute to increasing blood pressure. The heart simply has to work harder to supply the additional vessels.

A liver that has many cells filled with triglyceride sacs is called a fatty liver NAFLD (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease). Any diabetic that has large amounts of belly fat likely has a fatty liver. Fatty liver develops early in the process because of high levels of triglycerides in the bloodstream. Diabetic fatty liver's second stage is called NASH (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis), meaning that it is not caused by alcohol consumption (but similar), and it mimics damage caused by hepatitis diseases. Oxidation of cells begins to occur causing cell damage. The third stage is cirrhosis which is very serious and dangerous. The first stage of fatty liver is not particularly dangerous, and will go away with proper treatment. Fatty liver is difficult to diagnose. The only reliable test is to conduct a biopsy to determine how much fat is present and if any scarring is present. Biopsies are rarely conducted, because the medical industry cannot agree on how it should be interpreted. The symptoms of NAFLD are nondescript, non-existent or mimic symptoms of other diseases. Certain blood tests will display the presence of certain liver enzymes that are common in hepatitis, which would signify the presence of NASH. Fatty liver will seriously complicate the weight loss process.

Parasites will virtually stall weight loss efforts. Parasites are more common in diabetics than a non-diabetic person, due to their weakened state. Unfortunately, western medicine doctors have little training in recognizing the presence of parasites. Few people are trained in testing for them. Most common tests have a very low accuracy rate. Treating parasites with drugs is rarely effective because they have a very narrow range of effectiveness. There are over 100 common species found in humans and treatments are very specific to specie. Parasites escape diagnosis in as many as 70 chronic diseases, and are now believed to be instrumental in the development of many chronic diseases.

When parasites are present, patients will have virtually no success in losing weight. Reduced portion sizes, carbohydrate counting or elimination, or even vigorous exercise will not produce results. Parasites inflame the lining of the digestive tract, and slow nutrient absorption. They eventually spread to all areas of the body, including vital organs. They disrupt hormonal balance, blood sugar regulation and alter the metabolism. Parasites eat the nutrients ingested, or they eat the host. They leave the host with empty calories, which triggers cravings and over consumption of food (urges to pile it high on a plate). They virtually take over control of the body.

Parasites release toxins that overload the kidneys and liver. The weakened state leads to further reductions in metabolism. They hinder the maintenance of beneficial flora in the intestinal tract that can lead to over production of yeasts. Overdevelopment of yeasts lead to the development of allergies, gas and bloating. Their acids damage organs, breakdown muscle tissue and cause the central nervous system to become sluggish. The body will react to increased acid levels by producing fat cells to store the acid, thus removing it from the system. A lower metabolism encourages the production of fat cells.

The good news is, by now, the reasons for difficulty in losing weight are clearer. So how does one beat these powerful mechanisms? Start by getting rid of any parasites. The safe bet is to assume that they are present, because they probably are present. There is an extensive listing of symptoms, and how to cleanse the body of parasites in the "Diabetics Handbook". Also read about glycemic index and load. Modify the diet to eat only low glycemic index foods. Stop eating any of the pro-oxidant foods, especially processed foods, which is basically anything in a box or can that has ingredients that you cannot pronounce, or it's unknown as to why it is in there.

Then assume that you have a fatty liver, because you probably do to some extent. This is the tough part. The most success comes from combining a series of techniques. Fasting and exercise are effective to break the cycles and burn liver fat. But it must be done correctly. If liver and/or kidney damage is present a doctor should be consulted. An alternative to fasting is to start eating 6-8 very light, low glycemic index meals per day, instead of three large meals. That will reduce the glucose spikes that exacerbate the process.

Change the diet. Stop eating the pro-oxidant foods. Processed foods are poison to diabetics, which cannot be stressed enough! Processed flour is very bad for diabetics (actually for everybody). Sodas are high in pro-oxidants and phosphoric acid, drink green tea instead. However, be careful, some bottled green teas have additives in them, including phosphoric acid. Stop drinking coffee. Eat only very lean cuts of meat. Stop eating sweets, sugar substitutes and dairy products. Never cook food at high temperatures (over 400 degrees F) or microwave food. That means that grilling and broiling are out. Microwaves kill as much as 97% of the living nutrients in food. Steaming, stir frying in olive oil or boiling food is best. Diabetics should eat fruit if their system does not react to them (glucose spikes). Pineapple and bananas are very high in natural sugar. Eat low glycemic index foods only. Take a good quality multivitamin daily, such as Rejuvenage 40+, which is sold on the internet. If a multivitamin is being taken, compare the product label to the sample label posted on the internet. This particular multivitamin has the broadest coverage of nutrients found on the market. Eat lots of fiber, especially water-soluble fiber.

Glucose management can be improved if sodium levels are managed, and fiber levels are kept high. Sodium slows the insulin response, which means higher sodium levels can be an advantage for hypoglycemia. High sodium levels prevent a quick rise and fall in insulin levels, and subsequently reduce the blood sugar highs and lows commonly experienced with hypoglycemia. Sodium, along with ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and biotin are among the most important factors in reducing erratic glucose level changes; even between meals. Manganese, chromium and niacin/niacinamide control glucose response as well as the liver's storage of glycogen. Potassium, vitamin B6, and vitamin C can both, help stabilize, or interfere with glucose management depending on whether a patient is prone to be hypoglycemic, or hyperglycemic. Lower amounts are recommended for patients that are prone to hypoglycemia, and higher amounts for patients that are prone to hyperglycemia. On the other hand, high amounts of potassium can reduce manganese and chromium. High amounts of vitamin C can lower manganese and stimulate insulin. Vitamin B6 stimulates magnesium and potassium, but lowers manganese. It can become complex. It should be noted that too much sodium in the diet is never a good thing.

Eliminate candies, honey, sodas of all types, donuts, cereals (especially sweetened), cakes and bakery goods, over ripe fruits, fruit juices (unless diluted), sugar (both brown and white), syrups (corn, maple and molasses), glucose, sucrose, fructose (of any variety), dextrose, maltose, or any substance ending in "ose". Eliminate all artificial sweeteners except Stevia. Most of the bakery goods contain synthetic additives, along with processed flour, both of which are highly pro-oxidative.

It will be necessary to start exercising to maximize the burning of glucose in tissues. Power walking for approximately 45 minutes, preferably daily, will burn upwards of 300 calories each day. Exercising other major muscle groups is important. The fasting and exercise program should be alternated with non-fast and exercise programs (3-5 days each). Depending upon health conditions, choose between a water or a juice fast. The water fast is more aggressive. Don't lose weight too fast. It can damage the liver. Most people lose 3-5 pounds after the first several days and an additional 3-5 pounds the next day, it will level off at a pound per day after the initial loss. It is customary to not lose weight during the non-fast phase. Then repeat the cycle. The "Diabetics Handbook" covers a variety of programs, the most aggressive being a 30 day fast, which will totally detox the entire body as well. It is known to release toxins present since birth. Fasting is safe, and very effective. Exercising a muscle does not get rid of fat over the specific muscles that are exercised. The only way to reduce a fat belly is to lose weight overall, and any type of exercise will help accomplish that. There's a growing body of research showing that the fastest way to burn off belly fat is by a combination of weight training, aerobic exercise and modified diet. Bear in mind that increased muscle mass, from exercise, will increase body weight as fat is lost.

Physical activity is clearly beneficial for diabetics, including lowering blood glucose levels. However, physical activity can make levels go too low, causing hypoglycemia for up to 24 hours afterward. For those taking insulin, or one of the oral medications that increase insulin production, the breaking of routine (fasting) by having a snack, may be required if the glucose level goes below 100 mg/dL. Adjusting medication doses before physical activity can help avoid hypoglycemia. For some diabetics, it may be necessary to consult a doctor while on aggressive programs. A snack can prevent hypoglycemia, provided that it is a low glycemic index food. Extra blood glucose checks, especially 2 hours after strenuous exercise, may be advised. Place increased emphasis on maintaining blood sugar levels. Hold them as close to normal as possible. In type II diabetes that will reduce the amount of excess insulin in the bloodstream. If insulin-dependent, or type I diabetic, avoid taking more insulin than is required to maintain control. Many diabetics assume that more insulin than is needed is not necessarily a bad thing. This is a critical phase that requires lots of testing and focus. The combination of lower insulin, lower glucose levels and vigorous exercise will allow the body to quickly start burning the liver fat. It takes up to 12-16 hours for the body to start drawing fat from the liver. Exercise will increase the metabolism. However, understanding the metabolism will be helpful, because the metabolic rate will change throughout the process. Exercise reduces stress levels. If high stress is an issue, try stress reducing activities such as deep breathing or meditation. Be certain to take antioxidant supplements during the fasting process. Several recent studies show that omega-3 fats can reduce output of another stress hormone, epinephrine (aka adrenaline). Start taking 4000IU of fish oil twice daily. You cannot overdose on fish oil. The body will produce large amounts of free radicals, which will require large amounts of antioxidants to be controlled. Be certain that 100% of the daily requirements of vitamins and minerals is consumed.

In summary, modify the diet; learn what to eat and what not to eat; take a good quality multivitamin every day; get the glucose levels in tight control; manage the insulin levels; manage the sodium levels; exercise vigorously daily; manage stress; eliminate the possibility of parasite infestation; and consider fasting techniques. Learn as much as possible about diabetes, food, and how to cleanse and maintain all of the vital organs.

If this appears to be a lot of hard work, it is. But it is not unusual for diabetics, that have not had any dieting success at all, to lose 30 pounds the first month. The key to total diabetes control, and improved health, is to lose the belly fat. It is paramount. As the belly fat goes away, it will become increasingly easier to win the fat war. Blood sugar control will become easier, blood pressure, triglyceride and cholesterol levels will improve. Go to http://www.diabeticshandbook.com for a free daily nutrition log, which will make tracking nutrition easier.

By Thomas Edward Nelson