When you're first diagnosed with diabetes you may feel overwhelmed. You know you should always follow your doctor's advice when you find out you're diabetic, and these tips may help you to stay on the right track. Ask your doctor before trying any new program or advice.

1. Test your blood sugar (blood glucose) levels. Your doctor will explain when and how often to do the testing.
2. Always take your diabetes medicine exactly as prescribed.
3. Visit a dietitian who can design a meal plan that's right for you.
4. Be careful to eat the right foods to control your blood sugar.
5. If your test shows you have low blood sugar, treat it quickly with your prescribed diabetes medication.
6. Keep accurate records (like a journal or diary) of all your blood tests, medicines you take, and your daily events. Always have your doctor look over your records.
7. Maintain a weight that is right for you. Your doctor will help you learn how much you should weigh.
8. Ask your doctor if you can exercise, then make sure to get physical activity.
9. If you haven't been very active for awhile, be sure and inform your doctor, then start slowly.
10. Two recommended activities are walking and swimming.
11. Check your feet everyday for any sores, blisters, cuts, red spots or swelling. Tell your doctor immediately about any sores that don't heal.
12. Don't smoke cigarettes, cigars or a pipe.
13. Continue to learn more about diabetes and diabetes self-care. Ask your family and friends for support. There are even diabetes support groups you can join.
14. You will always have questions about diabetes, but will you remember to ask your doctor about them?
    
15. Get important health tests done regularly: Hemoglobin A1c test, Blood pressure check, Cholesterol and other blood fat test, Foot, eye, and kidney exams
16. Don't forget to tell your dentist you have diabetes.
17. Set healthy goals for your life and break them into small steps to help you succeed.
18. Don't forget - you can control your diabetes instead of letting it control you.
19. Watch out for temptation! Stay away from foods or activities that you know can make you sick.
20. Reward yourself for following your doctor's plans and for staying in control of your blood sugar levels. Treat yourself to a new book, time with special friends or a drive in the country.

You can live a good life with diabetes!

Food Therapy should be followed under the supervision from your doctor. Check your sugar level frequently so that sugar levels do not go beyond the recommended level.

Foods to avoid
It is always advisable to avoid some foods if you are diabetic such as refined sugar, sweets, syrups, glucose, jam, molasses, fruit sugar, ice-cream, cakes, pastries, sweet biscuits, chocolates, soft drinks, condensed milk, cream and fried foods. Fats like butter, ghee and hydrogenated vegetable oil should also be avoided. White sugar and white flour should be reduced drastically. Avoid all processed foods, junk food, pastries, cookies, canned and preserved foods. They contain harmful preservatives and lot of salt. Avoid soft drinks since these have a lot of sugar. Try to avoid fried foods from your diet. Smoking results in the using up of oxygen in the body. So smoking should be avoided.

Foods to be limited
Salt consumption should be reduced to a minimum. You will get enough salt form the vegetables and fruits you eat. Reduce animal foods especially red meats. Reduce poultry and egg. Reduce caffeine and alcohol. Do not drink tea and coffee more than 2 cups a day. Try to replace it with green tea or herbal teas like Parsley tea, Blueberry leaf, Tea made of tender walnut tree leaves, Water in which kidney bean pods have been cooked is good diabetes.

Do not consume alcohol in empty stomach. Alcohol on an empty stomach can cause low blood glucose or hypoglycemia.Foods that should be consumed in moderation are honey and other natural sugars like palm sugar, dates which can be used instead of white sugar. Remember these should be consumed in very little quantity only.Pasta, coconut, other nuts, unsweetened juices, eggs should be limited. You can replace it with whole grain, unpolished rice and Soya products. Try to eat whole grain bread instead of white flour. Fats like olive oil and peanut oil are more advisable that hydrogenated fats. Low fat food like skimmed milk and low fat home made cottage cheese can be taken in moderation. Sea food and fish also can be taken in moderation.

Foods to be taken
Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.
An alkaline diet with natural food is recommended. Wholegrain, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and dairy products form a good diet for the diabetic. Raw vegetables can be taken in high quantities. It has been found that cooked foods raise blood glucose higher than raw, unpeeled foods. Cooking destroys many of the enzymes and some vitamins and minerals.

Eat at least five fruits every day. Fruits like grape fruit, pomegranate juice, Indian blackberry, banana, granny smith apples, fig, cranberries, black berry, kiwi fruits, and citrus fruits are highly recommended. Cucumber, Lettuce, onion, garlic string beans cucumber radish, tomato, carrot, leaves; spinach turnip, cabbage and Jerusalem artichoke are good for diabetes. Colorful vegetables are good for the functioning of pancreas. Drink Fruit juices without sugar. Brewer’s yeast and sprouted alfalfa and mung beans are good for the body. Unripe banana also can be cooked and eaten.

The most important of all is eating high fiber diet which lowers need for insulin. It releases energy into the body slowly. It has also been found that diabetes decreases and may even disappear in people eating a high fiber or whole food diet. High fiber diet has more chromium and chromium is very good for people with diabetes.

Eat lot of potassium rich foods like raw peanuts, tomato, bananas, melons, dried peas, potatoes, apple cider vinegar, skimmed milk powder, wheat but do not take potassium supplements.
Include soluble fiber in your meals like barley, oatmeal, almond meal, dried beans, kidney beans, cooked black beans, peas, cereals, chickpeas, Bengal gram which has low glycemic index, , Black gram, lentils and corn or garbanzo beans to helps considerably in reducing blood sugar levels. Soy products like tofu, tempeh, soymilk, soya powder, soy bean sprouts, nuggets etc are also very good in containing neurological complications in diabetes. When you eat lots of bread, cereal and starchy vegetables you will get enough of starches which is very helpful for diabetes. Insoluble fibers, found in bran (oat bran, wheat bran), whole grain breads, whole grains and nuts, act as intestinal scrubbers by cleaning out the lower gastrointestinal tract. Butter milk and yoghurt diet are very beneficial.

Helpful herbs and vegetables

1. Bitter Gourd (Karela): Bitter gourd Momordica-charantia or bitter melon juice contains plant insulin and should be taken 2 ounce 2 times daily on an empty stomach. Take bitter gourd powder I teaspoon daily in empty stomach.
2. Taking half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day may help prevent the onset of diabetes.
3. 30 gram fenugreek seeds can be soaked in a glass of water at night and after 12 hours take it and grind it into a paste with the soaked water and drink it on a empty stomach Or 2 teaspoon if powdered seeds can be taken with water or milk.
4. Eating upto 3 grapefruits a day has also been helpful.
5. 1 tablespoon of amla (Emblica officinalis) after removing the seeds extract the juice and mix with a cup of bitter gourd juice and take daily for 2months in a empty stomach.
6. Indian blackberry seeds or Jamun seed powder (scientific name of Jamun is Eugenia jambolana or Syzygium cumini L and) is very good for diabetes. Take 1/4th teaspoon with 1 teasoon honey for 50 days.
7. Eating freshly crushed raw garlic 3-4 grams a day lowers blood sugar.
8. Neem seeds daily 2 times a pinch. Taking a gram of neem leaf daily helps in diabetes.
9. Bael (Aegle marmelos) : The leave of the bael tree when chewed are very useful in diabetes. Pulp of this fruit could be dried and taken in doses of 5 to 10 gms a day.
10. A pinch of pure turmeric powders mixed in amla juice (Indian goose berry) and eat daily in empty stomach.
11. Use of turmeric and gooseberry in equal quantities in powder form taken with warm water is very useful in this behalf. These activate the pancreatic cells and more insulin is produced.
12. Wild jeerakam cumin seeds black colored 60 gm in 1 liter and boil a reduce it ti 1/4th liter and take half divide it into two equal parts and drink one part in the morning and one in the evening 2 times daily.
13. Grind (Bacopa monnieri )Bhrahmi and add a teaspoon of it to milk and drink.

Vitamins that help
Supplements in natural forms are more conducive to the body.
Magnesium supplementation has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity.
Vitamin C: 500 mg is recommended.
Vitamin E: This vitamin is very valuable for diabetes.
Chromium: Whole grains, seeds, mushrooms, corn oil and brewer’s yeast are relatively good sources of biologically valuable chromium.
Vitamin A: Take A dose of 15,000i.u. on alternate days.
Vitamin B: Avoid large dosage of vitamin B because this vitamin interferes with the absorption of insulin by cells.

Controlling your Weight is the best way to treat diabetes. Exercise improves the body's response to insulin. Walking, light games, jogging and swimming are also good.

Yoga can help a lot. Yogic asanas like Siddhasana, Vajrasana, Talasana, Yastikasana,, like Yogamudra, Hastapadasana, Paschimottanasana, Chakrasana, Ustrasana, Bhujangasana, Sarvangasana and Viparitakarani, as halasana, shalabhasana, dhanurasana, Pratipaksabhavana and shavasana will also be beneficial.

Current research from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts, shows that women that were more physically active and exercised on a regular basis prior to becoming pregnant and while pregnant are less likely to develop diabetes during their pregnancy.

Gestational Diabetes
Women in the study of over 21,765 individuals that were physically active prior to the pregnancy were 23 percent less likely to develop gestational diabetes. This number is significant in the control and prevention of this condition. In addition to controlling the gestational diabetes there are other health benefits for both the mother and the baby that are identified with a safe and effective exercise program prior to and during pregnancy.

Gestational diabetes occurs in approximately 4% of all pregnant women, and will result in over 135, 000 reported cases of this condition per year. It is not exactly known what causes gestational diabetes, but it is believed that the hormones produced by the placenta prevent the mother’s body from being able to absorb insulin. This insulin resistance may cause the mother to need up to three times as much insulin to have the same metabolic functioning.

Gestational diabetes usually goes away after the baby is born, but once you have had gestational diabetes you have a 2 in 3 chance of having it again in future pregnancies. Gestational diabetes is also a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

Effects on the baby
Gestational diabetes begins late in the pregnancy, after the baby’s body has already formed. The effects of the high levels of insulin in the mother are directly related to the way that the baby begins to produce insulin. Many babies will develop macrosomia, which is a condition that causes the baby to store all the extra sugar as fat, and leads to birthing problems, low blood glucose levels and respiratory problems.

How much exercise is needed?
Women that exercised vigorously by walking very briskly, cycling, swimming or other strenuous physical activity were the least likely to develop gestational diabetes. This group was 34 percent less likely to develop gestational diabetes than those that walked at an easy pace for the same amount of time. It is interesting to note that women that reported watching TV for more than twenty hours per week were 2.3 times more likely to develop gestational diabetes than those women that reported watching less than 2 hours of TV per week.

Since gestational diabetes can lead to type 2 diabetes, and further incidents of gestational diabetes it is important for women to be aware of these findings.

Indeed, many sufferers of diabetes have an interest in learning all about vitamins and herbs for diabetics in order to help or ward off the risk of complications that can arise if insulin levels are not maintained at a constant level. However, before we delve into vitamins and herbs for diabetics, we would be remiss if we didn't make a few dietary recommendations.

Become good friends with fiber-rich plant foods. Eat a diet rich in fiber as it seems to be helpful in reducing blood sugar surges.

Trim the saturated fat and cholesterol. Put simply, eat less or eliminate animal products and eat more whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables.

Say hello to antioxidant-rich foods. Antioxidants are disease-fighting substances that mop up the continuous onslaught of free radicals. Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules that damage cells as they travel through the body and are responsible for laying the groundwork for the most serious complications of diabetes if left unchecked. Plant-derived foods are rich in antioxidant nutrients.

Get nuts and seeds. Include in your diet nuts and seeds.

Slash the refined sugars. Your diet should be low in refined sugars.

Now, before we discuss vitamins and herbs for diabetics it's important that we make a few comments. Indeed, there are many nutrients that may help aid a person who suffers from diabetes, but one should never stop taking their insulin or any medication prescribed. However, it may be possible to take these vitamins and herbs for diabetics as well as other nutrients in conjunction with your prescription medications or insulin if you consult your physician first. Moreover, you need to make sure these herbs or nutrients are appropriate for your condition.
That said, let's delve into vitamins and herbs for diabetics. In fact, let's begin with the herbal kingdom.

Become familiar with Ayurvedic medicine. Bitter melon (Momordica charantia), gudmar (Gymnema sylvestre), and gulvel (Tinospora cordifo), are highly respected herbal remedies used to regulate blood sugar levels in Ayurvedic medicine. In addition, gudmar (Gymnema sylvestre) reduces the cravings for sweet foods.

Look into this exciting new herbal called Banaba Leaf. Banaba is a medicinal plant grown in the Philippines and Asia where its leaves have long been used as a folk remedy for treating diabetes as well as kidney disease. New research has shown this medicinal plant can lower unwanted levels of glucose in the blood.

Meet the berry family. Cedar berries are excellent nourishment for the pancreas and huckleberry may help promote insulin production. Juniper berries have been found to lower blood glucose levels and bilberry helps prevent diabetic eye damage. In addition, bilberry has shown to reduce blood sugar levels.

Stop! Dandelion root is a liver protector, which converts nutrients into glucose. Moreover, some studies have found that it may lower blood sugar levels and, as such, possibly benefiting those with diabetes.

Fill up on fenugreek seeds. Fenugreek seeds have been shown to reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels in studies. However, there is a one drawback to this herb.
Discover Gingko biloba. Ginkgo is a well-known powerful antioxidant that is prized for its ability to enhance circulation.

Other herbs that may possibly help lower or improve blood-sugar levels include: Garlic, Ginseng, Psyllium, and Nopal (prickly pear cactus).
Now, let's move forward on our topic of this article, vitamins and herbs for diabetics and discuss vitamins.

Befriend vitamins A, B, C, and E. First, vitamins A, C, and E are antioxidants. Vitamin A with carotenoids is needed to maintain eye health. The B vitamins help produce enzymes that convert glucose to energy. In addition, the Bs may be helpful as an aid in preventing diabetic nerve damage. A deficiency in vitamin C may lead to vascular problems for diabetes sufferers. Vitamin C with bioflavonoids may slow or prevent complications that occur in this condition. Vitamin E improves circulation and helps prevent complications as well.

Check out Inositol. Get real acquainted with Alpha-lipoic acid. Alpha-lipoic acid is a potent antioxidant that helps control blood sugar levels. It has been used as a supplement to treat diabetic neuropathy, the nerve pain or tingling or numbness in the hands and feet that is common among individuals with diabetes. In fact, alpha lipoic acid is approved in Germany as an effective prescription drug for diabetic neuropathy.

Lean on chromium, the sugar regulator. Chromium is a mineral that's essential for normal insulin function and, as such, chromium improves insulin efficiency, which helps lower blood sugar levels. Diabetes sufferers are often deficient in this mineral.
Diabetes sufferers are often deficient in these minerals.

Diabetes Mellitus is one of the most costly burdensome chronic diseases of our time and is condition that is increasing in epidemic population in the whole world. The complications resulting from the diseases are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality and are associated with failure of various organs such as the eyes, kidneys and nerves. Diabetics are also at a significantly higher risk for coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease and stroke and they have a greater likelihood of having hypertension dyslipidemia and obesity.

What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disorder of the glands, of pancreas to be exact, called Madhumeha in Ayurveda.

What are the types of Diabetes?
According to Ayurveda Diabetes is of two types: Diabetes Mellitus- Insulin dependent Juvenile Diabetes (IDDM-Type I) in which the body is unable to produce insulin and Non Insulin Dependent Adult Onset Diabetes (NIDDM-Type II) in which the pancreas produces insulin, but it is insufficient for reducing the blood glucose to normal levels.

What are the common symptoms of Type- 1 Diabetes?
Some of the common symptoms of Type- 1 Diabetes are:
• Excessive Thirst
• Frequent urination
• Unexplained weight loss
• Irritability
• Weakness
• Fatigue

What are the common symptoms of Type- 2 Diabetes?
• Loss off weight
• Numbness in hands or feet.
• Uncontrolled infections
• Pain in the limbs
• Inflammatory chest infections
• Dimness of vision, contrast
• Excessive thirst
• Body weakness

What are the different tests for Diabetes?
Urine Test: Some chemicals are added to a few drops of urine. Colour change indicates presence of glucose in urine.
Blood Test: In this, blood is taken to test the glucose level. This is more accurate test to confirm diabetes

Which parts of my body are affected by Diabetes?
Blood Vessels: Higher level of glucose damage the blood vessels. As a result of this most of the diabetic complications occur in blood vessels.
Heart: Diabetes affects the heart by: Increasing the amount of fat in blood and increasing the amount of homocysteine in blood.
Kidney: In diabetes because of increased levels of glucose, kidneys have to do extra work to retain essential substances and separate waste products to produce urine. This affects the small blood vessels and their capacity to filter.
Eyes: Diabetes affects blood vessels of the eyes. Damage to these blood vessels leads to eye problems like: Damage to retina, Cataract or total loss of vision
Foot: Damage to blood vessels reduces blood flow to the feet and increases risk of developing foot ulcers and infections.
Nerves: High glucose level for a long time damages nerves. Nerve damage reduces sensation in some parts of body which may lead to: Numbness and tingling, Fainting and dizziness

How do I know if my diabetes medicines are working?
Learn to test your blood glucose. After you test your blood glucose, write down your blood glucose test results. Then ask your doctor teacher if your diabetes medicines are working. A good blood glucose reading before meals is between 70 and 140 mg/dL.

Ask your doctor about how low or how high your blood glucose should get before you take action. For many people, blood glucose is too low below 70 mg/dL and too high above 240 mg/dL.

One other number to know is the result of a blood test your doctor does called the A1C. It shows your blood glucose control during the past 2 to 3 months. Home Remedies for Diabetes:
Amla, due to its vitamin C content is effective in controlling diabetes. A tablespoon of its juice, mixed with a cup of fresh bitter-gourd juice, taken daily for two months will secrete the pancreas and enable it to secrete insulin.

Take ten tulsi leaves, ten neem leaves and ten belpatras with a glass of water early morning on an empty stomach. It will work wonders in keeping your sugar levels under control.
The leaves of Butea tree are very useful in diabetes. They reduce blood sugar and are useful in glycousia.

Take two teaspoons of powdered Fenugreek seeds with milk. Eat 10 fresh fully grown curry leaves every morning for three months. It prevent diabetes due to heredity factors. It also cures diabetes due to obesity.

I was in a Wal Mart store when I discovered I had diabetes. I had had my semi annual blood work done two days before and my doctor was calling to tell me that my blood tests showed that my blood sugar level was a little over five hundred. I knew this was something serious because he had never called me before about anything! Calmly I asked him what the normal reading should be and he said around seventy. I hadn't realized that I was sick!

I was unusually tired all the time, even when I had had a restful day. My energy was gone and I couldn't figure out why. Little did I know that my blood sugar was way out of range.

It wasn't my physical help she was concerned about at the time, but my mental state. She said that my mood swings were driving her nuts. I thought I was always on an even keel emotionally, all sweetness and understanding. She thought otherwise. Looking back, I can see where I had begun showing symptoms of diabetes, but at the time I didn't take them seriously.

One problem I had was frequent urination. It was worse at night. I was getting up in the morning already tired from lack of sleep the night before. Also I was losing weight even though I was eating more because of the late night snacks when I got up to go to the bathroom at all hours of the night.

Another symptom of type 2 diabetes, or adult onset diabetes, is that any cuts or sores you have on your body are extremely slow in healing. About a month before my visit to the lab for blood work, I had had dental surgery. The antibiotics he prescribed were not working and the pain pills kept upsetting my stomach. The dentist couldn't understand why I was not healing, but he must have suspected something because he asked me one time if I was a diabetic. My biggest concern at the time was with blurred vision. I thought it was because I hadn't had my glasses changed in about 2 years and it was time I visited the eye doctor. Later my family doctor explained the problem in language I could understand. He said, "When your blood sugar is out of range the sugar crystals adhere to the lens of your eyes, therefore blurring your vision." I'm sure the medical interpretation of my problem would be a little more precise, but that was enough to scare me into taking him seriously.

Diabetes is not something to take lightly. It can get ugly pretty fast. There are other warning signs such as itching of the skin usually around the groin or vaginal area, impotency dry mouth. If you are having some or all or these symptoms, hurry to a doctor. Diabetes can be a nasty disease, but it can be controlled. Look for the symptoms.

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 are 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.

Diabetes low blood sugar also known as Type 2 Diabetes or Hypoglycemia is a condition wherein the blood sugar level is below 70mg - dl. Glucose or blood sugar is the body's fuel and if it gets too low, the person usually does not feel symptoms right away and blood sugar can drop rapidly so quick treatment is necessary.

It is critical to spot the early signs and symptoms of diabetes low blood sugar in order to avoid the condition from worsening. The symptoms of this condition vary depending on the person but, typically, they include shaking, sweating, rapid heart palpitations, anxiety, hunger pangs, blurred vision, sudden weakness or fatigue, irritability, dizziness, and headaches. In moderate to severe cases of diabetes low blood sugar, the person may become confused or even unconscious.

Diabetes low blood sugar may be caused by overuse of certain medications for diabetes, poor eating habits such as skipping meals or not eating at regular meal times, over-exercise or excessive physical activity, and excessive alcohol use.

If you have are experiencing the symptoms of diabetes low blood sugar, you need to have your blood sugar tested. You can do this by a blood sugar test by yourself but if you are unable to do so, treat your condition right away by taking in 15 grams of fast-acting glucose, which could be 4 glucose tablets, 4 oz of fruit juice or regular soda, or 8 ounces of low-fat milk.

Once you have administered treatment, wait for 15 minutes and then do a blood sugar test to check if the level is back to a safe range. If not, repeat the treatment described above.

To prevent diabetes low blood sugar, it is essential that you determine the pattern in your episodes. For example, does your blood sugar drop before lunch or dinner or after you exercise?
To treat diabetes low blood sugar effectively, you need to limit foods like cakes, chocolates, pastries, candies, cheese and etcetera. These foods contain fat that make it harder for the body to absorb them. You may need to discuss with your doctor about changes in your medication or changes in your exercise program.

Managing the supplies and items needed to control diabetes on a daily basis can be frustrating and stressful. There are several new products out on the market to make your life simpler and less stressful when it comes to managing your diabetes and your diabetes supplies.

Socks
Comfortable and supportive socks are important especially if you have high glucose levels. These elevated glucose levels can cause problems in the nerves of the feet and lead to issues with proper blood circulation. Using the correct socks will prevent damage by blisters or other abrasions to the feet and can help with increasing circulation and prevent swelling.

Blood Glucose Monitors
One of the most important tools for the management of diabetes a good, reliable blood glucose monitor is an essential for testing your sugar levels. Many monitor now offer painless testing that requires only a small fraction of the amount of blood that older monitors require. In addition to monitors make sure you have the correct test strips for your monitor.

Blood pressure monitors
It is estimated that between twenty and sixty percent of all people with diabetes also have high blood pressure. If you are in this group it is important to consider having a blood pressure monitor handy to keep track of any changes in blood pressure due to diet, stress, medication changes or changes in routine.

Electronic blood pressure monitors are now available and they are as reliable and much easier to use than the traditional stethoscope blood pressure monitor.

Glucose gel and tablets
Glucose gels and tablets should be carried at all times, especially if the individual has type 1 diabetes. Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, can occur and it is critical to be able to have immediate access to either glucose tablets or gel. Glucose gel is faster acting than tablets as it is more readily absorbed by the body during hypoglycemia.

Software
There are many inclusive and comprehensive diabetes software programs available on the market. These software programs allow the patient to monitor and track all data, as well as helping with food and menu planning.

Insulin cases
Insulin is very susceptible to changes in temperature, and can be difficult to travel with if the appropriate travel case is not available. Rather than having to restrict how far you can go, consider purchasing an insulin case or travel case to prevent excessive heating or cooling of your insulin supply.

Diabetes is a fact of life for many people. Having the correct and most up-to-date supplies can make managing diabetes easier, safer and more convenient.

For millions of people around the globe the need to perform a blood sugar test every day is a reality. These people suffer from diabetes and the utilization of blood tests is the only way to track the sugar levels in their blood, therefore, keeping them healthy. As if taking blood from yourself several times a day weren't enough, there are also special rules when it comes to the care and maintenance or the blood testing supplies. Below is an overview of what needs to be done when caring for these important medical devises.

1- The most important reason to learn how to take care of your blood sugar testing supplies is that the information that they provide to you will be used to determine your course of treatment. Any reading that is off because the equipment wasn't correctly taken care of could affect the information that is given, therefore affecting the care that you receive.

2- The most common blood sugar testing supplies that are used are the meters, lancets and strips. Every one of these items requires a different course of action in regards to its care and maintenance. The most important step is to carefully read the manufactures suggestions for care and use.

3- When you are learning to care for your meter, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Do not ever leave your meter in a car; these types of machines cannot be exposed to the hot or cold temperatures that are experienced in a closed car. Be sure to clean and change the batteries in your meter as suggested in the manual.

4- When you have used a lancet, it is important to dispose of it correctly in a timely manner. Lancets can be dangerous for other people as they can cause injury to adults and children alike. It is suggested that you place the used lancet in an empty plastic container that has a top, such as a laundry detergent bottle. When the bottle is approximately two-thirds to three-quarters full of the used lancet, tightly close the bottle and throw it away. NEVER throw a used lancet or any other blood sugar test supply in the trash without taking the necessary precautions listed.

5- The most important care tip for the testing strips is to keep them away from humidity. This type of exposure can cause them to be ineffective in your daily battle against diabetes. Also, make sure to replace the top of the bottle that the strips come in immediately upon removing one for testing.

6- When the doctor takes blood to run his tests, you should also run a blood sugar test using your equipment. If your numbers are the same as your doctor's, you know that your supplies are accurate.

7- As with any type of medical issue, it is very important to keep in close contact with your physician. If you have any questions as to the use or accuracy of your blood sugar testing supplies, give them a call.

Babies whose teenage mothers had smoked during their pregnancy are more prone to suffer from LBW (low birth weight) than babies whose mothers did not smoke, according to a new study published in the latest edition of Medical Journal of Australia. The study also showed that only one in 15 smoking teenagers quits their habit during pregnancy, the prospect of pregnancy risks mitigating with quit smoking not withstanding.

The Medical Journal of Australia, in its study, points out that low birth weight is the indicator of a newborn's overall health and route of future development. In the observations made as part of the study, scientists from the University of New South Wales found out that 10% of babies born to teenagers who smoke were of low birth weight compared to 6% in women who are non-smokers. The study also points out that woman, who had quit smoking before 20 weeks into pregnancy, delivered healthier babies much like their non-smoking counterparts.

Writing in the journal, Assoc Prof Elizabeth Sullivan and Denise Chan had said that it is crucial for teenage mothers to realize the negative impacts smoking can have on their still born babies for the sake of their baby's health. They further added that 'the important public health message from our study is that quitting smoking before the second half of pregnancy has a positive impact on a baby's birth weight." The study also points out that smoker-mothers, no matter how many cigarettes they smoked daily, had their babies born with lower birth weight.

Chicago, Illinois, January 9, 2007. Recently, the federal government levied $25,000,000 in fines against 3 weight loss supplement manufacturers, including the highly publicized TrimSpa, featuring celebrity spokesperson, Anna Nicole Smith.

Ms. Smith, who provided visible, physical evidence of the product’s ability to help shed pounds, admitted to reporters over a year ago, that she lost much of the weight in ways other than ingestion of the TrimSpa product (Don’t ask how she did it. Beyond the appearance of results provided by Ms. Smith, the federal government looked deeper and found that little or no clinical evidence existed to support the TrimSpa’s weight loss claims.

TrimSpa, apparently, was a successful marketing ploy, rather than good science applied to an age old problem of excess weight.

Fortunately, there are companies out there that spend more on research, science and good weight loss product development, than on empty celebrity endorsements.
Here are some guidelines for finding effective weight loss supplements:

#1 Look for a Product with claims substantiated by hard science
Many weight loss supplement manufacturers claim “clinically-proven”, “documented results” or “backed by scientific research” to sell their products. If a manufacturer is unwilling to provide substantiation, run like the wind.

#2 Not all Clinical Research is the same
Look closely at the clinical studies provided by weight loss manufacturers. Was it conducted by a reputable, recognized institution, such as Georgetown University Medical Center, Harvard or other known organization? If the manufacturer provides study results that were conducted by unspecified persons, under vague conditions, question their product claims

#3 What happens in the manufacturing plant
While a manufacturer may have scientific studies, conducted at reputable institutions that substantiate their product claims, they may not be putting the right ingredient purity, quality grade or dosage to help you realize the same results achieve in clinical studies.

Effective weight loss ingredients are expensive. One way a manufacturer can goose profits, is to lower the amount of active ingredients, while benefiting from legitimate result claims.

To make sure you’ll be getting the same product as used in clinical testing, is to look for quality manufacturing verification from independent organizations, such as USP (US Pharmacopoeia), NF or Consumer Labs. Look for one or more of their symbols on weight loss packaging. If it’s missing, avoid buying the product.

Getting beyond the hype of questionable, but often convincing celebrity endorsements requires some homework on the consumers’ part.

Speaking about health before pregnancy, we mean way of life, nutrition, physical activity, habits, and also possible chronic diseases, such as heightened blood pressure or diabetes. If you have such diseases, then you just have to visit a doctor beforehand. You know, this may complicate pregnancy, bring harm to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor which medicinal preparations and in which doses you take. Doctor will recommend you tests and observations you should pass, for example, X-ray photography.

Diabetes
Diabetes – it is a disease, appearing as a result of lack of insulin in organism, this hormone is produced by pancreas. Moreover, diabetes can influence passing of pregnancy seriously. Secondly, women suffering from diabetes can give birth to babies with inborn defects.

You can reduce risk of such complications due to constant control of sugar content in blood during pregnancy. If you don’t care of your state, then diabetes while pregnancy may turn out to be dangerous both for you and your future baby. Majority of complications, connected with diabetes, are displayed during first trimester, i.e. during first 13 weeks of pregnancy.

Pregnancy may cause complications of state while diabetes, what will require increase of insulin doses. Majority of doctors recommend taking a special care of this disease development during at least 2-3 months before conception. This will help to reduce probability of risk of miscarriage or other problems. Probably, you will have to pass tests on sugar content in blood several times per day, to control disease completely and avoid possible complications. Past experience shows that women, suffering from diabetes, had serious problems with conception and passing of pregnancy. But die to complete and constant control even women-diabetics can count on successful result of pregnancy and delivery.

If in your family there were cases of diabetes or you have slightest suspicions as for your own health, pass tests before pregnancy surely.

Asthma
About 1% of pregnant women suffer from asthma. It is impossible to predict influence of pregnancy on asthma. Half of women, suffering from this disease, notice no changes during pregnancy, about 25% feel even slight improvement, and the rest (25%) observe worsening of state.

Majority of anti-asthma remedies are safe for pregnant, but it is still better to consult a doctor as for preparation to take. Almost all who suffer from asthma know what may become a reason of fit, so avoid contact with allergens before getting pregnant and during whole pregnancy. Try to control your state yet before pregnancy.

Hypertension
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can cause complication both of mother’s and unborn baby’s health. For women it is connected with risk of refusal of kidneys work, probability of hypertensic crisis or headache. Increase of a future mother’s blood pressure may become a reason for decrease of blood inflow to placenta, what will lead to delays of fetus development, i.e. a baby will weigh less, than normal while birth.

If you had high blood pressure before pregnancy, then you just have to take care of it during all 9 months. Probably, gynaecologist will send you to therapeutist’s or family doctor’s observation with this purpose.

Before making a decision to become pregnant, women, suffering from hypertension, should consult a doctor. Some remedies against high blood pressure are safe for pregnant, some are not. On no account quit taking pills and reduce dose without a doctor’s prescription! If you plan giving birth to a baby, ask you doctor about remedies you are taking against high blood pressure, and about safety of taking these medicines during pregnancy.

Heart diseases
During pregnancy load on heart increases about 50%. Some heart diseases, such as mitral valve prolapse, can seriously complicate passing of pregnancy. Other heart diseases, such as inborn heart disease, may seriously influence state of health. In this case pregnancy and delivery are sometimes contra-indicated.

Consult your doctor as for heart diseases before you become pregnant.

Kidneys and urinary bladder diseases
Infections of urinary system, in particular urinary bladder, often appear during pregnancy. If you don’t cure disease in time, infection may pass to kidneys, causing pyelonephritis.

Infections of urinary bladder and pyelonephritis may lead to premature birth. If you ever suffered from pyelonephritis or repeating infections of urinary system, this should be determined before pregnancy.

Stones in kidneys also may complicate passing of pregnancy. Moreover, stones in kidneys may become a reason of appearance of infections of urinary system and pyelonephritis.

Thyroid gland diseases
Thyroid gland diseases may appear both because of excess or lack of thyroid hormone. Excess of hormone is called thyrotoxicosis. In this case metabolism in human organism is speeded up. Thyrotoxicosis is usually cured with help of operation of medicinal remedies, reducing content of thyroid hormone in organism. If you don’t cure this disease, there’s rather high level of risk premature birth and giving birth to a baby with low weight.

You can carry our treatment during pregnancy too: there’re quite safe preparations, which pregnant women may take.

Lack of thyroid hormone – hypothyroidism – is usually caused by disease of autoimmune origin. In this case thyroid gland is damaged by anti-bodies, which are produced by your organism. Not cured hypothyroidism threatens with sterility or habitual noncarrying of pregnancy.

If you have thyrotoxicosis or hypothyroidism, you need to pass through observation before pregnancy, to determine doses of medicinal remedies, necessary for treatment. In the process of pregnancy your necessity in preparations may change, and then you will have to pass another observation.

Anemia
Anemia means that there’s lack of haemoglobin in your organism. There’re several reasons and in connection with this several kinds of anemia. Symptoms of anemia are weakness, giddiness, lack of air and pale skin.

During pregnancy necessity of organism in iron and iron-containing substances increases. If in the beginning of pregnancy you suffer from lack of iron in blood, anemia increases this lack. One of specific types of anemia - sicle-cell disease, which is passed genetically: it is mainly spread among black population. If you suffer from sicle-cell disease, your organism is deprived of oxygen. Passing of this kind of anemia can be very painful, and it also may serve as a reason for other diseases and complications during pregnancy. Sicle-cell disease cannot be cured and may be passed to your baby. Women, suffering from sicle-cell disease, have very high percent of miscarriages and infections of urinary system. They also may suffer from high blood pressure and painful hypertension strokes.

If some of your relatives suffers from thalassanemia or you suppose you can have it, check it before pregnancy.

Lupus
Lupus is a vascular disease of autoimmune origin. This means your organism produces anti-bodies that may destroy your organs or influence functions of these organs negatively. Lupus can affect different organs, including joints, kidneys, lungs and heart.

This disease is hard to diagnose. As a rule, lupus more often strikes women, than men, especially women of genital age, i.e. from 20 to 40 years.

Lupus treatment is highly individual and usually means taking if steroids. It is better not to become pregnant during fit of this disease, as miscarriages are extremely often among women suffering from lupus. Risk of giving birth to a dead baby also increases.

Babies, born from mothers, suffering from lupus, can have rash. They also can have different heart diseases. Premature birth and delay of pre-natal development of fetus are also quite possible.

If you suffer from lupus, consult your doctor before pregnancy definitely.

Epilepsy and epileptic seizures
Epilepsy – is a chronic disease, characterized by different kinds of seizures (fits). Chance of giving birth to a baby with epileptic disease can be 1 of 30 for women, suffering from epilepsy. Such babies have risk of in-born diseases, probably, connected with medicines, which a future mother took during pregnancy.

If you take medicines against epilepsy, it is very important to consult your doctor before pregnancy. Discuss doses and type of medicines, which you take, as many preparations, relieving seizures of epilepsy, cause in-born diseases in babies. Seizures can be dangerous both for mother and fetus. So it is especially important to take remedies precisely according to a doctor’s prescription during pregnancy. On no account reduce dose or quit taking medicine yourself, without a doctor!

Migraine
About 15-20% of all pregnant women suffer from migraine. Many women notice improvement of health during pregnancy. If you are going to take pills against headache during pregnancy, check with your doctor how much they are safe for you and future baby.

Cancerous growths
A question of probability of cancer’s influence on pregnancy depends on the fact which organ it stroke and how wide is growth. Breast cancer is most often form of cancer, met among women. If you had breast cancer, this will not influence pregnancy anyway, and pregnancy, in its turn, will not cause breast cancer.

Many doctors advice to wait 2-3 years with childbirth after breast cancer treatment. It is very important to discuss case history and method of treatment with your doctor yet before pregnancy. Situation may become quite complicated, if you are pregnant and pass treatment at the same time. Many medicines and remedies against cancer are not safe for future mother and baby.

Other diseases
We examined only some chronic diseases. However, any disease can be dangerous for future baby. So if you suffer from some chronic disease or have to take medicines constantly, discuss it with your doctor. Laying of all organs and tissues of a baby takes place during 1st trimester of pregnancy, and during this period you need to protect a future baby from harmful influences of medicines or observations. You will feel better and calmer, if you solve all these problems before pregnancy.

There is a war raging within our bodies every day. One the one side are environmental toxins that we breathe, drink and eat and on the other side are our bodies defense mechanisms that fight to keep us healthy. There are ‘natural toxins’ all over our environment. Things like disease causing germs, radon gas and other natural contaminants that get into our food, water and the air we breathe. This is no reason to get alarmed. Our bodies defense systems just don’t adapt at the same rate. It is also problematic that the foods we eat have declined in nutritional quality. This puts us and our kids at greater risk since our bodies require this nutrition for ammunition against the environmental threats.

Casualty Report
When we think about things like hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and adult - onset diabetes (type II diabetes), we don’t typically think of these as childhood illnesses. However, children are diagnosed with chronic illness more and more all the time. Some would argue that this is simply due to an improvement in early diagnosis techniques. While this is certainly a factor, it is undeniable that the rate of many chronic diseases is increasing in children and adults alike.

A large national study called the PDAY study (predeterminants of atherosclerosis in youth) actually showed that 1 in 5 high school age kids today, already have the beginning stages of atherosclerosis and the majority of youth have fatty streaks in their arteries. We must reverse these trends. Kids are not immune to chronic disease caused by poor lifestyle choices. I hear all the time “they’re just kids, they can handle it”. This is absolutely false. Lack of quality nutrition in our kids is allowing the slow accumulation of damage to mount up in their veins and organs until one day it hits a point where they are diagnosed with disease.

Chronic illnesses that will catch up to them in adulthood are not the only problems. There are many immediate threats as well. Poor nutrition is associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), asthma, eczema and behavioral problems. This is not to say that poor nutrition is the sole cause of all of these disorders but it can definitely contribute. In many cases, improved diet and quality nutritional supplementation can reverse or at least improve several childhood disorders and can prevent chronic illness in adulthood.

Oxidative Stress Threatens Your Children’s Future
One of the major on-going battles is to keep damage from oxidative stress at a minimum. Many experts now believe that damage due to oxidative stress underlies the cause of several chronic degenerative diseases. There are certainly other factors at work, like genetics, but oxidative stress appears to be a significant player.

What is oxidative stress? Oxygen is a double-edged sword. Without it, we cannot produce the high-energy demands of our physiology. But the highly reactive properties of oxygen that make it so useful also make it very dangerous.

We mostly use oxygen in a reaction to convert foods we eat into a useful energy molecule, called ATP, which is the primary fuel that our body uses. However, the process of using oxygen to make ATP actually release very damaging molecules called free radicals. These little suckers can actually rip through your cells and create tons of havoc, damaging all kinds of things including your DNA. This process is called ‘oxidative stress’ and if left unchecked can lead to all kinds of disease like cancer, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s dementia, Parkinson’s disease and lots more.

The damage caused by oxidative stress slowly accumulates until it is bad enough to cause disease. It really just depends on where the greatest damage happens that determines the type of disease. For example, oxidative damage in the eye can lead to macular degeneration; in the joints to arthritis; in the arteries to atherosclerosis. Oxidative stress will be more likely to get a foothold wherever you are genetically weakest. But the underlying molecular mechanisms of these varied disease can have a similar root cause – too much oxidative stress.

Anti-Oxidants to Your Children’s Rescue
Luckily, our bodies have ways to deal with oxidative stress. We have genes that have the specific job of ‘capturing’ these free radicals, before they wreak too much havoc, and minimize the damage. This defense mechanism is sometimes called our anti-oxidant system.

Many vitamins and plant-derived nutrients, like vitamin C and vitamin E also act as ‘anti-oxidants’ and help our bodies natural anti-oxidant systems keep free radicals under control. This is why it is so incredibly important to get enough of these nutrients into our bodies because without them damage from oxidative stress accumulates over time until it causes major health problems. The body’s own systems are not sufficient. We must arm them with anti-oxidant molecules from our diet and supplements to optimize our defenses.

Every time you allow your kids to eat poorly you allow a little damage and every time you encourage your kids to eat well you add a little protection to deal with or reverse the damage. If you continually tip the scales in favor of the damage, your kids will have a high probability of health problems.

What is Pre-diabetes?
This is a fact that before developing diabetes mellitus type 2, almost always that patient develops Pre-diabetes condition. In pre-diabetes, blood sugar levels are in higher limits, but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes mellitus. In USA only, more than 54 million people have pre-diabetes condition.During pre-diabetes damage to heart and circulatory system may already be occuring.

Various studies have shown that if you control your pre-diabetes condition earlier, then there are very less chances to develop type 2 diabetes mellitus, or you can delay it to develop. So always try to manage your blood glucose under control limits when you are in pre-diabetic stage to prevent yourself from developing type 2 diabetes.

Do you have Pre-diabetes Condition, How to Tell?
There are two important tests that can tell you that you are having pre-diabetes condition. 1-The fasting plasma glucose test (FPG) 2: Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Fasting Plasma Glucose Test values for pre-diabetes are between 100mg/dl to 125mg/dl. If your glucose level is below 100mg/dl, then you have normal metabolism, if above 125mg/dl then you have Diabetes. It means if your level is between 100-125mg/dl, then you will have pre-diabetes.

In case of OGTT, if less than 140mg/dl, then normal, between 140-200mg/dl is pre-diabetic condition and above 200mg/dl is diabetic condition.

How you can prevent pre-diabetes?
Pre-diabetes can be very lethal to your health if you will not manage it seriously. Sooner or later you will probably have type 2 diabetes. You can also even get your glucose level within normal limits if you follow these 3 steps.
A: Change in your diet habit. Try to avoid sweets in your diet.
B: Half hour moderate exercise.
C: Weight reduction.

Just 30 minutes daily moderate physical activity or exercise, along with a 5-10% reduction in body weight, can produce a 58% reduction in diabetes

Who should get tested for pre-diabetes?
If you are not overweight and above 45, should consult your doctor. If you are below 45 and overweight, you should also check your fasting plasma glucose level.
If you are having normal blood glucose levels you should have FPG test every 3 years. If you have pre-diabetes, you should be checked for type 2 diabetes every year after your diagnosis of pre-diabetes.

Children pre-diabetes
Children have much less chances of developing pre-diabetes condition, however if they are very obese then one must think of pre-diabetes condition and get yourself be checked for pre-diabetes.

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.

If you are diabetic, finding the right balance of food can be hard. This article will cover the different foods you should eat and avoid when you have diabetes.

Food to Avoid
Avoid food high in sugar, honey and artificial sweeteners. Use an alternative sweetener like stevia. Foods High in sugar include sweets and chocolate. If you need the occasional piece of chocolate (like most of us!) then try to eat Continental dark chocolate with at-least 75% cocoa solids.

You should also avoid certain types of vegetables including beans, parsnips, carrots and peas.
You should also avoid fruits including banana, grapes, strawberries and mangoes.
Avoid types of grains including pasta, rice, barley, corn, wheat and rye and foods that contain ingredients that end in ol or ose.

Foods to Eat
Foods you should eat should be high in fibre. A high fibre diet is very important for diabetics. This includes cereals, nuts, fruits, seeds and certain vegetables. You should also eat fruits that include grapefruit, peaches, lime and apples. Eat fruit and vegetables gradually throughout the day so your blood sugar level won’t suddenly rise. You can also eat seafood of all types preferably boiled, steamed, baked or grilled – Not fried.

Eat white meats like chicken, fish and duck. Eggs are fine for diabetics but try to avoid the yolk. Cheeses are also fine apart from cottage cheese.

Consider this as being an illness just like any other such as diabetes. Don't be ashamed when you are going through a tough time and need help. The first part of healing a panic and anxiety disorder, is acknowledging that it is there and it needs to be addressed.

Try distraction. If you can take my mind off of the panic, you may do much better.

Breathe. REALLY, really, concentrate on your breathing. Say coping statements out loud, or to yourself, such as "I can do this" or I've had worse times than this before and come out of it OK, this is nothing. Remember what a BEAR panic and anxiety disorder is, then go into a fight mode. Don't let that BEAR hurt you anymore!

The thought of having a panic or anxiety attack can make your panic symptons flare up. It is your mind that needs to be stopped. Try to occupy yourself and ignore the bad thoughts. Thoughts are dangerous. Negative thinking is a big part of the problem.

Install a ceiling fan in your bedroom. Many of those suffering from panic and anxiety disorder report that one of the things that sets them off is a feeling of not getting enough air. A ceiling fan may help this feeling when it's not practical to open a window.

Try doing tai chi or chi gong daily. Many sufferers of panic and anxiety disorder have derived great relief by practicing these very gentle martial arts movements. They can be practiced anywhere at just about anytime. Do some research and find a good instructor.

As mentioned above, tai chi, chi gong, meditation, or yoga etc, can give you an overall feeling of relaxation. Losing the tension is a good first step. You can gain mental relaxation and control by challenging negative thinking patterns with positive ones.

Finally, when all else fails and you go into a panic attack, TAKE YOUR MEDICATION.. There's nothing wrong with taking the correct medication in the correct dose as prescribed by your doctor.

So you’ve learned that you’ve got diabetes. Well after the initial shock, you’re stuck with dealing with the lifestyle changes that come with your diagnosis. When you go into the situation knowing that this isn’t the end but only the beginning of a new phase in your life it gives you a better perspective on life. Oftentimes, folks feel a sense of relief when they finally realize what the problem is. The stress of uncertainty lifts and the realization sets in that their life is now on a straight path. Well sort of..

Of course your new lifestyle will demand a few changes. Depending on whether or not you have Type I or Type 2 diabetes you might even have to take insulin shots, ouch!! Relax, things are going to get only better now that your health is being managed correctly.

Your new diet will consist of many foods with lower carbohydrates, which can of course be a hassle if you are addicted to savories. Sure, there’s a downside, but your quality of life should go up immeasurably. A lower carb diet doesn’t exclude all of the things that you have come to love, just cautiously watching your diet will help. Moderation and constant inventory of what you are eating is essential to helping you maintain a healthy diet. After you’ve had to deal with the disease for awhile you’ll be a whiz at maintaining yourself. Foods that are high in protein such as meats and nuts will be your friends since the carbohydrate levels are very low. This isn’t to say that you should go on a “no carb” diet, management and moderation is the key.
All in all you should be in constant contact with your physician & nutritionist while you are still in the beginning phase of the disease.

If you have recently been diagnosed with diabetes, you are probably experiencing many emotions all at once. You have a lot of questions that need answers, one of which is how well can you control your disease with a diabetic diet. The diet that you follow will play a large roll helping you control your diabetes instead of your diabetes controlling you.

1. There are no sets of guidelines that have been written in stone for the control of diabetes for every person. However, there are certain things suggestions for all diabetes patients, in fact, for all Americans, that should be followed to maintain a healthy life style. These suggestions are based on US dietary guidelines for healthier eating.
2. These guidelines suggest limiting fat intake, limiting dietary cholesterol, a diet rich in fiber, eat fresh fruits in moderation, limit the amount of protein that is eaten and reduce your salt intake. The goal for everyone, especially those with diabetes, is to set a goal of five servings of fruit and vegetables, six daily servings of whole grain foods and two servings a week of fatty fish.
3. When buying the food that are needed for a diabetic diet, it is important to read the labels, it is especially important since most food labels show daily values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. This is higher than most diabetic diets allow for. Therefore, the values given will need to be recalculated into grams and calories and adjust that into their own diet plans.
4. When measuring foods for your diabetic diet, it is important to weigh the food also to get the right amount of daily caloric intake. Every diabetic should have a food scale that can measure down to the gram (equal to about 1/28 ounce), in addition to normal measuring spoons and cups. The food should be measured after it is cooked to ensure the right amount is being served.
5. The timing of meals is also important on a diabetic diet. If you skip meals, you run the risk of upsetting the delicate stability that exists between the insulin and the food consumption. For a lot of diabetes patient the administration of insulin is calculated to correlate closely with the timing of meals
6. Eating between meals is also discouraged for diabetic patients. This is because if too much food is eaten at the wrong times, it can lead to weight gain and mess with the work that the insulin injections are doing to control the disease.
7. If there are any questions regarding your diet or your diabetes in general, do not try to answer them yourself.

Diabetes affects the manner in which the body handles digested carbohydrates. If neglected, diabetes can cause serious health complications, ranging from blindness to kidney failure.

Approximately 8% of the population in the United States has diabetes. The American Diabetes Association estimates that diabetes accounts for 178,000 deaths, 54,000 amputees, and 12,000-24,000 cases of blindness annually. Blindness is 25 times more common among diabetic patients compared to nondiabetics. It is proposed that by the year 2010, diabetes will exceed both heart disease and cancer as the leading cause of death through its many complications.

Diabetics have a high level of blood glucose. The blood sugar level is regulated by insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, which releases it in response to food consumption. Insulin causes the cells of the body to take in glucose from the blood. Diagnostic standards for diabetes have been fasting plasma glucose levels greater than 140 mg/dL on two occasions and plasma glucose greater than 200 mg/dL following a 75-gram glucose load. More recently, the American Diabetes Association lowered the criteria for a diabetes diagnosis to fasting plasma glucose levels equal to or greater than 126 mg/dL. Fasting plasma levels outside the normal limit require additional tests, usually by repeating the fasting plasma glucose test and (if indicated) giving the patient an oral glucose tolerance test.

The symptoms of diabetes include excessive urination, excessive thirst and hunger, sudden weight loss, blurred vision, delay in healing of wounds, dry and itchy skin, repeated infections, fatigue and headache. There are two different types of diabetes.

Type I Diabetes (juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes): The cause of type I diabetes is caused by pancreatic inability to produce insulin. It is responsible for 5-10% of cases of diabetes. The pancreatic Islet of Langerhans cells, which secrete the hormone, are destroyed by the body's own immune system, probably because it mistakes them for a virus. Viral infections are thought to be the trigger that sets off this auto-immune disease. If untreated, death occurs within a few months of the onset of juvenile diabetes, as the cells of the body starve because they no longer receive the hormonal prompt to take in glucose. While most Type I diabetics are young (hence the term Juvenile Diabetes), the condition can develop at any age. Autoimmune diabetes can be definitely diagnosed by a blood test which shows the presence of anti-insulin/anti-islet-cell antibodies.

Type II Diabetes (non insulin dependent diabetes or adult onset diabetes): This diabetes is a result of body tissues becoming resistant to insulin. It accounts for 90-95% of cases. Eventually the pancreas may exhaust its over-active secretion of the hormone, and insulin levels fall to below normal.

A tendency towards Type II diabetes is hereditary, but it is unlikely to develop in normal-weight individuals eating a low- or moderate-carbohydrate diet. Obese, sedentary individuals who eat poor-quality diets based on refined starch, which constantly activates pancreatic insulin secretion, are prone to develop insulin resistance. Native peoples such as North American Indians whose traditional diets did not include refined starch until its recent introduction by Europeans have extremely high rates of diabetes, up to 5 times the rate of caucasians. Blacks and hispanics are also at higher risk. Though Type II diabetes is not fatal within a matter of months, it can lead to health complications over several years and cause severe disability and premature death. If neglected, diabetes can lead to life-threatening complications such as kidney damage (nephropathy), heart disease, nerve damage (neuropathy), retinal damage and blindness(retinopathy), and hypoglycemia (drastic reduction in glucose levels). Diabetes damages blood vessels, especially smaller end-arteries, leading to severe and premature atherosclerosis. Diabetics are prone to foot problems because neuropathy, which affects approximately 10% of patients, causes their feet to lose sensation. Foot injuries, common in day-to-day living, go unnoticed, and these injuries do not heal because of poor circulation through the small arteries in the foot. Gangrene and subsequent amputation of toes or feet is the consequence for many elderly patients with poorly-controlled diabetes. Usually these sequelae appear earlier in Type I than Type II diabetes, because Type II patients have some of their own insulin production left to buffer changes in blood sugar levels.

Type I diabetes is a serious disease and there is no permanent cure for it. However, the symptoms can be controlled by strict dietary monitering and insulin injections. Implanted pumps which release insulin immediately in response to changes in blood glucose are in the testing stages.

In theory, since it caused by diet, Type II diabetes should be preventable and manageable by dietary changes alone, but in practice many diabetics (and many obese people without diabetes) find it personally impossible to lose weight or adhere to a healthy diet. Therefore they are frequently treated with drugs which restore the body's response to insulin, and in some cases injections of insulin.

If you suspect you have diabetes or are in a high risk group, please see your doctor.

Soy, and most soy-based products, are nutritional powerhouses. Soy foods do not have any cholesterol, and most are high in fiber. Soy also has many vitamins, minerals, and phytochemical compounds (like isoflavones) that work together to create numerous health benefits.

Research shows that a daily intake of at least 25 grams of soy protein and 30-50 milligrams of isoflavones can improve and safeguard your health.

1. Soy's protein and isoflavones lower LDL (the bad) cholesterol and decrease blood clotting (thrombosis), which reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke.
2. Soy's protein and isoflavones provide antioxidants, reduce artery clogging plaque, improve blood pressure and promote healthy blood vessels, which protects the body from free radical damage, boosts the immune system, and lowers the risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), heart disease, and hypertension (high blood pressure).
3. Soy's soluble fiber protects the body from many digestive related cancers, such as colon and rectal cancer. While its isoflavones may protect the body from many hormone-related cancers, like breast, endometrial (uterine) and prostate cancer.
4. Soy's protein enhances the body's ability to retain and better absorb calcium in the bones. While its isoflavones slow bone loss and inhibit bone breakdown, which helps prevent osteoporosis.
5. Soy's isoflavones help the body regulate estrogen when this hormone is declining or fluctuating, which helps alleviate many menopausal and PMS symptoms.
6. Soy's protein and soluble fiber help regulate glucose levels and kidney filtration, which helps control diabetic conditions and kidney disease.

After the initial shock of diagnosis wears off and we become more comfortable with administering insulin shots, scheduling blood tests and mealtimes, and carbohydrate counting we have a chance to look to the future. At that point it really begins to sink in what a long-term commitment parenting a diabetic child really is. If you are finding that you are having trouble managing your child’s diabetes let me first share some statistics I found so you realize you are not alone.

• 35-75% do not follow meal plans all of the time
• 20-80% do not administer insulin correctly all of the time
• 30-70% do not record blood-monitoring level properly all of the time
• 23-52% do not provide adequate foot care all of the time
• 70-81% do not exercise adequately all of the time

Now that we understand how difficult it is to live with a chronic and potentially deadly disease, the question is how do we teach our children the reality of diabetes while still allowing them to be kids and trying to keep their lives as normal as possible. An experience that if you haven’t run into you soon will is birthday parties. They are everything you need to avoid to keep your child’s diabetes under control but they’re also an important aspect of your child’s life. You can learn the specifics of this and many other situations you will face in my ebook “So Your Child Has Diabetes”. The point is life and diabetes can go on together. Just as important, your child’s friends learn about diabetes and talk about it. They don’t discriminate, they include your child. We as parents need to be adults in these types of situations. We are the voices of maturity, reality and humanity. We are the ones who allow our children to talk about their disease and how it makes them feel as well as keeping them focused on self-care. We are the ones who keep the disease from overcoming our family. When you let your child talk to you about how they feel about having diabetes you will find your child has less emotional stress and better control of their blood glucose levels.

General family stress can greatly affect blood glucose levels. It’s a delicate balance. When your child’s blood glucose levels are out of control it can cause stress in the family and when there’s stress in the family it can cause out of control blood glucose levels. You need to be prepared for these times. The Children’s Hospital that treats my daughter has an excellent Mental Health Department. Other communities have a variety of services they offer. One of the things that really surprised me was the difference in the way I perceived diabetes and the way my daughter perceived it over time. I found it easier to cope with diabetes as time went on. You get into a rhythm and your comfort level with treatment increases. On the other hand my daughter found that the emotional distress associated with diabetes increased as time went by. We need to be aware that just because we are better at dealing with diabetes it doesn’t mean our children need less of our day to day care. A mistake I made was assuming that my 10-year-old didn’t need me to constantly supervise her blood glucose monitoring. After she went on an insulin pump it was no longer necessary for me to administer insulin. She had been checking her own blood levels for quite a while. Even though she was checking her own blood, while I was giving the shots I was right there to make sure she checked properly and at the correct times. Our children need us to keep them safe while they achieve these developmental skills.

In order to properly prepare our children for life with diabetes we must remember how we feel when we are ill. We hate it. Feeling lousy, unable to enjoy some of our normal activities. Imagine how this is magnified in our diabetic child. They never get a break. No wonder they experience emotional problems. Never forget this. Listening to our children about their feelings is important but not enough. We don’t want our children to think that there is something wrong with them or to feel ashamed if their blood glucose levels aren’t always under control. In this case children are like puppies. They respond better to reward for proper behavior that to punishment for wrong behavior.

Finally we need to realize that preparing for life with diabetes is an ongoing process. You can’t control the process all of the time. Just take care of it one day at a time. With your help your child can understand this process of diabetes control and you don’t have to become “that diabetic family”. With preparation and awareness you, your child and the rest of your family can live healthy normal lives.