The main idea on weight loss is to burn more calories than you consume. Hence, any physical activity that you tend to perform on a daily basis may very well supply the much needed burn. Aside from weight loss benefits, exercise is beneficial in the sense that it keeps the cardiovascular muscles healthy and lessens the risk of diabetes. If you tend to stick to an exercise regimen it is pretty much advisable to start with very low intensity and work your way to intensity in a gradual manner. Trying too hard during the first few days of a new exercise regimen may cause damage and soreness of the muscles.

In cases where you will not be able to exercise in a gym there are numerous physical activities you can get yourself involved in order to burn off those calories. Even performing simple household chores may count.

If you or any of your family members has a car, during your spare time volunteer to wash and wax it up. Or if none of them has going for the windows of scrubbing floors is enough. It can be estimated that one would have to move around on this task for more than 30 minutes.

Do you have a green thumb? Practice this as a hobby and enjoy the number of calories you would burn. This activity should last about 30 to 45 minutes and aside from losing weight you can even help nature in nurturing oxygen releasing elements. If you feel you were not gifted with green power go for the rake and clean up the yard. Raking leaves is another way of burning those fats. During the season change put out those shovel and clean up your alley of snow.

Bring out that athletic side. Engage in your most favorite sports and have fun while losing weight. Performing sports for 30 to 45 minutes is a good way to burn fats. Some examples of these sports are playing volleyball, basketball and swimming. If you are not the athletic type you can do some walking for about 30 minutes. If you want to bring intensity to this activity pump it up by doing brisk walking, jogging or running.

It does not necessarily mean that to have enough exercise one should be inside a gym facility or so. Individuals can perform exercise through physical activities. In this manner, dieters can get to choose the pace and even level of enjoyment they may have for such activity. Start doing any of these physical activities for at least 30 minutes for three times in a week. After a week or so challenge yourself and lengthen the time frame for the activity and frequency of performing it. In example make it 45 minutes a day for 5 times a week. Along this path dieters would be able to burn more than 200 calories a day.

Remember that starting slow is necessary more particularly if the dieter is a novice on the field of weight loss exercises or activity and if the dieter has led a sedentary way of life for a longer period of time. In doing sports activities it is important to practice the necessary precaution to avoid any injuries.

Charles Volcolatte is a health and weight loss researcher for http://www.skinnyasap.com/ He writes and researches actively on Weight Loss Programs and shares his knowledge at http://www.skinnyasap.com/ where he works as a staff writer.

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Osteoporosis is a disorder leading to fragile and weak bones that exposes the patient to an increased risk of fracture. Since this disorder makes silent inroads into a patient's system, they are not aware until they break a bone. Individuals with a family history of osteoporosis run a 60 to 80 percent risk of encountering the disorder. Excessive amount of smoking and alcoholism also leads to bone degeneration. Low body weight, calcium deficiency, chronic medical problems like hyperthyroidism and diabetes, excess physical activity to the extent of bone damage and exposure to heavy metals such as cadmium and lead are potential risk factors leading to osteoporosis.

The primary consequence of osteoporosis is an increased risk of fracture. Since it has no specified symptoms, the diagnosis is done by measuring the BMD (bone mineral density) of an individual. Apart from this, blood tests and X-rays can also be performed for further investigation. Women aged more than sixty run a greater risk of osteoporosis. The United States Preventive Services Task Force has recommended a bone densitometry screening for all women who are 60 to 64 years old. The ORAI (Osteoporosis Risk Assessment Instrument) is probably the most sensitive strategy for selecting women who run a greater risk of osteoporosis and need an urgent bone mineral density testing.

Prevention and treatment of osteoporosis needs a mix of medication and lifestyle change. Regular exercise and proper nutrition during adolescence is important for every individual. Quality exercise and proper nutrition should not be periodic but should be carried throughout life since it delays bone degeneration. Diet should comprise of good amounts of calcium and vitamin D. Tobacco and alcohol intake should be avoided. High-risk osteoporosis cases can be treated with bisphosphonate.

Bisphosphonates belong to the class of drugs that limits the range or extent of osteoclast action (Osteoclasts are a type of bone cell that resorbs bone). Thus bisphosphonates inhibits the resorption of bones. Fosamax (Generic name: Alendronate) is a bisphosphonate prescribed to treat osteoporosis and other bone diseases as well. Post-menopausal women having osteoporosis, when treated with Fosamax have shown remarkable normalization of bone formation and a good increase in the bone mineral density thus reducing the risk of fractures.

Fosamax can be bought from either the drugstore located nearby or an online pharmacy. However online pharmacies are always a better option than the traditional drugstores. No need to go all the way to a drugstore, just log in to an online pharmacy website and fill in their order form. Since the Canadian government has imposed regulation on the price of prescription medicines, the Canadian online pharmacies charge a comparatively less than other pharmacies. Once the order is placed, the drugs are delivered with full security and confidentiality at the patient's doorsteps. Buying Fosamax online thus saves time, money and energy.

Alfred Anderson has rich experience in the field of online brand marketing. His interests includes Internet marketing and research on emerging online business trends. Canada Pharmacy Drug

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From its original announcement in 1972 many people have succeeded with their problems with weight and heart ailments because of the Atkins Diet Plan. As released by Dr. Atkins, the plan is equally effective in managing many illnesses such as cephalalgia, diabetes, apathetic metabolism, difficulty to tolerate certain foods, hypersensitivity, and a lot more disorders. Although the main reason why people turn to Atkins Diet is simply that it provides fast weight loss, many people with high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes and polycystic ovarian syndrome reported that they felt more energetic than they had in years after one week on the Atkins Diet.

Despite the fact that health experts were advising foods low in fat and high in carbohydrates, the Atkins diet advises that individuals who wish to achieve weight loss should do the contrary. The principle of the Atkins diet is to get about sixty-six percent of your food intake from fats and to eat meat and cheese instead of bread, pasta, fruits, and vegetables. Instead of carbohydrate and sugar, the Atkins Diet Plan highly recommends fat and protein. The program clearly favors animal proteins; so for that reason, it will not be very easy for vegans.

A lot of nutritionists and healthcare experts have blatantly objected Atkins' philosophy on losing weight, since they think that consuming unlimited quantities of fat, specially saturated fat in meat products, can magnify the chances of getting cardiac disorders.

It's said that a diet that restricts carbohydrates and causes the body to rely on its store of fat or muscle for energy can be potentially dangerous. When our body breaks down stored fat to supply energy, a by-product called ketones is formed. Ketones suppress appetite, but they also cause fatigue, nausea, and a potentially perilous fluid loss. Anybody who has blood sugar, heart, or kidney disorders must consult their doctor before starting any diet that is low in carbohydrates.

The downsides of the Atkins Diet Plan are halitosis, and constipation because of the low-fiber diet.

A extensive study on people possessing good health informas us that we should eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Restricting these foods in the name of weight loss can lead to long-term health problems.

However, in spite of the negative comments about it, Atkins has lead to favourable outcomes for a lot of people, and has led to not only a meaningful loss of weight but good health as well.

A lot of people initially feel that the diet is quite difficult, as can be the necessity to undertake meaningful lifestyle changes to achieve the best results with Atkins.

Studies have been published on the effectiveness of the Atkins diet versus a 'standard' low-fat, low-calorie diet in 2 reputable medical journals, The New England Journal of Medicine, and Annals of Internal Medicine. The findings were quite surprising, in that several heart disease indicators had actually improved in the participants who followed the Atkins diet.

There was a much larger decrease in serum triglyceride levels as compared to the low fat group, and a greater increase in serum HDL (good cholesterol) than the low-fat group. Both groups saw similar reductions in LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and overall total cholesterol levels. In addition, at the end of one year, both groups had achieved similar levels of weight loss.

Pamela Kleiner is a blogger, researcher and an expert on health and wellness. Click this link to get more practical Health and Wellness Tips and advice at this site: Atkins Diet Review [http://healthandwellnesstips.net/weight-loss-diet/review-atkins-diet.php].

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You have found out you have diabetes and you are looking for a way to lose weight and reverse diabetes. Diet is the most effective treatment for diabetes.

Here are a couple of suggestions to help you follow your diabetic diet and lose weight.

Make Your Diet Easy to Follow - Changing your diet is a difficult task and will require dedication and behavior modification. In order to change your diet you are going to have to make it easy. If you make your diet easy to follow then you are more likely to stick to it and lose weight.

Get Organized - When you get up in the morning know what your meals are going to be and know when you will exercise. When you are shopping have a list of the foods that you are allowed and stick with the list. Do not fall into the old habits of purchasing snacks that are not on your list.

Goals - Set goals for yourself regarding how much weight you want to lose. If you set a realistic goal you will probably obtain that weight loss and maybe more.

Hobby - After you have eaten your meal clean up the kitchen and put the food away so you will not snack. Place the food in a container and label it for your next meal. Now get busy with something that you enjoy so you will not think about food. Just do something to keep your mind off of food.

Make your diet easy to follow. Follow these suggestions and then the new lifestyle will develop into a habit and before long you will be thinner, happier and healthier.

I have found this resource for Free Diabetic Diet Plan and would like to share it with you.

All you have to do is answer 5 quick questions for a free $200 diet that can help you lose 20-30 lbs.

Click Here for a Free Diabetic Diet!

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Once you know that you have diabetes visit your doctor and have your feet examined and at every visit. Diabetics are susceptible to foot ulcers because you might have some decrease in blood flow to the lower legs and feet. You will have to be tenacious about your foot care.

1. Never walk barefoot because this will just increase your risk of injury.

2. Check your shoes before putting them on to be sure that something has fallen in them. You could have something like a pin in your foot and not know that it is there.

3. Wash them daily and apply a moisturizer because sometimes your feet will get dry with cracked skin.

4. Do not use heating pads on them at night because if the pad gets hot you might not realize it and it could burn your skin.

5. Stop smoking because smoking decreases your circulation to your legs and arms.

6. Take your shoes off every 4 to 5 hours to check your feet to be sure there are no red spots caused by your shoes which could develop into sores.

7. If you develop a sore take all pressure off of that site and elevate your legs.

Ulcers can develop on your feet due to too much pressure from a worn out shoe or constant pressure from standing or walking.

The effective treatments for diabetes are exercise, medications and diet. Diet is the most effective treatment for diabetes and could reverse diabetes type 2.

I have found this resource for Free Diabetic Diet Plan and would like to share it with you.

All you have to do is answer 5 quick questions for a free $200 diet that can help you lose 20-30 lbs.

Click Here for a Free Diabetic Diet!

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Many people who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes just want to stop it in it's tracks. They just want to lower their blood sugar levels, lose weight, lower their cholesterol levels and avoid any of the complications that may think about coming their way later.

Include this hint in your food plan and you could be on your road to freedom:

Make fiber a part of most meals. Like starch, fiber is a complex carbohydrate and cannot be digested by our body, so no calories are added to the diet and it does lots of great things for us.

There are two types:

- insoluble which doesn't dissolve in water and adds bulk or roughage to our intestinal tract

- soluble-fiber which is particularly important if you have type 2 diabetes:

* firstly, it helps to lower your cholesterol levels, and
* secondly, it helps regulate your blood sugar levels

So because soluble-fiber helps regulate your blood sugars, high fiber diets:

* lower post-meal blood sugars
* decrease the amount of sugar in your urine
* decrease your insulin needs and increase your insulin-sensitivity

Where can you find soluble-fiber? Most plants contain both types of fiber. The following foods are some of the richest sources of soluble-fiber:

* beans: cooked kidney beans, butter beans, canned baked beans, black-beans, lentils, pinto beans, chick peas, split peas and lima beans. A half cup will add about 2 grams
* oats and oat bran: half a cup of oat bran contributes 3 grams, one cup of cooked oatmeal ... approximately 2 grams
* barley which is usually found in soups
* some fruits: apples, mango, plums, kiwi fruit, pears, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, peaches, citrus fruit and dried fruits such as apricots, prunes and figs
* some vegetables: artichoke, celery root, sweet potato, parsnip turnip, squash, brussel sprouts, cabbage, green peas, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, and asparagus

Both fiber types fill you faster when they are part of the meal and discourage you from overeating. And high-fiber meals help you to eat less, not just at that meal but also at the following one. This is because fiber lowers your insulin level. What does insulin do ... it helps stimulate your appetite. Lower insulin level, lower hunger pangs!

As well as lowering your blood sugars it helps to cut calories by blocking the digestion of some of the fat, protein, or carbs eaten at the same time. Whichever way you look at it, eating fiber is a good thing if you have type 2 diabetes, want to lose weight and regulate your blood sugar levels.

Soluble-fiber seems to be a vital part of blood sugar control for many diabetics. It leaves the stomach slowly and so you feel full for longer.

Many factors affect your blood sugar levels, what you eat and drink, your weight, your stress levels, how much exercise you're getting and the medications you are taking. So if you are having trouble achieving "tight control" of your blood sugars, please do not hesitate to contact your health care provider.

If you would like to download a free copy of my E-Book: Answers to Your Questions please click here now.

Beverleigh Piepers is a registered nurse who would like to help you understand how to live easily and happily with your type 2 diabetes.
http://drugfreetype2diabetes.com

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When your body becomes overweight it becomes resistant to insulin, but as we lose the weight our body becomes sensitive to insulin again. It is thought now that there is some substance in the fat that causes insulin resistance. The hormone Resistin is now the link between obesity and diabetes type 2. Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic disease that can lead to the complications of heart disease, kidney failure, nerve damage, stroke and even blindness.

There is a solution to preventing and reversing this relationship between obesity and diabetes and that is to lose the fat. Follow the steps below and you are on your way to reversing diabetes.

1- Monitor your glucose often and keep it within the normal that was given to you by your physician.

2- Diabetic Diet - a small amount of weight loss will turn the clock back. You body is seeking nutrients and we give the body these nutrients with healthy food choices. For example: change the chips to fruit. Follow a diabetic diet and the weight will fall off and the blood sugar will return to normal.

3- Exercising - Walk every day. Walk around the neighborhood, the park, the mall, walk everywhere. The more you walk the less you weigh and the better you feel. The more you walk the less stringent you will have to be with your diet.

4- Eye Care - Take care of your eyes by visiting an ophthalmologist or optometrist every year.

5- Stop Smoking and Excessive Use of Alcohol - both of these increase your risk of making your condition worse.

Start today by taking these steps to reverse or prevent diabetes. These are time tested steps that work and you just have to take that first step. You will realize that you will lose weight, prevent/reverse diabetes and feel like you haven't felt in a long time.

I have found this resource for Free Diabetic Diet Plan and would like to share it with you.

All you have to do is answer 5 quick questions for a free $200 diet that can help you lose 20-30 lbs.

Click Here for a Free Diabetic Diet!

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If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with diabetes, it can be scary with all of the conflicting information on diabetes that is currently available. While the internet can yield some great information, there is also a lot of wrong information that needs to be sifted through. This article will provide accurate, useful information on diabetes for you.

1- When looking for information on diabetes, there are three types to learn about. One of the best places to find the information you need about type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes is from your doctor. However, another good way to find this information is on the internet. When you are looking up information on diabetes online, it is important to be sure that you are getting it from a reputable source. The government has several websites that has the kind of accurate information on diabetes that you need.

2- The two most common types of diabetes are Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 is a direct result of the body's failure to properly manufacture the insulin that it needs. Insulin is a hormone that allows glucose inside cells to fuel them. While being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes is serious, it is defiantly an illness that can be lived with and controlled. The information on diabetes will reveal that Type 1 diabetes is controlled by insulin injections.

3- While looking for information on diabetes, your search will reveal that Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes and is often found among the aging population. Type 2 differs from Type 1 in that Type 2 diabetes patients do produce insulin, but for some reason the cells ignore its presence. This results in a build up of glucose in the body, which can lead to blindness, heart disease and kidney damage to name a few of the complications that are associated with Type 2 diabetes.

4- A much less common form of diabetes that people suffer from is gestational diabetes. According to available information on diabetes, this form affects approximately 4% of all pregnant women or 135,000 each year. Gestational diabetes becomes an issue in the later stages of pregnancy and can cause issues with delivery as well as predispose the baby to Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes later in life.

5- While looking for information on diabetes it is important to find information on the complications that accompany the disease as well. While diabetes is a treatable illness, it does have some complications that should not be ignored. If you notice any of these issues, it is important to see your doctor immediately. Some of the issues associated with diabetes include an increase in periodontal disease, sexual dysfunction among men and women, an increase in blood pressure and nerve damage. This is a small list of the complications that are common with diabetes; your physician will be able to provide a more complete list.

John Mancini has been writing about Diabetes online and offline for a long time. Visit http://diabetes-central.net or http://diabetics-center.com to read more about matters like diabetes supply and diabetes 2.

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Have you been diagnosed with diabetes or are you in fear that you may also be diagnosed with diabetes, perhaps because it is an increasingly popular illness especially amongst the USA. Do you want to know what causes diabetes to ensure you don't receive it. Well read on.

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

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

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

Type 1 and type 2 diabetes can occur for various reasons. They differ from person to person and depending on your own specific situation there are different strategies you can impose for combating diabetes. However everyone who has diabetes needs a healthy and balanced diet and with this you need diabetic recipes.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to receive free diabetic recipes each and every week. These recipes are suited just for anyone with diabetes and you can sign up for free to receive diabetic recipes straight to your inbox.

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Did you know that 21 million Americans have diabetes? And about one third don't even know they have diabetes! Another startling statistic is that about 54 million have what is called pre-diabetes. People with pre-diabetes are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. You want to catch it at this stage, learn all you can about preventing diabetes, and then take action.

1. Family history of type 2 diabetes. Even though type 2 diabetes is considered a life-style disease, if your family has a type 2 diabetes history, you would be considered a high risk for developing diabetes.

2. Overweight and/or obesity. This is a huge factor in developing type 2 diabetes. Even if you lost 5 -10 percent of your body weight, you would significantly reduce you chances of getting type 2 diabetes, or at least delaying it.

3. High blood pressure and high blood cholesterol. This kind of goes along with being overweight a large percentage of the time. Once again, losing weight and exercising will go a long way to lowering both blood pressure and cholesterol.

4. If you are African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, Asian American, Pacific Islander, or Alaska Native ethnicity.

5. Being diagnosed with pre-diabetes. This is a huge warning sign. Time to take action. A lifestyle change in eating habits, better nutrition, exercising (both aerobic and anaerobic) correct supplements, and a positive mindset is in order.

If diagnosed with pre-diabetes or even type 2 diabetes, be sure to check out all available information on how to prevent, delay, or even reverse diabetes, before giving in to daily medication prescribed by your doctor. Ask your doctor about using alternative natural methods instead of medications, or, even using natural methods and/or supplements with your medicine to keep the dosage lower. Make your own informed decisions. You need to be the one in control of your health.

Thomas Fouts is a former building inspector who decided to get out of the 8 to 5 rat race. Since starting an online business, making money, my wife has told others that she got the person she married back. It has been a wonderful change. Just start. http://www.diabetespanicbutton.com

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Glycogone is an all-natural supplement that treats diabetes. Using the essence of the Opuntia cactus as its main ingredient, Glycogone has been show to drastically reduce blood sugar levels in just a short amount of time. Thousands of people who've taken this product have reported a return to normal for their blood sugar levels without taking any kind of prescription medication.

The Opuntia cactus essence reduces insulin resistance and assists the body with glucose regulation. This effectively treats diabetes in most people, without the harsh and often dangerous side effects that prescription medications may cause. Further, you won't become dependent on prescription medications with Glycogone, as it treats diabetes at its cause. Prescriptions just mask the symptoms, and cause you to have to take them forever.

Further, Glycogone is part of an overall healthy lifestyle. It contains soluble and insoluble fibers, many different vitamins and minerals, and has essential amino acids. These extra ingredients not only treat diabetes, they also detoxify the body, improve hypoglycemia, and prevent hardening of the arteries.

Glycogone is formulated to act quickly in your body. It's absorbed rapidly, and begins working right away. Some people can tell a difference after the first dose. Further, it won't interact negatively with any other drugs you're taking. It's completely safe for anyone at any age, and works in total harmony with your body.

If you've been told you have diabetes, or are on the verge of getting it, you need to try Glycogone. The company that manufactures it offers a free 14 day trial, because they're very certain it will work for you. If it doesn't, or if you're not satisfied in any way, return it to get your money back. This way, there's no financial risk involved, and a very real chance of dramatically improving your health for the long term.

Freddie Lasso has write few articles resulting from his research regarding Glycogone, and you can find these articles in his website at: Glycogone truth and facts. Does Glycogone have side effects? Is it required months in order to get the result? You will find it so surprising when you read Freddie's articles. Access them now right here: Glycogone Truth and Facts.

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This week's topic is the common causes for diabetes. My clients often comment on how rampant people are being diagnosed with diabetes. Some of these clients think doctors are conspiring with the pharmacy industry to get more people to use diabetic medications. Personally, I find most doctors are skittish about diagnosing someone with diabetes because treating diabetes is very expensive and time consuming. Some doctors are apt to tell their patients they have "borderline diabetes" and recommend them to lose weight and exercise to control their blood sugar. On the other hand, since studies have proven 90% of complications (i.e. stroke, kidney disease & blindness) can be prevented with good blood glucose control, many doctors are treating diabetes more seriously. Here are the common causes for diabetes:

1. It's the genes, baby!

You inherited your mother's beautiful eyes and your father's great smile. Your parents may have also passed down your chance for diabetes. People of African, Asian and Native American origin have a higher risk of developing diabetes than Caucasians. Most of my clients admit to having a least one close relative with diabetes. Sometimes I get someone who claims they do not have anyone in their family with this condition. If you are one of these people, you need to think about the next four reasons you have diabetes.

2. Aging

Your possibility for diabetes increases with age. Around one hundred years ago, most people lived 40 to 45 years. Today, living until age 45 would be tragic. However, guess the average age most people are diagnosed with diabetes. Yep, age 45! I often ask my clients who tell me their parents did not have diabetes, how long did their parents live. However, people recently are being diagnosed at a younger age due to the next factor.

3. Weight

The obesity rate in the United States is at epidemic proportions. Two-thirds of our country is overweight and 30.5% of our fellow Americans are obese. Medical professionals consider anyone with a BMI (Body Mass Index) over 25 overweight and individuals with a BMI over 30 to be obese. A person with a BMI over 25 is at risk of developing diabetes, so most of our country is in the danger zone.

4. Processed Foods

Eating highly processed foods put you at risk for diabetes because most of these foods are not satisfying to your body. Do you ever notice how quickly you feel full when you eat a whole potato as opposed to chomping down on a bag of potato chips? Eating highly processed foods causes you to overeat thereby putting you at risk for gaining weight. We all know excess weight increases your likelihood for diabetes.

5. Your body is fighting back.

This is strictly directed to people with type I diabetes. Research has shown individuals with juvenile onset or type I diabetes may have developed this disease as an immune response from their body. People with type I diabetes have no cells left in their body to produce insulin. Scientists think these cells may have been destroyed when these people were sick. Something as simple as a bad flu or chickenpox may have triggered the body to attack these cells.

If you are reading this blog and do not have diabetes there is good news. Losing weight, exercising and avoiding highly processed foods decreases your risk for diabetes by 58% if you have a family history of diabetes. Your risk is even lower if none of your ancestors have this disease.

Email me at askard@stablebloodsugar.com if you have any questions about this topic or any of my other blogs. Allison

Allison L Boyd is a registered dietitian who counsels people with diabetes. She has a membership site with tools to help manage this serious disease. Her website is http://www.stablebloodsugar.net

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Developed in 1981 at the University of Toronto by Dr. David Jenkins, the Glycemic Index (GI) is essentially a rating system for carbohydrates. It ranks carbohydrates according to the extent they can potentially affect people's blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates differ in the way or manner they are broken down or digested. Those that break down and get digested quickly have high ratings or scores. Due to their rapid breaking down process, they often leave much of their sugar content in the blood stream and pose the greatest harm for diabetics. Letting people know which foods are harmful harmful for those who need to maintain their blood sugar levels is how pricelessly the Glycemic Index helps.

Carbohydrates with high Glycemic Index ratings or scores include French potato fries, white bread, and those that consist mostly of foods mixed with, or made of, white flour and white sugar. Even the well-regarded corn flakes have high scores and are therefore deemed bad carbohydrates. Those who have been diagnosed with diabetes would do well to familiarize themselves with the information offered by the Glycemic Index so that they can determine which foods are harmful for them or not.

People with diabetes are advised to avoid carbohydrates as a general rule. But it is also true that avoiding carbodydrates all the time may not be feasible and practical. For this reason the GI offers more value as it can distinguish which foods can be more harmful for diabetics than others. Unknown to many, for example, is how the GI considers white bread as more harmful than candy bars.

Knowing further how the Glycemic Index helps is beneficial for those who wish to control their intake of carbohydrates, as well as for those who follow a diebetic diet. The GI identifies foods that take more time for absorption into bloodstreams. Thus they provide the body with nutrients while giving body systems time to expel excess glucose normally. These foods rate low on the GI. Certain vegetables and fruits belong to this group of foods. However, baked potatoes do not belong to this group and are therefore deemed harmful for diabetics.

Potatoes oddly rank among those on top of the Glycemic Index. They have one of the highest ratings. This therefore should give fair warning to French fries lovers. Potatoes are not only low in protein and high in fat, they are also rich in carbohydrates.

Aside from distinguishing the high and low raters, knowing which carbohydrates belong to the intermediate group is one more way of how the Glycemic Index helps. This group consists of foods with ratings of 56 up to 69. It includes croissants, candy bars, and several brown rices. Such an information is useful for those who want to formulate and carry out a diabetic diet as they get to understand which foods rate high, medium, or low.

We already know that white bread rates higher on the Index than candy bars. Diabetics and those who simply want to pursue a healthy diet would be wise then to avoid white bread more than candy bars. Learning which foods are most harmful and less harmful for diabetics is the key of how the Glycemic Index helps.

Hermilando Aberia is an expert in social development work with at least 22 years of professional experience as either consultant or key staff member of health, community development, education and local governance projects. He has a Master's Degree in Development Management from the Asian Institute of Management. Contact Information: B21 L59 Kassel Kristina Heights, Tacloban City, Philippines. Mobile: (+63) 9058664106; Website: http://www.freewebs.com/iaberia

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People with diabetes weigh their options carefully when it comes to what they eat. Sugar and sweeteners are no exception to that rule.

Some people may prefer the taste of table sugar (sucrose) to other sweeteners. But, they also know the harmful effects that sugar can have. When people with diabetes eat too many sugary foods, blood glucose levels can skyrocket dangerously. Over time, elevated sugar levels can lead to permanent damage of the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart, and other organs. For this reason, many people choose to substitute artificial sweeteners for some or all of the sugar in their diets.

What benefits do artificial sweeteners have? First and foremost, many have no calories and do not raise blood glucose levels. Second, many foods made with low-calorie sweeteners have fewer calories due to the reduced amount of sugar. Always be sure to read nutrition labels carefully; "reduced sugar" or "sugar free" doesn't necessary mean "reduced calorie" or "low fat."

Artificial sweeteners on the market today in the United States have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, a decision backed up by the American Diabetes Association. Some of the most common artificial sweeteners are these:

* Saccharin is found in products such as Sweet N Low, Sweet Twin, and Necta Sweet. Saccharin may be used in both hot and cold food and drinks.
* Sucralose is sold as Splenda. It retains its sweetness during baking and cooking, making it appropriate for cold and hot food and drinks.
* Aspartame is the sweetener contained in NutraSweet and Equal, and can lose some sweetness if subjected to high temperatures.
* Acesulfame-K (potassium) is found in products like Sweet One, Swiss Sweet, and Sunett. It may be used in baking and cooking.


Stevia is an herb that has been used as a sweetener for many centuries in South America amongst various indigenous tribes. Many people prefer to use it because it is all-natural. Stevia can be up to 300 times sweeter than sugar, and has a long-lasting sweetening effect.

Another type of sweetener is in a category of its own: sugar alcohols. Despite the name, sugar alcohols contain no alcohol. Sugar alcohols have about half the calories of sugar. Some sugar alcohols are sorbitol, xylitol, isomalt, and manitol.

If you'd like more information about the use of sugar and other sweeteners, speak to your health care provider.

You can find more articles about diabetes health and news at Destination Diabetes.

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A healthy diet with regular exercise is the most common advice given to diabetics. Type 2 diabetes is caused due to hereditary defect that reduces a person's sensitivity to insulin. You can't change that, but you can change the lifestyle, habits that lead to obesity, which is the most important environmental trigger to diabetes. This is why the diet and exercise are the major part of prevention and treatment.

Treatment You Have To Follow

A simple and easy treatment without spending a penny to overcome diabetes is very simple. Just before going to bed at night put a bottle of water along with an empty glass besides your bed. The first thing you have to do after closing the alarm of your waking time is to drink 750 ml of water, which is approximately 4 big full glasses of water. After this you are allowed to get up from the bed, take bath, wash your face and do whatever you want to ,except one simple thing, that is not eat or drink anything only for 45 minutes. After this small lapse of time you can eat or drink whatever you want to or as per your normal routine. You have follow this and repeat the procedure for 30 days.

If your routine is to take something to eat or drink soon after your breakfast you should discontinue this. The beginners, the sick and the children, who are unable to drink this much water can start this by reducing the amount in the beginning and then by slowly increasing the amount of water.

Changing years of old habits and patterns take time. In a calm moment relax, think logically the pros and cons and then apply a new way to treat your diabetes without using any medication and without spending a dime.

I know that what I have told you about diabetes can be unbelievable, but thats the truth and 100% truth. Diabetes can be managed and even reversed. Me and my many friends have reversed it by simply following the technique mentioned above and you can also reverse it. For a deeper insight into the process mentioned above follow these links- Diabetes Information and Diabetes Cure and see the guaranteed results yourself.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tehmina_Mazher

If you are suffering from Type 2 diabetes and would like to lower your blood sugar levels without taking too much medications, the following steps may be followed:-

(a) Exercise: For diabetic patients, regular exercise is a must. Exercise burns the excess fat and excess sugar from your system. It burns the sugar as energy and also helps to store it in the muscles in the form of glycogen. This glycogen is used during increased physical activity and stress.

Walking is a very good exercise. Twenty to thirty minutes brisk walk per day, for at least five days a week is necessary to lower your blood sugar levels. Doing regular household work or gardening is also beneficial.

(b) Diet: Diet plays a major role in controlling diabetes. The main thing is to control the intake of carbohydrates. The diet should contain foods which have a high fiber content. Fiber helps to reduce weight and cures constipation. Eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. Avoid bakery products and fast foods. The fat intake should be between 15 to 30 grams per day. Instead of two or three heavy meals, eat a number of small meal throughout the day. Try to eat at a fixed time.

(c) Green tea: Drinking green tea has a lot of benefits. It is full of antioxidants as well as it helps to reduce sugar.

(d) Decaffeinated coffee: There are some compounds present in decaffeinated coffee which help to control blood sugar. But don't add sugar to it.

(e) Avoid stress: An increase in stress levels leads to an excess secretion of stress hormones like adrenaline which increases blood sugar levels. You must try to avoid stress as much as possible. Try yoga or other relaxation techniques.

(f) Sleep well: A good sleep helps to reduce stress. It also helps to control your blood sugar levels. For example, if somebody suffers from 'sleep apnea' which is caused due to a lack in the supply of oxygen, it may lead to an increase in blood sugar levels.

For more information on Diabetes and Blood sugar and to know about how to reduce blood sugar naturally please visit: http://www.arup-diabetes-guides.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Arup_Basu

Many complications can arise from diabetes, and kidney disease is one of them. The kidneys are necessary organs, designed to filter waste from your blood.

When you have diabetes, the kidneys are forced to filter too much blood, because of the high level of sugar in the system. The kidneys have to essentially work overtime -- all of the time. Just as machines wear out with extended use, the kidneys can wear out, too.

If you have diabetes, you and your doctor will both be on the lookout for symptoms of kidney disease. This is why it is important to schedule and keep regular doctor's appointments when you are diabetic. Kidney disease that is caught early can be better treated. You and your doctor should be on the lookout for fluid retention, a change in sleep patterns, loss of appetite, stomach problems, feeling weak, or having trouble concentrating.

If kidney disease develops, your doctor will most likely recommend a low-protein diet. Note, however, that a low-protein diet can bring on other problems, so never restrict yourself to a low-protein diet unless it is advised by your physician, so that your overall health can be closely monitored.

If your kidneys fail, you will need dialysis or a kidney transplant -- or both. You may need dialysis until a kidney can be found for you. Dialysis comes in two forms -- hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. With hemodialysis, blood is essentially removed from the body, cleaned, and returned to the body. This is done two or three days each week, and takes approximately three to five hours. Peritoneal dialysis is less common, and the lining of the abdomen is used to filter blood, instead of the kidneys.

The way to avoid kidney disease, and essentially kidney failure, is to keep your weight down, and your blood sugar level in check. Make sure that you follow the diet guidelines that your doctor has set for you, and that you are getting plenty of exercise. Also, be sure that you are drinking plenty of water.

Proper foot care is essential for people who have diabetes. Diabetes has an affect on nerves and circulation, and this can lead to problems that result in amputation of the foot or lower leg. You can avoid this with proper foot care.

You must inspect your feet every single day. Look for cuts, scratches, abrasions, dry skin, blisters, and bruising. If you spot any of these things on your feet, contact your doctor for treatment. Because there can be nerve damage with diabetes, you cannot assume that there is no damage to your feet without looking them over. You can be injured without realizing it.

Wash your feet and dry them well every day. After drying the feet, coat them with petroleum jelly, and put socks and shoes on. Avoid putting any type of oil or cream between your toes, as this moisture can infect your feet. Do not soak your feet -- no matter how good it feels. This leads to dry skin.

Calluses and corns should be removed. Do not try to remove them yourself. Instead, seek treatment from your doctor. He knows how serious such things are for diabetics, and he will help you to care for your feet properly. Each time you visit your doctor -- for any reason -- remove your shoes and socks, so that the doctor can check your feet.

If you smoke, stop immediately! Smoking causes the blood vessels to shrink, which in turn means that proper circulation is not getting to the feet. This can lead to amputation. Also, nerve damage can lead to a change in the shape of the foot. Ask your doctor about special shoes.

Keep your toenails trimmed and neat. Long toenails can cause problems, and can even become easily infected. Avoid walking around without shoes, and try to avoid open-toed shoes, such as flip-flops, as well. A closed shoe will protect your feet better. Never wear shoes that do not fit well, as this can result in blisters. Before putting your feet in water, test the water with your hand or elbow. The water may be too hot -- but your feet won't know that.

Finally, try to keep the blood circulating. When you sit, don't sit with your feet tucked under you. Instead, put them flat on the floor, or prop them up in front of you. Make sure that you move your toes fairly often, as this encourages blood flow.

Are you suffering from diabetes? Even if you are not, ask yourself just one question: Do you have problems sleeping well at night most of the time? If your answer is yes, I have bad news for you! This is because studies have shown that just three nights of bad sleep is more then enough to wreck havoc in your body by reducing your body's ability to regulate blood glucose levels and directly raising the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

According to researchers at the University of Chicago medical school, There are more than 18 million Americans suffering from diabetes and the most common form is type 2 -- in which the body either becomes resistant to insulin or does not produce enough insulin to process sugar in their bloodstream.

Having bad sleep quality for three nights in a row greatly lower this glucose tolerance of young or even healthy adults as much as if they had gained eight to 13 kilos (20 to 30 pounds). Wow !!

While it is possible that the body's ability to regulate glucose would adjust to counter chronic sleep deprivation, it is likely that poor sleep patterns in the elderly as well as the obese play a major role in the development of diabetes.

In the study, nine lean, fit and healthy participants between the age of 20 to 31 spent a total of five nights in the laboratory so that their sleep patterns could be monitored. Whenever the volunteers went into slow-wave sleep, the researchers will start to make some noises to disrupt their sleep but not to fully awaken them.

The sounds reduced deep sleep by about 90% by shifting them out of the onset of deep sleep back into a lighter sleep. In this way, the typical sleeping patterns of those over the age of 60 were mimicked because people in this age group tends to get only about 20 minutes of deep sleep a night compared to about 80 to 100 minutes for most young adults.

After just three days, the ability of the volunteers to regulate blood sugar was reduced by 25% which is an indication that they needed more insulin to dispose the same amount of glucose in their bodies.

Earlier studies have indicated that lack of sleep can reduce the ability to regulate sugar, and this report adds evidence that poor sleep quality is also a diabetes risk.

This report is a warning to anyone (not only for diabetes sufferers) not to take their sleep lightly and if you are constantly having bad sleep or feeling tired when you wake up in the morning, do make an effort to understand the root cause and to improve your sleep either by yourself or through the help of a doctor or specialist. Once you have diabetes, you will not be able to "shake it off" easily so prevention is the key to a diabetic free life-style.

Used as a sweetener and medicine for a thousand years by native Guarani Indians, Stevia Rebaudiana is perhaps the only known plant to worry the sweetener industry today. Stevia leaves contain steviosides, which are chemicals that cause Stevia to taste sweet. Stevia is 200-300 times sweeter than white sugar.

In China, Korea and Japan Stevia extract Stevioside is used as a table top sweetener because it has no calories, no carbohydrates and no fat and is many times sweeter than sugar. In the United States, Stevia is sold only as a dietary supplement.

In addition to being a sweetener, Stevia is considered to be hypoglycemic, hypotensive, diuretic, cardiotonic, and tonic. The leaf is used for diabetes, obesity, cavities, hypertension, fatigue, depression, sweet cravings, and infections.

Stevia is an exceptional aid in weight loss and weight management because it contains no calories and reduces one's craving for sweets and fatty foods.

Around 1970 Japan began to prohibit the use of artificial laboratory made chemical sweeteners, due to health concerns. Convinced of the safety of Stevia and Stevioside it approved Stevia and Stevioside as sweeteners and flavor enhancers for food use in Japan. This move intensified the already ongoing Japanese studies of Stevioside for commercial production and use. By 1977 companies started extracting Stevioside on a commercial basis in Japan.

Lots of countries in the world already use Stevia. The only difference is in the way they declaring it; some call it dental health product, others food supplement or just regular sweetener.

The release of Stevia to be not only imported into this all the countries of the world, but also commercially grown, opens the door for the future common availability of this herb in every supermarket and as an additive to processed food in the world. While the battle to market Stevia as an alternative sweetener to sugar is far from over, the time will come sooner than later.