If you have diabetes you have to be very careful about what you eat. You need to take extra care in managing your blood glucose levels. You can do this by eating healthy, watching your diet, taking medication prescribed by a physician and getting proper exercise.

What foods should you eat? There is a food pyramid for people with diabetes. The Diabetes Food Pyramid divides food into six groups. At the top of the list is fats sweets and alcohol. Since this is the smallest group this tells you to eat very little from this section. The next group is milk, meat, meat substitutes and other proteins. On the pyramid 2 to 3 servings of milk is suggested and 4 to 6oz of meat/protein is mentioned. Then you have your vegetables and fruits. Veggies choose at least 3-5 servings per day and fruits choose at least 2-4 servings a day. The last group which you should eat the most of is breads grains and other starches. You can check with your doctor to get a copy of the diabetes food pyramid to learn more about the correct servings and portion sizes for you.

What is Type 1 Diabetes? This type of diabetes was previously known as juvenile diabetes and is typically diagnosed in children and young adults. The body does not produce insulin. What is insulin? It is a hormone needed to convert starches, sugar (glucose) and other foods into energy. Energy is needed for daily life activities. Type I Diabetes is a chronic condition with no cure, but the outlook for people living with this disease is far better than it was 20 years ago. There has been much advancement in medicine, research and patient education reducing disabling complications and extended the expectancies of life to those without diabetes. In other words people with diabetes 1 can live just as long as people without diabetes with the proper treatment and educating themselves on this disease.

What is Type 2 Diabetes? With type 2 the body does not produce enough insulin or the cell just simply ignores the insulin. Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes. You need insulin in order for the body to be able to use sugar. The basic fuel for your cells is sugar. Insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. When glucose does not go into the cells but builds up in the blood instead it can cause problems. The problems it can cause are over time high glucose levels could hurt your heart, kidneys, nerves and eyes. What are the most common symptoms for adults with Type II Diabetes? The answer is fatigue, blurred vision, thirst and excessive urination. Do you think you may be diabetic? Check with your doctor. With type II diabetes minor weight loss can greatly improve your blood glucose levels.

So remember if you have diabetes please be under a doctors care. Watch what you eat. Limit your sweets, fats and alcohol. You can still eat good tasting foods and there are many diabetic food recipes on the internet. Get on a doctor approved exercise program and keep track of your glucose levels. Learn all you can about your condition so you can take control of it instead of the disease controlling you.

If your child is under the age of two and has been diagnosed with diabetes, know that there are many alternatives and options available that will control this condition and ensure your child has a happy, healthy, and normal childhood.

The number of toddlers with diabetes is increasing, so know that you are not alone. Diabetes is a condition where the pancreas does not process sugar effectively.

Since there are many different types of diabetes, ask your physician to explain the exact condition that affects your child.

Also, consider seeking out parents of other diabetic toddlers in your area to glean information and support from individuals who are in your shoes.

* Learn About The Disease *

Diabetes can be frightening to anyone, but especially a parent of a toddler with diabetes.

Instead of allowing the disease to take over your life, strive to learn as much as possible about the specific type of diabetes that affects your child.

Also, be sure to learn the side effects of diabetes and any symptoms that you should be aware of that are associated with a potential problem caused by the disease.

By educating yourself, you take away some of the unexpected associated with any disease that affects a child.

Finally, learn about the proper ways to care for your child and exactly what medications or medical techniques are necessary in controlling this condition.

Many toddlers with diabetes can control the condition by switching to a favorable diet.

* Test Blood Sugars Often *

Especially with children , testing blood sugar can be difficult.

However, this task is necessary in order to determine if your child is having problems so that you can stop any potentially deadly problems before they start.

Since a blood sugar test typically involves a pin prick, consider ways to make the entire process less scary and painful for your child.

There are several high quality testing monitors on the market that are made especially for youngsters with diabetes.

Also, speak with your child and let him or her know the exact reason why this test needs to be performed.

Education is the key to understanding.

* Develop A Schedule *

Schedules are important in the life of any child, but especially one that has been diagnosed with juvenile diabetes.

By developing a schedule for your child and ensuring that he or she sticks to it, you are working diligently to control the diabetes.

This schedule is especially important when it comes to meal times. Most diabetics need to eat smaller meals more frequently.

With small children, consider developing a game that will allow him or her to stick to the schedule without feeling regimented.

As you child grows and enters into schooling, you should maintain this schedule to prevent potential problems from developing during the day.

* Plan For The Worst *

If you properly control the disease, the risks of complications or problems are less likely to happen.

However, you should always have a plan in mind in the event the worst does happen.

Create a special diabetes station in your home and be sure that everyone in your home (even another child) knows how to use the equipment properly

The experts all agree; exercise can be an effective, self-regulating method for managing diabetes, especially type 2, the most common. Diabetes mellitus manifests as one of two types:Type 1 and Type 2. With Type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce enough insulin (insulin deficiency) to manage blood sugar. Type 2 diabetes, in which blood sugar is constantly high, is the result of the body's resistance to insulin at the cellular level, which is produced in sufficient amounts.

In a study, published by the American Diabetes Association, "The Effect of Qi-Gong Relaxation Exercise on the Control of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus" (Diabetes Care 25:241-242, 2002 American Diabetes Association, Inc.) , a significant finding of the study said: " Because obese patients benefited more and the significant decrease in C-peptide was demonstrated in this study, Qi-gong may improve insulin resistance. On the other hand, several studies described the effects of relaxation training for type 2 diabetes ..; thus, Qi-gong can improve glucose metabolism by the benefits of relaxation response. In conclusion, these findings suggest that Qi-gong relaxation exercise may be a beneficial adjunctive treatment for individuals with type 2 diabetes." I think this finding is important for a number of reasons; it suggests factors which are inter-related, and cause a downward spiral in general health. The spiral may start with one or more of the conditions: type 1 or 2 diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Any of these conditions can cause a sedentary lifestyle, in which recreational or emotional eating is a part, and can lead to any one or both of the other conditions. As activity decreases, the conditions will probably worsen, as the conditions worsen, life will become more stressful.

Type 1 diabetes, an immune deficiency disorder, cannot be prevented, but can be managed with medication, diet, and exercise. Type 2 diabetes on the other hand, is thought to be preventable and manageable. How? Your doctor can help you detect pre-diabetic conditions: ask. If the pre-diabetic conditions are detected, you doctor will recommend lifestyle changes.The changes recommended will be profoundly simple, but agonizingly difficult in the beginning: Diet and Exercise. In the previous paragraph, reference was made to benefits found by obese patients, it is well known that obesity is a set-up for heart problems and type 2 diabetes. Diet of course, will consider both types and amounts of food consumed.

Exercise improves the uptake of glucose, helps to control blood sugar levels. Exercise will help produce muscle cells to replace the fat stored in your body: muscle uses more sugar. "Exercise helps you lose weight or maintain your weight by burning calories...If you have Type 2 diabetes, exercise helps to increase the sensitivity of your body cells to insulin. With this increased sensitivity, your own insulin works better and your blood sugar levels get better. When exercise is done at least every other day it is more likely to have this effect. Exercising regularly and following a meal plan may get your blood sugars in the target range without medication." University of Iowa Healthcare Hospitals & Clinics, "Diabetes and Exercise", http://www.uihealthcare.com/topics/diabetes/diabetesandexercise.html.

Start up of exercise after injury, illness or long periods of sedentary lifestyle should be monitored by your healthcare professional; too much too fast can result in much more harm than good. Over-stress can lead to failure of an exercise program (it hurts too much after, or is in fact "too hard") as can unrealistic expectations. One type of exercise is referenced above: Qi Gong. Re-read that paragraph, paragraph 2, and look at how exercise and relaxation assist with control of sugar. Think about the three conditions, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. What single factor is most common among persons who have had encounters with the three factors: stress. Stress is controllable. The anti-dote for stress is real relaxation (not laying around the pool eating a bag of bon-bons, surfing the 135 channel remote). What if you could get a dose of exercise and real relaxation therapy at the same time?

Re-read paragraph 2 again: Qi Gong ( pronounced: chee goong ) is exercise and relaxation. Qi Gong is a very good method of exercise start-up, and can be led up to higher degrees of intensity and duration without the need for expensive equipment, or a gym or track to "work out". Most people who practice some form of qi gong come to think of it more as play than work. Qi Gong is becoming more popular in its own right, but many people have gotten the benefits of improved health and sense of well being by practicing Tai Chi. Tai Chi, is a form of Qi Gong : there are literally thousands of Qi Gong forms and styles, but at the core they are essentially the same: slow gentle movements synchronized with deep, rhythmic breathing. Qi Gong routines run from very simple, basic and easy, to thoroughly complex, confusing and difficult, there is something for every personality. Qi Gong can be learned from books and video tapes, but the easiest way to learn is to have fun with a group, led by a competent instructor. You'll know during the first session if your instructor is competent, you'll just know.

Where can you learn Qi Gong, and join a group or class? Check your community center program listing, your senior center, if you live near a college or university campus, check their listings of "continuous learning" programs, and you might call to enquire about qi gong from a local martial art studio if they list Tai Chi. Some offerings are even available on-line as paid courses of learning, or free basic samplings.

It is a little scary to realize that over five million people in the US have undiagnosed diabetes. Add that to the approximately seventeen million that have diabetes, and you have an epidemic of massive proportions.

But, it gets even worse. Another sixteen million have “pre-diabetes,” according to Tommy G. Thompson, Health and Human Services Secretary. He went on to recommend that screening start as soon as possible for overweight people.

Why? Well, it is estimated that this is costing the US economy $100 billion every year. Somebody is obviously making a good buck on this, but do you want to help line their pockets?

You can stop doing that by taking some pretty simple steps to avoid progressing to full-blown diabetes. Of course, it will take a radical change in how you look at yourself, and your lifestyle.

How do you find out?

First, though, how do you find out if your are pre-diabetic? It is pretty simple, really. The most reliable way is a fasting blood glucose test. Glucose is sugar in the blood, and it is the energy source for all the cells of the body. That level should not be too high or too low, or problems will result.

Anyone who is overweight (which means a body mass index of 25 or more) and over 43 should be screened. Even those with no symptoms should be tested. If things look good, the recommendations say the test should be repeated every three years. That would assume that there has been no weight loss or increase in exercise.

Diabetes Care

You can take care of diabetes in many cases without drugs. Why not give that a try first?

Reversing the tendency towards diabetes is, for most people, fairly straight forward. It takes three things:

1. Eat the proper food.

2. Lose weight.

3. Exercise more.

Pretty simple, conceptually, isn’t it? The challenge is in the execution. However, if you don’t, you may be facing your own execution sooner than you had planned.

Now, don’t go to your doctor and demand some drug or other to control your diabetes. That will cause more damage in the long run, and line the pockets of the pharmaceutical firms even more.

Exercise

On the other hand, maybe you should do that. They are fighting so many law suits for the damage their drugs have caused, that they probably could use the money.

Really, the best thing would be to see a qualified health professional who can advise you how to start your exercise program in a way that won’t hurt you (too much, at least).

You will find that exercise will help you in so many other ways, too. I remember a time about ten years ago when I was suffering chronic back pain. It seemed that little could be done to improve it, until I read an article on the benefits of exercise. I started doing push-ups. I couldn’t even do ten! And, it hurt! But, I kept at it and, within a few weeks, I was up to twenty-five. Then I realized my back pain was gone!

Reversing diabetes naturally is not only possible but a preferable solution to the drugs modern day medicine provides, which serve to treat only the symptoms of diabetes without addressing the root cause.

Treating diabetes naturally is not something pharmaceutical companies want shouted out, despite the fact that countless people are successfully doing so, as diabetic drugs are a lucrative business. Sadly, diabetic drugs are also not without their dangers. Many of the side effects however are justified as the disease symptoms are considered worse. You can live without either.

Reversing diabetes naturally is not about a specific home remedy or natural treatment per se as the solution involves addressing diet and nutrition on a broader scale. Key diet and nutrition factors need to be properly understood, and when appropriately balanced and adjusted, can serve to reverse diabetes successfully and naturally and increase the body’s insulin production. In particular, a re-education in how the human body deals with dietary sugars and refined carbohydrates is fundamental, as is an understanding of the effects of acidity and the importance of an alkaline diet. Regular exercise is also important.

Eliminating foods that promote diabetes is paramount. These include sugar and high-glycemic foods such as refined carbohydrates (white flour/rice/bread/pasta), sucrose, corn syrup and dextrose and commercial, processed oils (virgin coconut oil is a diabetic-friendly alternative).

Dr. Mercola in his new book ‘The No-Grain Diet’ points out how a high-carbohydrate diet can lead to diabetes over time. He writes, "If you regularly consume grains, sweets, and starches, and avoid exercise, your weight will escalate while your insulin levels rise. As your tissues become progressively more tolerant to higher levels of insulin, you may develop what is termed "insulin resistance", a condition where your tissues have absorbed all the insulin they can retain. This entire syndrome can frequently lead to diabetes, and it's no surprise that 17 million Americans, nearly 7.3 percent of our population, are diabetic with an astounding 33 percent rise in the prevalence of the disease between 1990 and 1999."

As well as eliminating foods it is also important to ensure the body’s internal environment is primed for optimum health and resistance to disease. An alkaline diet is imperative here as pH balance is pivotal for the appropriate functioning of body fluids which in turn affect the healthy functioning of all cells within the body. As pH specialist Dr. Robert Young writes, "A cell is only as healthy as the fluids it is bathed in." He further states that diabetes "is not a disease of the pancreas or the insulin producing beta cells or an autoimmune response, it is from the fluids which the pancreas cells are floating in."

An acidic system (acidosis) is associated with a wide range of health problems including diabetes, obesity, arthritis, stomach ulcers, bladder and kidney conditions, osteoporosis, heart disease and cancer. Foods that acidify the body include sugar, meat, dairy products, eggs, junk/processed foods, fats and most grains (except millet, quinoa and amaranth). Some of the ‘best’ acid foods include nuts and seeds, beans and lentils, brown rice, oats and fish.

Alkaline foods are largely raw fruits, vegetables and herbs, particularly green veggies, algae (spirulina or chlorella) and grasses such as barley grass or wheat grass.

The diabetic condition leads to a great loss of nutrients from the body in its attempts to eliminate sugar, which in turn leads to the deterioration of eyes and kidneys and damage to nerves and blood vessels. Diabetes also promotes abnormal triglyceride levels which dramatically increases the risk of developing atherosclerosis. This is why cardiovascular disease accounts for 80 percent of all diabetic deaths, with diabetics having more than 400 per cent greater risk of heart attack than non-diabetics.

Are diabetic drugs a solution? Sadly, diabetics taking drugs are 2.5 times more likely to die from heart disease than those treated by diet alone. And then there are the side effects of medication. These include liver problems (jaundice), anemia, skin rashes and in some rare cases, death. There is also the ‘Catch 22’ of insulin resistance. Most anti-diabetic drugs stimulate your already drained pancreas to produce even more insulin which results in a loss of insulin-secreting beta cells making you more diabetic. Diabetic drugs increase fat storage and weight gain, leading to greater insulin resistance and an even worse diabetic condition.

Both oral anti-diabetes drugs and insulin can are not health-friendly options. They hasten the onset of aging, and damage your liver, heart and other organs among other complications.

There is a solution. Diabetes is not cured by treating symptoms with drugs that only perpetuate the condition. You need to address the root cause of diabetes to reverse it and increase your body’s insulin production naturally, with out the complications or side-effects of drugs and medications.

Why don’t we hear about this infomation from the American Diabetes Association? The truth is, the American Diabetes Association are benefiting hugely from the current trend in diabetes. They are funded by pharmaceutical companies who would lose out if people reversed there diabetic conditions

When your blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be considered diabetes, you have a condition known as impaired glucose tolerance, or pre diabetes. Pre diabetes is usually accompanied by insulin resistance, and most people that are diagnosed with it go on to develop type 2 diabetes within a 10 year period.

Are You At Risk?

If you are over 45 years of age, are overweight, have a history of diabetes or gestational diabetes, have high blood pressure or are from a minority group with a higher risk of diabetes (Hispanic, African American, American Indian, Asian American/Pacific Islanders), you are at a higher risk of having pre diabetes and developing diabetes.

Detecting Pre Diabetes

Two tests are mainly used in detecting the presence of pre-diabetes:

In a fasting plasma glucose test, fasting glucose levels between 100 and 125 mg/dl are considered pre diabetes; higher levels will indicate the presence of diabetes.

In an oral glucose tolerance test, blood glucose levels between 140 and 199 mg/dl are considered pre diabetes; higher levels will indicate the presence of diabetes.

Pre diabetes symptoms are gradual and often go unnoticed. Many people have pre diabetes and diabetes without even knowing it. If any of the risks factor described above apply to you, talk to your doctor about getting tested. Other symptoms that you may notice include increased appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, weight loss, fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.

Pre Diabetes Treatment – The Good News!

Detecting pre diabetes early and following the needed treatment can actually reverse the condition and possibly bring blood glucose levels back to normal. Lifestyle changes are the effective way of treating pre diabetes and delaying or even preventing the development of type 2 diabetes. The health choices that you make on a daily basis can make a huge difference on your diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. If you make the needed lifestyle changes and follow your doctor’s advice, your will dramatically lower your risks.

The needed lifestyle changes include:

• A healthy, low carb diet

• Staying physically active.

• Loosing weight

Talk to your doctor and come up with a plan that will fit you and your lifestyle best in order to keep pre diabetes under control.

Conclusion

Type 2 diabetes is a dangerous condition that is many times preceded by pre diabetes. Remember that you have the power to do something about it! If you act early and follow the needed lifestyle changes, educate yourself and work with your health care team, you can definitely slow down or even prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes and the complications associated with it.

Exercise plays a crucial role in helping Type 2 Diabetics to better manage their blood sugar levels.

According to a recent study, Diabetics who engaged in physical activity showed numerous benefits (1). Firstly, there was a decrease in their Hemoglobin A1C levels - a measurement of how your blood sugar levels are managed over a 3-month period.

The study also showed a reduction in visceral adipose tissue (fat tissue around the abdomen), a decrease in triglyceride levels (lipid levels in your blood) and an increase in insulin response.

All these positive results show how important exercise is in improving the health of Diabetics. Better management of blood sugar control can help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Since exercise improves insulin response, it will also help those with Insulin Resistance, an imbalance in blood glucose and insulin levels which often underlies Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), Pre-Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome (Syndrome X).

It's a great idea to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. If you haven't done so before, here are some exercise tips to get you started. Get a walking partner and take a stroll around the park for 30 minutes

Make sure to schedule a time to exercise because this helps to keep you on track

Mix in a combination of resistance training, such as stretch bands, along with aerobic exercise

Go for a swim in your local pool

Join a dance class and experience the fun of socializing while you exercise

Take a weekend hike in the country

If you have not been on an exercise program before, take it slowly and check first with your doctor. Your efforts will pay off because you'll soon notice how much better you feel with the extra stamina that regular exercise will bring.

Eating right in order to stay healthy is difficult enough for most of us, I mean let's face the facts; most consumers simply don’t eat right. However, a healthy diet can be especially difficult for someone diagnosed with diabetes. The main reason is based on the fact that people with diabetes require a different dietary structure when compared to those without diabetic symptoms. This is because people diagnosed with diabetes have trouble breaking down and metabolizing sugar in their body. As it turns out, diabetes is a chronic disease that hinders an individual's capability of breaking down glucose in their body. This results in the rather dangerous situation of severely compromising a person's ability to produce insulin, which is an extremely important nutrient for normal bodily functions.

As y6ou can imagine individuals diagnosed with and suffering from diabetes have specific dietary needs and thus require a rather strict dietary plan. Fortunately, the medical community has come together in order to formulate a food pyramid specifically geared towards people with diabetes. This diabetic food pyramid outlines and prescribes what types of foods a person suffering from diabetes can safely eat and should eat in order to assist their body with coping from the effects of having diabetes.

The diabetic food pyramid works similar to the normal food pyramid but there is obviously more importance placed on following this pyramid's guidelines because it really does deal with the health of a diabetic person. The pyramid is shaped just like it sounds, in the form of a pyramid with the foods listed at the top as items that someone with diabetes should only eat in strict moderation. These food groups would include those foods that are sweet in nature or fatty foods. As the pyramid base expands more and more foods are added safely to the diabetic diet.

Foods that diabetics should eat on a more regular basis include milk with at least 2 or 3 servings or glasses a day as the standard and the nonfat variety as the recommended source. A person or individual who suffers from diabetes should only consume 2 or 3 standard servings of meat a day with the recommended sources coming from fish and chicken instead of red meat.

Most individuals are already aware that diabetes can lead to chronic gum or periodontal disease. Recent studies however have revealed that the relationship between the two is like a double-edged sword, since it goes both ways; apparently, diabetes can also be born from chronic gum disease.

Basic Facts about Chronic Gum Disease

When an individual has been diagnosed of having chronic gum disease, this means that his gums and the bones that bind his teeth to its proper position are infected. If left untreated, chronic gum disease will make chewing extremely difficult or worse, lead to loss or removal of teeth.

Basic Facts about Diabetes

Is it true that diabetes is primarily caused by eating too much of sweet foods? No! There's still no known and accurate cause for diabetes so everyone is at risk. Substantially proven generalizations however have been made regarding diabetic individuals. People who are overweight, for instance, are more prone to having diabetes.

Who's at Risk?

Diabetics who smoke and diabetics who love sweets are the most at risk of having chronic gum disease as well.

The Process of Chronic Gum Disease: From A to Z

If oral hygiene is neglected, that's the first step to having chronic gum disease. Germs that accrue over the time will cause our gums to redden, swell, and even bleed when you start brushing your teeth once more. When this happens, you're suffering from gingivitis - a precursor of chronic gum disease.

Gingivitis however will disappear eventually if you don't shirk up your duties to your mouth and teeth. If you don't, things become more complicated and you get nearer to having chronic gum disease.

Accrued dirt becomes plaque; when plaque becomes hard, your teeth and gums get infected until there's not enough bones to hold your teeth in place. The result: an emergency trip to the dentist and several of your teeth pulled out.

The Bad Thing about Chronic Gum Disease

There are no warning signs. When you start feeling hurt and uncomfortable about it, it's usually too late because no amount of brushing of teeth or flossing will be able to rescue your teeth. Only the scary dentist has the power to salvage what's left of your teeth.

Possible Treatments for Chronic Gum Disease

Teeth Cleaning - If the damage isn't too serious, your dentist might be able to repair damaged roots and allow you to retain your teeth. Teeth cleaning will also help in removing accrued germs stuck within and in between your teeth. Your dentist may also request you to take an antibiotic or use a suggested brand of mouthwash to give your teeth added protection.

Surgery - If the wounds are fatal, gum surgery may be the only option. Worse, even if damaged teeth have been successfully removed, your gums may have been too infected to allow you to use dentals or fake teeth.

Other Possible Dental Diseases Related to Diabetes

Chronic gum disease is not the only thing that diabetics have to worry about. If they don't brush and floss their teeth regularly, they risk suffering from any of the following conditions:

Cavities - Choosing the right food can significantly reduce the risk of teeth developing cavities.

Thrush - Diabetics are especially prone to having this condition because the fungus that causes this affection flourishes in glucose-rich parts.

Dry Mouth - People who are unaware they have diabetes usually have dry mouths, which can consequently lead to other dental diseases.

You can save yourself from chronic gum disease and diabetes simply by eating well and eating right then brushing your teeth right after!

One third of Americans will become diabetic because they eat too much and exercise too little. A study in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (July 2006) shows that lifting weights can help to prevent and to treat diabetes.

Extra fat prevents your body from responding normally to insulin. Before insulin can do its job of driving sugar from the bloodstream into cells, it must first attach to little hooks on cell membranes called insulin receptors. Having extra fat in cells turns these receptors inward, making it far more difficult for insulin to attach to the receptors. This prevents insulin from doing its job of lowering blood sugar levels, even though your body is making plenty of insulin. That's why anything that makes you fat increases your risk for diabetes. Doctors can measure how cells respond to insulin with a sugar tolerance test.

In this study, adolescent boys were given a program of lifting heavy weights twice a week. After only 16 weeks, their muscles were larger and they lost fat. Sugar tolerance tests showed that the ability of their bodies to clear a load of sugar from their blood streams improved dramatically. This means that a regular weight lifting program deceases insulin resistence and thus reduces risk for becoming diabetic.

A diabetic shopping tour is one of the best ways to educate people suffering from diabetes on how to properly shop for their food. This knowledge is integral to being able to sort through the mess of too many consumer goods that seem to be healthy but are actually hazardous to those suffering from the condition.

For those suffering from diabetes, being able to maintain a healthy lifestyle is surely a very big challenge. While diabetes does not really limit person's abilities and functions, it does percent a great hazard to health if not taken care of. If one is not able to maintain a proper diet, take medications on time, and keep vigil on one's insulin levels, this person could look healthy one minute, and turn deadly sick the next.

Diabetes doesn't sound like a gruesome illness; however, it has been the cause of many deaths and disabilities. Those suffering from diabetes have also been known to suffer from loss of appendages due to gangrene and the inability to heal quickly from cuts and scrapes.

This makes watching out for hazards to injury and one a very big part of a diabetic person's life. Aside from this, one other very important item for a diabetic person to look out for is his or her diet. Unfortunately, in this mass consumer world, finding food that is healthy and suitable for diabetic people is doubly hard.

Since there are too many hidden ingredients, and too many refined products out on the market, most of the things sold at supermarkets pose a hazard for people suffering from this condition. That is why it becomes very important to be able not to just know the proper diet of a diabetic person, but to be able to learn how to shop for these things in a real world supermarket environment.

Knowing your diet is not enough

It isn't enough just to know what the recommended foods for you to eat as a diabetic are. More importantly, knowing how to shop at supermarkets for these kinds of foods is tantamount to your health.

How can a diabetic shopping tour help you?

1. They teach you to look beyond the package. The problem with most goods available at supermarkets today is that they sometimes make false claims about their ingredients. They will also advertise the health benefits of their products but if you read their disclaimers hard enough you'll find out that they are not actually healthy at all.

One technique they will teach you is to look for those tiny asterisks that follow most health claims. If they see a health claim with an asterisk go directly to the fine print and read a hard for any qualifiers to the claim.

2. Shopping tours also teach you how to shop smartly. A good diabetic shopping tour will teach you how to avoid foodstuffs that can injure your health and how to find those other foodstuffs that will help you maintain a healthy diet. Most shopping tours will also recommend meals that can be made out of these foodstuffs.

They also have your budget in mind; they would educate you on how to budget your groceries so that you get the most out of your money for each trip to make the grocers.

Conclusion

In the end, the shopping tour against diabetes is probably one of the most important seminars a diabetic person can attend. Not only would it teach them how to stay healthy with a healthy diet, it will also teach them how to discern which products are actually bad for their health.