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Friday, May 25, 2007

Diabetes Diet Plan - Fibre

In this article, ‘Diabetes Diet Plan: Fibre’, you will discover:

* What is fibre?
* Why is fibre an essential part of the diabetes diet plan?
* How much fibre do you need to consume as part of your diabetes diet plan?

What Is Fiber?

All the food which you eat, that comes from plants such as fruit and vegetables, contains fibre, typically:

* Cellulose
* Gums
* Hemicellulose
* Lignin
* Pectins

Fibre is passed undigested through your digestive system.

The following foods are good sources of fibre:

* Cereals
* Fruits
* Nuts
* Pulses
* Seeds
* Vegetables

Research has shown that a high fibre diet can help to control diabetes.

Why Is Fibre An Essential Part Of The Diabetes Diet Plan?

Fibre is an essential part of the diabetes diet plan because it helps to control blood sugar levels.

Clinical studies have shown that by keeping to a high fibre diet, you can reduce your blood glucose level by up to 10 per cent and lower your insulin levels by up to 12 per cent.

Apart from helping to reduce your glucose and insulin levels, a high fibre diet also help to reduce bad cholesterol.

How Much Fibre Do You Need To Consume As Part Of Your Diabetes Diet Plan?

As part of the diabetes diet plan, you should be eating at least 50 g of fibre per day. Typically:

* Fruit
* Green Leafy Vegetables
* Legumes
* Muesli
* Oats
* Pulses
* Whole Grains

You may also like to supplement your diabetes diet plan with fibre supplements such as psyllium husks powder.

So, to sum up...

Clinical trials have shown that a high fibre diet is good at reducing your blood glucose levels, insulin levels and bad cholesterol.

Diabetes Mellitus - 10 Things Everyone Should Know About Diabetes

There are many things everyone should understand about diabetes because of its alarming rise. At least these ten things everyone should know about diabetes.

1. Diabetes in other words diabetes mellitus is a disease of poor blood sugar control which occurs due to absolute or relative deficiency of insulin in body. There are many types of diabetes, but two important ones are type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is due to absolute deficiency of insulin where as type 2 diabetes is due to relative deficiency of insulin

2. Diabetes has no age bar; from small child to elderly anyone can have diabetes. But the cause of diabetes may vary according to age and other circumstances

3. Diabetes is a disease with multiple causes, so treatment cannot be single faceted. Treatment of diabetes is multifaceted including diet, exercise, medication and many others. So be prepared to changes in life if you are one the unfortunates to have diabetes

4. Diabetes is not only problem to the patient; it also changes the whole family and related people's life in one or the other way. So this facet of diabetes worse than all other facet. If you do not believe then ask anyone family member of a diabetic patient, who is a bread earner of the family

5. Type 1 diabetes patients require life time insulin therapy from day 1. May researches change the way type 1 diabetes is treated and looked at. But at present its only insulin and only insulin is the life saving treatment

6. Obesity is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, in other words if anyone maintain body weight nears to ideal body weight then they have lesser chance of type 2 diabetes

7. All diabetics may not be symptomatic initially, but so many patients of diabetes their diagnosis when they were investigated for some other symptom or disease. But most patients will be symptomatic once the disease starts progressing

8. Blood sugar monitoring is the best way to monitor the effect of treatment on diabetes, It also gives overall picture how patient is managing disease i.e., how much patient is able to control diabetes by ongoing treatment

9. Blood sugar monitoring is the best but which is the best way to do it? At laboratory or by self testing devices? If anytime chance is given laboratory based blood sugar reading will be more accurate than sugar level reading from the self monitoring devices. It has to be balanced considering cost, affordability, availability and accessibility for individual patient

10. There are no alternatives to regular consultation with treating physician, monitoring blood sugar level, prevention and monitoring complications of diabetes mellitus

Diabetes Nutritional Supplement - Psyllium

In this article, ‘Diabetes Nutritional Supplement: Psyllium’, you will discover:

* What is psyllium?
* Why is psyllium a good diabetes nutritional supplement?
* How much psyllium do you need to take as a diabetes nutritional supplement?

What Is Psyllium?

Psyllium is native to India and Iran.

It is the psyllium seeds which are primarily used for the medicinal purposes, psyllium seed husks are traditionally used to treat constipation.

Apart from helping with constipation and diabetes, psyllium can be used to help the following of health conditions:

* Diverticular Disease
* High Cholesterol
* Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Why Is Psyllium A Good Diabetes Nutritional Supplement?

Psyllium is a good diabetes nutritional supplement because of its soluble fibre content.

Clinical trials have shown that by taking psyllium supplements. You can lower your blood glucose levels by up to 19 per cent.

How Much Psyllium Do You Need To Take As A Diabetes Nutritional Supplement?

As a diabetes nutritional supplement, you should take 5 g of psyllium supplements three times per day for eight weeks.

This should not only lower your blood glucose level but also your cholesterol level.

Psyllium supplements are generally safe to take and are a good natural way to control your diabetes.

However, some people are sensitive to psyllium supplements and may have side-effects.

Note: when taking psyllium supplements, make sure you drink plenty of water.

So, to sum up...

Psyllium is a good and safe diabetes nutritional supplement to take because clinical trials have shown that it can lower your blood glucose levels by up to 19 per cent.

You can buy psyllium supplements at your local health store. Most good health stores should have psyllium supplements in stock.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Treating Type 2 Diabetes

Evidence from particular studies such as the Nurses Strength Study Vitality Professional and Follow-Up Study has linked dietary carbohydrate intake (measured as glycemic load) containing risk of type 2 diabetes. From a historical perspective, the epidemic of type 2 diabetes today has developed steadily through the decades in the last century. We see more and more evidence of the increase in diabetes over the last few years.

Baby boomers are moving into their later years. Do a search on Google. When you do you will discover millions of pages.

Diabetes screening is suggested for many types of people at various stages of life. If there is diabetes in your family then testing is a must. Hyper osmotic diabetic coma is another acute baffling problem interrelated with improper management of diabetes mellitus.

Other forms of diabetes show up as neuropathy. That tingling feeling in your hands or feet that is caused by lack of blood circulating to those limbs.

As high as 80% of the cases of type 2 diabetes could be attributed to the combined effect of inactivity and improper diet. This leads to being overweight. Think about this. Whenever you see someone that looks fit most often they are in decent shape. When you see someone overweight or drastically overweight they seem to have something negative going on in their body. With people over 40 years of age the problem is often type 2 diabetes.

Getting in shape with a sound dietary program is what is needed to combat your diabetes. Our bodies need to be in motion and we need to eat foods that will support us in our fight against type 2 diabetes.

The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse estimates that diabetes costs a whopping $132 billion in the United States alone every year.

Patient understanding and participation is vital as blood glucose levels change continuously, while successfully keeping blood sugar within normal limits has been compellingly shown to control or prevent maturation of some of the complications of diabetes.

All types of diabetes mellitus share similar symptoms and complications at advanced stages.

Therefore patient education, understanding and participation are vital.

There are ways to treating type 2 diabetes. Grab your free e course. It will help you find the answers about diet, and exercise.

Effective Home Remedies for Diabetes

Diabetes is one of the most common disorders in which either the pancreas produces insufficient amounts of the hormone insulin or the body cells become resident to the hormone’s effects. Managing diabetes is not very tough if you are quite sincere to your health. Plan your routine and diet and you will wonder how easy it is to tackle diabetes.

1. Eat green vegetables, coriander, cucumber, cabbage, coconut, chenopodium album (bathu), creeper of pumpkin, cucumber, cabbage, bitter guard, carrot, tomato, lemon, radish, onion and ginger.

2. Eat fibre rich food like apple, figs, guava, lemon and orange. Grains rich in fibres are barley, oatmeal, maize, wheat flour, jowar, bajra, whole wheat, rice flakes, refined wheat flour (without husk) and puffed rice. Other sources of fibre are coriander seeds, cumin seeds, dry pepper and turmeric.

3. Soak 90-100 seeds in 250 gms of water in the evening. Mash them in morning, sieve in a cloth and drink mixture regularly. Take daily for two months to cure diabetes.

4. Take juice of bilva and parijataka leaves in equal parts for natural remedy of diabetes. Take two teaspoons of it twice a day.

5. Eat grapefruits regularly for diabetes natural remedy.

6. Boil 3-4 fresh leaves of mango tree in the morning and drink. It is also very effecting in curing diabetes.

7. Take soyabean in your diet. It does not contain sugar and is a good source of energy for diabetes.

8. Do regular exercises to reduce the chances of developing coronary artery disease and also improves control over diabetes.

9. Avoid exertion and always try to stay free from tension.

10. Avoid sweets, chocolates, rice, banana, grapes, mangoes, dry fruits, oils, cakes and pastries.

11. Drink half-cup karela (bitter gourd) juice daily. It is an effective natural home remedy for diabetes.

12. Avoid drinking alcohol (including beer, gin, wines and whisky).

13. Lower your fat intake for obese diabetic patients. Do regular morning walk and exercises to reduce weight.

14. Avoid infections, burns and injuries as they develop ketosis in such stressful conditions.

The Obesity Epidemic and Juvenile Diabetes

The increasing obesity epidemic among children today is thought to be a leading cause in the increase in juvenile diabetes in this country today. While not everyone agrees on the causes and affects it is hard to argue with the continuing increase of children with Type 2 diabetes who are also overweight. In fact as the percentages of obese children raises so does the percentage of those affected with juvenile diabetes at nearly the same rate.

There appear to be two main reasons for this increase in Type 2 diabetes among children. Most children these days have a sedentary lifestyle that revolves around watching TV, playing video games, or using their computer to chat with and email their friends. The second issue for many kids is their poor eating habits and nutrition. Living the fast food life style or eating a bag a chips while playing video games is one of the major reasons for the preponderance of overweight kids we see today.

For many years Type 2 diabetes was something that overweight adults had to contend with, mainly because children weren't having the weight issues they have today. Type 2 diabetes in an adult is also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes. The primary treatment for this type of this disease is lifestyle changes involving diet and exercise for both children and adults.

One of the main concerns with type 2 juvenile diabetes is the affects it can have later on in a child's life. Children with type 2 diabetes have been found to have more life threatening complications than type 1 diabetics. Some of the major problems juveniles with this type of diabetes face include heart disease, damage to the nervous system, renal failure, blindness, and limb amputations, particularly of the feet and lower legs.

The first line of defense against juvenile type 2 diabetes is probably the most obvious. Maintain a healthy body weight through proper diet and exercise thus preventing the onset of the disease. For children already diagnosed this same treatment applies if they are to avoid the complications to their health later in life.

For the juvenile diabetic a healthy diet is the cornerstone of their treatment. A well balanced diet low in sugar, saturated fats, and salt is the way to go. High fiber foods such as fruits and vegetables, along with complex carbohydrates are best for the diabetic. Even then foods high in carbs should be eaten throughout the day to help prevent large rises in blood glucose levels. Regular physical activity or exercise is also recommended to help insulin move glucose out of the blood and into the cells.

Childhood obesity is an epidemic all parents should take seriously. The long term health affects of all children are at stake, particularly with an increased risk of juvenile diabetes, a disease that will affect any child for their life time. By making easy lifestyle changes centered on a healthy diet and physical activity the onset of type 2 diabetes can be prevented, or even delayed in children at high risk.

The Obesity Epidemic and Juvenile Diabetes

The increasing obesity epidemic among children today is thought to be a leading cause in the increase in juvenile diabetes in this country today. While not everyone agrees on the causes and affects it is hard to argue with the continuing increase of children with Type 2 diabetes who are also overweight. In fact as the percentages of obese children raises so does the percentage of those affected with juvenile diabetes at nearly the same rate.

There appear to be two main reasons for this increase in Type 2 diabetes among children. Most children these days have a sedentary lifestyle that revolves around watching TV, playing video games, or using their computer to chat with and email their friends. The second issue for many kids is their poor eating habits and nutrition. Living the fast food life style or eating a bag a chips while playing video games is one of the major reasons for the preponderance of overweight kids we see today.

For many years Type 2 diabetes was something that overweight adults had to contend with, mainly because children weren't having the weight issues they have today. Type 2 diabetes in an adult is also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes. The primary treatment for this type of this disease is lifestyle changes involving diet and exercise for both children and adults.

One of the main concerns with type 2 juvenile diabetes is the affects it can have later on in a child's life. Children with type 2 diabetes have been found to have more life threatening complications than type 1 diabetics. Some of the major problems juveniles with this type of diabetes face include heart disease, damage to the nervous system, renal failure, blindness, and limb amputations, particularly of the feet and lower legs.

The first line of defense against juvenile type 2 diabetes is probably the most obvious. Maintain a healthy body weight through proper diet and exercise thus preventing the onset of the disease. For children already diagnosed this same treatment applies if they are to avoid the complications to their health later in life.

For the juvenile diabetic a healthy diet is the cornerstone of their treatment. A well balanced diet low in sugar, saturated fats, and salt is the way to go. High fiber foods such as fruits and vegetables, along with complex carbohydrates are best for the diabetic. Even then foods high in carbs should be eaten throughout the day to help prevent large rises in blood glucose levels. Regular physical activity or exercise is also recommended to help insulin move glucose out of the blood and into the cells.

Childhood obesity is an epidemic all parents should take seriously. The long term health affects of all children are at stake, particularly with an increased risk of juvenile diabetes, a disease that will affect any child for their life time. By making easy lifestyle changes centered on a healthy diet and physical activity the onset of type 2 diabetes can be prevented, or even delayed in children at high risk.

Treating Diabetes Tips You Can Use Today for Your Diabetes Disease

Why does the physician seem to always say "do you work out" or "do some light exercise" when he or she talks about treating your type 2 diabetes? Many overweight people that have type 2 diabetes are putting up with insulin resistance. Treating diabetes by exercising is one way to improve insulin resistance.

Idleness alone is a very strong risk stimulus that has been confirmed to contribute to diabetes type 2. Some warning signs for type 2 diabetes are idleness, cholesterol, obesity, and hypertension. Treating diabetes with athletics will have a favorable outcome on diabetes type 2 while improving insulin sensitivity. Type I cannot be controlled with an exercise program.

Over 90% of individuals that have diabetes have type 2. Part of my weekly program for treating diabetes is exercising. I exercise at least three to four times a week. Riding the idle bike and playing basketball keeps my cardio vascular pumping away. This is handy for treating diabetes.

Working out causes the body to use glucose quicker. The more vigorous the games you play, the quicker the body will utilize glucose. Therefore it is essential to recognize the distinctions in training inclusive of type I and type 2 diabetes. It is critical for a man or woman who has diabetes to see a physician when beginning an exercise program. When training you need to know the dangers of injecting insulin immediately prior to exercise. If you are a type I diabetic injecting your normal amount of insulin for a sedentary situation can pose the risk of hypoglycemia or insulin shock during exercise.

General exercise guidelines for type I are as follows: allow adequate rest during athletics sessions to prevent important blood pressure, use low impact exercises and avoid heavy weight lifting, and always have a supply of carbohydrates nearby. If blood sugar levels get too low, you may feel shaky, disoriented, hungry, anxious, become irritable or experience trembling. Consuming a carbohydrate snack or beverage will alleviate these symptoms in a matter of minutes.

Exercise will greatly benefit you if you have type 2 diabetes because of its positive effects on insulin sensitivity. Proper exercise and nutrition are the best forms of prevention for type 2 diabetics. It is important for training protocols to be repeated almost daily to help containing sustaining insulin sensitivity. To prevent hypoglycemia, progressively work up to strenuous activity.

If you are a type l diabetic make sure you have carbohydrates at hand while you train. If your blood sugar levels get too low the carbs will provide relief so you can get back to a wholesome stage.

There you have it. Obviously exercising is significant to you or you would not have come this far. I think having a well rounded plan for treating diabetes makes sense. Like what you eat, what exercises to do and what you can do naturally.

Preventive Steps To Control Your Diabetes And Have A Normal Life

With adequate awareness and precautions, one can always head a normal and lively life with Diabetes. Be cautious and never delay the treatment of Type II diabetes, as if it is ignored it can lead to critical complications. It affects kidney, heart and eyes if left untreated.

‘Diabetic Foot’ is a severe complication of diabetes so an additional care of feet is required to prevent it. Diabetes impairs blood circulation of feet causing a feeling of numbness. The feet become more susceptible to wounds and with untreated diabetes a minor cut may expand into a severe problem that might lead to a loss of limb.

Prevention is better than cure. As per the American Diabetic Association, if you can postpone the onset of diabetes, the complications you might face due to the disease can also be postponed. Keep an eye on your weight, as it is the first step to control start of diabetes. Take healthy diet, watch your weight and get to know the sugar and fat content of eatables before you make a menu for yourself. Take precautions in your day to day life by moving to sugar free colas, substitute whole grains to processed food diet, taking only prescribed fats and consuming lots of water. This will help you to shed off weight and be healthier. A little weight loss also makes a big difference to your blood glucose levels.

Watch your carbohydrate and sugar intake are especially important if you have a history of diabetes in your family. Not all carbohydrates are bad for you. Try to cut out the refined carbohydrates such as sugars and fats. Eating balanced and regular meals will help in keeping a healthy weight. You may find by eating three regular meals a day, and small nutritional snacks in-between meals, you will feel fuller, and will help overcome the urge to binge on sweet treats.

As per the recommendations of the American Diabetes Foundation, make exercise an intrinsic part of your daily life if you want to delay diabetes. Research has proved that even small walks per day helps maintains a good metabolic rate in your body thus controlling weight and reducing the entrance of diabetes in your life. Be more careful, if diabetes is in your genes; walk at least five times a week for 30 minutes a day. Start slowly; gradually you’ll build up the stamina for longer walks. Once you start walking, you will feel better and will make it an important part of your daily routine.

A high blood sugar level during pregnancy called gestational diabetes makes such women more prone to Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes at an older age. These women and those people with diabetes as a hereditary trait must test it regularly. These people come in high-risk category and must detect their problem early before it turns into more complications.

So it’s advised for all the people who don’t want to be diabetic or suffer from any lifestyle induced disease to opt for healthy living. A good diet and a regular exercise are the key factors of developing a healthy body.

A Person With Diabetes Should Be Prepared Before Traveling By Air

You need not give up flying if you are suffering from diabetes; all you need is some time for extra preparations. You must be prepared for security screening at the airport. Once screened, diabetes related supplies and equipments are allowed through the checkpoint. Inform screeners if you are wearing a surgically entrenched Insulin pump that cannot be removed from your body and ask the screener to visually inspect the insulin pump.

Tell them to inspect the pump personally to avoid any discomfiture of going through the metal detector. You must make them aware of your disease and they can do a physical pat down. However, if they insist on removing feel free to tell them in detail about the surgical procedure and the needle inserted in your body. Make them aware of your problem and ask for their cooperation.

The flight crew must be well informed of your diabetic situation if you have repeated episodes of Hypoglycemia, so they can take appropriate measures in case of any emergency. But if you are on an insulin Pump make sure that it contains adequate insulin. In whichever way you are carrying insulin, be it vials, injections or Pump, it must be clearly labeled.

Don’t pack all your diabetes supply in the baggage to be checked. The checked baggage is subjected to very low temperatures that might harm insulin; moreover there are many cases of losing your baggage. So you must take adequate amount of insulin, syringes in your carry bag or purse.

Following Diabetes relates supplies and equipment can be carried through the checkpoint once the screening is over:

1- Urine testing strips.
2- Glucagons emergency kit.
3- Adequate pump supplies that include extra tube, infusion kits, battery, catheter, needles and things necessary for cleaning the pump. Added to these an extra supply of short-acting insulin that can be used in case the pump fails.
4- All the prescription medication.
5- Insulin and insulin loaded dispensing products – box of individual vial or vials, pens, jet injectors, infusers, syringes loaded with Insulin.
6- Unlimited number of unused syringes.
7- Lancets, blood glucose meter, blood glucose meter testing strips, battery and alcohol swabs for cleaning.
8- Duplicate supplies taken in separate bags.

The in-flight meals don’t have specific diabetic meals so go for a vegetarian meal containing complex carbohydrate like rice or pasta. Moreover, you must keep some snacks or rapid acting carbohydrates as a diabetic bar or some fruits with you in case of any emergency.

All you need to go for a vacation is to pack your bags well, reach the airport on time and be prepared for an emergency. Once your homework is complete you can have loads of fun. The Transportation Security Administration section of the Department of Homeland Security has some excellent tips on air traveling with diabetes.

8 Diabetes Diet Guidelines To Improve Lifestyle Of People With Diabetes

The focus of any diabetic person should be on regular exercise, an eye on weight and a healthy diet. Eating well-balanced meals in the right quantity can maintain your blood glucose levels. Make a good diet that constitutes non-starchy vegetables and variety of fruits. As diabetics are more prone to complicated heart problems, a healthy cooking lessens threat of heart diseases. There are many mouth-watering recipes that satisfy your taste buds and are balanced and healthy as well.

There are certain tips for diabetics to "Eat Healthy and Live Healthy":

1- Opt for cuts of beef and pork that end in "loin" such as pork loin and sirloin, called lean meats. Sirloin is low in fat and forms a good meal for diabetics.

2- Take out the skin of chicken or Turkey before you cook them.

3- Avoid using oil and butter as they contain high quantities of saturated as well as trans fats. You can go for liquid oils or a vegetable spray for cooking whenever the recipe demands oil.

4- Boiling and roasting meat preserves vitamins and keeps your meal healthy.

5- Include fish in your diet but season it with lemon instead of using butter.

6- Opt for non-fat dairy such as skimmed milk. Eating cereal with skimmed or 1 percent milk lowers the fat intake without affecting the diet.

7- Always prefer to use olive or canola oil rather than vegetable oil.

8- Replace processed foods with whole grain foods like cereals, whole-wheat spaghetti. These foods are nutrient-rich and are boon to a diabetic person. So a brown rice dish is always better than that made with milky white rice.

Follow some basic tips and time tested recipes to plan you diet, if you are a diabetic person. Do some surfing on Internet and you will land up in some good recipes for diabetes. There are many sites specifically designed for diabetes cooking. One of these, www.diabetes.org offers a Recipe of the Day, and catalog of recipes ranging from appetizers to desserts.

Consult a dietician to prepare a good meal plan that fits in your schedule and eating habits. However, even with diabetes you can have a range of dining options. Since everyone in family enjoys health benefits from balanced diet so the whole family can take part in healthy eating. Only some planning is required to fit your favorite foods into your meal plan and still controlling your blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol.

You can always contact the American Association of Diabetes to be taught about balanced diet in diabetes. According to the state you live in or Zip code, it directs you to available nurses, dietitians, doctors, and other health care professionals who can help you to make right decisions regarding your diabetes.

Monday, May 21, 2007

Reducing Diabetes Risk Through Lifestyle Improvements

According to the British Medical Journal, lifestyle changes appear to be as effective as medication in delaying or preventing type 2 diabetes among adults with impaired glucose tolerance.

The decrease in physical activity and increase in obesity of western societies are strongly linked with the increase in the prevalence and incidence in type 2 diabetes. People with impaired glucose tolerance have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Various treatment methods have been utilized in research. This research includes medications, lifestyle and herbal remedies.

The British Medical Journal published a recent meta-analysis. They consolidated the evidence from 17 clinical trails. The clinical trails studied the effects of lifestyle, drugs and other medications on both men and women with impaired glucose tolerance. The results showed that lifestyle change intervention can be as effective as drug therapy in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes in high risk individuals. Individuals who received standard advice only, showed effects on lifestyle changes. This advice resulted in a 49 percent reduction in the risk of developing diabetes. Exercise alone or in combination with a healthier diet was more effective than diet alone. Oral diabetic medications were also effective in delaying or preventing diabetes, but were not as effective as lifestyle changes. Orlistat, which is an anti-obesity drug, was effective in reducing risk when compared to control groups.

Although both medications and lifestyle changes were effective in reducing the risk of diabetes, diet and exercise were associated with considerably fewer adverse effects than those caused by medication. The adverse effects were typically gastroentestinal and reduced liver function. Since this is fundamentally a lifestyle issue, compliance is generally the key with lifestyle interventions.

Healthy Recipe--Black Bean With Rice--Ingredients, *1 pounds black beans, *7 cups water, *1 medium green pepper, *1 1/2 cup onion, *tablespoon vegetable oil, *2 bay leaf, *1clove garlic, *1/2 teaspoon salt, *1 tablespoon vinegar, *6 cups rice, *4 ounces pimento, *1 lemon. Preparation--1. Pick through beans to remove bad ones. Soak beans overnight in cold water. Drain and rinse. 2. In large soup pot or Dutch oven, stir together beans, water, green pepper, onion, oil, bay leaves, garlic, and salt. Cover and boil for one hour. 3. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for three to four hours or until beans and very tender. Stir occasionally and add water if needed.

Are you concerned about the health and well being of a loved one? Or are you looking to jump start your health and reverse the damaging effects of aging, stress and lifestyle in a toxic environment? On May 27, 2007 at 8:00PM CST via teleseminar, Miguel Lanzagorta, M.D., Director of Outreach Services for Sanoviv Medical Institute, provides groundbreaking information on a successful new alternative approach to healing and health.

Choose the Right Foods to Lower Your Blood Sugar Level

Diabetes is a condition that millions of people manage on a daily basis. People with diabetes must be mindful of the foods and beverages they consume. Whether or not you have had natural diabetes all of your life or have been recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, it is crucial that you engage in healthy food choices.

The majority of your food selections should be based on a whole foods approach. Whole foods are natural and organic foods. These foods are created with the highest standards and are tailored for people with conditions such as diabetes, gluten intolerance, and other conditions. Seek out whole food and organic supermarkets in your area.

What food choices should people with diabetes make to manage their diabetes glucose levels? First, think back to nature such as vegetables and fruits. Nature has provided a wealth of vegetables to keep your palate enticed. For example, have a spinach salad with broccoli and carrots at dinner.

To control your blood sugar levels you have to monitor your carbohydrate consumption. Breads and pastas can spike your blood sugar, but this can be minimized if you consume whole grain breads and pastas. These are easy to find at a whole foods organic market.

For your entrée keep the focus on fish, chicken and turkey. You can consume lean cuts of beef and pork in moderation. Make sure to remove the fatty skin and use healthy liquid oils, such as olive oil, when you cook foods. In addition, stick to non-fat dairy products. You can consume skim milk, non fat cheese, and non fat yogurt.

If you have diabetes you may feel that you have to miss out on the sweet taste of foods. This is not so. You can add cinnamon in moderation to foods to give them a sweet taste. Cinnamon may actually have a positive effect on your blood glucose levels, especially for people with Type 2 diabetes. Therefore, cinnamon is a great way to get the sweet fix you desire.

Another alternative natural sweetener is a herb called stevia. Stevia is 300 times sweeter than sugar and can be used as a natural sweetener to replace sugar. It is recommended to stay away from most artificial sweeteners – especially aspartame. Aspartame is a deadly toxin than does more harm to your body than good.

Lastly, don’t forget about what you drink! Beverages can be a roadblock to lowering blood sugar levels. Diabetes treatment should include drinking plenty of water and an occasional diet drink that has zero calories.

There are some foods that you should avoid like the plague. Avoid processed foods such as candy, chips, sodas, fruit punch, and cookies. These contain an excessive amount of sugar and carbohydrates that will have your blood glucose level soaring. Watch out for foods labeled as “sugar free” as well. This labeling is misleading and they can often raise your blood sugar levels as much as common sugar foods.

Remember that consuming healthy foods is not a free for all. If you eat too much of any type of food you will gain weight. Gaining weight is especially disastrous for people with diabetes. Stick to healthy portions and monitor your caloric intake.

Diabetics may have to spend more time analyzing what they eat and drink, but it is a manageable process. The number of whole food organic supermarkets is on the rise which is a major benefit for people with diabetes. Take advantage of their services to help you control your blood sugar levels and enjoy food at the same time.

Want To Lose That Belly Fat?

Like many of you, I don’t look or feel comfortable in my clothes carrying around excessive belly fat and it concerns me that there are many metabolic complications associated with abdominal fat. The build-up of fat results in abnormal fat and glucose metabolism in the tissues. To be more specific, accumulation of fat around the abdominal organs can lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The long term effects of these conditions can lead to more dangerous consequences.

After consulting with a physician, we began the process of conditioning our mind to get started on this project. We have always heard that diet and exercise is recommended. Weight loss, whether with diet and/or exercise will reduce abdominal fat and improve insulin sensitivity. Exercise alone is also effective in reducing abdominal fat and improving insulin sensitivity.

It is important to know that for best results we need to improve the oxygen intake in our body. Greater improvements in oxygen intake along with diet and exercise are associated with significant reduction in abdominal fat. It is also important to realize that as your metabolic rate increases, you ability to metabolize toxins, move fluids through your body and eliminate waste also improves.

While diet alone may reduce abdominal fat, greater results can be achieved with the addition of aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise continues to be the most recommended exercise. Aerobic activities such as brisk walking are safe, easy and require little skill or equipment and can be performed anywhere. Aerobic exercise has been proven beneficial in the prevention and management of several chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine concluded that every U.S. adult should accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate intensity physical activity on most, preferably all days of the week. Further, it is recommended that every 6-8 weeks, you need to modify your program in order to stimulate your body and progress to the next level. When choosing new exercises for your program, always begin your routine by placing your most challenging exercises at the beginning. New exercises can be the use of simple resistance bands, hand weights or circuit training. These exercises can increase lean body mass which have been associated with improved insulin sensitivity and improved resting metabolic rate.

A Diabetic Diet And Glycemic Index Foods

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder whereby the body cannot control the glucose level in blood. The hormone responsible for maintaining glucose in the blood to a healthy level is insulin. Insulin is produced in the pancreas and a person is said to be diabetic if the pancreas stops producing insulin (known as type 1 diabetes), the body becomes insulin resistant (the body needs more insulin than the body can produce - type 2 diabetes) or the person becomes diabetic as a result of pregnancy (Gestational diabetes, generally only lasts during pregnancy). This article will discuss whether glycemic index foods can help people with diabetes by defining what glycemic foods are and how they can help a diabetic maintain their blood sugar level.

The glycemic index (GI) is a way of ranking, primarily, carbohydrates food types according to the affect that food has on our blood glucose levels. Carbohydrate foods that break down rapidly in the body release glucose into the blood stream quickly and are said to have a high glycemic index score. Carbohydrates that take longer to break down release glucose slowly, over a longer period and are said to have a low GI score.

A GI score is attained by measuring the blood glucose response in a person two hours after eating a standard portion of a particular carbohydrate food. This is given a relative score when compared to the test case GI score of 100. The test case is determined by the blood glucose response after 2 hours if a person was to ingest glucose.

It is generally agreed that any food stuff that has a GI score of 55 or less has a low Glycemic index.

Any foodstuff that has a GI around 56 - 69 has is medium.

And anything 70 and above has a high GI score.

Oats are known to have a low score whereas potatoes have a high GI score.

Thus eating a low GI diet will keep the large fluctuations in blood glucose to a minimum that will reduce the need for an appropriate insulin response by the body. This can be said to be good for people that don't want to develop diabetes because the body is less likely to develop insulin resistance when insulin levels are constant.

For people with diabetes, it will be easier to control long term glucose levels if a GI diet is followed. This will allow a person to be more in control and not at the mercy of a high glucose level which can cause long term and sudden complications. Recent research suggests that using a diet controlled by the insulin index may be better for diabetes as this is measured by the insulin response to foodstuffs and includes all food types and not just carbohydrates.

However GI diets are still hard to implement. One of the major criticisms of the GI diet is that food stuffs are easy to measure in laboratory conditions but are not as straightforward in real life. For example food that has vinegar added to it will have a reduced score. Fruit and vegetables will change their GI score depending on how well cooked or how ripe they are. Thus it is hard to be definitive about if your GI diet is low or otherwise.

It is always advisable to see a dietitian or a doctor if you are about to start a new dietary regime. They can advise you on how to plan your diet and give you more relevant advice for your personal circumstances.

What Hypoglycemia And Hyperglycemia Are And How To Cure Them?

Hypoglycemia is a pathological state that occurs when blood sugar (glucose) level is less than the normal level of sugar in blood. It occurs due to many causes like it can be a side effect of over medication of diabetes or a wide gap in meals or it can be due to high activity or exercise that consumes the blood glucose. A tumor in pancreas or liver may cause an impulsive release of insulin thus sharply decreasing the blood sugar and causing Hyperglycemia.

A moderate Hypoglycemia induces symptoms such as fatigue, nervousness, headaches, heart palpitations, sudden hunger, craving for sweets, dizziness, cold hands and feet, faintness etc; However, severe hyperglycemia may result in complications with symptoms that may include confusion, hallucinations, blurred or double vision, convulsions, seizures and coma.

A rapid delivery of source of easily absorbable sugar like a sugar containing drink or a glucose tablet under the tongue can show an instant recovery in a person with hyperglycemia. However, prolonged exposure to low glucose level in blood might have serious implications. It can cause a brain damage or a state of coma. Taking a medical advice to find the cause of the episode is always advisable and one should take necessary precautions to prevent another such event.

Hyperglycemia is a clinical condition when an excessive amount of glucose circulates in your body. It is generally the first sign of Diabetes Mellitus. It can be controlled by medication but is quite fatal at higher levels. It might turn into complex medical condition of Ketoacidosis in Type I Diabetes or Hyperosmolar coma in type ii diabetes.

Eating more food than is prescribed in your diet plan, taking less insulin than prescribed, infection or illness, emotional stress are the factors causing hyperglycemia. The treatment depends on the cause and is dependent on the sugar level in the blood at that time. Hospitalization is essential if the patient is unconscious, otherwise also hyperglycemia must not be taken lightly.

Did you know that there are over 20 million people who have diabetes? and about 30% of them are not aware of their diabetes.

Diabetes - What is Type 2 Diabetes?

Type 2 Diabetes is by far the most common type of the disease accounting for 90-95% of all cases. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) estimates that 21 million Americans have diabetes and that only two thirds of them even know it. Type 2 starts in middle age or later. It is growing so rapidly because of the epidemic in obesity not only in the US but all over the world. There is no cure but there is plenty you can do to prevent it and then control it.

Type 2 is a chronic condition that affects the way your body metabolizes sugar the main source of fuel. When people eat food, it is broken down into a sugar known as glucose, which is then released into the blood where it is carried to cells inside the body. Insulin is made by the pancreas to help the cells use the glucose from the blood.

People with Type 2 Diabetes have insulin resistance which prevents insulin from processing glucose properly. Soon more and more insulin is produced to overcome the resistance. During the later stages of the disease as the resistance increases, the blood glucose increases to above safe levels, but the body can't use it properly and the body actually starves for more energy.

If left untreated and again most people don't know they have it, disastrous results are sure to come. It increases risk for eye, nerve, blood vessel, heart, and kidney problems.

Many people diagnosed with Type 2 are obese and have a sedentary lifestyle. Just getting older is also a risk factor, because as we age our resistance to insulin can rise too. 21 percent of people over 60 have diabetes-a scary statistic!!

The most important thing to remember, if you are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes is that it is possible to control your diabetes instead of letting it control you. But it is in your hands.

Jack Krohn is a free lance writer and the #1 author of Home Security Articles in the country according to EzineArticles. His website has great FREE Home Security Information. You can get information on a FREE HOME SECURITY SYSTEM

He has had Diabetes, Pre-diabetes and Syndrome X for nearly fifteen years. He speaks from the experiences he has had during that time. His new website is devoted to educating patients of DIABETES

He owns SECURITY SOLUTIONS a one stop resource that provides solutions and answers for all your self defense and home security problems.