People who don't have diabetes think that their health is ok. But the way so many people eat, they way they live, and the thoughts they think, puts them at risk for this disease. Eating a diet high in processed foods, high sugar, high in salt, high in fat, and simple carbohydrates increases your chances of Type II Diabetes and especially if you are overweight. Other risk factors for Type II Diabetes are elevated triglyceride, low HDL, and high blood pressure. With the right diabetes information you can prevent diabetes.

It is best to practice diabetes prevention. Here is a start. There are two natural remedies that you can use to reduce your chances of becoming diabetic. One is a mineral and the other is a spice.

First always make sure you are getting magnesium in your food or as a supplement. In a study done by Brigham, 11,000 women were tested for the risk factors discussed above showed that those women that took high levels of magnesium show less diabetic risk factors by 27%. Other long-term studies have also shown the same results.

So you might ask why does magnesium lower diabetic risk factors? Researchers have suggested that magnesium reduces blood pressure, relaxes heart muscles, and controls homocysteine, which is associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Since magnesium is a mineral, It also helps to neutralize toxic material found outside cells in the lymph. This helps cells to function better.

To get more magnesium in your diet eat dark green leafy lettuce, avocados, nuts, and wholes grains. As a supplement, use magnesium gluconate and chelated magnesium 500 mg per day. It is always best to take magnesium with calcium and vitamin D.

Second there is the spice cinnamon. Cinnamon and diabetes has been discussed in a lot of health newsletters. Here is the story on Cinnamon diabetes. There is an extract from cinnamon called Cinnulin PF. This extract works on the cellular level by making the insulin cell receptors more sensitive to insulin by 300%. So why is this important? Well, in diabetes, if the pancreas does not produce enough insulin then not enough insulin cell doors are open so plenty of sugar can go into the cells to lower the blood sugar levels.

In some diabetic cases, the cells become resistant to insulin and don't allow insulin to open cell doors for sugar to enter. This is where Cinnulin PF from cinnamon comes in and makes cells more receptive to insulin.

In one of my other articles, I wrote about a natural product for diabetes called Glucotor 1. Now there is Glucotor 2. Some of the herbs in Glucotor 2 are prickly pear cactus, gymnema sylvestre, fenugreek, cinnulin PF banaba and bitter melon. With the addition of cinnulin PF to Glucotor 2, it is now more powerful than the previous formulation. This product has a good history of lowering blood sugar levels and has many real life testimonials. Using this natural diabetes information you can prevent creating diabetes.

Adding magnesium, cinnulin PF, or Glucotor 2 to your diet will lower your blood sugar levels. It will also provide you with benefits for improving your cardiovascular system. You can supplement with magnesium and with cinnulin PF, which is available as a single extract but if you can find it combines with other herbs, like in Glucotor 2, it will work better in your body.

Because they at greater risk for heart and heart disease, most people with diabetes are told simply to avoid all foods that are high in fat. As a result, you'll rarely find diabetic diets that include nuts of any kind, not even a lowly spoonful of peanut butter. But all fats are not created equal. New research is showing that nuts which are high in monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids can help prevent the onset of type-2 diabetes and improve the health of people already with diabetes.

Aren't nuts full of fat?

Nuts are often considered unhealthy foods because 80% of their calories come from fat. But nuts are made up mostly of monounsaturated fats and omega-3 oils which make them more like beans, fruits and vegetables than the heart attack bombs diabetic diets make them out to be. In the Mediterranean Diet, for instance, nuts are considered a healthy source of fat along with olives, fish and vegetables. New research shows that omega-3 fatty acids derived from plant sources can lower the risk of heart attacks by 60%. In another study, individuals who ate nuts just four times a week were also 50% less likely to develop coronary artery disease.

What nuts should I eat?

Nuts high in monounsaturated fats include walnuts, pecans, almonds, pistachios, cashews, hazel nuts and Brazil nuts. Women who ate just 5 ounces a day of these tree nuts were shown to lower their chance of developing type-2 diabetes by 27%. In addition to being an excellent source of plant protein, dietary fiber, antioxidant vitamins, and magnesium, nuts also have a low glycemic index which makes them ideal foods for diabetic diets. Studies have also shown that nuts are helpful in regulating cholesterol and triglycerides to help protect against heart attacks and heart disease.

What about peanuts?

Although peanuts are technically legumes and not nuts, both peanuts and nuts contain many of the same healthy fats, proteins, fiber and antioxidant vitamins. A study of women who ate peanuts or peanut butter five times a week reduced their risk of developing type-2 diabetes by 21%. And if you're worried that eating more nuts will make you gain weight, don't be. A sixteen year study of women who added nuts to their diets showed that the women who ate the most nuts weighed less and had a slightly lower body mass index (BMI) than those who ate less.

So... just eat more nuts?

It's not enough to just add nuts on top of diabetic diets. Good fat or no, nuts can still add extra calories which people with diabetes need to closely monitor. Ideally, nuts or peanut butter should replace red meats and refined grains and carbohydrates like white bread. Diabetes should always be managed with the advice of a physician. Ask your doctor about nuts and other the many other heart-healthy foods of the Mediterranean Diet when exploring the various diabetic diets available to you.

High blood sugar developing during pregnancy is called gestational diabetes. Since this type of diabetes may go undetected because of the lack of obvious symptoms, it is typically found during a screening performed between the 24th and 30th weeks of pregnancy. If gestational diabetes is diagnosed, a diabetes pregnancy diet is in order.

A good, balanced diabetes pregnancy diet is important to maintaining the mother's health and helping to insure a complication free pregnancy. This diet by itself is usually enough to control blood sugar, but sometimes insulin injection becomes necessary. Being mindful of the total daily calorie intake, avoiding foods that increase blood sugar, and eating more of the foods which aid in the maintenance of normal blood sugar levels are the backbone of a good diabetes pregnancy diet.

The carbohydrates in the food you eat become glucose in your body. Glucose is a major source of energy. Carbohydrates come from starchy foods such as pasta, bread, potatoes, rice, and other grains. They are also found in fruit, dairy foods, vegetables, and sugar. Eating the right balance of carbohydrates, fat and protein is an essential part of the diet.

Women who are pregnant should get about 45 to 60 percent of their calories from carbohydrates, 15 to 25 percent from protein, and 20 to 30 percent from fat. They also require about 300 extra calories daily in the second and third trimesters to ensure proper weight gain. An additional 10 to 12 grams of protein per day is also required to help the baby grow normally.

A registered dietitian is essential to helping you plan your diabetes pregnancy diet. Your doctor can help you locate one and the American Diabetes Association can also assist you in finding one. Coping with pregnancy is burden enough, but finding out that you have gestational diabetes adds an extra load. But it's important to remember that this form of diabetes usually goes away after the baby is born and the baby is typically not affected by the disease. Just focus on maintaining a healthy blood sugar level, sticking to your diet and following doctor's orders.

The control of blood sugar cannot be overstressed and the diet is the single most important factor in controlling diabetes while pregnant. With the right diabetes pregnancy diet and a good team of diabetes professionals to assist you in avoiding complications, the disease should not harm the mother or child.

I have seen all too many times where the diabetic patient is waiting for someone to tell him what to do. That is a serious mistake. As a diabetic you need to take control and quickly grab a handle on what is happening. There are a lot of resources out there to help-the ADA, your local hospital, and of course the internet

You need a team of pros working together to provide support and professional advice, but it's up to you to follow through. As they say in the Navy "you have the con" or something like that.

Here are some tips to help you run the ship.

- Make a commitment to managing your diabetes. Learn all you can about your Diabetes. There are tons of resources out there. Ask your health care team for help if your best efforts aren't enough to control your blood sugar.

- Schedule a yearly physical. It's important to have a thorough physical exam every year in addition to your regular diabetes checkups. Check for complications of diabetes and screen for conditions such as cardiovascular and kidney diseases.

- Schedule a yearly eye exam. Make sure your eye care specialist knows you have diabetes. Check for signs of retinal damage and cataracts and test you for glaucoma.

- Take good care of your teeth and gums. People with type 2 diabetes are prone to gum infections. Brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day, and schedule twice-a-year dental cleanings.

- Keep your vaccinations current. Because high blood sugar can weaken your immune system, you may be more likely to get influenza or pneumonia. Get a yearly flu shot and vaccinations for pneumonia and hepatitis B.

- Take care of your feet. Diabetes can damage nerves in your feet, which reduces your ability to feel pain. You may develop a cut or other injury without realizing it. Diabetes reduces blood flow to your feet making it harder for sores to heal. Check your feet every day for blisters, cuts, and bruises, cracked or peeling skin, and redness or swelling.

- Don't smoke. People with diabetes who smoke are three times as likely to die of cardiovascular disease or stroke as are nonsmokers. Smoking also increases the risk of nerve damage and kidney disease. Talk to your doctor about ways to quit smoking.

- Avoid alcohol. Alcohol prevents the release of glucose from your liver and can increase the risk of your blood sugar falling too low. If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so only in moderation.

- Take a daily aspirin. Taking an aspirin every day after age 40 may reduce your risk of heart attack. There are risks too so talk with your doctor to make sure aspirin is safe for you and, if so, which strength you should take.

- Monitor your blood pressure. If you have diabetes, you're twice as likely to develop high blood pressure as you'd be if you didn't have the disease. The risk for blacks and Hispanics is even higher. The combination of diabetes and high blood pressure is serious because both conditions can damage your blood vessels, increasing your risk of heart attack, stroke and other life-threatening conditions.

- Monitor your cholesterol. Unhealthy levels of cholesterol and triglycerides can cause cardiovascular disease in anyone, with type 2 diabetes or without. But as with high blood pressure, the damage is usually worse and more rapid when you have diabetes.

- Learn to manage stress. Constantly dealing with stress can make it more difficult to take care of yourself and manage your diabetes. You may find yourself eating all the wrong foods or forgetting to exercise or take your medications. Prolonged stress can cause your blood sugar levels to rise even if you stick to your diet and medication plan.

Do your best to stay positive. You are in this for the long haul. You need all the help you can get from wherever you can get it. Diabetes is a serious illness, but it can be controlled. If you're willing to do your part, you can continue to enjoy an active and healthy life.

Jack Krohn has had Diabetes, Pre-diabetes and Syndrome X for nearly fifteen years. He speaks from the experiences he has had during that time. He is also a free lance writer-the #1 author of Home Security Articles in the country.