Diabetes Guidelines

The following are small “tidbits” of information that are important to our health.  Take a few minutes to read these.  You will probably learn something regarding your health you didn’t already know.  If not, a reminder once in a while is a good thing!

YOUR MOTHER WAS RIGHT!  Eat your fruits and vegetables.  Study after study confirms that fruits and vegetables are vitally important to our diet.  For one thing, that is where most of the natural cancer fighters are found.  That should be enough reason to be sure your plate contains plenty of veggies and fresh fruits!

A 1 1/4-inch cube of cheese equals a serving.

Potassium helps to control water balance in the body.  It helps with regulating nerve impulses, muscle contractions, and this is very important–heart rhythm.  It is very important to keep your potassium level regulated to prevent heart rhythm problems that can be very serious.  Potassium is found in fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, poultry, milk and milk products.  Potatoes and bananas are two excellent sources of potassium.

Replace whole milk and cream in your diet with fat-free milk and fat-free or skim evaporated milk.  You will still get the benefits of milk without all the fat.  If it is too hard to make the change suddenly, start by combining fat-free milk with whole milk and gradually reducing the amount of whole while increasing the amount of fat-free.

 When driving to a picnic, put the picnic basket in the car; not in the trunk.  Temperatures inside the trunk will quickly jump to over 150 degrees on a typically hot day.

For a healthier diet, switch from white bread to whole-grain breads, from regular pasta products to whole-grain pastas, eat whole-grain cereals and mix whole-wheat flour with all-purpose flour.  This is especially important for the diabetic.

According to the American Association for Cancer Research, women with diabetes are one-and-one-half times more likely to develop colorectal cancer than women who do not have diabetes.

San Francisco diabetes specialist Dr. Gary Arsham, co-author of the book Diabetes:  A Guide to Living Well, says he finds that for many of his patients a diagnosis of diabetes makes their lives better.  “What?”, you might say.  Once many patients absorb the lifestyle changes that come with a diagnosis of diabetes, they actually admit to being slimmer, happier, and healthier than they were.  “It’s inspiring,” says Dr. Arsham.  “Although diabetes is still a challenge, I see people with the disease becoming so much more alive, energetic, and vibrant than ever before.  They feel better and are motivated to keep on taking good care of themselves.”

Your blood glucose levels before meals should be between 90 and 130.  Two hours after a meal your number should be under 160.

 Here are three ways to lower your risk of getting diabetes.  And believe me, you don’t want it!  1) Watch your weight and keep it within the healthy range.  Around 90% of diabetics are overweight.  2)  Eat less fat.  3) Increase your amount of exercise.  Even a small increase in exercise is beneficial.  Exercise helps your muscles better absorb the sugar in your blood.

Linda Wilson
http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/tidbits-of-information-for-your-health-for-diabetics-and-others-as-well-670731.html

Food for thought: Avoid high-fat diet during pregnancy
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A Colorado State University professor is leading a campaign in the new media world against an old media giant that took shots at the “caveman diet.”

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US News & World Report ranks DASH diet Best Overall, Best Diabetes Diet
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In U.S. News Diet Rankings, Look Closer At Atkins
Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. is pleased to have the Atkins Diet⢠included in the U.S. News Media Group “Best Diets” rankings. We believe, however â and  contrary to the published ratings â that the Atkins Diet has repeatedly demonstrated its effectiveness for diabetes and heart health management, as evidenced by a host of key peer-reviewed scientific studies.  Atkins also questions the validity …

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High-Fat Diet During Pregnancy Programs Child For Future Diabetes
A high-fat diet during pregnancy may program a woman’s baby for future diabetes, even if she herself is not obese or diabetic, says a new University of Illinois study published in the Journal of Physiology. “We found that exposure to a high-fat diet before birth modifies gene expression in the livers of offspring so they are more likely to overproduce glucose, which can cause early insulin …

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New Portion Control Dinnerware Simplifies Diet & Nutrition – Precise Portions Celebrates Launch with Twitter Chat on …
Precise Portions dinnerware takes the guesswork out of eating well. The dinnerware set includes porcelain plates, bowls and glasses with lines that indicate healthy portion sizes. Precise Portions is the first dietitian-designed, porcelain portion control dinnerware system. The company will celebrate its official product launch with an exclusive Twitter chat on June 1, from 1pm to 2pm EST …

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The Balanced Diet: What It Means And Why It’s Important
Whether you have diabetes or are just trying to make healthy choices, you’ve probably heard that you should follow “a balanced diet.” But what is a balanced diet? Diabetes Forecast, the consumer magazine of the American Diabetes Association, seeks to answer that question and share helpful recipes in its June 2011 issue, which focuses on summer cooking and eating. A balanced diet isn’t just for …

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Back in March of 2005 the results of the Diabetes Prevention Program were released by the American Diabetes Association. This study was conducted nationwide at 25 medical centers and tracked thousands of potential diabetics who were given a lose the fat diabetic diet and exercise plan. Everyone in the study group was pre-diabetic, meaning they all suffered from high blood sugar levels that were higher then normal but not in the diabetic range. Half of all people diagnosed with pre-diabetes will eventually become type 2 diabetics if left untreated.

There were two groups of people is this study. One half of the participants were given only dietary recommendations to follow. The other half were given the same diet but were also asked to exercise 5 times a week for at least 30 minutes per day.

The results of this study were unexpected. Those pre-diabetics who exercised along with following the diabetic diet reduced by 58% their risk of developing diabetes. The reason for this was simple; they lost weight because of these lifestyle changes. Researchers found that exercising and losing weight had the direct effect of lowering blood sugar levels to normal, which wasn’t thought to be possible.

It is thought that weight loss for those with pre-diabetes helps prevent the onset of diabetes but it also helps to reverse the damage to insulin producing cells caused by obesity. Depending on how much you weigh it was found that losing 5% to 7% of your body weight can make a difference.

The key to this diet is eating healthy foods that not help the pre-diabetic lose weight but also keep the weight off. The American Diabetes Association recommends a daily diet that consists of the following.

* Grain – 6-11 servings per day (Bread, Cereal, Rice, Pasta)
* Vegetables – 3-5 servings per day
* Fruits – 2-4 servings per day
* Milk – 2-3 servings per day
* Meat – 4-6 ounces per day (Meat, eggs, fish, dried beans, nuts and peanut butter)
* Fats, Sweets, Alcohol – Occasional treats

Not only is this diet recommended for diabetes but it is also endorsed by the American Heart Association to help combat the risks for heart disease. This points out how important it is to eat healthy and follow a fat loss diabetic diet and exercise program.

Andrew Bicknell

Carbs are a part of nearly every dieter’s vocabulary. A number of diets are famous for fighting carb consumption. But you should know that not every carbohydrate is created alike. While it is true that you can lose weight by cutting carbs, carbs are also necessary for a good diet.

To begin with, we should define our terms. Carbs are derived from a number of different sources. They are present in bread, pasta, fruits, and vegetables. There are also a number of different types of carbs. For instance, carbs come in the form of sugars, starches, and fiber.

For the most part, the digestive system divides carbs into sugar molecules which can be taken into the bloodstream. The majority of carbs are transformed into glucose or blood sugar. In this way, carbs provide energy for our bodies.Those who lack sufficient carbs in their diet may suffer from fatigue.

Carbs can be filled with nutrients. For instance, fruit contains vitamins A and C, fiber, and folate. Vegetables are also a good vitamin and fiber source; in fact, they usually contain a greater variety of minerals than other foods do. Whole grains can provide you with fiber, protein, and B vitamins. Legumes can provide you with protein, iron, and potassium.

But carbs can also be potentially bad for your health. For instance, cookies, potato chips, and soft drinks also contain carbs in the form of sugar and flour. You should know that refined carbohydrates have been linked with diabetes and heart diseases, making these carbs a dangerous choice.

There are a number of good reasons to ban these carbs from your diet. For instance, they are extremely high in calories and offer little in the way of nutrients. Because they contain no fiber, they will not keep you satiated. In fact, such carbs offer you zero nutrients, but plenty of fat.

Therefore, you should avoid processed grains and sugars. Instead, eat whole grains, fruits, and vegetables to maximize your nutritional intake.Instead of eliminating carbs completely from your diet, simply ban those that increase the size of your waistline.

There is another way to think about carbs. You can generally divide them into two categories: simple and complex. A simple carb, such as sugar, promotes weight gain. As a result, you should select low-sugar foods, especially low-sugar beverages. In contrast, complex carbohydrates promote weight loss.

Health experts recommend that dieters consume between 55 and 65 percent of their calories from these types of carbs. Such carbs include fruits and vegetables and a number of other natural foods.

But it isn’t enough to simply eat fruits and vegetables. You also need to avoid fattening sauces and condiments such as mayonnaise and butter. By adding butter to your broccoli or mayonnaise to your potatoes, you can raise the calorie amount exponentially, sabotaging your diet.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture promotes a food pyramid that recommends as many as eleven servings of bread, pasta, and cereal. However, a number of dieticians are suggesting that Americans should cut the carbs – period. In one poll, 81 percent of the respondents said they were abiding by a low-carb diet.

It is interesting to point out that neither the American Heart Association nor the American Diabetes Association believes that the glycemic index should be considered when following a weight loss plan. While the Diabetes Association concedes that various foods offer different glycemic responses, the Association’s leaders believe the most critical factor is the number of carbs rather than the form of the carbs consumed.

Granted, dietary information about carbs can be confusing. However, a number of dieticians say that, while you might not want to cut carbs out of your diet entirely, you should eat carbs only in moderation.

Health experts also say that you should limit your carb intake to good carbs and pass up the bad ones.By following such a plan, you should have energy – but you shouldn’t pack on the weight. It may be difficult at first to follow such a diet plan, since many of us are conditioned to eat bad carbs in order to elevate our moods. In time, however, you may find that you enjoy the fruits and vegetables you’re eating, and you may not even miss those tortilla chips.

Paul Hata
http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/carbs-the-good-the-bad-and-the-healthy-523043.html