Diabetes Guidelines

We’ve all been told (or told someone else) that finishing all your veggies or eating fresh fruit every day is a good way to keep your body healthy and fit. But there are some other surprising foods (drinks too) that we can add to our diet that bring impressive health benefits, and (in moderation, of course) might just help us reach our weight loss goals.

Here are the five, good for your surprises:

1. Tea – 3 cups per day of any type that comes from the leaves of the plant Carnellia sinensis, which includes black, green, white and oolong varieties. There is strong evidence that tea might just reduce your risk of heart disease, and offer other less researched benefits such as protection from cancer and cutting your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Tea appears to have a type of flavonoid from that same family of antioxidants found in fruits, veggies and red wine. To get the most out of your cup of tea, make it strong and steep it a good long time-but if you’re watching your weight, keep an eye on the milk and sugar you add to your cup.

2. Dark Chocolate – a little goes a long way, but just like tea, this delicious treat is believed to have an ample supply of the same flavonoids in red wine, fruits and veggies. Small amounts of dark chocolate have been shown to improve blood vessel flow, and may stabilize blood sugar and insulin sensitivity, thus reducing the risk of diabetes. Choose dark chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa so you get more of these healthy antioxidants, and fewer calories from the milk and sugars used to make milk or white chocolate.

3. Fatty Fish – two servings per week of fish such as salmon, trout, herring, tuna, sardines or mackerel. These fish are rich in omega – 3 fatty acids, shown to reduce cholesterol, which helps to keep clots from forming and causing heat attacks. The research is so compelling that the American Heart Association recommends eating fatty fish on a regular basis. Be sure you choose grilled or broiled recipes as frying removes many of the beneficial substances in the fish and replaces them with calories and saturated fats.

4. Coffee – despite its bad rap, used in moderation, your first cup of morning coffee may have health benefits you haven’t heard about – including stimulating the brain and nervous system as well as lowering your risk of diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, mood disorders and headaches. Coffee has a compound from the antioxidant family and is a good source of magnesium, both are believed to help improve sugar metabolism, help with insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. And while black coffee is a tasty zero calorie drink, adding cream, sugar, or other toppings adds calories that you might not want.

5. Avocados – even though these fruits are full of fat, most of it is the heart healthy monounsaturated kind that is believed to lower cholesterol. Avocados have carotenoids, vitamin E and potassium, plus fiber to fill you up. Be aware though, that just because the fats are “good” ones, they still add calories if you aren’t careful about portions. Slice them onto salads, add them to a soup or spread them on bread to keep the potion sizes under control while still getting all the taste and health benefits too.

Adding one or more of these surprisingly healthy options is a great way to improve a diet that could use some help, or boost the healthfulness of one that’s already on the right track. Along with regular exercise, eating a balanced and nutritious diet is still one of the best ways to maintain your weight and your health.

Valerie Slaugther
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/good-for-you-surprises-you-can-add-to-your-diet-today-61635.html

Are you drinking too much coffee? We seem to need it to wake up in the morning, to stay alert when we drive, and even our work breaks are now referred to as “coffee breaks.” A sign that may indicate that we’re getting a little too carried away is when we have a mug, with a picture of our favorite mug on it. But don’t put your favorite cup away just yet. There’s new evidence suggesting that coffee in moderation can actually be good for you!

New evidence shows that antioxidants are not only in green tea, but are also in coffee. Surprisingly, there’s four times the amount of antioxidants in coffee as what there is in green tea. Of course this doesn’t substitute for the amount of antioxidants that you find in fruits and vegetables. But one to two cups of coffee per day lowers your chances of having cancer and chronic diseases.

Harvard University School of Public Health shows that the risk of Type II diabetes is lower among regular coffee drinkers. Why? It boosts the liver’s ability to break down sugar. Too much sugar that stays in our bodies not only causes us to gain weight, but also weakens muscle strength. And who wants saggy muscles?

Did you know that almonds lower your cholesterol and help to increase your memory? That’s right, a few of those delicious nuts with coffee, and it’s even more of a super memory booster! You actually have an 80% less chance of getting Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s drugs are now being developed with caffeine derivatives for this very reason.

In medicine, caffeine is used as a diuretic (to increase urine) and as a cardiac stimulant. It boosts energy and triggers alertness.

After a large cup of coffee, our muscles tighten up, our heart beats fast and our hands get cold. Coffee stimulates the brain like cocaine and heroin. That’s why it’s so addictive and for the same reason why most of us need it first thing in the morning, to start our day. Once you get into the coffee cycle, you can’t stop. If you try, you get a wicked headache and you start squirming like a snake.

But recent studies reveal that regular coffee drinkers are less likely to contract heart disease. “Until now, we have attributed the cardiovascular effects of coffee to caffeine, but we found non-coffee drinkers given decaffeinated coffee also display these effects,” says Roberto Corti, M.D., a cardiologist at University Hospital in Zurich. Then could there be other ingredients in coffee that are causing the “jitters”? If there is less elevation in blood pressure, could this mean that we are increasing our tolerance to caffeine? Should hypertensive people still drink coffee?

The American Heart Association agrees that there’s a lot of contradiction about caffeine and regular coffee drinkers and the link with cardiovascular disease. If you sit down and calculate how much caffeine you consume in one day, you might be surprised. But could only one or two cups of coffee be harmful for you?

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, there is more risk for a heart attack if a regular coffee drinker carries a gene called cytochrome P450 1A2*1F. This gene metabolizes caffeine slowly. They have decided however, that more research still needs to be done before they can make this conclusion.

Dr. Florian Koppelstatter of the Medical University Innsbruck, in Austria, claims that caffeine boosts brain activity. Vanderbilt University also found coffee to increase blood flow to the brain thereby, preventing degenerative brain diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

Again, maybe there are some good benefits as long as we consume this beverage in moderation. Apparently, adding an extra paper filter in your coffee machine when brewing your coffee, even if you have a plastic filter, helps to lower cholesterol and your blood pressure.

We all know that coffee sometimes prevents constipation. Nothing like that morning brew to get things moving! Some practitioners in alternative health medicine actually suggest doing coffee enemas for bowel cleansing. Myself, I prefer bottoms up to be my cup!

Are we addicted to the coffee or to the lifestyle and habit that we’ve grown into over time? Well at least now we know that there are some healthy benefits.

But can having too much coffee and drinking the brew too late in the day cause insomnia? Without a good night’s sleep, our body can’t replenish itself. Let’s not forget the increased risk of osteoporosis for menopausal women. I think I’ll stick to my martinis and use the coffee grounds for something else.

I heard coffee grounds make good fertilizer in the gardens because they’re high in nitrogen. Use them to fertilize your evergreens, azaleas and rosebushes. Also coffee grounds mixed with orange peels placed around your plants in the garden will keep the cats away. You can even mix some carrot seeds with ground coffee when you sow and pests will stay away. Placing a small container or dish of coffee grounds in the freezer, rids your freezer of spoiled food smells. For you fishermen, coffee grounds mixed with earth will keep your worms wiggly.

Meeting new people and socializing with coffee is one of America’s favorite pastimes. From espressos to café lattes or ice cappuccinos, we keep thinking of new delightful ways to enjoy our quick fix. And now with convenient drive-thru coffee shops, it’s even easier to grab a mug on the go. The coffee places make fabulous meeting places for a quick chat, to play games, or to read the newspaper. Some go alone and others gather in groups. Ironically, we all go out of our way to have something that we can make fast and effortlessly at home.

A man and woman were in the kitchen having a discussion on who should brew the coffee in the morning. She suggested that he do it because he was the first to get up in the morning. “This way you won’t have to wait,” she said. He quickly replied, “You should do it. You usually do the cooking around here.” The wife walked out of the room for a moment and reached for the Bible and opened the New Testament. She pointed to the top of the pages and showed him that indeed it said, “Hebrews. “

So coffee lovers, as long as you drink your coffee in moderation, it doesn’t seem like it will hurt you. It’s apparent that it could benefit you. Studies have shown that coffee has amazing antioxidants, helps persons with bronchial asthma, increases the speed of rapid information, counteracts driver sleepiness, reduces the risk of stone formation and colon cancer, and is even a great source of potassium. Again the key word is moderation, like with everything. Too much of anything is not good.

So java junkies go ahead and drink up! Your coffee fits right in with its cousins tea and cocoa.

Louanne Baelde
http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/good-news-for-coffee-lovers-onecup-drinkers-less-likely-to-get-heart-disease-135590.html

My in laws are well into their 70′s and he has a heart and kidney problem and she has diabetes and Alzheimer’s and i am trying to find a good home health agency to come in and help her bathe and dress and groom because he is in his 80′s and takes blood thinners and the least little scratch is very dangerous to him , he could bleed almost to death. She is functioning like a child and can not do the things she used to do , she needs assistance with her bathing and medications and food preparations. I have tried several agencies since all they have is medicare but they are trying because some times they will show up and some times they just don’t. I even had one aide from a place to take money and jewelry from them . My mother in law does not know any better than to offer it , she is thinking like a child would. So will medicaid help them in any way? OR is it the same ole ordeal, with , limitations and guidelines? Need advice soon or we will have to move them to a family members home and hope all goes well there but i highly doubt it.

I just found out that I have diabetes Type 2. I know I have to stay away from jams, jellies, etc. What are the best protein items I can eat to help me stay healthy? Any other vegetarian/diabetes info would be helpful. I want to try to go veggie for this!

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the body cannot properly change food into energy. It is linked with complications that affect approximately every portion of the body. Diabetes frequently leads to troubles such as: blindness, kidney failure, stroke, nerve damage and amputations. Complication in pregnancy can be caused by uncontrolled diabetes and some defects in birth of babies can also happen in women who have diabetes.

Dietary Concerns

Taking in healthy diet that has low fat, sugar, sodium, high fiber and healthy carbohydrates help you to control blood glucose level. Healthy diet also helps in maintaining good body weight.
Glucose Monitoring

It is important to monitor blood glucose scale in order to control diabetes. By keeping the glucose level in normal range, you will feel better and more energetic and you will not have some long-term dilemma. Also check your cholesterol levels and blood pressure; they should be in the normal range too. Diabetes can make someone at a high danger for heart attack, kidney disease and stroke and these are aggravated by high pressure of the blood.

Constant Use of Medicines

It is important to take your medicines always that were prescribed to you for the control of your diabetes even if you’re feeling fine. If you experience some side effects that cause you problems, go to your doctor and ask some advices, but do not just stop in taking your medicines.

Monitor Changes in your Feet

To get rid of complications and some long-term problems, always keep attention to your feet. Diabetes can ultimately reduce circulation and sensation of nerves in the feet, it is important to monitor carefully always any symbols of irritation, blisters, cuts or any other problems. Ask your physician to examine your feet every time you go for a check up. Diabetic foot dilemma is best resolved if they are seen in early period. Get immediate medical attention if you find any problem. You can also use some diabetic socks, these are specifically perfect for diabetic patients and will make your feet dry and cool. There are also diabetic shoes that can be used for the purpose.

Exercise or Physical Activity is Important for Diabetic Patients

Doing some exercises daily can assist you to manage both blood glucose scale and weight. It does not require a strenuous exercise, brisk walking for 30 to 50 minutes a day can help. Regular exercises also help maintain good mental attitude. Seek assistance when you feel down and depressed. Finding ways to cope easier with stress can be helpful also.

Diabetic Eye Care

If you are diabetic, you must have eye examination regularly. There are various eye-related situations that diabetic patients are at a higher danger of developing and regular examinations can allow analysis of potential dilemma before the problem advances.

Habitual Check up

It is important to visit your doctor twice a year for check up, even if you take good care of your diabetes. Your physician will make some tests including blood pressure check up. You must have a complete routine check-up, including tests on triglycerides, cholesterol and other blood tests, urinalysis and complete foot examination. Yearly eye and dental examinations are also necessary.

Proper monitoring of your diabetes and following some good health plan can help control your diabetes. Chances in developing short or long term dilemmas and complications can be reduced if you have controlled your diabetes.

Last night i came up with a great insulin-like treatment for diabetes. who do i go to to sell this? look, i care about people with diabetes, but obviously making a few million is more vital to my life.

well, if you do not how to market your idea, then chances are your idea probably isn’t all that great. it’s probably been already tried and tested.

you can’t just make something up or figure it out and then have it sell. you have to hire the proper folks to look at your idea (pharmicutical companies or a doctor), then you would have to mass produce enough for medication trials. phase trials take a while-good ones even take longer. I’m talking 10 years or more before you can "sell" to the public.

or, you can be another joe blow and claim things that are against the law just to sell it, but making all that money wont be worth a dime behind bars.

good luck!

Last night i came up with a great insulin-like treatment for diabetes. who do i go to to sell this? look, i care about people with diabetes, but obviously making a few million is more vital to my life.

well, if you do not how to market your idea, then chances are your idea probably isn’t all that great. it’s probably been already tried and tested.

you can’t just make something up or figure it out and then have it sell. you have to hire the proper folks to look at your idea (pharmicutical companies or a doctor), then you would have to mass produce enough for medication trials. phase trials take a while-good ones even take longer. I’m talking 10 years or more before you can "sell" to the public.

or, you can be another joe blow and claim things that are against the law just to sell it, but making all that money wont be worth a dime behind bars.

good luck!

My father has just been diagnosed as a borderline diabetic. He is about 30 pounds overweight and has been told losing weight would reverse the diabetes. However, he and my mom are having trouble creating a menu plan using guidelines aimed for diabetics. I would like to give them some sites to help out. Something free would be ideal as they are both retired.

http://www.diabetic-recipes.com/ is one good site and here is another: http://www.bhg.com/bhg/category.jsp?categoryid=/templatedata/bhg/category/data/DiabeticRecipes.xml

Another good way to lose weight for your father’s problem is to go on e-diet and sign up for the diabetes diet. My boyfriend signed up and lost 50 pounds.

Needless to say his blood sugar is back in the normal range and the recipes are good.

They give you recipes for the whole week, three meals a day.

My father has just been diagnosed as a borderline diabetic. He is about 30 pounds overweight and has been told losing weight would reverse the diabetes. However, he and my mom are having trouble creating a menu plan using guidelines aimed for diabetics. I would like to give them some sites to help out. Something free would be ideal as they are both retired.

http://www.diabetic-recipes.com/ is one good site and here is another: http://www.bhg.com/bhg/category.jsp?categoryid=/templatedata/bhg/category/data/DiabeticRecipes.xml

Another good way to lose weight for your father’s problem is to go on e-diet and sign up for the diabetes diet. My boyfriend signed up and lost 50 pounds.

Needless to say his blood sugar is back in the normal range and the recipes are good.

They give you recipes for the whole week, three meals a day.

The most important thing that ensures a good vacation is travel preparation. Depending on the kind of holiday that you have planned and the mode of travel that you have decided to take, you must pack accordingly. Maps are available on the internet to download and so are directions to any place that you will be visiting. This should be the most important preparation for a road trip. Deal with the visa and immunization requirements before taking a trip to other countries. It is prudent to follow some guidelines while packing and take some safety measures in order to ensure that you truly prepared for your vacation.

Put some thought into what you pack. Pack clothes keeping in mind what kind of activities that you will be undertaking, whether it will be casual or formal.

Make sure you take different jewelry, scarves and belts which can completely change the total look of an outfit, rather than carrying too many clothes. You do not need to have more than five or six sets of clothes. Take clothes that you can mix and match and give you a good wear. This way you will be leaving some spare space in your suitcase to bring back something that you may buy while holidaying.

Instead of taking bulky sweaters and coats which take up lots of space, take clothes in different that can be layered. Washing and drying them is easy too.

Follow the same principles while packing for a child. It might be wise to put each outfit into a zippered bag, to give your child ease in choosing what to wear, without messing up the folded clothes. It is very important to carry all the required medicines for your child, especially if he needs any particular medication. For example, a child with asthma should have his inhaler and a child with some allergy should have the antidote for it, in his back pack.

There are certain tricks to packing. Save space by rolling up socks and stuffing into the extra pair of shoes that you need to carry. Use leak proof plastic bags to carry your toiletries. Side pockets or mesh bags should used to put in your underwear.

If you are flying, then you should follow the standard tour guide of packing one set of under garments, your toothbrush and your essential medicines into a bag which you should carry with you. Often your baggage gets lost and so this is a very useful tip to follow.

Often you are not allowed to lock your suitcases when you are flying. So ensure that you do not pack your important documents, valuables, camera, keys, money and medicines in your suitcases which you would check in. Not only is there a security risk, there is also the possibility of anyone opening and checking out all your stuff.

While taking a vacation, you should be mentally prepared for any eventuality that could occur like your baggage not arriving with you, sudden weather change, unexpected ear ache or tooth ache. Be forewarned and forearmed. Then you can be prepared to tackle anything and have a great holiday.

Jerry K. Blackburn
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/a-tour-guide-to-a-good-vacation-139599.html