Diabetes Guidelines

Diabetes becomes more prevalent with age. About half of all the cases are diagnosed over age 60. Nearly 6.3 million seniors – one in every five people over age 60 – may have diabetes. And another 6 million seniors who have impaired glucose tolerance are at high risk of developing the disease. There are two types of diabetes that can affect seniors. Type I diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system, for some yet undiscovered reason, mistakenly attacks and destroys the cells in the pancreas that are responsible for making insulin. However, 90 percent of the time when an older person gets the disease, it is diabetes II. If you have Type II, your pancreas is still doing its job. The catch is that it either isn’t producing enough insulin or it is making plenty of insulin but your body has developed what is known as insulin resistance. Although diabetes is a chronic disease that has no cure, here are a few suggestions that can help you.

1. Pay Attention To Your Feet

Inspect your feet and between your toes every day. Diabetes can damage nerve endings in your feet and toes, making it difficult for you to feel sores, blisters, and other injuries. Look for cuts, breaks in the skin, or swollen, red areas. Keep your feet clean and dry. Bathe your feet with warm water and mild soap every day. Dry them carefully, especially between the toes. Apply a thin coat of moisturizing lotion if the skin on your feet feels unusually dry. Wear clean socks and comfortable, well-fitting shoes. Never go barefoot. You are more likely to get injured if you do.

2. Avoid Large Meals

Spread your calories, especially those that come from carbohydrates, throughout the day in order to keep your blood sugar levels at optimal levels. So instead of two large meals, you may want to eat five or six smaller meals like half a sandwich and an orange.

3. Step Lively

Regular exercise is a vital part of any diabetes management plan. Just taking a 15-minute walk every day can help lower blood sugar and can help your body use insulin more efficiently. Some activities such as weight-lifting may not be safe for you, particularly if you have high blood pressure or diabetic eye disease.

4. Consume Fiber

Food high in water-soluble fiber like beans, oat bran, fruits, and nuts can help people with diabetes control their blood sugar. Soluble fiber slows the absorption of carbohydrates, so your blood sugar level may not rise as quickly. Try eating at least 20 grams of fiber a day. You will be well on your way to reaching your goal.

5. Follow The Pyramid

Even if you have a dietary plan specifically designed to control your diabetes, certain basics apply to everyone. It is recommended to take reference to the U.S Department of Agriculture’s Food Guide Pyramid for people who are 50-plus as an excellent starting point for any senior who has diabetes. These guidelines give you a general eating program that balances your consumption of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates in a way that should provide good nutrition.

6. Treat Yourself

In the past, people with diabetes were told that they could not eat certain foods, namely refined carbohydrates like sugar, cookies, or sweets. However, all carbohydrates have similar effects on blood sugar. That means a cookie elevates blood sugar about as much as a slice of bread or piece of fruit. Moderation is the key. Try to keep your simple-sugar intake down to 10 percent of your total calories each day.

7. Know Your Enemy

Learn as much as you can about diabetes. The better you understand the disease, the more likely you are to be able to control it. Ninety-nine percent of the care and management of diabetes is in the patient’s hands. You have to prepare your meals, and monitor your blood sugars. You have to know what to do and when to do it. And you can do it if you don’t have the knowledge and skills.

Gastric bypass: Is this weight-loss surgery for you?
Are you a candidate for gastric bypass surgery? Find out what to expect and the benefits and risks involved.
It’s always best to lose weight through a healthy diet and regular physical activity. But if you’re among those who have tried and can’t lose the excess weight that’s causing your health problems, weight-loss (bariatric) surgery may be an option.
Gastric bypass, which changes the anatomy of your digestive system to limit the amount of food you can eat and digest, is the favored bariatric surgery in the United States. Most surgeons prefer this procedure because it’s safer and has fewer complications than other available weight-loss surgeries. It can provide long-term, consistent weight loss if accompanied with ongoing behavior changes.
Gastric bypass isn’t for everyone with obesity, however. It’s a major procedure that poses significant risks and side effects and requires permanent changes in your lifestyle.
Who is gastric bypass surgery for?
Generally, gastric bypass surgery is reserved for people who are unable to achieve or maintain a healthy weight through diet and exercise, are severely overweight, and who have health problems as a result. Gastric bypass may be considered if:
·Your body mass index (BMI) is 40 or higher (extreme obesity).
·Your BMI is 35 to 39.9 (obesity), and you have a serious weight-related health problems such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
Gastric bypass surgery doesn’t replace the need for following a healthy diet and regular physical activity program. In fact, the success of the surgery depends in part on your commitment to following the guidelines given to you about diet and exercise. As you consider weight-loss surgery, make sure that you make every effort to exercise, change your eating habits and adjust any other lifestyle factors that have contributed to your excess weight

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gastric-bypass/HQ01465

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gastric-bypass-diet/WT00007

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gastric-bypass-surgery/AN01378

I had gastric bypass surgery in April 2005. I started out at 268, now I’m 180 and holding, after 1 year and 7 months. These links will help you in many ways to make a decision if this is for you or not. I vote yes, because it made such a difference in my life. I was taking 8 pills a day, and after my surgery, I lost my diabetes. The way they do the surgery, takes your diabetes away. I no longer have to take glucophage, and I no longer have high Cholesterol or high blood pressure. I’m down to 2 pills a day. I went from a size 26-28 to a 16-18.
Most people struggle with paying for the surgery. Go to this site, it is a great support system for you, because it’s only people who have had gastric bypass. Every insurance program has been rated, and you’ll get tips on how to deal with your insurance company, as well as, surgery tips, food tips, and just support. http://www.obesityhelp.com/
There is a very good web site by a guy named Basil White. He’s a govt. worker and a comedian. He walks you through everything. Very interesting. He had the surgery and did well.

http://www.basilwhite.com/gastric/

Some other helpful links…

http://dir.yahoo.com/Health/Diseases_and_Conditions/Obesity/Gastric_Bypass_Surgery/

http://www.stapleclub.com/general_info.htm

http://www.locateadoc.com/articles.cfm/1454/1337

http://www.dhmc.org/webpage.cfm?site_id=2&org_id=28&morg_id=0&sec_id=0&gsec_id=35507&item_id=35508

http://www.mygastricbypass.com/

http://www.gwdocs.com/health/eHA-eHA_Content_C-Generic_Content_Page_Template_1131123706877.html

Good luck with your surgery and new life!
What do you think?

ok well you can try the raw food diet.
read this … )
What is the Raw Food Diet?
The raw food diet is a diet based on unprocessed and uncooked plant foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, grains, beans, nuts, dried fruit, and seaweed.

Heating food above 116 degrees F is believed to destroy enzymes in food that can assist in the digestion and absorption of food. Cooking is also thought to diminish the nutritional value and “life force” of food.

Typically, at least 75% of the diet must be living or raw.

What are the Benefits of the Raw Food Diet?
Proponents of the raw food diet believe it has numerous health benefits, including:
Increased energy

Improved skin appearance

Better digestion

Weight loss

Reduced risk of heart disease
The raw food diet contains fewer trans fats and saturated fat than the typical Western diet. It is also low in sodium and high in potassium, magnesium, folate, fiber and health-promoting plant chemicals called phytochemicals.

These properties are associated with a reduced risk of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. For example, a study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that consumption of a raw food diet lowered plasma total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations.

What are the Guidelines of the Raw Food Diet?
1. What can I eat?

Unprocessed, preferably organic, whole foods such as:
Fresh fruits and vegetables

Nuts

Seeds

Beans

Grains

Legumes

Dried fruit

Seaweed

Unprocessed organic or natural foods

Freshly juiced fruit and vegetables

Purified water

Young coconut milk
At least 75% of food consumed should not be heated over 116 degrees F.

2. What cooking techniques are used?

Specific cooking techniques make foods more digestible and add variety to the diet, including:
Sprouting seeds, grains, and beans

Juicing fruit and vegetables

Soaking nuts and dried fruit

Blending

Dehydrating food
3. What equipment can I use?
A dehydrator, a piece of equipment that blows air through food at a temperature of less than 116 degrees F.

A good-quality juice extractor for juicing fruit and vegetables

A blender, food processor, or chopper to save time

Large glass containers to soak and sprout seeds, grains, and beans

Mason jars for storing sprouts and other food
Side Effects

Some people experience a detoxification reaction when they start the raw food diet, especially if their previous diet was rich in meat, sugar, and caffeine. Mild headaches, nausea, and cravings can occur but usually last for several days.

Precautions
The raw food diet may not be appropriate for certain people, such as:
Children

Pregnant or nursing women

People with anemia

People at risk for osteoporosis – A Washington University study found that people following a raw food diet had lower bone mass. Bone turnover rates, however, were similar to the group that ate a standard American diet.
Considerable time, energy, and commitment is needed to be healthy on the raw food diet. Many of the foods are made from scratch. Some ingredients may be hard to find, such as Rejuvelac (the fermented liquid drained from sprouted grains), sprouted flour, date sugar, young coconut milk, carob powder and Celtic sea salt.

People must be aware that certain nutritional deficiencies can occur on the raw food diet, including:
Calcium

Iron

B12 – The Journal of Nutrition study found that a raw food diet increased levels of homocysteine due to vitamin B-12 deficiency.

Protein

Calories
Critics of the raw food diet say while it’s true that some enzymes are inactivated when food is heated, it doesn’t matter because the body uses its own enzymes for digestion. In addition, cooking makes certain phytochemicals easier to absorb, such as beta-carotene in carrots.

Another critique is that the human body has changed in response to eating cooked foods. Some of these changes are that are jaws and teeth have become smaller, our stomachs have shrunk, and our small intestines have grown longer, lengthening the digestive surface area.

According to other alternative diet theories, such as macrobiotics, Ayurveda, and traditional Chinese medicine, a raw-only diet may not be appropriate for people living in colder climates or for people with certain constitutional types.
i put this up because i wanted to help people that wanted to loose weight!!
if you have any questions please e-mail me at
kardasian_twin@yahoo.com

http://www.LoveDiabetes.com – It is the time of year when diabetes diagnosis is highest. The next three months are going to be the make or break for a lot of people. Cooler temperatures, super indulgent holiday foods and less daylight hours to enjoy fresh air all attribute to this trend of higher blood sugar in the winter months. Allie shares some insight from a registered dietician, as well as her own tips, for determining if you’re pushing the limits and how to get yourself back behind safe lines. Please SUBSCRIBE to Allies Voice and support making the world safer for people with diabetes.

Duration : 0:6:54

Having a child diagnosed with diabetes can be challenging and confusing. We’ll give you tips to help you and your child deal with the diagnosis.

Duration : 0:5:25