Posts Tagged ‘type 2 diabetes’

Living With Diabetes

Monday, May 11th, 2009

 

 Facts About Diabetes

I have Type 2 diabetes and have been battling it for several years. So far,so good.It’s under control but I do take diabetes medication for it (glyburide/metmorphin tablets). My objective is to get off the diabetes drugs! But, to be honest, it’s difficult.

The solution theoretically is simple–lose weight,alter your diet,and exercise regularly.It can be done but it takes will power.What gave me the will power to do something about it was a stern warning from my cardiologist–either fix your diabetes problem or look forward to a shoterned, very disabling departure from this mortal coil.Since I was approaching 60 years old, it’s not like I had forty or fifty years left! So diet and exercise I did. And it can be done with the proper incentive, which I now have. Living with diabetes can be simple for some people.You can cure diabetes naturally if you change your lifestyle. Consider this–there are cultures and populations in the world right now where diabetes is virtually non-existent. So why is it so prevalent here in the U.S.? It’s our lifestyles.

Types of Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is the one that some people are either born with or develop as young children. This type of diabetes usually requires insulin and aggressive blood sugar management.Type I diabetes is incurable. But only 5% 0f all diabetes cases are type 1. Type 2 is the one we can beat, or at least control.

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So just how serious is diabetes? Very! The early symptoms of untreated diabetes mellitus are related to the elevated blood sugar, or glucose,levels. Excess glucose in the blood ultimately results in high levels of glucose being present in the urine. This increases the urine output, which leads to dehydration and increased thirst. Other symptoms include extreme tiredness, blurred vision, itchy skin and repeated minor infections such as thrush and boils.You might also fell sharp pains in your extremities–your feet and fingers. These are more like sharp "pings" of pain. Late stages of diabetes result in having your toes/feet/legs amputated, going blind, having kidney faiure–it’s just not pretty.

Another form of diabetes, known as gestational diabetes, occurs in some women during pregnancy. It is a temporary condition caused by pregnancy and usually occurs in the later stages, once the baby has formed but is still growing

Although there is currently no cure for diabetes mellitus, it can be controlled successfully with an active treatment plan. The potential benefit of pancreas transplants and islet cell transplants in type 1 patients is being investigated.

Symptoms Of Diabetes

Type I diabetes develops very quickly. The classic signs of diabetes include:

1. Frequent urination, because the body is trying to get rid of the excess sugar in the blood
2. Intense thirst, because the body needs to replace the fluid lost through the urine
3. Increased hunger, because the cells need nutrients
4. Weight loss, because without insulin, the body begins to starve.

The onset of Type 2 diabetes is often very gradual and may develop without any symptoms at all. Sadly, the diagnosis most often is made only after a complication of the disease happens. It is a function or diet and lack of exercise. It used to be called "Adult Diabetes" because it did not develop until people became older,less active, and overweight. Sadly, because of our sedentary lifestyle these days and the easy availibility of junk and fast food, we’re seeing more cases of Type 2 diabetes develop among teenagers and even younger children who are obese.

Treating Diabetes

Your weight affects your health in many ways. Being overweight can keep your body from making and using insulin properly. It can also cause high blood pressure. The DPP showed that losing even a few pounds can help reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes because it helps your body use insulin more effectively. In the DPP, people who lost between 5 and 7 percent of their body weight significantly reduced their risk of type 2 diabetes. So here’s news flash–If you became a vegetarian, you probably wouldn’t have diabetes at all,at least Type 2 diabetes.

The good news is that treating diabetes can easily be done at home. With a diet plan for type 2 diabetes and regular exercise plus diabetes medication, you can do it through your determination.You can buy diabetes medical supplies including a diabetes glucose  monitor, and you can manage your problem effectively.

Measuring your blood glucose levels is quite simple–and virtually painless. You can now draw blood with a blood glucose monitor like the one shown above from other parts of your body besides the tip of your finger (which always gives me the willies) where the nerves aren’t as sensitive. We’ll have more on this in future posts. Here’s the place to review a sample of top

Published by Heart Wellness Store

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Getting Rid Of Diabetes

Monday, April 20th, 2009

There are at least 22 million people living with diabetes in the U.S. and the sad part is that it is possible to prevent and heal pre-diabetes and diabetes type 2 naturally with balanced nutrition, and basic exercise.

People at risk of getting the disease drop by a staggering 60 percent if they manage to lose just 10 pounds by following a healthy diet and engage in regular exercise such as walking, according to most cardiologists.

Pre-Diabetes

This term means that you are at risk for getting type 2 diabetes and also heart disease. The good news is if you have pre-diabetes you can reduce the risk of getting diabetes type 2 and even return to normal blood glucose levels if you follow the guidelines in this article.

Type 2 Diabetes

Formerly called adult-onset diabetes, this is the most common form of diabetes. This form of diabetes usually begins with insulin resistance, a condition in which the body cannot use insulin properly. People can develop this type of diabetes at any age and is usually associated with today’s modern lifestyle of fast food, stress and lack of exercise.

Being overweight and sedentary increases the chances of developing type 2 diabetes dramatically. Traditional treatment includes taking diabetes medicines, a daily aspirin, and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol with prescription drugs.
But with modest weight loss and moderate daily physical activity, you can delay or even prevent type 2 diabetes and lead a normal life. Lets look at a few steps you can use straight away in your daily life that will make a big difference to your condition.

1) Strength Training – Researchers have reported a 23% increase in glucose uptake after four months of strength training. Because poor glucose metabolism is associated with adult onset diabetes, improved glucose metabolism is an important benefit of regular strength exercise.

Nowadays you do not have to live in a gym to put on functional muscle. Short High Intensity sessions performed once a week is all that is required to improve glucose metabolism and lose weight.

The strength training technique I use requires just twenty to thirty minutes per week. Gone are the days of the five-day a week program with 6 to 12 sets per body part that, method has never worked.  One short intense strength-training workout a week will elevate your metabolism more than you ever thought possible.

The two main components of this technique are the intensity of the exercise and the recovery after the exercise. Infrequent, short, high intensity weight training sessions, followed by the required amount of time to recover and become stronger is what is needed to increase functional lean muscle and improve glucose metabolism.

2) Nutrition – The way to lose body fat and maintain muscle is to have a food program for life. Quality food and more energy output are the basics you’ll need to go for. Bulk foods that fill you up and don’t fill you out, foods that are low in fat and sugar which aren’t refined should be the ideal. You’ll also need to control your intake of carbohydrates.

 Carbohydrates break down in your system and are converted into sugars. They can either be "good carbs" or "bad carbs," and the simplest way to identify them is that the bad carbs are white–white bread,rice,potatoes,pasta–and the good carbs are brown–brown or whole grain or wild rice,whole grain breads, whole wheat pasta, and sweet potatoes instead of the white ones.

Now use these blender mixtures and solid food for your daily feedings. Spread it out over many small meals a day instead of the traditional three meals a day. The way to keep track of weight loss is to buy a calorie counter and record your daily calorie intake for a week.

You should also measure your blood sugar levels several times a day. A normal glucose reading is 100-125. You’ll notice that after a meal, your blood sugar spikes and could reach levels over 200. If you’re eating properly and exercising as we’ve recommended, you’ll be able to keep your blood sugar levels in the normal range.

 Modern day  are quite easy and almost entirely painless. No longer do you have to prick your finger to draw blood. I always hated this if for no other reason than the fact that your finger is one of the most sensitive spots on your body and you invariably look at it as it happens. Well, the monitors out today let you take blood from other parts of your body that are less sensitive, It’s really easy and painless. Here’s a place where you can find a great selection of reasonably priced

3) Exercise – Fat is burned from the body when cells oxidize to release energy in the form of exercise. When the exercise is done slowly to moderately then the majority of energy is taken from the fat stores.

The key to effective aerobic training that burns off maximum fat is long-term consistency not intensity. It doesn’t matter if you run a mile, jog a mile or walk a mile you will burn exactly the same amount of calories. So don’t try to set the world record for long-distance running when you start your exercise program, as you will burn yourself out and have an incentive to quit. This is particularly senseless since there’s nothing to gain by over-exerting. A slow steady pace will suffice. In fact, one of the easiest and cheapest and best aerobic exercises you can do is walking! Yes walking. Just try to walk at a brisk pace or up a grade like a slight hill, and that’s all you need to do–as long as you do it at least every other day.  If it’s raining or snowing out, you can go to the mall with your son or daughter or a friend and just hoof it from one end to the other and back. Or you could buy a treadmill like me and you’ll never have to leave your basement or study. Just have a TV set up and you can watch the news or your favorite program while you lose weight!

You can do a lot to lower your chances of getting diabetes. By exercising regularly, reducing fat,sugar, and bad carbs from your diet and losing weight, you will reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Published by Heart Wellness Store

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Nutritional Strategies For Diabetes

Sunday, April 5th, 2009

Natural Remedy For Diabetes

If you, or someone you know, is one of the millions of people living with type 2 diabetes, you know what a struggle it is to manage your diet and keep your blood sugar level in check. What you may not know is that it is possible to reduce your blood sugar levels to a normal count, even reversing the progress of this dangerous condition to the extent that you never develop vision loss or suffer an amputation due to the nerve damage induced by the diabetic condition. Here are some sound nutritional strategies for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, that can make you a former diabetic! You’ll always need to maintain good eating habits, but you can prevent many complications and live a normal life.

Consult Your Physician

Many people with type 2 diabetes are older and this presents problems in maintaining adequate nutrition. As we age, we are less able to absorb certain vitamins and minerals necessary to good health. All of the nutrients we need work in concert, to some degree and there are interdependencies. If you are deficient in one nutrient, other nutrients may not be able to do the job they should be doing. Ask your physician to do the lab work to determine any nutritional deficiencies you now have, and get a recommendation on any supplements you need to correct these deficiencies. Being fully stocked up on all the vitamins and minerals necessary is a huge step forward in the effective treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Eat More Frequent But Smaller Meals

If you are eating the recommended three squares, try eating six small meals each day. This allows your body to metabolize foods in a more measured way, helping to keep your blood sugar more stable, without taxing your pancreas.

Switch To Articial Sweeteners

You know that sugar is just plain bad for you. This is because it goes straight to your blood, with no intermediate process of metabolizing. This is why a candy bar gives the non-diabetic an instant rush of energy. It’s so important to avoid sugar like the plague. Many products, from soda to canned fruit, are now being made with Splenda(TM). Splenda(TM) truly does satisfy the sweet urges and is highly recommended in the treatment of type 2 diabetes patients.

Most Carbohydrates Are Bad!

Most carbohydrates convert into sugar in your digestive process. Hence they need to be regulated in your diet. While there is a fairly complex evaluation process we outline below, there’s a pretty simple rule of thumb:

White carbs are "bad" carbs. Brown carbs are "good." What this means is that you should cut out the white carbs–white bread white potatoes, white rice, and white pasta. That might sound extreme, but fortunately you can find tasty "good carb" replacements for them. Breads made from whole grains are fine. Whole wheat pastas are ok, too. Brown rice is ok. And sweet potatoes are fine, as well. And that doesn’t mean you can never eat french fries, but do so in a smart way. Have a couple, not a pile. I like potato chips, but now when I have them, I just don’t eat as many. Try to replace your snacks with healthier selections and pretty soon you’ll find you don’t miss the old ones as much.

Carbohydrates are one of the most puzzling parts of good nutrition to the type 2 diabetic patient. Doctors typically tell diabetes patients to limit their intake of carbohydrates to a certain number per day.. Here are some guidelines on specific carbohydrate foods which are of especial use in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Watch THe Bread

You know you’ve got to watch the bread! It’s just that all breads are not created equal. While two slices of regular white bread may contain about 30 carbs, this is a poor choice when compared with a whole grain bread which may have 40 carbs in an equal amount. Although the whole grain bread

contains more carbs, it also contains more fiber and nutrients that you, as a diabetic, need. Also know that, to correctly determine the number of carbs in any food, you must subtract the grams of fiber from the total number of carbs. The high fiber content also helps your body to ’sweep’ your digestive system and flush out toxins. Removing toxins is an important component in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. I told you it was more complex!

Smart Vegetable Choices

With vegetable choices, be smart. Eat onions and garlic in abundance, adding them in to salads, soups and meat dishes. Both are rich in inulin, which mimics insulin. The same is true of parsley. Load up on any of the cruciferous veggies, like broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. Kim-Chee is a pickled cabbage, a Korean specialty, in a very spicy brine which contains hot peppers. The hot peppers are excellent for vascular health, so you get double your value in this food. Indian cuisine includes many cauliflower dishes in combination with a curry seasoning, which includes a healthy dose of turmeric. Turmeric is known to lower blood sugar levels. In fact, diabetes is virtually unknown in the non-Westernized, traditional Indian populations.

Treatment of type 2 diabetes must always include a regimen that protects the heart and kidneys, in order to avoid some of the complications diabetes can bring. The omega-3 fatty acids present in cold water fish are so valuable to the diabetic patient, you can hardly eat too much. These fatty acids regulate cholesterol levels, reduce high blood pressure and relieves psoriasis, probably due to the selenium content. Psoriasis is a common problem in diabetics, who are typically deficient in selenium.

 More Vitamin B, Zinc, and Chromium

While all nutrients are important in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, there are a few to which you should pay close attention. The B vitamins become more difficult to absorb as we age. Nerve damage is characteristic of type 2 diabetes and an adequate supply of vitamin B6 is essential to controlling this damage. Zinc plays an important role in good health and nutritional treatment of type 2 diabetes. Chromium is a trace mineral which facilitates the use of insulin and suppresses cravings for sugar. Each of these nutrients may be taken as supplements.

It’s Up To You

Eating smart, avoiding sugar and a regular program of exercise can help you beat diabetes! It can be done, but it’s up to you. Isn’t another twenty years added to your life worth it?

Published by Heart Wellness Store

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Early Signs Of Diabetes

Sunday, March 15th, 2009

Diabetes is a major health problem here in the U.S. It can be controlled or managed with lifestyle and diatary changes. In fact, it can actually be reversed. But it will require a major effort to do so. But it’s worth it. Diabetes most certainly will shorten your life, and if it is not controlled, it is nasty in its later stages.

It should be noted that we’re talking about Type 2 diabetes here, or adult diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is the one people have when they are born. Most of them take insulin all their lives, which generally are shorter than the average person. Type 2 sneaks up on you, and because a person is older, usually over 40 when he or she gets it, it requires a real lifestyle change to manage and/or control it. But it can be done, and the results of the effort are worth it.

treating diabetes

The Main Pre-Diabetic Symptoms

If you have two or more of these pre-diabetes symptoms you should seriously consider getting yourself checked out:

1) If you find you are excessively thirsty, not just after extreme exercise or hot weather.
 
2) You seem to constantly have a dry mouth – even if you’ve just had a drink.

3) You find you are having to urinate frequently.

4) You have unexpected weight loss or gain (even though you may be constantly hungry and eating well. Of course you may be eating the wrong things which would probably make your pre-diabetes symptom worse).

5) You feel lethargic.  You always feel as if you have no energy; you are weak and tired all the time.
 
6) Sometimes your vision is blurry – be careful, untreated eye problems caused through diabetes can lead to blindness. You should have regular eye checks, especially as you get older because your eyes can be the early warning signal for many diseases – not just diabetes.

7) You have cuts or sores or bruises (especially on your feet) that are slow to heal.

8) If you experience excessive itching or soreness in the genital area or yeast infections (which can be misdiagnosed as thrush) it may be a sign of too much sugar in your urine.

Risk Factors For Diabetes

There are different types of diabetes; pre-diabetes, type 1, type 2, gestational and maturity onset.  And, depending on your age, lifestyle and family history you may be more susceptible to developing diabetes.

Foe example you may be more prone to developing diabetes if any of these factors apply to you:

  • Your family background is African American, American Indian, Asian American, Pacific Islander, or Hispanic American/Latino.
  • You have a parent, brother, or sister with diabetes
  • You are aged over 45 and are overweight you might be at risk of diabetes type 2
  • You have had gestational diabetes or have given birth to a baby over 9 pounds in weight
  • Your cholesterol levels are not good.

I myself have diabetes and high blood pressure–or I used to. We’ll present you with a lot of opinions in future posts from all sorts of experts on what to do about diabetes. Well, the bottom line is this. Every doctor you’ll ever consult about diabetes will say these key things:

  1. Lose Weight–Probably the most important thing, If you’re like I was–55 years old, 5 feet, 5 inches tall, weighing 200 pounds–you’re too heavy. The pancreas, which produces insulin for your body which is used to keep blood sugars below the diabetic threshold level, can only produce a certain amount of insulin. In my case, for example, at 5′ 5” in height, my pancreas can only produce enough insulin for a weight of 175 pounds. After that–not enough insulin is produced and diabetes sets in. Drop 30 pounds and you’re good.
  2. Change Your Diet to Reduce Blood Sugar–Cut out sugar and "bad carbohydrates," which convert into sugar during digestion.
  3. Exercise Regularly– Aerobic exercise every other day will do the trick–30 minutes a day. A brisk walk will even suffice.

I know you’re thinking, O Boy! Is that all? Well, it’s doable. It’ll take some work and commitment. But if you’re like I was at 55 and the doctor says, "If you don’t lose weight and exercise, you probably won’t live 10 more years. If you do what I say and stay with it, you’ll see 80." Well, that was all the motivation I needed.

Oh, and one more thing. If you follow the guidelines above, your blood pressure and cholesterol will drop to normal levels, too. Just a little bonus for your effort!

We’ll have a lot more detailed information on diabetes and its treatment in future posts.

Published by Heart Wellness Store

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