Recipes for Diabetics

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Tuesday, February, 21, 2012

The Basics of Diabetes by Typefreediabetes.com

If you have been recently diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, Type 1 Diabetes, or gestational diabetes you are still trying to make sense of what you have been learning. To really understand the diabetes facts and how to manage diabetes, you must first understand how your body’s digestive system works.

For a person diagnosed with diabetes, blood glucose levels are above normal (fasting glucose is greater than 126 mg/dL). Most of the food you eat is turned into sugar (glucose). The pancreas is an organ that lies just behind and under the stomach.

The pancreas produces insulin, a hormone that help glucose enter the cells of your body. Your cells change the glucose to energy and cell building material. This is why people with untreated diabetes feel tired and suffer rapid weight loss. Their cells are starving for glucose.

Insulin regulates the various chemical processes that control how your body handles carbohydrates and other nutrients. When you have diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin (insufficiency) and/or can’t use its own insulin as well as it should (Insulin Resistance).

This causes sugar (glucose) to build to high levels in your blood stream. This glucose stays in your blood stream and blood vessels, organs like your kidneys, and eyes. Diabetes is sometimes called the “silent killer” for this reason; early on you do not see or feel the damage that is being done.

The digestion process is very complex involving chemistry, physics, biology. Click here to view the digestion process using a Type Free

Interactive Learning Module.

To understand diabetes mellitus as high glucose levels in the bloodstream; think of your bloodstream as a race track. Cars (glucose) race around in circles. There is a big entrance for new cars. After a meal many new cars enter the race track. But there is only a small exit (because of resistance)for the vehicles to leave. Normally, the exit gates are unlocked and opened by insulin guards.

With diabetes there are fewer guards to unlock the exit gates. The cars will continue to circle the causing congestion, road wear and tear, and collisions – damaging the walls of the track. As you can see, the role of the track guard is crucial to smooth traffic flow. Without the track guard, the system faces serious effects of Diabetes.

Gifts for DiabeticsThe action of insulin lets glucose, fatty acids, and amino acids into the cells to be broken down into usable units of energy that can power your body throughout the day. And, cell building material to replace old or damaged cells. Remember: your body needs energy to carry out life functions like the pumping of blood by the heart.

In order to ensure that sugar molecules are removed from the bloodstream and turned into energy, individuals with Type 2 Diabetes must increase their physical activity and take Diabetes medication, and decreasing the amount of carbohydrate rich foods that they eat. Take a moment and click here to better understand the role of high glycemic index carbohydrates on diabetes.

Diabetes can cause serious health complications including heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, and lower-extremity amputations. Catching Diabetes early will help to prevent serious complications that can occur if the diseases goes untreated.

Please check with your doctor if you have some of the following symptoms:

• Frequent urination
• Excessive thirst
• Unexplained weight loss
• Extreme hunger
• Sudden vision changes
• Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
• Feeling very tired much of the time
• Very dry skin
• Sores that are slow to heal
• More infections than usual.

Nausea, vomiting, or stomach pains may accompany some of these symptoms in the abrupt onset of insulin-dependent diabetes, now called type 1 diabetes.

What are the primary types of diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes may account for 5% to 10% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. Eating nutritious food for diabetes, increasing physical activity, blood glucose testing and insulin injections are the basic therapies for type 1 diabetes. The amount of insulin taken must be balanced with food intake and daily activities. Blood glucose levels must be closely monitored through frequent blood glucose testing.

Gifts for DiabeticsType 2 diabetes account for about 90% to 95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. Eating Nutritious foods for diabetics, increasing physical activity, and testing blood glucose levels are the basic therapies for type 2 diabetes. In addition, many people with type 2 diabetes require oral medication, insulin, or both to control their blood glucose levels.

If you have diabetes you will need to build a health team. This team will include general practitioner who will monitor your long term blood sugar control and help you learn to manage your diabetes.

In addition, you should see:

• an endocrinologist a specialist who treats hormone disorders such as diabetes.
• an ophthalmologist for eye examinations;
• a podiatrist for routine foot care.
• Dietitians and Certified Diabetes Educators teach the skills needed for daily diabetes management.
• Your primary care physician can recommend a specialist in any one of these fields to you, should you need it.

Diabetes is a very complex disease, with many complications if it is not aggressively managed. This is the simplified version of the basics. It provides a good foundation for many follow-up questions with your health care providers. Make a choiceto be aggressive about your care if you have been recently diagnosed or are at risk.

Typefreediabetes offers a full line of low fat dessert recipes, including incontinence products for men, durable diabetes medical equipment, wrist blood pressure monitor and facts about diabetes. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.

Visit here for more information : http://www.typefreediabetes.com/Body-Fat-Measurement-s/72.htm

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Friday, January, 27, 2012

Type 2 Diabetes Treatment

Diabetes treatment for those suffering from type 2 diabetes focuses on improving the habits and lifestyle of the patient and may include medication and insulin therapy in severe cases. Diabetes treatment also invariably includes a more active lifestyle with at least a one-hour-a-day exercise.

Type 2 Diabetes Triggers

Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the body becomes resistant to insulin due to damage in the insulin receptor cells. There may be various medical causes for the damage to the cells, but generally speaking, Type 2 diabetes is often considered a lifestyle disease. People following a less active lifestyle combined with diets high in saturated fats and trans-fatty acids with little or no fiber intake are at a higher risk for Type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes treatment

Type 2 diabetes treatment stresses on healthy eating and regular exercise to control weight. The reason is because more than 55% of people with Type 2 diabetes are obese. Healthy eating involves a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low in fats and calories. Diabetes treatment for Type 2 may also make use of certain medications as well as insulin therapy depending on the patient's needs. When we talk of medication for diabetes treatment, it could mean taking drugs to slow down the movement of food in the stomach to avoid a spike in blood sugar levels.

Diabetes treatment includes daily monitoring

Blood glucose monitoring is another important aspect of Type 2 diabetes treatment. Since diabetes treatment focuses on maintaining the ideal blood sugar levels, it becomes essential to monitor it on a daily basis. This is done with the help of a device known as a glucometer. This procedure that forms a part of the patient's diabetes treatment plan involves pricking the finger with a lancet to extract a small drop of blood that is placed on a testing strip. The testing strip is inserted into the glucometer which gives a reading in about 30 seconds. Your doctor or health care practitioner in charge of your diabetes treatment plan will help you set up a regular glucose monitoring schedule to be followed.

Hygiene and attention to yourself as part of the Diabetes treatment

Self care is important in your diabetes treatment plan. Diabetics usually suffer from foot problems due to lack of proper blood circulation and nerve damage leading to an inability to fight infections. As part of diabetes treatment plan it is essential that diabetics take proper care of their feet to avoid further complications. Make checking your feet for sores and cuts a routine part of your diabetes treatment plan so that problems do not go unnoticed. Wear comfortable shoes and soften dry skin with lotion or petroleum jelly. Diabetics can also suffer from problems relating to the teeth, gums and eyes. Hence, diabetes treatment should involve scheduled visits to the dentist and ophthalmologist at least once a year.

Diabetes treatment without insulin

Some people with Type 2 diabetes are able to manage their blood glucose levels with a healthy diet and regular exercise, thus avoiding the conventional diabetes treatment. However, there are others who are not so fortunate and may require diabetes treatment involving insulin therapy. Depending upon the patient's requirement, doctors may prescribe rapid action insulin and long-acting insulin. Insulin can either be injected with a needle and syringe or with an insulin pen. The other option is an insulin pump. The patient can choose the method of insulin therapy for diabetes treatment depending on his convenience.

The significance of self care, healthy diet and regular exercise cannot be stressed enough in type 2 diabetes treatment. These are lifestyle changes that the individual must take seriously for successful diabetes treatment.

Check out for : http://blog.typefreediabetes.com/diabetes-blood-pressure-and-mental-decline/

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Wednesday, January, 25, 2012

How Reflexology Helps in the Design of Diabetic Shoes

The technique and science of making diabetic shoes relies heavily on Reflexology. Reflexology believes that every muscle and bone of the human body is intimately connected with the rest in such a manner that the entire body weight is superbly distributed. Reflexology derives part of its belief from ancient Chinese medicine which believes that the feet are amongst the most vital parts of the human skeleton and structure. Ancient Chinese medicine believes that different nerve points of the foot are intimately connected with the internal organs in our body. As we know, the human body is covered with a fine mesh of nerves. These nerves cover every square inch of the human body including the feet.

Since ancient times, Chinese have been using acupuncture and acupressure to cure simple things such as headaches to more complex diseases such as typhoid. Reflexology and ancient Chinese medicine believe that wearing the right footwear is extremely vital for adequate balance, comfort and to ensure the nerves are not squeezed. Towards this end, Chinese medicine and reflexology have mapped the nerves in our feet and have studied the contours of the human feet and how they are intimately connected with one another.This knowledge is used by manufacturers of diabetic shoes to ensure that the diabetic shoes they make, are not only the most comfortable, but are also safest for diabetics.

One of the frequent complaints of diabetics is lack of proper blood circulation and the tingling of the nerves. Diabetics therefore seek assistance from orthotics. One of the first things that orthotics do is secure the diabetic a good pair of diabetic shoes and diabetics socks. If you are buying diabetic shoes on your own, it is essential you buy branded diabetic shoes that have relied on reflexology for the design of these special shoes. Diabetic shoes that have incorporated reflexology into it, offer custom-made soles that come equipped with rubberized spikes. These rubberized spikes match the nerve or pressure points in your feet. As the individual nerve gets pressed, it stimulates the organ connected to that nerve and also improves blood circulation. Think of this reflexology based custom made shoes for diabetic as a system that works out the kinks in the human plumbing.

Diabetics need exercise – a lot more than normal people. When a diabetic uses diabetic shoes to exercise, the more he or she walks wearing these custom made shoes, the more the circulation and better the feel good factor. Unlike initial stages when diabetic shoes used to look ugly, today men’s diabetic shoes are made in line with modern trends. They are trendy, and come in variety of shapes and sizes for home, office or party wear.

Diabetics can also order custom made reflexology based in-soles that can be used with your favorite pair of existing diabetes shoes. However, it always best to buy diabetic shoes because they follow the contours of your feet more closely and are likely to be more comfortable. Avoid cheap Chinese imitations. These are simply made from molds and use poor quality rubber-plastic mix that is likely to cause more damage than good. Only buy quality, branded diabetics shoes and in-soles.

Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetes supplies, including blood pressure monitor, durable diabetes medical equipment, Body Fat Measurement and facts about diabetes. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.

Visit here for more information :http://www.typefreediabetes.com/Sugar-Free-Desserts-Candies-s/82.htm

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Monday, January, 16, 2012

How to Choose and Use Your Blood Glucose Meter

Blood glucose monitoring system is a way of testing the concentration of glucose in the blood (glycemia). Particularly important in the care of diabetes mellitus, a blood glucose test is performed by piercing the skin (typically, on the finger) to draw blood, then applying the blood to a chemically active disposable diabetic strips. Different manufacturers use different technology, but most systems measure an electrical characteristic, and use this to determine the glucose level in the blood.

Contrary to expectations, not all of are comfortable around digital or electronic devices. Having barely mastered the art of receiving and making calls on the cell phone, the last thing we want to do is learn to use yet another digital gizmo – this one a blood glucose test meter. Fortunately, the modern day Blood Glucose Monitor is extremely easy to use. Today I shall explain how to use your new Blood Glucose Monitor.
Using Blood sugar monitors

1. Ensure you hands are clean.
2. Open the package containing your new Blood Glucose Monitor.
3. Remove from the package and keep ready the lancing device, the box containing the glucose monitoring strips and the glucose test meters.
4. Insert a fresh unused lance in the lancing device, set it to 3 (by rotating the base of the lancing device) and prime it (usually achieved by pressing the top once).
5. Extract the code chip (a small white rectangular plastic) from the box containing the blood glucose strips and insert the chip into the receptacle (usually located on the side of the Blood Glucose Monitor). This needs to be done each time you open a fresh box of blood glucose strips (not each time you take a blood glucose test).
6. After inserting the code chip into the diabetic meters, switch on the Blood Glucose Monitor and wait until a code number appears – this ensures that the Blood Glucose Monitor and the Glucose Test Strips are synchronized.
7. Extract a fresh glucose strip from the box and keep ready.
8. Hold the lancing device vertically on the tip of any finger and release the trigger (usually a small round button on the side of the accu chek softclix lancets. A very tinny almost invisible hole will be created in your skin.
9. You may need to press the around the hole so that a small drop of blood becomes visible on the surface of your skin.
10. Switch on the Blood Glucose Monitor and wait for the blood icon to flash (takes about 10 seconds).
11. Take the glucose strip and swipe (the end with the round hole) across the drop of blood. You would want to ensure the blood is evenly spread across the hole of the glucose strip.
12. Insert the glucose strip into the receptacle of the Blood Glucose Monitor and wait for the results (takes a few seconds).
13. Note down the time, the contents of your meals for diabetics and the blood glucose result in a diary or notebook specially set aside for this purpose.
14. Push out the cover from the lower end of the lancing device – this exposes the lance.
15. Carefully remove the used lance from the lancing device and also the used glucose strip from the Blood Glucose Monitor and bag it separately before discarding.
16. Switch off the glucose monitoring devices and put the kit away in a safe place so your children do not have access to it.

Difficulty in extracting blood

The depth to which the needle of the lancing device enters the skin can be controlled. For children, the lancing device can be set to a depth of 1 or 2. This results in shallow penetration but should be okay for kids. For adults, the lancing device needs to be set to a minimum depth of 3. If this does not produce the desired result, try 3.5 or 4 or more.

Once you use the lancing device is used, the drop of blood (usually) does not automatically appear on the skin; it needs to be coaxed out by pressing the area surrounding the prick. Usually, a light squeeze does the trick.

Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetes supplies, including incontinence supplies, durable diabetes medical equipment, diabetes socks and facts about diabetes. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.

Visit here for more information : http://www.typefreediabetes.com/Socks-For-Diabetics-s/57.htm

Posted by Amy Stephens @ 12:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Friday, January, 6, 2012

Diabetes mellitus is classed as a metabolism disorder

No, Diabetes Mellitus is not some exotic new form of diabetes. Diabetes Mellitus is the medical term for diabetes. Thanks to our 20th century lifestyle, Diabetes Mellitus or diabetes as it is more commonly called is one of the most common diseases in the United States and it is estimated that over 16.5 million Americans have Diabetes Mellitus.

Diabetes Mellitus is fatal!

If Diabetes Mellitus is almost as common as flue or cold, then do we really need to bother about it? The answer is yes because unlike common cold, Diabetes Mellitus does not ebb and go away after the mandatory 7 days. If Diabetes Mellitus is left untreated it quickly becomes fatal. In fact, Diabetes Mellitus is one of the contributors to premature deaths in the United States.

What is Diabetes Mellitus?

Diabetes Mellitus is a metabolic disorder that occurs when insulin produced in our body is either insufficient or cannot be utilized. Insulin of course is a hormone required by our body to convert starches, sugar and other foods into energy that we use for our day to day activity. Even when we sleep or just sit in one place and think we utilize energy. People suffering Diabetes Mellitus therefore have high levels of unutilized or un-metabolized blood sugar (glucose) in the body. Therefore, on the one hand they have very low levels of energy and on the other hand, they have high levels of glucose. Energy starvation caused by Diabetes Mellitus leads to shut down of the body (comma) and ultimately death.

Just as our body temperature needs to be maintained at a constant 98.6° Fahrenheit, our blood glucose level too needs to be maintained within a very narrow range. There is a complex mechanism that does it but the chief controllers are insulin and Glucagon.

There are three main types of Diabetes Mellitus or diabetes:
Type I diabetes, Type II diabetes and Gestational diabetes

Why is Diabetes Mellitus more prevalent in modern times?

The first two forms of Diabetes Mellitus i.e. Diabetes Type I & II are called lifestyle diseases because they are triggered by what we eat, when we eat and our activity levels. To a lesser extent, Type II diabetes can also be triggered by depression, tension or trauma.

Over the past few years our lifestyles have changed dramatically. We now have machines in the kitchen and house, machines that get us to work and machines at the place of work. Diabetes Mellitus is more prevalent in modern times because on the one hand our physical activity level has dramatically reduced while on the other, we’ve been enticed with unhealthy food including but not limited to; deep fries, ice creams, chocolates, pizzas and mouth watering pastries.

Do people with Diabetes Mellitus lose weight?

People with untreated Diabetes Mellitus will lose weight. When the body is unable to obtain energy from glucose, it finds an alternate solution – break down fat and protein and convert it into energy. The drop in the person’s weight can be quite dramatic and extremely unhealthy.

Visit here for more information : http://blog.typefreediabetes.com/leading-a-healthy-and-fulfilling-life-despite-diabetes-relation-between-your-lifestyle-and-diabetes/

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Thursday, January, 5, 2012

How to Measure Portion Sizes of Food for Children

Measuring portion sizes of food for adults is difficult enough but when it comes to children, measuring portion sizes of food is doubly difficult because children will simply either not eat or ask for more than you want them to eat. In either case, your calculations with portion sizes of food and diabetic diet plan will be tossed into the garbage bin.

Children always like to eat larger helpings of their favorite foods. Unfortunately, these foods are usually high in sugars and fats because children go by the taste of foods and not by their nutritional values. It is important for mothers to be able to measure portion sizes of food and low fat low carb recipes that their child should eat to get the nutrition essential for growth. Children above the age of four need to eat food from all the food groups i.e. fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meat and whole grains so that they get adequate calories required for their growth. Parents might be familiar with the FDA Food Pyramid but very few are aware that it refers to serving sizes for adults. Portion sizes of food for children are completely different; in fact, portion sizes of food for children depend on their age, sex and developmental issues.

It is not always possible to measure portion sizes of food with a special tool, especially when you are eating out or at a social gathering. On such occasions, you tend to monitor portion sizes of food and foods for diabetics in relation to objects of everyday use or a body part. Say for example, a serving of meat is the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand. A serving of pancake or waffles would equal the size of a compact disc (CD). These tricks are all very well when we monitor portion sizes of diabetic diet adults. Monitoring portion sizes of food for children is a different ball game altogether, even though the food groups remain the same. Here are some pointers to measure portion sizes of foods from the four food groups:

Portion Sizes of Food for Children: Meats and Beans

Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dry beans, peas, nuts and beans are the main source of proteins, Vitamin E, magnesium and iron required by the body. Children must get these nutrients in the right quantities for their growth and development. Children aged between 2 and 8 should eat 2 to 4 ounces of meats and beans per day. So if you wish to give them the correct portion sizes of food, use this rule of thumb – one ounce can be obtained from a single egg, a tablespoon of peanut butter, a small handful of nuts or a sandwich-size slice of turkey.

Portion Sizes of Food for Children: Grains

Whole grains provide better nutritional value than refined grains - these may have lost some nutrients and fiber in the milling process. Make a healthy choice by opting for brown bread and brown rice over the white variety. Encourage your child to have oats, cornmeal and barley. Children in the age group 2 to 8 must have 3 to 5 ounces of grain every day. One ounce of grain equals one slice of bread, half cup of rice or pasta or a cup of cereal.

Portion Sizes of Food for Children: Vegetables and Fruits

Although vegetables and fruits are being grouped together here, children must have 1 to 2½ cups of vegetables and 1 to 1½ cups of fruit daily. One cup of veggies equals say, two medium-sized carrots, two large celery stalks or three spears of broccoli. One serving of fruit would mean a small apple, three plums or ½ cup of dried fruits.

Portion Sizes of Food for Children: Dairy Products

Children between the age of 2 and 8 require two cups of dairy products daily. Dairy products include milk and milk products like cheese, pudding, yoghurt, etc. One cup serving means ½ cup of shredded cheese or two slices of cheese or 1½ cups of pudding or ice cream.

Typefreediabetes offers a full line of supplements for diabetes, including incontinence supplies, durable diabetes medical equipment, heart rate monitor watch and facts about diabetes. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.

Visit here for more information : http://www.typefreediabetes.com/Socks-For-Diabetics-s/57.htm

Posted by Amy Stephens @ 12:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thursday, December, 22, 2011

How to Choose a Diabetes Medical Team

The process of finding the right health care professional to help you manage your Type 2 diabetes can take awhile – Take your time. Not only do you want to find a professional that takes the time to listen to your concerns while you’re in his or her office, but it’s also important to find a professional that is available if you call the office with a concern or one that will at least return your call within a reasonable amount of time.

Diabetic and Doctor

The primary factor to focus on when selecting a doctor is to trust your intuition. Ask yourself these questions:

* Do you feel connected with the doctor?
* Does the doctor seem to be available when you need him or her?
* Does he or she take time to answer your questions without rushing you out the door?
* Does the doctor try to connect one medical issue with another so that you can have a complete understanding of your condition?

Here are some other factors to keep in mind when selecting the right medical team member:

Mental and Physical Understanding

Diabetes may be a physical issue, but diabetics also need to pay attention to their mental health.

It is important to establish a relationship with a doctor who is willing to take time to look you in the eye and listen to your concerns. When it comes to your health, it is not worth it to settle for a doctor that focuses more on the paper than the person (even when the paper is important!)

Personal Talks – The Sex Talk

As a Diabetic, chances are good that you will need to speak with your doctor about very personal issues, including matters related to erectile dysfunction and menopause. Therefore, you should feel comfortable addressing these health issues with your medical practitioner. Your doctor should also ask you questions about these very personal aspects of your life.

If you have never been comfortable discussing issues related to sex and sexuality with your doctor, remember that he or she is in the profession of helping people achieve optimal health in all areas of their lives, including their sexual relationships. You doctor will not judge you based on the confidential information you share. And, more than likely, your doctor has had other patients that have the same health concerns.

Alerting People to Your Condition

It is important for you to alert your family members, co-workers, and friends to your diabetes so that they can be prepared in the event that something happens to you. Often, diabetics will even wear a wristband so that if they fall into a coma, get into a car accident, or need some form of medical attention, medical professionals will be alerted to the fact that the diabetic may need special treatment or attention. Diabetics should always check blood glucose level through glucose test meters regularly.

Depending on the type of medications a diabetic is taking, a doctor may treat a diabetic patient differently. Therefore, make sure that people close to you know what type of diabetes medications you take. One always hopes that one stays healthy and accident-free. However, in the event that something unfortunate should happen to you, informing the doctors of your condition is the fastest way to help you receive the right treatment.

Type 1 diabetics who are reliant upon diabetic syringes in order to regulate their bodies need to be especially careful about making sure that people are aware of their condition. In the event that a Type 1 diabetic loses consciousness for any reason, the diabetic may need an insulin or glucose injection immediately to avoid long-term damage.

Many diabetics may also have low blood sugar levels after they take their medication. At times, these blood sugar levels drop so low that the diabetic becomes faint or loses consciousness. The diabetics need to have an insulin syringes and needles if they lose consciousness. However, if people are aware of the condition, they may be able to help the illdiabetic stay conscious by giving him or her juice or Sugar Free Cakes in order to quickly raise the blood sugar level.

Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetic supplies, including incontinence products for women, durable diabetes medical equipment, food for diabetes and facts about diabetes. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.

Visit here : http://www.typefreediabetes.com/Gift-Baskets-for-Diabetics-s/74.htm

Posted by Amy Stephens @ 2:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tuesday, December, 13, 2011

Discover The Symptoms of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

When glucose begins to accumulate in our blood stream a series of symptoms of diabetes will be manifested. While these symptoms of diabetes may not conclusively proof diabetes, the presence of any of the symptoms of diabetes should logically lead you to do a blood glucose test.

The instant we hear that someone in our family has diabetes we begin to worry and with sound reasons too after all, diabetes is very hereditary. This blog gives you a clear bird’s eye view of the symptoms of diabetes.

Essentially there are three types of diabetes – (1) Pre-diabetic stage (2) Diabetes Type 2 and Diabetes Type 1

You are Pre-diabetic if your blood sugar is a bit higher than normal and Blood glucose tests reveal that it happens on several occasions. Diabetes Type 2 is the next stage i.e. your blood glucose is habitually higher than normal either due to impaired insulin production or inability of your blood cells to utilize insulin. Diabetes Type 1 is when your body does not produce insulin leading to accumulation of glucose in your blood.

So isblood sugar testing the only means to find out if we are diabetic or not? Fortunately no, so let’s take a look at the symptoms of diabetes beginning with Pre-diabetic and diabetes type 2. I have combined these two because the symptoms of diabetes for both stages are the same. The classification of Pre or Type 2 depends on the severity and state of your Pancreas.

Symptoms of Pre-diabetic and Diabetes Type 2:

Symptom of diabetes 1: Fatigue

Have you been feeling increasingly fatigued lately? Here’s what happens; normally your body metabolizes glucose and converts it to energy which in turn powers up your activity. If you body cannot metabolize glucose then fat is metabolized into energy. This alternate method however is not efficient and the body goes in negative calorie effect, which results in fatigue.

Symptom of diabetes 2: Thirst

As the concentration of blood sugar increases, the brain triggers a thirst signal in an effort to get you to drink water and dilute the excess sugar in the blood. If you were drinking an average three glasses of water a day and now instead you have been drinking 5 or more glasses than you should seriously consider a blood glucose test.

Symptom of diabetes 3: Excess urination

Tied in with symptom 2 of diabetes is increase in the number of times you need to urinate. Excess intake of water results in excess urination. At this stage the urine essentially is secreting the excess sugar. It tends to be dark yellow.

Symptom of diabetes 4: Excessive hunger

In an all out effort to control the sugar level, your Pancreases will increase the production of insulin. Insulin however, apart from breaking down glucose in the blood also triggers sensation of hunger.

Visit here for more information : http://blog.typefreediabetes.com/

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Tuesday, December, 13, 2011

Typefreediabetes.com - Understanding Your Metabolism

Your metabolism includes the chemical and physical processes that help your body grow and function. These processes help your body breaks down and convert food to energy and cell building material. Diabetes happens when some of the many process break down.

Simply put: food + metabolic process = energy + cell building material.

While many people believe that they have a “slow” metabolism if they are overweight, the fact is: they may simply be eating too much of the wrong foods to help them lose weight. Your metabolism simply determines the amount of calories that you are able to burn each day. A calorie (Cal) is a unit of energy.

Here’s some basic information you need to know about your metabolism and how to get it working for you.

Basal Metabolic Rate

Your basal metabolic rate takes up about 66 to 75 percent (%) of all of your caloric needs for the day, including 10 percent of which are needed to help your body digest food, absorb vitamins and nutrients. Your additional caloric needs will be based on your activity level.

How Metabolism Works

Diabetes suppliesThe first act of metabolism is digestion. This mechanical and chemical process begins the moment food enters your mouth. It takes between thirty and sixty minutes for half of your solid food to be processed and emptied from your stomach. Once emptied from your stomach, this mixture is filtered into your small intestine, where it will be further broken down by enzymes and absorbed.

How different foods are affected by metabolism

Different foods offer different energy and building material. Different foods will create different glucose levels. Diabetics need to be especially concerned with their intake of carbohydrates, which raise the blood glucose level to different heights based on the type of carbohydrate you eat. A carbohydrate with a high glycemic index (over 100) will quickly increase your blood glucose (to about 170 (mg) milligrams of glucose per deciliter of blood (dL) soon after being eaten. It will then cause your blood glucose to fall below baseline about two and a half hours later as your body regulates your glucose levels. However, a low glycemic carbohydrate will slowly increase your blood glucose (up to about 130 mg/dL) and then cause your blood glucose to slowly fall below baseline about two and a half hours after you eat it.

How does diabetes impact the metabolism?

When someone has Type 2 Diabetes, they either produce insufficient amounts of insulin and/or some of their cells resist the role of insulin.

Crash Diets Hurt Metabolism

Millions of Americans try fad diets, which often include crash diets in which they starve their bodies of food and nutrients. These diets often actually hurt the metabolism and slow it down. Here’s how: a normal metabolism requires a balance of caloric intake and output. Caloric intake gives people have energy for daily tasks and help their bodies continue to function properly.

When your body is in starvation mode, it automatically saves calories as fat and uses the least amount of calories to operate. The body will perform an automatic triage in order to stay alive by deciding which organs should get calories first. That’s why many people on crash diets and starvation diets have severe side effects of the diet, which may include organ failure, and often gain considerable weight after they adopt a healthier meal plan.

Weight Lifting Can Increase Your Metabolic Rate

There are some activities that can increase your metabolic rate. First, keep in mind that metabolism is designed to send energy to those organs and body functions that require energy to work. Muscles require a large amount of energy to use. However, maintaining muscle mass also requires energy. Therefore, even when you are not actively using your muscles, they require more energy than fat. Each pound of muscle that you have burns around 6 calories a day, compared to a pound of fat, which burns only 2 calories a day.

How abdominal fat impacts metabolism

Abdominal fat appears to be associated with impaired glucose uptake, which means that there seems to be a correlation to the presence of abdominal fat and the body’s inability to turn sugars into energy. Instead of turning food to energy immediately, sugars tend to travel throughout the body’s blood vessels damaging them, associated nerves and organs. Rapid weight loss in long-term diabetic’s show that excess blood sugars are not converted to fat without extra insulin.

As a result of many studies, the Expert Panel on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults determined that individuals have a greater risk for metabolic disease if they have a waist circumference greater than 40? (men) and 35? (women).

Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetes supplies, including incontinence supplies, durable diabetes medical equipment, and wrist blood pressure monitor and facts about diabetes. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.

Visit here for more information : http://www.typefreediabetes.com/category-s/11913.htm

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Friday, December, 2, 2011

Your diabetes healthy eating plan for good health

A diabetes menu planner is very important for people with Type 2 diabetes. That is because Mediterranean Food Pyramid the foods they eat to be as healthy as possible. The food you eat has a direct impact on your blood glucose, body fat, and overall health. That is why it is so important for diabetics to create a realistic diabetes diet plan. Insulin-resistant people have special diet needs.

The Need for a Diabetic Diet Plan

As a Type 2 diabetic, you need to be careful about the excess fat on your body. But, more importantly you need to be careful about the amount of sugar (from sugar added in processed foods, and from starches like white rice or white potato or white bread) that you eat with each diabetes type 2 recipes and meals.

For example, simple starches like white rice may spike blood sugar levels very high, very quickly for a diabetic and non-diabetic. The speed of the rise of sugar in the blood is predicted by the glycemic index rating. So, for a diabetic, eating simple starches like white rice may require careful planning.

People with diabetes must really understand the value of using the glycemic index and glycemic load concepts as important tools for eating healthy. If you must eat white rice or white potato or white white bread, plan to have protein/meat and vegetables (complex carbs), with a small amount of rice on the plate. Therefore, diabetics should always make good choices of the foods that they eat. Good choices in carbs include what you eat (on the glycemic index list) and how much you eat (as measured by glycemic load).

Diabetes Meal Plans

One of the best ways for diabetics to control the quality of their meals is to plan their diabetes menus. diabetic meals delivered planning means that you create a menu for the day, week, or even month that you stick to. A good diabetes menu plan will include diabetes snack options that will help to control your appetite as well as different diabetic meal options so that you don't get bored by eating the same foods over and over again.

We at TypeFreeDiabetes.com prefer the Mediterranean food pyramid because it includes higher glycemic index carbs that most food pyramids. Obviously, the larger amounts of food and activities start at the bottom suggesting daily use, and gets smaller as you move up (weekly) toward the top which suggest monthly use.

Diabetes Menu Planning Goals

The goal of every diabetes menu plan should be to ensure that you have a balanced diet with an appropriate amount of:

• Diabetes carbohydrates (45%-65%) - Use more low Glycemic Index carbs than high
• Proteins (10%-35%) - Keep it lean
• Unsaturated fats (20%-35%) - Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated

Diabetes menu planner planning is an also an excellent way to keep track of calories.

The average person should consume about 2,000 calories per day to ensure that their body functions properly and they have enough energy to be active. It is also recommended that the average person consumers about:

• 100 grams of protein (at 4Cal/gram)
• 275 grams of carbohydrates (at 4 Cal/gram)
• 56 grams of fat (at 9 Cal/gram) each day (yes - it is actually important to consume fat - that is monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats from plants and fish).Eat as little saturated fats as possible. Saturated fats mostly come from non-fish animals, like birds, cows and pigs.

http://www.typefreediabetes.com/ is dedicated to providing you the tools and resources to help you build your diabetes meal planning. A good Diabetes menu plan will not only provide information that is based on careful research 2000-Calorie-Meal-Plan, but we also provide a range of recipes for diabetes (including diabetes snacks, vegetarian recipes, and even diabetes desserts) that are suitable for any healthy diet.

Check out our Nutrition and diabetes diet recipes sections for more information about how you can plan your tasty diabetes menus and live a healthy diabetes life style by eating well! Remember, the food choices you make will have a major impact on your blood sugar. Bad food choices will raise your blood sugar, that will cause you to use more diabetes drugs, or make you suffer severe diabetes complications. The choices are yours to make. Prevention is much more pleasant that the cure.

Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetes diabetes supplies, including; diabetes shoes, durable diabetes medical equipment, and Body Fat Scales and facts about diabetes. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.

Visit here for more information : http://www.typefreediabetes.com/Articles.asp?ID=287

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Wednesday, November, 9, 2011

Typefreediabetes - Guide to Blood Glucose Meters

Diabetic or not, most adults in the US (and these days teens too) have at some point in time or the other done a blood glucose test. We all know that blood glucose test is meant to test for ‘sugar’ in the blood. But is blood really sweet? In my article today, allow me to give you a ball park overview of what exactly is a blood glucose test strips.

A blood glucose test can be done at home with a good quality diabetes test strips or blood sugar monitor (sold over the counter by most drug stores) or at a medical testing facility or clinic.

If you are visiting the clinic for a blood glucose test then I recommended that you fast – eat or drink nothing other than water for at least 8 hours prior to the test (hence it is called the fasting blood glucose test). Obviously therefore, the best time to do a blood glucose test at a clinic would be early morning.

Is the blood sweet?

We need energy for everything – even when we are asleep and busy dreaming we need energy. Energy is primarily obtained from Glucose. Glucose in turn is manufactured by our body from the food that we eat. Each organ in our body needs glucose and so the body uses the blood stream as the best way to transport glucose around.

Too much electrical current or too little of it can ruin your precious digital gadget. As with everything in life, in blood too, there is an optimal level of glucose. Anything above or below the optimal level causes severe problems. Think of the blood glucose test as a glucose test meters that indicates the current level of glucose in your blood.

Once you arrive at the medical clinic, a small blood sample is drawn from a vein in the arm. The standard practice is to put 50% in one tiny sterile bottle and the remaining in another tiny sterile bottle. This is so two tests can be done to verify the results. In reality, most clinics that do a blood glucose test only perform a single test. A second test is done only if the supervisor feels the results of the first test are unrealistic.

A second blood glucose test is done through blood glucose testers an hour after your lunch. The procedure is identical to one done in the morning.

The results

70 ~ 99 mg/dL (3.9 to 5.5 mmol/L) would be the normal reading for fasting blood glucose test

100 ~ 125 mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L) would indicate impaired fasting blood glucose (an indication of pre-diabetes stage).

126 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L) and more would usually call for at least one more round of testing before pronouncing the person as a diabetic.

Blood Glucose Test is also known as : Fasting blood sugar (FBS), Blood sugar; Fasting blood glucose (FBG), Blood glucose, Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT), and Urine glucose.

Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetic testing supplies, including; sugar free gift, durable diabetes medical equipment, and sugarfree candy and facts about diabetes. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.

Visit here for more information : http://www.typefreediabetes.com/Socks-For-Diabetics-s/57.htm

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Friday, November, 4, 2011

Healthy Eating diets to Prevent and Control Diabetes

Diets for diabetic’s aims to maintain the ideal body weight by providing adequate nutrition to the body so that the blood glucose levels remain normal. Diets for diabetics alone may not be able to control diabetes; regular exercise is also necessary and should form part of the daily routine. In some cases, in addition to diets for diabetics, the patient might need medication to control the blood glucose levels. While devising diets for diabetics plan, the dietician will take into account various factors such as the height, weight, sex, the nature of the diabetes and the level of physical activity of the patient. While planning diets for diabetics, other health complications like heart disease or high cholesterol levels or hypertension if present will (and should) be taken into account.

Healthy Diets for diabetics play a significant role in managing and controlling the disease. Dealing with diabetes can be difficult, especially if the diet plan is unappetizing. But in the case of diabetics, it is critical to maintain the diet if you wish to manage the condition.

Considering all the above factors, the dietician will formulate diets for diabetics in a planned manner which might involve limiting the amount of proteins, deciding on the type of carbohydrates to be taken, the amount of fiber that should ideally be taken by the patient and so on. Each person responds differently so there is no common diets for diabetics plan that works for everyone. Again, any diets for diabetics planned once may not work well over a long period of time. There may be changes in the health condition or the blood sugar may have normalized over a period of time. Accordingly, the diets for diabetics must be modified in accordance with the changes.

However, when I devise diets for diabetics plan, I advise all my patients to follow certain rules. Instead of taking three heavy meals each day, they should have four or five small meals at regular intervals. Although the diets for diabetes includes vegetables and fresh fruit, I ask them to increase the portion of vegetables and fruit to half the plate and divide the other half between proteins and complex carbohydrates.

In my experience, even if the patient sticks to the diets for diabetics and exercises regularly, it won’t show any results if the meal timings are not maintained. Many people have the habit of skipping breakfast. If you are following a diets for diabetics, don’t skip breakfast and make sure that you have your meals at regular intervals.

So, the key to the success of diets for diabetics is to eat in moderation, include fruits, vegetables and whole grains in your diet, adhere to mealtimes and follow up the diet plan with regular exercise.

Visit here for more information : http://blog.typefreediabetes.com/controlling-the-portion-size/

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Friday, October, 28, 2011

The Truth about Fast Foods Mythbusters for Diabetes

Although we don’t recommend people with diabetes eat at fast food restaurants, diabetics need to understand the caloric & curb value of the food we eat in fast food restaurants. Here are few tips on how to eat healthy in fast food restaurants.

1. Chicken nuggets = Protein

Chicken NuggetsChicken nuggets are a poor choice for diabetics looking to add protein to their diabetes type 2 recipes. In fact, not only are chicken nuggets often fried and loaded with grease, but they also contain high amounts of corn starch when they are made at most fast food establishments.

Therefore, by eating chicken nuggets, you are overloading your system with saturated fat and you are taking in a product that your body cannot process (the body does not process corn starch, so it turns to fat.)

Instead of chicken nuggets, ask for a grilled chicken sandwich. Make sure to specify that you want grilled chicken rather than fried chicken. Remove the bread and other condiments from the sandwich and enjoy the chicken on its own.

Keep in mind that most fast food condiments, such as ketchup, are loaded with refined sugar, so avoided them and keep your blood sugar under your control.

2. Smoothies are always a healthy diabetic diet foods option

Good SaladNot all smoothies are healthy. When it comes to creating a smoothie, there are a variety of recipes that restaurants follow. Some restaurants use sugar-rich powders and juices for flavor, whereas others use natural fruits and vegetables to make their smoothies vitamin-rich. Make sure that the ingredients are all natural when you order a smoothie…and that the recipe doesn’t include sugar; fruit is sweet enough.

Some restaurants give you the option of adding protein powder to your smoothie, which may help to satiate you for longer. Keep in mind that the protein powder that they use is generally dairy-based, which should be avoided by folks who are lactose intolerant. However, protein in general can help you feel fuller longer than fruit alone.

3. Salads are sure-fire healthy diabetic meal plans

Beware of the dressing and extras. Salads are generally a safe alternative to many other fast food options, such as burgers and fries. However, it is important that you are aware of what comes with the salad. For example, a simple pack of salad dressing can add up to 400 calories and countless grams of fat to what would otherwise be sugarfree desserts.

Also, be careful about eating the “extras” that may come with your salad, such as croutons. Croutons are basically thickly-buttered pieces of bread that are baked until they harden. What might seem like a little bite of something crunchy can add up to be several pieces of buttered bread in no time?

Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetes medical supplies, including; cotton diabetic socks, durable diabetes medical equipment, and diabetic insulin supplies and facts about diabetes. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.

Visit here for more information : http://www.typefreediabetes.com/Diabetes-Test-Strips-s/6.htm

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Monday, October, 17, 2011

Food for Type 2 Diabetes - Nutrition Mythbusters

Myth #1: Carbohydrates are bad for you.

All carbohydrates aren’t alike. Easily digested carbohydrates, such as those from white bread and white rice, if eaten often and in large quantities, may add to weight gain. But carbohydrates are also found in fruits, vegetables, beans, and dairy products; and these deliver essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Diabetes carbohydrates also give your body energy and help keep organs functioning properly.

A system called the glycemic index measures how fast and how far blood sugar rises after you eat a food with carbohydrates. White rice, for example, is almost immediately converted to blood sugar (glucose), causing it to rise rapidly, and so has a high glycemic index. Whole grain bread is digested more slowly, making blood sugar climb more slowly and not as high. It has a low glycemic index. Whenever possible, select carbohydrates that is whole grain, such as whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta, and old fashioned oats.

Myth #2. Vegetables mainly add fiber to your healthy food pyramid.

Vegetables are excellent sources of fiber and they supply vitamins and minerals, with very few calories. Orange vegetables like carrots, and dark leafy greens, such as spinach and collards, are good sources of vitamin A, an important nutrient to keep your eyesight keen, your skin healthy, and your immune system strong. Broccoli, pepper, and tomatoes are full of vitamin C, which promotes healing and keeps keep ligaments, tendons, and gums healthy. And beans and lentils supply potassium, which enables the body to convert blood sugar into glycogen, a stored form of energy that’s held in reserve by the muscles and liver.

Myth #3: To get calcium in your diabetic delivered prepared meals, you have to consume dairy products.

Milk, yogurt, and cheese are rich in calcium, which is important for building and protecting bones, Calcium Sources but they’re not the only sources of this mineral. Today, many foods are fortified with calcium, including orange juice, soy milk, breads, and cereals. Other nondairy sources of calcium are canned salmon and sardines with bones, collard greens, broccoli, and almonds. If you find it difficult to get enough calcium from your diabetic diet, you can also take calcium and diabetes supplements.
Myth #4: Meat, chicken, and fish are the best sources of protein.

Foods with protein help your body build muscle and tissue, and provide diabetes vitamins and minerals. Animal sources—meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products--have what’s called complete protein, that is, they contain all the amino acids needed to build new proteins. Proteins from fruits, vegetables, recipes for diabetes, grains, and nuts are called incomplete proteins—they’re missing one or more amino acids. But animal sources of protein have their drawbacks: red meat and poultry skin are high in fat, especially saturated fat (healthy diabetic meals delivered should have less than 10% of calories from saturated fat). If you eat meat, stick to lean cuts, chicken with the skin removed, and fish. If you want to try vegetable sources of protein, try beans, nuts, and whole grains.

Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetic testing supplies, including; urinary incontinence product, durable diabetes medical equipment, and Omron body fat analyzer and facts about diabetes. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.

Visit here for maore information : http://www.typefreediabetes.com/Glucose-Test-Meters-s/6169.htm

Posted by Amy Stephens @ 10:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tuesday, October, 11, 2011

What does gum disease have to do with diabetes?

Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, is one of the leading causes of tooth loss among adults and is also frequently linked to the control of diabetes. The title sounds kind of odd doesn’t it? But the fact remains that if you suffer from diabetes, chances are, your gums too would suffer. Most doctors who treat diabetic patients are either are unaware of the link between diabetes and gums or simply forget to mention it. The result is that problem with the gums are often overlooked or get misdiagnosed and mistreated.

When diabetes is poorly managed, it can lead to periodontal diseases in both children and adults. It has been recorded as affecting children as young as 10. Periodontal disease and diabetes may be classified as those infections which affect the bone holding the teeth in place, and the gums.

Last week one of my clients missed his appointment with me and turned up three days later stating that he had to do a root canal. It struck me as odd because this client was always fastidious about his hygiene so I asked if his dentist had specifically identified any cavity or infection that might have necessitated such a procedure. He said no, but that my client had complained of sensitive teeth and hence the dentist felt a root canal would help. Sounded a bit shaky to me but I thought it best not to argue the issue further especially since the deed was done and nothing I said would either reverse or make my client feel better. Besides, I only had my client’s version of events.
Fact is, diabetes specialists have often noted increased incidences of gum infection amongst diabetics. The high blood sugar levels typically found amongst diabetics makes it difficult for their body to ward off bacteria and infection that causes oral diseases.

There are three ways to keep the threat of oral infection at bay – good oral hygiene, keeping your blood sugar levels under control and, by taking antioxidant supplements. Antioxidant supplements such as vitamin “C”, bioflavonoids and grape seed extract s help combat bacterial infections in the gums.

I would also recommend inclusion of currants, blueberries, blackberries and cranberries, oranges, grapefruit and tangerines in your diet. These provide antioxidant and bioflavonoids naturally. In fact, if you have enough of these in your daily diet, you need not take antioxidant supplements at all – just make sure you take them in their natural form and not as a juice or jam. Remember these fruits lose their antioxidant the moment they are peeled or crushed or processed.

If you notice your teeth have suddenly become sensitive ask yourself if you also have a cold or nasal infection – the two are interconnected. The moment your cold or nasal infection is cured, your teeth will be back to normal. If a procedure has been specified and you have some doubt about it, you can always seek a second opinion – it’s your right. In all cases, maintain your hygiene. It is cheaper to maintain our hygiene than paying for expensive cures.

Visit here for more information: http://blog.typefreediabetes.com/diabetes-and-gums/

Posted by Amy Stephens @ 3:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thursday, October, 6, 2011

Mastering Nutrition and Fact Labels

Mastering Nutrition Labels

Nutrition labels are one tool a person with Diabetes, or some-one trying to prevent the onset of Type 2 Diabetes, can use to make healthy food choices. To bring more balance to the diabetic diet and meal plans prepared at home or how you purchase your diabetic meals delivered and snacks, you can gain a lot of help from the food nutrition labels on most packaging.

Read the nutrition labels as you shop and pay attention to food serving size and servings per container. Compare the total calories in similar products and choose the lowest calorie items. Let us try to break it down and make using the food nutrition label more easily understood and a constant part of our shopping experience.

Nutrition and diabetes vitamins Facts:

The serving size is the amount of food in one serving or one portion. It is important to note that all of the information on the food label is for one serving. The portion a person eats may not be the same as the serving size listed on the label. If it is not, you will need to adjust the numbers accordingly (up or down) to make them more relevant.

Here are some tips to help you visualize government-recommended serving / portion sizes:

• 3 oz meat or poultry = a deck of cards
• 3 oz fish = a checkbook
• 1 oz cheese = 4 stacked dice or 2 slices
• 1/2 cup pasta or vegetables = ½ baseball
• ¼ cup of dried fruit = a golf ball
• 1 teaspoon butter or margarine = the tip of your thumb
• 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, oil or dip = a ping-pong ball

The number of servings is listed next to the Servings per Container on the food label. Most food packages contain more than one serving.

Calories are a measure of how much energy a food provides a person. The food label shows the number of total calories and how many calories come from fat for one serving.
Here are some nutrition guidelines to pay attention to:

Total Fat – one fat serving is about 5 grams (g). Most people need about 50-65 grams (g) of fat a day. One teaspoon of butter or oil has about 5 grams (g) of fat. Limit saturated fat to less than 7% of your total daily calories. Eliminate/minimize foods with Trans fat from your diet, studies have shown that Trans fat can raise LDL (lousy or bad cholesterol) which is associated with heart disease. Some examples of foods with Trans fat include vegetable shortenings (lard), stick margarine, commercially baked foods, such as pastries, donuts, cookies and deep fried foods and snacks.

Cholesterol – A low-cholesterol food has 20 milligrams (mg) or less of cholesterol per serving. Try to eat less than 300 mg of cholesterol each day. Less than 200 mg is recommended for people with diabetes or high cholesterol. A “quarter pound” hamburger has about 70 mg of cholesterol.

Fiber – Choose foods that have 3 or more grams (g) of fiber per serving. Most people need about 25 – 35 g of fiber each day.

Sodium – Choose foods that have less than 400 milligrams (mg) of sodium per serving. Most people need 2,400 mg or less of sodium each day. One teaspoon of salt has 2300 mg of sodium.

Total Diabetes Carbohydrates – includes dietary fiber, sugar and sugar alcohols. A carbohydrate serving is about 15 grams (g). Most people need about 300 g of carbohydrate each day. Get your carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and low-fat milk. A slice of store bought bread (1 ounce) has about 15 grams (g) of carbohydrate.

Protein – Most people need about 50 – 80 grams (g) of protein each day. Try to eat 2 or more servings of fish each week (not fried). One ounce of meat has about 7 grams (g) of protein.

Ingredients are the things that make up the food. Ingredients are listed on food labels in the order of their amount in the food from the greatest to the least. For example, if water is the first ingredient listed, there is more water in that food than anything else. The next ingredient is listed is the thing that is in the food the next greatest amount. The last ingredient listed is the thing that is in the food the least.

Reading health claims on the label such as “fat free” or “reduced fat” can also add to the confusion of interpreting labels. Know that all claims must meet the nutrient criteria set by the government. These claims can be used in addition to the information above to make your final decisions.

Truth is, if you follow the above guidelines, you do not need these claims to help you. These are primarily marketing words to give you a quick sound bite about the product; it provides “short hand speak”. We recommend always going through the label facts and then you will not need to rely on the sound bites for your healthy eating choices like diabetic recipes and diabetic diet and meal plans. Become an expert at reading the labels and making your own decisions.

Fruits in a Market

Fresh fruit and vegetables are the most obvious categories where the label mostly does not exist. Sometimes if the product is pre-packaged you might find a label.
The good news is that it is hard to go wrong with fresh fruits and vegetables. The biggest loss is in understanding what a recommended low fat desserts is. I sometimes eat too much fruit and for a diabetic it is important to keep track of the sugar contribution of these fresh foods. However, for every other food that is purchased to eat from the supermarket, stop, stare at the food label and start at the top.

What is the serving size?

How many servings in this package (and so on)?

Compare it to other brands and use the above guidelines and make your decision. After some practice, this will become second nature and you will do it automatically (embarrassingly, even at other people’s houses!). So use the food label to:

• learn how much of a food is a serving (portion)
• learn what is in the food
• choose food and drinks that best fit your food for diabetes

A registered dietitian can also help you learn how to use diabetic meal plans labels as well as a certified diabetes educator. Just remember, nutrition food labels are your friend.

Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetic testing supplies, including; incontinence products, durable diabetes medical equipment, and Body Fat Scales and facts about diabetes. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.

Visit here for more information : http://www.typefreediabetes.com/Diabetes-Test-Strips-s/6.htm

Posted by Amy Stephens @ 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tuesday, September, 27, 2011

Diabetic Diet and Diabetes Eating Plan

Eating right is a key step to preventing and controlling diabetes. Fortunately, whether you’re trying to reduce your risk of diabetes or manage a pre-existing problem, you can still enjoy your favorite foods and take pleasure from your meals. Your nutritional needs are the same as everyone else—no special foods or complicated diets are necessary.

Eating right is the key to staying fit and reducing the risk of diabetes. Diets for diabetics not only involves eating right it also involves also eating the right quantity of food at the right time. Your diabetic diet foods are simply a healthy-eating plan that will help you control your blood sugar. Here's help getting started, from meal planning to exchange lists and counting carbohydrates.

There are a couple of important things that you should know in respect of diets and food for diabetes. Firstly, any diets for diabetics plan needs to cut out sugary foods and refined carbohydrates from the diet. Your diets for diabetics plan needs to include plant foods as well as diabetes diet recipes that are rich in fiber; increase your intake of whole grain, brown rice, nuts and leafy vegetables. Along with maintaining the diet, you also need to maintain your meal and snack timings so that the blood sugar levels remain constant. The third point about the diets for diabetics is to practice portion control. Even if you are having healthy food at regular intervals, it is necessary to regulate the quantity of the food you eat. More food, albeit healthy, would lead to weight gain, and this is something you don’t want happening.

The concept of diets and diabetic meal plans is surrounded by numerous myths. Most people believe that they would need to completely cut out the sugar and carbohydrates from their food or they would need to follow special diets for diabetics plan. In reality however, people suffering from diabetes can enjoy normal meals provided they are healthy and consumed in moderation. For example, a diabetic can enjoy the occasional sweet in the form of a desert or low fat desserts so long as it fits within the healthy meal plan. The key to controlling diabetes is to follow a balanced diet so that your food intake includes all the food groups but in moderation.

Once you are diagnosed with diabetes, it may take a little while to get adjusted to the diabetic diet and meal plans. However, there are a few simple tricks to help you stick to the diets and low fat dessert recipes for diabetics plan. As I mentioned earlier, you need not eliminate sugars and carbohydrates, but you can substitute them with other healthy foods. Instead of ice cream for dessert, opt for a bowl of fruit. This will not only satisfy your craving for sweets but will also increase your fiber intake. Another smart choice in your diabetic diet for diabetic meal plans is to have brown rice instead of white rice and whole wheat bread instead of white bread. These contain complex carbohydrates that take longer to digest thus keeping your blood sugar at the normal level.

When your diabetic diet plan is drawn up, remember that some fats can be harmful to the body while others may provide health benefits. While considering your diets for diabetics plan, it is important to choose the right kind of fats to be included in the food plan. Saturated fats found in red meat, whole milk or eggs and trans fats found in hydrogenated oils used for commercial bakery products should be avoided. Your healthy food pyramid should contain unsaturated fats found in nuts and seeds, olive oil and canola oil because these are excellent for diabetics. Ensure that you use olive oil for cooking instead of butter and snack on nuts and seeds instead of chips or fries.

Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetic testing supplies, including; diabetes nutritional supplements, durable diabetes medical equipment, and Panasonic Blood Pressure Monitor and facts about diabetes. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.
Consult your physician before beginning any diet or weight loss plan in order to ensure that it is right for you.

Visit here for : http://www.typefreediabetes.com/Articles.asp?ID=405

Posted by Amy Stephens @ 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thursday, September, 22, 2011

Fasting as a way to avoid diabetes?

A group of doctors did a study on 200 Mornons in the state of Utah who fasted regularly (as part of their culture). The results were compared with other individuals (non-Mornons) that didn’t fast and found remarkable differences. Specifically, X-ray scans revealed normal arteries in about half of the Mornons who fasted v/s narrowed arteries in 75 per cent individuals who didn’t fast.

One of my clients came to my clinic with this magazine clipping that more or less encouraged fasting as a way to avoid diabetes and several other diseases. The research conducted by a team of doctors seemed to suggest that fasting halved the chances of getting diabetes.

The test group did not take any nourishment other than water for a period of 24 hours. All individuals were administered a series of health checks and were monitored even when they did not fast. The tests revealed that during the fasting stage, significant amounts of human growth hormone were released. The human growth hormone triggers metabolism which in turn burns fat. During the fasting stage, cholesterol levels also shot up but returned to pre-fasting stage after the fast was over.

I for one have a serious problem with the so called conclusion of this research. I admit that fasting would trigger release of human growth hormone but how effective is that in losing fat? Just as refilling your gas tank will fill up empty spaces in it, so too when you eat the next day after you fast, any little fat that might have been lost is replaced. This is a known fact. As for differences in the arteries, there is simply no evidence that fasting alone had anything to do with it. Let us not forget that the Mornons live life differently. They do not eat like we do. And even in their case, over 40% showed reduced artery width. So to draw conclusions on the basis of just one factor i.e. fasting would in my book, be ridiculous.

Fasting – hype or a home run?

In all my years of providing service and advice to the community, I’ve never advised fasting as a means of reducing weight or as a means of achieving other imagined benefits. Remember when you fast, the body is starved of nutrition. It sources its nourishment internally until food is again available. Once food is obtained, the first task the body does is to replenish the stocks of energy that were utilized during the fast.

Fasting as a body cleanser

Again, there isn’t an iota of scientific evidence that fasting switches the body into some kind of self-cleaning mode or that fasting allows our organs to recuperate. If that were so, our genes would have programmed individual organs including the heart, to shut off from time to time.

Visit here for more information : http://blog.typefreediabetes.com/controlling-the-portion-size/

Posted by Amy Stephens @ 2:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tuesday, September, 6, 2011

Blood Glucose Reference & Normal Ranges Information!



Most diabetics will be familiar with the terms blood glucose, blood glucose test, blood glucose level and blood glucose testers, but what does blood glucose really mean? Why do blood sugar levels need to be controlled?

If you’ve done a blood glucose test through Accu-Chek active test strips and the lab technician has highlighted some of the results or marked them with an asterisk, you probably want to know what constitutes a normal, below normal or abnormal blood glucose test results. So today let us discuss blood glucose tests reference ranges.

The result of any blood glucose test in a clinical lab is compared to a “reference range”. This simply means that the result of the blood glucose test must be considered in the context, without which the test is meaningless. To interpret what is normal for you, the doctor must know what is considered normal for people of your age and what activity was done before the test was conducted. For example, when you receive the results of your blood glucose test, your doctor might say something like, “Your blood glucose test was out of normal range.”

blood glucose meters

So, what is a reference range and what can be considered “normal”? Some laboratory tests give a simple yes or no result. Suppose you had a test done for strep throat, the result of the test would show if you have the infection or not. But most other tests are not so simple in that the meaning of the result will depend on the context. The lab report for your blood glucose test for example, will typically show your result followed by the reference range. This reference range is established by testing a large group of healthy people and study what appears to be ‘normal’ for them.

\The normal fasting blood glucose level is about 70-99mg/dL or 3.9 to 5.5mmol/L. So if your blood glucose test result reads 100-125mg, ref. range 70-99mg/dL, it means that your blood glucose level is above the normal range. When the doctor in the example above said your blood glucose test was above the normal range, he is referring to the normal blood sugar level in context with the normal reference range for fasting blood sugar. Blood sugar levels above the normal range usually indicate a medical problem. If your blood glucose tests consistently show high levels of blood sugar, it may signify a pre-diabetic stage.

There are however many factors affecting your blood glucose test results. It could be factors like anxiety or stress, excessive intake of alcohol, caffeine, etc. Therefore, it is essential to take the blood samples in a standardized fashion. Hence, it is important to comply with the doctor’s instructions to prepare for your blood glucose test, like coming in first thing in the morning to draw the blood through high quality blood sugar monitor before eating anything. This ensures that your blood sample is close to the parameters of the reference group, which is crucial for the accuracy of the test results.

Although your blood glucose test report may show the result in comparison with the reference range, your doctor will need to interpret those results in relation to your health status and physical evaluation based on his personal knowledge of your medical history. He would need to determine if the result falling outside the reference range does indeed mean something significant for your individual health status or not.

blood sugar meters

Also known as: Fasting blood sugar (FBS), Blood sugar; Fasting blood glucose (FBG), Blood glucose, Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT), Urine glucose and blood glucose tests

Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetic testing supplies, including; heart rate monitor watch, supplements for diabetes, durable diabetes medical equipment, and body fat analyzer and facts about diabetes. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.

Visit here for more information : http://www.typefreediabetes.com/Diabetic-Recipes-s/5733.htm

Posted by Amy Stephens @ 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tuesday, August, 30, 2011

Blood Glucose Test for Diabetes - Home Testing

Usually after having done a blood glucose test at a clinical lab and being diagnosed either as a diabetic or borderline diabetic, we are advised to carry out regular blood glucose tests and the best way to do so is right at home. Any drug store will have a number of brands and models of blood glucose testers or glucometers. The most common and reliable type of blood glucose testing kit includes a meter (called the glucometer), a lancing device commonly known as the ‘lancing pen’ (used to extract a tiny drop of blood), and glucose test strips.

If you are using the glucometer for the first time, you need to locate the ‘coding strip’ in the test strip container. Insert this coding strip into the special slot (usually on the side of the glucometer). The coding strip calibrates the glucometer. This exercise has to be done every time you buy a new supply of blood glucose test strips.
When you are ready to do your blood glucose test, clean your hands and use the lancing pen to prick your finger. Extract a drop of blood and place it on the round (usually red) spot of the testing strip. Next, place the strip into the glucometer - the part with your drop of blood on it should go in first. The gadget will display your blood sugar level in about fifteen seconds or less. Generally, blood sugar testing is done around meal time; before, and after. It is also usually done before going to bed.

However, the timing of the test and frequency differs from patient to patient depending on the recommendation of the doctor and severity of the disease. Remember before each blood glucose test; you need to insert a new lancing needle into the lancing pen. You also need to use a new blood glucose test strip every time you do a blood glucose test.

Latest models of glucometers allow you to record and store this data for future analysis. However, you could lose the stored results of your blood glucose tests if you remove the batteries from the glucometer. Glucometers or Blood sugar meters are available at most local drug stores. There are varieties of blood glucose monitors available in the market today. Some of them include software kits that can retrieve past information of your blood glucose tests and use it to project results in the form of charts and graphs. There are others that enable you to do a blood glucose test with blood from sites other than the finger tips or ones that use lasers to draw blood and so on. Based on my conversation with my clients, I feel the simplest types of Glucometer work well and give reasonably accurate blood glucose reading.

Generally, fasting blood sugar glucose test is said to be too high if it is 180 mg/dL or more and too low if it is less than 70 mg/dL. In case your blood glucose test results sugar levels over 180 mg/dL for more than a week or if it shoots up to 300 mg/dL at two consecutive readings along with other symptoms of high blood sugar, then it is time to pay the doctor a visit. Similarly, if your blood sugar level goes below 70 mg/dL more than once in a week, consult your doctor. He will then suggest changes in your diabetes management plan which could include a change in medication, meal plan or exercise program.

Blood Glucose Test for Diabetes is also known as: Fasting blood sugar (FBS), Blood sugar; Fasting blood glucose (FBG), Blood glucose, Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT), Urine glucose and blood glucose tests.

Visit here for more information : http://blog.typefreediabetes.com/

Posted by Amy Stephens @ 3:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thursday, August, 25, 2011

Taking Care of Your Diabetes!



The secret to continued good health and fruitful life despite diabetes lies in regular testing of your blood glucose, not missing any prescribed blood glucose tablets or insulin dosage and a healthy lifestyle.

Monitoring your blood glucose levels

The key to keeping your blood glucose levels or (sugar levels as it is commonly known), under control is to keep your sugar level within the recommended range of 4 to 7 millimoles per liter. Only regular monitoring can help you achieve this.

diabetes glucose tablets

Measuring your own blood glucose levels is quite easy if you have a good quality branded digital test strips for diabetes. If you don’t have one the neighborhood chemist or any online website specializing in diabetes monitoring tools can help you.

When it comes to glucose monitors, accuracy is the key, so do not buy cheap Chinese glucose monitors. Our own branded glucose testing meters (glucometer) are highly accurate and usually cost between $50 and $75. In addition to the glucometer, you will also need a box of test strips ($40~$60) and a pack of Lancets ($15~$25). The accu-chek active test strips and lancets are to be replenished as and when required. Replace the battery in the Glucometer as and when required. If the Glucometer does not have a battery level indicator you should replace the battery in the glucometer every six months or so. A weak battery can induce faulty results.

Tip: Buy a blood glucose test meter that has a large digital readout, adequate memory and battery indicator.

When and how often you use the glucometer depends on your treatment, the food you consume and level of physical activity. Apart from regular testing at home, you should also do an HbA1c test every six months. This test is done at your local diabetes clinic and the result gives you an overall picture of your blood glucose levels. HbA1c test results should be as close to 7% (or below). Even a tiny fraction above 7% should be brought to the attention of your doctor.

You can keep your blood glucose under control by:

blood glucose monitors

• Eating regular small healthy diabetes diabetes diet plan so as to avoid major fluctuations in your blood glucose levels.
• Including adequate levels of physical activity so the insulin in your body works more effectively.
• Reducing any excess body fat. (Include half yearly body fat analysis in your diabetic diet/ schedule).
• Take your diabetes (and any other prescribed) glucose tablets according to the schedule given to you.
• Monitor your blood glucose levels and learn to adjust your treatment according to the results.

Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetic supplies, including; heart rate monitor watch, snacks of diabetes, delivered prepared meals, durable diabetes medical equipment, and diabetic lancing devices and facts about diabetes. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.

Visit here for more information : http://www.typefreediabetes.com/Insulin-Accessories-s/25.htm

Posted by Amy Stephens @ 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wednesday, August, 10, 2011

Diabetes and High Blood Pressure!

Three out of every five clients who have diabetes along with blood pressure seem to consider blood pressure as a ‘minor’ issue and diabetes to be the major issue. In reality, high blood pressure puts severe strain on the kidneys, heart, arteries and other organs all of which depend on being nourished through adequate blood supply. Any alteration in the pressure and flow of the blood supply is analogous to driving a car with clogged fuel lines – the car will either drive very slowly due to fuel starvation or proceed in bursts and spurts depending on the flow of gas. Cut to the human body and you have the same effect except, all you might feel are some stab like sensations and that too, if you’re paying attention to your body.

If you have diabetes you should aim to keep your blood pressure well controlled. Having high blood pressure is one of several 'risk factors' that can increase your chance of developing heart disease, a stroke and some other complications. Treatment includes a change in lifestyle risk factors where these can be improved. Many people with diabetes and blood pressure need to take medication to lower their blood pressure.

I’m a dietician and personal trainer specializing in nutrition and physical fitness for diabetics. I’ve written several dozen blogs covering various aspects of type 2 diabetes including symptoms, monitoring, explaining glycaemic index, carbohydrate counting, and correlation between body weight, lifestyle and diabetes and so on. Today I intend to blog on relation between diabetes and blood pressure and why blood pressure and diabetes can be a deadly combination.

It isn’t for fun that the medical practitioners labeled blood pressure as a ‘silent killer’. All our organs indeed, every part of our body including hair and skin need nourishment that is supplied via the blood vessels. This nourishment needs to keep coming in a steady flow that is typically achieved only when your blood pressure is ‘normal’ i.e. 120/80 or near normal. Variations due to physical activity are normal and not a cause for concern. If your blood pressure is 140/90 or more then you need to visit your doctor and have the issue addressed.

Mild increases in high blood sugar levels and blood pressure can be addressed through lifestyle changes that might include exercising regularly, drastic reduction in number of cigarettes smoked or preferably, quit smoking, a reduction in body fat and keeping a check on your salt intake and overall intake of food i.e. counting your calories. Ideally, you would want to consult your doctor, a dietician and a physical trainer in that order.

A doctor will recommend what changes are required. The dietician and physical trainer – if they are two different individuals will need to work together and this can sometimes be a daunting task so ideally, you need to consult a dietician-cum-personal trainer – someone like myself. This combination of skills is vital because food and exercise are deeply inter-related. The kind of food you eat, how much you eat, when you eat shares a deep connection with when you exercise, what kind of exercise you do and the level of intensity.

The moment the doctor specifies diet and exercise, too many people simply rush off and do their own thing. At best they end up with poor results, at worst they end up complicating an already delicate situation. Folks, there’s more than meets the eye here so please consult.

Visit here for more information :http://blog.typefreediabetes.com/

Posted by Amy Stephens @ 4:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thursday, August, 4, 2011

Is An Easy Vegetarian Diet Best For Diabetics?

Nutrition is all about what a person with diabetes eats. Nutrition and diet mean the same thing. A person with diabetes has 3 ways to control their blood sugar levels: Nutrition, physical activity and medication. The combination of good nutrition and physical activity prevent pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes.

There are several types of Vegetarian diets, including strict Vegan diets (no animal products may be consumed) and lacto-ovo diets, in which vegetarians may consume cheese, eggs, and other dairy products. It is essential that vegetarians carefully balance their nutrition through diabetic diet meal plans so that they are able to obtain the proper amount of protein to stay healthy.

diabetic diet meal

Vegetarianism and Veganism

According to the Mayo Clinic, Diabetics may benefit greatly from adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet. While vegetarian and vegan diets differ greatly in terms of what sorts of foods can be eaten, the major characteristic of both is that vegetarians and vegans do not eat meat. A vegetarian is generally a person that does not consume meat, but may consume animal products, such as:

* Milk and eggs (lacto-ovo vegetarian). * fish (pesco vegetarian)

A vegan, however, does not consume any animal products at all: any meat, eggs, cheese or milk. Also vegans do not use products made from or with animal products like wool, leather, cosmetics, etc.

Vegan diets tend to be healthy, when they are closely monitored and balanced with foods from every food group but meat and dairy. In fact, a vegan diet or low fat dessert recipes is cholesterol-free and low in saturated fats. Both vegan and vegetarian diets are low in calories and include large amounts of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes. As such, the vegan and vegetarian diet tends to include healthy food for diabetes that are low in fat and sugar.

Naturally, when a person consumes very little sugar and has a predominantly natural diet, he or she can usually lose weight and maintain that weight loss. Because Diabetes is a disease that is made better by limited sugar in take and by staying at a healthy weight, the vegan and vegetarian low fat low carb recipes tend to be very suitable. Always prefer to check sugar level by using blood sugar monitors, while going to sleep.

Additionally, while the vegan and vegetarian diets cannot cure diabetes, they can reduce the risk of common complications, such as heart and kidney disease. Heart disease is generally called by high blood pressure and cholesterol, which are both practically eliminated through a vegetarian diet. Kidney disease, which can be made worse by consuming protein, can be delayed by eliminating meat proteins and adopting the healthier vegan and vegetarian nutritional standards.

food for diabetes

Before beginning a vegan or diabetes diet plan, be sure to consult with your doctor or dietician. Vegan and vegetarian diets remove the most common sources of important proteins and vitamins. Therefore, it is important to understand what diabetes nutritional supplements you will need to take in order to make up for those losses.

Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetic testing supplies, including; heart rate monitor watch, diabetes socks, delivered prepared meals, durable diabetes medical equipment, heart rate monitor watch and facts about diabetes. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.

Visit here for more information : http://www.typefreediabetes.com/Articles.asp?ID=407

Posted by Amy Stephens @ 10:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Monday, July, 25, 2011

Nutrition Basics for People with Type 2 Diabetes

In order to manage your diabetes, it is important to understand nutrition basics more than the average person. The diabetic body must maintain a careful balance of chemicals from food in order to stay healthy and continue to function normally.

The Mathematics of Nutrition

Proper nutrition comes down to basic mathematics. Despite what many fad diets suggest:

• Around 55-60% of your calories need to come from carbohydrates (1,100 - 1,200 Calories) - the most important food group.
• Less than 30% should come from fat (600 Cal.)
• 10-15% should come from proteins (200 - 300 Cal.).

For the average person maintaining a 2,000 calorie per day diabetic meals, here is an easy way to break down your recommended daily diabetic meals delivered intake based on servings:

• Bread (whole grain is best)- 10 servings per day
• Vegetables (raw or steam is best)- 5 servings per day
• Fruits - 4 servings per day
• Meats (low saturated fat & cholesterol) - 2 servings per day
• Milk (low saturated fat)- 3 servings per day
• Fat (monounsaturated & polyunsaturated are best) - less than 67 grams per day

Why Low Carbohydrate Diets Are Dangerous

Carbohydrates are the only source of energy for the human body. Protein is the only food group without diabetes carbohydrates.

Many diets recommend eating a high amount of protein and a low amount of carbohydrates. The body simply cannot function without an energy source, so while you may lose weight on such a diet, your body will start to break down its own muscles to turn them into carbohydrates, resulting in muscle loss.

As a result, you may lose weight in the short term, but in the long term, you will suffer from energy loss, decreased brain function (the brain needs energy too!), and organ failure.

In order to prevent serious consequences of a low carbohydrate diet, it is important to incorporate a variety of different carbohydrates into the sugar free desserts for diabetics, including nuts, whole grains, milk, fruits, and vegetables.

Fat is Good

Fat is an essential part of the daily meals for diabetics. Fat not only helps to keep the body warm in colder temperatures, but it also provides a cushion for the organs and tissues. Fat also helps the body absorb many essential vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamins A and D. Just be sure most of the fats you eat are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. These are mostly plant-based fats and fish oils. Avoid saturated fats (mostly animal fats) Therefore, depriving the body of fat can lead to serious long-term damage to your organs, joints, bones, and blood.

Calories Matter Most

If you are trying to lose weight, understand that calories are the essential element that you need to control. Calories are units of energy that are either used by the body for daily functioning or that are stored as fat. Therefore, if you intake more calories than you burn, those extra calories will be stored as fat, resulting in weight gain. Always follow diabetic meal plans for better health.

Conversely, to lose weight, simply reduce the amount of calories that you take in so that you take in fewer calories than you burn. Keep in mind that you should consume enough calories to give you energy throughout your basic daily functions or else your body will take that energy by "eating" your muscles.

Supplements and Risks

From Creatine to Ephedrine, Synephrine to Nitric Oxide, there is a huge variety of diabetic nutritional supplement available on the market that are designed to enhance athletic performance, increase energy, and boost weight loss.

Many of these supplements actually deliver on what they say they will - but only for the short term and not without serious consequences. Each of these blood sugar supplements has its own set negative side effects that can lead to long-term bodily damage and even death.

In fact, some supplements for diabetes, such as Ephedrine, have been taken off the market due to their negative side effects. Even common supplements, such as caffeine have their limits (no more than 600 milligrams per day). Before you take any form of supplements, be sure that you research the negative side effects and weigh the risks carefully.

Here is a short list of some of the common side effects of some diabetes supplements:

• Heart failure
• Increase heart rate
• Stroke
• Constipation
• Stomach issues
• Cancer
• Blood clots
• Abnormal bone growth
• Infertility
• Loss of libido

Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetic testing supplies, including; heart rate monitor watch, diabetic socks women, delivered prepared meals, durable diabetes medical equipment, accu-chek active test strips and facts about diabetes. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.

Visit here for more information : http://www.typefreediabetes.com/Body-Fat-Measurement-s/72.htm

Posted by Amy Stephens @ 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thursday, June, 30, 2011

Information about dieting and weight loss



Blood sugar metersBlood sugar meters
I can eat pasta and other foods that are high in calories or carbohydrates as long as I go to the gym.

Going to the gym does not give you permission to eat just anything. In fact, many people actually gain weight when they start exercising partly because they think that exercising negates the harmful effects of calories and carbohydrates in the foods that they like to eat. However, for a host of reasons, working out does not give you the freedom to eat anything you want.

One reason is simply mathematical: even if you exercise vigorously for an hour, it’s still unlikely that you will burn off more than 800 calories. However, one pasta dish can easily add 1,500 calories to your daily diet – and that doesn’t even count the bread and drink that might accompany the pasta dish. As such, you will consume more calories than you work off and those extra calories will lead to weight gain. Make a habit to check blood pressure regularly through automatic blood pressure monitor.

If you are working out to reduce your weight and improve your overall health, then you need to also pay attention to the food that you eat. Healthy diabetic delivered prepared meals can not only complement and balanced lifestyle, but it can also make your workout easier and more energetic.

If I skip dinner, then I can eat dessert and not gain weight.

Just because you avoid consuming calories from a meal does not mean that you are giving yourself a blank slate to eat calories from dessert. While this method of weight control might work as a short term measure if calories were the only consideration, diabetics must pay special attention to the sugar levels that are found in their food. If you skip a healthy, vitamin-rich diabetic diet plan in order to “save room” for dessert, then you are depriving your body of the nutrients that will help it to thrive and stay in good shape. Instead, you are loading sugar into your system, which will cause your blood sugar level to rise and your body to store more fat. Be sure to eat at least three full and nutritious diabetic diet and meal plans a day and skip dessert in order to treat your body well.

Sugar is bad for me, so I will avoid it in order to keep my weight down.

Sugar is bad for all Diabetics for a number of reasons; however, it does not need to be completely avoided if you have a craving for it. Many diabetics will eliminate sugar from their healthy food pyramid completely because they know how bad it can be on their systems. However, they will still crave sugar free cookies, so they will compensate for their sugar cravings by over-eating other “bad” foods, such as potato chips. While sugar is unhealthy for Diabetics, keep in mind that small portions of sugar are allowable on occasion when eaten with meals, and when you have taken your medication as prescribed. You may not want to consume a whole cup of ice cream, but you may be able to safely have a quarter of a cup without any negative side effects. When you first start learning how to manage your Diabetes, monitor your body with body fat monitor closely in order to determine how it reacts when you eat small portions of sugar.

As long as I eat healthy I don’t have to exercise.

Eating snacks for diabetics should complement a regular exercise routine. Some diabetics believe that as long as they eat a low-sugar diet and avoid alcohol and foods that are high in carbohydrates, they can manage their Diabetes and keep their weight under control. While many people can manage to stay thin without working out, it is impossible to keep your blood circulating properly and your muscles strong without putting in a few hours of exercise each week. The good news is that when you exercise by wearing diabetes socks, you don’t need to dedicate an entire afternoon to working out. In fact, just 30 minutes each day is enough to help combat the negative effects of diabetes, reduce blood pressure, improve muscle strength, and keep your body healthy.

Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetic supplies online, including; incontinence products, portable blood pressure monitor, delivered prepared meals, durable diabetes medical equipment, omron pocket pedometer and facts about diabetes. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.

Visit here for more information : http://www.typefreediabetes.com/Glucose-Test-Meters-s/6169.htm

Posted by Amy Stephens @ 9:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

  Name:
  Amy Stephens
  Location:
  USA, Richmond
  Age: 27

  E-mail Me

  Blog Start:
  2011-06-20 11:57:06

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