Type 2 Diabetes - A Family History Of Diabetes And The Effect of Fitness

Type 2 diabetes is increasingly being seen as an aspect of what is called the metabolic syndrome which is a fairly common condition characterized by insulin resistance and many related effects, including:

high blood sugar,high blood pressure,high levels of various fats in the blood, andobesity.

Obesity, particularly the style characterized by abdominal fat, is one of the criteria for the metabolic syndrome, and most people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes are overweight in this way.

Poor physical fitness, and poor conditioning are also associated with Type 2 diabetes, especially in individuals with a family history of this type of diabetes. Anyone whose close relatives have Type 2 diabetes have a two to four times higher risk of developing the condition than people without such a family history.

Investigators in the Department of Physiology at S. Nijalingappa Medical College in India looked at fitness in healthy individuals with a family history of Type 2 diabetes and compared them with volunteers with a healthy family history.

The study, published in the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism in November 2011, included 64 individuals, 32 with a positive family history of Type 2...

the body mass index, and waist measurement were higher in the participants with a family history of diabetes than in those without a family history of diabetes, andthose with a positive family history of diabetes were slower to recover from exercise than those with a negative family history.

The causes of Type 2 diabetes are complex, and consist of interactions of:

heredity,environment,diet andlifestyle.

Although specific genes have been associated with Type 2 diabetes, perhaps at least part of the risk associated with family history could be due to eating patterns and a sedentary lifestyle taught to children from their parents and significant others. If that is the case, then changing patterns... diet and activity, within a family could lower the risk of diabetes associated with family history. If not, healthy eating habits and exercise are still known to help prevent the development of Type 2 diabetes, so developing good eating and lifestyle habits in a family are bound to be beneficial.

Thanksgiving is just a couple of weeks away. After the feast has been consumed, instead of sitting around consider...

having a family nature hike and see how many colors of leaves and fall-flowering plants you can find. See if you can discover birds' nests that were hidden by foliage during the summer. (Don't take any of them; some birds return to the same nest each season).a hayride is a good way to get out of the house and away from food.

For Christmas and Hanukkah in the northern hemisphere, think of toys that encourage activity, such as:

In warmer climates and in the southern hemisphere, surfboards and swimsuits will encourage physical activity. Try having a beach party for a different and healthy way of celebrating the holidays.

Three ounces of turkey breast have 88 calories (368 kJ), while 3 ounces of firm tofu have only 60 calories (251 kJ), so consider tofu turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The tofu variety is easier to cook and has the same flavor, so why not?

To discover answers to questions you may be asking yourself about Type 2 Diabetes, click on this link... Natural Diabetes Treatments

Type 2 Diabetes - Genes And Diet!

If we think of our genes as blueprints and our food as raw materials, we would not be surprised to find people of different genetic make-ups having different nutritional needs. According to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition in November 2011, the best diet for preventing Type 2 diabetes could depend at least to some extent upon an individual's genes.

Study participants were given a diet containing 500 fewer calories than their usual intake for 2 weeks.

32 of the volunteers were given a diet containing soy protein, prickly pear, chia seed and oats for 2 months, while35 volunteers were kept on the original low-calorie diet.

All 67 volunteers showed a reduction in weight and their waist size:

those on the new diet had reduced: blood fats, lowered c-reactive protein, and a lower need for insulin by the end of the study.

The participants with a gene type called ABCA1 R230C had more weight loss and an increased level of blood adiponectin compared with patients having a gene type called ABCA1 R230R. C-reactive protein is associated with inflammation, and diabetes is an inflammatory disease. Adiponectin has to do with regulation of fatty acids and sugar and plays a role in the prevention of Type 2 diabetes.

It was therefore concluded taking genetics into account might some day be helpful in determining the best diet for any given individual.

In the mean time, since the participants with both types of genes had some improvement, let us take a look at the foods in the test diet. Soy has complete protein, containing all the essential amino acids needed for human growth and repair, making it as high in quality as animal protein, with less fat:

one ounce of tofu turkey, with 54 calories, 3 per cent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of iron and 1 per cent of the RDA of calcium.
one cup of prickly pear, or cactus fruit, (be adventurous) supplies 35 per cent of the RDA of vitamin C and 8 per cent of the RDA of calcium, at only 61 calories.
one ounce of chia seeds contains 4914 mg of omega-3 fatty acids and 1620 mg of omega-6 fatty acids, plus 18 per cent of the RDA for calcium. (Be careful about the amount, though; that ounce has 137 calories).
a cup of cooked oatmeal, with 166 calories, supplies 12 per cent of the RDA of iron and 16 per cent of the RDA of fiber

To discover answers to questions you may be asking yourself about Type 2 Diabetes, click on this link... Natural Diabetes Treatments

Blood Sugar Level Control - 3 Strategies For Once A Day Checking Of Your Blood Sugars

I have shared some of the lows and highs of living with type 2 diabetes. Namely hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia.

Ultimately as a person living with diabetes, the goal is to have blood sugar levels within the target range of 70-130 mg/dL.

A lot of times this may require frequent monitoring of blood sugars. This is where I usually encounter a lot of resistance from my patients. They complain that testing their sugars several times a day is painful. Also that the test strips cost a lot of money. Or that because of their work schedule they just don't have the time.

I found that the more I argued with them about this, the more resistant some patients became. In fact some even stopped coming in as scheduled. They would stretch out their appointments. So instead of coming in every three months, they made it twice a year.

Now that can be harmful as it is a surefire way to develop complications related to diabetes!

So I had to get creative with that segment of my patients that just were not going to check their blood sugars consistently.

Well here are three strategies that I came up with. For the most part they ended up being about compromise. Which I think is something that is very important if you are committed to living powerfully.

STRATEGY NUMBER ONE - ALTERNATE FASTING BLOOD SUGARS LEVELS WITH POST-PRANDIAL LEVELS

This is by far my favorite strategy.

This is how it works:

On a calendar, divide the month into odd-numbered and even-numbered days.

On odd-numbered days of the month, check your fasting blood sugar level.

On even-numbered days, check your post-prandial sugar levels. Try to vary the times that you check your post-prandial levels. For instance on one day check the levels after breakfast. The next time after lunch. At another time after dinner.

This is a great way to get a general view of how your sugars run during different times of the day. And not test more than once a day.

Remember to label the times that you check your sugars so that your doctor can understand the trend. I find that certain machines, like the Accucheck One Touch Ultra has a feature that allows labeling the blood sugars also. Check your machine to see whether you can do this.

STRATEGY NUMBER TWO - CHECK POST-PRANDIAL BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS OVER THE WEEKEND

Here is when I would recommend this strategy:

For the most part there are two types of blood sugar levels that determine how well controlled a type 2 diabetic is.

The fasting blood sugar level - the blood sugar level first thing in the morning. The target range for the fasting blood sugar is 70-130 mg/dL.

The second level is the post-prandial blood sugar level. This is the blood sugar level that is taken 2 hours after a meal. The level should be less than 140 mg/dL.

Diabetes type 2, is well controlled when both the fasting blood sugars levels and the post-prandial levels are within the target range.

Let's say I have a person who cannot check their post-prandial levels during the week due to their work schedule. I then encourage them to check the fasting levels during the week. And then over the weekend, focus only on checking their post-prandial levels.

They can do this by alternating post-prandial levels between breakfast, lunch and dinner over the 3 days.

STRATEGY NUMBER THREE - CHECK YOUR BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS FOR TWO WEEKS BEFORE YOUR SCHEDULED DOCTOR VISIT

I only bring out this strategy when I am pushed to the wall. Literally I am begging a patient to work with me.

There is nothing more frustrating than not having an idea about how the blood sugars are running in between visits. It is like shooting in the dark. You get a blood test result that is high, but you have no idea how to go about correcting it.

As I tell my type 2 diabetes patients, on average they get to see their primary care physician between three to four times per year for routine diabetes care. What happens the remaining 361 days is left in their hands.

If you take blood sugars consistently for even two weeks before an office visit. And when combined with the hemoglobin A1C. Most times it is much easier to spot the problem.

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO CHECK BOTH THE FASTING AND POST-PRANDIAL BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS:

In an earlier article I shared some important numbers that a person living with diabetes needs to know. One of those numbers is the A1C. This is also known as the glycosylated hemoglobin. The target range for the A1c is less than 6.5- 7%. In order to achieve that goal, the fasting blood sugars are within the target range of 70-130 mg/dL. The post-prandial levels also have to be consistently less than 140 mg/dL two hours after a meal.

If your A1C is high, then by keeping a log of the blood sugars, you will be able to pinpoint the problem.

For instance, if the fasting blood sugars levels are within normal range. But the post-prandial levels are high. Then perhaps you need to adjust portion sizes.

Are your fasting levels are running high? It may be that the evening medications need to be adjusted. Or that a late night needs to be cut out. Sometimes this may even mean that the nighttime medications may need to be cut down. But your physician needs to see your glucose log. So that they can target the problem. And create a customized plan for you.

START TODAY TO CHECK YOUR BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS

Perhaps you are a newly diagnosed diabetic. Or even if you have had diabetes for some time. But just never thought it important to check your blood sugars. Let's start out fresh.

Review the instructions of your glucometer. If you do not understand how to use it then check to see whether your local pharmacist can help you. If not call your doctor's office. And schedule a visit with the nurse. Most times they can help you. Most times the machines work the same way. A few have extra 'bells and whistles' attached to them.

Just as I share in my upcoming e- book, two of the hallmarks of living a powerful life with type 2 diabetes is being committed and persistent. If you do, you will go a long way to living free of diabetes complications.

Diabetic Diet Plan - helpful advice for the preparation of diet Plan

If you are diabetic, I am sure that you want to live as normal as possible. To do this and keep your diabetes under control, you must implement a diabetic diet plan.

First off the coast with your diabetic diet plan you need to educate and do a lot of research. More you know about diabetes, that better you will be. You must learn what foods to eat and when and how do eat. It is very important in any diabetes diet plan.

It is important to everyone, only with diabetes eat healthy step. We should be a kind of Scheduler meals for all that we consume. Knowing what and how we eat is the control key and the management of diabetes. It is key in reducing risks, and helping with those already with diabetes.

Healthy eating is priority when it comes to managing a diabetic diet plan. Included in our meal planning is the variety of foods, that we need to stay healthy. Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meat, produced dairy fat low beans, poultry and fish complete a well-balanced variety.

Now I am going to review some tips that can help in the preparation of your he and diabetic diet plan to be put in honorant

1 Keep good records of meals you eat, including portions of food consumed. In doing so, you are able to know what foods trigger different responses.

2. A real good thing to get used to do is eat everyday at the same time. Your body will be on a schedule, which facilitates the management.

3 Forget daily exercise should be part of the way of life of all. Time to do every day at least half an hour of exercise. Going for a walk after eating is a great way to get exercise and will together make you feel better.

4 Control to other problems like high blood pressure, cholesterol and weight issues control, are all the keys in a diabetic diet plan, not mentioning not being healthier.

5. If you take prescribed drugs be sure to talk to your doctor of your diabetic diet plan. It should be you guide in the right direction and get this ball. Those who take medication should consider talking with a registered dietitian, they can be very useful.

Type 2 Diabetes - Preventing Diabetes!

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 177 million people in the world have diabetes, and this number is expected to nearly double to 300 million by 2025. In the United States the current incidence of diabetes includes more than 18 million Americans who are already diagnosed and about half again as many who remain undiagnosed. All of these undiagnosed cases are people with Type 2 diabetes.

While Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented, Type 2 certainly can. Historically, Type 2 diabetes was referred to as adult onset because most people did not experience this condition until their later years. Nowadays, even children can be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Much of this is due to lifestyle factors that can be totally prevented. Here are three major tips to help you prevent Type 2 diabetes from happening in your family:

Lose extra weight: You may not be aware that even losing 5% of your body weight, especially weight around your abdominal area, can help you to reduce your risk. Carrying around extra weight causes a whole variety of hormonal problems that can lead to Type 2 diabetes in the end. Not only can extra weight cause insulin resistance, but it can create a lot of different problems including heart disease and fatty liver, among other things. As if that isn't bad enough, if you have Type 2, your brain can't properly receive the messages delivered by the feel-full hormone known as leptin. Leptin is the hormone that tells your brain you need to stop eating. There is no question that carrying around extra weight is not good for anyone.

Eat healthy: We've all heard it before. We are supposed to eat healthier, but it is difficult. That is because there are so many processed and fast foods available to us these days. Parents should be quite concerned with what their kids are eating at school as the cafeteria is often one of the unhealthiest places they go. Even if you are feeding your children healthy food at home, they might be getting processed snacks when they go to school. Educate your children on eating a diet low in fat and calories with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains.

Start moving: Unfortunately, the average American spends almost five hours a day watching television, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The same as surfing the Internet and playing video games, television watching is almost always a passive, sedentary activity, one that requires the viewer to sit and stare for a long period of time in one direction. This is a somewhat unnatural task for the muscles of the human body. Unfortunately television watching is often accompanied by eating sweet or fat-laden foods.

Everyone should focus on getting at least 30 minutes of moderate physical exercise every single day. Think about the time you spend sitting in front of the television at night. We all have at least an extra 30 minutes we can use to exercise, even if it means doing 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the evening. You don't have to go crazy; just walk, ride your bike or swim a few laps.

Anyone who already has received a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes will tell you they wish they had made these lifestyle modifications before everything went too far. Reversing the disease is a lot harder than preventing it in the first place. Unless you want to have a lifetime of taking medication or even insulin shots, it makes sense to pay attention to these warnings now so that you can prevent the disease from ever happening to you.

To discover answers to questions you may be asking yourself about Type 2 Diabetes, click on this link... Natural Diabetes Treatments

Cinnamon And Diabetes Control - Including Cinnamon In Your Diet

The idea that cinnamon and diabetes management share the same objectives is easy to promote. Most people love the wholesome taste of cinnamon anyway.

Including a pinch of cinnamon into your daily food intake can be very easy. It is effortless and simple to add a small amount of cinnamon on your breakfast cereal. For those who prefer bread, this can be turned into cinnamon toast.

An exotic beverage that makes good use of cinnamon as a flavour is Chai tea. This drink from India can be purchased as a commercial blend or you could browse the Internet for suggestions of putting together your own version. Other components of the classic Chai tea are cardamom, sugar, milk, cloves and of course, the tea, but individual brews could feature vanilla beans, nutmeg, honey, ginger and fennel. Without immersing yourself in such liquid opulence, there are a few simpler suggestions. You could add a teaspoon of cinnamon to your regular tea, or add some sticks of cinnamon to a cup of boiling water, and drink that once it cools down.

The Internet is a rich source of information, yielding many fresh ideas for ways of combining and preparing food. Just search for cinnamon recipes and make up your own mind on which dishes will work best for your needs.

You can find lots of suggestions for a dish such as cinnamon steak. You could play around with the inclusion of garlic or cayenne pepper or coriander or ginger. As with all food preparation, it takes time and a little inspiration to adapt recipes to your own taste and requirements.

North African and Oriental cooking uses cinnamon in a variety of creative ways. With the food of Thailand, other spices such as chilli, garlic, ginger, basil, coriander and cumin are blended with cassia, one type of cinnamon to add a unique taste to chicken, fish and other dishes. Flavours also used with cinnamon include turmeric or cloves.

Vegetarians have no cause to be alarmed. Cinnamon combines wonderfully with a number of fruit and vegetable choices. Everyone knows how deliciously cinnamon and apples go together in apple pie, but have you thought of combining it with applesauce or walnuts and serving that with the meal of your choice. Similarly, it is a winner if sprinkled over lentils or couscous.

Puddings need not be a sacrifice in the name of healthier living. Rice pudding or carrot cake, both garnished with cinnamon, can bring your dinner to a mouth-watering conclusion.. Using cinnamon and diabetes diet suggestions wisely can give you a new lease on life.

Cold Weather Exercises - Safety First For The Diabetic

Even with the best of intentions, many people just lack the motivation to carry on with their outdoor exercise program during the cold months of the winter. Although, dropping your program just isn't a very good idea for your own health and safety, curling up beside a roaring fire with a snuggly blanket and a cup of hot cocoa just seems to be more becoming to the imagination.

But a consistent exercise program has numerous benefits to prevent several future possible diabetic complications. Several of the main advantages are:
helps to reduce the rise in your blood sugar levels when testing (or not testing) on that glucose meterit is an effective weight loss and appetite control strategyrelieves much of the muscle and joint pain common to diabetes allowing the continuous flow of oxygenated blood to pass smoothly to all the body's extremities

Staying Safe During The Winter Workout

If the idea of the treadmill in front of the television or the local gym's numerous classes is just not your idea of the ideal exercise program, with some careful pre-planning to ensure your safety, you can still follow an effective but improved daily workout regimen.
pile on the layers of clothing - As your body temperature heats up during the routine, shed one or two pieces by easily removing them and tie them around your waist or neck.
avoid dark clothing unless you wear reflective arm, leg or chest bands during the early morning or late afternoon/evening hours. Always help yourself by ensuring your easy visibility with any passing drivers.
wear appropriate footwear for the current weather conditions. Good fitting sneakers with excellent traction is a necessity during icy and snowy weather.
warm up your body itself before venturing outside. Try taking a warm/hot shower or drink a cup of hot broth-based soup. The digestive process itself actually fuels your energy reserves during your workout.
do not forget to carry along a source of fresh water even in cold weather exercise. The excess perspiration as you workout and the extra heavy breathing in cold weather both add up to an increased loss of bodily fluids, thus an increased risk of dehydration.

If all else fails and the weather is just too nasty for a day or two outside, waiting for another bright sunny day can be achieved by falling back on the treadmill and TV just until mother nature offers up another beautiful, crisp winter day.