Type 2 Diabetes - Are These Three "Healthy" Foods Raising Your Blood Sugar Levels?

As you go about managing your Type 2 diabetes, it is important you stop and consider all the foods you are eating, as some may not be quite as healthy as you had hoped. Many people get caught up in the notion of thinking if food is not processed and is in its natural condition it must mean it is a healthy choice. And, for the most part, it is.

But a few food choices are managing to slip under the radar. Let's take a closer look at three seemingly healthy foods Type 2 diabetics should consider passing on...

1. Milk. Milk is often touted as providing plenty of calcium for strong bones and also offers a good dose of protein. Seems great, right? Well, not so fast. The bigger issue with milk happens to be the sugar content. While no sugar is added, milk is naturally high in lactose and can contain up to nearly 10 grams per cup.
When milk is pasteurized, the process turns lactose into beta-lactose: sugar that is quickly absorbed into our bloodstream.

If you drink three glasses of milk each day - one with each meal as is often recommended by food guides, this is around 30 grams of sugar a day, which is more than most people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes should be consuming on a daily basis.
Try unsweetened almond milk instead.

2. Carrots. Carrots are another food to be careful of. Now, you do not need to avoid carrots entirely. In moderation, they can be a healthy and delicious part of your healthy eating plan. But if you serve yourself a cup of boiled carrots, these have a decent GI rating and pack in an unnecessary dose of sugar.
Cooking carrots tend to increase the GI (glycemic index) ranking, so if you are going to eat carrots, consider eating them raw. And whatever you do, don't peel your carrots. The skin contains most of the fiber, which will help lower the GI value.

3. Bran Flakes. Bran flakes are another food to be on the lookout for. Here again, many people believe bran flakes are a nutritious way to start their day, but this is not the case. The fact is, bran flakes may contain just as much sugar, if not more, than some of the sugary cereals out there. With up to 10 grams per serving, or more depending on the brand, it is one food to pass on.

Keep these foods in mind as you go about preparing your eating plan. They may seem like the healthy choice where your blood sugar levels are concerned, but the reality is they are not, especially for someone who is dealing with Type 2 diabetes.

Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.

For nearly 25 years, Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body. Go to http://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about some of those secrets.
The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.

By Beverleigh H Piepers 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9648420

Type 2 Diabetes - Are You Disciplined or Obsessive With Your Food Choices?

The Type 2 diabetes epidemic is not unique to one country; it is rampant around the world. What is behind this trend? How can you lower your risk of becoming overweight or obese?

Food obsession could be one of the problems. Food obsession is a phenomenon more common than you think. There is more to it than meets the eye. It is not that some people have an obsession with food while others do not: the reality is more complicated.

Food obsession occurs on a spectrum. Meaning there are varying degrees of being obsessed. It's no surprise many people in our society have a food obsession to some extent - just listen to how often people suggest they are on a diet. Nowadays, more and more adults are focusing on trivial details behind their diets which can be overwhelming despite the good intentions.

It's fine to be concerned with your total calorie intake and the type of carbs you are consuming if you are trying to lose weight or treat your Type 2 diabetes. But it is too much to consider...

• every single gram of fat,
• the ratio of sugar to complex carbs, or the number of
• calories burned during exercise.

Usually, this means there is more going on behind the scene - food, dieting, and weight management may all be part of the obsession which is an extreme source of stress and anxiety.

There are other clear signs of food obsession to give thought to. Perhaps those times...

• where you eat uncontrollably and past your limit.
• when you eat without feeling hungry. Or,
• when you eat to console yourself.

We all have "bad" days, but this doesn't mean we need food to make us feel better. Many times it makes us feel worse, especially if we are on a diet to control our blood sugar and help with weight loss.
You shouldn't panic if you have a mild obsession with food, which is likely the case if you are over a healthy weight or dealing with high blood sugar readings. Obsessing over food is, unfortunately, the norm in modern society. Regrettably, many adults deal with a variety of preventable health complications as they age. Food obsession is often the culprit.

The same doesn't have to apply to you. You can take control of your circumstances. If you have an obsession with food, make it your goal to overcome it. Put a stop to radical eating habits and extreme diets. Start to lose weight in a healthy manner - weight loss should come slowly at a steady rate, so progress is sustainable.
Most of the time, you should be eating to fuel your body with what it needs. Enjoying what you eat is secondary. The problem, however, is most people switch these priorities. With healthy eating, it usually comes down to doing what's right, and not what you feel like doing.

As a Type 2 diabetic, are you disciplined or obsessed in your efforts to control your blood sugar levels?

Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.

For nearly 25 years, Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body. Go to http://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about some of those secrets.

The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.

By Beverleigh H Piepers 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9648339

Why Is Sleep Important For Good Health?

There are various reasons why a person may not get enough sleep. When a person is busy, they can think of sleep as an inconvenience, robbing them of time that they could use to accomplish something and so they go to bed late and wake up early.

There are also others who may think of sleep as interrupting living life to the fullest and so they will get together with friends and/or go out at night, not going to sleep until the early morning hours. Then there are people who actually have problems falling asleep or staying asleep. What people may not realize is that not getting enough sleep can be detrimental to their health.

Statistics from the National Sleep Foundation
According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), adequate sleep is essential for a person's health and wellbeing but there are still millions of people who don't get enough sleep and many who suffer from lack of sleep. In fact, according to NSF surveys conducted between 1999 and 2004 in the U.S.:

• At least 40 million people suffer from more than 70 different sleep disorders.
• 60 percent of adults report sleep problems at least a few nights/week.
• More than 40 percent of adults experience severe daytime sleepiness at least a few days/month.
• 20 percent of the 40 described above reported severe daytime sleepiness multiple times/week.
• 69 percent of children experience sleep problems at least a few nights/week.

The Need for Sleep
According to the National Institutes of Health, getting enough quality sleep, AT THE RIGHT TIMES, can help protect your physical and mental health, safety, and quality of life. How a person feels when they are awake has to do, in part, on what happens during sleep. While you are sleeping, your body is working to maintain your physical health (did you know sleep is involved in healing and repair of your heart and blood vessels?) and support healthy brain function. For children and adolescents, sleep is also vital to growth and development.

Sleep deficiency can be dangerous and harmful instantly, as in a drowsy driving car crash, or over time. Chronic sleep deficiency may increase the risk of health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, stroke, and diabetes. It has also been linked to risk-taking behavior, depression, and suicide
.
How Much Sleep Do I Need?
While each individual's sleep needs vary, the general rule is that healthy adults need an average of eight hours of sleep every night. Children should get AT LEAST eight hours each night. Some people may be able to function without any drowsiness or adverse effects with just six hours of sleep, while others may need 10 hours to function at their best.
The bottom line, feeling fatigued during the day is a common symptom of inadequate sleep. If you are not getting enough sleep because of your own lifestyle choices, such as staying up to watch T.V. or going out regularly at night (and staying out late), then you need to change your habits or else risk harming your health. If you try to get those eight hours but have trouble sleeping, then it is important to see a doctor or psychologist to figure out the root of the problem.

8 Hours of Sleep for a Healthy Lifestyle
Sleep is just one component of a healthy lifestyle but it is an important one. If you are having trouble sleeping, we urge you to get a professional opinion. Healthy living is the best way to reduce your risk of health problems, including cancer. To learn more about your inherited cancer risk, purchase our convenient testing kit online today: https://reveal23.com/shop/.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9648261

Type 2 Diabetes - What Are Your Chances of Developing Diabetes?

Did you know Type 2 diabetes is by far the most common form of diabetes around the world? The prevalence of Type 2 hovers around 90%, meaning most diabetics are dealing with a man-made disease that can be treated and managed. It can also be largely prevented. Unfortunately, prevention is not the norm. Most people become aware of their unnaturally high blood sugar levels when it is too late.

It pays to know the risk factors for the devastating health problem that is Type 2 diabetes. If more people were aware, there is much we could do to prevent it developing. Perhaps we would not see such alarming incidence rates.

Here is a concise list of the relevant risk factors for Type 2 diabetes...

Age. Those who are over the age of 40 have a higher danger of developing the disease. The risk increases with age.
Body weight. Being overweight/obese is a primary risk factor.
Body composition. The higher the body's fat composition, the higher the risk of high blood sugar readings. Waist size is a reliable indicator of body fat levels.
Gender. Men seem to be more susceptible than women. But the difference is negligible.
Physical inactivity. Those who are physically inactive are going to be more vulnerable to having high blood sugar levels and being overweight for a variety of reasons. In short, it is crucial to be physically active, because it is essential for the body to be in good health.
High blood pressure. Hypertension is correlated with an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Poor dietary habits. Eating frequently and consuming too many simple sugars are just a couple of examples of poor practices detrimental to the body's well-being in the long-term.
Having a history of unstable blood sugar levels. Having abnormally elevated blood sugar over an extended period is an indicator the individual may be more susceptible to diabetes. In this case, insulin inefficiency comes into play, which is partly genetic. Prediabetes also comes to mind.
The heredity factor. If diabetes runs in the family, the risk is going to be higher. But as always, it can be mitigated.
Having given birth to a large baby. For women, there is a theory giving birth to a baby weighing over 9 pounds is a risk factor for developing Type 2 diabetes later in life. But in this case, it could be due to Gestational diabetes, which increases the mother's risk of developing the disease.
Ethnicity. African-Americans, Hispanics, many Asians and some Native populations are typically more vulnerable to diabetes.
Lastly, one more factor to complete the list is education. Those who are taught the foundational principles of nutrition and the importance of a physically active lifestyle are more likely to lead healthier lifestyles. In contrast, lacking instruction in this regard could increase the risk of having high blood sugar levels and weight gain, which eventually leads on to full-blown Type 2 diabetes.

Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.
For nearly 25 years, Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body. Go to http://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about some of those secrets.

By Beverleigh H Piepers 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9642936