Type 2 Diabetes - Why You Should Be Eating More Vegetables and Berries

When it comes to staple foods, there will always be foods that are better options than others for people with Type 2 diabetes to include in their eating plan. Especially if body weight and blood sugar are serious concerns. While white rice is a staple for many, any whole-grain alternative would be better for someone trying to improve their blood sugar control. Lean meats are excellent sources of protein but are not viable for vegetarians, who must find a different way of getting their protein in a healthy manner.

As far as carbohydrates go, there are many ways to meet your daily requirements - even if you have Type 2 diabetes. Do not be misled into thinking you have to cut your overall intake, or they are the reason why you have high blood sugar levels. What you likely need are some simple dietary changes. And this is where your staples come in.

You have heard the suggestion many times before to eat more fruits and vegetables. It bears repeating because even if you have made recent efforts to improve your diet, there is still a good chance you do not eat fruits or vegetables as often as you should.
Vegetables and berries as your choice of fruit are not only essential but also hard to beat. They are effectively "super foods" for a few reasons...

• they are rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals.
• they are low in sugars; berries are a particularly excellent choice of fruit because they are less caloric than other fruits with their more moderate amount of sugar. Plus, there are always one or two types you are bound to like enough you could eat them daily.
• they contain plenty of fiber, which helps with satiety and is essential for optimal digestive health.
• they can be eaten at any time as part of a meal, appetizer, snack, or dessert.

Combine all of the above, and you have just a few but significant reasons why vegetables and berries are the ultimate staples of any healthy diet.
A major problem most people have with weight loss has to do with appetite management and caloric intake. Either it's...

• hard to maintain daily discipline in regards to appetite control, or it
• proves to be difficult to keep a caloric deficit long enough to get sustainable results.

While these issues have several workable solutions, one simple piece of advice is to eat more berries and vegetables.
With raw vegetables or a handful of blueberries, it is hard to eat past your caloric limits. The same cannot be said about sugary cookies or a bag of chips. At the end of the day, you can consider this yet another friendly reminder to eat your fruits and vegetables.

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/9674088

Since When Did Dessert Become Breakfast?

I actually can't remember a time when people didn't have dessert for breakfast, but I didn't realise it at the time.
When I was a child my standard breakfast was either a fried egg on toast or some wheatbix with milk and sugar. Looking back my breakfast wasn't perfect but for the times it was pretty good.
I have to admit being a little envious of the children of some friends of my parents. They had either coco pops or sugar frosties for breakfast and access to cola at the family business. But they have certainly paid the price with poor health.

Even today we think of dessert as something just a bit, or a lot naughty. It is sweet, rich and often comes in a large serve at the point of the meal when you really don't need more food.

But here's the problem. Dessert is often a combination of a big serve of sugar, fructose, gluten and vegetable oils. A truly disastrous combination of three of the worst food groups. Driving heart disease, diabetes and obesity to just name a few of the problems.

So now we look at popular breakfasts. Cereal, sweetened, or unsweetened, flavoured yoghurt, fruit juice, toast with jam or nutulla. It sounds different than the dessert but when you look at the ingredients, they are no different.

From a health perspective having dessert for breakfast would do the same job in your body. Both equally bad, although breakfast could be worse because of the possibility to have so much sugar and fructose.
Before you argue the point let's look at the most common breakfast foods.

1. Flavored yogurt, often low fat. It's either full of sugar, or artificial sweeteners with carbohydrate bulking agents to provide consistency in place of the fat. This is poor quality processed food.
2. Often has a 35% or more sugar content, even the so called healthy sports cereals. The healthy and often expensive cereals are often toasted in vegetable oils, contain gluten and are wheat based. Even oats rapidly convert to glucose in your blood.
3. Fruit juice. A big hit of fructose for your liver to process, it shuts down your leptin hormone which tells you, that you have had enough to eat, and it oxidises your LDL cholesterol, which sets you up for hardening of the arteries.
4. Toast, is a combination of grains which convert to glucose, gluten and roundup residues which attack your gut.
5. Gam/jelly/Nutella. Just a lump of sugar.

We just need to think of breakfast as a normal meal not one that requires special sweet food.

By Ian Newton 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9670161

Type 2 Diabetes - Lifestyle Factors Connected To the Development of Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is in many ways a predictable disease. It can be anticipated, if not prevented. The risk factor can be estimated to a reliable degree, based on several crucial factors. And yet, it is still an epidemic in our society. Go figure!

There are several reasons why we leave ourselves vulnerable to Type 2 diabetes as a population. Break down these issues further, and we have excuses and justifications as to why these problems are not addressed.

Let's focus on the causes. While this is not a final list, most of the primary factors driving the development of this form of diabetes are listed below. These are specifically related to lifestyle, which means they are all under our influence in some way or another...

1. Overconsumption of carbohydrates. It almost always begins with an over-consumption of sugar and carbohydrates. And it usually does not end there, since this factor is usually present along with several others.
Carbohydrates are essential in any healthy and balanced diet. But the key word is a balance. Most people consume more carbs than they need, given most of us are not extremely active individuals. Unless you are living a very active lifestyle or have a physically demanding job, there is no need to eat so many carbs.

2. Poor eating habits. To build on the above, poor eating habits are almost always the cause of diabetes in the long run. Overeating, frequent snacking, and weak appetite control are a recipe for weight gain and increased blood sugar readings.
Remember: it is just as important to remove old habits, as it is to establish new ones.

3. A lack of direction. Interestingly, not having direction behind your lifestyle may facilitate not only the development of Type 2 diabetes but also a multitude of health problems. It is crucial to be mindful of your body and well-being, even if you are not attempting to lose weight or improve your health.
Lacking direction in regards to your health leads to taking it for granted, which could prove costly should you be afflicted with a severe health problem.

4. A sedentary lifestyle. Lastly, a sedentary lifestyle is arguably the factor with the strongest correlation with the development of Type 2 diabetes. Those who are physically inactive are more likely to be overweight and have bad habits like snacking while watching TV. These issues tend to snowball as health declines with age.

Even if you have a sedentary job, there is no reason not to exercise for forty minutes during your free time on four or five days of your week. Considering physical activity may even add years to your life; never feel a workout is wasted time.

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.

By Beverleigh H Piepers 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9612390

Type 2 Diabetes - Evidence Suggests Red Meat Is Linked With a Higher Rate of Gestational Diabetes

In March of 2017, the European Journal of Nutrition reported on a study showing limiting red meat and iron could help to lower the risk of developing diabetes during pregnancy, also known as Gestational Diabetes. Researchers at the University of Navarra in Pamplona and several other institutions in Spain compared 3298 healthy Spanish women who reported having at least one pregnancy between 199 and 2012. The participants answered a dietary questionnaire that included questions about red meat, processed meat, and iron. A total of 172 cases of Gestational diabetes were diagnosed...

• mothers who ate the highest quantities of red meat had more than twice the risk of developing diabetes during their pregnancy as those who consumed the lowest amount.
• those who ate the highest amounts of processed meats had twice the risk of developing Gestational diabetes as those who ate the least.

The iron intake was also associated with an increased risk, although high iron came from high meat consumption. Iron supplements were not linked to diabetes developing during pregnancy. The scientists concluded high red and processed meat, rather than the iron found in the meats, raised the risk of Gestational diabetes.
Iron is an essential nutrient for expectant mothers increasing their blood supply as well as providing iron for fetal blood...

• by the end of pregnancy, about 600 to 700 ml of blood flows through the placenta.
• between weeks 24 and 29 of the pregnancy, blood flows through the umbilical cord between mother and baby at a rate of about 443 ml/minute.

According to the National Institutes of Health in the United States, pregnant women need to take 27 mg of iron per day for a healthy mother and baby.
Some good vegetable sources of iron include...

• legumes,
• seeds, and
• green leafy vegetables.

1. Two cups of raw spinach, with only 14 calories, will supply 1.6 mg of iron.
2. Two cups of kale, with 66 calories, supply 2.2 mg.
3. One cup of lentils containing 230 calories, contains 6.6 mg of iron, or about 25 percent of what a pregnant woman needs per day. If that sounds like a lot of calories, bear in mind one 214 gram steak with 4.0 grams of iron, contains 250 calories.
Healthful beverages are also a source of iron...

• a cup of soy milk, at 135 calories, supplies 1.6 mg of iron.
• almond milk, at only 60 calories per cup, provides 0.7 mg of iron.

Many times obstetricians prescribe prenatal vitamins with iron as well. No need for red meat with so many healthier choices of iron sources.

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.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9664596

Type 2 Diabetes - A Diabetes Diagnosis Is A Warning of What Is to Come

You may find what you are about to read uncomfortable. Depending on where your health currently stands, the following information may add to your list of worries. But it is going to benefit you if it serves as a wake-up call. If you are at that stage, the only motivation to work for you is the kind coming from recognizing your health is not in good shape, and it is bound to decline if you do not intervene soon.

Much of this has to do with Type 2 diabetes. Besides being one of the most common diseases affecting adults and youth worldwide, it is much more deadly than many of us are led to believe. Whereas a condition such as cancer is taken seriously and is recognized as an immediate warning of what may unfold, high and unstable blood sugar levels and Type 2 diabetes does not usually provoke the same response.

Negative feelings aside, when someone is diagnosed with cancer, treatment options are immediately taken into consideration. Anything that can be done is researched and discussed. The same cannot usually be said about a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, even though it also promises a shorter lifespan, albeit with less severe and immediate complications.

The fact of the matter is high blood sugar is almost always a warning of what is to come. Rarely does high and unstable blood sugar remain the only problem a diabetic needs to worry about. Kidney complications, heart disease, vision problems, nausea, and general nerve pain and discomfort are all brought on by out-of-control blood sugar readings. Not always. But often, and it only tends to get worse from there.
Having untreated Type 2 diabetes shortens the average lifespan of afflicted individuals, similar to other serious diseases. But this form of diabetes is not always taken as the important problem it is. Instead of stopping at nothing before it is treated, many people are content with merely coping with their disease, and relying on medications to ease their daily troubles.

Coping with the illness is not the same as treating the disease. It cannot even be considered part of the solution. Ideally, diabetics will develop a plan to get rid of their unhealthy blood sugar readings and focus on daily efforts to make progress. Slowly and surely Type 2 diabetes can be reversed, at a fraction of the time it took to develop.
You do not have another choice if you do not want to see your health squandered and your quality of life take a sudden hit at some point and threatening your life expectancy. You cannot afford to underestimate diabetes.

See it as a warning of what is likely to come if you remain a bystander to your health. If you act and take control of your well-being, you can begin to abolish your concerns as your condition improves one day at a time.

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/9666393

Type 2 Diabetes - How Much Does Family Medical History Matter?

What you have heard regarding family medical history and the chance of developing particular diseases may or may not be reliable information. It depends on the source, and you have to consider the possibility of bias. Opinions differ, and they may affect the conclusions you are being told.

At the end of the day, though, you know there is a relationship between family history and disease, but the extent is something you still do not likely understand. While this is not medical advice, you could benefit from an informed opinion. More importantly, it is information to help shed light on the relationship existing between family history and disease. Even though medical advice with scientific references will always be irreplaceable, it usually is not the most digestible.

On that note, many prevalent diseases in our society share one common cause: a poor lifestyle which often features an unhealthy diet. Unhealthy food choices are the cause of many preventable health problems, which includes notable complications like heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. But if these issues have a primary cause influenced by lifestyle, to what degree does family medical history matter? This is the question that needs answering. Some blame their problems on the genetic factor when the real issue is elsewhere. But are some people predisposed to disease to such a degree, the primary cause becomes family history?

Pinpointing a balance is difficult. It is an undisputed fact an unhealthy body and an unfortunate family history are both causes of disease. But the truth is, determining whether one factor overshadows the other is futile because it is hard to establish a universal rule. In other words, for some people, family history will matter more than for others. Some adults may have had a poor diet for years and still do not have high blood sugar. Others will have prediabetes despite eating relatively well - they may just be more vulnerable due to an uncontrollable genetic factor.

How much does family medical history matter in your case? This is a question you must answer by discovering the necessary information. Determine what you may be at risk for developing and act accordingly. This is a factor affecting each of us differently, so how you are personally affected is all that should matter.

It is not a concrete answer to the central question. But there is a solution to take away here. There will always be factors determining your health within and outside of your control. Focus on the former. Even if you feel you are not given the best odds, you must play the hand you are dealt.
Type 2 diabetes runs in families but this does not mean if one of your parents has diabetes, a similar diagnosis has to be your fate as well. You can change things. If you eat the same kinds of food as say your parent did, you too are very likely heading for the same diagnosis.

Lastly, know when it comes to health and well-being, a healthy diet and lifestyle are the ultimate factors to tip the scales in your favor. The same cannot be said for having a stellar family medical history.

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/9664512

Type 2 Diabetes - Time to Turn Over a New Leaf

You may be one of many to have been recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. You are not alone: many people are in the same predicament. Moreover, there is a solution, so you should not despair. As you are about to learn, Type 2 diabetes presents an opportunity: a fresh start. For you, it may be time to turn over a new leaf.

Since it catches many by surprise, an out of control high and unstable blood sugar diagnosis is a common cause of worry, anxiety, and frustration. But these feelings should be pushed away. Instead of seeing Type 2 diabetes as a crisis, see it as a wake-up call - a chance to improve your lifestyle.

You are also not alone if you have had any ambition in regards to your health...

• losing weight,
• lowering your cholesterol and blood pressure, and
• enhancing your fitness

are all shared and worthwhile goals. But you may have slipped a few times. You did not stick to your new eating plan. You could not keep your routine going in the gym. Life just got in the way.

Type 2 diabetes has a silver lining. It presents a new beginning. You don't have to accept poor health, as it is in your power to change how you live. The deadly effects of high blood sugar levels are real. But so are the solutions. It is a shame so many, even the majority of Type 2 diabetics choose to cope with their condition, as opposed to fighting against it.

While anti-diabetes medications are necessary sometimes, they are often a crutch. Let us not kid ourselves: we are fortunate to have them because it allows us to manage a disease that needs to be controlled. But even the highest quality medications have limitations, not to mention side effects. The ideal situation is one where medications are no longer needed to manage blood sugar levels. Not requiring diabetic medications is the first step to alleviating the disease, possibly forever.

If you start to see diabetes as a fresh start, you will realize what many thinks is not possible is far from an unreachable task. By making changes as advised by your doctor and changing your lifestyle to promote better health, you will be able to make significant progress. Guaranteed.

Don't be a victim: don't allow Type 2 diabetes to overstay its welcome. Get rid of it for good, because you can. It takes patience and persistence. You might need instruction and guidance. But you can develop those things, and help is certainly available if you are willing to look.

Commit to a better future one where Type 2 diabetes is no longer a threat to your living. Join the countless number of former diabetics who are now living healthier lives, despite once being diagnosed with a deadly disease.

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/expert/Beverleigh_H_Piepers/123142

Why You Should Stop Taking Drugs for Your Diabetes

If you are diabetic and fail to control your blood glucose levels, you will most likely end up with several debilitating health problems such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, nerve damage, diabetic neuropathy, digestive problems, blindness, or a variety of infections.
Many of these conditions can be fatal.
So taking drugs to manage your diabetes would seem like a smart thing to do.
Not so... for several very good reasons.

Survival rates using diabetes medications
According to a research paper Benefits of Diabetes Drugs Dubious, published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in December 2014, no doctor-prescribed diabetes drug has been shown to save the life of a diabetic. There is no proof that they prevent heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, nerve damage, blindness or other diabetes complications such as the need for amputations.

High blood glucose levels are not the same as diabetes. They are signs of diabetes but they are not the disease itself. The problem is: diabetes drugs target blood sugar levels... they do not treat diabetes. But very few people die of high levels of glucose in their blood.
However they do die of the damage caused by diabetes: heart disease, strokes, kidney disease and raging infections... and diabetes drugs do nothing for them.

A peer-reviewed meta-study Comparison of Clinical Outcomes and Adverse Events Associated with Glucose-lowering Drugs in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2016, showed that there was no increase in survival rates among type 2 diabetics who took diabetes medications.
The drugs failed to prevent heart attacks and strokes. They also failed to reduce all-cause mortality for these patients.

The study examined nine classes of diabetes drugs, including insulin, comparing the drugs to a placebo. The researchers reviewed more than 300 randomized clinical trials covering nearly 120,000 patients before reaching their conclusions.

Dangers of diabetes drugs
Drugs for diabetes are dangerous.
Their side effects include cardiovascular reactions, flu-like symptoms and dizziness. They have been linked to muscle and stomach pain, diarrhoea and anaemia. In addition, if diabetics are not careful, these drugs can cause dangerously low blood glucose levels.
The sad thing is that many patients take two or even three of these drugs at the same time, all prescribed by their local doctor or diabetes clinic.

But, instead of reducing deaths, this multi-drug regime increases death rates.
A research paper Effects of Intensive Glucose Lowering in Type 2 Diabetes, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2008, concluded that intense efforts to lower blood glucose with drugs resulted in a 22% higher rate of death from all causes. The same study showed that deaths from heart disease went up by 35%.
So what to do?

Reversing diabetes
The fact is that there is no need, unless your diabetes is far advanced, to use these drugs at all. You can reverse your diabetes using diet alone, perhaps with a little extra exercise thrown in.
There is no cure for diabetes, ie once you have it you will always have it. So when I say you can reverse your diabetes, I mean you can beat the nasty consequences the disease brings such as the cardiovascular problems, strokes, kidney disease and so on.
The beating-diabetes diet is simple. It requires but a little discipline.
You can reverse type 2 diabetes by eating foods that are (1) low in sugar, (2) low in fat, (3) low in salt, (4) high in fibre and that (5) are digested slowly. The easiest way to do this is by concentrating on natural, unprocessed foods that are mostly plants. You also need to avoid all dairy products and eggs, and to drink plenty of water.

The fundamental cause of type 2 diabetes is fat blocking the receptors in your muscle cells, leaving glucose (produced by the digestive process) and insulin (produced by the pancreas) swirling around in your bloodstream. This condition is called insulin resistance.
The diet works because it minimises your intake of fat so that, after a month or so, the fat blocking the receptors in your muscle cells will have disappeared.
Unblocking the receptors ensures that the insulin can do its job of opening those receptors to get the glucose out of your bloodstream and into cells, thus 'reversing' your diabetes.

As well as following the beating-diabetes diet, you should also take up some mild exercise, such as walking, gardening, swimming, dancing and so on. This will help stimulate your muscle cells to use the energy (glucose) floating around in your blood stream.

In addition, you can give the beating-diabetes diet a boost in several ways:
Vitamin D
Low levels of vitamin D3 have been linked to both pre-diabetes and full-blown diabetes. Sadly, most people have a vitamin D deficiency.
A research paper entitled Lipoprotein lipase links vitamin D, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional epidemiological study, undertaken by Chinese researchers and published in January 2013 in Cardiovascular Diabetology, showed that even a minor deficiency in vitamin D3 can increase the risk of diabetes by more than 90%.

So how do you up your intake of vitamin D3?
You can get sufficient vitamin D3 by standing around for just 10 minutes or so a day in the midday sun... provided you only wear bathing togs (even in winter) and the sun is actually shining (a rarity where I live).
You could also get plenty of vitamin D by eating oily fish (tuna, sardines, mackerel and salmon), free-range eggs, grass-fed beef, liver and dairy products. But these foods contain copious amounts of fats which you need to avoid if you are to reverse your diabetes.
For diabetics, therefore, the best way to get sufficient vitamin D3 is to take a supplement. The recommended dosage is 8,000IUs (international units) a day.

Guava
The leaves, stems and flesh (but not the skins) of the tropical guava fruit block the digestion of carbohydrates which reduces spikes in blood glucose. Consuming pealed guava also makes the development of insulin resistance less likely and helps improve the blood sugar levels of diabetics.
If fresh guava is available in your locality you should eat it daily. If not, you can get guava tea made from dried leaves at your local health food store or online. A cup a day (or more) is highly recommended.

Vanadium
Vanadium is a trace mineral that mimics the action of insulin.
Vanadium reduces spikes in blood glucose and insulin levels by helping to move blood glucose into muscle cells and by inhibiting the absorption of glucose from the gut.
In a study described in Rare Earths: Forbidden Cures, a book published in 1994, diabetics took daily supplements of vanadium... their average blood glucose levels dropped by 10% in only three weeks.
You can use vanadium by taking it as a supplement... 500mcg three times a day... but:
Caution: do not exceed 10mg a day.

Berberine
Berberine is a plant nutrient found in the roots, rhizomes, stems and bark of medicinal herbs such as barberry, tree turmeric, Oregon grape, goldenseal, yellowroot, Chinese goldthread, prickly poppy, and Californian poppy.
In the 1980s, Chinese doctors discovered that berberine can normalize blood glucose levels. It does so by decreasing insulin resistance, by decreasing the production of sugar in the liver, and by increasing the ability to breakdown glucose inside cells.

To lower the levels of sugar in your blood, you should take a supplement... one 500mg capsule with meals two or three times a day.
Caveat: the writer of this article is not a medical doctor and his strong advice is that you consult your doctor or a staff member of the diabetes clinic you attend before you stop taking your prescribed diabetes medications.

Paul D Kennedy is a type 2 diabetic. He used his skills as an international consultant and researcher to find a way to control his diabetes using diet alone and, about seven years ago, he stopped taking medications to control his blood glucose levels. You can find out more from beating-diabetes.com or by contacting Paul at paul@beating-diabetes.com.

By Paul D Kennedy  

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9658770

Type 2 Diabetes - How Much Weight Have You Lost Recently?

Im going to assume you have the intention to lose weight, or that it would benefit you to shed a few pounds. Ideally, it is going to be both assumptions. Which brings me to the following question: how much weight have you lost recently? Now, if you have not had the intention to lose weight, it may seem a ridiculous question to answer. But if you have, you may be about to face an internal conflict: most people are not as successful with weight loss as they would like to be!

But guess what, that is okay. There is nothing wrong with having a hard time. Losing weight, from beginning to end, is far from easy. Sometimes it is necessary to ask yourself the hard questions because it is then the honest answers come. The answers that help you find the motivation to get to work and set things straight.

Weight loss is an interesting topic. It is relevant for many adults but less so for teenagers and children: weight gain tends to occur slowly over an extended period meaning various degrees of obesity are prevalent in adults. Regrettably, however, we now see higher numbers of obesity in our youth than we saw in the past. Obesity is now well represented in most age groups, notably due to poor lifestyle habits and unhealthy eating.
Since weight loss is relevant for many adults, it has likely been on your mind. Losing 20 pounds...

• getting lean once more, and
• attaining manageable blood sugar levels,

are all common goals for most.
If you have been thinking about losing weight, then you need to be honest with yourself. Are you happy with your recent progress? Maybe there is little to talk about, which may make you feel a failure. Or, you haven't given it a serious shot, because your intentions have not been strong enough.
What is important is being honest with yourself. The truth could hurt. But in that case, it would help set you on the right course.

Weight loss requires persistence. It requires healthy eating and physical activity. It takes commitment. But the benefits are endless. As an example, reducing your weight will lower your blood sugar levels and reduce your insulin resistance. For those that know little about Type 2 diabetes, this could result in adding years to your life. Time is our most precious resource, yet many often forget this in pursuit of other things.
Maybe you haven't made much progress after deciding to shed some body fat. But you do have it in you to ensure your next step is a leap in the right direction - even if you happen to take a step or two backward. You just may not know it yet - that's all.

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/9641952

Diabetes - The 6 Points That Will Explain it to You

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease in which patients present with absolute or relative insulin deficiency. It affects about 6% of western populations and is a major contributing factor for heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure and peripheral vascular disease. Diabetes mellitus is also the leading cause of new blindness without a cure.

1. Types of Diabetes
There are four forms of the disease, classified as: types 1 and 2, gestational and other specific types.
a. Type 1 Diabetes
In people with type 1 diabetes the pancreas is not producing insulin, so blood glucose levels are higher than normal. People with this form of diabetes require daily insulin therapy to survive. This form is further split into idiopathic diabetes and immune mediated diabetes.
Type 1 accounts for around 10% to 15% of all people with diabetes. It is one of the most serious and common chronic diseases of childhood, with about half of the people with this form of diabetes developing the disease before age 18. It is also known as insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) or juvenile-onset diabetes.
b. Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is marked by reduced levels of insulin (insulin deficiency) and/or the inability of the body to use insulin properly (insulin resistance). This form of the disease is most common among people aged 40 years and over and accounts for 85% to 90% of all people with diabetes. Most people with type 2 diabetes are obese.
c. Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy in about 3% to 8% of females not previously diagnosed with diabetes. It is a temporary form of diabetes and usually disappears after the baby is born. However, it is a marker of much greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life. Screening tests for gestational diabetes are usually performed around the 24th-28th week of pregnancy.
d. Other Specific Diabetes Types
This includes people who have diabetes as a result of a genetic defect, or exposure to certain drugs or chemicals.

2. Causes of Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes is caused by resistance to, or deficient production of, the hormone insulin, which helps glucose move from the blood into the cells.

In type 1 immune mediated diabetes, pancreatic beta cell destruction results in failure to release insulin and ineffective transport of glucose. There is no known cause for idiopathic diabetes.
In type 2 diabetes, the beta cells release insulin but, receptors are insulin resistant and glucose transport is variable and inefficient. Some people may have conditions that can cause diabetes, such as Cushing's syndrome, pancreatitis or liver disease.
Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include;
a. Obesity
b. History of Gestational diabetes
c. Lack of physical activity
d. Hypertension
e. Age 45+
f. Ethnic groupings other than anglo-saxon
g. Low HDL cholesterol levels
h. Impaired glucose tolerance
I. Family history
3. Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes
Symptoms of diabetes include; dehydration, unexplained weight loss, excessive thirst, frequent need to urinate, fatigue, lethargy, severe irritation and itching, excessive hunger, blurred vision, skin and urinary infections and vaginitis.
4. Diagnosis
Diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance may be detected on routine blood tests as part of a general health check up or investigation for other symptoms or diseases. Diabetes tests check blood glucose levels. Someone with a random non fasting blood glucose level greater than 200mg/dl accompanied by other symptoms, or someone with a fasting blood glucose level greater than 126mg/dl can be diagnosed with diabetes.
Because symptoms can be mild, diabetes is often detected when a person suffers a problem that is caused by diabetes, such as a heart attack, stroke, neuropathy, poor wound healing or a foot ulcer, certain eye problems, certain fungal infections, or delivering a baby with macrosomia or hypoglycemia.
5. Diabetes Treatment
Effective treatment endeavors to normalize blood glucose and reduce complications using insulin replacement, diet and exercise. For those with very mild diabetes, diet plus weight loss plus exercise may be enough to keep blood glucose within reasonable levels.
Dietary changes should focus on the ideas of weight loss and blood sugar regulation by keeping the blood sugar levels relatively stable throughout the day, avoiding big peaks or troughs. Interestingly a number of people have experienced considerable benefit from the use of a new technology consisting of quantum energy strips infused with red Korean ginseng and marine phytoplanktons.
Very recent research shows that a shift in the body's REDOX balance is a hallmark of diabetes so therefore supplementation with cell signaling molecules may well restore balance and restore health.

The principal treatment of type 1 diabetes, even from its earliest stages, is replacement of insulin combined with careful monitoring of blood glucose levels using blood testing monitors.
Type 2 diabetes may require oral anti-diabetic drugs to stimulate the body's insulin production and increase insulin sensitivity. Various forms of natural supplements for diabetes treatment have also been postulated as effective.
People with unstable diabetes, or those requiring many injections a day, may benefit from an insulin pump which is worn on the body and delivers a continuous infusion of insulin via a needle implanted into the body.
Gestational diabetes is fully treatable but requires careful medical supervision throughout the pregnancy. Even though it may be transient, untreated gestational diabetes can damage the health of the fetus or the mother.
Treatment for all forms of diabetes need not significantly impair normal activities, if sufficient patient training, awareness, appropriate care, discipline in testing and dosing of insulin is taken
6. Complications
Diabetes mellitus is the most common cause of adult kidney failure worldwide in the developed world. If undetected or poorly controlled, diabetes can lead to blindness, kidney failure, lower limb amputation, heart attack, stroke and impotence.

Dick Aronson has been involved in the healthcare industry for 35 years. He has written numerous articles on the subject and runs a number of informative websites,viz: http://www.redoxcells.net and [http://www.fgxpressstripme.com]

By Dick Aronson

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1438895

Type 1 Diabetes Cure - Fast Ways To Reverse Type One Diabetes!

Diabetes is mainly of two types: Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Type 1 is identified as insulin dependent diabetes, where the body manufactures little or no insulin, whereas diabetes Type 2 is characterized by the failure of the cells to act in response to insulin.

So in diabetes Type 2, the islet cells of the pancreas manufacture insulin, other than that the body cells become resistant to the effects of insulin. Insulin is the hormone, secreted by the beta cells islets of Langerhans of the pancreas. The tissues and cells of the body is obliged to take in glucose or sugar from the bloodstream. Once there is insufficient insulin in the body, then glucose cannot be transported to the cells efficiently. For that reason, glucose will builds up in the bloodstream thereby causing high blood sugar. So keep reading to find out some more information about Type 1 diabetes, and most especially Type 1 diabetes cure and what causes it to discover how to reverse Type 1 diabetes...

What Are The Causes And Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes?
To say the truth here, what causes Type 1 diabetes are still unidentified. However genetic factors and environmental are thought to have a very key role to play in the development of this severe disease called diabetes. Diabetes Type 1 can be caused by an autoimmune reaction, where the immune system by mistake attacks and destroys the insulin manufacturing cells of the pancreas. There are some certain factors that can increase the risk of developing Type 1 diabetes. Those factors that can develop diabetes Type 1 are, exposure to certain viruses, genetics, low level of vitamin D and a family history of Type 1 diabetes.

One common issue about juvenile diabetes or diabetes Type 1 is that it can affect folks of any peer group, but is observed to be more prevalent among kids and adolescents. Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes can produce some similar symptoms but symptoms that are normally observed in Type 1 diabetes are, frequent urination, excessive fatigue, blurred vision, extreme hunger, increased thirst and weight loss.
What Is The Cure For Type 1 Diabetes?

Diabetes Type 1 is curable by means of insulin therapy. Insulin therapy is very important for the survival of Type 1 diabetes victims. Insulin pump infusion or insulin injections are commonly utilized for Type 1 diabetes treatment. This insulin we are talking about can't be orally taken, given that the stomach enzymes can affect its action. At the moment, a number of insulin types are available for Type 1 diabetes cure, and your medical doctor can recommend a mixture of diverse types of insulin after weighing up the condition well. Diabetes sufferers can require some other medications for instance, cholesterol lowering drugs, high blood pressure medications and aspirin to thwart some certain health problems aside from insulin.

Together with medications, lifestyle adjustment, dietary and close monitoring of blood sugar are needed in order to deal with diabetes, and efficiently manage the blood sugar level. A hale and hearty and balanced diet that comprises a lot of fresh vegetables, whole grains and low carbohydrate foods and fruits can help to control the level of blood sugar and diabetes. For effective management of diabetes, steady physical activity is vital. Some certain herbs and foods are believed to be helpful in controlling the blood sugar level in diabetes victims. Some of which are grapefruit, Indian gooseberry, bitter melon, fenugreek seeds and cinnamon. On the other hand, some of these natural diabetes Type 1 cures can work together with some medications. Therefore, it is recommended that you should seek advice from your doctor prior to taking any kind of herbal or natural diabetes cure Type 1.

Right now, a number of diabetes treatment options are being looked into to find out a cure for Type 1 diabetes. Development of artificial pancreas, islet cell transplantation and pancreas transplantation are worth mentioning before I forget. To this point, scientists have not been able to achieve much success, however studies and researches are still going on to uncover a lasting Type 1 diabetes cure but diabetes reversal report has been very helpful in curing diabetes likewise treatment of Type 1 diabetes.

Dave Woodgate is prolific write and has being using his free time to write articles on diabetes to educate other sufferers. He was a victim of diabetes as well and after setting himself free with Natural Type 1 Diabetes Cure by means of Diabetes Reversal Report, he felt he should help others as well set themselves free through his articles.

By Dave Woodgate  
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6012144

Why Low Calorie Is Not A Successful Weight Loss Method

In countries which experience famine obesity is not an issue, in many developing countries where poverty is the norm it is common to see overweight mothers bringing malnourished children to NGO medical clinics.
Studies have shown this to be true in South America, the Pacific Islands and The Caribbean. It is not that the mothers are greedy but the high carb diet they eat makes them fat and their children sick.

In the developed world the broken record dietary message has been to eat less and exercise more. Sure you can lose weight if you starve yourself and walk around hungry while dreaming about food, but how long will that last.

If you eat a 2000 calorie a day diet and you drop to 1500 in the very short term you will lose weight but soon your metabolism will gear down to 1500 and your weight loss will stop. Studies have shown that this can happen on a diet as low as 800 calories.

All the corporate weight loss systems rely on the short term loss to keep customers paying for programs or food. Then they hang on longer hoping to keep the loss going and believing that it is their problem for not sticking to the programme properly.

The biggest low calorie business in the world, weight watchers, according to choice magazine has a 2% success rate over two years, which is less than can be expected if people join no group at all.
The low success rate happens for several reasons.

1. The low fat programme means that extra carbohydrates are used in place, which in turn are converted to fat by insulin.
2. Artificial sweeteners are used in some products in place of sugar, but as modern research shows, these sweeteners cause food cravings, weight gain and type 2 diabetes.
3. They assume that all calories are created equal. So you can use your points to eat vegetables or chocolate brownies, which may make their clients feel better, but is nutritional insanity!

Of course there are many such companies and the delivered food model is no different. I know of many people who have a freezer full of such low calorie meals. It is well known that most people are slow to cancel any membership.

As long as you persist with the low calorie model you will be hungry and disappointed, you will lose some weight and gain it all back over and over again.

and for your free programme to reduce pain, burn fat and boost your energy go to http://roadmaptovibranthealth.com/

By Ian Newton 
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9646494

Healthy Living - Don't Take Your Health For Granted

I am going to assume you live a busy life and it is difficult to find a chance to do anything not immediately necessary. It is unlikely this assumption is wrong since most adults are occupied with work, friends, and family, or other daily matters. If you are like most, it is hard for you to find time to do anything new, never mind exercise.

What you may not know, however, is regularly working out is not just a beneficial activity: it is an essential one. Physical activity is widely neglected despite its importance, which regrettably comes at a steep cost. Don't make this mistake.

Finding time to exercise can be difficult, but you need to be honest with yourself. Are you truly so occupied you can't squeeze in a few weekly workouts, or are you making excuses? Going for a workout is not the most enjoyable way to spend an hour of your precious free time, but it is also not as bad as it may seem. Rarely will you ever regret a workout, not to mention there is a surge of endorphins to boost your mood after you are done with your routine? Especially if you do cardio, which is an excellent way to burn fat and strengthen your heart.

Whether you know it or not, you can find the time to exercise, even if you are the busiest you have ever been. Waking up an hour or so earlier three to four times a week may be all you need. Or, cut down your television and internet time by an hour in the evenings for some necessary physical activity. As previously mentioned, whether you realize it or not, you must include physical activity in your life if you are to maintain your health and well-being.

Don't take your health for granted. Crippling diseases like Type 2 diabetes and the complications it brings are extremely likely in the "right" circumstances. A combination of physical inactivity and an unhealthy diet are enough for most people to develop high blood sugar levels and become overweight, which is the core recipe for one of the most debilitating diseases known to man.

Finding time to exercise can mean the difference between a healthy life and an ill one filled with regret, worry, and pain. You would desire to be healthy, even if your will to exercise isn't wholehearted yet. You cannot know what may happen, but prevention is never unwise.
Take action now while you can to establish a buffer against common health problems, so they never become an issue in your life.

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/9642963

Type 2 Diabetes - What Does Eating in Moderation Mean to You?

In theory, "eat in moderation" sounds like great advice. But is it useful in practice? Let us not forget most information is tailored for a general audience. As such, it may be watered down when applied to your particular situation. Therefore, it pays to explore further the notion of "eating in moderation" so you can either make the most of this piece of advice or discard it should it prove a waste of time for you.

Type 2 diabetics or those trying to lose weight are most likely to resonate with this idea. Eating in moderation sounds confident and may seem like a fruitful endeavor. After all, extremes tend to be harmful, particularly in regards to eating habits and nutrition. Eat too much, and you gain weight, eat too little and struggle endlessly just to lose a few pounds. Even if there is a benefit to temporary caloric deprivation, it just makes burnout a more likely scenario.

The last thing you need as a Type 2 diabetic is to get off track just when you were making improvements with your blood sugar readings and weight loss. It takes time to shed unnecessary body fat for good and see high blood sugar levels lower and stabilize, so it is better to be patient and do things right the first time. But is moderation the key to success?

In short, the answer is yes and no. Eating in moderation is beneficial when you are choosing to eat the right foods. There is no point to moderation if you are using it as an excuse to eat anything despite your high blood sugar levels or excess body weight.

For example, chips have an exorbitant amount of fat and have no place in an eating plan geared for weight loss. Similarly, sodas are a disaster for anyone with Type 2 diabetes considering they give a dangerous blood sugar spike while supplying the body with nothing useful. Regardless of moderation, consuming such products is harmful and serves no use beyond satisfying a transient craving that needs to be suppressed.

"Everything's fine in moderation" sounds like something we want to hear, but you will do well to steer away from it if your health is not in great standing. That said, this does not mean you have to cut your favorite foods from your diet completely. Rather, you should forget about moderation. Having your favorite dessert from time to time is okay - finding a way to consume it daily is not! It is necessary to have a balance but striving for moderation tends to be a justification that makes you slip up more often than not.

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/9643014