Archive for August 2011
Diabetes Diet Plan – The Good The Bad and The Ugly
Don’t you just love snuggling up with a bag of potato chips as you catch some television? Watch a movie with someone you love as you pursue a bowl of ice cream. How about a huge sandwich, or a couple burgers and some French fries for lunch. While you may have liked these foods you have just witnessed the ugly in the diabetes diet plan. Sure there are uglier foods but this is a good place to start. I mean I used to thrive on this stuff all the time. (Thrive is an interesting term).
I would eat these foods and meals often during the week. It’s just not worth it to consume these morsels like I used to. Once in rare while I think would be okay.
The above mentioned foods and foods like them are not doing you or I any good.
Some foods that allow you to stay in control of your diabetes are what I am calling the good. Other foods that provide less control for you I will label the bad. You have already seen what I classify as the ugly. The ugly foods are what I will call the bad blood sugar increasers. They will add blood sugar to your blood.
When choosing the right diabetes diet plan for yourself one barometer you may want to use is the Glycemic Index. This index will give you the speed at which food is turned into sugar in your body. Quick rises in sugar usually equate to quick crashes later on. If you were eating candy cars you would spike with energy and then be tired later. Think of little kids that operate like this. Fast increases in blood sugar levels creates wear and tear on your body. Track the glycemic index when eating. This index rates foods according to the way these foods act in response to your blood sugar. If the carbohydrates the food contains break down promptly, they tend to make your blood sugar levels jump quickly. These foods have a high GI (glycemic index) ranking.
Having a diabetes diet plan that has moderate rises in blood sugar will serve you better than spikes in sugar created by a lot of bad and ugly food that we may have been eating over the years.
Here are some choices that will help you stay in good range with your diabetes diet plan.
When thinking about a potato think red like in sweet potato instead of white. White potatoes have a high glycemic index. Sweat potatoes have a lower glycemic index. This is like golf. The lower your number the better the score. Instead of those potato chips that we talked about before or some pretzels, put a bag of popcorn next to you. Less salt, less fat and less of a glycemic index number. Not only does this food fall in line with a good diabetes diet plan it will also help maintain safer blood pressure. Think of good foods that are close in nature to the bad or ugly foods you may have liked. Like eating popcorn instead of potato chips.
For your diabetes diet plan stay away from foods that have a high glycemic index. Learning what foods to eat and what foods to stay away from or only eat on rare occasions are what will make the rest of your life safer. From a food standpoint anyway.
Having a sound diabetes diet plan is only part of the overall diagram to living a healthy and prosperous life. Now that you have diabetes you must make some changes to stay ahead of the game. The glycemic index will separate the good, the bad and the ugly foods for you.
If you are interested in a safe and sound diabetes game plan that will cover all the bases for you grab your free e course.
By: Aron Wallad
A Healthy Diabetic Nutrition Plan
In essence, a healthy diet is important to prevent lending yourself to complications from instant heart disease and the occurrence of stroke. Eating healthily encompasses eating properly and not overeats on top of different range of foods for instant vegetables, whole grains, fruits, non-fat dairy products, beans, and lean meats, poultry and fish. There is no such thing as a perfect food but consists of as many different food groups as possible and eating just an adequate amount is the key to staying healthy. Choose foods that are loaded in nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and fiber and avoid as much as possible processed foods.
With proper nutrition, those who are afflicted by diabetes can sit in the same table as ordinary family members. Healthy eating lifestyle will contribute to improved well-beings of the family as well as the diabetic patient. A well thought out and healthy diets can include your favorite food but watch out for your cholesterol, blood pressure over and above your blood sugar level.
When it comes to a diabetic patient, it is essential to plan your meal and only choose the right food that meets your diabetic needs. A healthy meal should fit right into your schedule over and above your eating habits. Choosing the proper meal plan will contribute to helping your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar remain at an optimum level. In addition, it will keep your weight in check as well as helping to do away with the excess weight.
Diabetes is a condition not to be trifled with and give rise to many complications so it is essential that you take further action in the types of meals you concocted. It is also necessary to balance it with exercise, oral medications as well as insulin to manage the blood glucose level. It may seem that enormous effort is required but your closed family members, the doctor or dietician can pit in you to plan your meals. With a proper set of meals choices, your overall health can improve in addition to getting rid of hypertension, cancers and heart disease.
In the choices of your diabetic meals, you can choose to examine several healthy diabetic recipes that can contribute to your health. The recipes are easy to concoct and the ingredients are easily available as well. Healthy diabetic eating need not be dreary and deprive of all your favorite foods as there are many edible and healthy recipes to choose from. Be sure to eat healthily so that your diabetes can be controlled but not at the expense of your taste buds.
By: Jhye Jhyiong
Creating a Diabetic Meal Plan
The diabetic meal plan is one of the cornerstones of managing blood sugar levels that is so important for those who suffer with this disease. For this reason there are several systems that can be used for meal planning which include a consistent carbohydrate diabetes meal plan, exchange lists, point systems, food groups, and calorie counting. Each individual will have different dietary needs based on their eating habits, diet history, and special needs which must be built around the plan chosen.
Personal preferences need to be considered carefully when creating a diabetic diet plan. This is an important part of gaining compliance with the plan because one of the most difficult parts of managing diabetes is altering the foods that can be eaten along with a change in personal meal patterns. Anyone who is diabetic needs to take an active part in their meal planning with the help of a registered dietician as recommended by the American Diabetes Association.
The traditional and well known exchange list diet plan is being replaced with the consistent-carbohydrate meal plan. The idea with this plan is focusing on the carbohydrate content of the foods that are eaten with a meal. Because carbohydrates are the primary cause of raised blood sugars immediately after a meal it is important to keep the amount eaten under control. By eating a similar amount of carbs at each meal or snack that are part of the individual diet plan it is easier to manage glucose levels.
This method also helps to determine how much insulin is needed before meals; much more so then the amount of protein and fats being eaten. Counting carbohydrates allows the diabetic to calculate the proper amount of insulin needed as prescribed by their doctor.
Exchange lists work differently in that the meal plan is based on the diabetic’s ideal weight, activity level, age, and occupation. Knowing these helps the diabetic calculate the amount of kilocalories they need to consume each day to maintain energy levels while controlling blood glucose levels. Once the amount of calories is calculated the amount of calories derived from proteins, fats, and carbs can then be determined. This is done using guidelines as set forth by the American Diabetes Association and the American Dietetic Association.
The exchange lists helps the diabetic plan their meals by showing them how their food choices should be distributed throughout the day. These lists give the type of food and quantity of each food type that makes up one exchange or serving in regular household cooking measurements. These portions can be substituted or exchanged for one another with little impact as to the amount of calories consumed. This makes it easy for the diabetic to control their caloric intake to match their needs.
A successful diabetic meal plan keeps blood sugar levels under control and is an important part of managing this life threatening disease and its complications.
By: Andrew Bicknell
Diabetic Cat Food Recipes
If you have ever lived with someone developing diabetes as my own father did, you will be aware that they suffer certain symptoms which are:-
1. Excessive Thirst
2. Excessive hunger
3. Excessive urination
4. Weight loss.
Your cat will show just such symptoms, if you notice these you should take it to your vet as soon as possible for a check up. So what IS diabetes?
Briefly just this. The cells in our cat’s body just as in ours, require energy. This energy comes from glucose and we get that from the food we eat. This food gets broken down, some of which becomes glucose and enters the bloodstream and is used by the cells for energy.
Insulin – a hormone, lets this glucose move from the bloodstream and into the cells. Unfortunately in diabetes there is little or no insulin and without that the glucose cannot get from the bloodstream and into the body cells. The cells don’t get glucose and think they are starving just as we would and your cat does.
So what do both we and our cats do? We eat and eat to satisfy our hunger. The situation is made worse because the glucose we store in the fat and muscles of our bodies, normally for emergencies, gets released into the bloodstream to feed the cells. It becomes a vicious circle as more glucose enters the bloodstream but without insulin will not get into the cells. The glucose levels in the blood climb higher, with still no insulin it has nowhere to go.
The cells of course cannot get their sugar so even more fat and muscle are burned to feed them, so we and our cat have a huge appetite but also a weight loss
Why the excessive thirst? As explained, all that extra sugar in the blood has to go somewhere. Our and out cat’s kidneys are designed to prevent glucose been lost in urine. In diabetes there is so much sugar in the urine the kidneys become overwhelmed, so sugar is excreted in the urine. For this to be successful it has to be of the right consistency and in the form of liquid. The result? Large quantities of water are drunk and so of course equal amounts of urine are produced. It will seem as if your poor cat is drinking buckets of water but with no satisfaction.
So rule No 1 is if you see any of these symptoms in your pet take it to your vet. The disease can be treated with diet, exercise, insulin or some combination of these.
Is there anything you can do?
Don’t let your cat become a “couch potato”! Do not give your cat “treats”, most are groaning with calories. Remember the domestic cat came out of the savannahs of Africa and was and still is a natural hunter, its diet raw meat. Sadly the whole lifestyle of the cat is changing, many do not even have a garden, many are literally housebound. The result, as for us, is that they become overweight, eat far too much, become bored and lazy. They have no stimulation and their natural instinct to hunt is suppressed.
Our own two cats exercise outside constantly and hunt too. OK so we do have to clear up some grisly messes once in a while! Cats have a dual personality, a wild side that loves to hunt and roam and a domestic side to them where they just want our companionship. Sadly many owners are now too frightened to let their cats outside the house thinking it is too dangerous. Over all the years we have owned cats we have never lost one except to plain old age or disease (before we found out what went into commercial cat food and started making our own)
You can feed your diabetic cat yourself, we think it’s the best way and always use lean meats, low carbohydrate, NO SUGAR and add a few vegetables
One important thing to consider is to keep meals regular just as would happen to one of us with diabetes. There is hope so don’t despair!
Don’t forget, though, that cats have different nutritional needs to humans so it’s the diet principles ones follows not the actual diet.
By: Frank Temple-Brown
Lower Your Blood Sugar – Diabetes Diet
You can lower your blood sugar when you eat the right diet and this will help to keep your diabetes in control. One of the things you have to be careful about when you have diabetes controlling your blood sugar levels because it can get too high or too low. First you need to use a diet plan that will lower the amount of foods that turn to sugar as you can. Carbohydrates are one of those foods that you should limit because in most cases it will not keep you levels regulated. You should also eat a lot of green vegetable and lean meats and this will help you to maintain a good healthy weight.
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes you need to understand that you have the power to control it and live a long healthy life. Many people go on and eat the same way as they did before and this is when they have trouble with there blood sugar levels. You have to make some changes in your eating habits so that you can stop the disease from doing damage to your body. There is a reason that you have diabetes and even though it can be passed on in a jean it has a lot to do with the eating lifestyle that a person has.
Remember that controlling your diabetes is not hard to do when you find a diet plan that is low in carbs and high in green vegetables and lean meats. Lowering your sugar level naturally is the best way to have the disease under control and this will increase your longevity.
By: Bryan Burbank
A Diabetic Diet Plan By the Numbers
Blood sugar control is the primary concern with a diabetic diet plan. This type of diet should also be healthy and provide balance in the amount of carbohydrates, protein, and fat eaten at each meal and for snacks. This helps to avoid blood sugar spikes and provides an even release of glucose into the blood stream through out the day.
Adjustments will also need to be made based on each diabetic’s individual needs. Physical activity, insulin injections, oral medications, and the timing and actions of these medications all need to be accounted for when making dietary plans.
The dietary guidelines put forth by the American Diabetes Association are based on exchange lists which were developed by a committee of the American Diabetes Association and the American Dietician Association. These lists provide a general guideline as outlined below to help diabetics maintain their blood glucose levels.
Type 1 diabetics should eat approximately 35 calories per kg of body weight per day. This translates into 16 calories for each pound of body weight. It is recommended that people with type 2 diabetes eat between 1500 to 1800 calories per day to help promote weight loss and then maintain their ideal body weight.
Finding a good dietician or nutritionist can be a big help for newly diagnosed diabetics. These dietary professionals can help build a diet plan that is highly individualized down to the best foods to eat and how many calories should be eaten through out the day. They can also teach diabetics how important controlling their blood sugar level with diet by controlling carbohydrates is.
The most important part of any diabetic diet plan is balancing the intake of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
1. Carbohydrates – These are your main source of caloric energy and consist are any food source that can be broken down into glucose (sugar). They are responsible for most of the glucose found in the blood stream and are the primary source of energy for the brain and cellular functions.
2. Fats – No more then 30% of the diabetics daily calorie count should come from fat sources. Fats are also important because of their impact on cholesterol levels. The more saturated and trans-fat ingested the higher ones levels of bad LDL cholesterol. Because of this it is important that people with diabetes avoid these types of fats as much as possible.
3. Protein – This vital nutrient is an important part of any dietary program. Protein itself does not raise blood sugar levels so you can add more of it to your diet then you may think. It should comprise 15-20% of the daily caloric requirement. It is recommended that you include a small amount of protein with every meal and snack because it helps to slow the absorption of fat during digestion which helps to prevent blood sugar spikes.
Any diabetic diet plan should be individualized to each persons needs and should take into account their current medical condition, lifestyle, and eating habits.
By: Brandy Serena
What Are The Symptoms Of Diabetes?
Diabetes Mellitus is a condition in which the pancreas does not supply adequate insulin to the body resulting in high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia). The symptoms of diabetes include frequent urination, excessive thirst, blurred vision, unexplainable weight loss, increased appetite, and unrelieved fatigue. Other symptoms of diabetes may include diabetic Ketoacidosis, rapid breathing, deep breathing, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, mania, lethargy, and, in extreme cases, coma. Diabetes produces symptoms of multiple and varied types and it is important for individuals suffering from diabetes to familiarize themselves with and to recognize these symptoms in order to manage their disorder.
Type I diabetes, an autoimmune disorder that damages or destroys cells in the pancreas, formerly known as juvenile diabetes or childhood diabetes, is more accurately described as insulin dependent diabetes. Type I diabetes produces symptoms that are generally more extreme than Type II diabetes (although both Type I and Type II are chronic conditions that must be managed wisely). The symptoms of Type II diabetes, which is actually a type of insulin resistance and commonly known as adult-onset diabetes or obesity related diabetes, are generally less extreme and may often go unnoticed for years.
Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that occurs only in pregnant women. Gestational diabetes produces symptoms that may include excessive thirst and urination, unrelieved fatigue, blurry vision, nausea, vomiting, and possibly frequent bladder and/or vaginal yeast infections, and may result in an abnormally large fetus. The symptoms of gestational diabetes are often relieved by a plan of diet and exercise or, in more resistant cases, the administration of insulin for the duration of the pregnancy. Gestational diabetes ceases after the pregnancy itself has ended.
Blood glucose levels (glucose is one type of “sugar” found in the bloodstream) are maintained by the body’s production of insulin. Glucose levels are normally often at their lowest in the morning, before eating and at their highest just after a meal as the body naturally process the foods you have eaten. Any abnormal fluctuation in blood glucose levels may result in diabetic-like symptoms. Blood sugar levels that drop below normal (hypoglycemia) produce symptoms such as sluggishness, decreased mental awareness, irritability, and loss of consciousness. Glucose is fuel for the body and, without the proper amount of fuel the body malfunctions. Too much fuel, or too much of the wrong fuel (hyperglycemia), or abnormally high blood glucose levels also produces specific symptoms. Long term Hyperglycemia may result in serious eye, nerve, and/or kidney damage. Because of the inability of the body to regulate, produce, or use insulin, Diabetes produces symptoms as a result of both high and low blood sugar. This is why the symptoms of diabetes, and the disorder itself, can only be managed through a strict regimen of diet, exercise, and sometimes insulin (for Type I diabetics).
Type I diabetics and Type II diabetics may suffer the same symptoms with the general exception of diabetic ketoacidosis (in Type I diabetics) and hyperosmolar nonketotic state in (Type II diabetics). Diabetic ketoacidosis is a symptom of diabetes that occurs when blood glucose levels are extremely high, usually due to failure to take prescribed insulin. Untreated, diabetic ketoacidosis may lead to coma and even death. Hyperosmolar nonketotic state is found primarily in Type II diabetics. It is a form of diabetic coma resulting from extended high blood glucose levels. Individuals suffering from hyperosmolar nonketotic coma have an abnormally high incidence of blood clots, therefore anti clotting agents are generally part of the treatment for this condition.
The symptoms and effects of diabetes also include long-term damage to the retina that may result in blindness, nerve and blood vessel damage leading to gangrene in the extremities, kidney failure, stroke, and heart attack. Diabetes and its symptoms can be treated. There is currently no cure, but with careful maintenance, diabetics can live a nearly normal life.
By: Lisa Lupichuk
What Kind of Foods to Eat With Type 2 Diabetes? – Type 2 Diabetes Food List
“What kinds of foods to eat with diabetes type 2?” is the most frequently asked question by many type 2 diabetics? They are generally in search of type 2 diabetes food list that can help them to manage the problem. Stable levels of blood sugar are the prime factors that compel the diabetics to eat foods with low glycemic index.
Here are some suggestions for the foods that can help the diabetics to include these foods in their eating plan along with other low glycemic foods. Sometimes these foods are also termed smart foods as the prime emphasis is on the balance of carbohydrates with omega 3 fats and monsaturated fats. These food groups help to stabilize the level of blood sugar.
Fiber: High dietary fiber brings lot of benefits
These fiber rich diets require more chewing thus they digest comparatively slowly. They give a fuller feeling; this feeling can only be obtained by consuming large amounts of modern processed foods Dietary fiber hinders the digestive process of plant starches. This provides a barrier against natural sugar. The result is there isn’t any sharp increase in insulin and blood sugar level. The consumption of low dietary fiber is linked with obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart related problems.
Omega Fatty Acids: Our body needs omega 3 fatty acids for
Producing cell membranes at sites where there are large number of insulin receptors. Insulin resistance develops when the cell membranes become inflexible. Omega fatty acids help in reversing and preventing type 2 diabetes It helps in preventing cardiovascular issues by lowering down the tendency of clot formation. This also helps to reduce the risk of heart stroke and attack. Omega 3 fatty acids are generally found in cold water fish like trout, salmon and tuna. It is also found in vegetables like dark leafy vegetables and lettuce.
Proteins: A moderate amount of protein consumption is also worthwhile for health. Increased consumption of proteins may cause the kidneys to work harder. This may cause serious problems for type 2 diabetics. So diabetics should only consume moderate amount of proteins. Proteins are slowly digested in the blood so it helps to stabilize the level of blood sugar.
Soy: Soy comes from the legume (bean) class. Soy helps the cells to become more responsive and thus control the level of blood sugar.
Buck wheat: Nutritious and energizing buckwheat are served as a substitute of rice. It is the best for those diabetics who are allergic to wheat and other grains that contain gluten. Researches have revealed that extracts of buckwheat help in lowering the sugar level after meals.
You need to do a little bit of research to be sure how the blood sugar level helps you to live a stronger and healthier life.
By: Tehmina Mazher
Diabetes Symptoms and Diabetic Diet Plan For Lowering Blood Sugar in Diabetes
Diabetes is the common name for diabetes mellitus and is the result of defective blood sugar control in the body. Many other disease symptoms manifest themselves with the onset of either type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, or pregnancy diabetes referred as gestational diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is more or less hereditary and is sometimes referred as childhood diabetes. Currently there is no suitable cure and daily insulin injections are administered to control the blood sugar. The insulin is not produced by beta cells in islets of langerhans located in the pancreas.Some pancreas and beta cells transplants have been performed and the results are promising although the procedure needs refining due to transplants being rejected by immune system.
Type 2 diabetes is developed later in life more so at adulthood although it is now being seen in children. This caused by the body not responding to insulin produced or the beta cells not producing enough. The regulation of blood sugar is by two procedures which compensate each other. The release of insulin which is a metabolic hormone to lower the the blood sugar is the most important. The other is release of catalyst hormones which elevate the blood sugar. These two antagonistic metabolic hormones control the blood sugar level and malfunction of either triggers type 2 diabetes. The development of type 2 diabetes has been proved to relate to ones lifestyle.Obesity is one of the main culprits although unhealthy diet,smoking and other contribute.Exercise and healthy diet go a long way in controlling this condition but many obese individuals prefer to under go gastric bypass surgery. In this procedure,normal blood sugar has been achieved in most cases.
Gestational diabetes is experienced during pregnancy in women who had no previous history of diabetes.It is usually cured after the pregnancy although accepted diabetes care is most recommended.
Symptoms of diabetes
General symptoms of diabetes include weight loss,tiredness,blurred vision,hunger attacks,abnormal thirst,habitual urine discharge and tingling of the feet.
Specific symptoms of type 2 diabetes include,blurred vision,habitual urination,unexplainable hunger attacks,tiredness and excessive thirst.
Type 1 diabetes symptoms include,Vomiting,wasting of the body,tiredness,excessive thirst and habitual urinating.
Diabetic diet plan
The food we eat directly affect our health an all ways.This include the physical body and the mental well being. A balanced and healthy diet control the amount of blood sugar in the body thus alleviating diabetes symptoms. This prevents onset of other related diseases the most serious being cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Blood sugar is glucose derived from the carbohydrates we eat. Some of these carbohydrates are broken down into glucose faster than others. With the ones getting broken into glucose fast, there is corresponding fast injection of sugar(glucose) into the bloodstream. The bad carbohydrates or the type which gets broken down into glucose fast include white bread, polished rice and most of refined foods. Good carbohydrates which get broken down slowly include brown rice, brown bread and foods with high fibre content. We use glycaemic index to rate the breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose.
Foods with high glycaemic index value are bad for not only diabetics but to any one who is aiming for a healthy diet. Eating foods with low glycaemic index will stabilize the blood sugar and because of the fibre content, will make you feel full. This is an added benefit of weight management.
By: Obed W. Kilonzo
Typical Diabetes Symptoms
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder, where the body is either unable to produce enough insulin that breaks the glucose into energy, or the body is unable to use the available insulin properly. It is also known to be a silent killer, as it could go unnoticed for a number of years.
Diabetes is of two types namely Type I and Type II. However, symptoms and signs of both the types of diabetes are almost similar. I have made a short below outline such symptoms.
Symptoms of Type I diabetes:
Pancreas produces insulin in the human body. Thus, when the insulin production stops in the pancreas due viral infection or other autoimmune reasons, the glucose in the body is not converted into energy.
• vomiting
• Nausea
• Dehydration
• Weight loss
• Sleepiness
• Increase pulse rate
• Genital irritation
Symptoms of Type II diabetes:
As mentioned, several symptoms of type II diabetes are similar to type I, Type II can go unnoticed for many years allow it to mature / advance over time. Here are a list of symptoms below.
• Increased fatigue: The body breaks down both muscle and fat to get its energy, which in turn over works the body increase fatigue.
• Increased thirst: Also, know as Polydipsia, which results from high levels of sugar in the blood. The increased glucose exhausts more fluid from the tissues making the body dehydrate thus making the person thirsty.
• Increased urination: Or polyuria, a condition that occurs when there is too much sugar in the blood. The body tries to compensate for this by excreting the sugar out of the body (through urine) but there is a problem water is also excreted out which makes the person thirsty so they drink more basically they are placed in a negative feed back loop the more they drink the more they urine the more water lost the more they drink.
• Increased hunger: Insulin is also responsible for controlling hunger so when there is an imbalance it makes the person eat more, which increases there, weight if you have not noticed most diabetics are fat and overweight.
• Blurred vision: One of the worst symptoms of diabetes.
• Infections: The immune system becomes compromised thus allowing them to become infected easier/faster.
• Poor healing: This is the most common symptom of diabetes due to the reduction of WBC or white blood cells. WBC maintains the body’s immune system, which is suppose to fight off infections and such. Overtime diabetics can suffer from poor circulation (do to blood thickening) and have to have a limb amputated.
By: G. Savage