Archive for December 2011
Diabetic Foods – What To Look Out For
Do you have diabetes? Then you know too well how tempting a table full of delicacies is! Before you plunge in however, as far as diabetic foods go, here is what to look out for:
read the nutritional labels hidden carbs sugar-free
When you have diabetes, the food on your plate has the potential to hurt you. The first thing you want to set your eye on, is read the nutritional labels and list of all the ingredients.
Diabetic Foods and The Heart
The heart is the main target for a diabetic condition – that means all whole-grain foods, mono unsaturated fats – like olive oil in peanut oil.
Foods that contains no fat are hydrogenated. You need to remember that on a nutrition label, whatever ingredient used most appears near the top.
Diabetic Foods: Sugar-Free
Diabetic foods that declare to be sugar-free on the label may seem to be your new friend but sugar-free foods are sweetened with sugar alcohols.
If a peek at the nutritional label reveals something like sorbitol, then those food have half as much regular sugar as they declare it has sugar alcohols.
So a sugar-free cookie is not always carbohydrate free as well. And it can easily be converted into sugar by your body.
Carbohydrate foods too need as much of your attention as the ones with sugar. If you just judge what to buy by the amount of sugar in it, you could easily end up cutting all nutritious sweet foods such as fruits and milk out of your diet altogether. And you could easily fill up on foods that have no sugar in them but have plenty of hidden carbs – grains in them.
For a diabetic, diabetic foods should be broken down into their constituent ingredients before they can be considered safe at a meal.
Some sugar-free foods really are completely safe – and that would mean diet sodas, and anything that has less than 5 g of carbohydrate, and no more than 20 calories per serving.
By: Liz White
5 Important Foods to Eat For Diabetics
Treatment of diabetes is conducted not only with medicines, diet has substantial importance is controlling it. That is why a good diet plan is as indispensable for treatment of diabetes as is drugs and medication. Importance of food for diabetes control can be fathomed from the fact that normal level diabetes can be controlled with a good combination of food and workout without even using any medicine.
Diet plan for diabetes aims at keeping the body weight at ideal levels and at the same time providing adequate nutrition for keeping one healthy. Usually such plans are dependent on the height, weight, age, gender, as well as the physical activity levels of the person concerned. Diet also varies with the variation in the levels of diabetes. At the same time there are also other considerations like the patient having high blood pressure or the cholesterol levels in the body. In essence the dietician calculates the calorie intake and consumption that helps him assess the accumulation of fat in the body and find out methods to counter them.
Lavish spending may be bad when it comes to your bank balance but augur well when it comes to burning body fat.
When you decide the foods to eat in diabetes, keep in mind the popular myths. One of them is that you must avoid sugar. In reality sweets can be made part of healthy meal plan and combined with workouts. On the other hand the myths that high protein diets are good and carbohydrates should be minimized are also wrong. Too much protein, especially the animal protein results in insulin resistance and cutting too much on carbohydrate may adversely affect the health. A balanced diet containing carbohydrate, fat, and protein is the best solution. There is nothing called special diabetic meals. A healthy meal is a healthy meal. Here are some tips on foods that a diabetic can use.
Moderate doses of sweet at intervals. When sweets are taken carbohydrate component should be minimized. Reduction of rice, cereal, fruit, juice, potatoes, corn etc would be on the cards. Substituting simple carbohydrates like fruits and vegetables for empty carbohydrates like soda, candy, snack, flour, and rice would be advisable. Food containing fiber like beans, nuts, seeds, fruits, whole grains, and vegetables are very good for diabetes as they control blood sugar. A major part of the food should be water and soups that do not contain sweets, or too much salt. Non starchy vegetables like greens, cauliflower, mushroom, carrots, turnips, peppers, and broccoli should form at least one third of the daily intake. And only getting the 5 best foods won’t do. Eating small at regular intervals and never skipping the breakfast also holds the key in preventing diabetes.
By: Murali V
A Beneficial Menu Plan For Diabetic Patients
Diabetic patients require a special diet to minimize the dramatic highs and lows in blood glucose levels. Thus, it is almost an unavoidable fate for them to meet up with a registered dietitian and to determine what diabetic patients need in their food. This cooperation would ensure that you would have a beneficial diabetes menu plan that would fit at ease with your lifestyle. Your physician will spread your intake of sugar evenly throughout the day to achieve a proper glucose balance in the blood.
What do diabetic patients need in their food? A beneficial diabetes menu plan consists of foods low in fat, salt and sugar content. As hard as it is, you should resist the temptation to ignore warnings about what you eat. The key to stay healthy is to closely follow your carefully constructed diabetes menu plan. A healthy eating plan would have to include grains, vegetables, fruits and moderate portions of fats and meat. However, be extra careful about the amount of fruits you consume as some fruits contain high glycemic index and this could affect your blood sugars adversely. Next, you should eat a variety of foods as it ensures that you would not get bored with eating the same thing daily and avoid making your menu tedious. Furthermore, reduce the amount of fat you consume by choosing fewer high-fat foods and avoid cooking in fat. While fruit juice or fruit flavoured drinks are undeniably delicious, you should avoid them as they are of high sugar content.
Moreover, do not skip meals as a way to reduce your weight but instead, aim to eat smaller portions. It is also advisable to consume less alcohol. However, if you were to have one, have it with a meal. Drinking on an empty stomach is unhealthy regardless of being diabetic or not. Last but not least, drink plenty of water. The recommendation for everyone regardless of being a diabetic patient or not is at least 8 glasses of water daily. It might seem like an awful lot of water but water is very beneficial to the human body and it is never too late to adopt the habit of drinking at least 8 glasses of water per day!
By: Sturat Mitchel
Are You Diabetic? Here Are the Foods to Avoid
If you are diabetic then having a healthy, balanced life style can really help to control your symptoms. Of course this means the usual – plenty of fruit and vegetables and not too many foods that are bad for you. There are some foods really that you should avoid as much as possible as these can affect your blood sugar levels, which as you know is not good. Diabetic foods to avoid include processed foods.
Our bodies are simply not made to digest these foods and they can have a massive impact on our blood sugar levels. Mainly these are the foods that we all love, but know are bad for us – Ice-cream, sweets, cakes and fried foods all fall under the category of diabetic foods to avoid. Other foods that you should only have in small amounts are starchy vegetables and vegetables such as carrots, peas and beans are also not great for you.
There are other foods that don’t necessarily fall under the diabetic foods to avoid category but you should be made aware of – for example don’t forget that fruit juices contain much more carbohydrates that fresh fruit. As long as you enjoy a healthy life style then the odd treat won’t hurt in the long run as long as this is done sensibly.
I am sure there are many sufferers that still eat foods of the diabetic foods to avoid list and manage well, but this is not something that you should do every day as this will be risky to your health!
By: Chris Eliza
Diabetes Symptoms – Are You Ready to Get Serious About Them?
Diabetes symptoms are your final reminder that — if you want to avoid diabetes Type 2 — it is time to get serious about your weight and your exercise habits. You may already know that 97% of dieters regain all the weight they lose (and often more!) within five years. You need a diet that you can live with.
Diabetes runs in both sides of my family. Both my grandmothers were heavy Southern ladies who died of heart disease caused by diabetes. I knew instinctively from a young age that I never wanted to suffer that same fate.
Motivation I had; Now, I needed Information
What I sensed at age ten was that being grossly overweight had a lot to do with diabetes, in most cases. Choosing to adopt an athletic hobby was also natural, after observing all the unhealthy sedentary elders around me.
Finding the missing piece of the puzzle — a healthy diet plan — took me until the age of twenty. Confirmation that I was on the right track didn’t come until age sixty, when I found a leading diabetes doctor’s book. It gave me exactly what I was looking for, a program to avoid diabetes symptoms and all medications.
Interestingly, these simple dietary and exercise changes are effective 71% of the time when consistently applied by patients 60 years old and over, compared to only 30% success for those who used a drug to prevent diabetes. (This was proven in the Diabetes Prevention Study of high-risk subjects, as reported by the Center for Disease Control.)
Common diabetes symptoms are
1) Lack of energy;
2) Excessive thirst and urination;
3) Unexplained weight loss; and
4) High blood glucose levels.
These symptoms are your body’s way of telling you that the rules of how you will live and eat are changing permanently — and soon! They are your last warning that you can change your ways easily now… or suffer escalating consequences in the near future.
If you don’t want your life to be ruled by medications and daily insulin shots, frequent doctor visits, progressing up to painful neuropathy, blindness, kidney disease, and possibly even the amputation of your feet, etc., it will be wise to take action now.
Diabetes is such an easy medical problem to prevent or even reverse. It only takes three things — correct knowledge of how to eat, some moderate daily exercise, and willpower.
Come on! All one has to do, typically, is to lose 5-7% of your body weight by eating healthier foods and doing one half hour of moderate exercise per day, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and other experts. How hard can that be?
Losing Weight Permanently Is Impossible With Most Diets
The key thing is to not waste time with “loser” diets that you can’t stay on. You know, the diets that temporarily starve you, until you scream, “Enough!” and get back to eating everything in sight.
The battle against diabetes symptoms is one you can’t afford to lose.
When you begin experiencing diabetes symptoms, you need a diet that you can comfortably stay with for life. No, not a “life sentence” of deprivation, but some general rules of how to eat that will still allow you some occasional flexibility.
At this point, you can still reverse your incipient diabetes symptoms. You can cure yourself of this terrible disease before it gets much worse.
By: Paul H Kemp
List of Foods For Diabetic to Eat – What Foods Can You Eat to Keep the Diabetes in Control?
Those of you who suffer with diabetes will know that diet plays a key role in managing your diabetes. Most diabetics take a controlled oral hypoglycemic drug or insulin; these will differ depending on sex, age, height, and weight. The most important thing for any person with diabetes is to ensure they eat the proper amounts of food and most important, the correct foods.
Many of you will already be aware of the importance of having regular check ups for high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. This can be done by your doctor or dietitian. Generally, good nutrition can help to keep your blood glucose level. If you can get into the habit of eating regularly and on time, it can help in avoiding low blood glucose.
It is best in your diet to try to limit your fat intake, foods that are high in saturated fats, check the labels on margarine and try to avoid eating too many take away or fast foods. The best oils for a diabetic are virgin olive oil and canola oil as these are mono unsaturated fat and are a lot healthier. Those of you who love a bag of chips would be a lot better to change them for some fresh fruit.
Try to incorporate in your diet plenty of foods that contain a high fiber content such as vegetables, fresh fruit or whole grains, switch from white bread to brown bread or a good whole grain loaf. Porridge oats could be chosen as your breakfast and will start you of for the day, as long as you choose milk with a low fat content and sprinkle some fresh fruit or nuts on instead of sugar.
The key to a good diet is to take care not to eat a diet of a high fat content, especially less saturated fat such as fatty meats, poultry skin, cheese, ice cream, whole milk, butter; these are just a few to be careful about. It is not to say you can never eat ice cream but a word with your dietitian or doctor can only enhance your knowledge as to how much as everybody’s diabetes levels are different. Always choose lean pieces of meat and choose low fat or fat free dairy products.
Many of you will know that sticking to recommended daily calories is of great importance in maintaining your glucose levels. The normal calorie intake would be 1200 to 1800 consisting of 50% to 60% carbohydrates 12% to 20% protein and no more than 30% fats. As said before, everyone is different so check with your doctor or dietitian.
It has to be said for those who have just received confirmation that they have diabetes should not think they cannot have a healthy lifestyle; nothing can be further from the truth. Provided you follow all the guidelines regarding what not to eat and ensuring regular meals, you can do just about anything that anybody else does.
By: Dr. Eswararamanan VR
Scrumptious Diabetic-Friendly Recipes
Keeping your health or a family members’ health in mind when cooking can sometimes leave you challenged in the kitchen. You shouldn’t feel as though you have to suffer through bland meals just to remain in good health, because you don’t! –At least not with the recipes found in this article. You can still prepare meals and desserts that are kicking with flavor yet tolerant to the needs of a diabetic. Read on for a few great diabetic meal ideas.
BANANA SPLIT PIE
1 graham cracker crust
1 (4 oz.) pkg. sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
2 c. low-fat milk
2 bananas, sliced
1 (15 oz.) can crushed pineapple
1 c. light Cool Whip
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. pecans, chopped
Mix pudding with milk and beat until thick, pour into crust. Put bananas over pudding. Squeeze pineapple to remove all juice. Sprinkle on top of bananas. Cover with Cool Whip, sprinkle pecans on top. Chill well.
CARROT CAKE
Margarine and flour for pan
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. vegetable oil
6 tbsp. sugar
2 eggs
1/4 c. unsweetened pineapple juice concentrate
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. shredded carrots
1/2 c. golden raisins
1/2 c. unsweetened, crushed pineapple, drained
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. In bowl, toss flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. In a second bowl, stir oil, sugar, eggs, pineapple juice, and vanilla. Stir liquid into dry ingredients until smooth. Stir carrots, raisins, and pineapple. Scrape into prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a rack for 1 hour. Un-mold cake and ice with Cream Cheese Frosting. Cut into 1/2 inch slices to serve. Serves 18.
BANANA BREAD
2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 ripe bananas (mashed)
6 oz. can frozen orange juice
2 eggs
1 c. raisins
Nuts (optional)
Sift all dry ingredients together and set aside. In a separate bowl mix all wet ingredients and mashed bananas. Add wet and dry ingredients together and mix well, then fold in nuts and raisins. Pour in a greased and floured loaf pan (unless using a non-stick pan). Bake at 350 – 375 degrees F for 30 – 45 minutes or when toothpick comes out clean.
DIABETIC SPICY SAUSAGE
2 lb. extra lean ground pork
2 tsp. crushed dried sage
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. fructose
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. ground mace
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Then make into patties and brown until done.
DIABETIC BEEF PASTIES
Crust:
3/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 c. plus 2 tsp. vegetable shortening
1 egg
Water
Put flour and salt in mixing bowl. Cut in shortening. Beat egg in a measuring cup. Add water to make 1/2 cup, add to flour and mix until well moistened. Divide dough into 6 balls. On lightly floured board, roll balls into circles between waxed paper. Then set aside.
Filling:
3/4 lb. coarsely ground beef (raw)
2 c. diced raw potato
3/4 c. diced raw carrot
3/4 c. diced celery
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 tbsp. water
Once all filling ingredients have been well mixed, spoon onto dough and wrap around beef. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 10 – 15 minutes or until the dough has become golden brown.
BAR-B-Q MEATBALLS
1 lb. ground chuck
1/2 c. liquid skimmed milk
1 med. onion, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 c. diet catsup
1 tbsp. minced green peppers
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 tbsp. minced onion
1 1/2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 packs Sweet & Low
Mix chuck, milk, onion, salt, and pepper. Make into balls. Broil until brown (approx. 15 minutes). Sauce: Mix catsup, green pepper, mustard, and vinegar. Add minced onion, Worcestershire sauce, and Sweet ‘N Low. Pour over meat balls. Cook covered for 15 minutes at 400 degrees F.
See what we mean about flavor? These recipes are a great way to satisfy the entire family without having to make special meal plans to accommodate the diabetic in your family. Give these meals a shot, but be prepared to welcome your family’s enthusiasm. Best of health and happy cooking!
By: Patrick Carpen
What are the Symptoms of Gestational Diabetes?
Gestational diabetes is a condition in which a pregnant woman suffers from higher then normal blood glucose levels. Medical science does not know the exact cause of this form of diabetes but many think it is linked to the stress of pregnancy on the woman’s body. For the majority of women there are no noticeable symptoms of gestational diabetes and they are unaware that they have this condition until they are tested.
It is believed that the placenta and how it works during a pregnancy is the main cause for gestational diabetes. The placenta is the life support system for the baby in the uterus. During a pregnancy the placenta produces a multitude of different hormones, many of which negatively affect the effectiveness of the mother insulin. This results in high blood glucose levels because the insulin is unable to move the glucose out of the blood and into the cells. The mother may produce up to three times her normal amount of insulin to effectively deal with the effects of the placental hormones. This is known as insulin resistance.
For some women they will see some of the classic symptoms that all diabetics are familiar with. These include:
o Frequent urination – Caused by high blood glucose which increases blood flow to the kidneys.
o Excessive thirst – Results from dehydration from the increased urinary output.
o Extreme hunger – Because glucose is unable to get into the body’s cells from the lack of insulin the body suffers from an energy deficit, causing hunger.
o Unusual weight loss – Despite eating more the body actually loses weight as it breaks down proteins and fats to make up for the perceived energy deficit.
o Increased fatigue – Caused by the decrease in energy.
o Irritability
o Blurry vision – Caused by the increased blood volume that causes a swelling of the lens of the eye.
But the majority of women suffer no overt symptoms of gestational diabetes. Because of this it is vitally important that all women be screened for gestational diabetes towards the end of the second trimester at around 24 to 28 weeks of their pregnancy.
This test is called the oral glucose tolerance test. During the test the pregnant woman will consume a drink containing 50g of glucose. After one hour her blood glucose level is tested and if it is equal to or greater then 130 to 140 mg/dl then further testing is needed.
The next test to determine if a woman has gestational diabetes is the 3 hour, 100g oral glucose tolerance test. This test actually lasts about three days. For the three days before the test the woman eats an unrestricted diet eating at a minimum of 150g of carbohydrates each day. The night before the test she fasts and in the morning drinks a 100g oral glucose solution. Her plasma glucose is tested at four different intervals with blood glucose levels not to exceed the following for two or more of the tests:
Fasting – 95mg/dL
1 hour – 180mg/dL
2 hours – 155 mg/dL
3 hours – 140 mg/dL
If the diagnosis of gestational diabetes is made then the pregnant woman will have to follow a diet and exercise plan created for her individual needs by her medical care givers. For many women the first symptom of gestational diabetes is not passing the oral glucose tolerance test.
By: Andrew Bicknell
Can a Diabetic Diet Meal Plan Control Diabetes?
It can be amazing if I say that a diabetic diet meal plan alone can cave in diabetes under control. But it is absolutely true when a diabetic determines to consume foods as envisaged in the diet plan. The most effective treatment for type 2 diabetes would be based on restricted diet. Increasing the body weight is the first enemy that the diabetics should understand before commencing prescribed medication. Of course, you will be surprised to see you lose 20 to 30 pounds when trying a diabetic meal plan to lower your blood sugar as well as cholesterol in the bloodstream. You have the option to follow this free online diet plan for your welfare.
For the purpose of controlling blood glucose various diets such as glycemic index diets are available. Such diets mainly focus on foods that elevate blood sugar and those that lower it. We know that there are many diets to lengthen the list, but our attention is needed to choose the right foods to pull down the high levels of blood sugar to normalcy. It is a simple secret that the foods high in carbohydrates should be excluded and those high in fiber should be included in the diet list.
In this regard, you have sweet potatoes, white rice, and white bread as high carb diet foods. Fruits with excessive sugary taste should also be avoided. In case you minimize refined sugar in your eatables and drinks you will be highly protected from the risks of further complications. That way, you will find it easy to lose your body weight and lower glucose levels in the bloodstream. The net result will be to help alleviating your tragedies of diabetic condition.
It is true that if you stay overweight the chance will be more for being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. So, the main objective for alleviating diabetes should be focused on losing your body weight by anyway. The good news for you is that you are providential to control diabetes if you reduce your weight even just by 10%.
In a diabetic diet plan, multiple diets are recommended by the dietitians. Specifically, the diets to provide 1200 to 2000 calories find place in the list of diabetic diets that can enable you to dilute your body weight sufficiently and slash down your blood sugar level. So, it is advised that you lose weight a few pounds, reduce glucose levels, and even cholesterol with this free diabetic diet meal plan to keep off type 2 diabetes.
By: Varadharajan R
Diabetes Symptoms and Possible Complications
Diabetes mellitus is an endocrinal condition which is associated with abnormalities in blood sugar and insulin. It has two types. Type I is referred to as insulin dependent diabetes caused by insufficient amounts of insulin needed to efficiently regulate blood sugar. Type II is referred to as insulin resistant diabetes because the body has developed resistance to the insulin resulting into inefficient thereof.
Common diabetes symptoms for both types include fatigue, unexplained weight loss, excessive and unusual thirst, excessive and frequent urination, increased appetite leading to excessive eating, poor healing of wounds, manifestation of inflammations and infections, blurred vision, and altered mental status in some cases.
Fatigue, one of the diabetes symptoms, causes the body to be inactive and as such the stored glucose is not used properly. It results into fat metabolism which causes the body to feel tired and exhausted. Unexplained weight loss results from the inability of the body to process the food taken. An apparent weight loss may occur even though the person is either eating appropriately or excessively.
Excessive thirst and frequent urination are two interconnected symptoms. Due to the high level of sugar in the blood stream, the kidney is pressured to excrete excess sugar through urine, which makes a diabetic person to have increased urination frequency. Because high amount of water is flushed out of the body every time urine is excreted, there is a need to replenish it and the brain counteracts this and interprets it as thirst.
Poor healing of wounds is one of the more serious diabetes symptoms. The high level of blood sugar interferes with the white blood cells which defend the body against viruses and bacteria, and with the cleaning and regeneration of dead cells and tissue. This results into longer periods of time for wounds to heal. The wounds also become more prone to infections. The manifestations of infections like yeast infections in the genitals, skin infections, as well as urinary tract infection, are also symptoms of diabetes.
Due to the presence of high level of sugar in the blood, it becomes a catalyst for bacteria to grow, causing these infections. Although the connection of blurred vision is still unclear, the symptom is commonly present in persons with high level of blood sugar. Altered mental status evident with attention, memory and cognitive deficits is also a symptom of diabetes. It is of high significance to seek professional help if any of these diabetes symptoms, especially alteration of mental state shows.
Ignoring the diabetes symptoms, even the simplest of them can lead to more serious medical conditions, such as complications. Some of the known complications are nausea and vomiting, high degrees of fever, ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic syndrome, large sores on feet and legs, skin lacerations, chest pains, and abdominal pain.
These complications particularly chest pain and abdominal pain can also lead to heart attacks, abdominal aortic aneurysm, appendicitis, perforated ulcer, bowel obstructions, as well as kidney and gall bladder problems. Therefore, at the first time you notice that you or someone in your family possess the previously mentioned symptoms, it is apt to immediately seek medical advice. In this way, you can prevent diabetes and its complications from ruining your life.
By: Jamie Mazique