Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Type 2 Diabetes - Can Diabetics Include Pineapple In Their Eating Plan?

As someone who is working hard to manage your blood sugar levels to help control your Type 2 diabetes, you are going to be constantly on the lookout for sugar-containing foods to avoid. That said, it is okay to include fruit from time to time as long as you are being careful with how much you eat.Fruit will contain natural fruit sugars, but it also comes packed with fiber, antioxidants, and a number of other vitamins and minerals that are too important to overlook.Various fruits will have different rankings on the GI scale, so that is also something to be aware of. Pineapple is one such fruit that does rank slightly higher, coming in with a medium ranking, but as long as you keep your serving to about ¼ to ½ cup, you can certainly still include it into your eating plan.Here is why pineapple is such a beneficial fruit...1. The Nutritional Content. When looking at pineapple, it's a clear winner as far as vitamin C is concerned. You will take in over 100% of your daily quota with a one cup serving, so can easily get 50% if you eat your half a cup.You'll also get some manganese, copper, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, as well as folate and pantothenic acid.


2. Benefits. Pineapple is an excellent fruit to help boost your health in a number of ways. First, it'll provide some anti-inflammatory benefits, reducing inflammation in the body and combating any related conditions.It also helps to support digestion, so can be a great way to finish off a meal if you want to reduce the chances of indigestion.It will help to provide immune system support, helping you fend off free radical damage and other invading bacteria and illness.Finally, the vitamin B found in pineapple can also help to boost your energy generation from the different foods you eat.3. How To Serve. So now you see how beneficial this fruit is, how can you serve it?Try it sliced and fresh for a delicious sweet treat, or consider adding several cubes into a bowl of Greek yogurt. Pineapple also works great with coconut flakes sprinkled on top, so you can grill up one or two slices and then top with coconut if desired.So, as you can see, it is one fruit not to miss out on. Keep your portion controlled and you can definitely include it as part of your diabetic eating plan.

Friday, October 31, 2014

Type 2 Diabetes - Juice Fasts Are Not The Solution For Safe Healthy Weight Loss

There are hundreds of diets that claim to be the solution to the problem of obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Most of these diets if followed closely, will promote weight loss over the short-term but are often so regimented, or involve deprivation of health-promoting foodsIf you are looking for quick weight loss to help control your Type 2 diabetes, you might be on the hunt for one of the popular 'fasting' or cleansing approaches out there. More and more people, diabetics and non-diabetics, start-up on these, thinking they are on a one-way track to reaching their ideal body weight.Only, as the case often is, two weeks into this approach they are falling off the bandwagon and frustrated by their results.This only stands to reason because 99% of the time, these quick fix approaches are not designed to bring you long-term success.One such approach you need to be aware of is the juice fast. Before you start-up on one of these, let's go over a few things you should know...1. They Lack Protein. First, realize going on these juice fasts is going to mean taking in virtually no protein at all. Unless you've modified the fast to include some protein, you basically are not giving your body the amino acids it needs to rebuild and repair body tissues and cells.The result? Not only will you start to feel weak and unhealthy but you'll be at a high risk for losing muscle mass. If you start losing muscle mass, your metabolism will actually begin to slow, making it more probable you put on body fat once again as you come off the juice cleanse.


Any good diet plan should aim to optimize your metabolism - not decrease it.2. They're Horrible For Blood Sugar Stabilization. Next, you also need to keep in mind these juice fasts are horrible as far as blood sugar stabilization goes. You are basically putting into you body liquid sugar when you take in your 'juice' each day - which is the last thing anyone who has or is worried about developing Type 2 diabetes, should be doing.Don't let the 'natural' fruit sugar component mislead you. Your juice will be lacking the fiber real fruit contains, so is not nearly as healthy for you as eating a whole apple or a cup of berries would be.3. They Won't Keep You Satisfied. Next, also keep in mind the juice fast you try will not keep you satisfied. They may say hunger won't be present as your body 'cleanses' itself, but don't be fooled.If you are only taking in sugar each day, you are going to be hungry. In fact, most people won't stick with a juice fast for the full length, abandoning it due to hunger.So hopefully you can now see just how ineffective juice fasts really are. If you want lasting long-term weight loss success, choose another approach besides these.

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Type 2 Diabetes - Eating More Fruits and Vegetables Means Longevity for Diabetics

Heart disease and cancer are two complications people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes need to take care to prevent. So often diabetics have high blood cholesterol levels which can clog blood vessels, including the arteries feeding through to the heart muscle. High blood pressure is often associated with the insulin resistance that causes Type 2 diabetes.The American Heart Association considers Type 2 diabetes one of the seven major risk factors for heart attacks and strokes, and diabetics are two to four times more likely to have heart and blood vessel disease than nondiabetics. According to the American Diabetes Association, cancers of the liver, pancreas, uterus, colon, rectum, breast, and bladder are more common in individuals with Type 2 diabetes than in healthy individuals.According to a study reported on in the British Medical Journal in July 2014, eating fruits and vegetables is a good way to start prevention. Workers at -

Shandong University in Jinan, China,

Huazhong University in Wuhan, China,

the National Institutes of Health in Rockville, USA, and

the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, USA,
combined sixteen studies on diet and disease and analyzed them as if they were just one study. A total of 833,234 participants were included.Over a period from 4.6 to 26 years there were 56,423 deaths including...




11,512 from heart and blood vessel disease, and

16,817 from cancer.
The rate of death was significantly lower among those participants who were in the habit of eating fruits and vegetables daily. It was found for every five servings of fruits and vegetables the various participants consumed, there was a five percent reduction in the risk of death.The National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom defines one portion of fruit as 80 grams...

1 apple, orange, or peach,

3 apricots or figs,

1/2 avocado,

2 tangerines,

7 strawberries or

14 cherries
would each qualify as one serving.The NHS defines a portion of vegetables as 80 grams...

5 fresh or 7 canned asparagus spears,

1/3 of an eggplant,

3 celery sticks,

14 button mushrooms,

3 heaping tablespoons of fresh or frozen peas, or

1 medium tomato
would qualify.Why not make a dinner salad starting with one cereal bowl full of mixed lettuce and add an equal amount of fresh English spinach. Add a handful of sugar snap beans, 6 baby corns, and 7 slices of beetroot for 5 portions of vegetables. Enjoy!

Monday, October 27, 2014

Type 2 Diabetes - 4 Quick Tips To Push Through Your Fat Loss Plateau

Stepping on the scale each morning praying to see the number go down - but always met with disappointment? If you find yourself never quite seeing the results you were hoping for in spite of your lower blood sugar readings, it might be time to do a quick check-up on the program you're using.If you were losing weight previously but this has since slowed, something definitely needs to be changed.Here are four quick tips you should consider to help you get back on track once again...Take One Week Off Dieting. While it may feel very counterintuitive at times, the best way to crush a weight loss plateau is to actually stop dieting. Yes, that's right - stop altogether. The reason why this can work is because the added calories coming in can give your metabolic rate a boost, meaning you burn calories faster 24/7.This in turn can then mean when you start dieting again, you see fat loss moving along far faster. Those people with Type 2 diabetes who diet for an extended period of time will typically see a metabolic slow down, so this diet break can be the best way to overcome that.Re-Calculate Your Target. Next, also consider re-calculating your target calorie intake as well. If you've lost more than 10 to 15 pounds, there's a good chance you are simply eating too much and too many simple carbs to keep losing weight at this point.


Remember as your body weight goes down, you will need fewer calories to sustain yourself each day. This means to keep losing weight, you now need to lower your calories further.Weigh Your Food. For some people, the basic reason why they may no longer be losing weight simply comes down to inaccurate calorie calculations. While you may be calculating fine, if you are not weighing your food and, in fact, eating more than you think you are, this could be the problem right here.Get a food scale and start weighing all your food. It will take some time for the first while, but at the end of the day, it will really pay off.Change Your Macros. Finally, if all else fails, consider changing around your macros. It might be time to boost your protein intake a little higher while lowering fats and bringing up healthy carbs. Eating protein together will carbs will slow down a rise in you blood sugar. Low carb diets do work, but eventually they too will falter.Adding a few more complex carbs back into your eating plan (and lowering dietary fat accordingly), may just give your metabolism the jump-start it needs.So, as you find yourself stuck in a fat loss plateau, make sure you consider these tips. They may just do the trick to getting you out of it.

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Type 2 Diabetes - The 4 Deadly Sins Of Eating Fast Food If You Want to Lose Weight or Stay Slim

Dining out can be a challenge when you are Type 2 diabetic and trying to develop a healthy eating plan. At home you know what to expect, but when you are away from home, it may be difficult to anticipate what you will find.Planning to stop in for a fast food meal? If so, you already know this is less than ideal as far as your health is concerned. While most fast food options are the worst possible thing you could put into your body, many fast food restaurants are coming out with wiser selections.If you tread carefully, you might just get away with your diet intact. If you don't however, don't beat yourself up. Think about how you could do things differently next time.Let's walk you through four deadly sins of fast food so you know which ones you should be avoiding...1. Double Anything. First, avoid those double cheeseburgers you may love so much. One patty is more than enough and will do enough damage - don't go doubling the damage.A much safer bet is one grilled chicken breast. You'll cut the fat and get a much leaner source of protein.2. Creamy Sauces. The next thing to be careful of when choosing to dine fast food - is any creamy sauces. This is an easy one to request without and it will make a very big difference in the nutritional stats of that meal.


Creamy sauces - or special sauces as they're often called, can easily pack in 200 to 300 calories per serving, which is almost a meal in itself.Go without for a leaner choice that will keep your heart-health intact.3. Poutine. Poutine is the King-daddy of all fast food nightmares. First you have French fries which clearly are not good in their own right.Then you add gravy - double whammy.And then, if that wasn't enough, you top it off with some mozzarella cheese. Of all the things you could put into your body, this may just be the worst.If you were in a weight gain contest and wanted to boost your cholesterol as high as possible, this is what I would recommend you eat.Clearly then, you should stay away from this food.4. Milkshakes. Finally, last but not least, be careful of those sweet milkshakes! Milkshakes are one of the worst beverages to consume where calories are concerned, and are virtually like a dessert in a cup.This will definitely double - if not more - the total calorie intake of your meal. Go without and you'll fare so much better.Water would be your drink of choice when dining fast food.So steer clear of these. If you want to make the most of your fast food meal, these should not be in the picture.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Type 2 Diabetes - What Is The Risk of Developing Diabetes After Pregnancy?

Women who develop Gestational (related to pregnancy) diabetes, are known to be at high risk for developing Type 2 diabetes throughout their lives. Researchers at Fondazione Mario Negri Sud in Italy, suspected having a stillbirth could also be a risk factor. They compared women with a history of normal pregnancies, gestational diabetes, and stillbirth to learn which ones were at high risk for Type 2 diabetes and heart and blood vessel disease.Their study, reported on in the journal Diabetologia in October 2014, included...

3,851 women who had developed diabetes during pregnancy, and

11,553 with a history of a normal pregnancies.
Over a period of 5.4 years...

women without Gestational diabetes had the lowest rate of developing Type 2 diabetes.

among women with a history of Gestational diabetes, the rate was about 25 times as high.

women who had a stillbirth had about twice the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in both groups.

women with a history of Gestational diabetes had 2.4 times the risk of heart and blood vessel disease as women with normal pregnancies.
From these results, it was recommend women who developed diabetes during their pregnancy and women who had a stillbirth needed to be followed up especially carefully.Normalizing weight before pregnancy is helpful in preventing both Gestational diabetes and stillbirth. Although stillbirth sometimes happens with no known risk factors or for genetic reasons, there are some actions women can tale to minimize the risk...




smoking,

alcohol,

caffeine, and

drugs are to be avoided.
Before taking medications tell your doctor if you might be pregnant. Attend all prenatal appointments regularly to allow your doctor or midwife to monitor you and your baby...

report any abdominal pain or bleeding as soon as it occurs.

from about 16 weeks on you should feel the baby move. If your baby stops moving report this to your doctor or midwife right away.

also report itching, which can be a symptom of a liver condition that can complicate pregnancy.

be careful to avoid infections.

wear gloves to clean your cat's litter box.

wash your hands thoroughly after gardening and before preparing or eating food.

if you eat meat, be sure it is cooked thoroughly. If you drink milk, it must be pasteurized. Avoid soft cheeses that carry fungus or bacteria, such as soft cheeses with white rinds and bleu cheese.

avoid fish oil supplements and ask your physician or midwife about herbal teas. Take your prenatal vitamins as instructed.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Type 2 Diabetes - Why Is Exercise Important to Diabetics?

There are several potential risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes. Some of these are controllable, such as regulating your body weight, whereas others are factors outside your influence, such as aging. One very important risk factor that is most definitely manageable and influential is physical activity. Exercise (or physical activity with a goal - in this case to improve your health), is not only helpful in preventing high blood sugar levels and Type 2 diabetes, but also plays an active role in the management of the disease.Diabetes is considered a dysfunction in the carbohydrate metabolizing systems in the body, characterized by glycosuria and especially hyperglycemia. This is due to the insufficient production or utilization of insulin, a hormone responsible for the uptake of carbohydrate into your body tissues. In the case of Type 2 diabetes, there is a dysfunction in the regular usage of insulin due to insulin resistance.What is the importance of exercise in this context?Examining the benefits of exercise in your body from a physical and mental health perspective, could be a lengthy report on its own. Specifically, in the case of Type 2 diabetes, exercise is a mediator for blood sugar levels in the cardiovascular system. Physical activity plays a key role in...

managing your blood sugar when required to avoid hyperglycemia, and

direct the intake of glucose throughout your body tissues to prevent hyperglycemia and its potentially harmful effects.



Exercise causes a very similar effect in your body's tissues when compared to insulin. Glucose transporters that direct the uptake of blood sugar into tissues can be found on muscle cell membranes. These transporters are activated by insulin, although not exclusively. Physical activity relays signals throughout the central nervous system and also activates these transporters and brings about the intake of glucose into your muscle cells to provide for the skeletal muscle energy demands for muscular contractions. This effect is sustained after a bout of exercise where glycogen stores in the muscle are depleted and the tissues will continue to take in sugar to restore its reserves.Not only will exercising reduce blood sugar levels and control the harmful effects of hyperglycemia, it will lower insulin resistance in your body through adaption. It increases the efficiency of the working insulin in your blood stream. Less injectable insulin or oral anti-diabetic medications will be necessary to control your blood sugar, and the timing and activation of the hormone itself will also improve.This is a long-term benefit that will assist in the maintenance of Type 2 diabetes with obvious immediate benefits as well. The best part about this is, in general, any type of exercise is beneficial whether it be some form of cardio or resistance training program.