‘3′ Herbs for Diabetes

31 01 2010

   Garlic, folk medicine has often used onion bulbs and garlic cloves to lower blood sugars significantly. Subsequently, scientific studies have proven that the presence of disulfides in onions and garlic such as allyl propyl and diallyl sulfide have played a role in the decrease of blood glucose levels. They have been seen to have actions similiar to Tolubtamide, a sulfonylurea drug of the first generation. They act on the pancreas and stimulate the production of insulin so as to control the sugar levels in the blood. It is those people with type 2 diabetes who benefit the most out of this. A minimum intake of about 50 ml of its juice everyday presents a considerable decline in blood sugar levels. Taken orally 50 ml of their juice daily has been shown to improve glucose control.

  Fenugreek Seed, of the Fenugreek plant has been discovered to produce a positive effect in the metabolism of glucose in the body. Fenugreek seeds are chopped finely and served as a flavorful spice in the uS. But in India and in Middle East, it is more popular as a treatment for diabetes. These seeds are soaked in water until the following morning, then eaten alone or combined with other foods. There are studies showing a decrease in the fasting blood sugar levels when tested on diabetics. They are also found to lower cholesterol levels since they contain a gel-like soluble fiber which combines with bile acid and lowers cholesterol levels. For therapeutic purposes, about 3 1/2 ounces of fenugreek seeds are to be taken in daily.

   Bitter Gourd, or sometimes called the balsam pear is the most commonly used herb to combat diabetes. It often grows in countries from Africa, South America and Asia. Just a quarter cup of the exract of bitter gourd is enough to bring down blood glucose levels by twenty percent. Glucose tolerance was also improved in seventy five percent of people with type 2 diabetes when treated with the extract of bitter gourd. The juice or unripe fruit of the bitter gourd plant has also the ability to bring down blood sugars levels. This is due to the number of sterols it contains that acts like sulfonylurea drugs to produce lowered blood sugar levels. The only setback of this herb is its extremely bitter taste.



“12″ Tips to Prevent Diabetes

30 01 2010

   Diabetes is the same as any other illnesses. It has symptoms, causes, treatment and also prevention. It is best to learn how to prevent diabetes from occurring and also learn alternative tratments for diabetes-related illness complications if developed. prevention is always best and better than a cure.

Here is 12 Tips to Prevent Diabetes:

1. Maintain a healthy weight. Over weight individual have a high risk of developing diabetes. If you are eating large amounts of food 3 times a day start dividing it in small meals and gradually reduce the quantity. Drink plain water before eating meals to take the edge of your hunger.

2. Know your family history

3. Stay physically active

4. Eat a balanced diet

5. Regular medical check-ups

6. Monitor your blood pressure regularly

7. Reduce the amount of fats, protein and carbohydrates you eat. Grill and bake instean of frying.

8. Check the nutritional facts of the foods you buy. Knowing what each food contains helps you to determine which is best for you to maintain your blood sugar levels.

9. Drink 7 to 8 glasses of water everyday. It will help keep your body from dehydration and water cleanses our body from toxins.

10. Choose healthy snacks

11. Use skin milk, non-fat or low fat milk rather than full fat milk in hot drinks.

12. Exercise is good health, so exercise regularly



Tips For Men Health- Diabetes

29 01 2010

   Dealing with diabetes can be tough. Insulin resistance is one reason why it’s hard to lose weight and losing weight is one of the best things you can do if you’re diagnosed. Is there a cure? Technically no but there are lots of things you can do to combat one of the toughest challenges to men health- diabetes.

   Living the diabetic life is a challenge indeed. Diet is the number one tool in your arsenal and to beat it, you need to get good at balancing your nutrition. The scoop is arming yourself with proper education you need to approach it the right way.

   Here are some tips to get started NOW!

   1- Limit snacks and change to high nutrition value foods. This means cutting out the cookies, cakes, pies and sweet in favor of foods rich in nutrients and fiber. Some good choices are fruits, fresh vegetables, nuts, dark chocolate and low carb snack bar/shakes. You can find great snack choices for diabetics in the health section of most major supermarket.

   2- Eliminate and avoid refined foods.These are your worst enemy when it comes to losing weight and can cause high blood sugars. Choose whole unprocessed foods instead. They will release carbs much slower and make your job of keeping your blood sugar in control much easier.

   3- Watch the alcohol. This acts like sugar in your system and you want to consume only in very small amounts. Wine is the best alternative if you drink and you should combine it with food when you do drink.

   4- Drink more water. Water helps to lower blood sugar and makes your whole body work more efficiently.

   5- Eat more fruits and vegetables. Yes I said that one before but it bears repeating. Fresh fruits and vegetables naturally work to manage your blood sugar and are the best things you can put in your system. Steaming is one of the best methods to cook vegetables but you can find many recipes that you can use.

   The key to dealing with one of the major challenges to mens health, diabetes is getting a plan in place to control it and then to execute it on a daily basis. This will involve changing some old habits so be sure you commitn to your personal plan of attack and stick to it. Diet is important as is learning to live a personal lifestyle that will help you succeed in controlling your blood sugars



Fenugreek and Diabetes

28 01 2010

   Fenugreek (Trigonella Foenum Graneun) is a plant product that has been used for a variety of medicinal and other purposes including Diabetes. It grows well in India, Egypt and some parts of the Middle East and the part of plant used for medicinal purposes is the seeds. Besides imparting a characteristic flavor and tang to food, it also has several disease preventing characteristics.

   As an added bonus the seeds contain alkaloids and fiber which may have hypoglycemic activity. The mechanism is believed to delay gastic emptying, slow carbohydrate absorption and inhibit glucose transport. This fiber which is mucilaginous also reduces the absorption of fat and cholesterol from the intestines thus providing additional protection against heart disease and obesity.

   Fenugreek is also known to increase the number of insulin receptores in red blood cells and improve glucose utilization in peripheral tissues. This in turn causes anti-diabetes effect both in the pancreas and other sites. The seeds contain amino acid 4- hydroxyisoleucine, which may also directly stimulate insulin secretion.

   Supplements of fenugreek can be found in many pharmaceutical stores. Another effective way to consume it is by soaking a spoonful of seeds in the night and consuming it the next morning. There are however a few side effects of fenugreek seeds. These include Diarrhea, gas and flatulence, but they subside after a few days of use.

   Women of child bearing age need to keep in mind that it may cause uterine contractions and cause pregnancy problems. For the same reason pregnant women are strongly advised against consuming fenugreek seeds. Besides these, in some people allergic reactions have been reported. They include runny nose, wheezing and facial swelling.



Does Pollution Cause Diabetes…

27 01 2010

Scientists have concluded, owing to certain research that commonly encountered environmental pollutants could be an important contributing factor to the high prevalence of diabetes. Chemicals that maybe involved are some pesticides and metabolites of polychlorinated biphenyls. Many of these compounds accumulate in human adipose tissue, where they presist for decades.

   Biphenyl A. which is used in production of polycarbonates and the other plastics, may play a role in the pathogenesis of diabetes. Bisphenol A is used in the manufacturing of inner surfaces of food and beverage cans. It is known to leach from these containers into food and beverages and create havoc with one’s system by causing insulin resistance.

   Scientists have deducted that exposure to ozone sulphates and early childhood exposure to cigarette smake can lead to diabetes, DDE, a breakdown product of the pesticide DDT, has been associated with diabetes. The DDE is probably being consumed from the fish caught in polluted waters.

   Scientists and researchers have been able to establish a link between persistent organic pollutants and insulin resistance. these organic pollutants include Agent Orange, DDT and other industrial and agricultural chemicals.

   These chemicals can disrupt fat metabolism, thereby leading to lowered HDL or lower good cholesterol levels. Fatty acid metabolism, glucose metabolism and insulin resistance are closely linked. The variety of changes at the cellular levels could contribute to diabetes.

   It is well known fact that stress is one of the biggest factors causing diabetes. Pollution causes stress, which causes inflammation, which result in insulin resistance thus leading to diabetes. Interestingly the diabetic increases have been most noticeable in urbanized areas, where people are most exposed to bad air.



Diabetics Avoid These Foods Now

26 01 2010

   Diabetes is caused by excessive glucose in the blood and it is one of the most common chronic disease in the adult and child. Most of the persons even don’t know that they have this disease. With India having highest number of diabetic people, this disease is converting itself from epidemic to pandemic. Thanks to our hectic life style and bad habits which are working as a fuel to the fire.

   Our body uses glucose as a source of energy. After we have our meal the amount of glucose increase in our blood. A special type of enzyme called insulin converts this glucose to the energy and after that conversion the level of sugar in our blood comes to normal. But in a diabetic person either pancreas cell either don’t make insulin or unable to use insulin. Without insulin our blood can absorb glucose directly and this excess glucose accumulated in the blood cell and can cause harm to blood vessels, eyes and nerves.

   Food is primary source of energy and it plays an important role in determining the level of sugar in the blood. Having diabetes it is essential for you to plan your diet meticulously. For this first step would be to consult with your doctor or physician regarding the diet. Your foods should be:

1. Low in fat…

2. Low in sugar…

3. Low in salt…

4. High in fiber…

    Now this could be a daunting task for a diabetic person who is used to of having all of this. But nothing is above your health and if you want to get rid of this diabetes then you have to adopt an balance diet. Eat alot of fruits which is rich source of fiber. Fruit dissipates energy in the blood in a controlled manner. Eat vegetables like onion, garlic, ginger, radish, spinach, kale, cucumber, carrot, tomato, cabbage and cucumber are excellent in the treatment of diabetes. Drink alot of water and Exercise daily. A little exercise helps the blood cells to use insulin effectively.

   Food To Avoid:

Sugar Rich Food; Sugar rich food is scurge of the disease hence it is advised to ignore those food which are high carbohydrate like- ice cream, donuts, pastries, chocolates, cookies, artifical sweeteners.

High Cholesterol Food: High cholesterol food like egg yolks, high fat dairy products, poultry, should be avoided because it makes a person vulnerable to the heart disease by increasing the bad cholesterol in presence of diabetes.

Alcoholic beverages: Consumption of excess alcohol can damage the liver which is responible for storing the glucose in the body hence should be strictly avoided.

Fried Food: Friend Food increase bad cholesterol in the blood and hence it should be avoided and if you are planning to have this then fried it in olive oil.



Blueberry and Diabetes…

25 01 2010

   Bilberry has been used for ages by human beings in medicines as well as jams and other foods products. It is related to blueberry and contains a chemical called anthocyanoside. It is a plant pigment with excellent antioxidant properties. They scavenge the free radicals (of which we hear so much these days), also known as damaging particles and help prevent or reverse damage to cells.

   Vaccinum myrtillus, or blueberry leaves were traditionally used as folk medicine to cure diabetes. The infusions of these leaves were used as medicines. Researches suggest that these leaf extracts can lower blood sugar levels experiments have been carried out on animals and have yielded positive results.

   Blueberry is another natural ingredient used to cure diabetes. It is used naturally to control and lower rising blood sugar levels in diabetics. The leaf has an active ingredient which is capable of making the body get rid of excessive sugar in blood. It is not only a good source to rid body of excessive sugar but also a good astringent which helps relieve inflammation of kidney, bladder and prostrate.

   It is very simple to make the infusion and the hassle free and inexpensive method makes it a very desirable, affordable and side effects free natural medicine. It is generally used by steeping two or three handfuls of leaves in cups of hot water for half a day. This infusion is then consumed throughout the day. Isn’t it a very simple and inexpensive method to rid one’s body of the harmful effects of diabetes?



Natural Alternatives For Diabetes…

24 01 2010

   People struggle with a myriad of health, related problems, among which are blood sugar levels. Pills are very slow to absorb into your system and their effectiveness may be marginal. Most all have drawbacks or side effects. Most people would prefer a natural approach if it provided the appropriate results. This article will reveiw some specific problems, provide basic tips for control and prevention.

   The number of people around the world suffering from diabetes has exploded in the last 20 years, from 30 millions to 43 million, claiming millions of lives and severely taxing the ability of health care systems to deal with this epidemic. it is predicted that in the United States, the number of people suffering  from diabetes will double over the next 25 years. There are many factors driving the growth in diabetes worldwide, but most experts agree that changes in lifestyle and diet are the chief culprits, in addition to genetic predisposition.

   The fundamental causes of diabetes are imbalances in the body that result in insulin resistence and problems with blood sugar control. The main driving factor of diabetes is poor nturient, calorie rich diets. This has led to a nation of overfed but undernourished people. There are so few nutrients in the typical diet that we now have an epidemac of nutritional deficiencies that promote the development of diabetes.

   Here are some basic tips to control blood sugar:

   1) Exercise regularly, When you exercise, your muscles require energy to maintain your increased level of physical activity. This energy comes from the breakdown of glucose, which the muscles extract from the bloodstream. By activating your muscle, you eliminate excess glucose in the blood and put that sugar to good use. Running, swimming or aerobic sports are great ways to lower your blood sugar.

   2) Eat carefully, When you eat “simple” sugars or sweets, you add an enormous amount of glucose to your bloodstream. Craft a diet filled with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fish and other lean proteins. Avoid fatty, salty and sugary foods.

   3) Avoid alcohol, which raises your blood sugar level and places undue strain on your liver.



Focus on Prevention…

23 01 2010

   With more and more hospital offering alternative healing methods, people are beginning to wonder whether or not natural medicine really does work. And by going Natural is actually the best thing you can do for yourself.

   First of all, pharmceuticals are the blessing the western medicine has gifted to modern civilization. Thanks to drugs, people now have cures for diseases once thought to be incurable, and many serious medical conditions are now treatable. But pharmaceuticals, when used to treat minor and chronic illnesses, can be more harmful than good.

    Lets face it as good as pharmaceuticals can be, they’re still main made medicine. And man made medicine, more often than not, simply isn’t meant for the body. While pharmaceuticals may cure the symptoms of a disease, it does little to cure the underlying disease itself. As a result, the disease becomes more aggressive the symptoms worsen, and the sufferer needs to take more damaging drugs.

   What’s worse, pharmaceuticals have became a big business for many companies. With the help of the media. Big pharma has very nearly brainwashed modern society into believing that medicines is the ONLY way to good health. This is far from the truth.

   People are healthy by nature. But because of enivornmental (pollution) and physiological (had diet, little or no exercise, etc) factors, foreign contamininants begin to invade the body and  upset its delicate balance. This is the beginning of disease, diagnosis and prescription a vicious cycle you’ll want to avoid.

   When you go natural, you work on restoring the balance inside you. This minimizes the likelihood of disease setting in, reducing the need for damaging pharmaceuticals in the first place. So start making little steps towards a healthier lifestyle you’ll avoid the downward spiral of disease and drugs that way.



How Does Diabetes Increase Risk of Heart Disease?

22 01 2010

   Heart disease is common in people with diabetes. While all the people with diabetes are at a high risk to develop heart disease, type 2 diabetes are more prone. The probability of dying from heart disease is dramatically higher in a persom with diabetes. So, while a chance of dying from heart disease, a person with diabetes has double or even quadruples the risk of dying.

   What Causes Heart Disease in People with Diabetes?

   Artherosclerosis, or hardening of the coronary arteries is the most common cause of heart disease in a diabetic person. It occurs because of a buildup of cholesterol in the blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrition to the heart.

   This happens due to high blood glucose levels that lead to increased deposits of fatty materials on the inside of the blood vessel walls. This build up of cholesterol usually begins before the increase in blood sugars that occurs in type 2 diabetes. When the cholesterol plaques can break apart or ruptune, it causes blood clots and blocks the blood vessel.

   This can lead to a heart attack. The same process can happen in all of the arteries in  the body, resulting in lack of blood to the brain, causing a stroke or lack of blood to the feet, hands, or arms causing peripheral vascular disease.