Simple Health Cures

   We now have the key to a longer healthier life because we now know that insulin is perhaps the most important hormone in the body and its control is vital when it comes to how you age and how long you live. High insulin levels caused by a diet high in refined carbohydrates and not enough proper exercise is one of the primary causes of premature aging and poor health.

New research says that one in four of us is in a pre-diabetic state and does not know it. If this trend continues one in three of us will be diagnosed wit the devastating disease diabetes in our lifetime. Although you do not die from diabetes you can die from the damage it does do to the organs, tissues and cells of the human body.

Like most of us you have probably never given your blood sugar levels a second thought as diabetic were believed to be the only ones that had to worry about their blood sugar. But this is not so anymore as our sedentary world together with the wrong types of food and too much of them render us very susceptible to this nasty chronic disease that is now reaching epidemic proportions.

Right at the root of the problem is the fact that we have a total lack of muscular exertion in our daily lives which makes us overweight and immobile. Our muscle cells are where fuel ( calories) are burnt for energy so if we don’t use our muscle as they been designed to be used we are on a one way ticket to a download spiral of declining health.

When the muscle cells cannot uptake the blood sugar ( because they are already full to the eyebrows) more and more insulin is produced to try and reduce the levels in the blood and “push” it into the muscle cells so they shut down the receptors and say “go away.”

So now we have a dangerous cocktail of hig blood sugar together will high insulin circulating around the body with nowhere to go. This mix ends up in places it shouldn’t be and does insidious accumulative damage to the sensitive tissues of the brain, kidneys eyes, blood vessels and other important body parts.

The solution a program of health orientated strength training exercise 2-3 times each week. If muscles are well exercised to fatigue and diet is controlled by cutting out as many processed carbohydrates and eating more quality lean proteins the problem can be brought under control.

These two factors proper exercise and healthy eating have a lasting positive effect on metabolic activity within the muscles cells. The disease of diabetes is located primarily in the muscles when they become underused and have low energy requirements. So, their rehabilitation by strengthening and toning will inevitably produce a beneficial result.

Proper strength training exercise has a positive effect on our metabolism ( our body’s engine) increasing insulin sensitivity of the muscles, reducing blood pressure, improving glucose ( blood sugar) tolerance and reducing fatty tissue in and around the waistline.

In other words, a properly exercised body not only improves external appearance., it also improves health and reduces disease risk and it is within easy access of all adults. Our health really is in our hands but it does need our own personal participation.

   Diabetes is a disease that is characterized by high levels of glucose, or sugar, in the blood. The increased amount sugar in the blood is a result of either defects in the production of insulin or the way in which insulin is used by the body.

Complications from diabetes can lead to dozens of other medical conditions, such as kidney failure, peripheral vascular disease, blindness, neuropathy, gum disease, or heart disease

Type 1 diabetes the result of a lack of insulin production because of the destruction of beta cells in the pancreas. These beta cells are responsible for the production of insulin that regulates blood glucose. Researchers have found that there is a combination of genetic and environmental factors that increase a person’s risk for developing Type 1.

There is limited knowledge of the exact cause of type 1 diabetes but researchers do know that the body attacks the beta cells in the pancreas because of a mistake made by the immune system.

Type 1 diabetes the result of a lack of insulin production because of the destruction of beta cells in the pancreas. These beta cells are responsible for the production of insulin that regulates blood glucose. Researchers have found that there is a combination of genetic and environmental factors that increase a person’s risk for developing Type 1 diabetes.

There is limited knowledge of the exact cause of Type 1 diabetes but researchers do know that the body attacks the beta cells in the pancreas ecause of a mistake made by the immune system.

It is theorized that type 1 diabetes is caused when an environmental toxin or pathogen triggers the immune system to attack itself. Also, o may be at risk for Type 1 diabetes if you suffer from other hormonal problem such as hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s or Addison’s disease.

Type 1 diabetes can happen at any age but most often happens in children and young adults. This type of diabetes requires artificial insulin injections, This is why Type 1 diabetes is often called insulin dependent diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is also called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or adult onset diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is caused when the body still produce enough insulin but the body has become resistant to the effects of the hormone. This type of diabetes usually develops in middle age and in overweight/ obese individuals. It is most common in people who are older, obese, have a family history of diabetes or have had gestational diabetes.

There are specific risk factors that place people in a higher risk category for developing Type 2 diabetes. These risk factors include sedentary lifestyle, stress, infection, hereditary or inherited traits, age, poor diet high in carbohydrates and processed foods, obesity, hypertension and high triglyceride and cholesterol levels.

The main causes contributing to developing Type 2 diabetes are high carbohydrates diets and the sedentary “coach potato” lifestyle, which often leads to inflammation and obesity. Inflammation and obesity which are linked to increased insulin resistance in the body and poor functioning immune system.

The third type of diabetes which effects the glucose system is gestational diabetes. This is a diabetic situation that occurs in an individual who is pregnant and is believed to be caused by hormonal changes in weight gain.

When found early on in the pregnancy it is easily treated so that it does not effect the growth and development of the infant. Most women who develop gestational diabetes find that the condition disappears after the delivery of the baby. However, having gestational diabetes puts a woman at greater risk for developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.

Women that develop gestational diabetes can often have larger than normal babies. We’re talking 10 pounders here! Also, babies born to women with gestational diabetes tend to have low blood sugar levels after birth ( hypoglycemia).

Researchers and scientists continue to search for the exact causing factors of diabetes. The only reasonable treatment options available for individuals at this time are diet, exercise and medications.

Controlling your blood sugar levels is the most important aspect of diabetes management and care. The better controlled your blood sugar levels are the lower your chances of developing diabetic complications are.

   Natural healing is possible if you eat the right kinds of foods when you have diabetes. The trouble is we rarely bother with natural foods any more. The fast food which is processed and has hardly any nutritive value has become the food of choice for the present generation.

   There is a good chance that you will be able to bring your diabetes under control when you eat the naturally healing foods listed here. The herbs that are added to the foods are also beneficial. Start with increasing the legumes in your diet as they are high in fiber. Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce, green beans are all healthy foods that have a controlling effect on diabetes.

   Onions help reduce blood glucose and are blood alkalize rs. They help protect against arteriosclerosis as well. Avocado not only helps maintain an optimum blood sugar level but also reduces cholesterol and balances fat composition in the body. Celery helps to neutralize excessive acids produced by the body due to diabetes.

   Oil bearing nuts such as sunflower or squash seeds give you vitamins B,E and essential minerals. They also give you easily assimilated fatty acids. Another naturally healing food is wheat germ grass. It is extremely beneficial to drink its juice. Its composition is  akin to human blood and it is also called green blood.

   First let us consider what is insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreatic gland in the body. Insulin tends to impact the metabolism of the body along with most of the body systems. The absence of adequate amount of insulin can cause the person to become diabetic.

   What does the body need insulin to do? Insulin helps the glucose or blood sugar enter the cells and become diabetic.

   What does the body need insulin to do? Insulin helps the glucose or blood sugar enter the cells and become energy. The glucose gets drawn from the blood and stored in the liver and muscles of the body in the form of glycogen.

   This glycogen is readily available for the body’s energy needs. So the body uses this source of energy before it burns any of the fat stored in it. That is why it is so difficult for most people to lose weight by merely exercising and not controlling their diet.

   Insulin is needed in a balanced amount in the body and if there is too much of it, the body can actually be harmed. That is why if you are a diabetic you need to undergo regular blood sugar tests to see that your medication is at the right dosage. More of less of insulin are both bad for the body and may be harmful.

   Chances are that you have been diagnosed with diabetes every piece of advice you are offered will have something about exercise. The kind of exercising depends on you. So make sure that you pick a combination of exercises that actually interest you.

   As you are far more likely to stick to an exercise regime that you enjoy than one which seems like a punishment to you think about what you enjoy doing and its physically demanding. An activity like gardening may not seem like a convectional exercise but it can really help you stay fit.

   In a similiar way the number of calories you burn while dancing are almost as high as the number of calories you would burn in an aerobics class. While yoga is not traditionally considered an exercise, it does have some asanas which can actually benefit your diabetes.

   That is why all you need to do is exercise on a  regular basis and make sure that your body is depleting energy so that the blood glucose levels do not rise too high and cause complications. And to the person with diabetes the key is to keep burning calories so that the blood sugar level stay under control.

   Blood glucose needs to be controlled if you are suffering from diabetes. Being a diabetic person it is usually upmost in your mind on. some foods are better suited to keeping lower blood sugar levels than others. Given here is a set of seven such foods that tend to lower your blood glucose.

   French Green Beans- These legumes are best eaten steamed with salt and pepper. That way you will not miss out on any of the nutrients as they will not have been over cooked.

   Brussels Sprouts- Again best eaten with minimal processing or cooking. This is one healthy breakfast choice for the full family.

   Bean Decoctions- You can consumke bean decoctions and be sure to know that your carbohydrate level will not rise drastically or cause of glucose surge in the body.

   Lettuce- Don’t eat it as part of a burger and you will be fine. Tear up a head of lettuce and add some low fat dressing to eat and eat raw as a salad.

   Tomatoes- This is one versatile little food. You can use it cooked or chomp into to raw and still gain a whole lot of vitamins and minerals and practically no fat from it.

   Soya Bean- In the news recently thanks to a number of scientific research projects, this is one healthy food to log onto. Even if you don’t much care for tofu.

   Onion- It has anti inflammatory, anti viral and anti bacterial properties and it also lowers your blood sugar level. So get these into your plate right away.

   As a diabetic person it is essential to keep your blood sugar levels under strict control. Any burgeoning of the sugar level in the blood beyond acceptable level will result in complications to the health of the diabetic. One of the easiest ways to promote healthy blood sugar levels is by eating the right nutrients.

   Including the right type of foods and supplements in your diet can make all the difference between having health or facing repeated complications of health. A powerful nutrient to promote healthy blood sugars is banana leaf extract.

   The corosolic acid present in the banana leaf extract is needed in very small doses of 10 to 50 mg in a 1 or 2% concentration by the body. Studies based on the  effect of banana leaf extract on the body show that it tends to lower blood sugar levels considerably.

   In fact the excessive dose of banana leaf extract may lower the blood glucose level to the point of hypoglycermia. The corocolic acid imitates the function of insulin by aiding the absorption of glucose by the body. So you must be very careful about just how much of the banana leaf extract you ingest. It is best to take it in a supplement capsule so that there is no danger of an accidental overdose.

   Fasting affects the blood sugar levels in the body. As we eat three meals a day we get regular amounts of blood glucose released into the body to help us meet our energy needs. As a diabetic person you are advised to have smaller and more frequent meals in the day so that there is no sharp spike in the blood glucose levels after a large meal.

   While a spike in blood sugar is considered bad for those with diabetes, even a sudden drop is considered bad. This drop will occur if you go on a fast. Since there is no food coming into the body there is no glucose in the blood stream either.

   However if you have a spiritual reason to fast and are a diabetic you need to be careful. You can fast safely as long as you have no history of diabetic ketoacidosis and no current infections. You must also not fast if you are pregnant.

   Plus if your blood sugar is not in a well controlled state it may be wise to skip the fast. If you suffer from high blood pressure or angina it is not a good idea to fast. Take adequate preventive measures to avoid complications while fasting.

   The Prickly Pear Cactus has been used by anicient civilizations such as the Aztecs for medicinal purposes. They called it nohpalli and the mexican to date refer to the plant as nopal. The Chinese used the fleshy pad of the plant to dress abscesses.

   Indians use the fruit of the plant as food and even make a strup from it to treat whooping cough and asthma. In Italy the flowers of the plant are used as a diuretic. All over the world the prickly pear cactus has been used down the ages.

   Today the Prickly Pear Cactus or opuntia ficus-indics, is used for medical treatment of diabetes, cholesterol and the immune system. Recently a line of proprietary prickly pear extracts have been launched in America to support healthy blood glucose levels.

   These contain the extract of the pads and fruit of the cactus and are believed to reduce blood glucose levels by 50%. This is indeed exciting news for anyone who has diabetes and is struggling to get their blood sugar levels under control. Take conducted on 36 volunteers with type 2 diabetes have proved that the extracts do help lower the blood sugar levels after meals. However before you begin using the extracts consult your doctor.

   How do you know if you have an onset of diabetes and what should you do about it? There are some common symptoms which may or may not show up in your case, but if you have more than two of them it may be well worth getting the blood sugar tested. Heredity plays an important part in developing diabetes.

   Adult onset diabetes generally refers to any of the several hereditary forms of the diabetes disease. These are caused by the mutation in an autosomal dominant gene which is inherited from any of the parents. The mutant gene disrupts insulin production and causes a problem of digesting blood sugar, which eventually leads to diabetes.

   If your parents or grandparents have diabetes, it increases your chance of getting adult onset diabetes. So it may be a good idea to get a regular blood sugar test done to see if you have any high levels of blood glucose. Other symptoms include a weakening of eyesight, or a frequent need to urinate.

   You may also get numbness in the limbs caused by nerve damage. Or it may manifest itself as a sharp pain in the arms or legs. The severity of the adult onset diabetes is determined by a number of factors, and even if you do develop diabetes you can control it and live a normal life.