Soy… Diabetes

9 03 2010

   Soy is best known as the milk substitute for those unable to have dairy products, but there may more benfits that you are unaware of. A nutrition scientist called Young-Cheui Kim in the University of Massachusetts has done extensive research in the soy containing foods. The team has identified the isoflavones, which are bioactive compounds that lower the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

   This basically means that eating food rich in soy isoflavones will lower your cholesterol and blood sugar levels, besides improving the glucose tolerance level in people already diagnosed with diabetes. So it will bode well for you to eat foods that are rich in soy. The one food in particular which has been proved to be helpful is soy yogurt.

   The blueberry soy yogurt was the most effective in blocking the enzymes that aid in digestion of carbohydrates. This means that the food gets digested slower and the blood glucose level does not rise all of a sudden after eating a meal. This reaction was first aided by alpha glucosiadase inhibitor drugs, but if the same chemical reaction can be achieved in the body by eating soy yogurt, it is definitely a healthier option.

   While blueberry soy yogurt showed the maximum benefits, plain soy yogurt came in a close secord in the research. However even the soy yogurt contains enough carbohydrates to equal two slices of bread or that contained in a medium sized banana. So you will have to be careful about just how much soy yogurt your can consume.



Tomatoes and Diabetes…

16 02 2010

   The perfect red ripe tomato bursting with juices and rich flavor is appetizing and impacts great taste to food. Most of the people do not eat it in its raw form and cook it and consume it as gravies, sauces, and ketchups. The good news is that fortunately cooking brings out one of the important antioxidants in tomatoes, lycopene.

   Studies show that daily consumption of tomatoes fulfills the body’s daily requirement of minerals and vitamins and therefore exerts a protective effect on it. Daily consumption of tomates alleviates diabetes and reduces the oxidation, thus exerting protective effect against cardiovascular diseases.

   Platelets are responsible for the blood’s ability to clot. Clotting can go too far, however, and cause strokes, heart attacks and other life-threatening problems. In diabetes patients, platelets are stickier. As a result of this excessive “stickiness” for instance, people with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk atherosclerosis and cardiovascular problems, such as heart attack and stroke.

   It has been observed that lycopene in tomatoes act as blood thinners. The regular consumption of tomato has proved to decrease the levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. These lipids are the key culpits in cardiovascular diseases and lead to deposition of fats in the blood vessels.

   Tomatoes are low in carbohydrates and useful for diabetics who want to lose weight. They also control the amount of sugar in a diabetic person urine effectively.

   Besides that it also prevent urinary tract infection, reduces hypertension and improves vision. Vitamin K which is abundant in tomatoes is essential in blood clotting and controls bleeding. All of the abovementioned health problems are associated with diabetes and thus assert importance of including tomatoes in one’s diet to keep all the  abovementioned health problems at bay.



Super Foods For Diabetes

6 02 2010

   What are super foods? Science and research have anointed them as anti-stress, life expanding and disease preventing foods. They are legumes, fruits and vegetables that have been around forever. The super foods listed below can be quite beneficial to a diabetic.

Almonds and walnuts. Almonds and walnuts are rich in monosaturated good fat that contains many micro nutrients, Vitamin E and fiber. They are known to lower the risk of heart disease. In addition walnuts also contain omega-3 fatty acids which are known for their health benefits.

Blueberries and strawberries, besides being delicious, they are loaded with properties such as low in calories, rich in iron, fiber and Vitamin C and high in antioxidants.

Dark green, They are delicious, satisfying and rich in nutrients. If looking for calcium, folate, Vitamin C, potassium, carotenoids and fiber, your mantra should br GO GREEN. The choice is plenty, broccoli, soinach, kale, etc to name a few.

Beans, they are rich in protein, fiber slow metabolizing complex carbohydrates and folic acid.

Garlic, This spice lower cholesterol and blood pressure. It also reduces the risk of heart attacks and retards growth of harmful bacteria.

Yellow fruits, Apricots, sweet potatoes, citrus fruits, carrots, peaches and butternut squash. They are loaded with carotenoids, the powerful heart protectors. In addition they contain fiber, Vitamin A and C, beta-carotene and potassium

Fish, Wild salmon and other fatty fish caught in wild contain the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids that lower cardic risks.

Olive Oil, this monosaturated fat is beneficial in lowering cholesterol and fighting heart disease.

Dark chocolate, contains flavonols and antixidants that improve the flow of blood throughtout the body and reduce blood pressure.

Green tea, low in caffeine, and if drunk on regular basis it is known to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

If included in the daily diet theses super foods can improve one’s life phenomenally and help fight diseases.



How Does Nutritions Link To Diabetes…

1 02 2010

   What an individual eats is closely connected to the amount of sugar in the blood stream. Hence it seems only natural that the food choices one makes will be helpful in regulating the blood glucose levels. There isn’t a specific diabetes diet, what helps one is a designed meal plan.

   A meal plan tells an individual how much food and what kind of food one can eat. For most people who have diabetes a healthy diet consists of 40% to 60% of calories from carbohydrates, 20% from protein and 30% or less from fat. It should be low in cholesterol, low in salt and low in added sugar.

   Eating right is a key step to preventing and controlling diabetes. The key to a diabetes diet is eating in moderation, sticking to regular mealtimes, and eating a varity of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Although diabetes is on rise, most cases of diabetes are preventable through healthy lifestyle changes. In some cases through good nutrition diabetes can be reversed too.

   Here are a few guidelines for eating right:

1. What one eats makes a large difference to one’s health. It means including maximum plant food in one’s diet, cutting back on refined carbonhydrates and choosing healthy fats over unhealthy ones.

2. Eating on time is also  very important part of nutrition because sticking to regular meal times can affect blood sugar levels and can help in keeping them more constant.

3. How much one eats also matter. Portion sizes should be taken care of because overeating can increase weight which can have adverse effect on body since eight gain and diabetes are related.

   A diabetes diet is simply a healthy eating plan that is high in nutrients, low in fat, and moderate in calories. It is a healthy diet for anyone.



How To Reverse Diabetes NOW…

19 01 2010

   You are looking for a means to cure your diabetes naturally? A natural diabetes cure through alternative means will assist you to have power over that severe disease.

   As a source of diabetes treatment, the natural alternative such as diabetes herbal treatment in combination with a diabetes diet is a successful diabetes cure.

   By resorting to natural diabetes treatment, what some people don’t know is that it will not only be effective for you, it has also shows to be much easlier on people’s body as well as your budget.

   At the same time, the following instructions on diabetes treatment can be looked into as an alternative means of diabetes help, I would like to remind you that it is always best to check with your physician before trying whichever of these suggested natural diabetes treatment. It is very important if you taking prescription drugs that may respond to some herbs for diabetes, or else your physician may require to change the prescription according to the type of diabetes herbal treatment that you may decide on.

   The diabetes diets are a natural diabetes treatment. You have to check your carbohydrates and the amount of protein you eat. It is necessary for you to limit your carbohydrates consumption like flour, white rice, white bread, sweets etc, due to that they are the general causes of increased blood sugar level. Having to eat protein rich foods on the other hand, can be a good diabetes treatment as it assist to stabilize the levels of your blood sugar.

   Another one is by doing Exercise. Let me just tell you the truth, generally, exercise is very good for everybody even those who do not have diabetes. At the same time it is a good supports to loss weight. Exercise as part of your diabetes treatment will also keep your body in good shape and will be more  able to withstand or avoid any complications that might arise from being overweight and would help you to stay healthy and strong.

   The Ayurvedic herbs for diabetes are known to produce affirmative result in major diabetes treatments. History has shown that human being has turned to herbs as a source of cure for the majority of this disease. As natural diabetes cure like, Jamin, Gurmaar, bitter melon, Saptrangi even onion and garlic have been recognized to lower and stabilize blood sugar level. A number of these herbs for diabetes can be good remedies against infections of the skin that are connected with diabetes.

   For some people to be diagnosed with diabetes could be devastating. Nonetheless, with the correct instructions, specialized assistance from a competent medical doctor, and a number of natural diabetes treatment, diabetes can be put under control and in most cases, it is better to treat diabetes naturally because it has been tested.



Super Strategies for Acne

8 10 2009

   Most people with ance attempt to treat their irritated skin with external face washes, soaps, lotions and treatments. However, the best way to treat acne is by changing your diet and getting rid of acne-causing ingredients such as fried foods.

   A healthy diet rich in natural whole foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans is the first recommendation for treating acne. Foods containing trans-fatty acids, such as milk, milk products, margarine, shortening and other synthetically hydrogenated vegetables oils, as well as fried foods, should be avoided.

   It seems the prevalence of acne in the United States is built into the typical American diet. Americans tend to eat fried foods in large quantities, usually cooked in the most harmful of fats and oils. Not all fats are bad, but the fats that typical Americans eat make them more prone to develop acne and skin problems, such as what’s in ice cream, cheese, bacon, and milk.

   Ance cannot really be treated using creams and soaps because the root of the condition lies breath the skin. Pimples and blemishes are caused by bacteria and other irritants embedded underneath the skin’s oil glands and hair follicies, which are generally caused as a result of imporper hygiene and poor diet such as too much processes, fatty, fried and sugary foods.

   A skin healthy diet emphasizes raw and lightly cooked vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables that contain valuable trace minerals and are rich in fiber. Fresh green vegetables are essential. Also include in your diet lean protein sources and complex carbohydrates, such as rice, whole-grain bread, and potatoes. These fiber rich foods help ensure a clean gastrointestinal tract, which is especially important in the management of acne. Eat three healthy meals daily to provide important nutrients and to decrease your appetite for sugary or greasy fried foods. Food rich in Vitamin A, like apricots, watermelon, and broccoli, as well as foods like lean beef, nuts, beans and whole grains that are rich in zinc can also be helpful in reducing acne breakouts. It’s also imperative to drink lots of water to help flush the toxins out that contribute to breakouts.

  

  



Superfoods For fighting Flatulence

17 09 2009

   There are many causes for flatulence, such as overeating, eating too quickly, excessive consumption of refined carbohydrate or artifical sweetners, food allergies and intolerance, a deficiency of Vitamin B, excessive consumption of alcohol, emotional stress and parasites. One of the most common causes can be lactose, found in dairy products such as milk and cheese. Many other healthy foods can also cause gas, such as cabbage, beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, onions, cauliflower, whole wheat flour, radishes, bananas and apricots. Luckily, with some adjustments in our food choices and eating habits, the chances of this embarrassing malady can be greatly lessened or eliminated.

   Do not overeat, and chew food slowly. Try to identify if it is a certain food causing the problem and eliminate it from your diet. Try chewing a sprig of parsley after meals. Try lemon juice or apple cider vineager in water with your meal. You might also want to try sipping your drinks slowly through a straw in an effort to minimize the amount of air you take in during drinking.

   Do not overeat, and chew food slowly. Try to identify if it is a certain food causing the problem and eliminate it from your diet. Try chewing a sprig of parsley after meals. Try lemon juice or apple  cider vinegar in water with your meal. You might also want to try sipping your drinks slowly through a straw in an effort to minimize the amount of air you take in during drinking.

   Vitamin B complex, especially B3 (niacin) rich foods like light-meat chicken, tuna, salmon, turkey, enriched flour, peanuts, and fortified cereals can be helpful as they aid in the digestive process and in conveting food to energy.

   Yogurts that have acidophilus and peppermint oil in water sipped with the meal can also help with the digestive process. If the problems persists, you may want to try and eat proteins and carbohydrates in different meals.

   In addition, peppermint and fennel based teas are useful for occasional indigestion, particularly when there is flatulence and a sensation of fullness. Ginger has been shown to promote the flow of digestive juices, a normal process that supports the digestive system.



Healthy Diet Essentials Tips

15 08 2009

   According to the United States Department of Agriculture, a healthy diet as one that Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low fat milk and milk products: includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts, and is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars. But just what minerals and nutrients are vital to our health and well being? Consider these nutrient-dense foods when you’re looking to improve your vitamin and mineral intake.

   Vitamin A is needed for good eyesight and optimal functioning of the immune system. Cod liver oil, dairy products, sweet potatoes and dark green leafy vegetables are all great natural food sources of Vitamin A.

   Vitamin B1, also known as thiamin, is imperative to the body’s ability to process carbohydrates. Whole grains breads, cereals and pastas have high amounts of thiamin.

   Riboflavin, or B2, can be found in fortified cereals, almonds, asparagus, eggs, and meat. It’s used in many body processes, including conventing food into energy and the production of red blood cells.

   Niacin, also known as B3, can be found in lean chicken, tuna, salmon, turkey, enriched flour, peanuts and fortified cereals. It aids in digestion and also plays a key role in conventing food into energy.

   Vitamin B6 can be found in fortified cereals, fortified soy-based meat substitutes, baked potatoes with skin, bananas, light meat chicken and turkey, eggs, and spinach. It’s vital for a healthy nervous systems, and helps break down protein and stored sugars.

   Vitamin B12 is needed for creating red blood cells, and can be found in beef, clams, mussels, crabs, salmon, poultry and soybeans.

   Citrus fruit, red berries, tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, red and green peppers, cabbage and spinach are all loaded with Vitamin C, which is vital to promoting a healthy immune system and making chemical messengers in the brain.

   Vitamin D can be found in fortified milk, cheese, and cereal, egg yolks, salmon, but can also be made by the body from sunlight exposure. It’s needed to process xalcium and maintain the health of bones and teeth.

   Vitamin E functions as an antioxidant and is essential to your skin’s good health. Eat plenty of leafy green vegetables, almonds, hazelnuts, and vegetable oils like sunflower, canola and soybean to get this vital nutrient.

   Folic acid can be found in fortified cereals and grain products, lima, lentil and garbanzo beans, and darl leafy green vegetables. It’s vital for cell development, prevents birth defects promotes heart health, and helps red blood cells form. Pregnant women need to take special care to ensure they are getting enough of this for themselves and their developing baby.

   Dairy products, broccoli, dark leafy greens like spinach and rhuburb and fortified products such as orange juice, soy milk, and tofu are all loaded with calium. Like Vitamin D, it’s very important in helping to build and maintain strong bones and teeth.

   Organ meats, oysters, clams, crabs, cashew, sunflower seeds, wheat bran cereal, whole grain products and cocoa products are all high in copper, which aids in metabolism of iron and red cell formation. It also assits in the production of energy for cells.

   Iron can be found in leafy green vegetables, beans, shellfish, red meat, poultry, soy foods and some fortified foods. It’s needed to transport oxygen to all parts of the body via the red blood cells.

   Potassium can be found in foods like broccoli, potatoes( with the skin on) , prune juice, orange juice, leafy green vegetables, bananas, raisins, and tomatoes. It aids in nervous system and muscle function and also help maintain a healthy balance of water in the blood and body tissues.

   Red meat, fortified cereals, oysters, almonds, peanuts, ckickpeas, soy foods, and dairy products are great dietary sources of zinc. Zinc supports the body’s immune function, reproduction capabilities, and the nervous systems.

   Protein is the main component of muscles, organs and glands. Every living cell and all body fluids, except bile and urine contain protein. The cells of muscles, tendons, and ligaments are maintained with proteins. Children and adolescents requires protein for growth and development, and adults need it to maintain cell integrity. It can be found in foods like beans, milk and meat.

   The primary function of carbohydrates is to provide energy for the body, especially the brain and the nervous system. Complex carbohydrates are the best choice for a stable blood sugar level. Whole grain breads and cereals, legumes, and starchy vegetables are all good complex carbohydrate sources.

   Essential fatty acids play a part in many metabolic processes, and there is evidence to suggest that low levels of essential faaty acids, or the wrong balance of types among the essential fatty acids, may be a factor in a number of illnesses. Goos sources are fish and shellfish, flaxseed, canola oil, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, leafy vegetables and walnuts.

   Though this list is far from complete, it gives a good base of knowledge on which to build a healthy, well-balanced diet.