Simple Health Cures

   Here is one of the biggest reasons to pay attention to your fitness: diabetes. For those of us that have been diagnosed with diabetes, it is crucial to have strong fitness goals. For folks who are overweight, engaging in a fitness program may slow or prevent the onset of diabetes.

There is an epidemic quickly spreading throughout the land. The disease is Type 2 Diabetes, also known as adult onset diabetes. While it has a different physiology than the juvenile onset Type 1, the implications over time can be just devastating.

Type 2 Diabetes can be brought on by any number of factors, not the least of which is a sedentary lifestyle that lacks any kind of fitness regimen. As the body works to process the excess sugar in a person who is living a lifestyle high in sugar and low in exercise, the pancreas eventually surrenders and decreases the amount of insulin it is normally able to produce. This has far reaching implications for the circulatory and nervous systems. In addition to the increased chances of heart attack and stroke, the damage to nerve endings can affect the feet and legs, sometimes with dire-consequences.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that if it is caught early enough, the onset Type 2 Diabetes can be slowed or even reversed with a change in diet and a steady fitness routine. it is well documented that engaging in cardiovascular exercise combined with some weight can have profound fitness/ diabetes implications. People have been able to stop taking diabetes or blood pressure medications altogether because they chose the path of fitness. Fitness goes up and the chances of diabetes goes down. It really is that simple!

Diet is also a big part of health picture. When you start a fitness routine, it’s important to give the body what it needs for energy and muscle building. Developing proper nutrition plan is key. This combination of good nutrition and regular exercise will work to greatly reduce your chances of developing diabetes.

Fitness is something that is only a worthy goal, but a necessary component of a healthy and active lifestyle. If someone told you that you could increase your lifespan by years and avoid the effects of a debilitating illness like diabetes, of course you would be interested right? Take the time right now to affirm your goal of a healthy, long, life. Doing so now will help you avoid the enemy of fitness: diabetes!!!

   Did you know that between 10% and 30% of the adult skeleton is replenished each year? This means you have an entirely new skeleton every 3 to 10 years! Red blood cells live for an average of 20 to 120 days, so every 4 months you have an entirely new blood supply! Skin cells live for 2 to 4 weeks, so you have entirely new skin every month! So what’s cool about that? Even if you have been contaminating your body with chemicals in your foods, prescriptions or over-the-counter drugs, fluoridated water or a polluted environment, you can reduce or eliminate your exposure to toxins, introduce healthy, whole-foods, and positive thoughts, and over time you will rebuild yourself into a healthier you, Naturally! Think of the people you’re seen who look amazing for thier age. You’ve seen the people who look better at fifty than they did at forty. Your body is constantly regenerating itself! By providing it with the nutrients, energy and rest it needs, your body can be revitalized too!

The Damage is Done? Many people are under the impression that years upon years of unhealthy living has created damage that cannot be undone. They feel that blood pressure and cholesterol drugs are inevitable. That’s both sad and untrue. As you just read, the body has an amazing ( utterly amazing!) ability to heal and regenerate. Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, M.D. and some of his colleagues and cohorts have proven ( yes… PROVEN!) that heart disease can be reversed with a whole-foods, plant-based diet. That’s reversed as in restored to good health with food!

Let Food Be Thy Medicine: Hippocrates was on to something. Your body is genetically preprogrammed for good health.  We interfere with the programming by providing an environment that challenge the healthy state. This includes polluted air, fluoridated water, chemically processed and preserved foods, and a stressful lifestyle. All of these things ( and more) contribute to the disease state. Providing your body with the nutrients it needs to build and maintain healthy cells and tissues is a great start on the path to health!

Naturally Amazing: Your body is naturally amazing. Notice, I said :naturally”. With all of the modern technology of today, it’s hard to remember that we are actually products of nature, made ideally, from natural things. I let this fact escape me for decades while I ate products that may have started out as something natural but became so adulterated with synthetic chemicals, one could hardly call them “foods” any longer. When I gained a thorough understanding of cell functions and how DNA works to produce thew proteins that comprise the body, I realized that to do this, cells need the products of nature, not the products of a food science laboratory

Beyond Food: For a long time I thought that food was all that was necessary for good health. I have since revised my philosophy to be more holistic. Granted, Food is absolutely the foundation to health, but one must reach beyond food to achieve holistic health: body, mind and spirit. Start with the best, healthiest, most nutritious food you can find. Aim to eat about half of your food in its raw, uncooked form ( to preserve precious enzymes and phytonutrients  that can be destroyed when cooked). Think beyond the fork and choose natural healing like herbs and massage. Act and think in ways that create good mind. Move your body for strength and detoxification. Get plenty of sleep, and give back to the plant!

Live in the Now: Start today. Years of unhealthy foods, thoughts, and lifestyles may have caused damage but luckily you were born with a repair kit! Give your body the tools to rebuild and experience the energy, vitality, and health that you were designed for!

   The quality of food we eat has a lot to do with how our bodies repair themselves. Through out the day, 65-70% of the calories we take in go to provide energy just to keep our bodies running. This is called our Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR), which includes energy needed to repair any damage to muscles that is created by resistance training, and damage from free-radicals. Free- radicals are formed when certain organic compounds in our bodies break down due to increased mental and physical stress.

    Now think of a building that is breaking down. Do we repair it with poor quality supplies? Do we repair it with used bricks, or concrete that has been shown to be defective? The same question should be asked of our bodies. When it is constantly being broken down, do we repair be as structurally sound as it would be with higher quality supplies?

    You may be asking, what does the quality of food have to do with our bodies repairing themselves? Don;t all foods have to meet the same quality standards? The short answer is yes all foods must meet the same quality standards. However, there are foods that exceed those standards. A higher quality food will supply more nutrients and higher quality nutrients than a processed food that barely meets quality standards. In other words, the human body was not designed to operate on low quality nutrients. An example of the difference between meeting and exceeding the standards would be comparing canned vegetables to raw vegetables. When foods are stored in cans, they are processed.

   Degradation of Food:

    By processed I mean degraded, broken down and they take less time to go through the digestive system. However, the degradation process robs us of many nutrients that higher quality foods provide. When you eat food and it goes through your digestive system, the food is degraded and broken down so that your body can use the nutrients within that food. This process begins in your mouth: Your teeth mechanically break down food while enzymes in the saliva help break down the food chemically. This makes the job of your stomach much easier. ( Be sure to chew food thoroughly!)

   It is very important for a diabetic person to have some basic understanding about foods for diabetics. There are foods that contradict with diabetes and can make you extremely sick and at the same time, there are foods that you should include in your diet that helps you in keeping your blood sugars level under control. This article will help you in getting basic understanding about  what foods you should avoid and what you should include in your diet for diabetes.

   First, we will discuss about the things that should be avoided with diabetics. It is important for a diabetic person to control his carbohydrate intake. The things that should be avoided include white bread, sweets, honey, corn syrup, white rice and food items that contain glucose, fructose or sucrose.

   Foods that are high in fats or sodium should also be avoided. It is always better to have such items in minimum possible quantities if you cannot avoid them totally. You should also limit your alcohol intake. It can aggravate your risk of getting affected with heart problems and may damage your liver.

   Lists of foods for diabetics:

   1. You must include such starch in your diet. Although white bread is not good for diabetics, still you should include enough starch in your diet. This should come from vegetables, pasta, cereals, breads and grains.

   2. Vegetables are very important part of all types of diets. These are great source of minerals, fiber and vitamins. Vegetables that are good for diabetics are spinach, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, green beans, peppers and tomatoes.

   3. Fruits are also important part of diabetic diet. They provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They are good source of carbohydrates as well. However, they should be taken in moderation. You can have your choice of fruits based on calorie count. You can include two or four servings of fruits like bananas, grapefruit. raisins, oranges, apples, mango etc.

   4. Milk is also very important for diabetics. It is the source of several important elements for the body. Diabetics should take low fat milk or yogurt made up of low fat milk.

   5. Meats are though necessary but diabetics should eat them in moderation. Meat substitutes should also be taken in moderation. This include all types of poultry and red meat. It also includes peanut, tofu, cottage cheese, cheese, fish and eggs.

   Knowing about the foods for diabetics is the best way to fight with this disease. It helps in keeping blood sugar level under control, lose body weight and in maintaining healthier life style.

   As any vegetarian will know, finding good quality, good testing protein sources in oppose to meats can be tough. Meats and fish are the most popular sources of protein without a doubt, but does that make them the best? The answer is No. In this article I will present you with a few protein filled alternatives, which can surely give meat and fish run for their money. The first alternative we will talk about could actually be mistaken for piece of meat.

   In fact it looks like meat so mush that it has been given a nickname “wheat-meat” due to its meaty texture and its wheat content. The product is called seitan, and its made mostly from ground wheat. A small piece of seitan ( around 4 oz) can be packed with around 25 grams of protein, which is more than the average piece of meat or fish, plus it doesn’t break the bank as it is fairly cheap to buy. Another good source of protein for vegetarians is one which we all know of.

   Beans, lentils, chickpeas and black beans are amongst the most popular types of beans, and certain up to 15 grams of protein per cup , 15 grams of protein not enough? Well why not try soy beans, which can contain a massive 29 grams of protein per cooked cup. An interesting source of protein content, but with 5 grams of protein per cup, it’s definitely worth adding to your weekly shopping list. One problem with broccoli is that it is fairly fibrous, so it can fill you up quickly, so try not to reply on this entirely for a source of protein, but it is great to have as a side dish for your main course or a snack.

   You see, there are alternative out there for you vegetarians to get some good quality protein. Mix the foods mentioned above with some carbohydrates, fibers and fats, and you have yourself a vegetarian friendly balance diet. Your health is a paramount importance and you need to look after not only your own health but the health of your family too!

   Eating healthy is always a good idea. No matter what your ages, your gender or your constitution eating right should be a priority all your life. The right diet can help your body stay healthy and fit. it will help you regulate your own metabolism and be energetic all through the day.

   Cabbage: The humble cabbage is not a very popular vegetable. Yet it is one packed with very powerful nutrients and cancer fighting anti-carbonyl. Cabbage does not need to be always eaten to be useful. Cabbage leaves can also help treat acute inflammation when a paste of the raw vegetable leaves are placed around the affected area.

   Garlic: That tiny pod of white garlic can be one of the medicinal and useful parts of food you could ever eat. Garlic is well known for its medical properties such as being anti- bacterial, anti viral and anti fungal. Documented studies have proved that it also good for preventing heart disease as it helps in lowering cholesterol and high blood pressure.

   Onion: The onion is effective against everything from a common cold to coronary disease. It is beneficial in diseases such as diabetes and osteoporosis. Onions are often prescribed to women who are at a higher risk of bone disease. It is also a powerful antioxidant and has alleged aphrodisiac properties.

   Being diagnosed with diabetes is painful and scary. Diabetes occurs when a person’s body is not producing enough insulin. If you have diabetes, your body is not using the sugar or glucose properly and therefore, the sugar gets stocked up in the blood and is not used by the cells to manufacture energy.

   With this diagnosis comes the fact that you have to make changes on your lifestyle and diet. Since diabetes is a condition that is related so closely with the food we take, it is imperative that suffers take their diet plan seriously. proper nutrition as a diabetic should come as second nature and here we will be providing tips to help you identify the things that are good for you.

   The Food You Should Eat:

    Each diabetes patient has an individual diet plan but in general, you may eat about 60 grams of carbohydrates for each meal. You also need to eat more foods rich in starches and aim to eat at least six serving of this food group each day. Example of food rich in starch are bread, wheat, beans and starchy vegetables such as potato.

   You should also increase your intake of fruits and vegetables because these are rich in soluble fibers and can help slow down the process of glucose absorption. It will do you good if you eat lots of carrots, legumes, nuts and kidney beans. Eating these foods will also assist the digestive system in cleaning up your intestinal tracts. Needles to say, you need to reduce your intake of foods rich in sugar such as cakes and other desserts. These foods will only increase the sugar level in your blood and this is exactly what you are trying to avoid.

The Eating Pattern:

   Your nutrition as a diabetic entails that you need to maintain a regular eating schedule. What you have to do is to eat in the same frequency but control the portions of what you eat. Eat breakfast to store up energy for the day. At regular intervals, eat small meals and snacks about three times a day. Spread the interval per day and eat in smaller portions. This will prevent you from getting too hungry and overeating.

   While at this activity, you need to watch your calorie intake as well. If you regulate your calorie intake, you will have better control of you blood’s sugar level. To have a better idea how calorie intake is controlled, divide your plate into three parts: 1/2 and two parts 1/4. The half part should have non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli and carrots. The 1/4 part should have protein such as meat and fish. The other 1/4 should have starchy foods as potatoes, bread or pasta.

   Lifestyle You Should Live:

If you have diabetes you need to watch your weight closely because you are prone to complications. Weight control is a top priority because extra body fat makes it more difficult for your body to produce insulin.

    Another thing you need to give up smoking. If you have diabetes, you are likely to have blood flow problems in the arms and legs and these problems are associated with smoking. Smoking is proven to slow the blood flow and if this happens, the worst thing that can happen is to have your limbs amputated. Smoking will also significantly increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

   Diabetes need the same amount of nutrition as the others. Nutrition plays an important role in controlling diabetes. Eating raw foods means retaining enzymes in the raw food which are very helpful in promoting maximum health and digestion. This means a diabetic who eats raw food doesn’t just eat healthy but gets all the nutrients in the food too.

   Diabetes can be reversed by raw foods diet. It is an alternative medicine and helps cure and prevent diabetes naturally. Unlike the conventional medicines it focuses on natural cure and strikes the cause of diabetes. Raw food diet is a complete and whole food diet which gives diabetics maximum nutrition.

   Raw food is also low on sugar which makes it a prefect option for diabetics. Cooking destroys the nutritive values of food and it also kills the enzymes which are essestial for metabolization and digestion of food. Undigested food causes most of the problems in a diabetic’s body. Enzymes are the power of life. They conduct and direct every activity in a body.

   Other important nutrients like protein and vitamins are also destroyed in the heating process. When all the important life saving nutrients is killed by cooking, what one eats doesn’t do any good to body. Therefore to get maximum benefits of nutrients in food a diabetic should switch to raw food diet.

   You are what you eat. This is something which our parents and elders have been saying ti us for all our lives. The healthier food you eat the healthier your body is likely to be. It is actually common sense, but how many of us actually make that effort to stay healthy.

   On a ypical day it is easier to grab an energy bar and dump it in the bag than it is to pack a bunch of grapes. You can take a swig out of an earated cold drink bottle with much more ease than you can get fresh fruit juice to drink. It is the bane of modern living.

   We have a lot of things around us to eat and drink. However in that abundance of food there is hardly anything which is health or good for us. That is why we eat the wrong things all the time. Then we develop lifestyle disease such as diabetes and obesity.

   The simplest way to prevent lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, obesity or hypertension is by paying attention to you diet. The better your nutrition the stronger your defence against developing diabetes. So make sure that you eat healthy, nutritious food no matter how tempting it is to take the easy way out.

   Very often when we get stressed we start eating what is called “comfort food”. Such foods are generally high in fats such as ice creams or chocolates. This means that when you get stressed you eat food that makes you fat! Instead wouldn’t it be nice if you could eat something that made you more relaxed and did not make you gain pounds?

   Milk is high in antioxidants and can give a stress fighting start to the day. The proteins, calcium and vitamins B2 and B12 also give you a boost. Dairy product like cottage cheese is also a good way to get proteins without worrying about a blood sugar spike.

   Almonds are a great food to dig into when you feel stressed. The crunching will help you lose some aggression on a physical level and the Vitamin B2, Vitamin E will help solve the stress on a chemical level in the brain. You also get minerals like magnesium and zinc from almonds. Since they are high in fat don’t go overboard eating them.

   Tuna is also high in stress busting vitamins B6 and B12. It is also a good low fat protein source. Just don’t eat it with a dollop of mayonnaise. That would be over kill where fat and blood sugar are concerned.