Simple Health Cures

   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.

    I bet you’ve of the following conditions and disease: high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, heart disease/ atherosclerosis, stroke, overweight/obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammation, cancer, plus wrinkles, ED and More!!!

   And when these conditions or disease turn up, I hear people bring up their family history/ genetics, normal aging, or both.

   The surprise is that all of these conditions and diseases are strongly influenced by lifestyle choices. The wrong foods (those lacking a balance of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants), and lack of activity are trial basis of declining health!

   Many experts agree that health is mostly due to the choices people make rather than genetics or family history: the choices you make each day are the most significant drivers of your health issues (about 70% of our health status is a result of our lifestyle choices as we get above 35 or 40). Even if genetics contributes to our health, you can’t change your genetics. What you can change is what you eat, how often, and how active you are!

   Refined Carbs and Inactivity the Basis of Disease?

   Let’s look at what happens when we eat common snacks or foods, such as chips, fries/fries foods, snack cakes, candy bars, white/refined or flavored crackers, cookies, soda/sugary drinks, and ice cream. ( I also include white carb: potatoes, bread, rice, biscuits, and well-cooked pasta).

    These food digest quickly because they are high-glycemic ( or sugar-like) foods. They cause a spike in blood sugar and glucose levels climb too high. We secrete insulin to bring the levels down ( if the pancreas is still able to). Did you know that high glucose levels are toxic to many tissues and organs? High-glucose levels irritate and inflame arteries, stress the pancreas ( insulin-producing cell can die), the liver ( which gets fatty from glucose storage), the brain and more! These foods can increase oxidative stress and inflammation which can spread. And they bring down your energy!

    The addictive quality of these carbs ( often including salt and unhealthy fats) cause us to crave more. The damage becomes chronic over time. Other processed foods are also part of this problem, from ketchup and barbecue sauce to salad dressings and so-called “low-fat” foods. These foods are common in our diets because sugar, refined carbs and high fructose corn syrup are everywhere in manufactured foods! Convenient but toxic in the amounts we are consuming ( about 150 pounds per year)!

    Many studies relate weight gain/obesity, high LDL cholesterol, heart disease, high BP, and cancer to high-glucose food consumption. What’s worse is that the spikes and drops of blood sugar cause hormonal and energy problems and we feel less motivated to be active when our energy is low. Less activity means glucose levels stay higher ( adding to weight gain), so being inactive/ not exercising contributes significantly to declining health and chronic disease.

    Less is More With Age!

   As we age, our ability to metabolize processed foods decreases, especially if we are less active. The solution is to simplify our food choices using more nutritionally-balanced, whole foods. Good choices are lean meats, fatty fish ( for omega-3 fats), soy beans and tofu, eggs and egg whites, nuts, veggie and greens, olives, avocados, beans, legumes, whole fruits, moderate amounts of healthy fats ( olive oil and omega-3 fats), and light amounts of dairy ( milk, cheese, etc).

    Avoid all hydrogenated oils/ trans fats ( read label and ingredients, they are very common), processed meats ( with nitrites, they are everywhere too). and only have red meat a few times per week.

   More nutritionally balanced foods like those suggested above will keep your blood sugar more level, especially if you have smaller meals every 3-4 hours ( that’s why non-carb snacks are important). That will help to balance your blood sugar all day long. Your energy will climb and you will feel better. We are made to move, not slump in a recliner for hours at a time! Our bodies suffer when we become inactive, including emotionally!

    The Choice Is Yours!

   It’s no longer a question of whether our lifestyle choices are contributing to, or causing most of the health conditions and chronic diseases we face today. Most health experts agree: they do.

    Why not decide to feel better today? It’s easier than you think! Just make one small change every week or two. Start by switching to non-carb snacks, and begin to work in light activity as you go. Increased activity gets the body moving which can help burn excess glucose and keep muscles leaner and organs more healthy. Build on things you like to do already ( biking, walking, dancing, swimming, gardening, etc). You’ll feel more like a well-tuned engine in a few weeks. Start with 10-15 minutes and work toward 15-30 minutes 4-5 times per week when you can.

   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.

   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.

   It is scary but true that some of us may be suffering from one of the most common but often overlooked diseases without our knowledge. It is a disease caused by one’s body’s inability to breakdown the food one eats, and one out of three people suffer from this condition. This peculiar condition is called insulin resistance.

   Insulin has three main roles:

1- Regulate the liver from releasing too much glucose. When there is enough glucose in the blood, insulin tells the liver to shut down its production of glucose.

2- Allows glucose to enter the cells by opening the doors of the cells. Later the glucose can be turned into energy.

3- Directing some of the glucose to be stored back into liver and muscle and directing the extra food to be stored as fat.

   In case of insulin resistant body the liver continues to release glucose. There is also a defect in how glucose is transported inside the cell and how it is utilized inside the cell.

   Insulin resistance is caused largely due to over consumption of refined carbohydrates like breads, pasta, cookies etc. Eating too much saturated fat and omega-6 fatty acids also seems to increase the risk of insulin resistance.

   Insulin levels remain chronically high and cells become less responsive and resistant to insulin, if not taken care of. As a consequence, relatively little glucose gets burned and levels remain high. With chronically elevated glucose levels, insulin resistance evolves into diabetes.

   To combat insulin resistance one most exercise regularly, lose weight and stop smoking. Physical activity increases body’s sensitivity to insulin. Losing weight has shown to decrease insulin resistance. Since smoking contributes to insulin resistance it is of utmost importance to quit smoking to improve one’s health.

   Eat healthy and exercise well is therefore the mantra to beat insulin resistance.

   The benefits of exercise in terms of fitness and staying healthy are well known to diabetic as well as normal people. In case of a diabetic exercise plays an important role in regulating the insulin within the body. When a diabetic person works out, his body doesn’t readily insulin from the pancreas due to a drop in glucose levels.

   This self regulation of insulin due to exercising reduces a diabetics dependency on insulin injections. Thus the right combination of exercise and nutrition can e an alternative medicine to cure diabetes.

   Regular exercise over a substantial period of time is known to reduce overall insulin requirements in a diabetic. Besides this, as muscles become trained due to regular exercise they improve their internal storage of glucose, which feeds back into the amount of glucose demand exercise and thus controls the entire cycle and reduces insulin dependency in a diabetic.

   Insulin is also known to maintain glucose levels within circulatory systems. Unregulated glucose levels are known to cause serious life threatening situations in case of diabetics suffering from diabetes mellitus. These insulin levels can be controlled through exercise and as a natural cure they can be beneficial in managing diabetes.

   Diabetes is disorder of metabolism. It is also known as an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin producing beta cells in the pancreas. Pancreas is an organ located just behind the stomach. It produces the right amount of glucose. Pancreas ensures and maintains a constant level of glucose.

   The glucose levels in the blood stream make the pancreas release just the right amount of insulin thereby maintaining an even amount of glucose at all times. Whenever the glucose levels in blood stream rises, the pancreas receive a signal to release insulin.

   Mostly, insulin resistance causes abnormal pancreatic functioning. One of the first causes of diabetes is wearing out of pancreas in its attempt to lower blood glucose levels by producing increased amounts of insulin. A diabetic suffers because of failure of pancreas to produce insulin which result in rising of blood glucose levels above normal conditions.

   Due to insulin’s inability to open cells for glucose to leave blood stream: glucose starts building up in tissue like kidneys, eyes, heart and  around nerve endings which leads to serious long term and short term complications. Thus the proper functioning of pancreas plays an important role in warding off diabetes.

   The benefits of exercise in terms of fitness and staying healthy are well known to diabetic as well as normal people. In case of a diabetic exercise plays an important role in regulating the insulin within the body. When a diabetic person works out, his body doesn’t readily release insulin from the pancreas due to a drop in glucose levels.

   This self regulation of insulin due to exercising reduces a diabetic’s dependency on insulin injections. Thus the right combination of exercise and nutrition can be an alternative medicine to cure diabetes.

   Regular exercise over a substantial period of time is known to reduce overall insulin requirements in a diabetic. Besides this, as muscles become trained due to regular exercise they improve their internal storage of glucose, which feeds back into the amount of glucose demand during exercise and thus controls the entire cycle and reduces insulin dependency in a diabetic.

   Insulin is also known to maintain glucose levels within circulatory systems. Unregulated glucose levels are known to cause serious life threatening situations in case of diabetics suffering from diabetes mellitus. These insulin levels can be controlled though exercise and as a natural cure they can be beneficial in managing diabetes.

    Insulin is a hormone that is produced in the human body by the pancreas. It is released in the blood each time we eat a meal to help digest the glucose that the food release into the blood stream. This means that the glucose is prevented from sticking around in the blood and causing troubles to the body.

   In a diabetic person the body either does not produce the insulin in the right amount or is resistant to the insulin produced. If he is resistant to insulin it is type 1 diabetes, and if the body is unable to provide enough insulin it is called diabetes type 2. This is why he has to be given some insulin therapy.

   The articial insulin allows the body to control the blood glucose level. However one has to be very careful about the correct dosage of insulin needed by the body. This is why regular blood sugar teats are neede to be done by diabetic person.

   If the body has a higher level of insulin than normally needed other problems can crop up. One of the quickest conditions to manifest itself is high blood pressure. Another condition which comes about from insulin resistance is the weakening of bones as in osteoporosis.

   So you can see that too much or too little of the hormone insulin can cause a number of problems for the person. It is advised to consult a doctor and get blood tests done regularly to deal with the menace of diabetes and insulin. 

   Have you or a loved one been recently diagnosed with diabetes? Don’t panic about this. There is no reason why you or your dear one should not continue to live a long and fruitful life. The few steps that you take today will affect the way your health will be a few years from now. So here are the three steps that you need to do Now.

   1. Consult doctor: After the diagnosis you must get your doctor or health care provider to help you understand just how the disease is likely to affect your life. Get educated about the symptoms and try and understand what it is that you are dealing with. As they say forewarned is forearmed.

   2. Diet: The most drastic change in your life with diabetes will come in the foods that you can and cannot eat. Some restrictions will be easier than others. You will need to junk the fast food and start eating green leafy vegetables. There will be a focused shift on eating and cooking healthier food at home.

   3. Exercise: This is the only way that you can truly regulate the blood sugar levels in your body. Pick a form of exercise that you will be able to do every day. It does not have to be fancy or burn excessive calories. It needs to be regular. The easiest thing to do is go for a walk each day. This will help burn up all the extra glucose in the blood stream.

   If you watch what you eat and get exercise there is no reason why you will have to fear your regular visits to the doctor. Diabetes does not affect the quality of your life adversly.