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Top Five Ways to Prevent Diabetes

FitSugar — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 03:30:00 -0800

I just read that the rate of diabetes in the US has doubled in the last decade. If you thought diabetes was a disease that only older people needed to worry about, you should think again. About 90 percent of the new cases of diabetes are the type 2 variety, which is the form of diabetes linked to obesity. There are many ways you can cut your risk, by up to half, by being a little proactive. Here are some suggestions from Care2.

Get as close to your ideal weight as possible. Carrying extra pounds poses a huge risk when it comes to developing diabetes. More than 80 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight.
Include regular exercise in your schedule. Not only will exercising keep your weight down, but it also strengthens your immune system. Working out regularly, at least four hours a week, can significantly lower your risk for diabetes.
Watch those hot dogs and cheese. A diet high in saturated fat can raise the LDL (bad) levels of cholesterol in your body. This can lead to heart disease and also affect blood sugar levels for some people. So limit the animal products you consume.

To find out what else you can do,

Carrying a Few Extra Pounds May Not Be a Bad Thing

FitSugar — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 09:30:00 -0800

Well, this news has come in just in time. Now that candy-driven Halloween is over and we're preparing to gorge ourselves on Thanksgiving, a new study shows that being 25 pounds overweight doesn't appear to raise your risk of dying of cancer or heart disease. Having a little extra weight may help you to survive various illnesses such as emphysema, pneumonia and certain injuries. Those between the ages of 25 and 59 benefit the most from being a little chubby.

Researchers aren't sure why extra padding may help. Some say that extra weight may provide “additional nutritional reserves.” University of South Carolina obesity researcher Steven Blair, believes that it's possible to be fat and fit. He feels that Americans have been slapped in the face by fears of the obesity epidemic. While it's true that many Americans are obese, the number of deaths attributed to it has been exaggerated.

There's more to this study though. To hear about it then

Randy Jackson Raising Awareness About Diabetes

FitSugar — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 07:30:00 -0700

What's up dawg? Did you know that "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about five years ago? He has it under control now, since he lost 110 lbs through gastric bypass surgery, improved his diet, exercises, and sees his doctor regularly. Back then, though, he had no idea. He was feeling really rundown and had a high fever, almost like he had a cold, and when he finally saw a doctor, he found out the surprising news.

Over 21 million Americans suffer from diabetes, and Randy has become the spokesperson for the American Heart Association's The Heart of Diabetes campaign. He's hoping to raise awareness about type 2 diabetes, since one third of the people who have it don't even know it (just like him).

It's important to know if you have type 2 diabetes since heart disease is the number one complication, and we all know you don't want to mess with heart disease. This new campaign, The Heart of Diabetes, hopes to encourage people to pay attention to possible diabetic symptoms. Catching the disease early can greatly reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. So see your doctor if you are experiencing these symptoms: feeling overly exhausted, thirsty, hungry, urinating frequently, or losing weight without trying.

Fit's Tips: Are you putting yourself at risk for type 2 diabetes? Read this post to find out.

Source

Another Reason to Not Drink Soda: Diet or Regular

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 02:00:00 -0700

You all should know by now that I am not a fan of soda. It is not good for your teeth or your bones and a new study has found that it may not be good for your heart.

This study found adults who drink one or more sodas a day, diet or regular, had about a 50 percent higher risk of a cluster of factors that increases the chance of having a heart attack or stroke and developing type 2 diabetes. Those zero calorie drinks are not as innocent as they appear. Some of the symptoms considered part of the metabolic syndrome are: excessive fat around the waist, low levels of “good” cholesterol, high blood pressure as well as other symptoms.

The study involved 6,000 multi-generational women and men who were tracked for over 4 years. At the start of the study, all the participants were healthy with no symptoms of the syndrome. Researchers speculate that even no-calorie sweet drinks increase the craving for more sweets, and that people who indulge in sodas probably have less healthy diets overall.

To read more on this study visit MSNBC. And think about cutting back on the sodas. Not only are they full of empty calories, they appear to be dangerous as well.

Source

How Do I Maintain Healthy Blood Sugar Levels?

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 03:00:00 -0700

High levels of blood sugar have been linked to cancer in women. Knowing the importance of keeping blood sugars in target range, The World Cancer Research Fund has come up with a few simple, but important, tips on maintaining a healthy blood sugar:

The most important thing is not to become overweight. If you are overweight, then you should lose weight. This can be done through having a general healthy diet and be regularly physically active.
Always go for the wholegrain option. Replace white rice with brown rice, and make sure your pasta is whole wheat.
Cut down or completely stop having sugary snacks like sugary fizzy drinks and cakes. Temptation can be hard to resist, but cutting these out of your diet is a great step towards maintaining healthy blood sugars.
Make sure you get as many vegetables into your diet as you can. It's particularly easy to get your vegetable quota by chopping vegetables up and putting them into sauces.
Be as physically active as possible - it doesn't have to be exercise at the gym, but even walking instead of driving, or taking the stairs instead of the ~~lift~~ elevator, can really help.

Insulin IS a Hormone

FitSugar — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 03:30:00 -0700

There is so much in the news about Diabetes these days, especially since Type 2 Diabetes is on the rise and the number of new cases seems to be sky rocketing. Since yesterday was American Diabetes Alert Day , I wanted to learn a bit more about the disease. I thought I should start at the beginning, go to the source as they say, and figure out what insulin is and what it does.

First off, insulin is a hormone that is produced in an area of the pancreas known as the Islets of Langerhans hence its name - insulin is derived from the Latin word insula meaning island. Hormones are chemical messengers bringing "information" from one cell to one or more other cells. Inuslin helps move glucose (aka energy) around our bodies, from the bloodstream to individual cells. Cells require glucose for movement, growth, repair, and other functions. It acts as a messenger between the bloodstream and cells, helping the cells absorb energy.

Insulin also regulates carbohydrate metabolism, the breakdown of carbs primarily into glucose. It effects fat metabolism as well.

When glucose enters our blood, the pancreas should automatically produce the right amount of insulin to move glucose into our cells. Type 1 diabetes (previously called juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes) is a disorder of the body's immune system that results from the pancreas not producing any insulin. Type 2 diabetes (previously called adult onset diabetes) results when the body doesn't respond appropriately to insulin, a condition called "insulin resistance."

Are You Putting Yourself at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes?

FitSugar — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 09:30:00 -0700

When it comes to type 2 diabetes a lot of us take the it won't happen to me thought process but you may be putting yourself more at risk than you think.

Fitness Magazine has come up with a useful list of the top 9 risk factors for type 2 diabetes; some may shock you:

Watching two hours or more of TV daily. Raises your risk: 14 percent.
The fix: Limit TV time to 10 hours a week, and exercise. In the same Harvard study, this reduced diabetes risk by 43 percent.
Drinking one soda a day. Raises your risk: 83 percent.
The fix: Switch to water, diet soda or, even better, unsweetened tea, which research shows may actually protect against the disease.

There are seven more so

Get the Nutritional Facts: DietFacts.com

FitSugar — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 09:53:01 -0700

I love finding a good site that is devoted to helping us become more educated on the food we are putting (or contemplating putting) in our bodies.

This is why I love DietFacts.com! Originally started because the creator's father, who was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, was frustrated with trying to locate foods that fit into his newly prescribed diet. Not knowing the nutritional content of your favorite foods (restaurant and other) is a big problem for people with diabetes, and for anyone looking to eat healthfully or for those dieting. It's easy, it's free and it's full of great information.. Check it out at DietFacts.com.

March 8th is World Kidney Day Too

FitSugar — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 09:56:48 -0800

March 8th is a popular day, not only is it International Women's Day, but is World Kidney Day too. To celebrate this vital organ, I thought I would let you know that Web MD recently reported that chronic kidney disease is on the rise, especially among older adults and those carrying too much weight. The CDC believes that nearly 17% of U.S. adults 20 and older have the disease, and according to the National Kidney Foundation millions of Americans have no idea that their kidneys are not functioning properly.

Folks with diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure are at risk for developing chronic kidney disease (CKD), which includes conditions that damage your kidneys and decrease their ability to work properly. Since the kidneys filter your blood, you really want to make sure they are functioning. While twenty million Americans (1 in 9 adults) suffer from CKD, an increase of more than five-fold since 1980, another 20 million are at risk. Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a common, life-threatening illness that often goes undetected until very advanced, but it could be diagnosed early through simple tests.

The following tests are recommended by the National Kidney Foundation:

Blood Pressure - high blood pressure can damage small blood vessels in the kidneys. It is the second-leading cause of kidney failure after diabetes.
Protein in Urine - traces of albumin in urine is an early sign of CKD. Persistent amounts of albumin and other proteins in the urine indicate kidney damage. You want a score of less than 30 mg of albumin per gram of urinary creatinine (a normal waste product).

There's two more, so

The Glycemic Index and Your Blood Sugar

FitSugar — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 07:30:00 -0800

We've all been programmed to think of carbs as the bad guy but not all carbs are bad. However, carbs that spike blood sugar can possibly raise your risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, not to mention possibly cancer, acne and Alzheimer's and can cause weight gain. Carbs low on the Glycemic Index (GI) are the good carbs that produce only small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels. These carbs are often considered the secret to health (you reduce your risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes) and promote weight loss. Jean Caper, a nutrition researcher from the University of Sydney, gives the low down on controlling your blood sugar spikes with these foods:

Chocolate. Despite its high sugar, chocolate has a low glycemic index and doesn't cause blood glucose to surge. Even diabetics need not eat reduced-sugar chocolate. But note that high-calorie chocolate is a weight gain risk.
Bread. Beware: Some whole-grain breads spike blood sugar as much as white bread. Smart choices: coarse, dense bread with visible grainy bits; and sourdough, pumpernickel, soy or fruit breads.
Juice. Unsweetened fruit juices have a low glycemic index but are hazardous when overdone. Restrict a serving to 3/4 cup, dilute with water, or mix high-sugar fruit juices with low-sugar vegetable juices. Better yet, eat the whole fiber-packed fruit.

For the scoop on veggies, salad dressing and to learn which carbs most/least apt to spike your blood sugar

Prescription4Love - Dating Service for Chronic Condition

FitSugar — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 15:30:00 -0800

If you're single and have a special health condition, now there's a dating service specifically for you. It's called Prescription4Love - Dating Service.

Whether you have an STD like herpes or HIV, diabetes, cancer, IBS, infertility, allergies, obesity, deafness, if you are a recovering alcoholic, or have another special health condition, this online dating service allows you to find a friend or lover who understands what you're going through.

You can develop a supportive connection with a sensitive individual, who will know about your illness or problem right from the beginning, so your relationship will begin with honesty and trust.

Finding others with similar circumstances, interests, and goals is a natural desire for everyone. And now it's easier than ever.

It's free for now, but soon they will have a low monthly fee, part of which will be donated to charity.

Bee Sting Treatment? Too Painful To Imagine

FitSugar — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 15:15:00 -0800

Yikes! No way would I ever have thought anyone would let a bee sting them on purpose. For Liu a Chinese man suffering from diabetes, it was either bee stings or amputation.

Liu went to Xizhihe hospital in Beijing, where bees were placed on his foot and provoked to sting him, in an effort to rejuvenate the blackened, rotting flesh by flooding it with a rush of protein-rich blood.

Apparently in China, doctors believe this 3,000 year old practice of using bee venom can repair damaged cells, stave off bacteria, and ease inflammation.

Doctors at Xizhihe believe they can even cure liver ailments, diabetes, and cancers. But they admit that they don't really understand how it works.

And it only costs about $2.50 per sting, so bee sting treatment offers a cheap (yet painful) alternative to mainstream medicine.

But does it work? Well, after several bee stings and a course of orally-taken bee venom, Liu's foot is healing.

And since health care is so expensive in this area, customers are heading to small, private clinics like Xizhihe, where relief may be as cheap as a few bee stings.

Huma-Pen For Diabetics

FitSugar — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 15:15:00 -0800

James Bond like gadgets just got health conscious. Check this new gizmo out!!!

Scientists at Battelle’s Health and Life Science Division have designed an insulin injector for Eli Lilly that looks like a fountain pen and remembers how much of the drug you’ve taken and when.

The Huma-Pen Memoir hides a hypodermic needle and uses insulin cartridges. It records the dose, date, and time of the past 16 injections. The memory is a safety feature for diabetics because overdosing is life-threatening (they have to take so many injections a day, sometimes they forget when they've last taken one.

Want to know how it works? Put it on your stomach, push the top and hold it for five seconds. A fresh, half-inch needle is inserted for each use. Then you replace the cap after the injection.

The Huma-Pen, which was unveiled on February 2, will go on sale next week, costing only $45.

Coffee: The New Health Drink?

FitSugar — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 02:30:00 -0800

Think there's an over the counter drug that could lower your risk of Type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and colon cancer?

Well, there is, but you won't find it at the pharmacy. Try going to your local coffee shop counter to get a hold of this wonder drug.

As if you weren't already convinced that coffee belonged on a pedestal, this dark and dreamy beverage is beloved for its ability to wake you up, cure your headaches, and keep you regular.

And now, studies show that downing 1-3 cups of caffeinated coffee a day could reduce your risk of Type 2 diabetes by less than 10%. But having 6 cups a day cut a woman's risk by 30%. Talk about overtime at Starbucks.

On the same note, the more java you drink, the less likely you are to develop Parkinson's disease.

So feel good about brewing up a cup (or 2 or 12) because overall, research shows that coffee is far more healthy for you than it is harmful.

Fit's Tips: Sipping hot coffee throughout your day can cause small fractures in your teeth called crazes. They happen when your teeth expand and contract from exposure to hot foods or liquids. Try sipping your cup of joe all at one sitting to prevent this from happening.