Recipes for diabetics are prepared by keeping in mind the health requirements of the diabetic person. If you have a sweet tooth, a low fat dessert recipe is a great way to treat your taste bud without worrying about weight or health problems. Low fat snacks for diabetics allow you to stick to your diet plan, yet enjoy tempting food.
When it comes to diabetes management, monitoring and controlling blood sugar levels become the chief concern of every diabetic person. If you have been diagnosed with Diabetes then one of the foremost things you should do is to have a good diet to prevent diabetes. You need to stabilize your blood sugar levels in your body and having the right kind of diet plan can surely help you in achieving this.
The inefficient use of insulin in the body is said to be the main cause of Type 2 Diabetes. It affects the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. One of the major symptoms of this disease is increased level of sugar in the blood. This is the reason that most diabetics are advised to eat low sugar diet and sugarfree desserts. In order to keep your blood sugar levels under control, a proper sugar free diet is very important. You should also choose foods high in fiber, like whole grain breads, fruits and cereals. These food items contain important vitamins and minerals.
Diabetics are encouraged to eat foods having a low glycemic index. The glycemic index ranks foods on how they affect our blood glucose levels. The higher the glycemic index, the greater an effect, a particular food has on raising your blood sugar. So diabetics need to eat foods with a low glycemic index. If you are planning to present a diabetic person with a food gift, it is very necessary to know the person's approved diet. There are many options available in the market for Food gifts for diabetics in the form of sugar free cakes and pastries. These foods enable the person to enjoy food without adversely affecting their sugar levels. You can actually take diabetic gift baskets for diabetics filled with goodies that are not harmful for their restricted diet if you choose the right food items.
A healthy diet along with regular exercises is vital for all the diabetic people in order to improve one's cardiovascular health, improve blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Always remember that making some small changes in your life if you have diabetes can surely help you to reduce your blood sugar levels for a longer run.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Diabetic Nerve Pain and Treatment
Blood sugar monitorsBlood sugar monitors
Diabetic nerve pain and treatment is something people with diabetes have to deal with at some point - Especially if they do not control their blood glucose levels. Many diabetics experience nerve damage, which is also called neuropathy (noo-rop-uh-thee). Nerve damage is generally caused by high blood glucose levels that damage the coating of nerves over time. The damage occurs throughout the body, but can be most devastating on the feet because:
• The blood has to travel the greatest distance to reach the nerves of the feet to supply them with nutrients.
• Diabetics tend to develop foot injuries without even noticing them because they can't feel their feet. This gives the injury more time to become infected.
Nerve damage normally occurs when the outer sheathing or the myelin (protective covering) of nerve cells degenerate. This is similar to an electrical wire that is covered with insulation, and the insulation is beginning to crumble. Without insulation the unprotected wire will start short-circuiting. This short-circuiting will cause all the unpleasant and painful sensations that people who are suffering from nerve pain go through. Diabetics will suffer from this nerve pain and it is a major complication of the disease. It is the higher than normal sugar levels that creates the damage.
However, if you control your blood glucose levels through diabetes medications or blood sugar meters, incorporating healthy diabetic diet menu, and daily diabetes exercises, chances are very good that you can prevent or delay the onset of complications that are associated with nerve damage.
Signs of Diabetic Nerve Damage:
• Pain, burning or tingling in the feet and hands Bathroom Scale with Built-In Foot Mirror
• Abnormal sweating
• Light-headedness when you stand
• Difficulty swallowing food
• Bowel problems and difficulty urinating
• Bladder and kidney infections
• Sexual problems, such as erectile dysfunction
Treatment:
The treatment for nerve damage often involves preventing the damage from ever occurring. Once the nerves are damaged, it can be difficult to recover their full functionality. Here are some tips to help you prevent nerve damage:
• Monitor and control your blood glucose levels through blood sugar monitors
• Exercise by wearing diabetes shoes for at least 30 minutes each day
• Monitor changes with your feet, such as loss of feeling or tingling
Contact your physician immediately if you think that you may have nerve damage. Catching the damage early may help to prevent complications and spreading. Remember, you can prevent nerve damage, but you cannot cure it.
Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetic testing supplies, including; incontinence products, women's diabetic socks, diabetic meals delivered, durable diabetes medical equipment, Digital Blood Pressure Monitor and facts about diabetes. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.
Diabetic nerve pain and treatment is something people with diabetes have to deal with at some point - Especially if they do not control their blood glucose levels. Many diabetics experience nerve damage, which is also called neuropathy (noo-rop-uh-thee). Nerve damage is generally caused by high blood glucose levels that damage the coating of nerves over time. The damage occurs throughout the body, but can be most devastating on the feet because:
• The blood has to travel the greatest distance to reach the nerves of the feet to supply them with nutrients.
• Diabetics tend to develop foot injuries without even noticing them because they can't feel their feet. This gives the injury more time to become infected.
Nerve damage normally occurs when the outer sheathing or the myelin (protective covering) of nerve cells degenerate. This is similar to an electrical wire that is covered with insulation, and the insulation is beginning to crumble. Without insulation the unprotected wire will start short-circuiting. This short-circuiting will cause all the unpleasant and painful sensations that people who are suffering from nerve pain go through. Diabetics will suffer from this nerve pain and it is a major complication of the disease. It is the higher than normal sugar levels that creates the damage.
However, if you control your blood glucose levels through diabetes medications or blood sugar meters, incorporating healthy diabetic diet menu, and daily diabetes exercises, chances are very good that you can prevent or delay the onset of complications that are associated with nerve damage.
Signs of Diabetic Nerve Damage:
• Pain, burning or tingling in the feet and hands Bathroom Scale with Built-In Foot Mirror
• Abnormal sweating
• Light-headedness when you stand
• Difficulty swallowing food
• Bowel problems and difficulty urinating
• Bladder and kidney infections
• Sexual problems, such as erectile dysfunction
Treatment:
The treatment for nerve damage often involves preventing the damage from ever occurring. Once the nerves are damaged, it can be difficult to recover their full functionality. Here are some tips to help you prevent nerve damage:
• Monitor and control your blood glucose levels through blood sugar monitors
• Exercise by wearing diabetes shoes for at least 30 minutes each day
• Monitor changes with your feet, such as loss of feeling or tingling
Contact your physician immediately if you think that you may have nerve damage. Catching the damage early may help to prevent complications and spreading. Remember, you can prevent nerve damage, but you cannot cure it.
Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetic testing supplies, including; incontinence products, women's diabetic socks, diabetic meals delivered, durable diabetes medical equipment, Digital Blood Pressure Monitor and facts about diabetes. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Blood Glucose Test for Diabetes – Reference Ranges
Blood glucose meters Most diabetics will be familiar with the terms blood glucose, blood glucose test, blood glucose level and blood sugar meters>, but what does blood glucose really mean? Why do blood sugar levels need to be controlled?
If you've done a blood glucose test through glucose testing meters and the lab technician has highlighted some of the results or marked them with an asterisk, you probably want to know what constitutes a normal, below normal or abnormal blood glucose test results. So today let us discuss blood glucose tests reference ranges.
The result of any blood glucose test in a clinical lab is compared to a "reference range". This simply means that the result of the blood glucose test must be considered in the context, without which the test is meaningless. To interpret what is normal for you, the doctor must know what is considered normal for people of your age and what activity was done before the test was conducted. For example, when you receive the results of your blood glucose test, your doctor might say something like, "Your blood glucose test was out of normal range."
So, what is a reference range and what can be considered "normal"? Some laboratory tests give a simple yes or no result. Suppose you had a test done for strep throat, the result of the test would show if you have the infection or not. But most other tests are not so simple in that the meaning of the result will depend on the context. The lab report for your blood glucose test for example, will typically show your result followed by the reference range. This reference range is established by testing a large group of healthy people and study what appears to be ‘normal' for them.
The normal fasting blood glucose level is about 70-99mg/dL or 3.9 to 5.5mmol/L. So if your blood glucose test result reads 100-125mg, ref. range 70-99mg/dL, it means that your blood glucose level is above the normal range. When the doctor in the example above said your blood glucose test was above the normal range, he is referring to the normal blood sugar level in context with the normal reference range for fasting blood sugar. Blood sugar levels above the normal range usually indicate a medical problem. If your blood glucose tests consistently show high levels of blood sugar, it may signify a pre-diabetic stage.
There are however many factors affecting your blood glucose test results. It could be factors like anxiety or stress, excessive intake of alcohol, caffeine, etc. Therefore, it is essential to take the blood samples in a standardized fashion. Hence, it is important to comply with the doctor's instructions to prepare for your blood glucose test, like coming in first thing in the morning to draw the blood through high quality blood glucose meters before eating anything. This ensures that your blood sample is close to the parameters of the reference group, which is crucial for the accuracy of the test results.
Although your blood glucose test report may show the result in comparison with the reference range, your doctor will need to interpret those results in relation to your health status and physical evaluation based on his personal knowledge of your medical history. He would need to determine if the result falling outside the reference range does indeed mean something significant for your individual health status or not.
Also known as: Fasting blood sugar (FBS), Blood sugar; Fasting blood glucose (FBG), Blood glucose, Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT), Urine glucose and blood glucose tests
Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetic supplies, including; heart rate monitor watch, sugar free candies, delivered prepared meals, durable diabetes medical equipment, and body fat scales and facts about diabetes. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.
If you've done a blood glucose test through glucose testing meters and the lab technician has highlighted some of the results or marked them with an asterisk, you probably want to know what constitutes a normal, below normal or abnormal blood glucose test results. So today let us discuss blood glucose tests reference ranges.
The result of any blood glucose test in a clinical lab is compared to a "reference range". This simply means that the result of the blood glucose test must be considered in the context, without which the test is meaningless. To interpret what is normal for you, the doctor must know what is considered normal for people of your age and what activity was done before the test was conducted. For example, when you receive the results of your blood glucose test, your doctor might say something like, "Your blood glucose test was out of normal range."
So, what is a reference range and what can be considered "normal"? Some laboratory tests give a simple yes or no result. Suppose you had a test done for strep throat, the result of the test would show if you have the infection or not. But most other tests are not so simple in that the meaning of the result will depend on the context. The lab report for your blood glucose test for example, will typically show your result followed by the reference range. This reference range is established by testing a large group of healthy people and study what appears to be ‘normal' for them.
The normal fasting blood glucose level is about 70-99mg/dL or 3.9 to 5.5mmol/L. So if your blood glucose test result reads 100-125mg, ref. range 70-99mg/dL, it means that your blood glucose level is above the normal range. When the doctor in the example above said your blood glucose test was above the normal range, he is referring to the normal blood sugar level in context with the normal reference range for fasting blood sugar. Blood sugar levels above the normal range usually indicate a medical problem. If your blood glucose tests consistently show high levels of blood sugar, it may signify a pre-diabetic stage.
There are however many factors affecting your blood glucose test results. It could be factors like anxiety or stress, excessive intake of alcohol, caffeine, etc. Therefore, it is essential to take the blood samples in a standardized fashion. Hence, it is important to comply with the doctor's instructions to prepare for your blood glucose test, like coming in first thing in the morning to draw the blood through high quality blood glucose meters before eating anything. This ensures that your blood sample is close to the parameters of the reference group, which is crucial for the accuracy of the test results.
Although your blood glucose test report may show the result in comparison with the reference range, your doctor will need to interpret those results in relation to your health status and physical evaluation based on his personal knowledge of your medical history. He would need to determine if the result falling outside the reference range does indeed mean something significant for your individual health status or not.
Also known as: Fasting blood sugar (FBS), Blood sugar; Fasting blood glucose (FBG), Blood glucose, Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT), Urine glucose and blood glucose tests
Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetic supplies, including; heart rate monitor watch, sugar free candies, delivered prepared meals, durable diabetes medical equipment, and body fat scales and facts about diabetes. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Type 2 Diabetes Diet
A type two diabetic diet is all about controlling the number of calories people with diabetes eat. Because, unused calories become body fat. And, excess fat cells reduce insulin's ability to remove sugar from the blood.
Maintaining a healthy diet is important for everyone, but it is especially important for people with diabetes. A type 2 diabetes diet and following the right diabetic diet meals can make all the difference to a person struggling to keep their blood sugar under control. But, what is the right meal plan? How much of which food group should you eat?
Controlling Diabetes with Diet
Your doctor has likely told you that you can control your Diabetes with diabetic diet menu. But what does "diet" really mean?
Taking on a new diet, or nutritional habit, means that you must learn about foods that are nutritious for your body and the portion sizes that are necessary for your blood sugar control.
You probably know that some foods raise blood sugar more than others. The foods that turn into sugar in your body are called carbohydrates. Carbohydrates include: starches (bread, cereal, rice, pasta, grains, crackers), fruits and fruit juice, milk and yogurt, starchy vegetables (corn, peas, beans, potatoes and sweet potatoes), sweets and sugar.
Diabetes carbohydrates
Dieting does not mean that you cannot eat the foods you like. Instead, you need to limit some foods and spread other foods out during the day (such as carbohydrate-rich foods), thereby, diabetes supplements, not eating large portions all at one time. Eating too many portions of carbohydrate-rich foods at one time will lead to high blood sugar levels.
For example: instead oGlycemic Index Graphf eating a plate of spaghetti with garlic bread, and a glass of milk (all carbohydrates); make ¼ of your plate spaghetti, add a salad with raw vegetables, a grilled chicken breast, and a glass of water with lemon.
Eating just a spaghetti meal with the bread and milk causes the blood sugar level to rise drastically after the meal. People with Diabetes cannot process all of the carbohydrates in order to bring the blood sugar down to a normal level. However, by choosing the second spaghetti meal, the blood sugar does not go up as high because there is are less carbohydrates to process and it is easier for the body to bring the blood sugar level back down.
Diabetes vitamins & Proteins
Meat, fish, chicken, eggs, cheese, cottage cheese, peanut butter and tofu are protein foods. Protein-rich foods do not immediately become sugar in our bloodstream after consumption. However, simply because these foods do not immediately turn to sugar doesn't mean we can eat an unlimited amount of these foods; eating too much of any food will cause weight gain.
Think of food portions this way...Your 9 inch diet portion control plate should be ½ vegetables, ¼ lean meat or meat substitute, and ¼ Precise Portions Control FOCUS Dinnerware grains/starch. Add a small piece of fruit and 8 ounce glass of low-fat milk and you have a very nutritious, balanced meal that will help control your blood sugar.
This is the start of how you change the way you eat to include a more nutritious diet. For more nutritious eating ideas go to our recipes for diabetics. Remember to include diabetes exercises in your new way of life.
Maintaining a healthy diet is important for everyone, but it is especially important for people with diabetes. A type 2 diabetes diet and following the right diabetic diet meals can make all the difference to a person struggling to keep their blood sugar under control. But, what is the right meal plan? How much of which food group should you eat?
Controlling Diabetes with Diet
Your doctor has likely told you that you can control your Diabetes with diabetic diet menu. But what does "diet" really mean?
Taking on a new diet, or nutritional habit, means that you must learn about foods that are nutritious for your body and the portion sizes that are necessary for your blood sugar control.
You probably know that some foods raise blood sugar more than others. The foods that turn into sugar in your body are called carbohydrates. Carbohydrates include: starches (bread, cereal, rice, pasta, grains, crackers), fruits and fruit juice, milk and yogurt, starchy vegetables (corn, peas, beans, potatoes and sweet potatoes), sweets and sugar.
Diabetes carbohydrates
Dieting does not mean that you cannot eat the foods you like. Instead, you need to limit some foods and spread other foods out during the day (such as carbohydrate-rich foods), thereby, diabetes supplements, not eating large portions all at one time. Eating too many portions of carbohydrate-rich foods at one time will lead to high blood sugar levels.
For example: instead oGlycemic Index Graphf eating a plate of spaghetti with garlic bread, and a glass of milk (all carbohydrates); make ¼ of your plate spaghetti, add a salad with raw vegetables, a grilled chicken breast, and a glass of water with lemon.
Eating just a spaghetti meal with the bread and milk causes the blood sugar level to rise drastically after the meal. People with Diabetes cannot process all of the carbohydrates in order to bring the blood sugar down to a normal level. However, by choosing the second spaghetti meal, the blood sugar does not go up as high because there is are less carbohydrates to process and it is easier for the body to bring the blood sugar level back down.
Diabetes vitamins & Proteins
Meat, fish, chicken, eggs, cheese, cottage cheese, peanut butter and tofu are protein foods. Protein-rich foods do not immediately become sugar in our bloodstream after consumption. However, simply because these foods do not immediately turn to sugar doesn't mean we can eat an unlimited amount of these foods; eating too much of any food will cause weight gain.
Think of food portions this way...Your 9 inch diet portion control plate should be ½ vegetables, ¼ lean meat or meat substitute, and ¼ Precise Portions Control FOCUS Dinnerware grains/starch. Add a small piece of fruit and 8 ounce glass of low-fat milk and you have a very nutritious, balanced meal that will help control your blood sugar.
This is the start of how you change the way you eat to include a more nutritious diet. For more nutritious eating ideas go to our recipes for diabetics. Remember to include diabetes exercises in your new way of life.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Relation between your lifestyle and diabetes
Diabetes carbohydrates
In this article we will dwell on lifestyle and its relation to diabetes.
Diabetes is a dark shadow that follows bad life style. Switching over to a healthy life may not get rid of the shadow but it will turn it into a less intense, pale reflection of its former self. Healthy lifestyle includes eating regular diabetic diet meals at the right times especially if we have to balance the effects of any tablets or insulin pumps for diabetics that might have to be taken. What are in our food – carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and fiber - enables us to make choices that help control blood glucose levels.
Principles of healthy diabetes meal planning
The principles of healthy eating for a diabetic are no different from that applicable for normal healthy humans. No foods are banned – but some should be eaten less often. Sometimes you might not have a choice about what food is available but generally you can adapt diabetes diet recipes and meals so that you can enjoy food while eating healthily.
The principles of healthy eating are:
• Eat regular small diabetic meals ensuring you include a portion of carbohydrates (I recommend a portion control plates as it makes this process easier) • Eat more high fiber type 2 diabetes diet (including adequate quantities of fruits and vegetables). • Switch to wholegrain – it is tastier and healthier. • Cut down (don't eliminate) fat. • Dramatically reduce protein from animal sources. • Dramatically reduce (don't eliminate) sweets and sugar free candies. • Dramatically reduce (don't eliminate) salt consumption. • Dramatically reduce (eliminate if possible) alcohol consumption.
Diabetes and carbohydrates
When you have diabetes, your body is unable to use foods that contain carbohydrates in the normal way. All foods containing carbohydrates are normally broken down into glucose. Glucose is converted into energy through action of insulin. Underproduction of insulin or insulin intolerance means your blood glucose levels will rise each time you eat carbohydrates. But you still need to eat diabetes carbohydrates otherwise there will be no energy. The trick then is to eating carbohydrates in amounts that will balance out the blood glucose tablets or insulin.
Type 1 diabetics taking short action insulin should eat food about at the same time they take insulin. Type 1 diabetics taking long action insulin should eat five small evenly paced meals.
Type 2 diabetics on the other hand, due to their impaired insulin production or action, should eat foods that take longer to be broken down into glucose. Therefore fruits and diabetic dessert should be consumed after meals. (So that it is queued in the digestive tract). Eat carbohydrates in moderation. If you are taking tablets for your diabetes you will need to take them in relation to your meals. Some tablets work by helping your digestive system break down the meals more slowly while other tablets work by stimulating the Pancreas into producing more insulin. Matching meals times to your medication is therefore important.
Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetic testing supplies, including incontinence diapers; diabetic socks men's, portion control plates, glucose tablets, blood glucose monitors, durable diabetes medical equipment, recipes for diabetics, automatic blood pressure monitor and many other home health care products and supplies. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.
In this article we will dwell on lifestyle and its relation to diabetes.
Diabetes is a dark shadow that follows bad life style. Switching over to a healthy life may not get rid of the shadow but it will turn it into a less intense, pale reflection of its former self. Healthy lifestyle includes eating regular diabetic diet meals at the right times especially if we have to balance the effects of any tablets or insulin pumps for diabetics that might have to be taken. What are in our food – carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and fiber - enables us to make choices that help control blood glucose levels.
Principles of healthy diabetes meal planning
The principles of healthy eating for a diabetic are no different from that applicable for normal healthy humans. No foods are banned – but some should be eaten less often. Sometimes you might not have a choice about what food is available but generally you can adapt diabetes diet recipes and meals so that you can enjoy food while eating healthily.
The principles of healthy eating are:
• Eat regular small diabetic meals ensuring you include a portion of carbohydrates (I recommend a portion control plates as it makes this process easier) • Eat more high fiber type 2 diabetes diet (including adequate quantities of fruits and vegetables). • Switch to wholegrain – it is tastier and healthier. • Cut down (don't eliminate) fat. • Dramatically reduce protein from animal sources. • Dramatically reduce (don't eliminate) sweets and sugar free candies. • Dramatically reduce (don't eliminate) salt consumption. • Dramatically reduce (eliminate if possible) alcohol consumption.
Diabetes and carbohydrates
When you have diabetes, your body is unable to use foods that contain carbohydrates in the normal way. All foods containing carbohydrates are normally broken down into glucose. Glucose is converted into energy through action of insulin. Underproduction of insulin or insulin intolerance means your blood glucose levels will rise each time you eat carbohydrates. But you still need to eat diabetes carbohydrates otherwise there will be no energy. The trick then is to eating carbohydrates in amounts that will balance out the blood glucose tablets or insulin.
Type 1 diabetics taking short action insulin should eat food about at the same time they take insulin. Type 1 diabetics taking long action insulin should eat five small evenly paced meals.
Type 2 diabetics on the other hand, due to their impaired insulin production or action, should eat foods that take longer to be broken down into glucose. Therefore fruits and diabetic dessert should be consumed after meals. (So that it is queued in the digestive tract). Eat carbohydrates in moderation. If you are taking tablets for your diabetes you will need to take them in relation to your meals. Some tablets work by helping your digestive system break down the meals more slowly while other tablets work by stimulating the Pancreas into producing more insulin. Matching meals times to your medication is therefore important.
Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetic testing supplies, including incontinence diapers; diabetic socks men's, portion control plates, glucose tablets, blood glucose monitors, durable diabetes medical equipment, recipes for diabetics, automatic blood pressure monitor and many other home health care products and supplies. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Diabetes and African Americans
There are certain factors that are believed to cause Type II diabetes, which accounts for nearly 95 percent of all cases of the disease. The causes are generally someone with a close relative with the disease, being an African American or being overweight. Other factors include having high blood pressure, high cholesterol and having gestational diabetes while pregnant. It is estimated that about 3.2 million African Americans have Type II diabetes and about one third of them are undiagnosed.
According to the National Diabetes Education Program, there is a current epidemic of diabetes among African Americans. African Americans are one of the largest groups in the population in the United States that are contracting Type II diabetes. In addition, diabetes is also one of the leading causes of death and disability among African Americans in the United States.
No one is quite sure why African Americans are more likely to get Type II diabetes than any other ethnic group. One thing is certain, however. Poor African Americans are more likely to die from complications of the disease than those in other ethnic groups. This is most likely due to poor health care in certain communities, limited access to drugs that can potentially save their lives and less education. Affluent African Americans have the same chance as other ethnic groups of dying from complications of the disease.
African Americans can prevent acquiring Type II diabetes in many different ways. One way is to take a look at the Glycemic Index and realize which foods are harmful to them and which to avoid. Another way is to start an exercise regime and, if they are overweight, lose some of those excess pounds. If they are without health care, they should contact their local municipality about screening tests for diabetes. Many clinics and health care facilities offer screening tests for diabetes for those with low income for free. This small step may end up saving the life of someone who is on the verge of getting this potentially life threatening illness.
African Americans can also start saying no to fast foods that, in addition to being precursors for diabetes, are also linked to heart disease, high cholesterol and even cancer. Many fast food restaurants prey on people in low income areas without regard for the health of those individuals. African Americans need to realize that they are experiencing an epidemic of Type II diabetes in their community and do all that they can to stamp it out.
Many people who live in poor communities, in addition to receiving substandard medical care, little education about disease and limited access to lifesaving drugs, also are inundated with fast food restaurants that seem to target certain ethnic groups. Fast foods are usually very high in carbohydrates, fats and offer very little in the way of nutrition. They are inexpensive, however, and many people with little money find this to be the only way they can feed their family on a limited budget. Unfortunately, most of the foods found in fast food restaurants, particularly French fries, are at the top of the Glycemic Index when it comes to foods that should not be consumed by diabetics. French fries are pretty much the staple of any fast food restaurant. They are high in carbohydrates, high in fat and low in protein. But they are filling.
According to the National Diabetes Education Program, there is a current epidemic of diabetes among African Americans. African Americans are one of the largest groups in the population in the United States that are contracting Type II diabetes. In addition, diabetes is also one of the leading causes of death and disability among African Americans in the United States.
No one is quite sure why African Americans are more likely to get Type II diabetes than any other ethnic group. One thing is certain, however. Poor African Americans are more likely to die from complications of the disease than those in other ethnic groups. This is most likely due to poor health care in certain communities, limited access to drugs that can potentially save their lives and less education. Affluent African Americans have the same chance as other ethnic groups of dying from complications of the disease.
African Americans can prevent acquiring Type II diabetes in many different ways. One way is to take a look at the Glycemic Index and realize which foods are harmful to them and which to avoid. Another way is to start an exercise regime and, if they are overweight, lose some of those excess pounds. If they are without health care, they should contact their local municipality about screening tests for diabetes. Many clinics and health care facilities offer screening tests for diabetes for those with low income for free. This small step may end up saving the life of someone who is on the verge of getting this potentially life threatening illness.
African Americans can also start saying no to fast foods that, in addition to being precursors for diabetes, are also linked to heart disease, high cholesterol and even cancer. Many fast food restaurants prey on people in low income areas without regard for the health of those individuals. African Americans need to realize that they are experiencing an epidemic of Type II diabetes in their community and do all that they can to stamp it out.
Many people who live in poor communities, in addition to receiving substandard medical care, little education about disease and limited access to lifesaving drugs, also are inundated with fast food restaurants that seem to target certain ethnic groups. Fast foods are usually very high in carbohydrates, fats and offer very little in the way of nutrition. They are inexpensive, however, and many people with little money find this to be the only way they can feed their family on a limited budget. Unfortunately, most of the foods found in fast food restaurants, particularly French fries, are at the top of the Glycemic Index when it comes to foods that should not be consumed by diabetics. French fries are pretty much the staple of any fast food restaurant. They are high in carbohydrates, high in fat and low in protein. But they are filling.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
The Need for a Diabetic Diet Plan
A diabetes menu planner is very important for people with Type 2 diabetes. That is because Mediterranean Food Pyramid the foods they eat to be as healthy as possible. The food you eat has a direct impact on your blood glucose, body fat, and overall health. That is why it is so important for diabetics to create a realistic diabetes diet plan. Insulin-resistant people have special Diabetes Diet and Food.
As a Type 2 diabetic, you need to be careful about the excess fat on your body. But, more importantly you need to be careful about the amount of sugar (from sugar added in processed foods, and from starches like white rice or white potato or white bread) that you eat with each meal.
For example, simple starches like white rice may spike blood sugar levels very high, very quickly for a diabetic and non-diabetic. The speed of the rise of sugar in the blood is predicted by the glycemic index rating. So, for a diabetic, eating simple starches like white rice may require careful planning.
People with diabetes must really understand the value of using the glycemic index and glycemic load concepts as important tools for eating healthy. If you must eat white rice or white potato or white white bread, plan to have protein/meat and vegetables (complex carbs), with a small amount of rice on the plate. Therefore, diabetics should always make good choices of the foods that they eat. Good choices in carbs include what you eat (on the glycemic index list) and how much you eat (as measured by glycemic load).
Diabetes Menu Planner
One of the best ways for diabetics to control the quality of their meals is to plan their diabetes menus. Diabetes menu planning means that you create a menu for the day, week, or even month that you stick to. A good diabetes menu plan will include diabetes snack options that will help to control your appetite as well as different diabetic meal options so that you don't get bored by eating the same foods over and over again.
We at TypeFreeDiabetes.com prefer the Mediterranean food pyramid because it includes more high glycemic index carbs that most food pyramids. Obviously, the larger amounts of food and activities start at the bottom suggesting daily use, and gets smaller as you move up (weekly) toward the top which suggest monthly Diabetic Diet Foods to use.
Diabetes Menu Planning Goals
The goal of every diabetes menu plan should be to ensure that you have a balanced diet with an appropriate amount of:
• Carbohydrates (45%-65%) - Use more low Glycemic Index carbs than high
• Proteins (10%-35%) - Keep it lean
• Unsaturated fats (20%-35%) - Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated
Diabetes menu planning is an also an excellent way to keep track of calories.
The average person should consume about 2,000 calories per day to ensure that their body functions properly and they have enough energy to be active. It is also recommended that the average person consumers about:
• 100 grams of protein (at 4Cal/gram)
• 275 grams of carbohydrates (at 4 Cal/gram)
• 56 grams of fat (at 9 Cal/gram) each day (yes - it is actually important to consume fat - that is monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats from plants and fish). Eat as little saturated fats as possible. Saturated fats mostly come from non-fish animals, like birds, cows and pigs.
Www.typefreediabetes.com is dedicated to providing you the tools and diabetic meal plans to help you build your diabetes menu plan. A good Diabetes menu plan will not only provide information that is based on careful research 2000-Calorie-Meal-Plan, but we also provide a range of recipes for diabetes (including diabetes snacks, vegetarian recipes, and even diabetes desserts) that are suitable for any healthy diet.
Check out our Nutrition, and Recipes sections for more information about how you can plan your tasty diabetes menus and live a healthy lifestyle by eating well! Remember, the food choices you make will have a major impact on your blood sugar. Bad food choices will raise your blood sugar, that will cause you to use more diabetes drugs, or make you suffer severe diabetes complications. The choices are yours to make. Prevention is much more pleasant that the cure.
As a Type 2 diabetic, you need to be careful about the excess fat on your body. But, more importantly you need to be careful about the amount of sugar (from sugar added in processed foods, and from starches like white rice or white potato or white bread) that you eat with each meal.
For example, simple starches like white rice may spike blood sugar levels very high, very quickly for a diabetic and non-diabetic. The speed of the rise of sugar in the blood is predicted by the glycemic index rating. So, for a diabetic, eating simple starches like white rice may require careful planning.
People with diabetes must really understand the value of using the glycemic index and glycemic load concepts as important tools for eating healthy. If you must eat white rice or white potato or white white bread, plan to have protein/meat and vegetables (complex carbs), with a small amount of rice on the plate. Therefore, diabetics should always make good choices of the foods that they eat. Good choices in carbs include what you eat (on the glycemic index list) and how much you eat (as measured by glycemic load).
Diabetes Menu Planner
One of the best ways for diabetics to control the quality of their meals is to plan their diabetes menus. Diabetes menu planning means that you create a menu for the day, week, or even month that you stick to. A good diabetes menu plan will include diabetes snack options that will help to control your appetite as well as different diabetic meal options so that you don't get bored by eating the same foods over and over again.
We at TypeFreeDiabetes.com prefer the Mediterranean food pyramid because it includes more high glycemic index carbs that most food pyramids. Obviously, the larger amounts of food and activities start at the bottom suggesting daily use, and gets smaller as you move up (weekly) toward the top which suggest monthly Diabetic Diet Foods to use.
Diabetes Menu Planning Goals
The goal of every diabetes menu plan should be to ensure that you have a balanced diet with an appropriate amount of:
• Carbohydrates (45%-65%) - Use more low Glycemic Index carbs than high
• Proteins (10%-35%) - Keep it lean
• Unsaturated fats (20%-35%) - Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated
Diabetes menu planning is an also an excellent way to keep track of calories.
The average person should consume about 2,000 calories per day to ensure that their body functions properly and they have enough energy to be active. It is also recommended that the average person consumers about:
• 100 grams of protein (at 4Cal/gram)
• 275 grams of carbohydrates (at 4 Cal/gram)
• 56 grams of fat (at 9 Cal/gram) each day (yes - it is actually important to consume fat - that is monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats from plants and fish). Eat as little saturated fats as possible. Saturated fats mostly come from non-fish animals, like birds, cows and pigs.
Www.typefreediabetes.com is dedicated to providing you the tools and diabetic meal plans to help you build your diabetes menu plan. A good Diabetes menu plan will not only provide information that is based on careful research 2000-Calorie-Meal-Plan, but we also provide a range of recipes for diabetes (including diabetes snacks, vegetarian recipes, and even diabetes desserts) that are suitable for any healthy diet.
Check out our Nutrition, and Recipes sections for more information about how you can plan your tasty diabetes menus and live a healthy lifestyle by eating well! Remember, the food choices you make will have a major impact on your blood sugar. Bad food choices will raise your blood sugar, that will cause you to use more diabetes drugs, or make you suffer severe diabetes complications. The choices are yours to make. Prevention is much more pleasant that the cure.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Top 4 Ways to Manage Your Diabetes Diet at Weddings and Graduations
Food for diabetes
A Type 2 diabetic diet and meal plans is all about controlling the number of calories people with diabetes eat. Because, unused calories become body fat. And, excess fat cells reduce insulin's ability to remove sugar from the blood.
With the summer just around the corner, it's time to gear up for weddings, graduations, cookouts, and other celebrations that, often, involve large amount of food and small amounts of sugar-free options. Here are some tips to help you eat healthy & diabetic food plan (without having to take your own food) to this summer's events.
Snack Beforehand
A healthy snacks for diabetics and diabetic dessert before attending a summertime event may help to satisfy you for longer than if youCarrots was to attend the event on an empty stomach. Have a handful of carrots with peanut butter about thirty minutes before the event. The sugar in the carrots will give you energy while the protein in the peanut butter will help you stay full.
Stay Hydrated
While you certainly don't want to make it through an event drinking water alone, water can help you to feel full if the healthy food for diabetes options is limited. Water will not only hydrate your body and keep you cool from the summer heat, but water will also keep your stomach from growling until you can get your hands on something healthier.
Skip the Bread and Buns
Bread is a normal part of many summertime meals. Whether you are served a roll at a fancy wedding reception, or a bun with that char-broiled burger, it's important to remember that Diabetics need to be cautious when it comes to dining on diabetes carbohydrates. Therefore, remove (or avoid) the bread in order to stay in better control of your blood sugar level. And hey - don't worry about people staring at you for eating a bun-less burger - skipping unnecessary carbs can be trendy, especially in the swimsuit season!
Appreciate the Veggie Tray
Nearly all hosts and hostesses will set out a fruit and veggie tray for their guests, regardless of the kind of event. Veggie Tray Therefore, even if everything else on the table is cooked in grease, fried, or filled with sugar, healthy snacks of diabetes & food-seeking folks can find something to nosh on.
Pile your plate high with a variety of veggies and add a small portion of cheese and wheat crackers for fully well-rounded diabetic diet meals that would delight even the most meticulous nutritionist. Warning: stay away from dips, unless it's a low-sugar yogurt dip. Veggie dips can quickly tack on an additional 300 or more calories without to what would otherwise be a healthy meal.
Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetic supplies, including; male incontinence products, diabetic footwear, diabetic strips, durable diabetes medical equipment, diabetic dessert and many other home health care products and supplies. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.
A Type 2 diabetic diet and meal plans is all about controlling the number of calories people with diabetes eat. Because, unused calories become body fat. And, excess fat cells reduce insulin's ability to remove sugar from the blood.
With the summer just around the corner, it's time to gear up for weddings, graduations, cookouts, and other celebrations that, often, involve large amount of food and small amounts of sugar-free options. Here are some tips to help you eat healthy & diabetic food plan (without having to take your own food) to this summer's events.
Snack Beforehand
A healthy snacks for diabetics and diabetic dessert before attending a summertime event may help to satisfy you for longer than if youCarrots was to attend the event on an empty stomach. Have a handful of carrots with peanut butter about thirty minutes before the event. The sugar in the carrots will give you energy while the protein in the peanut butter will help you stay full.
Stay Hydrated
While you certainly don't want to make it through an event drinking water alone, water can help you to feel full if the healthy food for diabetes options is limited. Water will not only hydrate your body and keep you cool from the summer heat, but water will also keep your stomach from growling until you can get your hands on something healthier.
Skip the Bread and Buns
Bread is a normal part of many summertime meals. Whether you are served a roll at a fancy wedding reception, or a bun with that char-broiled burger, it's important to remember that Diabetics need to be cautious when it comes to dining on diabetes carbohydrates. Therefore, remove (or avoid) the bread in order to stay in better control of your blood sugar level. And hey - don't worry about people staring at you for eating a bun-less burger - skipping unnecessary carbs can be trendy, especially in the swimsuit season!
Appreciate the Veggie Tray
Nearly all hosts and hostesses will set out a fruit and veggie tray for their guests, regardless of the kind of event. Veggie Tray Therefore, even if everything else on the table is cooked in grease, fried, or filled with sugar, healthy snacks of diabetes & food-seeking folks can find something to nosh on.
Pile your plate high with a variety of veggies and add a small portion of cheese and wheat crackers for fully well-rounded diabetic diet meals that would delight even the most meticulous nutritionist. Warning: stay away from dips, unless it's a low-sugar yogurt dip. Veggie dips can quickly tack on an additional 300 or more calories without to what would otherwise be a healthy meal.
Typefreediabetes offers a full line of diabetic supplies, including; male incontinence products, diabetic footwear, diabetic strips, durable diabetes medical equipment, diabetic dessert and many other home health care products and supplies. Typefreediabetes offers quality products at discounted prices on a wide selection of quality name brand equipment and supplies.
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