Lowering the Risks of Diabetes

Posted on April 20, 2008

Lowering the Risks of Diabetes

Battling The Bulge Trims Your Diabetes Risk And Your Waistline

Obesity remains one of the primary risk factors for type 2 diabetes. People with type 2 diabetes who are able to lose excess weight through a diabetes diet and exercise usually show improved insulin levels. Some scientific data have shown that taking insulin promotes weight gain in patients with insulin-dependent type 1 diabetes, but long-term studies of many diabetes patients have shown that the management of glucose levels with insulin trumps the possible weight gain associated with its use.

If you have type 2 diabetes and you are overweight, try to identify and overcome barriers to regular exercise. Even moderate exercise, such as 30 minutes of walking, may reduce your risk of developing the heart-related complications associated with diabetes. Exercise is one of the best ways to improve overall health if you have diabetes and it is important if you’re trying to lose weight. Even short walks throughout the day can help burn off excess calories and keep your blood glucose more stable and your weight in check

Control Type 2 Diabetes With Attention To Diet

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and is usually associated with adults, although it has become increasingly prevalent in overweight and obese children. Recent data show that about 18 million Americans have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes; that’s 6.2 percent of the

U.S. population. This number includes 20 percent of adults aged 65 years and older. But 90 percent of cases of type 2 diabetes are due to three factors that can be modified: Extra weight, poor diet and lack of exercise.

In type 1 diabetes, the body is unable to produce insulin. In type 2 diabetes, the body manufactures insulin, but it doesn’t produce enough, or the cells in the body ignore it, so the pancreas keeps producing more, which causes the elevation in blood glucose. If you have type 2 diabetes, you may not need to take insulin shots, but you do need to pay attention to the types and proportions of foods in your diabetes diet in order to keep your blood glucose levels as close to the normal (nondiabetic) levels as possible. By paying attention to your blood glucose levels with a healthy diet, you will feel better and you may reduce your risk of long-term complications associated with diabetes.

Chefs Diet Delivery - 8 Delicious Programs To Choose From

Diabetes Carries Multiple ComplicationsDiabetes can have serious complications beyond the need to monitor your diet. In addition to increasing the risk of heart disease or heart attacks, diabetes is a leading cause of blindness and of kidney failure in the United States because of the negative effects of elevated glucose levels over time. That’s why it’s important to keep glucose levels in the healthy range with a healthy diet and exercise plan.

Also, diabetes can cause mild to severe nerve damage and circulation problems. Taken together, the lack of sensitivity and reduced circulation can contribute to the development and persistence of severe foot and leg ulcers. If ulcers are left untreated, the affected leg or foot may need to be amputated.

Eating healthfully, exercising and taking good care of your feet and skin can help reduce your risk of developing these complications.

Chefs Diet Advantage

Diabetes Myths DebunkedSome myths about a diets required for people with diabetes simply aren’t true. Here are three myths you may have heard:

1.People with diabetes can’t drink alcohol. False. If you have diabetes you can still enjoy beer, wine, and spirits, but you need to factor them into your overall meal plan in terms of the carbohydrates that they contain. If you want to have a glass of wine with dinner, skip the dinner roll and the total carbohydrate for the meal remains the same.

2.You can catch diabetes from someone else. False. Diabetes is not a contagious disease. Some data suggest that there may be a genetic predisposition to diabetes, especially to type 2 diabetes.

3.Eating too much sugar causes diabetes. False. Diabetes of either type is caused by a combination of lifestyle factors and a genetic predisposition. If you are overweight, you are increasing your risk for developing type 2 diabetes, but that has to do with your overall calorie intake, not just sugar specifically.

Diabetic Diets Don’t Differ From A Basic Healthy DietContrary to popular belief, people with diabetes don’t actually require special diabetic foods. No data support any benefit from “dietetic” or “diabetic” labeled foods. These foods still raise glucose levels. In addition, they are usually more expensive than the regular version of foods and they may cause diarrhea from some chemicals that replace the sugar and fat. If you have diabetes, your basic nutritional needs are the same as anyone else’s. A diet rich in whole grains, lean protein, fruits and vegetables with healthy fats in moderation works fine as a diabetes diet. And people with diabetes have a variety of nutritional needs just like anyone else. Some people may be trying to lose weight, while others need to limit salt or eat more fiber, and they can adjust their diets accordingly. If you have diabetes and have specific nutritional issues, consider a consultation with a nutritionist or dietician for personalized advice.

Diet Is Important For Managing Type 1 DiabetesType 1 diabetes is also known as juvenile onset diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes. If someone has type 1 diabetes, the pancreas fails to produce insulin, which is necessary to transport glucose from food to the cells in the body. People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin to help the body process energy from food. As a result, a healthy diet is extremely important for people with type 1 diabetes to make sure that food is balanced with insulin intake, other medications and exercise to keep blood glucose levels stable. Although the basic principles of healthy eating apply to people with diabetes, the American Diabetes Association’s food guide pyramid differs slightly from the pyramid promoted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. For example, the diabetic diet groups starchy veggies such as potatoes, peas and corn with breads and grains because of the high carbohydrate content of these vegetables. The diabetes pyramid recommends 6-11 servings of starchy veggies or grains daily, as well as 3-5 servings of less starchy veggies, 2-4 servings of fruits, and 2-3 servings of milk or dairy products. Protein is a smaller part of a diabetic diet; the ADA recommends keeping protein to 4-6 ounces of meat or meat substitute daily. Alternatives for one ounce of meat include a tablespoon of peanut butter, one egg, ¼ cup of cottage cheese and ½ cup of tofu.

Know The Signs To Nip Diabetes In The Bud

More than 40 million Americans meet the criteria for “prediabetes,” also known as “metabolic syndrome.” These terms refer to elevated blood sugar levels on a glucose tolerance test that are higher than the normal range but don’t yet fall into the range of full-blown diabetes. If you take such a test and your doctor says that you are at risk, making lifestyle changes including losing weight, eating a more balanced diet with fewer trans fats and saturated fats and getting more exercise can return blood glucose levels to the normal range.

If you have prediabetes or metabolic syndrome you may already be experiencing the health complications associated with diabetes. Studies have shown that people who meet the criteria for pre-diabetes are one and a half times more likely to develop heart disease than people with normal blood glucose.

Two tests can be used to diagnose diabetes or pre-diabetes: The fasting plasma glucose test (FPG) and the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Both tests require overnight fasting. For the FPG, blood glucose is measured first thing in the morning before eating. Normal levels are anything below 100 mg/dl. By comparison, a FPG between 100 mg/dl and 125 mg/dl suggests pre-diabetes, while an FPG greater than 126 mg/dl indicates diabetes.

40-30-30 Diet Delivery

For the OGTT, the blood glucose is checked first thing in the morning before eating and then checked again two hours after consuming a high-glucose drink. Normal levels for the OGTT are anything below 140 mg/dl when measured two hours after the glucose drink, pre-diabetes levels are 140 mg/dl to 199 mg/dl, and OGTT levels of 200 mg/dl and higher indicates diabetes.

Reduce Your Risk For Diabetes: Get Your Blood Glucose Tested

If you have a close relative with diabetes, or if you think you are at risk due to other health issues, talk to your doctor about checking your blood glucose levels. If you know whether you are in a dangerous range, you can take action to reduce your risk of developing diabetes.

Although race or ethnicity alone is not a significant predictor of diabetes, type 2 diabetes is more common among African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, Native Americans and Pacific Islanders than in Caucasians. But the biggest risk factors are age, obesity and lack of exercise. In other words, if you are sedentary and overweight, you are at risk for diabetes, and that risk increases with age.

Statistics suggest that approximately one-third of cases of type 2 diabetes in the

U.S. are undiagnosed. If you have risk factors for diabetes, such as being overweight or having a family history of heart problems, ask your doctor to check your blood glucose levels.

If you have diabetes, or if you are at risk for developing diabetes, consult a dietician to help design a weight-loss or diabetes diet program that might include prepared meals to ensure a balance of nutrients while controlling calories. As for exercise, anything that gets you moving counts as exercise, whether you are walking the dog, cleaning the house or mowing the lawn. If you are worried about your blood glucose dropping as a result of exercise or because you are taking other medications, review exercise options with your doctor. Even 10 minutes of activity at a time is better than remaining sedentary if you want to prevent type 2 diabetes.

Chefs Diet at Home

Sweets Aren’t Taboo To DiabeticsIn the past, people with diabetes were warned to avoid sugary desserts because the prevailing wisdom was that the sugary foods would cause a rapid spike in glucose levels. We now know that it’s the total amount of carbohydrates in a meal or snack that impacts glucose levels, not the specific sugary nature of a food. If you have diabetes, you can have your cake and eat it, too, as long as you factor the carbohydrates from a dessert into your overall diet the way you would any other carbohydrate. If you want a dessert, cut back on another carbohydrate in the meal or during the same day. For example, if you have a turkey sandwich for lunch and you want to have two cookies, swap the two slices of regular bread for a low-carb bread, one slice of bread, or a low-carb tortilla wrap instead and have the cookies. The total carbohydrate amount for the meal will be approximately equal. The same principle applies to any sweetener with calories, such as sugar, honey or molasses.

Top Two Dietary Changes That Can Reduce Diabetes Risk

If you have diabetes and you’re trying to adhere to a healthy diet, or if you are trying to lower your risk of developing diabetes, the top two dietary changes you can make are as follows: -Substitute whole grains for processed grains. This means choosing whole grain bread and pasta, and incorporating some whole wheat flour in baking, as an alternative to highly processed white flour, white rice and regular pasta, which raise glucose levels more quickly than their whole wheat counterparts. When buying whole wheat products from the store, check the ingredient labels; make sure is says “whole wheat” as opposed to just “wheat.” -Substitute good fats for bad fats. You shouldn’t eliminate fat from your diet, but if you increase the amount of good fats in your diet (such as the polyunsaturated fats found in tuna, salmon and most nuts) you may reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Bad fats (such as the trans fats found in margarine, processed baked goods, and many fried foods) can increase your risk for developing diabetes by adding weight and by negatively impacting your cholesterol levels.