Diabetes Control Through a Healthy Diet

A diagnosis by your doctor of pre-diabetes or an existing diabetic condition conjures up a number of not too pleasant visions. Among the many are thoughts of having to give up many of your favorite foods. In fact this need not be so, you can find an assortment of diabetic recipes that you can wrap your taste buds around. You do not have to start eating special foods nor do you need to follow any complicated diet. For most people, eating at regular intervals and sticking to a varied diet in moderate quantities will go a long way towards avoiding many of the serious complications associated with diabetes. Eating approximately the same amount and at the same time each day is a major step towards keeping blood sugar levels stable.

Your first critical step towards formulating a diabetic diet plan must be with the assistance of a dietitian. The dietitian will consider your lifestyle, your medication, your weight and any other existing medical conditions in order to tailor a plan which is just right for you. It is not inconceivable that this plan could also include your favorite foods, thus you will still be able to derive pleasure from your meals. The focus of your plan will be on consuming foods which are high in nutrients, low in fat, and moderate in calories. There are numerous diabetes cookbooks available with nutritious yet tasty meals to assist you in this endeavor.

Getting Started

Not always do we pay close attention to what we eat, our focus is more on pleasing our palate rather than nutrition. For the diabetic this will be a major but critical adjustment. Here’s the ABC of making those adjustments as suggested by the American Dietetic Association:

(A)  “Moderate sugar, fat and carbohydrates” – Typically carbohydrates take from five minutes to three hours to be digested, fats can take eight or more hours as opposed to proteins which take three to six hours. Therefore the reason why foods high in fat (ice cream) raises blood sugar level more slowly than vegetables (carrots). It is recommended that fat intake should be less than 30% of your daily calories. Desserts and sweets do not have to be completely eliminated from your diet but can be eaten once or twice per week, in moderate amounts.

(B)  “Eat five fruits and vegetables every day” – Replace your sugar producing foods with fruits or vegetables, these are good sources of vitamins, minerals and fibers. Soluble fibers found mostly in fruits, vegetables and some seeds, trap carbohydrates and slow the absorption of glucose. Vegetables which are highly recommended are: cooked kidney beans (rated among the highest soluble fiber foods) and carrots which are also highly rated for having a positive effect on blood glucose levels.

(C)  “Eat more starches” – Starchy foods are an important part of a healthy meal plan. Whole grain breads, cereals, pasta, rice and starchy vegetables like peas, corn, potatoes and yams can be included in your meals. Your portion though must be moderate, 3 to 4 daily servings of carbohydrate-containing foods are considered adequate.

Learning what, how and when to eat is a giant step towards taking control of your illness. There is no perfect food or diet for the diabetic, the goal of each plan is to supply a variety of foods which will provide enough sustenance while still keeping your blood sugar level under control. Your diet plan does not have to be bland, there are a number of diabetic recipe books available, also you can be daring and experiment with some of your favorite recipes, always being aware of your dietary limitations. For additional information on following a diabetes meal plan you can research or ask your dietitian about “The Food Guide Pyramid”, “Creating your Plate”, and “Carbohydrate Counting”. These are all different plans and you can choose which is most suited to you. As previously mentioned there are various diabetic recipes and diabetes cookbooks to help you make this transition more pleasurable. With careful management of your diet, exercise and taking your medication (if necessary) as prescribed by your doctor, will minimize any risk of your disease escalating to a more critical level or even eliminate your dependence on insulin or other medications.

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For more on: diabetes diets and meal plans, recipes and cookbooks visit http://www.goldeneramart.com/book_store. For additional products visit GoldenEraMart at http://www.goldeneramart.com where there are: blood pressure and diabetes products, mobility aids, incontinence supplies and much more.

A safe learning environment for kids with diabetes

Unless you have a child with diabetes, you probably don’t think about this disease very often.
But for parents raising children who deal with monitoring glucose levels, life can be unpredictable.
School-age children with diabetes face unique challenges and sometimes dangerous situations because of fluctuations in these levels.To help teachers, principals and others ensure the safety of youngsters with diabetes during the school day, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Diabetes Education Program has recently updated their guide, Helping the Student with Diabetes Succeed: A Guide for School Personnel.

The NDEP committee notes that everyone, from bus drivers to teachers to administrators, has a role in helping students with diabetes succeed, and that they  hope this guide helps to explain the critical role that school staff members at every level can play.

Diabetes management remains an evolving science. The guide’s latest edition, the first update since 2003, describes the most current recommendations of leading health care experts for developing a diabetes management plan to handle diabetes-related emergencies.

Training is recommended for all school staff members who have responsibility for students with diabetes. The training should provide a basic understanding of the disease, the needs of a child with diabetes and the symptoms signaling a diabetic emergency.

Also, a few staff members at every school should be trained in student-specific routine and emergency diabetes care tasks so that at least one staff member is always available for younger, less experienced students and for any student with diabetes in case of an emergency.
The guide urges parents to notify school officials that a child has diabetes and to work with the child’s personal diabetes health care team to develop a diabetes medical management plan.
It also recommends that parents permit sharing of relevant medical information by the school and the child’s health care team.

Diabetes facts:

• Diabetes is a group of diseases in which the body does not produce or respond properly to insulin, a hormone the body needs to convert sugars, starches and other food into energy.
• Although most prevalent in older adults, it is one of the most common chronic diseases in children and adolescents
• About 19,000 young people are diagnosed with diabetes annually.
• The vast majority have type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease resulting from defects in the pancreas.
• A smaller number of children are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the type of diabetes that typically shows up in adulthood.
• As obesity rates have increased among youth, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes among children and adolescents also is rising, especially for children in ethnic and racial minorities.
• Children with type 1 or type 2 diabetes are at increased risk of serious complications, including heart disease and stroke, blindness, kidney disease and amputations.

NDEP is jointly sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Incontinence in women often goes under-diagnosed

By Dwight Dyksterhouse, M.D. • Special to The Press • February 16, 2011

Urinary incontinence (uncontrolled loss of urine) is a very common problem affecting millions of women. This condition is frequently under-diagnosed and under-reported because it is such a sensitive issue. Studies show that approximately 25 percent of women in the United States between the ages of 30 and 59 deal with some form of urinary incontinence.

Although incontinence is not necessarily a natural part of aging, it can be the result of many years of changes in the body, especially in women. Common risk factors include childbirth, improper lifting of heavy objects at work and at home, chronic constipation, or the loss of estrogen after menopause. Some other risk factors include:
n Being older than 65
n Obesity
n Previous hysterectomy or urethral surgery
n Diabetes, stroke or Multiple Sclerosis
All of these factors over time can contribute to a weakening of the pelvic floor muscles (the muscles that surround the openings of the urethra, vagina, and anus), leading to poor bladder control. This makes middle-aged or older women especially prone to this type of urinary incontinence.

Urge incontinence is a loss of bladder control following a strong urge to urinate. The person is not able to hold urine long enough to make it to a restroom. This is also known as overactive bladder. There are also some medications that may be prescribed to relax the bladder muscles and may help with urge incontinence.




Stress incontinence is characterized by the accidental loss of urine during a sudden movement such as coughing, sneezing, lifting or engaging in physical activity. Stress incontinence can be frustrating and embarrassing, causing women to limit their activity and lifestyle. For stress incontinence, many women get good results from using Kegel exercises and other behavioral and lifestyle changes, or medical devices called pessaries.


Physical therapists can use various methods to help clients correct pelvic floor weaknesses, including biofeedback techniques and electrical stimulation of the pelvic floor muscles. For difficult-to-treat cases, surgery can help support weakened muscles related to bladder function. Newer surgical techniques are usually minimally invasive and offer quicker recovery times. Surgical treatment should only be considered only after thorough medical evaluation and determining the exact cause of a woman's urinary incontinence.


In most cases, incontinence can be successfully treated with non-surgical techniques. Unfortunately, many women suffer in silence with incontinence because they may be too embarrassed to discuss this problem with their physician or fearful that surgery is the only treatment option. Incontinence is not necessarily something that a person must learn to accept or just "live with."

Dwight Dyksterhouse is an obstetrician/gynecologist at Aurora Sheboygan Clinic

Common Food Additive Linked to High Blood Pressure

by Michelle Schoffro Cook

A University of Colorado study found that even people who eat a healthy, low-sodium diet may be at risk of high blood pressure due to a commonly-found food additive.  High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is found in almost all processed, prepared, or packaged foods, was shown to increase blood pressure by up to 32%.
According to the study, HFCS causes inflammation in the bloodstream which causes the blood vessel walls to tighten, resulting in blood pressure increases.  Even people who ate a healthy diet with periodic ingestion of HFCS experienced the blood pressure increase.
While HFCS can be listed as corn syrup, fructose, high fructose sweetener, natural sweetener, or other type of sweetener on the label of foods, it is still the same health-damaging sweetener.  Even foods that claim to be “natural” can include HFCS.  Only fresh whole foods or  foods that are labeled “100% organic” are devoid of HFCS.
It can be found in almost any foods but is common in most types of soda, and processed foods labeled “low-fat” or “non-fat”.  Most food manufacturers add high-fructose corn syrup to add flavor when they make fat-reduced foods and HFCS happens to be extremely cheap.

Some surprising sources of HFCS include:
-Yogurt
-Baby Food
-Granola and Granola Bars
-Cereal (even so-called healthy cereals or cereals intended for children)
-Salad dressing
-Condiments
-Crackers
There’s another problem with HFCS:  most corn and corn-derived foods on the market are made with genetically-modified (GM) corn.  While there still isn’t much testing on the effects of consuming GM-foods (and certainly no long-term tests), early tests show many negative health consequences.
While high-fructose corn-syrup contains fructose, there’s no reason to be concerned about eating fructose as it is found in fresh fruits.  Research shows that consuming fruit does not negatively impact blood pressure, and may even improve it.

Michelle Schoffro Cook, MSc, RNCP, ROHP, PhD, is an international best-selling and seven-time book author and doctor of traditional natural medicine, whose works include: The Life Force Diet, The Ultimate pH Solution, The 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan, The Phytozyme Cure and HealthSmart News. Learn more at www.DrMichelleCook.com.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/common-food-additive-linked-to-high-blood-pressure.html#ixzz1E4k8PKgv

Diabetes and Neuropathy - Be Aware

Neuropathies are a variety of ailments which arise when nerves of the peripheral nervous system - the nervous system aside from the brain and spinal cord - are damaged; this is most commonly referred to as peripheral neuropathy. Approximately 50% to 70% of the people who suffer with diabetes, in all probability will have some form of neuropathy. Most often it affects the motor nerves which control muscle movement and the sensory nerves which are responsible for our awareness of sensations such as coldness or pain. It first becomes apparent in the extremities but can manifest itself in the heart, blood vessels, bladder and intestines.

Types of Diabetic Neuropathy

Diabetic Neuropathy is often classified into four distinct categories: peripheral, autonomic, proximal and focal. Since neuropathy can affect nerves throughout the body this classification is dependent on which part of the body is affected.

(a) Peripheral neuropathy is the most common type and causes loss of feeling or pain in the hands, arms, toes, feet and legs. It can also cause muscle weakness and foot deformities. Due to the loss of feeling, injuries can go unnoticed, resulting in infection(s) and additional complications.

(b) Autonomic neuropathy affects the nerves which support the heart and blood vessels, the urinary tract, the lungs and eyes, the sex organs, the sweat glands and the digestive system. Autonomic neuropathy can also be responsible for hypoglycemia unawareness whereby a person no longer experience the warning symptoms of low blood sugar levels.

(c) Proximal neuropathy affects the thighs, hips, or buttocks resulting in weakness of the legs. Due to weakness of the legs it becomes difficult to go from a sitting to standing position and assistance may be required. This affliction is more common among persons with Type 2 diabetes.

(d) Focal neuropathy affects one nerve or a group of nerves leading to muscle weakness or pain. It can affect the nerves which control the facial muscles, eyes, ears, chest, abdomen, pelvis and lower back, thighs, legs and feet. It is painful and unpredictable, existing mostly among older adults suffering with diabetes. It tends to improve by itself and does not cause long-term damage.

Symptoms

The symptoms are dependent on: the type of neuropathy contracted, the nerve(s) affected (autonomic, motor, sensory) and their location. It is not uncommon for many types of neuropathy to affect all three types of nerves. Some neuropathies may appear suddenly while others develop gradually.

(a) Autonomic Nerve Damage: Swollen abdomen, Blurred vision, Feeling full quickly, Nausea/ Vomiting after eating, Constipation, Diarrhoea, Weight loss, Dizziness/Fainting, Overflow and/or Urinary incontinence, Difficulty beginning to urinate, Abnormal perspiring, Sensitivity to heat, Impotence in men and Vaginal dryness in women.

(b) Motor Nerve Damage: Experiencing difficulty to move a part of the body (loss of balance and coordination), Lack of dexterity and muscle control, Cramps or Spasms, Loss of muscle tissue and difficulty swallowing or breathing.

(c) Sensory Nerve Damage: Nerve pain, Tingling or numbness, Burning sensations, Lack of coordination and a Lessening or absence of sensation to such an extent that nothing can be felt.

Prevention Is Better Than Cure

Presently there’s no cure for diabetic neuropathy. Treatments are focused on prevention of further damage to the nerves and relief of pain (to those already afflicted) and are often determined by the extent to which the ailment has progressed. Antidepressants (low doses), Analgesics and anticonvulsant drugs may be prescribed for relief of burning, tingling and pain. Pills, creams, special diets and therapies to stimulate the nerves and muscles are also employed. Non-medicinal therapies may include: meditation, yoga, acupuncture, chiropractic massages and cognitive therapy. All treatments depend on the type of nerve problem and symptom.

Good foot health is particularly important and special preventative steps should be taken to avoid degenerative progress of the disease:

(a) Avoid continuous pressure on the knees and elbows

(b) Do not walk barefooted

(c) Avoid getting your feet too hot or cold

(d) Wash your feet daily with lukewarm water and mild soap

(e) Dry your feet well and use non-medicated powders with shoes, socks and stockings

(f) Apply cream or lotion to keep foot, especially heels smooth.

(g) Daily foot exams, checking for cuts, blisters, calluses or bruises.

The best way of preventing diabetic neuropathy is by adhering to the recommended treatment for your diabetes as prescribed by your doctor. Taking your diabetes medicines or insulin, blood glucose monitoring, a proper diet and physical activity will help keep your blood sugar levels under control. Keeping your blood glucose level as close to normal as possible will help protect the nerves throughout the entire body.

© 2010 Goldeneramart.com - All Rights Reserved.

For diabetes meters, test strips, creams, lotions, recipes and cookbooks visit http://www.goldeneramart.com/book_store. For additional products visit GoldenEraMart at http://www.goldeneramart.com where there are: blood pressure and diabetes products, mobility aids, incontinence supplies and much more.