We need to have a general understanding of nutrition and dietary prevention strategies when it comes to preventing diabetes.
We can’t think in terms of, “this food is nutritious therefor it is healthy”. Preventing diabetes through diet really comes down to one major concept.
1. We need to eat in a way that stabilizes blood sugar. If we allow our blood sugar to go too high, we put too much strain on the pancreas to create insulin. The more insulin we use the more resistant we are to insulin. High blood sugar levels are a disaster for diabetes. We absolutely need to control our blood sugar levels.
How do we stabilize our blood sugar through diet?
1. Avoid eating foods with a high sugar content. Foods high in sugar cause our blood sugar levels to sky rocket.
2. Eat several small meals throughout the day. Large meals spike blood sugar and insulin production. Eating more but smaller meals allows our blood sugar levels to remain more stable.
3. Don’t eat carbohydrate-only meals. Healthy fats like monounsaturated fat (found in olive oil) and omega 3 polyunsaturated fat (found in salmon and flax seed oil) help to slow down the release of carbohydrates (sugars) into the blood stream. The slow release allows for lower steadier blood sugar levels. Proteins also help to slow down the release of carbohydrates into the blood stream. Eating a banana, drinking a glass of orange juice, or having a few crackers on an empty stomach is a major no-no. This type of eating will cause your blood sugar and insulin to spike.
4. Choose complex carbohydrates over simple carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates break down much more slowly and have a higher nutritional value than simple carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrate sources are whole grains, most vegetables, brown rice, unprocessed oatmeal, and whole grain pasta. Simple carbohydrates include pop, junk food, white rice, bread, bananas, cereal…..
5. Eat a high fiber diet. Foods that are high in fiber help to slow down the release of sugars into the bloodstream.
6. Don’t eat too much. Overeating is a major problem especially in the developed world. These extra calories cause excess insulin production as well as increased insulin resistance.
Senin, 02 Mei 2011
Type 1 vs Type 2 diabetes
I’ve heard from people that type 1 diabetes is the one you are born with where as type 2 diabetes is the one that can get when you are older. This description is inaccurate and it’s important that we truly understand the real difference.
Type 1 diabetes:
In order to keep a lid on rising blood sugar, our bodies need insulin, a hormone which takes sugar out of the blood and directs it into mostly muscle and fat tissue. Insulin is produced by the beta cells in the pancreas. Type 1 diabetes is a disease where the pancreas is unable to produce any or enough insulin do to the loss of these beta cells. In this case the type 1 diabetic needs to take injections of insulin in order to stay alive. They must regularly monitor their blood sugar level during the day, and take the requisite amount of insulin. It is an annoying process but certainly worth the effort, since without insulin, diabetic ketoacidosis often develops, often resulting in coma or death. Now there are electronic devices called insulin pumps, which monitor blood sugar and supply the correct amount of insulin. These devices take less effort to use but still need to be attached outside the body. Unfortunately, we don’t know enough about how to prevent type 1 diabetes. The good news is that adult onset type 1 diabetes is much less common than adult onset type 2 diabetes, a disease much easier to reverse, especially during the early stages. Type 2 diabetes is so common now due to poor lifestyle habits with people in the developed world, that this disease is often just referred to as adult onset diabetes, even though that term isn’t really accurate.
Type 2 diabetes:
In order to take the sugar (glucose) in the blood to the surrounding tissues, we need not only insulin, but we need the insulin to work. People with type 2 diabetes can produce their own insulin, but their bodies aren’t able to use it, or at least not efficiently enough. Insulin is a hormone that attaches to receptor sites on the cells that need the glucose inside, mainly muscle and fat cells. When an insulin molecule is attached to the receptor site on the outside of the cell, it allows the cell to open up and allow glucose inside. Without insulin, glucose won’t be able to squeeze through the cell membrane. If the insulin receptor sites are damaged or not responding well to insulin, then insulin is essentially useless. In the early stages, type 2 diabetes is often characterized by reduced insulin sensitivity. Lifestyle changes alone are often enough to reverse this. Sometimes oral medications are needed. If the disease progresses far enough, insulin production becomes a problem, and these type 2 diabetics often need to start taking therapeutic insulin.
Type 1 diabetes:
In order to keep a lid on rising blood sugar, our bodies need insulin, a hormone which takes sugar out of the blood and directs it into mostly muscle and fat tissue. Insulin is produced by the beta cells in the pancreas. Type 1 diabetes is a disease where the pancreas is unable to produce any or enough insulin do to the loss of these beta cells. In this case the type 1 diabetic needs to take injections of insulin in order to stay alive. They must regularly monitor their blood sugar level during the day, and take the requisite amount of insulin. It is an annoying process but certainly worth the effort, since without insulin, diabetic ketoacidosis often develops, often resulting in coma or death. Now there are electronic devices called insulin pumps, which monitor blood sugar and supply the correct amount of insulin. These devices take less effort to use but still need to be attached outside the body. Unfortunately, we don’t know enough about how to prevent type 1 diabetes. The good news is that adult onset type 1 diabetes is much less common than adult onset type 2 diabetes, a disease much easier to reverse, especially during the early stages. Type 2 diabetes is so common now due to poor lifestyle habits with people in the developed world, that this disease is often just referred to as adult onset diabetes, even though that term isn’t really accurate.
Type 2 diabetes:
In order to take the sugar (glucose) in the blood to the surrounding tissues, we need not only insulin, but we need the insulin to work. People with type 2 diabetes can produce their own insulin, but their bodies aren’t able to use it, or at least not efficiently enough. Insulin is a hormone that attaches to receptor sites on the cells that need the glucose inside, mainly muscle and fat cells. When an insulin molecule is attached to the receptor site on the outside of the cell, it allows the cell to open up and allow glucose inside. Without insulin, glucose won’t be able to squeeze through the cell membrane. If the insulin receptor sites are damaged or not responding well to insulin, then insulin is essentially useless. In the early stages, type 2 diabetes is often characterized by reduced insulin sensitivity. Lifestyle changes alone are often enough to reverse this. Sometimes oral medications are needed. If the disease progresses far enough, insulin production becomes a problem, and these type 2 diabetics often need to start taking therapeutic insulin.
What Can I eat with pre diabetes?
If you have pre diabetes, you don’t need to push the panic button and stress yourself out. What you need to do is sit down with a piece of paper and write down what you currently eat. Try to think of a sustainable plan to reduce both calories and sugar. You can do without desert and that mid afternoon cola. Make small changes to your diet and stick to them. Go back to your doctor in a few weeks and get your fasting blood sugar looked at again and you might be pleasantly surprised with how much lower it got with a few simple changes. It’s important to be consistent and try not to spike your blood sugar sky high like you’ve been doing since childhood.
So basically, you can eat anything on a pre diabetes diet, just make sure that you moderate it and make sure it better than before. Less calories, less carbs, less sugar. Make those changes and see how your body reacts. Don’t stress yourself out because that could worsen the problem. It really isn’t the end of the world, just start making smarter food choices now.
So basically, you can eat anything on a pre diabetes diet, just make sure that you moderate it and make sure it better than before. Less calories, less carbs, less sugar. Make those changes and see how your body reacts. Don’t stress yourself out because that could worsen the problem. It really isn’t the end of the world, just start making smarter food choices now.
How diet can affect pre diabetes
If you have pre diabetes, the reason could very well be a poor diet. My dad got it after going on a 3 week cruise where he was pigging out at the all you can eat buffets. Luckily, he caught it in time and reversed it before it became type 2 diabetes.
If you are in your 40’s or older, stop stressing your pancreas by spiking your blood sugar all the time. Sure it’s kind of fun to drink a soda whenever you want a little boost of energy, but the consequences of sloppy and careless eating choices are not worth the benefit.
If you have a family history of diabetes, you are especially at risk. In any case, lower your overall intake of food and don’t have a lot of sugar or carbohydrates at once. Give your body a rest. It might feel bad for the first few days, but after that you’ll feel great and reduce your risk of developing this disease, or even be able to reverse it if you already have it.
If you are in your 40’s or older, stop stressing your pancreas by spiking your blood sugar all the time. Sure it’s kind of fun to drink a soda whenever you want a little boost of energy, but the consequences of sloppy and careless eating choices are not worth the benefit.
If you have a family history of diabetes, you are especially at risk. In any case, lower your overall intake of food and don’t have a lot of sugar or carbohydrates at once. Give your body a rest. It might feel bad for the first few days, but after that you’ll feel great and reduce your risk of developing this disease, or even be able to reverse it if you already have it.
Diabetes Treatment
Diabetes Treatment
Self-Care at Home
If you or someone you know has diabetes, they would be wise to make healthful lifestyle choices in diet, exercise, and other health habits. These will help to improve glycemic (blood sugar) control and prevent or minimize complications of diabetes.
Diet: A healthy diet is key to controlling blood sugar levels and preventing diabetes complications.
* If the patient is obese and has had difficulty losing weight on their own, talk to a healthcare provider. He or she can recommend a dietitian or a weight modification program to help the patient reach a goal.
* Eat a consistent, well-balanced diet that is high in fiber, low in saturated fat, and low in concentrated sweets.
* A consistent diet that includes roughly the same number of calories at about the same times of day helps the healthcare provider prescribe the correct dose of medication or insulin.
* It will also help to keep blood sugar at a relatively even level and avoid excessively low or high blood sugar levels, which can be dangerous and even life-threatening.
Self-Care at Home
If you or someone you know has diabetes, they would be wise to make healthful lifestyle choices in diet, exercise, and other health habits. These will help to improve glycemic (blood sugar) control and prevent or minimize complications of diabetes.
Diet: A healthy diet is key to controlling blood sugar levels and preventing diabetes complications.
* If the patient is obese and has had difficulty losing weight on their own, talk to a healthcare provider. He or she can recommend a dietitian or a weight modification program to help the patient reach a goal.
* Eat a consistent, well-balanced diet that is high in fiber, low in saturated fat, and low in concentrated sweets.
* A consistent diet that includes roughly the same number of calories at about the same times of day helps the healthcare provider prescribe the correct dose of medication or insulin.
* It will also help to keep blood sugar at a relatively even level and avoid excessively low or high blood sugar levels, which can be dangerous and even life-threatening.
Diabetes Symptoms
Symptoms of type 1 diabetes are often dramatic and come on very suddenly.
* Type 1 diabetes is usually recognized in childhood or early adolescence, often in association with an illness (such as a virus or urinary tract infection) or injury.
* The extra stress can cause diabetic ketoacidosis.
* Symptoms of ketoacidosis include nausea and vomiting. Dehydration and often-serious disturbances in blood levels of potassium follow.
* Without treatment, ketoacidosis can lead to coma and death.
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes are often subtle and may be attributed to aging or obesity.
* A person may have type 2 diabetes for many years without knowing it.
* People with type 2 diabetes can develop hyperglycemic hyperosmolar nonketotic syndrome.
* Type 2 diabetes can be precipitated by steroids and stress.
* If not properly treated, type 2 diabetes can lead to complications like blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, and nerve damage.
Common symptoms of both major types of diabetes:
* Fatigue: In diabetes, the body is inefficient and sometimes unable to use glucose for fuel. The body switches over to metabolizing fat, partially or completely, as a fuel source. This process requires the body to use more energy. The end result is feeling fatigued or constantly tired.
* Unexplained weight loss: People with diabetes are unable to process many of the calories in the foods they eat. Thus, they may lose weight even though they eat an apparently appropriate or even excessive amount of food. Losing sugar and water in the urine and the accompanying dehydration also contributes to weight loss.
* Excessive thirst (polydipsia): A person with diabetes develops high blood sugar levels, which overwhelms the kidney's ability to reabsorb the sugar as the blood is filtered to make urine. Excessive urine is made as the kidney spills the excess sugar. The body tries to counteract this by sending a signal to the brain to dilute the blood, which translates into thirst. The body encourages more water consumption to dilute the high blood sugar back to normal levels and to compensate for the water lost by excessive urination.
* Excessive urination (polyuria): Another way the body tries to get rid of the extra sugar in the blood is to excrete it in the urine. This can also lead to dehydration because excreting the sugar carries a large amount of water out of the body along with it.
* Excessive eating (polyphagia): If the body is able, it will secrete more insulin in order to try to deal with the excessive blood sugar levels. Moreover, the body is resistant to the action of insulin in type 2 diabetes. One of the functions of insulin is to stimulate hunger. Therefore, higher insulin levels lead to increased hunger and eating. Despite increased caloric intake, the person may gain very little weight and may even lose weight.
* Poor wound healing: High blood sugar levels prevent white blood cells, which are important in defending the body against bacteria and also in cleaning up dead tissue and cells, from functioning normally. When these cells do not function properly, wounds take much longer to heal and become infected more frequently. Also, long-standing diabetes is associated with thickening of blood vessels, which prevents good circulation including the delivery of enough oxygen and other nutrients to body tissues.
* Infections: Certain infection syndromes, such as frequent yeast infections of the genitals, skin infections, and frequent urinary tract infections, may result from suppression of the immune system by diabetes and by the presence of glucose in the tissues, which allows bacteria to grow well. They can also be an indicator of poor blood sugar control in a person known to have diabetes.
* Altered mental status: Agitation, unexplained irritability, inattention, extreme lethargy, or confusion can all be signs of very high blood sugar, ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar hyperglycemia nonketotic syndrome, or hypoglycemia (low sugar). Thus, any of these merit the immediate attention of a medical professional. Call your health care provider or 911.
* Blurry vision: Blurry vision is not specific for diabetes but is frequently present with high blood sugar levels.
* Type 1 diabetes is usually recognized in childhood or early adolescence, often in association with an illness (such as a virus or urinary tract infection) or injury.
* The extra stress can cause diabetic ketoacidosis.
* Symptoms of ketoacidosis include nausea and vomiting. Dehydration and often-serious disturbances in blood levels of potassium follow.
* Without treatment, ketoacidosis can lead to coma and death.
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes are often subtle and may be attributed to aging or obesity.
* A person may have type 2 diabetes for many years without knowing it.
* People with type 2 diabetes can develop hyperglycemic hyperosmolar nonketotic syndrome.
* Type 2 diabetes can be precipitated by steroids and stress.
* If not properly treated, type 2 diabetes can lead to complications like blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, and nerve damage.
Common symptoms of both major types of diabetes:
* Fatigue: In diabetes, the body is inefficient and sometimes unable to use glucose for fuel. The body switches over to metabolizing fat, partially or completely, as a fuel source. This process requires the body to use more energy. The end result is feeling fatigued or constantly tired.
* Unexplained weight loss: People with diabetes are unable to process many of the calories in the foods they eat. Thus, they may lose weight even though they eat an apparently appropriate or even excessive amount of food. Losing sugar and water in the urine and the accompanying dehydration also contributes to weight loss.
* Excessive thirst (polydipsia): A person with diabetes develops high blood sugar levels, which overwhelms the kidney's ability to reabsorb the sugar as the blood is filtered to make urine. Excessive urine is made as the kidney spills the excess sugar. The body tries to counteract this by sending a signal to the brain to dilute the blood, which translates into thirst. The body encourages more water consumption to dilute the high blood sugar back to normal levels and to compensate for the water lost by excessive urination.
* Excessive urination (polyuria): Another way the body tries to get rid of the extra sugar in the blood is to excrete it in the urine. This can also lead to dehydration because excreting the sugar carries a large amount of water out of the body along with it.
* Excessive eating (polyphagia): If the body is able, it will secrete more insulin in order to try to deal with the excessive blood sugar levels. Moreover, the body is resistant to the action of insulin in type 2 diabetes. One of the functions of insulin is to stimulate hunger. Therefore, higher insulin levels lead to increased hunger and eating. Despite increased caloric intake, the person may gain very little weight and may even lose weight.
* Poor wound healing: High blood sugar levels prevent white blood cells, which are important in defending the body against bacteria and also in cleaning up dead tissue and cells, from functioning normally. When these cells do not function properly, wounds take much longer to heal and become infected more frequently. Also, long-standing diabetes is associated with thickening of blood vessels, which prevents good circulation including the delivery of enough oxygen and other nutrients to body tissues.
* Infections: Certain infection syndromes, such as frequent yeast infections of the genitals, skin infections, and frequent urinary tract infections, may result from suppression of the immune system by diabetes and by the presence of glucose in the tissues, which allows bacteria to grow well. They can also be an indicator of poor blood sugar control in a person known to have diabetes.
* Altered mental status: Agitation, unexplained irritability, inattention, extreme lethargy, or confusion can all be signs of very high blood sugar, ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar hyperglycemia nonketotic syndrome, or hypoglycemia (low sugar). Thus, any of these merit the immediate attention of a medical professional. Call your health care provider or 911.
* Blurry vision: Blurry vision is not specific for diabetes but is frequently present with high blood sugar levels.
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