Healthiest Fruits for People With Type 2 Diabetes

Fruits That Fit a Diabetes Diet

With some thoughtful planning, sweet, juicy fruit can be a regular part of your type 2 diabetes diet — as long as you keep your intake of the natural sugars found in these fruits under control. Guidelines published in June 2014 in the journal The Lancet suggests that calories and carbohydrates from fruits should be less than 10 percent of total intake. In general, fruit is a nutritious alternative to sugar-laden desserts, according to the American Diabetes Association. The body digests the natural sugars in whole fruit more slowly than it does the processed sugars found in a slice of pie, for instance. Fruits also deliver fiber, antioxidants, and a range of nutrients, says Katie Gill, RD, a registered dietitian in the division of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolic diseases at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. She recommends pairing a fruit serving with a small amount of protein or fat, such as a few nuts, to tamp down your blood sugar response. She also suggests testing your blood sugar. “Don’t take my word that a fruit is good for you — check your blood sugar before you eat and then two hours afterwards,” Gill says. That level of personal information will help you identify which fruits best fit into your type 2 diabetes diet. Here are nine of the best choices to get you started

 

2.Grapes

“Grapes have a beneficial effect on blood sugar control,” says Courtney Peterson, PhD, a nutrition researcher and assistant professor in the nutrition science department at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. They contain polyphenols, a type of phytonutrient that may have a positive effect on the systemic inflammation seen with diabetes, according to Dr. Peterson. Polyphenols may also play a role in blood sugar management, according to a research review published in the January 2016 issue of the journal Nutrients.

3. Apples

Apples, also rich in polyphenols, have a unique advantage of a pre-set serving size, Gill says. It’s easy to stop eating once you’ve finished — just choose a medium-sized variety. “I love that apples have fiber,” she says. Just be sure to eat the skin, where much of that fiber is found. Fiber is helpful because it fills you up and it can slow the absorption of sugar in the blood, according to the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston.

Read More

Foods that boosts your metabolism

Aside exercising regularly and getting enough sleep in order to lose extra weight, here are some foods that can help boost your metabolism and make your journey to keeping fit much easier and faster.

Citrus fruits 

Citrus fruits like grapefruit, lemon, orange, and lime are fruits insanely rich in vitamin C, this helps in keeping our metabolism high and also makes weight and fat loss faster. 

Whole grains 

Oatmeal and brown rice are good examples of whole grains foods needed to speed up the body's metabolism. These foods are rich in nutrients and they stabilize insulin levels in the body at the same time also offering long lasting energy. 

Spices 

Spices like cayenne, garlic and cinnamon are useful also in spiking up metabolism. Apart from this, they offer other health benefits like boosting immunity, fighting aging and diseases. 

Foods high in omega 3

Consuming foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids like salmon fish is also a great way of boosting your body's metabolism. The omega 3 fatty acids lower the production of leptin in the body that reduces Metabolism. 

Leafy greens 

A good example is a spinach, this vegetable is packed with lots of nutrients than you can imagine, including this wonder veggie in your everyday diet protects you from heart disease, colon cancer, arthritis and a host of other diseases. It also boosts your mental and physical state.

Read More

Benefits of cocoa butter

Cocoa butter is an edible vegetable fat gotten from cocoa beans which possess moisturizing qualities for your hair and skin. Its use is not restricted to women alone so men get into the alluring world of cocoa butter! It is easy to use because it melts at room temperature but just how many amazing things can you use it for? Find out.
Moisturizing dry skin

The same way coconut oil and shea butter can work wonders for your skin, add this butter to that league of extraordinary oils. It has healing qualities for dry, peeling and sensitive skin which is why it is widely used for making lip glosses and other beauty ointments.
Improving your immunity

It has high antioxidant content which is beneficial for improving immunity. It also lowers inflammation and improves your heart health despite its reputation as a saturated fat.
Anti-aging quality    

Cocoa butter contains polyphenols which scientists say has anti-aging properties. It fights against the degeneration of the skin and sensitivities. It promotes health even internally which reflects externally on the skin.
As shaving cream

It makes shaving easier and moisturizes the skin in the process. Using it before shaving prevents cuts, leaving the skin smooth and fresh.
For stretch marks

There is no study specifically supporting this yet but those who have used it claim they have seen improvements. Even if cocoa butter does not reverse stretch marks, you can use it for dry skin and to prevent fresh ones from breaking out.
Cooking with cocoa butter

You can use it diverse ways. You can buy cocoa butter from a natural retailer around you and make homemade chocolate by combining it with cocoa powder, honey, and coconut palm sugar. You can also use it as a coconut oil substitute for butte

Read More

Can Alternative Therapies Help You Manage Diabetes?

Thinking of adding a complementary therapy to your type 2 diabetes treatment plan? If so, here’s what you should consider

People with type 2 diabetes sometimes add complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) therapies to their treatment plans. But it’s important to choose carefully. While some CAM therapies might be of help, others could end up doing more harm than good.
Before you decide to use a CAM therapy to help manage type 2 diabetes, consider these steps:
Talk to your doctor before taking a supplement. “Some supplements and medications can interfere with each other, leading to dangerous side effects,” says Andrew Newberg, MD, director of research at the Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University and Hospital in Philadelphia. Talk to your doctor about why you want to add a CAM therapy, and specifically which of your type 2 diabetes symptoms aren’t being addressed with regular treatment. “Discussing the goals of CAM therapy is always important so that the most effective treatment plan with medications or supplements can be developed,” he says.
Keep taking medication as prescribed. Sometimes people quit their medications when they start taking a supplement, says Aunna Pourang, MD, an integrative family medicine doctor in Santa Monica, California. However, she says, "the last thing you want is for someone to stop taking their medications, take a supplement with no benefit, and wind up hospitalized with life-threatening high blood sugar or with a stroke, heart attack, or other complications as a result of uncontrolled type 2 diabetes."
Find reliable information. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health website has a trove of information on CAM, including facts on safety and effectiveness of supplements, herbs, and other therapies. Also, the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine has a provider locator database to search for integrative healthcare providers in your area, including endocrinologists, naturopathic physicians, massage therapists, and others.
Have realistic expectations. “Doctors need to help people realize what to expect, and to understand that there are rarely any ‘miracle’ cures,” Dr. Newberg says. Most complementary therapies, for example, are just that — complementary — and should be part of a comprehensive health plan. Treatment for type 2 diabetes is a multifaceted approach that includes diet, nutrition, exercise, stress management, and any necessary medications, he says.
CAM Therapies to Consider for Type 2 Diabetes
Not everyone in the medical community supports the use of CAM treatment for type 2 diabetes. The American Diabetes Association (ADA), for example, doesn’t support the use of dietary supplements because of a lack of research-based evidence, says Susan Weiner, RDN, a certified diabetes educator in New York and the 2015 Educator of the Year of the American Association of Diabetes Educators.
However, some medical experts see certain benefits to CAM treatment for type 2 diabetes. For instance, the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid and the botanicals berberine and gymnema sylvestre have been shown in some studies to reduce blood sugar or regulate carbohydrate metabolism, Newberg says. However, he cautions that "these should only be used when working with a knowledgeable doctor, particularly someone who specializes in the treatment of type 2 diabetes."
Weiner adds that it's important to monitor your blood sugar even more closely than usual if you're taking a supplement along with prescription medication.
Other CAM methods to consider to help manage type 2 diabetes include:

• Mind-body practices. Stress can raise blood sugar, according to the ADA. “Yoga, tai chi, and many other practices affect body and brain physiology and are excellent approaches to help manage stress,” Newberg says. 
• Acupuncture. Some people with diabetic nerve pain are helped by acupuncture, but others aren’t, Newberg says. The quality of the acupuncturist is important. Get a referral from family members or friends, suggests Jocelyn Joy, an acupuncture and oriental medicine specialist in San Diego, California.
• Functional foods. These are whole foods or ingredients that go beyond nutrition and may help reduce the risk of certain health conditions. Functional foods that may benefit people with type 2 diabetes include bitter melon, fenugreek seed, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, cumin, garlic, onion, coriander, cloves, and cocoa, Weiner says. Some of these functional foods may positively affect blood sugar and blood pressure, she says. But she stresses that you should always discuss any changes in your eating plan with your doctor, dietitian, or diabetes educator first.
• Multivitamins. Many people with type 2 diabetes have either reduced absorption or altered vitamin metabolism, so it may be reasonable for some people to take a multivitamin that contains approximately 50 to 100 percent of the recommended daily allowance, Newberg says. 

Supplements to Avoid If You Have Type 2 Diabetes
St. John’s wort, a supplement often used for depression, can interfere with many drugs, Newberg says. Because of this, he says he typically doesn’t recommend it, especially for people with type 2 diabetes who are taking multiple medications.
Also steer clear of anything that promises to ‘cure’ type 2 diabetes, Weiner says.
Anyone considering supplements should also remember that the Food and Drug Administration doesn’t regulate supplements like it regulates drugs. Make sure any supplement you use is verified by an organization such as the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention

Read More

Biggest Myths About Type 2 Diabetes Treatment

 "At least it's not as bad as cancer."
You may have heard that statement after you've aired your complaints about the challenges of managing type 2 diabetes. While it's usually meant well, this type of response is misleading, since it promotes the unfounded idea — the myth — that diabetes isn't as serious as other chronic conditions. But type 2 diabetes raises your risk of dying prematurely by 50 percent, and according to the CDC it's a leading cause of death in the United States.
The good news is that diabetes "is absolutely manageable with proper diet, exercise, and medication," says Jenny Champion, a registered dietitian, diabetes educator, and personal trainer in New York City.
As you manage the various aspects of your medical care — the healthy lifestyle habits, the self-monitoring of blood glucose, and any medication regimen — don't be waylaid by these nine other diabetes myths, any or all of which might be keeping you from getting the most out of your treatment.
Myth: You can feel when blood sugar is high or low, so you don't have to check it often.
Waiting to feel physical effects of blood sugar (glucose) that is too high or too low is dangerous: According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), this can lead to accidents, injuries, coma, and even death.
"Many good studies have been conducted on the ability of people to sense blood sugar levels, and most people are woefully inaccurate," says Amber Taylor, MD, an endocrinologist and the director of the Diabetes Center at Mercy Medical Center, in Baltimore. Says Champion, "By the time you end up feeling the telltale signs of low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, your levels have already sunk too far."
Aside from determining whether your blood sugar levels are within a healthy range, regular glucose monitoring offers psychological benefits: A study that was presented at the American Association of Diabetes Educators Annual Meeting and Exhibition, in August 2015, showed that participants with diabetes who stuck to a regular self-monitoring schedule not only had better-controlled blood sugar levels but felt more in control of their condition than before the study.
As for how often you should check your blood sugar levels, Dr. Taylor recommends three to four times daily for those who take insulin, and once a day for those who use oral medication. However, there are exceptions to these general recommendations, so Taylor emphasizes that your specific schedule for testing and timing should come from your diabetes care team.
Myth: Needing insulin means you're failing to take care of your diabetes properly.
Insulin is a naturally occurring hormone produced by the pancreas that allows your body either to use sugar from food as energy or to store it for later use. When you have type 2 diabetes, your body isn't able to use insulin properly. And because diabetes is progressive, the body may eventually lose its ability to make enough insulin on its own. Insulin therapy is a viable treatment option in these cases —  whether the person is newly diagnosed with diabetes or has been managing for 15 years or more.
Says Champion, "If your doctor suggests you start using insulin, it doesn't mean you're failing. It just means your body needs a different treatment so that you can continue to stay healthy."
Myth: Managing diabetes is painful and complicated.
People with diabetes used to have to follow strict mealtime schedules and endure painful insulin injections, but that's not so anymore. "There have been huge advances in diabetes technology over the past 50 years," says Taylor. "Tiny needles, fast glucometers, and new medications have made the management of diabetes easier and more convenient."
A variety of insulin delivery methods are available nowadays, and needles are so small that injections don't hurt. Pain and complication should belong to the past, so talk to your doctor if you find that any part of your treatment plan is too challenging or uncomfortable.
Myth: Medication controls your blood sugar, so you can eat whatever you want.
Dietary recommendations for people who don't have diabetes apply just as strongly to those who do. "Just because you take medication doesn't mean you can eat an unhealthy diet," says Taylor. "We should all eat healthier foods, whether we have diabetes or not."
To minimize your risk of health problems and diabetes complications, plan balanced meals ahead and include protein, fat, and carbs, and keep processed foods to a minimum.
"Remember that what you eat influences the efficacy of your medication and how much of the medication you need," says Champion, "so it's important to continue eating healthfully, even after starting a medication regimen."
Myth: You can't lead an active life when you have diabetes.
"Being active is actually a fantastic way to manage blood sugar and help prevent complications in the future," says Champion. The ADA recommends 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise at least five days a week. If you can't set aside 30 minutes every day, you can break up your activity into several 10-minute workouts. According to the ADA, effective workouts include brisk walking, stair-climbing, swimming, and dancing.
You can also try soccer. In a study published in December 2013 in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the heart muscle tissue of the participants, who all had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, was found to work up to 29 percent faster after six months of regular soccer training, and their exercise capacity had increased by 42 percent.
Keep in mind that exercise can lower blood sugar, so you might need to eat a snack before you work out, especially if you're taking medication that lowers your blood sugar. Talk to your doctor before starting any new exercise regimen, and ask about smart steps you can take to help prevent low blood sugar.
Myth: Using insulin causes complications like amputations and even death.
Quite the opposite, says Champion. Insulin can be a lifesaver. It allows cells to absorb and use glucose that can build up in the body — in effect, lowering blood sugar and preventing long-term organ damage and other complications of diabetes.
"Insulin may get a bad name because some people wait much too long to start it," says Taylor, "and once damage has been done from years of high blood sugar, people incorrectly attribute it to the insulin. For example, a patient who comes to the hospital with very high blood sugar and gangrene may start insulin at the hospital but ultimately lose the affected limb — the patient might think the amputation was related to the insulin, but in reality, insulin might have prevented the complication if the treatment had been started earlier."
Myth: If my relative is on a certain medication, I should be on it, too.
"Diabetes is not treated with a one-size-fits-all approach," says Taylor. The specific recommendations for which medication you should take are based on various factors, she explains, including how long you've had diabetes and what other medications you're taking, as well as other risk factors and health conditions — all of which may be very different from your relative's.
In addition, says Champion, "people respond differently to different medications, so what works for your relative may not be right for you. Each person with type 2 diabetes is different, so naturally, treatment is individualized."
Myth: You have to lose a lot of weight for your diabetes to improve.
Being overweight or obese does increase your risk of diabetes complications. The good news, says Champion, is that even a small amount of weight loss can significantly improve your diabetes. Says Taylor, "Usually, 5 to 10 percent of your body weight is sufficient, and many people notice better blood sugar levels immediately after they change their diet."
The ADA recommends that you lose weight gradually, by setting a few realistic goals and working toward them steadily. A good place to start is to incorporate one healthful change into your diet and make one tweak to increase your physical activity.
Myth: No matter what I do, I'll eventually end up with disabling complications.
This is perhaps the biggest myth of all — that if you have diabetes, it's guaranteed that you'll develop serious health issues, such as vision loss, nerve damage, or kidney failure. Fortunately, that's not the case. "We work really hard to avoid reaching that stage," says Taylor. "People can have insulin-requiring diabetes for many years and never develop complications."
Taking steps to keep your blood sugar under control, continuing to learn as much as you can about diabetes, and communicating regularly with your health care team — these are the best ways to protect your health. If you're doing all that but you still feel that there's no hope, talk to your doctor, says Taylor. "You may be suffering from diabetes burnout," she says. Fortunately, your care team will be able to come up with a plan to help you manage that, too.

Read More

How Food Affects Your Blood Sugar

Q: How long after eating does food affect your blood sugar? When is the best time to test my blood sugar in relation to meals?

A: Food is the number one reason for fluctuations in blood sugar, or glucose. Usually, food raises blood sugar while alcohol may lower blood sugar. Depending on what you are eating, blood sugar can rise beyond 300 mg/dl if the food  sugar or simple carbohydrates. For example, milk and juices are used medically to correct hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, because they can quickly raise sugars after only drinking 3 to 4 ounces.
If you are curious about what a particular food or a meal does to your blood sugar, check your glucose level just before you eat, and then check it again two hours after finishing your meal. The American Diabetes Association recommends that a safe postprandial sugar level should not exceed 180 mg/dl. If the sugar is higher than 180 mg/dl and you are taking insulin or medication, you may need to take a higher dose before eating that same meal again or adjust the meal — either by eating less or reducing the carb content.
For people diagnosed with diabetes, it’s very easy to become obsessive about blood sugars and be tempted to check them multiple times throughout the day. But that’s usually not necessary. For example, someone who takes short- or rapid-acting insulin before meals should check sugars before each meal to decide how much to take, and then again at bedtime, which will help their healthcare provider know whether to adjust the daily dose of long-acting insulin.
When monitoring blood sugar around meals, remember to check it right before the meal and then two hours after eating. Almost everyone — with or without diabetes — may have a high blood sugar while eating or right afterwards, which is why there hasn’t been standardization around what a normal sugar is during meals. It’s crucial to wait at least one to two hours after eating to get an accurate postprandial reading.
Maintaining a balanced blood sugar throughout the day can seem difficult, but it’s actually very doable if you commit to some up-front work for a week or two. I have found from my practice that most people eat the same 20 to 30 foods all of the time, and if they think about it, they can easily recognize patterns and develop schedules based on that. Keeping a food and blood sugar log to track when sugars go up and down will help you figure out what works for you.
A common issue with keeping blood sugar balanced is eating only two or three large meals a day — which will spike blood sugar when you’re eating and cause dips during the long periods between meals. Splitting up the food into four to six smaller meals can help prevent those swings in blood sugar.
If on oral medication or a non-insulin injectable for diabetes, ask your doctor about when specifically that medication should be taken. Recent studies on some of the newer diabetes drugs have shown some benefits to taking medications at specific times during the day.
Being successful in managing diabetes is similar to what it takes to be successful in other aspects of life: organization and regimentation. With today's developments in medications and technologies, the future is bright.

Read More

11 Dos and Don'ts for Managing Type 2 Diabetes

1. Many tools can help you manage type 2 diabetes, but a detailed care plan tops the list. "A care plan helps people get organized, which goes a long way in managing type 2 diabetes and overall health," says Lori Zanini, RD, CDE, a certified diabetes educator in Los Angeles, California, and a national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). "When life gets busy, it can be challenging to remember all the to-dos of managing diabetes, so a care plan can help provide reminders and accountability." The end result? Better blood sugar control. Here are 10 dos and don'ts to help you stay on track with your type 2 diabetes care plan — and your health in general.

 2.DO Check Blood Sugar Daily

Frequent blood sugar checks allow you to stay in tune with how your body responds to food, stress, exercise, and more. "Ignorance isn’t bliss when it comes to improving your blood sugar control," Zanini says. She recommends checking blood sugar before meals and two hours after the first bite of a meal. Also check your blood sugar after exercising and when you feel stressed to better understand your body's reaction to different circumstances.

3.DON'T Forget the Protein

 Yes, you have to watch your carbohydrates, but don't underestimate the importance of protein. "Eating refined sources of carbohydrates without also adding a source of protein can lead to blood sugar elevations," Zanini says, and that can result in diabetes-related complications. Work with a certified diabetes educator to figure out your carb-to-protein ratio for each meal and snack. "It's a simple and easy way to make sure you're getting enough protein," she says. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends plant-based proteins such as beans and lentils as well as lean poultry, fish, and eggs.

4.DO Work Closely With Your Healthcare Team

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition, and a strong support team can help you stay on track for the long haul. Lean on friends and family, but also turn to your healthcare team when you have questions. Additionally, be prepared for appointments with your healthcare professionals, says Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDE, a spokesperson for the AND. "Write down your questions, bring in your blood sugar log, and be honest about your behaviors and concerns," she says.

 5.DON'T Abandon Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates aren’t bad, but it’s important to focus on eating them in moderation at regular times throughout the day, Zanini says. "Realize that carbohydrates aren’t only found in bread, pasta, and rice.” Even foods like non-fat dairy, fruit, and vegetables — especially potatoes, green peas, and corn — all contain carbohydrates, so be sure to keep track. "Carb counting gives you so much flexibility," Weisenberger says. "Create a carb cheat sheet that includes 20 or more of your usual food choices and portion sizes for each food, and the number of carbs in that amount.

6. DO Indulge in Favorite Treats on Occasion
 Don't make your favorite foods off-limits, but do plan for them. Keep the portion small and make it an occasional indulgence. "Trying to live without favorite foods leads to feelings of deprivation, which can undermine your efforts and resolve," Weisenberger says. Choose when to dig in, such as on Friday night, when at a restaurant, or another time that feels right for you. "The key is to plan it and to swap out another food for it.

7.DON'T Get Dehydrated

While you're carefully monitoring your type 2 diabetes meal plan, don't forget to consider what you are — or aren't — drinking. "Water is essential," Zanini says. "Hydrating properly helps dilute our blood, which helps lower blood sugar." Even mild dehydration can impact your blood sugar level.  Keep a refillable bottle with you, drinking and refilling throughout the day. And if the taste is just too plain, add a slice of lemon or lime for flavor.

8.DO Manage Stress

Stress causes the body to produce more sugar, which accumulates in your cells, according to the ADA. Chronic stress can prevent optimal blood sugar control, Zanini says, and when you're stressed out, you're less likely to take good care of your body. Pinpoint stressors in your life and find ways to diffuse them to better manage your type 2 diabetes. To help reduce stress, try exercising regularly and practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, progressive relaxation, and positive self-talk.

9.DON'T Neglect Exercise

Getting regular aerobic exercise can help you shed pounds and lower blood sugar for hours afterward, Zanini says. Strength-training exercises are also essential. "Strength training improves insulin sensitivity at least as well as cardiovascular exercise," Weisenberger says. "It’s best to engage in both because their sum is greater than either of the two alone." Opt for resistance exercises like lifting light weights at least twice a week on nonconsecutive days.

10.DO Commit to Not Smoking

If you have type 2 diabetes, smoking worsens disease control and causes problems with medication dosages, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It also puts you at increased risk for significant complications, from circulatory problems to heart and kidney disease to eye and nerve damage. Refraining from smoking can promote better health and better blood sugar control. "Seek out smoking cessation resources or ask for help from your doctor to create a support system to help you stop smoking

11.DON'T Let Type 2 Diabetes Control You

Neglecting your health and inadequately managing type 2 diabetes will lead to complications down the road. Instead, take advantage of the many resources out there to help you keep your type 2 diabetes under control. Although it's hard work, it’s worth it. "Taking care of yourself is empowering," Weisenberger says, "There is power in words. Instead of saying, 'I can’t have that,' say, 'I choose not to have that.'"

Read More

5 Ways to Beat Type 2 Diabetes

The secret to managing type 2 diabetes doesn't come in a pill. In most cases, these simple lifestyle changes will do the trick.

It's no secret that type 2 diabetes is on the rise in the United States and around the world. But if you've been diagnosed, there's a lot you can do to improve your health — and the best place to start is by changing your lifestyle.
“Basic principles of good health like eating right, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight can be as effective as medicine in the management of type 2 diabetes for most people,” says dietitian Sue McLaughlin, RD, diabetes educator and president of health care and education for the American Diabetes Association. That's backed up by the Look AHEAD study, a large clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The researchers found that over a four-year period, changes like eating a healthier diet and getting more exercise led to weight loss and improved diabetes control in 5000 overweight or obese participants with type 2 diabetes.

If you're ready to make positive changes to help control diabetes, here's how to get started.

Managing Type 2 Diabetes: Improve Your Diet
Keeping close tabs on your diet is a major way to manage type 2 diabetes. A healthy diet for people with type 2 diabetes includes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, lean meats, and low-fat dairy. Focus on eating fruits and non-starchy vegetables, like broccoli, carrots, and lettuce, and having smaller portions of starchy foods, meat, and dairy products. Be especially careful about loading up on foods that are high on the glycemic index (GI), a system that ranks foods according to how they affect glucose levels. High-GI foods include white breads, white rice, and soda.
Limit fast food, too. In a 15-year study of 3,000 young adults, those who ate fast food more than twice a week developed insulin resistance (a diabetes risk factor) at twice the rate of people who weren’t fast food junkies. Plus, fast food is loaded with refined carbohydrates, trans fats, and sodium, which can be especially unhealthy for people with type 2 diabetes.
Managing Type 2 Diabetes: Lose Weight
Shedding pounds can improve blood sugar levels and help keep type 2 diabetes under control. And you don’t have to lose a lot of weight to make a difference. “If you already have type 2 diabetes, losing just 10 to 15 pounds can lower your glucose levels,” says McLaughlin.
Where your fat is distributed also affects your diabetes risk and management. People who carry most of their fat in their belly (apple shape) are more prone to type 2 diabetes than those with fat mostly in the thighs, hips, and buttocks (pear shape). A woman whose waist measures more than 35 inches and a man with a 40-inch waist need to lose weight for good diabetes management, says McLaughlin, adding that a healthy diet and regular aerobic exercise will whittle away weight in the stomach area.
Managing Type 2 Diabetes: Exercise Regularly
Even without losing a pound, exercise can help keep type 2 diabetes under control.
“When you do physical activity, such as walking, your muscle contractions push glucose out of your blood into your cells,” explains McLaughlin. The result: Better blood sugar levels.
Of course, the more intense the exercise, the better. In one study of vigorous exercise and type 2 diabetes, women who walked quickly gained more protection from type 2 diabetes than those who walked at a more leisurely pace.
Regular weight-lifting sessions can also help keep blood sugar levels steady. McLaughlin recommends using hand weights or resistance bands for 30 minutes two to three times a week.
Managing Type 2 Diabetes: Control Sleep Apnea
Many overweight people with type 2 diabetes also have sleep apnea, a condition in which a person stops breathing temporarily while sleeping.
People with type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea are at higher risk of death from heart attack and stroke. Their blood sugar levels also fluctuate more dramatically while sleeping than in those who have type 2 diabetes, but not sleep apnea, according to one study. These fluctuations have been linked to a higher risk for diabetic complications.
Severe cases of sleep apnea may need to be treated with surgery or by wearing a special device while sleeping, but less severe cases can be managed by losing weight. Talk to your doctor if you suspect you may have sleep apnea — loud snoring is one sign. A special sleep test can diagnose sleep apnea.
Managing Type 2 Diabetes: Soothe Stress
Stress can make blood sugar levels harder to control, says McLaughlin. Try relaxation techniques to chase away stress. Top-notch stress busters include yoga, tai chi, meditation, massage, and soothing music.
As a bonus, stress relief may help you sleep better, important because studies show that not getting enough sleep can worsen type 2 diabetes. Sleeping less than six hours a night has also been found to contribute to impaired glucose tolerance, a condition that often precedes type 2 diabetes.
Besides yoga, try deep breathing before bed. Other tips to try:

• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and spicy foods at night.
• Maintain a slightly cool temperature in your sleep environment.
• Block out all light and noise.
• Go to bed at the same time every night to establish a sleep schedule.

These management strategies can have a dramatic impact on blood sugar levels and the progression of type 2 diabetes, says McLaughlin. Simple lifestyle changes will improve how you feel today, and help ensure a healthier future.

Read More

Low Blood Sugar During Exercise?

Q:       I’ve recently started on insulin to help manage my diabetes. Should I be concerned about low blood sugar during exercise? What do you recommend to monitor blood sugar and avoid dips during a workout?
 A: Managing blood sugar can be very difficult during exercise, especially for someone using medication like insulin to treat diabetes. Exercise naturally lowers blood sugar because sugar behaves as fuel for contracting muscles. Normally, this is a good process and is why exercise may prevent diabetes and obesity. (Diabetes is defined as higher-than-normal sugars in the bloodstream.) However, for people who are taking insulin or oral hypoglycemic medications, exercise can cause too low of blood sugar and lead to symptoms that make exercise very uncomfortable and even dangerous.
In fact, the major adverse effect of insulin therapy is hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. Almost every patient who takes insulin will, indeed, experience hypoglycemia at some point. In my practice, when a patient is started on insulin, he or she is informed of the risk of hypoglycemia and the associated symptoms, which can include nervousness, sweating, shaking, hunger, or even losing consciousness or seizures. The patients are also shown how to prevent and treat hypoglycemia on their own. This may involve eating on schedule, checking blood sugars, or wearing a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). Someone on insulin who is at high risk of hypoglycemia should wear or carry diabetes identification.
It’s important to take your medication into account when exercising. During exercise, muscle tissues extract sugar out of the blood and transfer those sugars into muscle cells for use. This sugar-lowering process is a benefit of exercise, and the body has adaptations to prevent sugar levels from going too low in the blood. However, insulin or oral hypoglycemic medications, which also work to lower blood sugar, may be too powerful during exercise. These medications override the normal regulatory systems that prevent hypoglycemia, and as a result, the patient may experience low blood sugars with exercise.
But that doesn’t mean you should shy away from exercise.
The best advice for patients who take insulin and participate in physical activities is to carefully keep track of their blood sugars. The usual recommendation is that sugars should be between about 120 and 180 mg/dl before exercise. By looking for patterns of when sugars go up and down throughout the day, you can adjust your routine accordingly. For example, if you exercise in the afternoon, but usually have higher blood sugars at that time, it may be safe to exercise without making any changes. If your blood sugar is too high, you may also need to drink more water and perhaps take a correction dose of insulin. On the other hand, if your sugar is usually low at that time, you may need to reduce your insulin dose or eat something before exercising.
A snack that contains carbs, protein, and fiber — such as a cracker with peanut butter, nuts, or a small protein bar — could slowly correct the sugar to a safe level. Drinking a sugary beverage or sports drink is not recommended because that will raise the sugar too high.
For someone on insulin injections multiple times daily, an insulin pump device may be useful to prevent fluctuations in sugar with exercise, as often the problem involves the long-acting insulin, which cannot be adjusted after taking the daily dose.
It is crucial to talk to your healthcare provider before initiating an exercise program or making any adjustments to your treatment plan. As diabetes often poses cardiovascular risk, please clear the activity with your doctor and stratify risk. In addition, review your blood sugars with your doctor to determine an appropriate insulin regimen for days that you exercise, which may differ from the days you do not exercise.

Read More

10 Easy Snacks for Diabetes

Read More

CHILD CARE SETTINGS

1 Family Day Care - Consider a family day care setting: Family day care is probably the most common day care setting. Family day care is usually operated by a woman who opens her home to care for other children. Depending on locality, the family day care home may be licensed. Most states now require some form of licensing if the day care provider cares for more than one family. Family day is usually fairly inexpensive, offers a homey setting and may have more one-on-one care for your child. Family day care providers also offer the chance for your child to interact with his or her peers. Family day care homes are more likely to care for newborns and sick children. Drawbacks for unlicensed family day care include no state requirements to meet minimum care standards. Also, if the licensed or unlicensed day care provider becomes ill, then the parent must find alternative care or stay home from work. Most states allow child care homes to operate with or without a license. Licensed child care homes or facilities are required to meet specific requirements. Some of the requirements may include a mandated child to caregiver ratio (for example five children per care giver); required posted safety plans, required safety procedures and posted evacuation plans.

2 Unlicensed child care homes are usually limited to caring for a limited amount of children. Homes such as this do not have to meet state requirements

3 Large Day Care Setting - Consider a large child care setting. State licensing and inspections are standard for the large day care setting. Large day care centers are required to offer staff training and most, if not all workers, have some early childhood development education. Care is given in more of a educational setting and children are usually cared for by age groups. Babies are usually placed in a nursery type setting while older children are placed in age appropriate environments. Workers also receive first aid training and usually other forms of in-service training. Drawbacks for the large child care setting include less personalized attention given to a child and access to large child care facilities may be limited. In other words, finding openings at a large day care center are usually limited.

4 Preschool - Consider the preschool option if your child is 2 1/2 years-old and up to six-years-old. Most preschools will accept potty trained children once they reach the minimum age. Preschools offer age appropriate learning opportunities.

5 Family Care - Consider a trusted family member such as grandparents, aunts or cousins. Usually state licensing is not required, if a family member takes care of your child. Encourage your selected family member to take first aid and CPR classes to make sure your child stays safe.

6 In Home Care - Consider hiring a nanny or care giver to come to your home to care for your child. Your child will receive plenty of personal care. Drawbacks include the cost of hiring someone to come into your home. Make sure the person you hire has received first aid and CPR training.

 

Read More

child cares The Selection Process

1 Always make sure your child gets a chance to interact with a potential caregiver before hiring them. Make sure you take time to observe how they interact and make sure you are feel that you can trust the potential caregiver. 

2 Ask friends, co-workers, and relatives for referrals to qualified care givers. Start early in your pregnancy as it can be difficult to find good, affordable child care. Sometimes word of mouth is the best way to find the best child care provider. 

3 Use a referral agency. Some areas offer a free referral service for licensed child care providers. 

4 Inspect the day care facility before signing a contract or agreeing to your selected care giver's services. Licensed facilities should have a safety plan including an evacuation plan posted, depending on state requirements. Check for cleanliness and nap facilities. See how other children interact with care givers and other children in attendance. 

5 Discuss sick policies. Does the caregiver have a back-up care giver, if he/she should become ill? Are you responsible for finding alternate care while your care provider is ill? Will your child care giver take care of your sick child? 

6 Discuss discipline. What actions will the care giver take to discipline a child who misbehaves? Does this fit within your views of how your child should be disciplined? 

7 Discuss vacation policies. Will you need to pay any portion of your child care fee while you are on vacation?

8 Discuss work schedules. Will your care provider be willing to care for your child outside of his/her normal work hours? Does the care facility offer night and weekend hours? Will there be extra fees charged if you are late for picking up your child? 

9 Consider if the day care facility provides meals and snacks for your child.

• Licensed child care providers, whether in the family care home or large day care facility, can participate in a federal nutrition program. Child care providers follow much the same guidelines as the federal school lunch program and are reimbursed by the federal government for food costs. Finding a child care facility that offers meals using the federal guidelines ensures your child will receive nutritionally balanced meals and snacks. As a parent, you are not required to provide meals which can be a bonus as it's one less thing to worry about before heading to work.

10 Always review the contract with the day care facility or home. Care givers usually have facility rules which must be complied with. 

11 Try to hire care givers that have been finger printed. Most, if not all, licensed care givers will have their finger prints taken and a security check done as part of the licensing process.

12 Perform an unannounced visit after placing your child in a day care facility. Allow your child to adjust to the new day care setting before dropping by unannounced. The unannounced visit will allow you to see what a typical day is like for your child. During the visit observe how happy the children are, how clean the facility is, and look to see if the care giver is operating what you consider a good facility for your child.

13 Trust your gut. Deep down, you know what is best for your child. Trust that feeling. When you walk into a facility what is your first impression? Is it cold, is it inviting, it is a place that you are comfortable leaving your child. What is your first impression of the caregivers? Is there any doubt in your mind that this person to take care of your child. Leaving your child with someone that you do not know is scary, especially for new mommies and daddies, because no one will care for your child better than you, but is this care giver a good second choice. Will they complement your parenting style, are you comfortable talking to them. Do they talk to your child or only you. Every child is different. The the center with the best website or the caregiver for your neighbor's child may not be the right fit for your family. Trust your parental instincts.  

15 Always pay your bill on time. Realize your care giver's job is important and deserves respect.

Read More

TOP 10 ANTIVIRUS

Whether it's browser hijackers grabbing your search page, or the latest ransomware encrypting all your files, every PC needs a sterling antivirus package to keep threats at bay.
Don't rely on Microsoft's very own Windows Defender to keep you safe. Sure, it's free and easy to use, but independent tests show its protection rates regularly dip below 90%, compared to 99.x% for the leading competition.
This doesn't mean you have to start spending big money. Opting for a free solution doesn't have to mean compromising your security – there are some great freebie tools around.

• Check out: Best free antivirus software 2016

Don't automatically rule out paid products, though. Commercial packages often (although not always) deliver the best protection, and sometimes include extras like password managers, web filtering, antiphishing tech and more. If you're looking for the maximum security, at least consider parting with some cash.
Vendors listed are

• Avast
• AVG
• Avira
• Bitdefender
• F-Secure
• Kaspersky
• Norton
• Panda
• Trend Micro
• Webroot

Read More

Breaking News: Rasheed Gbadamosi dies at 72

Foremost industrialist and Co-Chairman, Lagos @50 Planning Committee, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi is dead. He died at the age of 72.
Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde announced the death of Gbadamosi on Wednesday night on his twitter handle @stevoree.
Ayorinde said “the Lagos State Government mourned the passing of a leading industrialist, art patron, former minister and Co-Chairman of Lagos@50, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, 72.
“Chief Gbadamosi will be remembered for being a true Lagosian, a nationalist and art aficionado. His remains will be interred at 2pm tomorrow.”
Chief Press Secretary to the Lagos State Governor, Habib Aruna also confirmed the death of Gbadamosi, saying he died in Nigeria.
Gbadamosi had been suffering from multiple strokes since last year and had recently gone abroad for medical treatment.
Gbadamosi, former chairman, Bank of Industry, and one-time Director, National Sports Lottery Plc was named co-chairman of Lagos @50 Planning Committee and long with Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode last year.
He was a former chairman, Petroleum Products Prices Regulatory Agency, PPPRA and a one-time minister.
Gbadamosi, economist, industrialist and former minister was an accomplished man. A scion of a successful industrialist, Gbadamosi had wanted to be a doctor, but his persuasive father chose economic discipline for him for the purpose of continuity of the old man’s company.
Chief Gbadamosi, was also the chairman, Ragolis Water Ltd, AIICO Pension Managers, Lucky Fibres Nig. Plc and several other companies.
-Kazeem Ugbodaga

Read More