Diabetes Diet

How do you know what foods to eat? Maybe you like rice or pasta or grits or other carb foods that need insulin to process these foods.
How much of the carbohydrate or carb (CHO) foods can I eat? Well that depends if you would need to lose weight, gain weight or maintain your weight.
Type 2 Diabetes Diet or Diabetes 2 diet is basically the diet I am referring to.
So what does the Visual Plate Technique mean. If all you see is rice, or grits or sweet foods as the greater piece of your plate, then you are way off base. Diabetes 2 diet contain a green leafy vegetable or salad, Protein foodstuff (eggs , meat, fish, cheese) and a smaller portion of carbohydrate vegetables or rice, pasta or whatever other carbs.
Diets for Diabetes doesn't matter what culture and foods you like and that tastes great. It matters that you somewhat control your carbohydrate vegetables (peas, carrots, corn, peas, potatoes) and your CHO foods (rice, pasta, and other carb foods) with each meal. Diet for Diabetes means more control over the CHO you eat.
If you eat green leafy vegetables, then you can eat extra rice or pasta.
With Type 2 Diabetes Diet, protein foods do not raise your blood sugar, so you can add extra fish, eggs, meat, etc with your meals. As long as your cholesterol isn't too high (eggs and meats) and you are not a Kidney patient, there should be no reason why you can't eat extra protein foods. Protein foods in the diet for diabetes is that the protein contains its own natural fat which actually helps curb your appetite.
Whenever you eat a meal or snack, it should always include a small amount of protein that has its natural fat. Also, eating just a piece of fruit can make you hungrier. That's where the protein helps to curb the appetite.
I also tell my patients not to drink any juice unless your blood sugar is low. It is better to eat the fruit than drink the juice.

See my other guide on Sugar

Diabetic

By : Arturo Ronzon

Initially diabetes management and control may involve dietary changes alone. Diet is a vital component in your overall diabetes control program and to keep blood sugar levels under control, a diabetic diet strikes a balance among the carbohydrates, fats, and protein you eat, when you control your body functions through exercise and by using a diabetic diet, your pain and agony seems to diminish.

A diabetic diet must be a well-balanced meal plan tailored to your individual needs, tastes, activity level and life style, and its goal is to provide all the calories and nutrients the diabetic needs while keeping blood sugars as close to normal as possible. Diabetes is not a life sentence to a rigid and restrictive menu plan.

The diabetic diet basically involves limiting your carbohydrate intake in order to control your glucose levels. The recommended carbohydrate content of diabetic diet is 60%, fat content 30-35%. Another important characteristic of a diabetic diet is to eat regularly, at the same times each day, and to eat a consistent amount of calories each day; the diabetic diet is not only for diabetics: it is an excellent, balanced alternative for anyone.

Since the diabetic diet is one which is low in saturated fat and cholesterol, look for cookbooks that emphasize low-fat cooking, the diabetic diet is a bit stricter and calls for avoiding grains and fruit but you have about 30g of carbs daily. The ideal diabetic diet is also good for cholesterol with its emphasis on low fat, high complex carbohydrate and high fiber.

The most important aspect of the diabetic diet is meal planning, your meal plan should be adjusted to take into account carbs sugars and fat in the diabetic food, the general principle is to control body fat means less sensitivity to Insulin, which keeps the blood sugar level in check.
Carbohydrate Counting offers suggestions and tips about how to eat carbohydrates while maintaining your insulin needs and diabetes control, by following a consistent diet control, a diabetic patient ought to be able to maintain good health in general, but you should remember that an effective control of diabetes requires an integrated approach which also includes exercise, weight control and a good diabetic diet.

When you have diabetes, your medications are your best friends, as they will help you keep your condition under control, remember that one of the main goals for a diabetic diet is to lower your weight and maintain it, to put it in simplified words, diabetic diet is a balanced healthy diet plan which is vital for Diabetes treatment.

The diabetic diet is aimed at helping to control blood sugar levels, the less fluctuation, especially rapid release of glucose into the blood, the better, an adherence to a diabetic diet is an important aspect of controlling elevated blood sugar in patients with diabetes mellitus.

See my other guide on Diet

What is Gestational Diabetes?
Gestational Diabetes also known as Gestational Diabetes Mellitus or GDM is a form of diabetes that sometimes develops during pregnancy. GDM occurs when the expectant mother’s pancreas cannot make enough insulin causing the body not to able to regulate the glucose.

What Causes Gestational Diabetes?
No one knows the exact cause of GDM. It is very possible that the hormones made by the placenta interfere with the regulation of insulin or block the effect of insulin. The placenta is a tissue that connects the baby to the mother while the baby is in the womb. GDM would be the result of the pancreas making insufficient amounts of insulin.

Some women are more likely to develop Gestational Diabetes than others.

Risk factors include the following

* Having a family member with Diabetes

* Having a history of high blood sugar

* Gaining too much weight during pregnancy

* Being overweight before getting pregnant

* Having given birth to large babies in the past (over 9lbs)

* Having glycosuria (sugar in the urine)

* Black

* Hispanic

* American Indian

Signs and symptoms of gestational diabetes;

o Frequent Urinationo Blurred Vision

o Tired feeling much of the time, more than is usual

o Frequent urinary or bladder infections
o Frequent skin rash or infectiono Gaining more weighto Nausea

o VomitingHow is GDM Diagnosed?

If there is any concern about the possibility of GDM they will likely order either a 50 Gram Glucose Challenge. Most labs will draw a sample and check the baseline blood glucose then give you a drink containing a specified amount of glucose. Women that are at high risk for gestational diabetes may have this test repeated several times throughout their pregnancy.

How is Gestational Diabetes Treated?

Insulin or other medications may be given if diet and exercise are not successful in the treatment of GDM.

Will having GDM affect the baby or the mother?
There is a chance that GDM will lead to the following in mother:

* Development of Type 2 Diabetes later in life

* GDM in future pregnancies

* Increases chances of need for caesarean delivery

* Possible premature labor

And the following in the baby:

* Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)

* Macrosomia (large baby) any baby weighing over 8lbs 8 oz is considered to be large

* Long term jaundice.

See my other guide on Diet

Neuropathy

Burning, numbness, tingling, hot and cold sensations, shooting and electrical pain are common sensations felt at rest in painful peripheral neuropathy. Neuropathy is an abnormality of the nervous system. There are many different types of neuropathy, but the most common neuropathy effecting diabetics is peripheral neuropathy.
Sixty percent of diabetics have some type of neuropathy in their feet. Five percent of diabetics will experience painful diabetic neuropathy and the incidence increases with age. The cause of diabetic neuropathy is not clearly understood. Despite the different theories, studies have shown better blood sugar control helps prevent progression of the neuropathy.
There are currently no treatments to help reverse diabetic neuropathy. There are no treatments which help reduce the numbness. Your doctor may prescribe medications to help with the pain. Gabapentin, also known as Neurontin®, has been a successful treatment for painful diabetic neuropathy. To help treat painful peripheral neuropathy without prescription medications, consider the following tips:
1. Keep your blood sugar in control: Studies have shown that when blood sugars remain high, or roller coaster from high to low, peripheral neuropathy will worsen.
2. Exercise. Exercise helps increase circulation and stimulates the growth of new vessels which help slow the progression of the neuropathy. Exercising also helps to increase your pain threshold and to provide a distraction from the nerve pain in your feet.
3. Eat healthy. Anti-oxidants will combat the damaging oxidative effects glucose has on your nerves. 4. Try red pepper powder. To help relieve pain, the dose must be at least 600mg a day.

See my other guide on Diet

Glucose

Glucose Q & A

Glucose – What Is It Anyway?
Glucose, in simple terms, is a form of a carbohydrate. The energy that your body has comes from carbohydrates. The more carbs that are in a food that you eat, the higher your blood glucose level goes up after eating them.
Where Do We Get Glucose From?
Our body produces it based on the foods we eat. So, when your body starts to feel run down and out of energy, it usually means your glucose level is low. Few people understand how many carbs a food contains. After eating, your body then takes the carbohydrates from your food and turns them into glucose. Presto! How Do I Get High Glucose Levels?
For most everyone, glucose levels are not a problem whatsoever. Where the problem comes into play for diabetics, or pre-diabetics, is when their bodies can't burn up the extra glucose. The glucose stays in their system and doesn't burn off. This issue is compounded with every meal they eat. This is exactly the reason why it is so important to know what your glucose level is.
If you don't pay attention to your glucose level and let it go, it can easily turn into diabetes. Don't confuse blood glucose with the commercial glucose you can buy that is made from corn starch. What Is A Normal Level Of Glucose?
Your glucose levels will vary throughout the day, and before, during, and after eating. Anything above that level and you should see a doctor. If you haven't had your blood glucose checked, it is a simple procedure. The doctor will poke your finger and check a tiny drop of blood in a glucometer.

See my other giude on Diet

Diabetic Diet

Keep Your Diabetes Under Control With a Diabetic Diet

What exactly is a diabetic diet? Diabetes prevents your body from processing glucose the way it should, so a diabetic diet has to, to some degree, perform that maintenance. In addition, the hope is that a diabetic diet will also help you to maintain healthy lipid levels and keep your blood pressure under control. Second, a diabetic diet will vary some from person to person. The benefits and assistance to your body from the diabetic diet will depend on what type of diabetes you are trying to treat. Each type has its own challenges and level of restriction on the diet. The important thing to remember, though, is that studies show the effectiveness of a diabetic diet is dependent, not so much on the diet itself, but on how well the patient follows the diet. For many of those with type 2, their diabetic diet is really just a simple heart healthy diet. For those with type 1, it will likely be a more individualized diabetic diet. A diabetic diet, it turns out, is not just one thing. Regulating diabetes is individual, so if you find you are diabetic it is important to talk to your physician about your individual diabetic diet and stick with it. So what is a diabetic diet?

See my other guide on Diet