Its Entirely Natural - Blog

It seems like I have been losing my mind lately. Could it be caused from an undiagnosed case of type-2 diabetes? Not likely. There has been a long term study being conducted in Sweden that may explain a relationship between insulin resistance and Alzheimer’s disease.

This study was done with men at 50 years of age. They underwent glucose (blood sugar) tolerance testing. The men were followed-up at an average of 32 years later and found that men with insulin resistance were nearly one and a half times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s, dementia, or other mental impairments.

Researchers believed it’s possible for abnormal insulin levels to damage blood vessels in the brain causing memory problems. So, a healthy lifestyle of good nutrition and exercise will not only help you live longer, it will also keep your mind sharp and alert too.

reuters.com

It’s interesting to watch the political debates on what the candidates are going to do for America. It seems to me that there are a bunch of lawyers trying to run this country and don’t have a clue of what’s really going on. How many lawyers does it take to screw in a light bulb …..? Getting off track, anyhow, diabetes costs mores lives and more money than the global war on terrorism. And this is totally preventable. Do our “representatives” really have our best interests in mind?

More and more Americans are becoming overweight and obese. The American Diabetes Association has reported, there are 1 million new cases of type 2 diabetes every year and diabetes has claimed the lives of more than 284,000 Americans last year. Uncontrolled diabetes wreaks havoc on the body, often leading to kidney failure, blindness and death.

The nation’s unchecked diabetes has also created a massive financial toll as well. Diabetes care and treatment cost was an incredible $174 billion dollars last year. This is more than what was spent on the global war on terrorism. It is also more than the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. Yet very little funding is used to prevent this reversible epidemic.

The mounting costs will affect everyone. Half of the diabetics in America have medical insurance through government programs such as Medicare. For those with insurance you will probably see rising premiums and co pays. Not to mention covering costs for the uninsured. These costs are putting a strain on local economies and will eventually have to divert money from programs like education to care for patients with a preventable disease.

usatoday.com

Many studies have shown that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. But what is in coffee that lowers this risk? Researchers aren’t sure what is in coffee that lowers blood sugar levels. However they do know that it’s not the caffeine.

In a recent study, researchers examined the effects of caffeine on 10 patients with type 2 diabetes. These patients were already regular coffee drinkers and they were trying to manage their diabetes without using insulin. The patients were asked not to drink coffee during the study.

On various days the patients took either a 250 mg caffeine capsule or a placebo capsule with no caffeine and it. They took these pills at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. When the patients ingested the caffeine capsules they had an average increase in blood sugar of 9% after breakfast, 15% after lunch and 26% after dinner.

Based on the data it is suggested that people with diabetes, or on the verge of diabetes, probably shouldn’t drink caffeinated soft drinks or other caffeine-containing beverages. If you do like to drink your coffee, you should maybe consider switching to decaf and see if that helps in managing your blood sugar levels.

well.blogs.nytimes.com

A new minimally evasive surgery has shown to effectively treat Type 2 diabetes. There have been roughly 100 of these surgeries and the blood-sugar levels of almost all of the participants were significantly lowered. So much that the patients were able to reduce the number of medications they were taking.

The surgery takes about an hour. A device about the size of a small cell phone is implanted in the abdomen. There are electrodes connected to the device that send electrical impulses to the stomach when a person eats. This device was originally created to induce weight loss. While it did cause modest weight loss the results of the effect on type 2 diabetes was even greater.

There are hormones in the stomach that are theorized to play a role in the conversion of sugar into energy. The thinking is that the impulses will stimulate the hormones to perform that function.

This is exciting news. With over 18 million Americans with Type 2 diabetes this could have a huge health impact. It could reduce complications of diabetes like vision loss, amputation and heart disease.

tennessean.com

People with diabetes seem to be more at risk for having heart related diseases. For many diabetics, 40% of you with the disease, have particular gene haptoglobin (Hp) 2-2 that makes you more susceptible to heart attacks. A new study has found that Vitamin E supplements can significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks and related deaths for diabetics that carry this particular gene.

After 18 months of treatment, people with the haptoglobin (Hp) 2-2 gene who took 400 International Units (IU) of vitamin E daily had more than 50 percent fewer heart attacks, strokes, and related deaths than Hp 2-2 patients who took a placebo pill. In the group of 1,434 Hp 2-2 individuals taking part in the study, seven people had a heart attack, compared to 17 who did not take the vitamin.

A very inexpensive little supplement can potentially help save your life.

sciencedaily.com

Every year there is approximately 6 million women in America that are facing infertility. Recent research shows that there is a significant association between diet & exercise and fertility. Diet influences egg and sperm health as well as ovulation, and exercise improves the ability for muscles to respond to insulin. Many women are diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). This is when your body becomes insulin resistant. The PCOS condition can be reversible with proper diet and exercise.

So what foods and lifestyle changes should you make to become pregnant?

Avoid tans-fats and saturated fats - Trans fats are artery clogging fats are commonly found in commercial products and fast food. Saturated fats are commonly found in read meat and other sources. You need to look at getting your protein and minerals from other sources like vegetables. Use more unsaturated oils like vegetable, olive and canola in your cooking.

Eat more vegetable protein - It is better to get your proteins form vegetables like beans and nuts and consume less animal protein. Getting enough of the proper proteins is the most important part of your diet

Eat more whole grains - You should be eating more unrefined carbs instead of highly refined carbs. Refined carbohydrates boost your blood sugars and insulin which causes PCOS.

Watch what you drink - You really need to skip the sugared sodas because of the effects on blood sugars. Also drink coffee, tea, and alcohol in moderation.

Eat and drink dairy products - While trying to conceive go ahead and have whole milk, ice cream, and full fat yogurt in your diet. Substitute this temporarily instead of having your skim and low fat dairy products.

High-fat dairy products carry over some of the pregnancy hormones of cows and are high in protein. If consumed in enough quantities it can influence the reproductive system in people. Remember though to do everything in moderation.

Take your vitamins - Look for supplements that contain your B vitamins and folic acid and get plenty of iron. It is best to get iron from fruits, vegetables, beans, and supplements instead of red meat. Folic acid and iron are very important in the normal maturation of the egg prior to ovulation.

Exercise - If you are overweight, you need to lose 5 -10 percent of your body weight. Now is the best time to start an exercise routine. If you are already lean don’t over exercise. Over exercising may lower your tendency to have regular ovulation.

So, what should you avoid?

Alcohol — Alcohol effects the folic acid.

High-fat and trans-fat foods - Because of its effects on ovulation and long term health.

Potentially toxic seafood - Shark and tuna

Raw dairy products - Because of rare infectious diseases.

Simple Carbohydrates - Like cakes and doughnuts, because they have no nutritional value and stimulate insulin.

Caffeine - Is associated with decrease in uterine blood flow. It is best to avoid caffeine pre-conception because it may prevent the implementation of a developing embryo. Additionally, there have been studies that show high caffeine intake increases the risk of miscarriage and low birth-weight babies.

Stress - Has been associated with irregular ovulation.

The best advice is to seek pregnancy with a healthy mind, body, and spirit. In order to do this you must eliminate stress and make changes in your lifestyle. If you would like to learn more about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and how to overcome it, check this out.

kcby.com

We all have heard that red wine is good for you and that you should have a glass or 2 with your evening meal to help prevent coronary heart disease. There have been many studies on the benefits of red wine. These studies show there are chemical in wine and grapes that can help prevent other diseases linked with ageing as well. A new study in the UK shows that these chemicals could be the next food cure for Type 2 diabetes.

There is a “French paradox” - The French have relatively low incidences of coronary heart disease, despite having a diet relatively rich in saturated fats. The French love their food as well as their wine. Have they known the secrets of this miracle drink and just didn’t want to share?

The problem with red wine is that earlier animal research suggested that around 1000 glasses would have to be consumed every day to reduce the impact of a high fat diet. I am not suggesting that you go on a red wine diet. You still need to watch what you eat and you can drink, in moderation.

Now new compounds have been developed, that is like drinking 1000 glasses of wine per day. Could these compounds prevent the development of type 2 diabetes? The new drug candidates work by activating a protein called SIRT1, which influences the ageing process and functions to ensure that the body remains receptive to the activity of insulin.

As with any drug, it takes time to come to the market. Don’t count on anything like this for at least another 5 or 6 years. In the mean time, enjoy your wine in moderation.

Here at It’s Entirely Natural - We have some exciting new things coming in the very near future. One of them is a supplement that we will have available to purchase. This dietary supplement will give you all the great health benefits of red wine in a capsule. I have been using this for a couple months and I just love the results. Stay tuned for our big announcement.

telegraph.co.uk

Have you ever heard the term pre-diabetes? Well I know I have thrown this term around on my Blog and many people are asking me - What is pre-diabetes? When your blood tests reveal a higher than normal blood sugar level, but not quite the threshold of full blown Type 2 diabetes — this is pre-diabetes. If left unchecked, it will develop into full blown Type 2 diabetes and you will become dependant on insulin shots the rest of your life. So what can we do now to prevent or delay Type 2 diabetes?

Reduce your fat intake - Surprisingly, fat intake is a major predictor of insulin resistance not carbohydrates. So you should eat no more than 30 percent of your calories form fat (50-60 grams per day). Saturated fat needs to be less than 10 percent of total calories. This can be a hard goal for some people to reach considering 2 slices of cheese is 12 grams.

We’ve all heard about that scary word “exercise”. — It may be scary, but it is true. Working muscles become more sensitive to the actions of the hormone insulin. Therefore, reducing insulin resistance and helps prevent diabetes. No we’re not talking about getting a gym membership and heavy duty exercise. If you haven’t exercised before, start by just taking a walk 30 minutes a day and you will be amazed at how much better you feel.

Eat more whole grains and fiber. - Research has found that whole grain foods improve blood sugar control. Look for food with products labeled “excellent source of whole grains.” Fiber is also important to help keep your digestive system in tip top shape do your body can absorb the nutrition it needs better.

The good news is that people who make minor changes in their lifestyle reduce their risk of developing diabetes by 58%. You’ll start feeling better and even get a better nights sleep. Who knows, with a little effort you will even drop a modest amount of weight. All of these changes will slow or prevent the onset of pre-diabetes.

ohio.com

Everyday people across the country are being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and many more people are being told they are on the verge of becoming diabetic. One of the first things they are told — You will have to change their lifestyle and include exercise and proper nutrition in your everyday life. Then they think — Great, now I’ll never be able to eat good tasting food again.

I have heard - If I eat like a rabbit I’m always hungry — True, fruits and vegetables can leave an empty feeling, but they are high in fiber and rich in vitamins and nutrients that the body desperately needs. To get rid of that hunger feeling, you need to eat plenty of protein-rich foods. Go ahead; eat fish, lean meat, chicken, beans, nuts, etc. They will help you feel full longer which in turn may help prevent overeating. Fiber and protein is your best weapon against hunger.

Your carb intake also needs to be watched. They account for the biggest impact on blood sugar levels. So does that mean diabetics should adopt a low-carb diet? Not necessarily, but the general recommendation is 45-50% of your calories should come from carbs. Like everything else eat in moderation. So with the limitation of how many carbs you should eat per day, your best bet is to eat foods such as vegetables and fruits.

According to The American Diabetes Association (diabetes.org) your diet should look like this:

¼ Grains - Choose whole-grain foods over products that use processed flour. Next time try brown rice or whole-wheat spaghetti.

¼ Protein - You should be eating lean meat, fish, poultry, beans or tofu. Fish should be eaten 2 or 3 times per week and choose lean cuts of meat such as pork loin and sirloin.

½ Vegetables - We all know we should eat lots of veggies. Be sure to pick a variety of colorful vegetables. Eat non-starchy vegetables such as spinach, carrots, broccoli or green beans.

Other - Well that was 100%, but you can also include in moderation — non-fat milk, some fruit, or maybe small whole-grain rolls.

As with anything, when you start something new take baby steps. As you change your nutritional habits you will begin to enjoy food in a whole different way and it will be good tasting food.

usatoday.com

Did you know November is Diabetes Awareness month? There are over 20 million Americans that are affected by this life threatening disease. Nutrition and diet is a major player in the wellness of diabetics and pre-diabetics.

In response to this epidemic, there is a new web site to assist people living with diabetes. At www.diabeticdiret.com, you can find sugar-free foods as well as low sugar foods. They offer a wide variety of diabetic specialty food and products brought directly to your home.

Take a look at their site. I have found many products that I will be purchasing, maybe there’s stuff there for you too.

prweb.com