Are You At Risk Of Contracting Diabetes

by: Gary Matthews

Are You At Risk Of Contracting Diabetes
It is unbelievable, but today there are at least 20 million people living with diabetes in America and the sad part is that it was possible to prevent and heal pre-diabetes and diabetes type 2 naturally with balanced nutrition, and basic exercise.
People at risk of getting the disease drop by a staggering 60 percent if they manage to lose just 10 pounds by following a healthy diet and engage in regular exercise such as walking, according to a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine. (May 3, 2001).
Pre-diabetes
This term means that you are at risk for getting type 2 diabetes and also heart disease.
The good news is if you have pre-diabetes you can reduce the risk of getting diabetes type 2 and even return to normal blood glucose levels if you follow the guidelines in this article.
Type 2 diabetes
Formerly called adult-onset diabetes, this is the most common form of diabetes. This form of diabetes usually begins with insulin resistance, a condition in which the body cannot use insulin properly. People can develop this type of diabetes at any age and is usually associated with today’s modern lifestyle of fast food, stress and no exercise.
Being overweight and inactive increases the chances of developing type 2 diabetes dramatically. Traditional treatment includes taking diabetes medicines, aspirin daily, and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol with prescription drugs.
But with modest weight loss and moderate daily physical activity, you can delay or even prevent type 2 diabetes and lead a normal life. Lets look at a few steps you can use straight away in your daily life that will make a big difference to your condition.
Strength Training - Researchers have reported a 23% increase in glucose uptake after four months of strength training. Because poor glucose metabolism is associated with adult onset diabetes, improved glucose metabolism is an important benefit of regular strength exercise.
Nowadays you do not have to live in a gym to put on functional muscle. Short High Intensity sessions performed once a week is all that is required to improve glucose metabolism and lose weight.
The strength training technique I use requires just twenty to thirty mins per week. Gone are the days of the five-day a week program with 6 to 12 sets per body part that, method has never worked. One short intense strength-training workout a week will elevate your metabolism more than you ever thought possible.
The two main components of this technique are the intensity of the exercise and the recovery after the exercise. Infrequent, short, high intensity weight training sessions, followed by the required amount of time to recover and become stronger is what is needed to increase functional lean muscle and improve glucose metabolism.
Nutrition - The way to lose body fat and maintain muscle is to have a food program for life. Quality food and more energy output are the basics you'll need to go for. Bulk foods that fill you up and don't fill you out, foods that are low in fat and sugar which aren't refined should be the ideal.
Small frequent meals should be consumed during the day each containing a little protein to maintain muscle and energy levels. Foods with vital vitamin and mineral supplements should also be taken on a daily basis. A high quality broad-spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement should also be taken on a daily basis.
As before get the calories from high quality food but if you can’t, utilize a blender to make concoctions from skim milk with whatever additives you want to use, just as long as you keep count of the calories for your daily total.
Now use these blender mixtures and solid food for your daily feedings. Spread it out over many small meals a day instead of the traditional three meals a day. The way to keep track of weight loss is to buy a calorie counter and record your daily calorie intake for a week.
Exercise - Fat is burned from the body when cells oxidize to release energy in the form of exercise. When the exercise is done slowly to moderately then the majority of energy is taken from the fat stores.
The key to effective aerobic training that burns off maximum fat is long-term consistency not intensity. It doesn’t matter if you run a mile, jog a mile or walk a mile you will burn exactly the same amount of calories.
The best exercise by far for the purpose of fat-loss is fast walking either indoors on the treadmill or outdoors. Other aerobic activities are the treadmill, bike, climber or any other training gear found in or out of the Gym.
Make no mistake about it you can do a lot to lower your chances of getting diabetes. By exercising regularly, reducing fat from your diet and losing weight can all help you reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes?

About The Author
Gary Matthews is the author of the popular fitness eBooks Maximum Weight Loss and Maximum Weight Gain. Please visit http://www.maximumfitness.com right now for your 'free' weight loss or muscle building e-courses.

Type 2 Diabetes

by: Dr. Mark S. Johnson

Type 2 diabetes is sometimes referred to as mature onset diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is much more common than Type I. In Type 2 diabetes the pancreas either does not produce adequate levels of insulin or the body becomes resistant to its own insulin.
Type I diabetes, also known as adolescent diabetes, differs from Type 2 in that the body stops producing insulin altogether. Type I diabetes is generally diagnosed in children or young adults. Type 2 diabetes is usually diagnosed in older adults, however, it is becoming substantially more prevalent in the younger population.
With the onset of diabetes, whether it be Type I or Type 2, we lose our ability to adequately utilize sugar. When this occurs, blood sugar levels increase due to the body’s inability to transport sugar into the cells and out of the blood stream. Sugar is very important in that it is the basic fuel source for the cells in our bodies. Insulin is necessary for the transport of sugar from the blood and into the cells.
Diabetes is a serious condition and can lead to many other health problems. Some problems that diabetics commonly encounter are an increased risk for heart and circulatory problems, high blood pressure, visual problems and blindness, nerve damage, and kidney damage. With the diagnosis of diabetes, it becomes extremely important that blood sugar fluctuations are tightly controlled. With good control of blood sugar levels and the prevention of prolonged periods of elevated blood sugar, people with diabetes can live long and healthy lives.
Fortunately for the newly diagnosed diabetic, there are more and more tools available to help monitor and control the condition. Glucose meters are becoming smaller and easier to use. Blood samples necessary for glucose meter use are much smaller than in the past. Painful finger pricks can now be avoided with blood samples being able to be taken from alternate, less sensitive areas, such as the forearm. In the relatively near future, there will be non-invasive glucose monitoring devices not requiring a sample of blood at all.
A simple blood test, known as the A1c test, can measure the average blood glucose levels over the previous three months. This test is a very good way to monitor and critique how effective current treatments, diet, medications, etc. have been recently. This test is now available for home use and as such does not even require a visit to the doctor.
Type 2 diabetics have more options available to them for blood sugar control than do Type I diabetics. Not only are there oral medications, often eliminating the need for insulin injection treatment, but other methods that may eliminate the need for medications altogether.
Type 2 diabetics should look to multiple sources of information in order to determine the best methods available to deal with their condition. A good start is a physician specializing in the treatment of diabetes. Most physician specialists will have nutritional counseling available to help understand the relationship of various food items with blood sugar levels.
Additionally, diabetics should become very familiar with vitamin, mineral, and herbal options to improve blood sugar metabolism and control. A few examples of supplements that are well known to help in this regard are chromium, magnesium, and vanadyl sulfate. Various natural glucose transport factors can be very helpful in aiding the body’s transport of glucose from the blood and into the cells. Vanadyl sulfate has been shown to improve glucose sensitivity and decrease insulin resistance.
Various herbal preparations have been shown to significantly improve blood sugar levels, sugar metabolism, and reportedly even improve the function of the insulin producing cells in the pancreas. Notably, Gymnema sylvestre, known as “sugar destroyer” in Sandskrit, has been shown to have positive effects and benefits for diabetics.
Along with proper nutrition, appropriate supplements and vitamins, other important considerations are weight control and exercise. Excess weight tremendously increases the burden on the pancreas as fat requires much more insulin than lean tissue. Exercise not only helps control body fat and reduce weight, but additionally aids the transport of sugar from the blood and into the cells.
Diabetes is a very serious condition, but proper diet, glucose monitoring, and exercise can substantially improve our ability to control the condition. We should attempt to educate ourselves not only in the importance of tight blood sugar control, but also the various methods and options available to help in this regard. By utilizing good judgment in diet, weight control, exercise, and appropriate supplementation, diabetics can markedly reduce complications and lead long and healthy lives.

For further information about diabetes go to http://www.diabetessites.com.
About The Author
Dr. Mark S. Johnson, D.C., FAFICC, QME is a doctor of chiropractic medicine, specializing in nutrition and exercise. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Forensic and Industrial Chiropractic Consultants and a Qualified Medical Evaluator for the State of California.

Controlling Type II Diabetes Through Diet And Exercise

by: Sintilia Miecevole

If you have been diagnosed with adult onset type II Diabetes, you may be able to control your condition through diet and exercise. Many people have genetic predispositions for adult onset diabetes, but the disease is usually brought on by poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle. It can be hard to reverse the damage caused by years of unhealthy living, but by changing the way you eat and exercise, you can help control your disease and can lead a fairly normal life without the need for insulin-regulating medicine.
Before embarking on a workout plan or adhering to a new diet, you should first consult your doctor. He or she will probably make dietary suggestions and will usually refer you to a dietician who can help you plan your meals. The dietician will tell you what you can and cannot eat, and what you can eat in moderation. You will have to cut out all of the sugar from your diet. This means drinking diet sodas, if you must drink sodas at all, and eating sugar free candy on those special occasions.
It is important to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables to take the place of all of those empty calories and to keep you feeling full and energetic. You should make sure to take in enough protein to help your muscles get your through your new workout schedule, and be sure to drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated. You will want to eat several small meals throughout the day rather than just eating two or three times with a lot of time in between. By eating more small meals, you will keep your blood sugar at a more steady level, rather than having the ups and downs associated with large meals followed by gaps in eating.
Once your diet is under control. The next step is to begin an exercise program. You don’t have to aim for running a marathon or even a mile. Walking is the most prescribed form of exercise for diabetes patients. Whether you walk in the mall, around the neighborhood or on a treadmill, the most important thing is to get moving and to keep moving for an extended period of time every single day. Though you may not feel motivated at first, you will soon start to look and feel better and better. Seeing these changes will hopefully provide you with enough motivation to stick to your workout plan.
If find walking boring, try to find a partner who will keep you motivated. There are also many diabetes support groups that have walking clubs that meet daily. You can join a club and meet other diabetes sufferers who will help keep you on the right track. They can provide inspiration and encouragement by sharing success stories and by keeping you aware of the complications that can arise if the disease is left untreated. Once you get into fairly good shape, you might try playing a sport that you enjoy, like golf or tennis. You could also join a gym and participate in some yoga or aerobics classes to add some variety to your workout plan.
Keep in mind that the best way to avoid diabetes complications is to change your lifestyle. Many of the common problems of people diabetes can be avoided by staying away from sugar and other harmful foods. By exercising and staying healthy, you can avoid vision loss and circulation problems associated with the disease without having to use expensive and debilitating drugs to keep your blood sugar at a healthy level. Remember that your body is your most important asset, and keeping it working properly should be your highest priority.

About The Author
Sintilia Miecevole
Click on to http://www.fenadiabetes.com to learn about common symptoms, risk factors and treatments of diabetes with your host, Sintilia Miecevole who has put together a vast source of knowledge on the subject. Check out everything from prevention, research and recipes to medicine. Be sure to visit http://www.fenadiabetes.com for more information.

Diabetes Study

Clamping Down on Type 1 Diabetes
ABC News - Jan 13 8:43 AM It was an impressive set of findings by all accounts. In a government-sponsored study that spanned 17 years, researchers found that tight blood sugar control could cut the risk of heart problems almost by half in people with type 1 diabetes.