SelfHelpMe.Net

Gina Gardiner asked:


If you have celiac disease and are well controlled because you stick rigidly to a gluten-free diet, you are as likely as anyone who has not got celiac disease to have a healthy pregnancy and baby.

Those who have celiac disease and who do not have a completely gluten-free diet have an increased risk of problems for themselves and their baby.

Pregnancy is demanding on the body; the mum not only needs a good supply of all the necessary nutrients to keep her healthy but also to support the development of the baby. To do this she will need to eat a good, balanced gluten-free diet. Foods rich in folic acid, iron and calcium are particularly important.

General Principles

Your diet should be as healthy as possible. Keep to the “5″ rule for fruit and vegetables. Try and eat 5 different varieties every day. Fruit juice counts as 1 variety however many glasses of it you drink.

Eat food naturally rich in calcium: milk, cheese and yoghurts, sardines, pilchards etc. Commercially produced gluten-free flours and mixes are often enriched with calcium. It is a good idea to use skimmed or semi-skimmed milk and low fat yogurts and cheese so you can keep the fat content down. Avoid unpasturised milk and soft cheese or mould-ripened cheeses as they can carry bacteria.

Eat food rich in the mineral iron, it can be found in lean red meat, eggs and fish – particularly the fish rich in natural oil – herring, mackerel, sardines and salmon. Soya, tofu, sunflower seeds, green leafy vegetables, lentils, beans, watermelon and black strap molasses are also rich sources of iron.

Avoid uncooked eggs, or partially cooked eggs found in mousses, eggnog, fools etc.

Avoid liver and pâtés

Eat plenty of roughage, as constipation is a common problem during pregnancy. Gluten-free foods which have high levels of fibre include brown rice, buckwheat, potatoes – particularly the skin, peas, corn, lentils, millet, seeds such as sunflower or linseeds, vegetables and fruit and dried fruits such as figs and dates. Drinking plenty of fluids will also help. A glass of hot water with a twist of lemon juice first thing in the morning can work well.

It is important for all prospective mums that they take proper care of themselves prior to becoming pregnant. The benefits of eating foods rich in folic acid for three months before becoming pregnant and during pregnancy, particularly in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy is well documented. It helps prevent conditions such as Spina Bifida. Folic Acid supplements are easily available from the pharmacist or health food shop. Eat plenty of green leafy vegetables, which are naturally rich in folic acid.

Giving up smoking is very important as babies of smoking mothers are much more susceptible to low birth weight and other health problems.

Cutting out alcohol or at least cutting it down to no more than one or two units a week is advisable.

Finally once your baby is born it is advisable to wait until the baby is at between 4 and 6 months old before introducing wheat to their diet. There is no advantage in waiting any longer than 6 months.

Brian Bandler asked:


For people diagnosed with diabetes, this is an indication that your body is unable to make or process insulin, leading to high sugar levels in your body. Hence, a great amount of attention should be paid to your diet to ensure that you control the amount of sugar in your blood levels, keeping it low and stable whilst getting the required carbohydrates intake. There is no one diet for people with diabetes, but diabetic diets will ensure that you take your lifestyle and health needs into consideration and help to forestall any further complications.

A general and quick guide for diabetic diets should include a limit on sugar and carbohydrate consumption, eating regular meals with emphasis on fruits and vegetables, and consuming less fat and alcohol. Diabetic diets should include more starches such as bread or cereals, and fruits and vegetables are strongly recommended as they reduce the absorption of glucose in your body as they contain soluble fibers. You should pay a visit to a dietitian to develop a meal plan that is suitable to your body’s needs and caters to your personal taste.

Weight control is important for people with diabetes as a healthy weight indicates an improvement in control of your blood sugar levels. Whilst maintaining a healthy weight is important for everyone, a diabetic diet is not a diet plan for losing weight, but one that focuses on a healthy lifestyle. If you suffer from diabetes, smoking and alcohol consumption should be halted as it causes complications to your condition. These include blood flow problems, increased cholesterol levels, heart attack risks and low blood sugar levels.

A diabetic diet that works for you should not mean complete abstinence from sugar, carbohydrates and fat. Amazing diabetic diets are those that allow moderate consumption of carbohydrates once or twice a week. This allows you to indulge in your favourite ice cream or chips, by employing carbohydrate counting. This will help you to maintain your carbohydrate levels by planning your meals and snacks so that you do not exceed your limit. Keep track of your carbohydrate consumption every day by writing down the number of grams of carbohydrates consumed.

Low carbohydrate diets are popular diabetic diets, as they advocate a low carbohydrate consumption, limit sugar levels and processed foods. It is important for people on a diabetic diet to look out for foods that contain hidden sugar in the forms of preservatives or sauces, as they can lead to overly high blood sugar levels without your conscious knowledge. Proteins are also essential to a diabetic diet, and are available through consumption of meat, eggs and oilseeds which have high protein content.

Diets such as the Atkins Diet which are high in fat are a strict no for people with diabetes. Instead, focus on a diabetic diet which is suitable for you. Whilst it can be difficult to make the transition into a strict diet, it is possible to maintain your health and blood sugar levels without compromising too much on the foods that you enjoy.

Anglea Morken asked:


Celiac Disease: An Overview

What is Celiac Disease?

Celiac disease is the name attached to the body’s autoimmune reaction to gluten which wears away the lining of the small intestine. Gluten, the cause of the disease, is found in wheat, rye, barley and oats.

Is this disease new?

No. It has always existed but, in the past, it was rarely tested for and rarely diagnosed. In the last few years, publicity about celiac disease has increased and so have the diagnosed cases. Celiac disease, which was once considered rare, is now known to effect one in every 133 people in the United States. Most cases are still undiagnosed and many people are walking around with the disease but don’t realize that they have it.

What are the symptoms?

The most common symptoms of celiac include diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, gas, bloating, weight loss or gain, chronic fatigue, headaches, anemia, psychological issues such as depression, anxiety and anger-control problems, sleep difficulties and a painful, itchy rash called dermatitis herpetiformis.

Is the disease hard to diagnose?

Yes. The disease can be hard to identify because the symptoms vary so widely from person to person. Not every person has the same symptoms and not all the symptoms appear in each person who has the disease. In addition, many physicians aren’t well informed about the disease making a diagnosis that much harder.

How can I know if I have the disease? If you suspect that you may have celiac disease, see your doctor. Ask for a group of blood tests called a full celiac panel and a referral to a gastroenterologist. The gastroenterologist should perform a biopsy of your small intestine for definite determination of the existence of the disease.

Is this test conclusive? The answer to this question is both yes and no. There are many people who have severe reactions to gluten but have negative or borderline blood tests and/or biopsies. These people are said to be “gluten intolerant.” The only way to determine if a person is gluten intolerant is for them to do a trial gluten-free diet. If, when on the diet, the symptoms disappear, that is a sign that you may have the disease. However, it is important to pursue testing if you suspect you may have celiac disease, if for no other reason than to determine that there are no other conditions causing or contributing to your symptoms.

If most doctors are unfamiliar with the disease, how can I explain to them why I think I have it? Yes, it is true that there are still some physicians out there who don’t take a patient requesting a celiac test seriously. Because of this, we recommend that you bring along documented information from a credible source about the disease to your first doctor’s appointment in order to discuss the possibility more professionally. It would also be constructive if you have kept a record of your symptoms, including the dates and times and duration of each.

Is there any treatment for the disease? The only current treatment for celiac is a gluten-free diet. This means that you should avoid all products containing wheat, rye, barley or oats. Nowadays most products are labeled if they contain gluten and there are many companies out there which manufacture food specifically for people on gluten-free diets. This makes the life of celiac disease patient much easier than it was even just a decade ago.

Kirsty Cussens asked:


Are you waiting for a celiac disease diagnosis?  Maybe you have been feeling ill for a while, have all the classic symptoms of celiac disease and you are just waiting for someone to tell you if that is definitely it. Sometimes it can feel as if getting a definitive celiac disease diagnosis can take forever,  but keep going!  It will be worth it in the end.

The first stage in celiac disease diagnosis is usually a simple blood test.  If  celiac disease is present, the body’s defence mechanisms will have been attacking gluten whenever it reaches the intestines  (thus damaging the intestines).  A simple blood test will show whether these defence mechanisms (antibodies) are there.

The blood test alone, however, does not point to a definitive celiac disease diagnosis.  A positive result can sometimes be caused by other things.  It is said to only show a likelihood of celiac disease. 

The next stage is a more complicated procedure called an endoscopy, which determines whether or not damage has been done to the lining of the intestines and the extent of that damage.  This gives a clear celiac disease diagnosis.

Normally, our intestines are covered with millions of microscopic villi; little bumps which increase the surface area and enable you to absorb more of the nutrients from food. With celiac disease, the body’s natural defence mechanisms attack gluten whenever it comes into the intestines. This damages these villi and flattens them so nutrients cannot be absorbed properly (which is why some celiac children fail to grow as they should).

With an endoscopy, a small camera is put down the throat to look at the top of the intestines, and a biopsy is taken of a few cells to observe the state of those villi. This is done as a day patient in the hospital, and for children is usually done under a general anaesthetic. While it is not painful, it can be a bit uncomfortable.

Although this may seem quite a big thing to go through if you already feel sure of having celiac disease, with clear symptoms and a positive blood test, doctors do call the biopsy the ‘gold standard’ celiac disease diagnosis.

One of the hardest parts of the whole business when we went through it with our young son was the fact that although he had classic symptoms of celiac disease, and his blood tests showed a ‘strong likelihood’, we had to keep him on a gluten containing diet until after the biopsy had taken place. In our case this meant a whole month of constant tummy-aches and lethargy that I could have prevented, and it was so difficult feeding him food that I knew was effectively damaging him.

We were encouraged to carry on and get the definitive celiac disease diagnosis simply because as he gets older he may well challenge it, and want to start eating gluten containing food again, and had we not gone for the endoscopy now, he may have had to go through the whole thing again in his late teens. In the UK, a definitive celiac disease diagnosis also means he gets some gluten free food on prescription, which is a huge help.

As soon as the endoscopy is done, you can start a gluten free diet. If the results come back clear you can always start eating a ‘normal’ diet again, but you are reasonably sure of the results, you may want to start a gluten free diet immediately. My son did this and as far as I am aware he hasn’t had a gluten meal since he woke up from hi s anaesthetic.

Four months later he has the energy to compete in triathlons and doesn’t get tummy-aches any more.

Jane Reynolds asked:


Diabetes 2 affects 85 to 90 per cent of all people with diabetes. Nearly all diabetics got their disease from having an harmful lifestyle but diabetes 2 could as well be genetic. One of two things occurs in diabetes.

The pancreas can?t produce insulin (type 1 diabetes) or else; the cells don?t respond to the insulin correctly and the pancreas produces insufficient insulin for the body?s increased needs (diabetes 2).

The most common diabetes type is diabetes 2. Diabetes 2 affects approximately 95% of all diabetics. Unlike the first type, diabetes 2 makes the body incapable to act in response to insulin.

What is the reason for getting diabetes 1 or diabetes 2? No one knows why people get diabetes. Researchers suggest that diabetes occurs as a viral illness triggers the immune system to destroy the insulin-making cells in the pancreas. Diabetes results from the incapability of the body to produce adequate amount of insulin.

What is insulin? What is the insulin function? Insulin is a hormone that helps the body cells to use the glucose. The insulin is responsible for breaking down the glucose in our blood stream and avoiding the sugar level from coming up.

What is glucose? What is the glucose function? Carbohydrate foods contain glucose. It is the major resource of energy used by the body. Sugar is one of the glucose types. Glucose comes from foods that contain carbohydrates such as potatoes, bread, pasta and rice, fruit and milk.

How is glucose absorbed into the blood stream and provides us energy? After the food is digested, the glucose is released and absorbed into the blood stream . The glucose in the blood stream needs to move into body tissues so that cells can turn it into energy. Additional glucose is stored in the liver or transformed into fat. The fat is being stored in other body tissues.

How to avoid diabetes 2? Although the causes of diabetes 2 are known and in some cases it can be prevented there is no cure for diabetes 2.

Currently, there is. Foods that are high in fat and cholesterol are not suggested to people who would like to be safe from. Further, to be safe from Diabetes 2, take regular exercise. Keep your body active and boost your resistance to other illness and some of the serious complications caused by having diabetes.

Having Diabetes 2 does not merely diminish the body, it could also widen to different parts of the body. Just the once it spreads, it can lead to removal of body parts to prevent the illness from spreading to vital body organs.

While Diabetes 2 worsens, it could cause damages in the heart, kidney and even the eyes. Heart disease, kidney complications and blindness is conditions that you would never want to have and it could come from diabetes.

Tony Anderson asked:


Research dated April 30, 2007 from the University of Michigan reveals some exciting news about the tart cherry and heart health. What was most interesting about the research was the study was conducted not on the tart cherry fruit itself, but tart cherry powder. Tart cherry powder is a concentrated form of tart cherry.

In most cases, to manufacture tart cherry powder the entire cherry is used, including the skin and the flesh of the fruit. Tart cherry powder can also be defined as a cherry neutraceutical.

According to the Foundation of Innovation in Medicine, which created the term “neutraceutical”, the definition is:

“any substance that may be considered a food or part of a food that provides health benefits, including the prevention of treatment of disease.”

The results from the study were revealed during the Experimental Biology 2007 meeting in Washington D.C.. Although the study was conducted on rats, the results were so promising the University of Michigan indicated they will soon conduct clinical trials on humans.

An Overview of the Tart Cherry Powder Study

Antioxidant-rich tart cherries may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome can greatly increase the risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and stroke.

Two test groups of rats were fed whole cherry powder (made from the whole fruit). The cherry powder equated to either 1 percent or 10 percent of their daily diets for a period of 90 days. Another study group had no cherry powder added to their diet. However, the amounts of carbohydrates and calories where kept constant during the study, thus providing baseline.

The results of the study showed that the cherry-enriched diet had experienced additional health benefits when compared to the results of the non-cherry diet group. The researchers found the rats fed very little amounts of tart cherry powder benefited from modest amounts of tart cherry powder. Some of the results included the cherry-enriched diets lowered insulin, triglycerides and total cholesterol levels. These are some of the factors linked to metabolic syndrome. In addition, oxidative damage and increased blood capacity were also shown in the study.

Where to Find Tart Cherry Powder

Tart cherry powder is not the easiest product to find. However, with a little diligence you can also incorporate tart cherry powder into your diet. One source of 100% natural tart cherry powder is from Fruit Advantage www.fruitadvantage.com The company is America’s leading Super Fruit supplement brand. It not only sells tart cherry powder in capsules, but a number of different super fruit supplements and products.

The Fruit Advantage Tart Cherry super fruit supplement delivers 1200mg of tart cherry per serving. This means each daily serving delivers over 3 lbs. of the specific antioxidant benefits of tart cherries in a convenient, easy-to-swallow capsule. In addition, the product is gluten free, kosher and tests free of pesticides, fillers and additives. To learn more or order Fruit Advantage Tart Cherry contact the contact company toll-free at 1-877-746-7477 or visit www.fruitadvantage.com

(1) Cherry-enriched diets reduce metabolic syndrome and oxidative stress in lean Dahl-SS rats. Experimental Biology 2007 225.8, Seymour EM, Singer AAM, Bennink MR, Bolling SF. Presented in minisymposium 225, Dietary Bioactive Compounds: Chronic Disease Risk Reduction.

Gail Mercedes asked:

The Paleo Gluten Free Diet has many health claims. Let review three claims. 1. Reduce or eliminate symptoms of Celiac disease. 2. Preservative free diet has health benefits. 3. The diet lowers cholesterol. Let us review these three claims and review supporting evidence.

Celiac diseaseCeliac disease is an auto-immune disease that is triggered by the consumption of gluten. Gluten is protein found in grains like wheat, rye, barley and other related grains. Patients with celiac disease the lining of the small intestines is injured by gluten. Injured  intestines results in weight loss, bloating, diarrhea, gas, abdominal cramps and nutritional deficiencies. If gluten is removed from the diet the intestinal lining has a chance to heal. If you have celiac disease you should   remain on a gluten-free diet throughout life. A registered dietitian should be consulted.

 Preservative Free :The Paleo Gluten Free Diet is free of preservatives. Originally, preservatives were added to food to prevent spoilage. To enhance taste, texture and nutritional value manufacturers started adding additives into foods. Preservatives are in many things we eat: artificial colours, flavours and all processed foods.

Health Results:  Preservatives can cause allergies, stomach pains, hives, high blood pressure and skin rashes. Some scientific studies suggest preservatives have no nutritional value. Ron Lagerquist  author of North American Diet states that, “cumulative effect of toxins will increase the risk of becoming a host to disease .” For most it is not realistic to eat a totally preventative free diet but a major life long reduction will minimalize risks of developing health issues.

Lower Cholesterol: Paleo diet consists of  lean meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, fruits, roots and nuts. Free of gluten, wheat, dairy products and preservatives. Fish, vegetables, fruits and nuts lowers cholesterol which is beneficial in reducing the risk of heart diseases.

Fish

Fatty fish has high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are good for the heart. Research suggest that eating Omega-3 fatty acids reduces blood pressure and the risk of blood clots. Fish with the highest levels of omega -3 fatty acids are mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tunea and salmon. There are high levels of omega -3 fatty acids in ground flaxseed and canola oil.

Vegetables and Fruit

Vegetables and fruits not only lower cholesterol levels but have a host of other values. Lowering the risk of  heart disease and lung cancer have been linked to leafy green vegetables, broccoli, and peppers are full of beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is associated with lowered risk of heart disease and lung cancer. Leafy greens are also rich in vitamin C a protector against a host of ills. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene a carotenoid that may protect against several types of cancer.

Fruits

Citrus fruits are rich is vitamin C a protector against a host of ills.

Nuts

Walnuts and almonds reduce blood cholesterol.  The Food and Drug Administration suggests that almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachio nuts and walnuts may reduce risk of heart diseases. Keep in mind that nuts are high in calories keep consumption to about 1.5 ounces per day. Non-processed nuts are a great substitute for saturated snacks.

The ingredients in the Paleo Diet well support the claims. For those with celiac disease the removal of gluten from the diet reduces or eliminates symptoms. Reducing or removing preventatives from your diet has numerous health preventative benefits. Lastly, the Paleo diet lowers cholesterol that reduces the risk of heart diseases.The Paleo Gluten Free Recipes Cookbook is not only for those that require a gluten free diet but has healthier benefits for everyone. Order Paleo Gluten Free Recipes Cookbook Today http://www.FavoriteRecipes.biz/Paleo.html For a variety of cookbooks Visit: http://www.FavoriteRecipes.biz

 

nitin asked:


Diabetes is a serious disease. More than 20 million people are afflicted in the United States alone; that’s around 7% of the total population. Generally, this health problem is all about having blood sugar level that is excessively higher than what is normal or healthful. Basically, this disease is categorized into two types.

If you have Type 1 diabetes, you could be suffering from some form of an immune deficiency disorder. Experts say that this particular type of the disease is characterized by your very own immune cells attacking the pancreas, which is the insulin-producing organ of your body. This condition may be brought about by factors like heredity and quality of surroundings; some types of viruses can also be responsible for the development of this disease.

In another aspect, people who have Type 2 diabetes may be having complications in their overall metabolic process. Under such case, disruptions in the proper functioning of the body’s insulin levels can happen, either you do not produce enough or your cells simply disregard this hormone in your body. Along with heredity, poor eating habits and unhealthy lifestyle can make anyone succumb to Type 2 diabetes. Race, gender and age can also increase one’s susceptibility to Type 2 diabetes.

Having diabetes requires extensive changes in your lifestyle. But it does not mean that you should no longer enjoy your life. Here are a few tips on how to put this disease on a leash so that you can continue living a normal life.

Seek Advice From Your Doctor Frequently

If you think you are experiencing the symptoms of diabetes, the first thing you should do is visit your doctor to seek advice and medication. Discuss with your doctor how you can properly take control of your disease. Chances are, you will be given treatment and maintenance drugs to control your sugar and cholesterol levels and correct your blood pressure; these medicines are available anywhere, in drugstores or any online pharmacy.

Setup Meal Plans And Stick With Them

The medicines you bought from drugstores or any online pharmacy could be ineffectual if you are not eating the right foods. Diabetes and the food that you eat are strongly linked because the glucose level in your body is the main index used to determine the manifestations of the disease.

Stabilize Your Sugar Levels Regularly

As mentioned, the most critical aspect of diabetes is the amount of sugar in your bloodstream. In this regard, you need to perpetually monitor the average blood sugar levels present in your system. This data will allow you to adjust your lifestyle so that your disease will not become more complicated. Knowing your blood sugar levels will also guide you on what type of meals you should eat.

For a better way to nail down diabetes, always make sure that the right medicines are always within your easy reach. You can procure medication from drugstores and online pharmacies like http://euromedonline.com/.

Gina Gardiner asked:


If you have celiac disease and are well controlled because you stick rigidly to a gluten-free diet, you are as likely as anyone who has not got celiac disease to have a healthy pregnancy and baby.

Those who have celiac disease and who do not have a completely gluten-free diet have an increased risk of problems for themselves and their baby.

Pregnancy is demanding on the body; the mum not only needs a good supply of all the necessary nutrients to keep her healthy but also to support the development of the baby. To do this she will need to eat a good, balanced gluten-free diet. Foods rich in folic acid, iron and calcium are particularly important.

General Principles

Your diet should be as healthy as possible. Keep to the “5″ rule for fruit and vegetables. Try and eat 5 different varieties every day. Fruit juice counts as 1 variety however many glasses of it you drink.

Eat food naturally rich in calcium: milk, cheese and yoghurts, sardines, pilchards etc. Commercially produced gluten-free flours and mixes are often enriched with calcium. It is a good idea to use skimmed or semi-skimmed milk and low fat yogurts and cheese so you can keep the fat content down. Avoid unpasturised milk and soft cheese or mould-ripened cheeses as they can carry bacteria.

Eat food rich in the mineral iron, it can be found in lean red meat, eggs and fish – particularly the fish rich in natural oil – herring, mackerel, sardines and salmon. Soya, tofu, sunflower seeds, green leafy vegetables, lentils, beans, watermelon and black strap molasses are also rich sources of iron.

Avoid uncooked eggs, or partially cooked eggs found in mousses, eggnog, fools etc.

Avoid liver and pâtés

Eat plenty of roughage, as constipation is a common problem during pregnancy. Gluten-free foods which have high levels of fibre include brown rice, buckwheat, potatoes – particularly the skin, peas, corn, lentils, millet, seeds such as sunflower or linseeds, vegetables and fruit and dried fruits such as figs and dates. Drinking plenty of fluids will also help. A glass of hot water with a twist of lemon juice first thing in the morning can work well.

It is important for all prospective mums that they take proper care of themselves prior to becoming pregnant. The benefits of eating foods rich in folic acid for three months before becoming pregnant and during pregnancy, particularly in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy is well documented. It helps prevent conditions such as Spina Bifida. Folic Acid supplements are easily available from the pharmacist or health food shop. Eat plenty of green leafy vegetables, which are naturally rich in folic acid.

Giving up smoking is very important as babies of smoking mothers are much more susceptible to low birth weight and other health problems.

Cutting out alcohol or at least cutting it down to no more than one or two units a week is advisable.

Finally once your baby is born it is advisable to wait until the baby is at between 4 and 6 months old before introducing wheat to their diet. There is no advantage in waiting any longer than 6 months.

Arturo asked:

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.

Michael Webb asked:


If you happen to be a diabetic or know one who is, recognizing what diabetic symptoms are is important. This is also true if you have a strong family history of diabetes; you’ll want to be aware of the symptoms in case you develop the disease, too.

It’s important to know that not all cases of diabetes will show diabetes symptoms unless the diabetes is severe. Others will have early symptoms that can be picked up if one is vigilant. For example, one symptom of early diabetes is that of episodes of “low blood sugar”, also called hypoglycemia. With this symptom, a person will experience shakiness, sweating, hunger pangs and dizziness because the insulin has overshot the target blood sugar.

Those with diabetes symptoms related to very high blood sugar often feel a general sense of illness, weight loss and nausea. They can also feel dizzy or light-headed. When these symptoms occur, the blood sugar is often greater than 300 mg per deciliter but can be as high as 600 milligrams per deciliter. Blood sugars above 600 milligrams per deciliter can cause an altered sense of consciousness and a diabetic coma.

Those with Type I diabetes have slightly different diabetes symptoms. These individuals have some of the same symptoms of Type II diabetes but can get into much more severe symptoms such as diabetic ketoacidosis. This occurs when byproducts of metabolism, called ketones, build up in the body. This causes stomach pains, generalized loss of consciousness and coma, which can be fatal. Type I diabetics can also have symptoms of low blood sugar if they take too much insulin.

Diabetics can develop diabetic symptoms, even if they are in moderate control. Diabetics carry a risk of losing nerve function to the nerves of the legs, a condition called peripheral neuropathy. This results in the inability to feel things with one’s feet. Diabetic foot ulcers can develop as a result of poor nerve and circulatory function.

Diabetics can develop the diabetic symptom of poor vision. This is because untreated diabetes causes changes in the blood vessels in the eyes so that the vision becomes poor. The condition is called diabetic retinopathy and can be treated by using laser treatments to the retina.

Kidney disease is another diabetic symptom. This generally happens when the diabetes is poorly treated. There may or may not be actual symptoms, like water retention, but tests will show that the kidneys are failing. This can lead to needing a kidney transplant or dialysis if the symptoms are severe.

The cardiovascular system can play a role in diabetes. Peripheral vascular disease, or poor circulation to the legs, is a diabetic symptom. This can result in cold feet or foot ulcers in diabetics. The heart can also be involved. Diabetes is a risk factor for having a heart attack. This is the biggest reason why early and careful control is important for diabetics at all stages of the disease. In fact, most of the complications of diabetes can be improved by improving the various diabetic symptoms early.

Brooke Hayles asked:


Everyone knows the benefits of eating a healthy and balanced diet. This is especially the case for diabetics and there are a number of diet requirements that a diabetic person may need to eat more of or less of, to help manage their diabetes. As every person is different, there is no one form of diet that fits every diabetic.

Most diabetics have diabetic diet guidance. Even though there is no set diabetic diet that all diabetics need to follow, there are a few guidelines that apply to everyone. Maintaining a healthy weight is extremely important for diabetics and this can be achieved, in part, by eating a healthy diabetic diet. If a diabetic does not keep their weight down, it can lead to their symptoms worsening. Of course, it isn’t just diabetics who need to watch their weight.

Diabetes results from glucose levels in the blood being too high and consuming excess sugar can cause problems. A diabetic can eat most things, but depending on the severity and type of diabetes that they have, it is necessary to eat certain foods in moderation. This applies to sugar, carbohydrates and certain types of fats. Alcohol should always be drunk in moderation, but it is even more important for anyone on a diabetic diet to cut down on their consumption.

There is no need for a diabetic to give up their sweet treats completely, just cut back on the amount of cookies and cakes they eat. However, excess consumption of one form of sugar in particular, fructose, does need to be avoided. Fructose is fruit sugar and is found in very high amounts in fruit juices. A diabetic diet should include a maximum of one small glass of fruit juice on a daily basis. Fructose is also classed as a simple carbohydrate along with lactose, from milk and sucrose, regular sugar. These all need to be eaten in modified amounts on any type of diabetic diet.

Complex carbohydrates, unlike simple carbohydrates, are an essential part of any diet including a diabetic diet. These are broken down in the body to produce energy. Brown rice, whole-wheat pasta and whole-wheat bread are some of the best sources of complex carbohydrates.

A diabetic diet also needs to help prevent other diseases and conditions apart from the diabetes itself. Kidney problems and heart disease are just two examples. It is essential to ensure that the diabetic diet does not include too many saturated fats, which could bring on other medical conditions. The body does need some fat intake to function correctly but this can be found in sunflower oil, olive oil, vegetable oil, and other unsaturated fats.

If you are diabetic, there is no reason why you cannot have the majority of the foods that you love. The key is to eat some of them in moderation and increase the healthier foods. You are sure to feel a difference in yourself and see a difference in your general health. Of course, your diabetes will also be far better managed.

Summary:

Diabetes results from glucose levels in the blood being too high and consuming excess sugar can cause problems. A diabetic can eat most things, but depending on the severity and type of diabetes that they have, it is necessary to eat certain foods in moderation. This applies to sugar, carbohydrates and certain types of fats. Alcohol should always be drunk in moderation, but it is even more important for anyone on a diabetic diet to cut down on their consumption.

Mary H. Brown asked:


Sue Shouldis of Middletown, MD, age 61, began to see the humor in what she’d been through after she started feeling better. A mysterious, debilitating illness crept in and stole her health, her job as a legal assistant and her satisfying life in Florida. In retrospect, though, it seemed kind of funny that food had caused her body to attack itself. So she wrote a poem:

Oh, Bread! Bless thy white glutinous face

Savior of the human race

Staff of life you’re said to be

Oh, Bread, methinks you’re killing me!

Shouldis has celiac disease, a highly variable condition that’s also called sprue or celiac sprue. Celiac is vastly under-diagnosed; 95 percent of Americans who have it have no clue that’s what ails them. It can cause anything from “nervous stomach” to impaired brain function. There is no typical case; it can look like 1,000 other conditions. A National Institutes of Health consensus report says celiac affects up to 1 in every 100 people in the U.S. Some are as sick as Shouldis was; others feel only vaguely unwell.

The Who, What and Why of Celiac Disease

Celiac, which affects more women than men, is an autoimmune condition. It inflames the villi, tiny fingerlike projections that blanket the lining of the small intestine and absorb nutrients into the bloodstream. This inflammation is triggered by gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. (Gluten is a technically incorrect but more convenient term than the scientific names: wheat gliadin, rye secalin and barley hordein.) Daily irritation from breakfast toast, lunchtime sandwiches and less obvious gluten sources like soy sauce and beer damages a sufferer’s villi. The resulting atrophy creates nutritional deficits that worsen with time. Celiac is, essentially, a disease of starvation.

Celiac disease symptoms don’t necessarily indicate degree of intestinal damage. Peter H. R. Green, M.D., director of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University and author of “Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic” (HarperCollins), says that “studies show the majority of patients do not have classic celiac disease, but a silent presentation with few or no GI symptoms.”

Testing, Testing

If you test positive for IgA endomysial antibody, you almost certainly have celiac disease. But that blood test is expensive. The less pricey test for IgA tissue transglutaminase picks up a key celiac marker but also registers positive for other conditions. Screens for IgA and IgG antigliadin antibodies are falling out of favor (too many false positives and false negatives). The gold standard? A biopsy of the small intestine, done by a gastroenterologist who knows where to look.

* What Can People with Celiac Disease Eat?

It can seem hard to construct a diet that allows no pasta, bread or pastry. But meat, fish, fruits and vegetables, beans, rice, corn and potatoes are all healthy choices.

Once a strict gluten-free diet is adopted, the villi almost always recover in six months to two years. Symptoms, from mental confusion to dark circles under the eyes, also vanish.

For more information, contact:

* University of Chicago Celiac Disease Program: call 773-702-7593 or visit celiacdisease.net

* Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University: call 212-342-4529 or visit celiacdiseasecenter.org

* Gluten Intolerance Group of North America: visit gluten.net

With an early diagnosis of celiac disease and adoption of a gluten-free diet, it’s possible to halt your symptoms and prevent complications. So see you doctor if you suspect celiac disease. You’ll be that much closer to feeling better.

Writer: Mary Brown

©REMEDY, Summer 2007