Diabetes-It’s All About the Weight Baby!

It was my second visit to my new doctor in Pueblo, Colorado back about 8-9 years ago. I didn’t know him from Adam. I had taken a battery of blood tests called a lipid profile on my first visit. Let me digress a little.

I shopped around and picked him as my Doc because I had recently been diagnosed with the big ‘D’ (Diabetes for those of you who live in Pueblo) and my other doc knew zip about it. This new doc had a son with type 1.

We chit chatted a bit on this second visit then he got down to business. Let’s see Jack, you have type 2 diabetes partially caused by being overweight. You have high blood pressure caused by being overweight. You have sleep apnea caused by being overweight. You have high cholesterol and high triglycerides caused by poor eating habits which cause you to be overweight. “Are you staring to see a pattern here?” he asked. DUH!!

That was nearly nine years ago but the words ring true today. 25 pounds and one angioplasty later I still struggle with weight. At age 63, my metabolism is not slow it has gone in reverse. It is very difficult to lose weight for me, maybe impossible. I even tried the duct tape diet.

I know it is easy-just burn more calories than you take in. Yeah RIGHT!

Well now there is more than anecdotal evidence between being overweight and diabetes, between being overweight and sleep apnea. Study after study confirms the relationship.

Sleep apnea is an interruption of sleep caused by an obstruction in the airways. Five such interruptions in an hour constitute a clinical diagnosis of sleep apnea. My last sleep study revealed an average of 19 per hour-that’s one every three minutes. No wonder you feel so c…. when you have it.

Sleep apnea is potentially life threatening. We all know how devastating and life threatening the big ‘D’ is. So what are you waiting for?

The good news is you can avoid type 2 diabetes completely – or at least control it adequately. This is quite possible in many cases using diet, exercise, other lifestyle improvements, and medication, if necessary. Get control early, if you have it, and enjoy your life.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE WEIGHT BABY!

To find out more about Diabetes check the link below.

Jack Krohn has had Diabetes, Pre-diabetes and Syndrome X for nearly fifteen years. He speaks from the experiences he has had during that time. He is also a free lance writer-the #1 author of Home Security Articles in the country.

Childhood obesity time bomb blows up

The number developing so called “adult” or type 2 diabetes – which normally afflicts overweight middle-aged people – has increased 10-fold in the last five years.

The boost, from 10 to 100 new cases every year, appears in the first nationwide research into the explosion of Type 2 diabetes in the youth under 16. It had been considered that the overall number of children suffering from the condition, which leads to blindness, heart disease, strokes and kidney failure, was just 100.

The leader of the research team from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health called the figure “shocking”.

The discoveries appear in a critical moment for the health of the society, including youth people. The chief medical officer, Prof Sir Liam Donaldson, has emphasized that obesity will result in some youngsters dying earlier than their parents. The new research is published as the Sunday Telegraph today presents Jamie Oliver as a new food journalist.

Every month, the campaigner and chef will deal with British food in Stella magazine. The newspaper has also convened a group of experts to discuss the present state of British food in a debate led by the writer and broadcaster John Humphrys.

Poor nutrition has boosted obesity and diabetes. Doctors are sure that these conditions result from junk food diets as well as so called “couch potato” lifestyle – with youngsters, for example, playing computer games and watching television all day long.

The Department of Health prepares the first public anti-obesity health campaign later this year, but doctors are afraid that it will be only a drop in the ocean.

Scientists from the Royal College made a national audit of all NHS diagnoses of Type 2 diabetes in children under 16 in 2004-5. But experts claim that the number of 100 a year might be just the tip of the iceberg because many parents might not be aware of the fact that their severely overweight children have the early signs of diabetes.

A number of 60,000 children are considered to be suffering from weight-related metabolic syndrome – a set of conditions including raised cholesterol, high blood pressure and increased fats in the blood – which is regarded to precede Type 2 diabetes.

What is alarming, Type 2 diabetes in children seems to lead to more acute complications than Type 1, which is caused by the body’s inability to produce enough insulin responsible for regulating blood sugar.

Type 2 diabetes usually appears later in life and is sometimes called a late-onset diabetes or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus as insulin treatment is not always necessary.

Julian Shield, an endocrinologist and a paediatrician at Bristol University and Bristol Royal Hospital, who made the research, stated: “Until now we had no idea how many children were being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. It is a shocking figure.”

At present, the National Health Service has just two specialist child obesity clinics at Bristol Royal Hospital for Sick Children and at Great Ormond St Hospital in London.

But the obesity crisis is not limited to children. A quarter of British people have a BMI (body mass index) higher than 30 and are thereby clinically obese – a 75 per cent boosted on 10 years ago.

A spokesman for the International Task Force on Obesity, Neville Rigby stated: “The childhood obesity time bomb has already exploded. The issue now is facing up to a rapidly worsening scale of problems.”

The deputy chairman of the British Medical Association, Sam Etherington, encourages people to stop companies from advertising junk food to youngsters and children.

A spokesman for the charity Diabetes UK noted: “Overweight people are 80 times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those who maintain a healthy weight. It is important that we act now to reduce the rates of obesity. Individuals and families must take responsibility for their own health.”

A Department of Health spokesman expressed: “Our aim is to tackle poor diet and reduce obesity in the population as a whole.”

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Diabetes Management as a Family Issue

As of 2008, there is no cure for either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. This may seem like a dim outlook for many people, and I certainly wasn’t happy to hear it when my husband came home from a doctor’s appointment with the news he had diabetes, Type 2.  There is no cure, as I knew already. Adding to this bleak moment, in his hand were sheets of paper describing how to manage this problem.

Little did I know we were both going to turn a corner and head into the healthiest living of our lives. Fourteen years later, management strategies continue resulting in good results.  While there will always be room for improvement, adapting to this way of life has been beneficial to both of us.

Proper management begins with a trip to the doctors for proper medical diagnosis.  Then, you arm yourself with as much information as possible about the type of diabetes you are diagnosed with. All management begins with controlling the glucose cycle. This cycle is affected by two factors:  absorbance of glucose into the bloodstream and blood levels of insulin to control the transport out.

An individual’s glucose level is very sensitive to both diet and exercise, so change in either should first be discussed with your physician.  My diabetic spouse began a journey of eating better and regular exercise.  It seems every individual has their issues with food and with exercise.  Basically, his lifestyle relationship to food used to be: all of it and to exercise: none of it.  We both began to eat well and exercise regularly and in accordance to National Standards.  This means at least 30 minutes of exercise daily, and a diet of small, but regular meals including 5 vegetables per day.  Good results yield good results.  My spouse found giving up the extra calories in cakes and cookies, hamburgers and French fries a sad thing.  And only at first.  He still eats those items, as an occasional treat, but now prefers “square” meals as they make him feel better longer. 

As a part of management, he still checks his glucose levels at least once a day.  Sometimes he checks it several times.  He adjusted so well to his new lifestyle; he actually had to return to the doctor to get less dosage of his medications.  No two cases are ever the same, so there is no guarantee this will happen to everyone.  Some people may go off medication entirely, some may get worse.  However, the application of good management techniques and watching glucose levels gives a person a good handle on this disease.   And there is no reason why one shouldn’t.  Glucose meters are readily available and are quite easy to use with a little practice and patience. With a small drop of blood to the testing strip attached to the glucose meter, the user is given the number, which represents their blood sugar level.

My spouse went a step further in management.  He was fortunate to receive diabetic counseling with a registered RN.  This is a free service through our medical insurance plan.  Every three months he contacts her, and they talk about all aspects, perfect or not, of his management practices from A to Z. 

In summary, learned and adapting to a change in lifestyle can really put a person out.  For our household, it was a very small price to pay for a change in feeling better, longer, all day, with no further illness showing up, and turning the corner into our mid-life years looking and feeling our best. 

Health Food Pioneer Defines 100 of the World’s Healthiest Foods — In Just 4 Weeks They can Energize Your Life

We’re bombarded with information telling us to eat ‘healthier.’ While most of us understand that means we shouldn’t live solely on potato chips, cheeseburgers and ice cream, many of us are hard-pressed to understand what ‘healthy food’ really is. After all, there’s so much conflicting information about food and diets and some new study is always popping up in the news telling us that we shouldn’t be eating this or drinking that. So, what if someone created a lifestyle plan—not a diet—that features 100 of the world’s healthiest foods with quick and easy recipes to prepare them in a way that tastes delicious and makes you feel energized and healthier?

Someone has. George Mateljan has dedicated 10 years to researching and writing his latest book, “The World’s Healthiest Foods.” Alarmed by the steady rise in obesity, he’s on a personal mission to help people eat healthier to live longer, healthier lives. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 66% of adult Americans are overweight, increasing their risk of heart disease, type 2 Diabetes and some cancers. “Most people want to improve their health,” says Mateljan. “With the Healthiest Way of Eating Plan in just 4 weeks you can energize your life. All of the information about the World’s Healthiest Foods and their health benefits are backed by scientific data. Plus, the food tastes great. If food doesn’t taste good, people won’t eat it.”

Mateljan researched cultures known for their health and longevity and compiled a list of the 100 Healthiest Foods. “The health-promoting foods on my list contain the maximum amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants for the least number of calories,” says Mateljan. “These factors all work together to help your body function at optimum levels. He says by incorporating these foods into your diet, you’ll have a healthier heart, better memory, and physically you’ll see differences in your hair and skin. Your energy level will increase and if you’re overweight, you’ll shed some pounds too.

The Healthiest Way of Eating Plan provides a selection of foods to choose for each meal, along with hundreds of recipes, most of which take 7 minutes or less to prepare. The recipes are so easy you can prepare an entire meal in less than 15 minutes– a key benefit for squeezing healthy eating into today’s hectic lifestyles. “Most people cook the nutrients right out of their food,” says Mateljan. “They don’t realize that the way they wash, store and cook their food can result in a loss of vitamins and minerals and that overcooking can lose from 50-80% of the nutrients! My recipes are super fast and easy and designed to help food retain the maximum nutrition. Everything tastes so good you’ll forget that you’re eating healthy. You won’t feel deprived and you’ll make a positive and lasting impact on your health.”

Ten little known facts about healthy eating include:

1. Eating fresh fruit with each meal helps the digestive process
2. Soaking produce in water leaches out water soluble vitamins
3. Don’t sauté with olive oil; add it to sauces and foods after they’re cooked to retain the flavor and nutrients in the oil
4. Bell peppers may have a protective effect against cataracts
5. Eating one large apple a day can lower serum cholesterol by up to 11%
6. Adding fish, shellfish, flaxseeds or walnuts to one meal each day provides anti-inflammatory protection
7. Refined sugars can lead to reduced immune system function
8. Refined grains can lead to blood sugar elevations
9. Whole foods high in fiber such as beans and legumes digest so slowly that many people eat them as natural appetite suppressants
10. Three cups of green tea daily can reduce body weight and waist circumference by 5% in three months

Paperback: 880 pages
Publisher: GMF Publishing
Book Available at: Amazon and www.whfoods.org

Endorsement:

“MASTERPIECE. I have been asked to review and comment on many books over the years. None has ever impressed me more than ‘The World’s Healthiest Foods.’ The book offers the richest feast of information on healthful eating I have ever seen compiled into a single source. George Mateljan’s achievement in creating this masterful resource is nothing less than stunning. Keep this book within easy reach, and everything you need to know about eating for optimal health, and pure delight- from which foods to choose, to how they should be prepared- will be at your fingertips. If every kitchen held a copy of ‘The World’s Healthiest Foods’ and every cook referred to it often, the health benefits would be dramatic.”

-David L. Katz, MD, MPH, FACPM, FACP
Professor and Director, Prevention Research Center
Yale University School of Medicine
Medical Contributor, ABC News
Nutrition Columnist, O, The Oprah Magazine
Health Columnist, the New York Times Syndicate

Causes, Symptoms and Treatments of Diabetes

The word diabetes is taken from the Greek word diabainein which literally means ?passing through.? This is in direct reference to excessive urination, a major symptom of diabetes. Mellitus, on the other hand, is from the Greek word mel meaning ?honey? and was added to diabetes when Thomas Willis noted that a diabetic?s blood and urine has a sweet taste as a result of too much sugar in both.

Diabetes is a serious disease. But the startling truth is that diabetes is reversible. Diabetes is the number one cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD). This disease is a condition where the body is unable to automatically regulate blood glucose levels, resulting in too much glucose (a sugar) in the blood. Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects as many as 16 million Americans.

Diabetes is divided into two major groups. Type 1 diabetes is one of the most common childhood diseases. Type 1 Diabetes is called Juvenile Diabetes as the onset of it begins in childhood. Type 2 diabetes is most common form of diabetes, accounting for 90% of cases. They concluded that most cases of type 2 diabetes is preventable by choosing a healthier lifestyle. The problem, in a nutshell, is that type 2 diabetes is not a simple disease caused by a single gene. The best way to control type 2 diabetes is with diet and exercise.

Causes

There are many different causes for diabetes both diabetes type 1 and type 2 it is important that you notice the first signs of diabetes. Diabetes is a condition which is caused through not enough insulin being produced by the human body this then causes a high level of glucose in the blood.

Type 1 diabetes is caused by the body’s immune system destroys the insulin creating cells in the pancreas. This process quickly leads to a complete lack of insulin in the body, therefore forcing a dependency on insulin injections. There is no known way to prevent type 1 diabetes. Approximately 10% of all diabetes cases in the United States are type 1 diabetes. Onset generally occurs in children and young adults, but can occur in adults. This is called late onset type 1 diabetes. Most who are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes are otherwise healthy.

Symptoms

While talking about diabetes, you may be frightened from the idea that you may have it. Or maybe, you may have it in the future. You want to know if you are at risk to develop diabetes and anxiously you’re looking to find if you have any diabetes symptom. Anyway, you must keep in mind some other features in order for you to be classified as a diabetic person, such as being part of a high-risk population, having a family history of diabetes, and so on.

Treatment of Diabetes

Being diagnosed with diabetes is an extremely frightening to have to face. The good news is, diabetes is treatable and preventable. Diabetes has been classified into two categories, Type 1 and Type 2. Each has its own distinctive characteristics and treatments.

Type 1 diabetes, or juvenile diabetes, generally only appears in children and young adults. With type 1 diabetes, the pancreas does not produce any or enough insulin for your body. Insulin is used by the body to to process food and sugars for energy. Type 1 diabetes always requires insulin injection therapies, but eating a proper diet can greatly aid your pancreas.