Low Carb Swaps for Diabetics

If you have diabetes, your enemy isn’t just sugar. Carbohydrates can turn to sugar in the bloodstream, driving your blood glucose levels through the roof. When your body has too much sugar, it stores the excess as fat. Once the extra sugar goes into storage, your blood sugar level drops again. The American Diabetes Association suggests eating between 45 and 75 grams of carbohydrates at each meal and 15 to 30 grams of carbohydrates at snack time. This doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to carbs entirely, but you do have to make smart choices. Swap regular white or … Continue reading →

Ten Tips For Diabetic Living

The American Diabetic Association recommends “free foods” for a quick and satisfying snack. They contain twenty calories or less per serving and are low-fat and sugar free. Try nine small strawberries, half a medium-sized peach, or 25 fresh blueberries. Or snack on a half cup of baby carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, red bell peppers, zucchini, or cherry tomatoes. Start walking! Blood sugar levels can drop as much as thirty percent after an aerobic exercise session. Walking helps control your weight and reduces your risk of complications like nerve damage, eye damage, and heart disease. Not excited about walking in … Continue reading →

Gestational Diabetes: Risk Factors and Complications

Only about 4% of pregnant women develop gestational diabetes and there are certain factors that will increase the risk of becoming part of this group. But at the same time, many women to whom none of the risk factors apply still develop gestational diabetes. Keeping the risk in check though, will still diminish your chances of developing it. Risk Factors: Being overweight before becoming pregnant (20% or more above ideal body weight). Family history of diabetes Being Hispanic, black, Native American, or Asian (certain ethnic groups are at higher risk of developing diabetes, period). Having given birth to a baby … Continue reading →

Gestational Diabetes: Causes & Diagnosis

Gestational diabetes is attributed to increased glucose intolerance during pregnancy, which is the result of hormonal changes in the body. Pregnant women are most at risk of developing gestational diabetes in their third trimester, because that is when hormones are really running rampant. Gestational diabetes occurs in about 4% of all pregnancies, and is caused when women are unable to produce more insulin during their pregnancy to counteract the effect of hormones that stop the action of insulin. These hormones are necessary to prevent the mother from developing a low blood sugar level and they are produced by the placenta. … Continue reading →

The Warning Signs of Diabetes

Diabetes can cause serious complications if it is undiscovered and left untreated. Although there are certain high risk groups, nobody can be sure they do not have it or will not develop diabetes at one point life. There are two types of diabetes, Diabetes I and II. Each one comes with its own treatment approach and its own symptoms. Below you will find the symptoms for diabetes I and II separated by type: Symptoms for Diabetes Type I Increased thirst. Increased hunger, especially after you already ate. Dry mouth. Frequent urination. Unexplained weight loss. Fatigue, weakness and feeling tired. Blurred … Continue reading →

Make Diabetes A Little Sweeter

You don’t have to say goodbye to sugar if you have diabetes. You need to be careful of fast acting carbohydrates (like sugar) and adapt your sugar intake — your insulin and/or medications must balance the sugars you eat. Sugar substitutes are an easy way to satisfy your craving for something sweet. You’ve probably heard of saccharin (the sweetener in Sweet ‘n’ Low) and aspartame (the sweetener in Equal). You may have also seen sorbitol or malitol in the ingredient list for some sugar-free candies and chocolates. If you are doing some baking, you can try swapping white sugar for … Continue reading →

Diabetes Management Checklist

Dealing with your diabetes means more than just watching your blood sugar and taking your medicine. Unmanaged blood glucose levels can damage your eyes and kidneys, cause nerve damage, and lead to heart disease. So how do you keep an eye on everything and not go crazy? This diabetes management checklist can help. Check your blood sugar every day. Your blood sugar varies throughout the day based on what you eat and when you eat it. Your doctor may have you check your blood sugar levels more than once daily until your glucose levels are under control. Check your diabetic … Continue reading →

Diabetes: Type One vs. Type Two

If you have diabetes, you have a problem with your pancreas: it either doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body isn’t using the hormone properly. Insulin helps your body absorb glucose (or blood sugar) into the cells for energy. If glucose is not absorbed, it can build up in the blood, damaging blood vessels and organs. Elevated blood sugar over the long term can cause eye problems, kidney problems, and nerve damage. What is Type 1 Diabetes? Also known as juvenile or insulin dependant diabetes, type one diabetes often occurs in people under thirty who are not overweight. In this … Continue reading →

Exercise for Diabetics

Research shows that exercise can help diabetics — especially the fifteen million Americans with Type 2 diabetes — regulate blood sugar and live longer! A twelve-year study of Type 2 diabetics found that those who exercised regularly had many positive results: Improved blood sugar control Lower blood pressure Lower cholesterol Weight loss Improved circulation Reduced stress Exercise can actually make cells more responsive to insulin! And you don’t need to be running a marathon every day. Just thirty minutes of moderate exercise more than three days a week is enough to help manage blood sugar. As long as you are … Continue reading →

Cinnamon For Lower Blood Sugar

Within the past few years, studies have shown that cinnamon is helpful in reducing blood sugar levels! Why does your blood sugar go up and down, anyway? When you eat, the sugars and starches in foods get broken down into glucose, also known as blood sugar. Shortly after you eat, the level of glucose in your blood is high. Insulin (a naturally occurring hormone in your body) takes the glucose and uses it for energy or stores it as fat. So what does cinnamon have to do with it? One of the compounds that makes up cinnamon is called MHCP. … Continue reading →