#Diabetics:11 #Powerfoods to Beat #Diabetes #insulin #diabetic

 

Can controlling your blood sugar and preventing diabetes complications be as simple as eating the right foods? Yes. Certain foods are packed with nutrients that stabilize blood sugar levels, protect your heart, and even save your vision from the damaging effects of diabetes. These 12 foods can give you an extra edge against diabetes and its complications.

1. Apples
In a Finnish study, men who ate the most apples and other foods high in quercetin had 20 percent less diabetes and heart disease deaths. Other good sources of quercetin are onions, tomatoes, leafy green vegetables, and berries.


2. Cinnamon
A study at the Human Nutrition Research Center in Beltsville, Maryland, found that if you use ½ teaspoon of cinnamon daily, it can make cells more sensitive to insulin. Therefore, the study says, the cells convert blood sugar to energy.

After 40 days of taking various amount of cinnamon extract, diabetics experienced not only lower blood sugar spikes after eating, but major improvements in signs of heart health. And you can sprinkle cinnamon on just about anything.

3. Citrus Fruit
Studies show that people with diabetes tend to have lower levels of vitamin C in their bodies, so antioxidant-packed citrus fruit is a great snack choice. It may seem quicker to get your C from a pill, but since fruit is low in fat, high in fiber, and delivers lots of other healthy nutrients, it's a better choice.

4. Cold-Water Fish
Heart disease strikes people with diabetes twice as often as it does people without the illness, according to the American Diabetes Association. Diets high in omega-3 fatty acids—the "good fat" in cold-water fish such as wild Alaskan salmon, sardines, and Atlantic mackerel—can help lower artery-clogging LDL cholesterol and triglycerides while raising levels of HDL (good) cholesterol.


5. Fiber-Rich Foods
A study at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center found that people who increased their fiber intake from 24 to 50 g daily had dramatic improvements in blood sugar levels. In fact, the high-fiber diet was as effective as some diabetes medications.

Rather than try to figure out exactly how much fiber is in different foods, focus on trying to get a total of 13 daily servings of a mixture of fruits, vegetables, beans, brown rice, and whole grain pastas, cereals, and breads.

6. Legumes
Legumes of all sorts—chickpeas, cannelloni beans, kidney beans, and lentils—are a great addition to soups, salads, and a variety of ethnic dishes. And this low-fat, low-calorie, high-fiber, high-protein food helps to reduce risk of diabetes and heart disease. The fiber slows the release of glucose into your bloodstream, which prevents the blood sugar spikes that worsen diabetes blood sugar control and make you feel hungry.

7. Green Tea
Studies show that chronic inflammation—caused by high-fat foods, lack of exercise, and eating too few fruits, vegetables, and good fats—can increase risk of hearts attacks and thwart the body's ability to absorb blood sugar. A simple solution: Drink green tea and orange or cranberry juice. They're all packed with flavonoids—powerful inflammation-fighters. Swap one in for one cup of coffee a day.

8. Nuts
Studies show that people who eat nuts regularly have lower rates of heart disease than people who don't eat them. (People with diabetes are at increased risk of heart disease.) Even among the healthiest eaters, the ones who also eat nuts boast the best health record. Exactly why isn't known yet, but one reason could be compounds called tocotrienols.

The key to eating nuts is not to eat too many; they're so high in calories that you could easily see the aftermath pouring over your pants. Either measure 2 tablespoons of nuts, count how many it is, and limit yourself to that number, or keep a jar of chopped nuts on hand. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons a day on cereal, yogurt, veggies, salads, or wherever the flavor appeals to you.

9. Spinach, Kale, and Collard Greens
All of these green leafy vegetables are good sources of lutein, a carotenoid that's good for the eyes. That's especially important because people with diabetes may develop debilitating eye problems as complications of the disease. These foods are also great sources of fiber, B vitamins, iron, calcium, and vitamin C.

10. Chocolate
Researchers at Tufts University discovered that dark chocolate improves insulin sensitivity, a crucial improvement in preventing or treating type 2 diabetes. What's more, dark—but not white—chocolate also produced a significant drop in blood pressure, reduced LDL (bad) cholesterol, and improved blood vessel function.

Just don't overdo it. Dark chocolate is great for the occasional indulgence, but it still packs a lot of fat and calories.

11. Vinegar
Two tablespoons of vinegar taken before a meal can help your blood sugar go down. A study at Arizona State University East tested three different groups of people to see what the results would be in healthy people, those with prediabetes (they had signs diabetes was developing), and confirmed diabetics. Before each of two meals a day, the subjects were given 2 tablespoons of ordinary vinegar.


The results: An hour after the vinegar treatment, the diabetics had blood sugar levels that were 25 percent lower than without vinegar. The prediabetics had an even better result: Their levels were lower by about half.

#Diabetics: 7 #Diabetes Foot Care Tips #insulin

If you have diabetes, information about how to manage your condition is vital to your well being.

If you don't look after your feet you run the risk of developing sores or infections that could, in the worst case scenario, lead to amputations. As happened to my father-in-law.  Reduce your risk of infection or amputation by incorporating these 7 foot care tips...

1)  Check your feet daily - especially if you have low sensitivity or no feeling in your feet. Sores, cuts and grazes could go unnoticed and you could develop problems leading to amputations.

2)  Don't go around barefoot, even indoors. It's easy to tread on something or stub your toes and cut yourself. Protect your feet with socks/stockings and
shoes/slippers.

3)  Be careful if you have corns or calluses. Check with your doctor or podiatrist the best way to care for them.

4)  Wash your feet daily in warm, NOT HOT water. And don't soak your feet (even if you've been standing all day) because it could dry your skin and form cracks or sores.

5)  Take extra care to dry your feet completely, especially between your toes. These are natural moisture traps - leaving them damp or wet could create all sorts of problems.

6)  Exercise your legs and feet regularly. Even when sitting you can rotate your ankles; wiggle your toes or move your legs up and down. These all keep your blood circulation flowing and helps to minimize the risk of foot problems.

7)  Get your feet professionally checked, at least once a year, for sensitivity and signs of any problems.  You can usually arrange this when you have your annual check up for your AC1 levels (blood glucose levels over a 3-month period), blood pressure and cholesterol. 

Take constant care of your feet. Get help from a relative or professional; Doctor, diabetic nurse or podiatrist if you are not able to bend when trimming nails or checking for sores.  Taking these simple actions will help you reduce the risk of painful problems.

#Diabetic: Healthy #Pregnancy Despite #Diabetes

Among diabetic pregnant women, the most common problem when it comes to their baby's health is the condition called "macrosomia" or having a baby with large body. This is because the blood of the mother with diabetes is interchanged with that of the baby inside the womb. As a result, the baby will produce insulin to be able to glucose and this will lead to fat deposits, which causes the baby to grown larger compared to the regular ones. 

What you can do 

For a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy, it is ideal to maintain an appropriate weight gain, average consumption of various foods from different food groups, timely and prescribed vitamin and mineral supplementation, and lots of fluid intake. Sweets and fats should also be kept to a minimum level of consumption. The following are just some of the guidelines that pregnant women with diabetes can use to achieve healthy pregnancy despite the chronic disease:  

1. Follow the appropriate meal plan religiously. More than ever, pregnant women should pay attention to what they eat and their eating patterns in general. This is very important because this stage—pregnancy itself—requires strict control of blood glucose levels in order to ensure that both the mother and baby are getting the right amount of key nutrients needed. In coming up with the right diet plan, it is best to seek the help of diabetes educator or a licensed dietitian to create the necessary adjustments needed to accommodate the needs not only of the fetus inside the womb but of the mother as well. In your meal plan, take note of calorie, carbohydrates and protein requirements every day because these will help you maintain normal blood glucose levels. 

2. Regular Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose or SMBG. Experts say that the only way to tell if the woman is successful in controlling her blood glucose is by monitor their levels by themselves regularly. Since being pregnant is a sensitive condition, soon to be mothers should monitor their blood glucose levels more frequently. Ideally, SMBG should be monitored four to 10 times a day.  

3. Knowledge in administering insulin injections and adjusting the doses based on the results of SMBG. Sufficient supply of insulin is very crucial for pregnant women so they must know how to administer insulin injections by themselves in case no one is around when they need it. They should also ask from their physician how to adjust the doses of insulin after they are through with the SBMG. Knowing how to adjust the doses of insulin needed is very important to ensure that the body's supply of insulin is stable. 

4. Treating or controlling hypoglycemia. Pregnant women who are diabetics are more prone to hypoglycemia because of the hormonal changes in their body. Although studies show that there are no know effects of hypoglycemia in the baby, it is best to control or treat it as soon as possible so the soon to be mom won't be having troubles during the course of conception.  

5. Maintaining regular set of exercise or physical activities. This is also very important for pregnant women with diabetes because through this they can reduce the risk of hypoglycemia as well as being overweight. Since it is hard for pregnant women to do strenuous workouts, it is best to maintain the hobby of having light exercises that will keep the body moving.

#Superfoods to Fight #Farts

There are many causes for flatulence, such as overeating, eating too quickly, excessive consumption of refined carbohydrates or artificial sweeteners, food allergies and intolerance, a deficiency of vitamin B, excessive consumption of alcohol, emotional stress and parasites. One of the most common causes can be lactose, found in dairy products such as milk and cheese. Many other healthy foods can also cause gas, such as cabbage, beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, onions, cauliflower, whole wheat flour, radishes, bananas and apricots. Luckily, with some adjustments in our food choices and eating habits, the chances of this embarrassing malady can be greatly lessened or eliminated.

Do not overeat, and chew food slowly. Try to identify if it is a certain food causing the problem and eliminate it from your diet. Try chewing a sprig of parsley after meals. Try lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in water with your meal. You might also want to try sipping your drinks slowly through a straw in an effort to minimize the amount of air you take in during drinking.

Vitamin B complex, especially B3 (niacin) rich foods like light-meat chicken, tuna, salmon, turkey, enriched flour, peanuts, and fortified cereals can be helpful as they aid in the digestive process and in converting food to energy.

Yogurts that have acidophilus and peppermint oil in water sipped with the meal can also help with the digestive process.  If the problem persists, you may want to try and eat proteins and carbohydrates in different meals.

In addition, peppermint and fennel-based teas are useful for occasional indigestion, particularly when there is flatulence and a sensation of fullness. Ginger has been shown to promote the flow of digestive juices, a normal process that supports the digestive system.

#Females: Secret to becoming a sexy #woman

Want to know the secret to becoming a sexy woman?

Here’s what it’s NOT:

Wearing super short skirts and stripper heels
Putting on huge breast forms
Pouting your lips and sticking your butt out
True sexiness is a state of mind!

There are lots of small things you can do to boost your feminine sex appeal – without crossing the line from sexy to slutty.

Here are 4 must-try tips:

1. Wear red

Color is a huge part of the impression you make on people. Each color has a meaning that is communicated on a subconscious level.

Without a doubt, RED is the sexiest color of all!

Red is associated with passion, desire, and love – so wear red to increase your feminine sex appeal. Even a few touches of red (like a red bag or heels) will put you in touch with your sensuous side.

2. Try a sexy workout

A fit, toned body is undeniably sexy. But that doesn’t mean you need to spend hours on a boring treadmill.

Instead, why not try a “sexy workout?”

Belly dancing, pole dancing, or cardio striptease will help you burn calories while channeling your inner seductress. These workouts will also help you achieve more feminine and fluid body movements.

Here are some sexy workouts to try:

Luscious: The Bellydance Workout for Beginners
Carmen Electra’s Aerobic Striptease
Pussycat Dolls Workout
3. Wear sexy lingerie

It’s hard NOT to feel sexy in a pretty bra and panties.

Even if you don’t plan to show off your underwear, wearing sexy lingerie under your clothes will make you feel more seductive and confident.

You should also get rid of any lingerie that doesn’t add to your sex appeal. This includes anything that’s worn out or that doesn’t fit properly. If it doesn’t make you feel hot, don’t keep it!

4. Make seductive eye contact

The way you make eye contact communicates your level of confidence, femininity, and sex appeal.

It’s important to make eye contact, but at the same time, you don’t want to overdo it.

Here are 3 seductive eye contact skills to practice:

Look people in the eye, but break contact every 5 seconds or so. Staring too intensely can creep people out.
Try the triangle technique. When you are listening to somebody, look at one eye for 5 seconds, then the other eye for 5 seconds, and finally the mouth for 5 seconds. Continue rotating your gaze in this pattern.

Look from the side. To appear more flirtatious, try a sideways glance instead of looking at somebody straight on. Do this while smiling and raising the eyebrows slightly.
What makes YOU look and feel your sexiest?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this hot topic, so be sure to leave a comment below!

Love,
Shawn, "Molder of Champions"