Posts Tagged ‘ Diabetes ’

Are Amazon Acai Berry Products Safe For Diabetics and Diabetes?

February 22, 2011

Diabetes is a common problem that is faced by about one eighty million people in the world. This figure, experts say, is most likely to double by 2030.Though many cures and treatments are being founded everyday all of them do not prove to be extremely effective in healing this ailment.

Ever since acai berries came into limelight there have been a number of questions arising. A common one being, is Acai Berry Safe for Diabetics? People suffering from diabetics go through a lot of problems in their everyday lives. These problems are mainly caused due to the diet taken by them everyday. The food they eat and the amount of work done by them everyday decide their sugar levels, which in turn decide their health condition.

So, adding acai berries to their diets causes no harm-that is what researches claim. It is extremely safe for a diabetic patient to have acai berries. This is recommended because these acai berries contain an antioxidant known as anthocynin. This is one antioxidant which controls the insulin level in a human body. Most of us know that the insulin levels will decide the blood sugar level in one’s body. Also acai berries contain much less sugar content than other fruits and this is what a diabetic patient has always wanted. Also a person who is suffering from diabetes is always found to be tired and less energetic than those who do not suffer form this. This is mainly due to the uncontrolled surges of blood sugar level in their body which drain their energy much faster. This problem too is solved by taking acai beris which come with a low Glycemic index. This hinders the unrestricted surges as there is a slow release of energy in the body which makes the diabetic person with more energy than before. These berries also act as a cleansing agent removing toxic substances in our body. This helps to not only to prevent diabetes but also maintain the insulin level in bodies of those suffering diabetes.

Also one general cause of diabetes is obesity. All of us know that obesity is caused due to the accumulation of excess fat in one’s body. And acai berries have proved to reduce weight by removing excess and unwanted fats in our body. Hence weight can be lost easily by the intake of acai berries.

In actual scientists say that diabetes is caused due to the malfunction of some cells that are damaged as their cell membranes that do not allow some vital elements and nutritions into the cell. But the super heeler acai berry repairs these cells, make the cell membranes work properly in turn which helps the passage of these vital nutrients. This is because acai berry contain a lot of antioxidants that does the repairing job. Hence these berries are considered safe for the diabetic patients.

But as the law goes “every action as an opposite reaction” the intake of products of acai berry which use some synthetic materials and sweeteners will lead to serious health problems especially for the ones with diabetic. Also some companies process these fruits in such a way that the natural nutritional value of the berries is lost which make the intake of these products extremely useless and harmful. Hence it is always recommended to buy products that are hundred percent organic, which will completely eliminate the risks of suffering from side effects caused by the synthetic agents, even if organic products are costly.

You can learn more about acai berry products and how diabetes can be helped by this amazing acai berry superfood.

Article from articlesbase.com

Here’s How To Stop The Sugar-Rollercoaster Before You Develop Diabetes!

January 22, 2011

By Admin

If someone stacked 110 2 pound bags of sugar on your kitchen table on January 1st, how long would you say it might take you to ingest all of it in the course of your normal diet? A couple of years? Five years? Longer? The fact is that in the United States, the per capita sugar consumption is three times that amount, per person, per year!

Sucrose, corn syrup, caramel color and fructose are all sugar in disguise. That’s not to mention the cans of cola, ice-creams, and starch-based foods that we eat on a daily basis. Glucose is the bottom line – as far as your body is concerned only three major sources of carbohydrates exist in the normal human diet. They are sucrose (known popularly as cane sugar), lactose (found in milk) and starches (found in all non-animal foods – particularly the grains).

Starches, lactose and sugar are broken down into glucose molecules during digestion, and it is these molecules that are the major source of energy in our bodies. In the ordinary diet, which contains far more starches than all other carbohydrates combined, glucose represents more than 80 per cent of the final products of carbohydrate digestion, and glucose and fructose seldom represent more than 10% each of the products of carbohydrate digestion. So lose the crabs!

The consumption of sugar and refined starches is having a devastating effect on the world’s population. It is a multi-faceted disorder and inflicts a tremendous economic burden on patients, families and health care providers.

Our blood sugar levels are governed by the hormone insulin, which is responsible for carrying glucose from the blood across the cell membrane and into the cells. If you don’t have sufficient insulin, your cells will literally starve, due to a lack of glucose for energy production.

The glucose therefore remains in the blood, resulting in elevated blood sugar levels. In the case of diabetics, the cause of these high blood sugar levels is either an inability to produce enough insulin (which is secreted by the pancreas), or a decrease in sensitivity of the body’s cells to insulin. Insulin is designed to eliminate excess glucose in the bloodstream.

Consuming excessively large amounts of carbohydrates over extended periods of time means that the pancreas must produce more and more insulin to bring down the glucose level, causing the body to become “resistant” to the insulin. And, the higher the insulin, the more fat gets shoved into our fat cells for storage. Put simply, the body becomes resistant to the hormone insulin, due to long-term carbohydrate overload.

There are serious complications of Type II diabetes to every organ in the body if blood glucose, blood pressure and lipid (fat) levels are not adequately controlled. In addition to diabetes, the health problems that can result from elevated blood sugar levels include obesity, hormone imbalance, elevated blood pressure, low ‘good’ HDL cholesterol, and fatigue. Type II diabetics have a very high incidence of heart disease, and this is their main cause of death.

However, this can be prevented, or at least controlled, by taking great care to control blood glucose, blood pressure and lipid levels. A recent study reveals that high blood sugar boosts the levels of damaging free radicals Now, a recent study reported in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism shows that excess blood sugar may boost the production of free radicals – the byproducts of normal metabolism that have been linked to ageing and heart disease.

The implication is that it can be prevented by lifestyle measures, which include exercise and diet. But it’s not just diabetics who should be worrying about their carbohydrate intake. We are all in danger of permanently damaging our bodies by carbohydrate overload. A healthy diet is the most important factor in controlling blood sugar levels.

How to take action today!

• Skip the white rice, white flour, potatoes and corn.

• Reduce or dilute fruit juices, especially from tropical fruits, and eat the whole fruit, but in moderation. Temperate fruits like apples and pears are a wiser choice.

• Never over-eat. Stop when you are no longer hungry. You really do not have to clean your plate (leftovers are “good things”).

• Do eat high protein foods: meats, soy products, nuts, eggs and cheese.

• Look for products higher in fiber or with added fiber.

• If eating bread, go for whole grain products without added sugar. Read the labels on your food. Even most brands of tinned tomatoes contain sugar!

The rollercoaster effect of rising and sinking glucose levels in the blood have a huge impact on mood. Cut out starches and sugar and you’ll lose weight, feel better, and have much more energy.

Reverse Diabetes By Understanding The Causes Of Insulin Resistance

January 21, 2011

By Admin

Think diabetes is irreversible?

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Despite what the medical establishment tells you, you can reverse diabetes — without insulin or medication.

Today, I’d like to tell you about a new way of viewing — and treating — diabetes.

First, though, you need to understand why diabetes is such a problem.

A Growing Epidemic

The disease has reached epidemic proportions: Type 2 diabetes (formerly called adult onset diabetes) now affects nearly 100 million people worldwide, 20 million of which are Americans.

And it’s on the rise — especially in kids. One in three children born today will have diabetes in their lifetime.

That’s because the path to diabetes starts very early.

The culprit is insulin.

When you eat a lot of sugar and other refined carbohydrates like bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes, your body eventually becomes resistant to the effects of insulin. It requires more and more insulin to keep your blood sugar balanced. High insulin levels increase your appetite — and your belly fat.

High levels of insulin can occur decades before you’re diagnosed with diabetes. They are warning signs of this condition.

So are the other symptoms of insulin resistance, like belly fat, sugar cravings, feeling tired after meals, high blood pressure and triglycerides, and inflammation.

A family history of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and even dementia can increase your chances of developing insulin resistance and pre-diabetes.

And pre-diabetes is just as bad as full-blown diabetes. It, too, can cause heart attacks, strokes, dementia, cancer, and impotence.

So why is diabetes on the rise?

The answer is as close as the food on your plate.

Our bodies were meant to consume a diet that’s high in nutrients, fiber, and omega-3 fats and low in sugar. So when we eat unhealthy foods — like sugar, trans fats, white flour, and processed foods — we activate genes that promote diabetes.

Yet type 2 diabetes is almost totally preventable. In fact, in one major study, Harvard researchers found that lifestyle and diet changes could prevent more than 90 percent of all type 2 diabetes cases.

Early Diagnosis is Key

Diagnosing type 2 diabetes early is crucial to its management and reversal.

Because damage to the body can occur with even small changes in insulin and blood sugar, doctors should diagnose pre-diabetes as soon as possible.

The proof is in the research. One recent study found that people whose fasting blood sugar was higher than 87 were at increased risk of diabetes.

Yet most doctors don’t worry until the blood sugar is over 110 — or worse, over 126, which is diabetes.

Instead, I recommend early testing with anyone who has a family history of type 2 diabetes, belly fat, or abnormal cholesterol — regardless of your blood sugar level.

Ask your doctor for these tests:

1.Insulin glucose challenge test with 2-hour glucose challenge, 75 grams measuring fasting, 1 and 2 hour blood sugar AND insulin.

Your blood sugar should be less than 80 fasting and never rise above 110 or 120 after one to two hours. Your insulin should be less than 5 fasting and should never rise above 30 after one to two hours.

I recommend this test for everyone over 50, and for anyone with any risk of insulin resistance, even children.

2.The hemoglobin A1C is an important measure of glycated hemoglobin, which can be an early indicator of sugar problems. It should ideally be less than 5.5. Anything over 6 is considered diabetes.

3.Lipid profiles are important. An HDL under 40 and a triglyceride level over 150 usually means diabetes.

4.An NMR lipid profile identifies the size of your cholesterol particles.

5.High sensitivity C-reactive protein is a measure of inflammation, which is both a cause and result of insulin resistance and diabetes. It should be less than 1.

6.Homocysteine is often abnormal in people with diabetes. It should be between 6 and 8.

7.Fibrinogen measures your risk of clotting and is associated with insulin resistance and diabetes. It should be less than 300.

8.Ferritin is a nonspecific marker of inflammation associated with diabetes. It should be less than 150.

9.Uric acid should be less than 6. Higher levels indicate problems with insulin resistance.

10.Elevated liver function tests result from insulin resistance.

These are tests any doctor can perform and are covered by insurance. If you’re at risk for diabetes, I urge you to get tested.