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Monday, March 31, 2008

What Doctors Don't Tell Diabetics About Fats And Carbs

If you recently have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, chances are your nutritional advice has fallen into one of two mutually exclusive categories:

Eat fewer carbs. Your body turns almost all carbohydrates into glucose either quickly or slowly, so to get your blood sugar levels down, eat less carbohydrate.
Eat more carbs. You have diabetes because you are overfat, so replace the fat in your diet with carbohydrate.
It's enough to make you wonder if doctors and nutritionists really know how to treat diabetes, but there is, despite what you may hear from true believers in one kind of diabetes diet or another, value in both approaches.

The idea that diabetics should eat less carbohydrate makes inherent sense. Diabetes is a condition in which either the body is not making enough insulin or insulin does not work effectively. If you are not going to inject insulin or take drugs that sensitize cells to insulin or use medications that force the pancreas to produce more insulin, it makes sense to give your insulin less to do.

In type 2 diabetes, at least in the earlier stages, the body can produce insulin slowly, but not fast enough to take care of a "dump" of carbohydrate from a high-carb meal. For these diabetics, it makes sense to eat a different kind of carbohydrate, the more slowly digested carbohydrates associated with low-glycemic index foods like whole grains and vegetables. Even whole grains and vegetables, however, add up, and there are no "freebies." Too many turnips can raise blood sugars as much as too much cake, only much more slowly.

But what if you ate almost no carbohydrate at all? Wouldn't this be even better for getting blood sugars down?

There is a growing number of doctors and diabetics finding success with diets that allow 1/10 to 1/5 as much carbohydrate as suggested by the American Diabetes Association. The body still needs insulin to move glucose into cells, because about 23 per cent of the amino acids in high-protein foods are eventually transformed into sugar. The body does not need as much insulin, however, and blood sugars do not swing up and down as they do on high-carb diets, even "good carb" diets. And fats do not turn into blood sugar.

The problem comes when diabetics try to mix the two approaches, eating both high-fat and high-carb, or alternating high-fat and high-carb. If you eat a meal that's mostly carbohydrate, the liver will sense raising blood sugar levels and stop converting its stores of glycogen into even more glucose. If you eat a meal that is high in both fat and carbohydrate, the liver will not sense the load of glucose and stop releasing sugar. This is because the liver is "blinded" to glucose levels by the fatty acids released in the digestion of fatty foods.

A high-fat meal can cause excess production of glucose by the liver for as long as seventy-two hours. And in those seventy-two hours, elevated levels of sugar in the bloodstream can "turn off" muscle cells in ways that make them less sensitive to insulin the next time the diabetic eats any kind of meal, either high-carb or high-fat.

This principle is why both vegan raw foods diets and Atkins-style diets work for getting blood sugars down, provided any food that is consumed is consumed in moderation. The good news is, diabetics who manage to keep both blood sugar and blood fatty acids low for 72 hours begin to repair insulin sensitivity, sometimes to the level of people who do not have diabetes, whichever approach they use.

What You Need To Know About Asthma

Of all the respiratory problems around the world it is asthma which has become the number one concern; it wasn't that long ago that asthma only affected a small percentage of the population. Asthma is a chronic, treatable disease that causes narrowing of airways in the lungs in response to allergens, making it difficult to breathe. The seriousness of this respiratory condition should not be underestimated, as left untreated, it can result in death when a bad attack occurs.

Keeping a constant check on their condition is the most important step for an asthma sufferer. The medical treatment given to patients will depend on the severity of their condition and will be one of three areas which are; preventing the attacks and then providing relief if they do occur, in addition to supplying medical treatment for serious attacks.

Bronchodilators are recommended for short-term relief for all patients but those with mild occasional attacks need no other medication. For asthma patients with frequent but still mild attacks then a low-dose glucocorticoid or a leukotriene modifier should be all that is required as well as a standard Bronchodilator. Oral glucocorticoids will have to be used for the unfortunate patients who have serious and severe attacks

Asthmatics must also identify the triggers that cause the allergic reaction in them and find ways to reduce or eliminate them. The problem is now believed to be made worse as a result primarily of atmospheric pollution which tends to be found in industrial areas and cities.

Serious side effects can be caused by long term use of medication and the stronger the treatment, the worse the problems can be. For instance, liver damage, impotence, fatigue, depression and dizziness are not unusual. Pharmaceutical drugs are formulated to make the body's own immune system to take over but more people are now using natural medicines which are treating the cause of the respiratory condition instead.

Every attack weakens the body's system a little as it becomes hyperactive where the task of the catalyst in medication is to calm and soothe this hyperactive system. However, the natural medications that are used contain natural catalysts which do not cause any side-effects and help restore the body's equilibrium.

Some asthma sufferers have discovered the benefits of yoga as it helps to improve their breathing and overall health. A good nutritional diet will help boost the immune system and natural therapies will not leave large amounts of drugs in your system. The main focus however,should be on the asthma patient learning to control their own condition.

8 Reasons Why You Should Exercise

That fact that exercise is a good thing nobody can dispute, however, people have their own reasons why they exercise. They can be things like "I want to look better!", "I want to feel better!" and so on...

Here are 8 reasons why you should exercise!

1. Waking up refreshed! When you exercise in a healthy and safe way, you will feel a lot better about getting up in the morning.

2. Still going strong at the end of the day! If you exercise on a regular basis you can feel the difference at the end of the day, when you come home from work or a day of play.

3. Having more energy for recreation! You will have more energy to the things you love. It can be anything, fishing, sports, hunting, walking, dancing, you name it!

4. Sleeping better! You will definitely sleep a lot better at night. You will be calm when you go to bed and rested when waking up. Also, you will not wake up as much in the middle of the night.

5. Prevent heart disease! If you exercise your heart regularly, you will decrease the chance of having heart difficulties and lower your total amount of bad cholesterol (LDL). Remember, not all cholesterol is bad.

6. Prevent osteoporosis! Your bones are at the peak in your 20's. If you start exercising on a regular basis at that age you will lower you chance of having this disease. If you are older, no worries, but the sooner you get started, the better.

7. Prevent diabetes! There is a great debate on how much exercise people with diabetes should do. Remember, it can't hurt if you do it in moderation. Consult your doctor before you start an exercise program.

8. Lose weight! If you start an exercise program designed for weight loss, you will lose weight! You just have to stick with it and eat right.

I hope this information will help you get motivated to "get out there" and do the work!

5 Foods To Avoid If You Want To Loss Weight

If you're trying to lose weight, you know that going to the grocery store can feel like being asked to walk through a mine field. It can be terribly hard to know which way to go and what to choose with so many foods all claiming that they can help you slim down fast. Unfortunately, food manufacturers don't really care whether or not you lose weight with their product, they just their foods to taste good enough that you continue to buy from them regardless of the damage it may do to your waistline.

So, if you can't believe the health claims on the food packages in the store, how are you supposed to tell whether or not a particular food will help you lose weight or if it will only make you fatter? Become a label reader! Regardless of what the front of the package says, manufacturers are required to list their ingredients on the back. Reading labels will help you make better choices and lose weight faster. Avoid the following foods like the plague and watch your bathroom scale take a nosedive.

1. High Fructose Corn Syrup - This is number one of the foods that create fat. Up until the past 35 years, almost all the sugar we ate was in the form of sucrose. It was produced from sugar cane and beets. The danger of pure corn fructose is in the fact that it is without enzymes, vitamins or minerals. The energy required for the liver to metabolize fructose forces the body to overuse its mineral and enzyme stores. High fructose corn syrup seems disrupt metabolism to such a degree that collagen and elastin production are markedly reduced. That's bad news if you suffer from cellulite! Eating this will make cellulite worse.

2. Cooking oil - Corn oil, canola oil, soybean oil and cottonseed oil are the cheapest cooking oils produced. They are used most often in the home and in restaurants. Unfortunately, they are so high in polyunsaturated fats that they are not healthy. They also oxidize much faster than other fats which generates free radicals and damages all the body's cells. Many degenerative diseases and certain cancers have been linked to this process. Healthier cooking oil options are unrefined coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil.

3. Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil - This deadly type of oil is also known as "trans fatty acids". Deadly, heart clogging stuff and terrible for the waistline as well. You will see this most often in pre-packaged snack foods, coffee creamer and commercial peanut butter. If this stuff is anywhere on the ingredient list, don't eat it!

4. Low fat or fat free snacks - Labeling food as "low-fat" or "fat free" has been really good for food manufacturers bottom lines, but not so good for consumers. These types of snacks, while they may be low in fat, are extremely high in sugar. Most often that sugar comes in the form of high fructose corn syrup. Research also shows that people overeat foods labeled as low fat. People think that the low fat foods contain about 25% less calories when in reality they only contain about 10-15% fewer calories. There is also a decreased sense of consumption guilt so people generally eat about 20% more of these so called healthy foods.

5. Soda - Both diet and regular sodas are basically carbonated chemical soups plus high fructose corn syrup or dangerous artificial sweeteners. There are absolutely no redeeming nutritional qualities in soda at all. Soda contains no vitamins, no minerals and no enzymes.If you crave a flavored drink without the calories, try a flavored herbal tea sweetened with stevia instead.

The bottom line is this, in order to lose weight fast it's an absolute necessity that you eliminate the foods that create fat and replace them with foods that burn fat.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Herbs - A Safe and Effective Way to Lose Weight?

A variety of products are sold in stores as natural weight loss aids, most of which have not been scientifically evaluated. Seven percent of Americans are using over the counter weight loss products, and most are young women.


Because of the Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act (DSHEA) passed by Congress in 1994, weight loss and other supplements are not regulated by the FDA, are not required to demonstrate efficacy for the conditions for which they are promoted, and are not even required to prove that they contain what they claim to contain.


Many of the supplements currently promoted for weight loss have sympathomimetic effects; in other words they are compounds from plants, herbs, or other natural compounds that stimulate the sympathetic nervous system. They carry the same risks as prescription drugs that stimulate the sympathetic nervous system.


One such supplement is the Chinese plant Ma Huang, which contains ephedra, a compound similar to ephedrine, which stimulates the sympathetic nervous system. Ephedra increases heart rate, blood pressure and energy expenditure, stimulating ²-1 and ²-2 adrenergic sympathetic receptors. Ephedra is often combined with caffeine as a weight loss supplement. Ma Huang is also combined with guarana, a Brazilian plant with a high caffeine concentration, and promoted as a weight loss supplement. A recent meta-analysis that pooled the results from several different studies together showed that ephedra containing products result in weight loss of 2 pounds per month, although no information is available for treatment longer than 6 months.

Ephedra is one of the most dangerous over the counter supplements available today. It accounts for the majority of all reports of adverse events for herbs and supplements to the FDA. It is associated with a 2-3 fold increase in psychiatric, autonomic, heart related and gastrointestinal side effects. 87 episodes of heart attack, stroke, seizures, and high blood pressure have been reported to the FDA. It has been associated with several deaths, including a pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles, which led to the unusual (for a supplement) step of the FDA banning it in 1994. The FDA has since revoked the ban.

Hydroxycitric acid is sold under the name garcinia and is promoted for weight loss. It has been shown to inhibit the enzymes that convert compounds into coenzyme A, blocking the storage of energy as fat. The evidence related to its ability to promote weight loss is contradictory. Other products, including psyllium, guar gum, chitosan, chromium, and conjugated linoleic acid showed no effect on weight loss, although they have no major potential toxicities.

The bottom line is that the only natural herbs that might help you lose weight (i.e. Ma Huang) also carries significant potential risk that may be as great as prescription drugs. Sustained changes in diet and exercise that are adopted for life are the best way to lose weight and keep it off.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Acne Remedies

There are millions of people around the world who suffer with acne (Zits); treatments however, are slowly improving. A great deal of effort is going into research for a cure; now, some of these skin conditions are gradually being conquered. The type of acne skin care product you might use would come under three general categories:

Those that help prevent the condition
Over-the-Counter: Treatments for conditions that do not require prescription
Specialized, on-prescription acne products


General acne products are used as a preventative measure and include cleansers, make-up removers and other similar products that can help prevent acne. We should all use products like this to maintain our skin and prevent future problems from occurring.

More specialized cleaners are designed in the same way as acne skin care products; they clean out the pores to help stop sebum or oil which clogs up the pores. These products prevent the oil from getting trapped in pores and can hamper the growth of bacteria, this can lead to the bad skin condition.

One particular skin care treatment is an exfoliation skin peel which cleans the skin and helps control the spread of the condition. This type of peel helps reduce the chance of oil clogging up the pores as well as removing other skin impurities; this can reduce the bacterium growth on your skin.

Many other acne skin care products have become available over the counter and on the internet; they don't usually require a prescription. Products that contain the chemical benzoyl peroxide and the naturally occurring salicylic acid are used in vanishing creams. They work by removing the excess oil from the skin and halt the growth of acne.

Although benzoyl peroxide works well, it is possible you may have a reaction, it is suggested that any benzoyl peroxide skin care product should not contain the active ingredient at more than 5.5 percent. You might have to try a few different creams or lotions before you find the acne skin care product that is effective for you're skin. If nothing you try seems to work, you should contact a dermatologist.

On-prescription treatments are prescribed by a dermatologist and can include ointments that can be applied on the affected area or oral antibiotics or just any topical ointment. Your dermatologist may suggest a minor surgical procedure to remove the contents of pustules. Never try to squeeze your zits as it can lead to permanent damage of your skin.

Your doctor may even suggest a course of hormone therapy as a skin care treatment. Hormone changes are sometimes responsible for acne and can be very effective when used under prescription. With all the treatments available, tackling acne is not that difficult as there are many new products available to help.

How To Keep Those Extra Pounds From Coming Back

There are basically two ways people try to lose weight. One of them is dieting.
Does dieting really work? Well, the answer is yes and no. You see, dieting works in the short run. Some people go through excruciating means to shed those unwanted pounds, but what happens is, they slowly come back on. Why does the weight return?
One reason is that dieting doesn't take into account that eating a proper nutritious meal is a life time adjustment. Most dieters lose the weight, then go back to old bad habits, and diet again. This becomes a vicious unhealthy, never ending cycle that is hard to break.

Another reason is the less you eat, the slower your metabolism. When your metabolism slows down, you don't burn as many calories, and therefore, the weight doesn't come off.

So, cutting back on food intake is not the answer.

Taking diet pills can possibly work, but is sometimes dangerous. People have died from abusing diet pills, and also, like other diets, once you stop, the weight comes back on.

The Solution to weight loss

Eating properly has an effect on weight loss, but couple that with motivation, healthy foods, purging toxins, and exercising in a fun way, and the weight you lose will stay lost for a life time without any thought or effort. Please choose carfully which method you use to lose weight.

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