Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Diabetes is a very common illness. According to the latest data compiled in 2012, it affects 29 million Americans (1). On average, diabetes cost the United States 245 billion dollars in 2012 alone and this number seems to only be steadily increasing (2). But where …
Ninety-five percent of diabetes cases in adults are type 2 diabetes. Though several studies have shown that a healthy diet and regular physical activity can prevent diabetes all together, only a small amount of studies have been performed on the link between type 2 diabetes …
As one of the biggest threats to your overall health, sugar is one part of your diet that many dieticians and nutritionists say you should completely eliminate. When consumed in large quantities, sugar can lead to obesity and diabetes, just to name a few. But what else do you need to know? And how can it be safely consumed?
According to ABC News and research from recent studies, “For every additional 150 calories of added sugar downed per person per day, the prevalence of diabetes rose by 1 percent, even after controlling for obesity, physical activity and calories from other foods.” In other words, this study proves that sugar has a direct relationship with the increased risk of diabetes, regardless of how much physical activity or calories a person burns in one day. It has also been found to have a direct relationship with heart problems; A study conducted by JAMA Internal Medicine found that the more a person consumes, the higher the risk of developing heart disease.
The first step to knowing how to safely consume sugar is to know what to look out for. There are two types – natural and added. Natural sugar is commonly found in whole foods, vegetables and dairy products. These foods are a great source of fiber, protein, and calcium and also contain important vitamins and minerals that your body needs. Added sugars are artificially added to your food for flavor and preservation of processed foods. This is something that you should eliminate from your diet. The American Heart Association explains, “Increases in intake over the past four decades parallel our expanding waistlines, and studies have connected added sugar, not the naturally occurring kind, to heart disease and diabetes.”
Many packaged foods contain sugar – both natural and added. To figure out what kind is added in a product, review the nutrition label. If you see any of these sweeteners – brown sugar, cane sugar or juice, corn syrup, maltose or fructose – choose something else. Also remember, by law, the order of the ingredients on the ingredient label goes by weight, so the first ingredient listed is what the product is mostly made out of. Be vigilant and cautious of what you are about to put into your body.
According to the AHA, you should have no more than 100 calories or 6 teaspoons of added sugar per day. However, the average person consumes up to 18 teaspoons a day (more than double the suggested amount!) Most of the products people consume that are very high in sugar are sweetened drinks and pre-packaged, processed foods. To keep track of your intake while consuming these beverages and foods, remember that 1 teaspoon equals 4 grams.
A diet with a high consumption rate of fruits and vegetables can actually make you consume more sugar than you think. Fruit smoothies and dried fruits are packed with sugar, though many people would think they are the healthier alternative. While breaking down the vegetables for the smoothies in the blender, you are actually eliminating its fiber content. It is the fiber that slows down digestion and gives your body the time to metabolize it correctly. As a result, the calories in the fruits are actually stored as fat in your body. Without water, natural sugars become very concentrated. This is the reason why you must also be careful of consuming too much dried fruit. Portion your meals and dried fruit to make sure you are not consuming too much sugar.
Source: http://abcnews.go.com
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In a recent study, researchers found that those diagnosed with Diabetes in their 50s were more likely to suffer from memory problems and other mental decline in their 70s.
The study was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Beginning in 1990, researchers examined 13,351 adults aged 48 to 67 for diabetes and prediabetes. They also ran memory, reasoning, and problem solving tests on the subjects. After 20 years, the researchers found that those with diabetes experienced a 30 percent larger decline in mental function that those who did not have the disease.
Scientists believe that the correlation between these conditions has to do with lack of blood flow to the brain – in diabetic individuals, circulation decreases, resulting in damage to the small blood vessels in the brain. “People may think cognitive decline with age is inevitable, but it’s not,” said the study’s senior author, Elizabeth Selvin, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “Factors like diabetes are potentially modifiable. If we can better control diabetes we can stave off cognitive decline and future dementia.”
Diabetes is a life-threatening disease that causes blood sugar and triglyceride levels to become continuously and severely elevated. This excess of circulating blood sugar is very destructive, causing inflammation in the heart and circulatory system as well as in the eyes, brain, kidneys, and nerve tissue. It may lead to a myriad of other serious health conditions, as well.
This disease occurs when your cells become resistant to the effects of the hormone insulin for various reasons. Insulin normally stores sugar in your cells. However, long before full-blown diabetes occurs there is a period of what is referred to as “pre-diabetes”. Your blood sugar is already modestly increased and damage to the kidneys, blood vessel walls, and eyes is beginning to take place. Perhaps it should be renamed “early stage diabetes,” as even a modest elevation in blood sugar should always be looked at seriously.
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Type 2 Diabetes is more common and occurs when the body’s cells become resistant to the effects of insulin. This results in elevated levels of sugar and triglycerides in the blood. The most common cause is truncal obesity, or having an apple-shaped body instead of a pear-shaped one. New evidence indicates that an increase in the circulating levels of CRP (C-reactive protein), an enzyme tied into inflammation and heart disease, is a major indicator of impending diabetes.
Type 1 refers to an autoimmune disease that attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas and is much less common. Individuals who suffer from this condition always require insulin.
Impaired Fasting Blood Glucose: To determine your risk of developing this disease, your doctor will perform a test on your blood after you fast for 12 hours. If your blood sugar is lower than 99 after fasting, it is unlikely that you will develop diabetes. However, if the blood sugar is between 100 to 125 mg/dL, you have impaired fasting blood glucose and are at a higher risk of developing diabetes as well as cardiovascular disease. Proper diet, exercise, and specific nutrients are beneficial to many individuals at this point, and can help restore blood sugar levels down to a normal level. Some drugs may also prescribed for this effect. If your blood sugar after fasting is above 125mg/dL, you are considered to have full-blown diabetes and must begin aggressive treatment for this very serious condition.
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A1C: This is a blood test that measures your average blood glucose over the past 2 to 3 months. A1C is the best method of monitoring overall glucose control, and the test should be repeated 2 to 4 times per year. Ideally, the blood glucose level should be less than 7 percent.
Symptoms May Include: