The Latest From Juvenile Diabetes Research

Health shows are abuzz with alarm over how juvenile diabetes research finds that children who have high blood pressure, a cholesterol problem and weight issues, are very likely to develop Type II diabetes as soon as they enter adulthood. If you are a parent, this should alarm you too. Scientists have been trying to work out all the consequences that are to be expected from the child obesity epidemic we are going through right now. Doctors classify a child is having a metabolic syndrome when they see a bunch of really unhealthy trends in certain high risk areas. If there is high blood pressure, not enough good cholesterol, fat around the tummy, triglycerides that are running amok and high blood glucose, it tells them that a child is on his way to juvenile diabetes. About 20 years ago, it was unheard of for a child to come down with diabetes. Now, it isn't uncommon.

Even with all this juvenile diabetes research though, it's kind of hard for doctors to accurately identify kids with a metabolic syndrome. Other doctors feel that it doesn't really make sense to diagnose a child in this way, because there's no telling how many kids diagnosed thus might go on to develop full-blown diabetes.

New juvenile diabetes research published in the Archive of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine seems to be right on cue to change all that. In new reports published in that journal, they've used surveys tracking thousands of children with metabolic syndrome and found that there certainly is a way to predict the onset of full-blown diabetes if a child has the metabolic syndrome while still very young. 20% is the figure they've arrived at. Having a parent with type II diabetes sends up a child's risk of developing it himself too.

So what does this mean - should parents be taking their children in to have their hemograms done when they are still five? Perhaps not. But you could keep an eye on a few things. According to the latest juvenile diabetes research, they recommend that you keep an eye on your child's blood pressure. You should be sure that your pediatrician takes your child's blood pressure each time you make a visit with your child. If that doesn't seem normal to you, you can just take a casual reading when you happen to stop by at the pharmacy.

It's absolutely vital that you know your child's body mass index. Calculating the BMI of your child is easy. You just use the CDC's childhood and Teen BMI calculator. If your child is healthy, the BMI rated should fall somewhere between the 5th and 85th percentile. Of course, if one of your child's parents has type II diabetes, that raises your child's risk of coming into that himself. If you find yourself in doubt or any of these issues, it's time for you to stop by at your pediatrician's.

The Glycemic Index, Diabetes and Obesity

The traditional classification of carbohydrates as either simple or complex has limitations regarding the practical applications involving dietary analysis and prescription.

Knowledge of the glycemic index(GI) and glycemic load of foods has greatly increased our understanding of the relationship between the composition of dietary carbohydrates, physiological effects and possible health outcomes.

The Glycemic Index and Health

The GI of foods appears to have profound effects on metabolism and as such may dramatically affect the risk of development of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. As these diseases are highly prevalent in society the health of the population in general could be significantly improved simply by adjusting the diet to include predominantly low GI foods.

It is interesting to note that foods containing refined carbohydrates such as sugar do not necessarily have a high glycemic index and that the inclusion of a moderate intake of sugars at 10-12 % of total calorie consumption is not related to obesity, insulin sensitivity, micronutrient deficiency or altered lipid profiles.

Diabetic diet and Low Glycemic Index Foods
The traditional approach to the treatment of diabetes has been to completely exclude sugar while other aspects of carbohydrate-containing foods such as the fiber and fat content have been somewhat neglected. Expanding the diet to include small amounts of sugars and foods containing them in the context of an overall low GI and glycemic load, may help to increase variety and flexibility in the diet and from a holistic point of view this may actually promote a healthier attitude towards dietary change that ultimately results an overall healthier diet.

The Glycemic Index and Obesity

Conversely it is important to consider the complete nutritional profile of the foods in conjunction with their glycemic index as some foods that have a low GI may be very high in calories and/or fat and contribute little to the micronutrient intake such as commercially produced cakes, chocolate bars and other snack foods.

These types of foods are also more likely to be eaten in excess and will likely contribute to the development of obesity and the associated increased risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis and certain cancers. Diets containing more than very small amounts of these types of foods will also tend to be high in fat and calories and low in fiber, factors associated with insulin resistance and the development of type 2 diabetes.

Can Coffee Reduce The Risk Of Diabetes?

Baristas all have a style of their very own and each cup of coffee will taste completely different due to its roast, the grind, the quantity used, the water, the temperatures and many other things. We have all tried to make these coffee delights at home the way we think they're done, however do we really know the real manner they are supposed to be made to get the enchanting flavors correctly?

Coffee Minimizes Possibility of Diabetes

Studies suggest that individuals who drink coffees are less likely to have type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a disease wherein the human body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a bodily hormone which is needed to convert sugar, starches as well as other nutrients directly into energy needed for daily life. The root cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and ecological factors such as weight problems and lack of physical exercise appear to play roles.

The researchers wanted to see whether there is a connection between diabetes and drinking coffees and green, black, and oolong tea. Individuals completed a detailed list of questions about their wellness, lifestyle habits, and how much caffeine and tea they consumed. The list of questions was repeated at the end of the 5-year follow-up time period.

As soon as other factors have been accounted for, researchers discovered that the more green tea and coffee participants drank, the lower the probability that they were to have diabetes. Men and women that drank 6 cups or more of green tea or three or more glasses of coffee every day were about one-third less likely to get diabetes. The link was stronger in women than in men. No pattern was seen with black or oolong tea.

Vitamin D and Calcium May Lower the Risk for Type 2 Diabetes in Women

A lack of vitamin D and calcium might be linked to getting type 2 diabetes. Over 80,000 women who took part in the Nurses' Health Study. During the period of 20 years, more than 4,800 women developed type 2 diabetes. The experts found that a combined consumption of more than 1,200 mg. of calcium and over 800 units of vitamin D has been connected with a 33% lower possibility for type 2 diabetes (as compared to women who took much smaller amounts of calcium and vitamin D). The results indicate that taking in higher amounts of vitamin D and calcium assist lower the risk for type 2 diabetes in women.

Diabetes is a disorder characterized by hyperglycemia or increased blood glucose (blood sugar). Our bodies perform best at a specific level of glucose in the bloodstream. In case the level of glucose in our blood runs way too high or too low, then we typically feel bad. Diabetes is the term of the ailment where the blood sugar level regularly runs too much. Diabetes is the most common endocrine illness.

Symptoms of Diabetes - 3 Symptoms for Serous Concern

Type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes have many symptoms in common. Having a right knowledge of diabetes symptoms can be highly helping for a diabetic to take timely treatment. Here is a focus on three warning symptoms that are usual in case of diabetes of any type.

Weight loss: Noticing unusual weight loss is one of the warning symptoms of diabetes. Body weight loss is a usual phenomenon with a back screen of multilateral factors. What is inherent with diabetes that makes a diabetic helpless when thrown to weight loss is our main concern. It's nice to reason that eating more beyond optimal peak triggers the system to gain weight. But, when the food intake is not burnt as a whole in a diabetic body to gear up the energy, the body remains lazy in structural make up. So, the weight goes down instead of gaining.

Weight gain: In the list of signs and symptoms of diabetes, gaining over weight otherwise known as obesity is equally as bad as losing weight. Gaining body's weight is also a fraternal factor when a person is prone to diabetes. What is consumed should undergo the process of conversion into energy with the help of insulin secretion. It is the sympathy with a diabetic that the internal combustion of the consumed food is weak and there is the failure of regeneration of the body cells. Consequently, the diabetic patient suffers a degeneration of vigor lacking vital sources for energy. Naturally, he feeds his stomach with no justification and this added food intake sky rockets the body weight. Having on hand AWH (Age - Height - Weight) chart for reference may be helping at all occasions to keep fit with optimal weight.

Frequent urination: This is another warning symptom of diabetes for concern. When the body takes in food for energy, the normal process of the body mechanism is expected to burn the food for regenerating the millions of body cells. With type 2 diabetes, this mechanism fails to function satisfactorily and the consumed food remains stagnant in the blood stream in the form of blood glucose. Excess amount of saturated sugar accumulated in the body strives to find an exit from the system. Urination is one channel through which the excessive deposit of saturated sugar is let out frequently. Though there is less water intake, the density of glucose sugar gives pressure to be let out through frequent urination.

Gestational Diabetes - Controlling Blood Sugar Levels During Pregnancy!

Controlling blood sugar levels during pregnancy is critically important for the health of both mother and child. Certain nutritional supplements, which may be needed only during pregnancy, are helpful for both mother and child when there is gestational diabetes.

1. Beta-caroteneor mixed carotenoids, up to 25,000 IU a day, help prevent vitamin A deficiency without exposing the embryo to risks of vitamin A-induced genetic damage. The body converts only as much of the carotene compounds as it needs for vitamin A. Overweight women especially need beta-carotene or mixed carotenoids, since fat cells can sequester these nutrients from the rest of the body

2. Chromium nicotinate, up to 400 mcg a day, helps improve insulin sensitivity and helps normalize blood sugar levels. Chromium picolinate does not have this effect.

3. Omega-3 nicotinate, may prevent premature delivery. In women who do not have gestational diabetes, they also help prevent low birth weight (not an issue in mother who have diabetes). It's probably best to avoid fish oil capsules during the first trimester, both because of their potential heavy metal content and more importantly because of their tendency to cause fishy burps. Ground flaxseed added to cereals and fruit will deliver both essential fatty acids and fiber to prevent constipation. Hempseed and macadamia nut oils and cold-water fish are also great sources of these beneficial fats.

4. Vanadium, in doses of 50 to 100 mcg a day, may help improve insulin sensitivity.

5. Vitamin C, (up to 1,000 mg a day, but no more), vitamin E (up to 400 IU a day, but no more), and lipoic acid (either 250 mg of R-lipoic acid or 500 mg of alpha-lipoic acid daily, but no more) work synergistically to help cells use glucose more effectively. Taking one vitamin without the other or taking too much of any of these antioxidants, or taking one or two without the others, however, can cause a paradoxical, pro-oxidant effect.

6. Vitamin D, prevents bacterial vaginosis during the first trimester. Up to 2,000 IU a day prevents deficiency. To avoid disturbing calcium metabolism, don't take more than 2,000 IU a day during pregnancy... or get at least 20 minutes of unprotected sun exposure on the arms, hands, and face every day.

High Blood Ketones - How It Affects Your Diabetes

Ketones are produced when the body is forced to burn (breakdown) its own fat to provide energy. Glucose is the body's usual source of energy but if insulin is in short supply, or not working correctly, the body cannot use the glucose in the blood and is forced to look for another energy source, fat.

For diabetics the presence of ketones in the blood stream can be a sign of ketoacidosis which, if untreated, could result in coma and death. For this reason it is essential to monitor blood or urine to detect any signs of ketones. If there are ketones present you should contact your doctor immediately.

Who should monitor their ketones?

All type 1 diabetics should monitor their ketones regularly. Type
2 diabetics are less likely to suffer from the production of ketones but testing is still recommended in the following circumstances for all types of diabetics:

* When Blood glucose (sugar) is equal to or above 250 mg/dl or 14mmol/l for two consecutive tests
* When you are ill
* If you vomit or have diarrhoea
* during pregnancy

How to monitor ketones?

Ketones can be monitored via urine or blood. Blood ketone monitoring is the most accurate way to measure ketones and now a days can even be done at home with a ketone meter kit. The optium xceed meter and ketone strips can be used to check blood ketone levels and provides results fast. Urine ketone monitoring is less expensive and can be done using a simple urine dip stick such as ketostix. The urine measurement is less accurate and provides a delayed ketone production picture but is sufficient to indicate the presence of ketones in the body.

Interpreting ketone results

Normally the body only excretes a small amounts of ketones daily in the urine (3-15mg). People with diabetes who have high levels should contact their doctor straight away. High ketone levels can commonly be found in poorly controlled diabetes or in diabetic ketoacidosis. If the results show a small amount of ketones then take the following actions:

* Drink water every hour, and continue testing every three hours.

* Do not exercise.

* If your ketone levels do not fall after two tests contact your doctor.

* If your levels rise contact your doctor immediately.

How do I know if I have diabetic ketoacidosis?

If you have diabetic ketoacidosis you may have symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, breathlessness and breath that smells of fruit (pears). If you have these symptoms contact your doctor immediately.

Type 2 Diabetes - How Does Certain Bacteria Work to Help With Weight Loss?

It might be tempting for Type 2 diabetics to think that simply popping pills or even injecting themselves with insulin will take care of all their blood sugar and weight problems. But diabetes and even pre-diabetes are diseases for which medication alone just is not enough! But it is possible for many people with these conditions to be treated without medication if they could make the changes in their diet plus add exercise to their lifestyle.

Some experts insist that the only way to lose weight is with a low-carb diet. Some experts insist that the only way to lose weight is with a low-fat diet. A third group of experts has found that what really makes a weight loss diet work is having the right symbiotic bacteria in the colon.

Scientists reporting their research in the prestigious journal Nature found that when some dieters followed an Atkins-style diet (extreme meat eating) and other dieters followed an Ornish-style diet (no meat eating at all), what made the difference in weight loss was not the number of calories consumed. It was the balance between the numbers of two kinds of bacteria they had in their digestive tracts.

The more weight the dieters lost, the more Bacteroidetes bacteria they had in their colons, and a lower amount of Firmicutes bacteria. Before their successful diets, about 3 per cent of the bacteria in the dieter's colons were Bacteroidetes. After dieting, there were up to 15 per cent.

Bacteriodetes bacteria can use oxygen to make energy. This produces fewer inflammatory byproducts. Firmicutes bacteria can't use oxygen to make energy. A genus including Clostridium (food poisoning) bacteria, Firmicutes bacteria release inflammatory toxins. Even more important than cutting calories was cutting inflammation caused by the unhealthy bacteria.

The direct way to do this, of course, is to take a probiotic containing Bacteriodetes strains, no matter which diet you are on. And it doesn't hurt to reduce inflammation in the meantime too, by consuming healthy fats that contain omega-3 fatty acids.

A very simple way to do this is to take low-fat salad dressing and add about 1/3 as much flaxseed oil, a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids that fight inflammation, with just a tiny bit of the omega-6 fatty acids we all need to keep the immune system going. You can safely eat a plants food diet if you just make sure you get your probiotics and your omega-3's.

Type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes are very treatable with a good diet, regular exercise and weight loss.

Trust Diabetes Information On The Internet At Your Own Risk!

While millions of diabetics are hitting away on their keyboards, looking for the latest and greatest diabetes cure out there from the internet; the basic tenets of diabetes management... lose fat, eat a low GI diet, and stick to unprocessed foods, remain unchanged.

In fact, a paper in The Archives of Internal Medicine during September, 2010 came out publicly against all the misinformation floating around the net regarding Type 2 diabetes.

However, most of the information on the net for diabetics is about as reliable as a speech from many executives or even, dare I say, politicians. Of course there are exceptions (present company, of course), but it's important to evaluate these factors before buying into a piece of "neat info" you found on a diabetes blog.

Credentials: This matters more than anything else. Who would you rather trust: someone experienced in helping diabetes patients getting their life under control, or some guy in his underwear banging out articles from his laptop?

In all seriousness, credentials do, and should, carry a lot of weight. The wrong diabetes information isn't benign... it's downright harmful. Someone with medical credentials has their career on the line... so they're not going to tell you anything that's not backed by the science.

Gut Check: Have you ever read anything on the Internet about diabetes, discounted it instantly as hogwash, yet wanted to try it anyway? Marketers, which do include marketers to diabetics, are in the business of telling you what you want to hear. You know more about diabetes than you probably realize... if something sounds fishy, it probably is.

Too Good To Be True: "Instant diabetes cure" are three little words tossed around surprisingly often on the Internet these days. Of course, these "salesmen" have no interest in helping you cure your diabetes, they just want what you've got in your wallet.

Reversing diabetes is possible... but it does take time and effort. Anyone who tells you otherwise is just flat out telling you what you want to hear.

Hype: One of shady marketer's favorite tricks is to take a small study (usually with animals), and make the results sound like they have Darwinian-like implications. As someone who reads diabetes science every chance she gets (don't laugh, it's true), one thing is clear... breakthroughs are exceedingly rare.

Also, new diabetes treatments don't generally come from a single research study. This isn't 1850 and Lord Kelvin isn't playing with beakers in his basement anymore. 21st century science requires millions of dollars, dozens of researchers, and (most importantly), numerous studies with similar findings to confirm the initial results.

Effect On Diabetes By Alcohol

Alcohol consumption has adverse effect on the body. High intake of alcohol has the tendency to increase the blood sugar levels and also the fat content of the body. Alcohol can also be called a substitute of sugar when considering the sugar and calorie levels.

It has been reported that people who intake large quantity of alcohol are more prone to develop diabetes insipidus. In this condition the person suffers from too much thirst and frequent urination. Other symptoms of the disease condition include rise in blood pressure, dizziness, increase heart rate, nausea, etc.

Alcohol requires a great metabolism rate when compared to other drinks. The metabolism are carried out by the liver and this may alter the sugar regulation function which will result in increase in blood sugar level.

Safety measures for Diabetics

Those who are suffering from diabetes it is best to avoid the consumption of alcohol completely. If one become addicted to the drink it would be very difficult later to stop the habit. To avoid the bad effect on diabetic patients following measures have to be taken.

If you are forced to take alcohol in some functions or that you are unable to quench the aspiration, drink slowly. Sudden intake of large quantity of alcohol shoots up the blood sugar level in the body.

It's recommended to take alcohol along with food to reduce the effect of alcohol in the sugar level of the body. When consumed alcohol in an empty stomach also increase the effects on the body.

Do not drink it dry. Always mix it with water.

Follow these simple steps to avoid Diabetes.

Diabetes Wars

Type 2 diabetes has reached tsunami levels, with no slowdown in sight. All in just the last forty years or so. What changed? What's different now?

We need to look at this.

Type 2 diabetes comes when your body can't, for some reason, use the insulin it produces, and blood sugar roars out of control. The problem lies squarely on the shoulders of the ineffective insulin, not the sugar. We'd handle the sugar just fine if the insulin did its thing.

It's called insulin resistance. We have the insulin we need, but it doesn't work.

Doctors tell us it comes from metabolic syndrome, which includes excess weight, high triglyceride levels and high blood pressure.

Well, looky here! Guess what appeared on the horizon forty years or so ago that just happens to cause excess weight, high triglyceride levels and high blood pressure?. High fructose corn syrup. Suspicious, eh?

Especially since a recent study gave one group of rats a diet that included sugar, and gave a second group of rats the exact same diet, except for replacing sugar with high fructose corn syrup. The sugar rats stayed healthy and slim. The high fructose corn syrup rats got sick and fat as blimps.

Now, these sound like clues to me. And getting rid of high fructose corn syrup sounds wise.

But that's not all. The medical approach to treating Type 2 diabetes isn't all it could be. They don't even try to fix the problem, just treat the symptoms. What's that about?

If you have diabetes, you need to do two things. You need to understand your illness and your options. And you need to find a doctor who will work with you, not just issue orders. Success requires both a good patient and a good doctor.

Overcoming diabetes isn't all about lowering blood sugar. Sugar's not the problem. And we're learning that lowering sugar isn't all it's cracked up to be. Our bodies need sugar to do a lot of things-which all go haywire when sugar isn't available.

What we need to do is get our bodies to use the insulin we produce.

Many alternative doctors say that can be done in fairly short order.

But not on the diet created by diabetes poobahs.

First, the status-quo poobahs recommend a load of grains, but most people, especially those with endocrine problems-which diabetes is-can't tolerate grains. Grains ain't what they used to be. Ditch 'em.

Then they recommend limiting protein. Huh? Health requires protein. Our bodies do all their work via the enzymes they create. And the raw material for those enzymes? Protein.

Following that, they recommend a carb level guaranteed to put things into a tizzy. When your insulin's in a world of hurt, don't beat up on it by shoveling in carbs.

And then they say to avoid saturated fat. Yikes! Our bodies need saturated fat. Our thyroid gland gets the blues without saturated fat, and a sad thyroid complicates diabetes big time. In fact, a down-in-the-dumps thyroid can cause diabetes.

But food isn't the whole nutrition story.

Diabetes Diet - The Importance Of Fats

Implementing a diabetes diet and knowing the importance of which fats are good for you and the fats that you should avoid altogether is vital for your health and especially if you are diabetic. Being overweight is a definite contributor to people who develop type 2 diabetes; consuming the wrong fats and too many fats in your diabetes diet is very unhealthy and can lead to many complications.

Fat contains a lot of kilojoules and has the least amount of nutrients, making it once source you should consider limiting in your diet. Fat contains 37 kilojoules per gram, which is twice the energy of carbohydrates and protein.

It does not matter about the fat content in your diet so much as the type of fat that you consume. Monounsaturated fats should be the main types of fat that you consume; some of these include olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocadoes for example.

Heart disease is a huge problem especially with people that have diabetes, these people have a great risk of getting cardiovascular disease; It is also known that heart disease and strokes are 2 to 3 times more likely to occur in people with type 2 diabetes than those that do not have this disease. Sadly, around 70 percent of people with type 2 diabetes die of cardiovascular disease.

A known risk factor of cardiovascular disease is high levels of the bad (LDL) cholesterol and the total amount of cholesterol; by reducing the total fat, especially saturated fats will lower both the LDL and the total cholesterol which will decrease your risk of getting cardiovascular disease.

Butter, margarines and oils are the most concentrated sources of fat in our diets that we consume. Fats are basically categorised into three main groups, which are monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated. How these are categorised is based on the chemical structure of each fat and the type of fatty acid that is prevalent.

The importance of fats in our diabetes diet include:

Fat is an integral part of many hormonesFat is a part of all the cell membranes in our bodiesFat is an energy sourceFat provides us with insulation, warmth and also protects vital organs in our body like our kidneys, andFat is the carrier of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K as well as many antioxidants

Some of the fatty foods that you should limit in your diabetes diet are:

Fatty meats and processed meatsFull cream dairy productsDeep fried foodsAll take-away foodsCakes, pies, pizza, biscuits and pastriesPotato crisps as well as all the other packaged snack foods available, andFrying oils, copha, ghee and cooking margarines

Choosing a healthy balance of fat in your diabetes diet is essential if you want to achieve optimum health and avoid the fatal complications of this terrible disease.

Diabetes Diet - A Low GI Diet Is Essential

With your diabetes diet a low GI diet is essential if you want to achieve optimum health and manage your diabetes effectively. The key to your success is the diet you implement, and a low GI diet is highly recommended. It may sound difficult and you might even think that the foods that are low in GI are terrible, well let me tell you how surprised you will be, the majority of the foods are what you are already eating or they are foods that you will like.

So what exactly is the GI? The glycemic index (GI) is a measure of carbohydrate quality. It is this measure that best describes how much carbohydrates (the sugars and starches) in the individual foods affect our blood glucose levels.

Following is a list of what the GI is:

The GI is a tool that allows you choose the right type of carbohydratesThe GI is on a scale from 0 to 100 that reflects how fast the carbohydrates in our foods hit our bloodstreamAn important point to remember is that the GI actually compares foods not per 100 grams of food, but does so per gram of carbohydrateA low GI food contains carbohydrates that has the least affect on your blood glucose levels, this means the GI is 55 or lessA high GI food contains carbohydrates that has the largest affect on your blood glucose levels, this means the GI is 70 or more

A low GI diet plus regular exercise is the most powerful and rewarding way that you can achieve optimal health and insulin sensitivity and the decreasing of insulin levels throughout the course of your day.

Many people that are overweight have the challenge of ignoring the hunger pangs throughout the day, this is where a diabetes diet of low GI foods will help and be very beneficial. It has been scientifically proven that low GI foods are more filling than the foods that are high in GI. These foods not only give you the feeling of being full straight away, but they actually delay the hunger pangs for longer and will reduce your food intake.

Following are 10 steps for a low GI diabetes diet:

Ensure that you eat regularlyChoose the low GI forms of bread and cerealsEat at least seven servings of fruit and vegetables each dayReduce your salt intakeLimit your alcohol intakeAdd more legumes like beans, chickpeas and lentils to your dietAlways choose lean meatsEat fish or an alternative source of omega-3 at least twice a weekChoose low fat dairy products, andEat nuts on a regular basis

Type 2 Diabetes and The Chili Pepper Cure for Carbohydrate Cravings!

One of the overlooked minerals in healthy nutrition is lithium. It's important for helping people maintain control over cravings of all kinds, especially sugar cravings, and it's especially abundant in chili peppers. Cravings, especially carbohydrate or sugar cravings, are very common in people with Type 2 diabetes.

Nutritional research into the role of lithium in human nutrition was inspired by an American researcher who noticed that violent crime simply didn't occur in some places in the American West that were otherwise crime centers. Juarez, Mexico, for example, has always been famous for its violence, and El Paso, Texas, literally less than 100 meters away, has always been relatively placid. Similar pockets of placid behavior were found all over the Western United States.

The common connections between the sites of less-than-expected violence turned out to be two-fold: lithium in the drinking water and lithium in the food, especially chili peppers. Researchers later tested adding naturally lithium-rich foods to the diets of inmates in prisons, and they found that salsas, chili peppers, and tomatoes, all naturally rich in lithium, calmed down violent offenders, especially violent offenders who were recovering methamphetamine addictions.

Although there is nothing medicinal about illicit methamphetamines, they do have one interesting effect. They help control blood sugar levels. It turns out that chili peppers and tomatoes also control blood sugar levels, and make managing cravings of all kinds easier.

Chili peppers will never replace diabetes medication, but they can make staying on a healthy eating plan for Type 2 diabetes much easier. Try them in moderation... just be sure that you don't rub your eyes after you prepare them in the kitchen!

A Further Study on the Effects of Chilli: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, July 2006 reported on a study undertaken by Australian researchers. This study reported that following a meal containing chilli, the amount of insulin needed to lower blood sugar levels after the meal is reduced. And eating chilli flavored meals on a regular basis, reduces the amount of insulin required even more so.

This study involved 36 volunteers who were aged between 22 and 70. All were instructed to follow a bland diet in between eating the following foods for the first two stages:

Stage 1... they were given a bland meal; it contained no spices whatsoeverStage 2... second meal type contained chili

Finally, for:

Stage 3... they changed to a chili-containing diet, followed by a chili-containing meal. (A palatable type of flavoring was used)

Blood sugar levels rose similarly after the three meals, but insulin rose the least following the chili-rich diet and chili-rich meal. So, using chili pepper as a frequently used spice could help reduce your risk of high levels of insulin which is a problem associated with Type 2 diabetes.

So chili all-around sounds like it is helpful in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes; it helps with:

cravingsweight loss due to lower insulin levels, andlower blood sugar levels.

Type 2 Diabetes - Is Brain Surgery Effective in Lowering Blood Sugar Levels?

Type 2 diabetics can be helped by surgery! Firstly bariatric bypass surgery has been spoken of as an aid in weight loss for Type 2 diabetics and now new research has suggested there is a type of brain surgery which may decrease the onset and progression of Type 2 diabetes. Although improvements, and remission of diabetes often follows on from bariatric surgery, these are not seen in all diabetics.

Brain Surgery: According to a study published in the journal Surgical Neurology International, July 2010, surgery on a structure called the medulla oblongata could offer hope to at least some Type 2 diabetics. The medulla oblongata is the lower part of the brainstem, a collection of nerve tissue that controls your breathing, heart rate, blood pressure and digestive functions. It also has much to do with the pancreas and its secretion of insulin. Part of the medulla oblongata can become compressed when an artery expands with every heartbeat. When that happens it can lead to insulin resistance, which is the hallmark of Type 2 diabetes.

Research Findings: Researchers in the Department of Neurosurgery, Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, United States, operated on 10 diabetics. Compression caused by blood vessels in the medulla oblongata was relieved. Over the following 12 months, 7 of the people operated on showed improvement in their blood sugar control and were able to decrease their anti-diabetes medications. One diabetic was able to discontinue medication entirely while maintaining normal blood sugar levels. Three diabetics whose blood sugar was not improved were obese with an average BMI of 34.4, while those who improved averaged a BMI of 27.9, which is considered overweight but not obese.

The results were consistent with another study published by the same group in 2004. At that time surgery was carried out on 15 people who suffered from nerve problems stemming from compression by blood vessels of the medulla oblongata, and from Type 2 diabetes. This was the outcome:

10 of the patients showed improvement in their blood sugar control after the procedure4 diabetics were able to discontinue their anti-diabetes medication altogether. and1 diabetic was able to achieve good control with less medication normally prescribed

These results are preliminary, and many more studies would have to be carried out before the procedure is proclaimed to be a safe and effective way of treating Type 2 diabetes.

Risk of Surgery Generally: Surgery always carries with it the risks of bleeding, infection, and untoward effects of anesthetic. When the central nervous system is involved, special consideration must be given as to whether the possible benefits of surgery outweigh the risks.

Diabetes Diagnosis: Understanding the Types of Diabetes

Learning you have diabetes for the first time can be a devastating news and the first step any patient should take towards a positive approach to managing this disease is to learn and understand every bit possible on this disease, its dynamics and peripheral concerns within your life and the life of others with similar conditions. There are two general types of diabetes - type 1 and type 2 although there are other types of diabetes like gestational diabetes which occurs at the late stages of pregnancy and LADA or latent autoimmune diabetes in adults which is a cross between type 1 and type 2. However, the main point of discussion here is about the two major types as they constitute a vast majority of diabetes sufferers all over the world.

Type 1 Diabetes, also known as Juvenile Diabetes or Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM) is an autoimmune disease that usually manifests during childhood and adolescent stages. There are also cases of this type of diabetes during infancy and in early adulthood. While it is being the rarer of the two main types; it can be described as more lethal.Type 2 diabetes is characterized by the destruction of the insulin-producing cells called the beta cells located in the pancreas by the body's own immune system. Insulin is a vital bodily hormone responsible for the proper glucose metabolism in the body and converts it to energy needed by the whole body system to function properly. With type 1 Diabetes, the glucose levels in the blood continues to rise which could pose serious complications if let untreated. The development of type 1 diabetes on a young patient can happen fast and his body could deteriorate from robust and energetic to a thin and sickly in no time at all. Symptoms for this disease are the following:

• Excessive thirst
• Increased urination
• Weight loss
• Blurred vision
• Fatigue
• Appetite gain
• Over-all feeling of sickness

Type 2 Diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and can manifest itself at any age, even in childhood. This is also known as adult-onset diabetes although there is an alarming increase of children and adolescents suffering from diabetes in recent years. Type 2 Diabetes is characterized by the inability of the body to process insulin produced by the pancreas to a degree where it cannot effectively manage glucose levels in the body. This usually starts when various organs like the liver, fatty tissue and cells began to develop insulin resistance, a condition where insulin is not processed properly by these bodily systems which the pancreas can readily compensate at first. But with the continued and eventual system-wide insulin intolerance over a period of time, usually years on end, the glucose-level management framework within the body collapses due to the inability of the insulin to perform its functions as insulin resistance in the body increases and became widespread in the body. Many patients diagnosed with adult-onset Diabetes only learn of their disease at a stage where they already developed complications in association, like macular degeneration of the eyes that can lead to blindness, sores and wounds that is slow to heal and organ failures. It is very much advisable to have a thorough medical check-up at the onset of some symptoms stated above or if you have a family history of this disease.

Getting To Know Diabetes

Your health is not something that you should take lightly. It never hurts to shell out money just as long as you have an assurance that you're healthy.

Diabetes is a common disease that anyone can have including children. There's no current cure for it yet so you just need to be vigilant on this one.

My grandmother died because of diabetes. She has insulin shots just to keep everything stable and her wounds aren't healing that fast anymore. My grandmother grew weaker and thinner. In the end, we lost her. But the thing I remembered the most about her is how she disciplined and loved me and my cousins.

How do you know that you're already having diabetes?

Being too hungry can already set you up for diabetes. Insulin levels in your body get depleted and your organs go weaker. Because of the low energy output of your organs, your body craves for more food that it should to get some energy back.

Fluids in the body gets drained easily causing us to go thirsty more than before. As we gain thirstier, our urination becomes frequent as well. The body needs to release the excess water it has. It can also be a sign of kidney damage because whatever happens to your kidney, affects your urination.

The elevation of blood sugar is the most common and major symptom that diabetes can cause. To check on your blood sugar, you need to go to a doctor and get tested. A rise in blood sugar is caused by a problem in the insulin levels of the body. The glucose can't be regulated right and problems start to arise.

Genetics are another reason why you may acquire diabetes. Yes this can be passed on.

When a person drastically decreases weight without even gaining weight, he should immediately go to a doctor to get checked. It's not only a sign of diabetes, but all sorts of other problems as well. My dad decreased weight because of Hyperthyroidism and my grandmother decreased weight because of diabetes.

Preventing diabetes from happening can be done by simply living a healthy life. Going on exercise on a regular basis will help. Normally, dietitians and doctors will recommend a person to lose excess weight to keep diabetes from happening. To lose weight, you should also eat nutritious food. Everything starts from deciding to live healthy. In the end, it's all up to us.

Diabetes Diet - The Importance Of Proteins

Implementing a diabetes diet and understanding the importance of proteins that are necessary for your diet is essential to know so that you can achieve optimum health. It is important to realise that protein is part of every cell in your body, which means that it is vital for the growth and repair of tissues throughout your body. They are made up of amino acids that are the building blocks for your body.

The source of protein can be found in plant and animal foods. The main source of protein is found in meat like beef, lamb, pork and chicken. Other sources include fish, shellfish, and dairy products like cheese, milk and yoghurt. For vegetarians they can find protein in legumes like chickpeas, soybeans, tofu, nuts and grains. Certain protein foods like meat are rich sources of micronutrients that can be found in Vitamin B12, zinc, iron and omega-3 fats.

The protein content in food is listed in grams, the majority of our bodies are made up of protein that is found in our muscles, skin and the immune system, and this is why we need protein in our diet for the healthy growth and repair of our bodies.

The most beneficial source of protein comes from nuts, they also contain dietary fibre, and micronutrients and the best part is that they contain a very small amount of saturated fat. You do need to remember not to eat too many nuts, grab a handful from the packet and place in a bowl. Nuts contain a lot of kilojoules so only eat about 30 grams per day. Research has shown that walnuts are beneficial in a diabetes diet as they help to lower cholesterol and helps reduce the risk of a heart attack.

Eggs are also a great source of protein as well as essential vitamins and minerals. It is now known that high blood cholesterol is obtained from eating huge amounts of saturated fat in foods instead of the cholesterol in foods. When buying eggs try to select the omega-3 enriched variety, as they will increase the intake of this good fat along with your protein intake.

It is also important to remember that our bodies cannot collect and store amino acids each day like carbohydrates and fats, so this is why we need a daily supply in out diabetes diet. The amount that is required for a women on average is about 45 grams per day, of course more is required if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Men require around 55 grams per day. If you are active or still in the growing stage, you will require more protein in your diabetes diet.

Any excess protein that we eat is broken down as a source of energy by our bodies. The importance of proteins in your diabetes diet is essential for you to be able to achieve optimum health.

Sleep Loss, Cinnamon and Type 2 Diabetes!

When you received your Type 2 diabetes diagnosis, you heard: exercise, diet, testing blood sugar levels... and, of all things sleep! These all affect your blood sugar levels. I would say you did not expect to hear about sleep loss as playing a part in Type 2 diabetes, but it has a strong impact on your health.

Sleep, or lack of it, is important because it touches on so many aspects of diabetes management. Lack of sleep can not only sap your energy and motivation to stick with the program, but can affect your hormones, actually promoting insulin resistance, obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

When Type 2 diabetics can't get enough sound sleep, blood sugar control suffers and complications loom large. Scientists at Baylor University in Texas tell us that taking the kind of cinnamon known as Cinnamomum cassia might just help reverse the effects of sleep deprivation.

Not getting enough rest is a problem for Type 2 diabetics on several levels. Without six hours slumber, the brain does not have time to respond to the appetite-regulating hormone adiponectin. Produced by the fat (adipose) cells themselves, this important protein tells the brain you have eaten enough; and your liver that you don't need the release of sugar. You have to get your shut-eye for your body to respond to this hormone properly.

Another issue with insomnia for people with Type 2 diabetes is that it also deprives the body of opportunities to process the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin. When your body doesn't recycle this substance, your nerve endings are more sensitive to pain until you find something to eat. Too much ghrelin makes managing diabetes and losing weight more difficult... grelin is a hormone that stimulates hunger.

The scientists at Baylor found that some as yet unidentified compound in cinnamon compensates for both of these effects. It modifies signaling proteins so that cells respond to insulin better. The pancreas does not have to make as much insulin, and there is not as much insulin in the circulation to do its other job, storing fat. Taking cinnamon seems to reverse the detrimental effects of stress and insomnia.

It's not every kind of cinnamon that has this effect, however. The type of the spice that gets sprinkled on oatmeal and baked into rolls, cookies, crisps, and snaps is not the kind that has the beneficial effect.

If you already have Type 2 diabetes, having enough shut-eye is even more important because sleep also appears to control the hormones that regulate blood sugar, and losing out on sleep can contribute to elevated HbA1c percentages.

Diabetes, Cholesterol And A Healthy Heart

It has been proven that those who have been affected by diabetes are more prone to heart diseases than others. This is because in people affected by diabetes, heart diseases have been found to progress more quickly. Due to diabetes problem, a problem called atherosclerosis may occur due to which arteries get hardened. This problem may happen even when cholesterol levels go up also.

It is a known fact that lipoproteins like LDLs and HDLs are carriers of cholesterol in the body. The circulatory system needs cholesterol to a certain extent and this is supplied by LDLs, otherwise known as low-density proteins. The job of HDLs, otherwise known as high-density proteins is to carry the unused cholesterol back to the liver. Excessive cholesterol levels will result in the LDLs depositing the unused and left-over cholesterol on to the blood vessels. Of course, HDLs will try their best to carry the unused cholesterol back to the liver but they fail to do its job completely if the cholesterol levels are very high. Plaque is formed on the walls of the blood vessels and hence they become narrow. This may lead to blood clots, strokes and heart attacks. Therefore, it is important that diabetes-affected people should keep monitoring their cholesterol levels.

Another problem with diabetics is that the glucose present in the blood has a capacity to slow down the work of LDLs. Due to this, cholesterol levels build up more quickly and they may settle on the walls of the blood vessels. Therefore, diabetics will do well by keeping their cholesterol levels lower than other people.

In addition to taking medicines for lowering cholesterol levels, diabetics should make suitable changes to their eating habits. They should completely avoid foods that contain bad fats. They should shift to foods that contain only good fats. Foods that are made of wholesome grains are very good. Foods that are made processed flour, white flour and refined flour contain more of bad carbohydrates and hence they should be avoided. They should opt for low-fat dairy foods only. Red meat must be avoided and more of fish is recommended. They should choose the right protein sources. The most important thing is that they should eat liberal quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables, greens and other leafy vegetables. Instead of snacking on oily and junk foods, snacking on salads and fruits is advised.

Diabetics should do a minimum of 45 minutes of exercises daily without fail. If they are smokers, they should quit this habit forthwith. They should also keep monitoring their blood sugar levels and also cholesterol levels.

By taking these steps and precautions, diabetics can also lead a healthy and normal life and need not fear of heart attacks and strokes.

How to Cure Type 2 Diabetes Naturally?

There is a deluge of natural supplements in the market and alternative healing methods all claiming to provide a cure for Type II Diabetes but can they really deliver as their aggressive advertisements would suggest? Finding a real natural as well as medicinal cure for Type II Diabetes could be far fetched at the moment but medicinal research and development are gearing towards a more natural approach for preventive maintenance and diabetes management. Natural Herbal supplements targeted for diabetics are in the rage nowadays but they can only do so much as far as supplementary nutritional booster for diabetics is concerned. Here are some of the natural remedies that claim to be effective in the proper management of Type II Diabetes:

Chromium
Chromium is an essential trace element found in the many natural foods we eat like fruits, vegetables and in whole grains. Chromium is essential for the maximum effectiveness of insulin in the body and the speedy process of utilizing glucose in the body for energy. There are also chromium dietary supplements available in the market and should be taken at dosages recommended by your medical professional and nutritionist.

Ginseng
The type of ginseng associated most with diabetes is the American Ginseng. Studies conducted on this North American ginseng variety (Panax quinquefolius) have shown that it can improve the control glucose levels in the blood. This is promising indeed but should require further tests and research.

Biter Melon
Bitter Melon is being used all over the world for thousands of years as a potent remedy for various ailments but it is mostly associated with the treatment of diabetes. Studies have shown that bitter melon has a lowering effect on high glucose levels on the body of test patients.

Cinnamon
Cinnamon is another promising product that can help regulate glucose levels in the body. Several studies have conducted to find out whether cinnamon can indeed lower blood sugar levels among the Type II Diabetic test subjects. So far the results have been very encouraging.

There is also the alternative medicinal and therapeutic approach for the treatment of diabetes which provides holistic, non-standard and sometimes controversial healing procedures. These alternative healing approaches include acupuncture which is a traditional Chinese procedure where a practitioner inserts needle at specific parts of the body to trigger and redirects body energy and release the natural painkillers of the body. This is particularly beneficial for patients suffering from neuropathy and other nerve complications arising from diabetes.

In totality, Proper management of diabetes through proper diet, a healthy lifestyle, and taking in prescribed medications is still the way to combat the disease. As research scientists in the field of medicine are still trying mightily to seek a real and lasting cure for the diabetes in the form of a drug or a medical procedure, people with Type II Diabetes still can lead normal and healthy lives as long as they can delay the onset of serious complications associated with diabetes for as long as possible. This is the primary goal of diabetes management and indeed, many Type II diabetics reaches a ripe old age of 50 to 60 to years without even a trace of diabetes complications.