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.

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.

Does Vinegar Help Type 2 Diabetics With Weight Loss and Lower Blood Sugar Levels?

When you have Type 2 diabetes, unscrupulous or even uninformed people are more than happy to encourage you to buy an assortment of unproven treatments. A quick search of the Internet will reveal hundreds of supplements claiming to lower blood sugar and, miracles of miracles, improve all the symptoms associated with Type 2 diabetes.

Supplements have been used for many years to control blood sugar levels, but there are still many unanswered questions about the safety of recommended dosages and side effects. There are still many unanswered questions as to how effective they really are.

Vinegar: Something that might help with weight loss and also give lower blood sugar levels, is vinegar. Real vinegar has not been filtered or pasteurized, and is rich in organic acids, pectin (soluble fiber), and acetic acid, all of which help to slow down the emptying of the stomach. This simple 'detour' for the digestion of food creates a slowdown in dumping sugar into the bloodstream.

Vinegar is well known for stopping the digestion of carbohydrates in the stomach. A meal with 2 tablespoons of vinegar can slow gastric emptying by 30% and also drop blood sugar peaks by 30%.

Research On The Affect Of Vinegar: Scientists at Arizona State University sought to prove that consuming vinegar before meals might help Type 2 diabetics lower their cholesterol. It didn't. Instead, taking a 2 tablespoon (30 ml) dose of vinegar before two meals a day for four weeks helped Type 2 diabetics with weight loss and a drop in blood sugar levels.

The Arizona scientists hypothesized that these carbohydrates might then ferment in the small intestine, creating byproducts that sent a signal to the liver not to make as much cholesterol. A research team led by Dr. Carol Johnston recruited volunteers and divided them into two groups. One group drank vinegar before meals twice a day, and one did not. Both groups were weighed before and after the clinical trial.

Findings: Dr. Johnston's research group was disappointed to learn that vinegar had no effect on cholesterol levels. When they looked at before and after body weight, however, they made an interesting observation. Not a single person in the vinegar group gained weight, whether healthy, pre-diabetic, or Type 2 diabetic. Some lost as much as four pounds (2kg) of body weight.

The average weight loss in the vinegar group was 2 pounds (1kg), with no calorie counting, no dieting, and no additional exercise. Volunteers who did not drink vinegar did not lose weight.

In discussing their findings, Dr. Johnston and her colleagues noted that most of the volunteers did not like the taste of vinegar before meals. Most stated they would prefer to get their vinegar from a vinaigrette on a salad. The Arizona State researchers are considering creating a vinegar supplement, but caution that the vinegar supplements currently on the market do not contain acetic acid, which makes the treatment work to help with weight loss and lower blood sugar levels.

Fat Loss Exercises That Lower Blood Sugar Too

Diabetics worry every moment about their health, weight and blood sugar control. For the most part exercise has an insulin effect, lowering blood sugar, but there are times that prolonged physical activity has the reverse effect. This can hinder the results you are trying to attain from the exercise as well as hurting your health. So which exercises can you do that boosts fat burning, and how can you do them without raising your blood sugar?

After dealing with this problem for years, gaining weight no matter what I tried and feeling lethargic and sick after my workouts, I knew something had to be changed. The doctors didn't seem to help me. There was no information anywhere about this issue. After trial and error I finally got the control I wanted and the weight began to come off.

*The first thing to remember is checking your blood sugar is extremely important in learning how your body reacts to the foods you eat, and your activities and stress. It means the difference between your health, and a life filled with complications due from high blood sugars.

I remember feeling uneasy about checking my sugars in public. I opted to not knowing and risking a high or low rather than checking, despite the looks and curiosity, and staying healthy. I later learned that if I don't put myself first than no one will and the only one who'll suffer would be me. I learned to check my sugar several times during my workout. I began to see a pattern and was able to adjust my insulin when needed, preventing highs and lows.

The main reason that sugar spikes after exercise in a Diabetic is from something called the liver dump effect. The body feels starved for sugar and starts dumping sugar in the liver. This happens because your sugar drops during exercise. In order to prevent that, eating a small amount of carbs before your workout will prevent the spike from happening.

*Be consistent with your exercise plan. Create a program that you know you can keep and stick to it. This will ensure your success.

Which exercises can you do that burns fat?

*Exercises that build muscle will burn fat. The more muscle you have, the more fat you burn, even while asleep. This doesn't mean you need to do body building exercises. There are many forms of exercise that build lean, long and strong, fat burning muscles.

Some examples of great fat burning exercises are weight training, yoga, Pilates, sports such as gymnastics, dance and karate. All of these build muscle and create a fat burning effect on the body.

The more extreme the exercise, the more muscle is needed to complete it, the more of a fat burning machine you'll become.

The main thing to remember is to create a plan that you enjoy, will stick to, and energizes you when you're done. Working out should be fun. Learning to leverage your time wisely will bring more success to your fat loss and health goals.

Do you struggle with Diabetes? Are you trying to lose weight and gain better sugar control? Are you afraid of losing your eyesight, limbs or end up with hypertension due to your constant high sugars?

How To Maintain A Normal Blood Sugar Level

Like the universe, the human body is considered to be an intriguing one because of its delicateness and uniqueness. The human body has different aspects that each of us should consider and take care of. This is because our body is our capital or the reason why we can do all what we want to do and what we must do. We should keep it healthy by eating a balanced diet, regular exercise and enough hours of sleep. Once we take an imbalanced and irregular maintenance of our body, some or all of its functions will loosen down and will cause illnesses and health problems to us.

Glucose or the blood sugar is the main source of energy that our body needs. It is a form of sugar that we can get from the foods that we eat, the liquids that we take and the right body maintenance that we do. It is usually derived from those foods that has high amount of carbohydrate and calories. Our blood sugar is kept inside our body and it needs the right amount of insulin. The insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. This insulin is released to our bloodstream whenever our sugar level rises above the normal level. It is between 70 to 150mg to be considered that you have a normal sugar level. Keeping a normal level of sugar requires great awareness and consciousness on the food that we eat. It is observed that humans have lower level of sugar at morning and it subsequently increases every after meal.

On medical diagnosis, when the normal sugar level goes beyond 150mg, the disorder is called hyperglycemia, or in the layman's term, it is commonly called high blood sugar. On the other side, when normal level goes below 70mg, it is now called hypoglycemia. This disorder is also referred to as low blood sugar. Whether there is a diagnosis of high or low blood sugar levels, be aware that this could be a fatal one. You should see your doctor as soon as possible for immediate medication and treatment. In the event that the normal level is not regulated well in our body, this could cause as severe illnesses like diabetes milletus.

To keep yourself on track of the happenings in your body especially on your sugar content, you can have yourself a blood glucose test wherein your bloodstream is clinically and medically checked if there is eradication of diabetes and even to hypoglycemia. As of today, there are several types of blood glucose test that you can refer to.

It is not that hard as you think of how you can have and maintain a normal level of sugar inside your blood. All you need to do is to have a healthy lifestyle, right choice and amount of food and a well-monitored height and weight proportion. The more you reduce the fats and calories in your body, the more you reduce the risk of diabetes. It is just about having a combined maintenance of regular physical activity and approved food choices.

High Blood Sugar and Your Kidneys

In previous articles we've talked about how high blood glucose can affect the eyes, feet and blood pressure. In this article we will focus on how high blood glucose damages the kidneys and what you can do to prevent this damage.

Persistently high blood glucose (sugar) can damage the kidneys and lead to a condition called nephropathy. About a quarter of people with diabetes may develop nephropathy. If detected early, the condition can be treated successfully.

What causes Diabetic Nephropathy?

The kidney is effectively one large filter for the body and has the job of removing waste products from the blood. As blood flows through the blood vessels within the kidneys, waste products filter out through small holes in the blood vessels. The waste becomes a part of the urine. Useful substances such as protein are too big to filter through and thus stay in the blood.

High blood glucose levels (sugar) lead to the kidneys filtering too much blood. The result of this is that the blood vessels walls become thickened and form leaks. The kidneys are unable to filter waste products out of the blood into the urine properly and useful substances such as protein are lost in the urine.

Symptoms of Diabetic Nephropathy

There are no obvious symptoms of nephropathy in the early stages. This makes regular testing very important to detect the condition. If left untreated, the body will lose a lot of protein in the urine and this can lead to water retention or oedema, especially around the ankles. Eventually the condition may result in the kidneys being unable to remove waste products from the body.

In such a situation you would need dialysis or a transplant. Testing for nephropathy can often be done using a urine dipstick such as Albustix, which will show if there is any protein present in the urine.

How you can prevent this damage

The best way to prevent nephropathy is by keeping a tight control of your blood glucose levels and your blood pressure. High blood pressure has a big effect on the kidneys and can exacerbate or contribute to nephropathy. Monitoring your blood glucose and blood pressure will help you spot when your levels are too high and allow you to take action.

Treatment of Diabetic Nephropathy

Treatment of nephropathy usually involves dietary changes, restricting the amount of protein in the diet, and controlling high blood pressure, which can worsen the problem. Treatment may also involve taking medicines such as ACE inhibitors. In worse case scenarios dialysis or transplant may be needed.

The most important thing to remember is to make sure you have your urine tested for protein at least once a year.

Now you've read our article on diabetes and kidneys we would recommend you read our article on diabetes and blood pressure. As mentioned in this article high blood pressure can damage the kidneys so it is an important article to read. Visit our site to read this article and many more.

Type 2 Diabetes - Will Ayurvedic Medicine Help To Lower Blood Sugar Levels?

Ayurveda, the ancient healing art of India, holds a great deal of promise as a source of new treatments for Type 2 diabetes. The beauty of Ayurvedic medicine is that it can be individualized to help diabetics feel better and live longer, not just get better lab results.

What is Ayurvedic Medicine? It is a system of traditional medicine which is native to the subcontinent of India, but it is also practiced in many other parts of the world, and used in alternative medicine.

The area of caution with this healing art, however, is that some herbs are so much like their pharmaceutical counterparts that they cause the same side effects. Getting a good healing result without the side effects requires the advice of a knowledgeable practitioner.

Ayurverdic medicine has gained new respect in recent years as the public and to a lesser degree, the medical community, has finally to accept plant-based treatments for what they are; safe, natural and effective remedies for a variety of health challenges, including Type 2 diabetes.

Here are the top five traditional India herbs for helping diabetics control their blood sugar levels without unhealthy side effects:

1. Aloe is the plant that much of the Western world knows as the source of a healing gel which they put on their skin. This same 'slimy' substance slows down the absorption of carbohydrate and can be an important part of getting your blood sugar levels down to normal.

2. Bitter melon is a gourd that is cooked into stews and pressed into juice not just in the traditional herbal medicine of India but that is also used as a cooked vegetable in almost every Asian cuisine. It's potentially very useful, but it's not a cure all by itself.

3. Cinnamon is probably the world's best known herbal treatment for blood glucose problems, but there is more than one kind of cinnamon. The curry cinnamon used in Indian herbal medicine has a different kind of effect on diabetes control than the aromatic cinnamon used in baking.

4. Gurmar, 'slayer of sweetness'... tackles the problems of diabetics by controlling their appetites for sugar. Your own body is the real healer here, but this well-known herb of the Indian subcontinent certainly helps.

5. Indian gooseberry, both the fruit and leaf of this plant... are known as jamun and amla respectively, and help millions of diabetics around the world. Interestingly, this very useful plant appears not just in the medicine of South Asia, but also in the medicine of South America.

Whilst there are a number of herbs that have been shown to help diabetics have lower blood sugar levels, having a healthy diet and lifestyle are the most important factors in preventing or reversing type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes - How Do Onions Work to Lower Blood Sugar Levels, Even Early Morning Levels?

One of the foods that helps in the control of your Type 2 diabetes, includes the humble onion. For at least four thousand years the humble onion has served not just as food but also as medicine in ancient Egypt, in India, and around the world.

Among the many applications of the onion is blood sugar control, making this inexpensive and tasty vegetable one of the most useful functional foods for Type 2 diabetics.

How Does The Humble Onion Aid Type 2 Diabetics? Onions whether cooked or raw, contain a substance... allyl propyl disulfide (APDS), that is actually capable of dramatically lowering your blood sugars levels. APDS apparently helps to prevent your liver's deactivation of insulin, therefore insulin remains in your bloodstream longer and this helps to lower your blood sugar levels.

Restrains the Liver From Releasing Sugar in the AM: Onions work to help keep blood sugar levels in control in much the same way as the drug metformin. They contain sulfur-bearing compounds (the same compounds that can be stinky on the breath), that regulate the activities of two important enzymes in your liver. These sulfur compounds moderate the action of the enzymes glucose-6-phosphatase and hexokinase to restrain the liver from releasing as much sugar early in the morning and also in times of stress.

If you notice that your morning blood glucose levels are creeping upward, then extra onions in your diet might be very helpful for you. And if you are going through:

stress on the jobif you have a cold or the flu, oryou are having to fight off chills from nasty winter weather,

onions can be a likewise helpful and healthful addition to your diet.

How to Tolerate Onions Daily: The really effective way to consume onions is as raw onion juice. Up to 50 ml (a little less than one-quarter cup) is the right dose for aiding diabetes control.

Most of us, however, live and work in situations where the people in our lives might disapprove of regular use of onion juice. If onion juice doesn't appeal to you, it's also helpful to take in up to 60 g (2 ounces or so), of onions with your food every day.

Brushing after your meal removes most of the smelly compounds from your breath, and if you eat onions no later than six hours before you go to bed, you won't have to deal with onion breath all night and in the morning.

Eat onions often, eat any color of onions, cooked or raw to help lower your blood sugar levels.

Type 2 Diabetes - Does Honey Raise Or Lower Blood Sugar Levels?

Do you think you can't eat honey because you have type 2 diabetes? And your doctor did tell you to avoid all sweets! It is true honey is a sweet... but this is true also: one tablespoon of honey contains approximately the same amount of carbohydrate as a quartered amount of a raw apple.

Research also shows that consuming honey produces a much lower blood sugar response than the equivalent amount of sugar or other glucose enriched starches.

Of all the natural sweeteners with clear nutritional value, honey has the least effect on blood sugar levels. Different diabetics, however, react to honey in different ways and different kinds of honey can have different effects on your blood sugar levels.

What is Honey? Honey is a mixture of glucose and fructose. The fructose in honey makes it very sweet, and the glucose in honey makes it a great source of quick energy. Because honey also contains wax, antioxidants, and water bound inside crystals that have to be broken down in the stomach, it's not high on the glycemic index. Raw honey has a glycemic index of about 30, while heat-treated, processed honey has a glycemic index of about 75.

Amazing Raw Honey: Raw honey has about the same effect on blood sugar levels as leafy greens... as usual, as long as you don't eat too much! A tablespoon per meal is enough. And the antioxidant content of honey is so potent that American cosmetic surgeons literally use honey as an antiseptic dressing... because it's a better germ-fighter than other chemical treatments.

Processed Honey: Processed honey, on the other hand, has had its antioxidants broken down by the heat used during pasteurization, and is broken down into sugar in your digestive tract about as quickly as ice cream is broken down. Most diabetics, Type 1 or Type 2, don't have room for processed honey in their diets.

Lower Blood Sugar Levels: Research studies (on humans, not rats), indicate that the consumption of raw honey can result in lower blood sugar levels between 60 to 100 mg/dL (3.3 to 5.5 mmol/L) when tested 90 minutes after eating a similar amount of sucrose or sugar. This then means the HbA1c percentage would be lower by approximately 2 to 4%.

Keep It Down: The key to using honey in your diet in order to control your blood sugar levels is never to use too much. Even foods that are digested slowly still require insulin. As long as you don't eat too much, and you still have insulin production capacity in your pancreas, your body benefits from the energy and antioxidant content of raw, natural honey.

Type 2 Diabetes - Does Fructose Frustrate Your Efforts at Blood Sugar and Weight Control?

Fructose is the familiar sugar found in fruit. High-fructose corn syrup is not 100 per cent fructose, but it's also a kind of sugar I suggest you never eat... it is a highly controversial product which is made from genetically modified corn. This high-processed chemically altered sweetener was created by a Japanese scientist in 1971... it has been used in almost all processed and pre-packaged foods since.

Where Do You Find High-Fructose Corn Syrup? High-fructose corn syrup is used in many processed foods including sodas or soft drinks, from yogurt to cookies. It is used in more than 40 per cent of the sweeteners added to many foods and beverages.

If you are going to consume fructose, I recommend that you get it from fruit, preferably fresh fruit.

What is Fructose? Fructose is an unusual sugar. A chemically rearranged form of glucose, fructose is much sweeter than other commonly consumed sugars. It takes a lot less fructose to impart sweetness to a recipe than cane sugar. Because you can eat less fructose and still taste more sweetness, some experts recommend fructose for Type 2 diabetics... in fact, before the advent of high-fructose corn syrup or aspartame, diabetics were told to use fructose as their sweetener.

The problem with fructose, however, is that it whets your appetite for more. When you eat fructose, one of the problems is it doesn't set into motion the chemical reaction or hormones that tells your brain when you are full. It makes you eat more... so it's bad news for your waistline and your health. You need less fructose than sucrose or glucose to have a sense of satisfaction with a serving of food, but the fructose raises production of a hormone called ghrelin, which makes your central nervous system more sensitive to pain until you eat more food.

Fructose raises insulin levels less than glucose, and lower insulin levels lead to less insulin resistance. When the liver processes fructose, however, it generates uric acid, a chemical that's associated with kidney stones, heart disease, and gout.

What Type of Sugar is Found in Fruit? Fructose is not the only sugar found in fruit. Fruits contain fructose, glucose, and sucrose, the latter two sugars being more predictably processed by insulin.

apples, pears, mangos, and papayas contain more fructose and less glucose and sucrose while bananas, cherries, figs, plums, fresh apricots, dried apricots, and dried plumes contain more glucose and sucrose and less fructose

When you see a food with high fructose corn syrup on the label, you will be doing yourself... (your weight and Type 2 diabetes), a good turn by putting it back on the shelf.

Diabetics Beware! Sleep Apnea Can Raise Your Blood Sugar Level!

Diabetics should be aware that sleep apnea could raise your blood sugar level. The complications of diabetes and the seriousness of sleep apnea can be life threatening. Sleep apnea is a condition that is associated with loud snoring, irregular breathing and an interrupted intake of oxygen. The reason people get sleep apnea is due mainly from being overweight.

We understand that excess weight gets in the way of your insulin's ability to spread sugars from the food that you digest across the cell membranes in your body accurately, therefore, robbing the cells of much needed carbohydrates that it requires.

Being overweight leads to sleep apnea; how this happens is that the fatty deposits build up along the throat and actually line the breathing passages. Your muscles in your throat relax when you sleep which forces your airways to become narrow and sometimes they close completely. So when someone is overweight and lies down for a sleep the gravity will push the fat to the back of the throat which means that it blocks your airways and you stop breathing.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common form of sleep-disordered breathing. Following are some facts that were found in a recent research:

It is estimated that around 40% of people with OSA have diabetesOSA can have an effect on the glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetesOSA is known to have a connection with a variety of cardiovascular complications that include heart failure, stroke and hypertensionPeople that have diabetes in general show signs of OSA up to 23% and generally at least some form of sleep disordered breathing that could be as high as 58%

Like diabetes, it is common for people not to realise that have sleep apnea, until accidentally diagnosed. Both of these can be very dangerous to your life, and sadly it can become fatal.

Not knowing the symptoms can cause many problems and complications, just as being a diabetic and controlling and managing your blood sugar levels can be very dangerous.

Following are some symptoms that you should be aware of:

Constant fatiguePoor concentrationLack of energyDepressionHigh blood pressure

You need to understand that this is very important and you need to take control and manage these symptoms so that you can achieve great health.

If these symptoms are not treated it will reduce your insulin sensitivity, which can cause many complications. So diabetics need to be aware that sleep apnea can raise your blood sugar level, so if you believe you have sleep apnea you need to get help and fix this problem immediately.

Type 2 Diabetes - Should You Skip Breakfast When Your Blood Sugar Levels Are High In The AM?

Type 2 diabetes experts agree: your 'first-thing-in-the-morning' is one of the most critical and misunderstood blood sugar readings. After all, a high blood sugar reading a few hours after breakfast has a clear cause and effect relationship... something about your breakfast made your BSLs go out of whack.

On the other hand, when you haven't eaten for 8, 9, or even 10 hours, an elevated BSL reading can be harder to read than a theoretical physics textbook. Indeed, many Type 2 diabetics immediately steer clear of breakfast after seeing the high glucometer flash them a higher than expected reading in the AM.

But is this wise? Despite a skipped breakfast seeming like a logical maneuver, this approach generally does more harm than good. To understand the 'how' of morning eating after high blood sugar levels, you first need to have a basic understanding of why your BSLs shot up in the first place.

There are two major culprits to consider:

Not eating at night: While it sounds counterintuitive, it may have been a skipped meal, and not necessarily a high-sugar one, that led to high BSLs. How? When you've fasted for an extended period of time, and sleeping time counts against this 'clock' as well, your body's glucose levels start to drop.

In order to keep your body's processing going strong, it releases some of the carbohydrates you have stored in your liver... known as glycogen. In people without diabetes, this brings glucose levels back to normal and everything is hunky dory again. But if you have diabetes, this influx of glucose into the bloodstream is treated just like an ill-advised Snickers bar. Insulin resistant cells defy insulin's orders to accept insulin and hyperglycemic sets in.

Worst of all, most diabetics don't account for this internal glucose when doling out medications and insulin... making the problem even more of a problem.

The Dawn Effect: Even if you did everything right... stuck to your meal plan and had a small nighttime snack, you may still suffer from what's known as 'The Dawn Effect'. Essentially, The Dawn Effect is a perfectly normal bodily process where your body pumps out a bit of glucose and is especially insulin resistant. Believe it or not, but 'The Dawn Effect' affects both diabetics and non-diabetics.

It's our body's way of getting us ready to seize the day; whether we've had breakfast or not.

Let us now answer the question at hand: 'My blood sugar levels are high in the AM, should I skip breakfast?'

The answer to that question is an unequivocal 'yes'. However, this doesn't mean that you should run and order Denny's Grand Slam Breakfast. Your breakfast should be carefully chosen, and based directly on your blood sugar readings.

Here's how to eat breakfast when suffering from high AM BSLs:

Measure, Measure, and Measure again: It's important to keep track of where your blood sugars go after this initial reading. After your first morning reading, wait about 20 minutes and try again. Many times, you'll see your blood sugar drop back to normal.

Eat Protein and Fat: The last thing your body needs is a breakfast of toast, orange juice, and cereal. Have a very light, and protein-rich, breakfast like an egg omelet with smoked salmon and veggies. This way, your blood sugars won't suddenly crash.

Take Insulin With Care: If you use insulin, beware of treating this high BSL reading like any other. Use about 1 to 2 units less than usual as high morning BSLs don't tend to last.

 

Keeping Blood Sugar in Check - Live Healthily With Your New Diabetes Monitor

Since I am a person with diabetes I have learned how important is to watch blood sugar levels constantly and I have also learned that having clear and accurate results is not that easy. However, easy or difficult people who suffer diabetes must be very aware of their levels in order not to have extra complications such as tingling sensation in extremities, loss of vision or worse, loss of limbs or even death.

It's Time To Have Your New Premium Diabetes Monitor.

Perhaps, you're already fed up of the old methods to test your blood sugar levels throughout the day. But you should know that these days, three excellent diabetes meters exist in the market. However, not all of them have the same features. So it's important that before you spend your money on any device, check the review here to make sure which is the one that best fits your needs.

Accu Check. It's one of the best. Easy to use, specially for inexperienced people who have never used one before. Its only con is that is not very portable in case the user has to take it around. So this may be less attractive for dynamic people.

Precision Xtra. It's very popular for the fast results that provides and for its various testing areas. It's ideal for those who need to test children. The only disadvantage this gadget presents is that its operative system is somehow more sophisticated than the other two, thus, requiring a little bit more learning time.

One Touch Ultra Meter. This has practically the same advantages as the Precision Ultra. But it has a plus: it gives you reading in 5 seconds or less in addition to its portability.

Life is Easy With The Right Diabetes Meter

Not too long ago, living with diabetes implied difficulty and pain because testing methods were rather complicated. For instance, pinching and prickling of fingers was very uncomfortable for the people who had to measure sugar levels many times a day. Luckily, today you can select any of the top diabetes meters reviewed here and you will be able to notice how easy and painless the usage of these gadgets is. But what is best, is that you can get a complimentary unit by completing a brief form online with your name and address. Check now to see if you qualify!

Type 2 Diabetes, High Blood Sugar Levels and High Blood Pressure - What Do They Do To Your Brain?

Keeping your blood sugar levels and your blood pressure under control, could be the way to keep your brain in good condition when you have Type 2 diabetes. This was shown to be the case in research results published in the Journal of Neurological Science, September 2010.

Both high blood sugar levels and elevated blood pressure are known for damaging blood vessels, and that includes those carrying oxygen and energy to your brain. Middle-aged women were studied to discover whether having both Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, or hypertension, could contribute to the decline in the workings of the brain.

Tests of brain function:

One hundred and thirteen women ranging in age between 49 and 63 with a diagnosis of both Type 2 diabetes and hypertension, were comparedWith 27 women aged 46 to 60 years with Type 2 diabetes but without hypertension

Eighty-seven per cent of the ladies with both diabetes and hypertension showed a definite decline in their mental function. Only 70% of these volunteers with diabetes, but with normal blood pressure, showed signs of mental decline. It was therefore concluded that having both Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure was associated with more mental decline than just having diabetes alone.

Type 2 diabetes and hypertension often coexist: The lesson from this study is that controlling both conditions is important to prevent mental decline.

Treat high blood pressure: Your blood pressure deserves every bit as much attention as your blood sugar if you have Type 2 diabetes, even if you have pre-diabetes. Actually high blood pressure may even be a bigger issue than your blood sugar level. Hypertension increases the risk of blocked arteries not just to the brain, but to the heart, lower extremities and is a major contributor to kidney disease and eye disease in people with both Type 2 and pre-diabetes.

When diet and physical activity are not enough, medications can be lifesaving.

High blood sugar levels: High blood sugars are also known to impair concentration and memory. It can make your thinking 'foggy' and make it difficult for you to think quickly. Recent studies have also shown that compared to non-diabetics of a similar age, diabetics are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. It is thought the combination of high blood sugar and blood vessel damage contributes to dementia.

Also, most people with Type 2 diabetes have high insulin levels. Too much insulin in the body leads to excessive inflammation which also contributes to brain damage.

Prevention is better than cure: The risk factors for both high blood pressure and high blood sugar levels relate in one way or another to being overweight. So the good news is... this is in your control. Control your weight and you will find both your blood sugar levels and your blood pressure will be lower, along with your risk of developing any type of brain dysfunction.

To help you with your Type 2 diabetes, I would like you to claim your Free E-Book when you click on Answers to Your Questions

There you will find answers to the many question diabetics are asking.

When you click this link you will see how you can: Beat The Belly Fat Blues Beverleigh Piepers RN... the Diabetes Detective.

Importance of Regular Blood Sugar Monitoring

Everybody wants to live a healthy lifestyle. Restrictions in the everyday lifestyle of diabetics can be greatly prevented. Learn how to manage Diabetes and detect complication as early as possible.

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease that occurs when a person's body doesn't make adequate insulin or can't use insulin properly. What happen is that, when a person have diabetes, the sugar builds up in his blood instead of moving into the cells. High levels of sugar in the blood damages your vital organs including the heart and blood vessels, kidneys, nerves, teeth and gums.

Symptoms and Complications of Diabetes

According to medical practitioners, primarily, there are three classical symptoms of diabetes: frequent urination, increased thirst, increased hunger.

People often than not neglect to control their blood sugar for various reasons. It could be because of pure ignorance of the disease or lack of knowledge. If diabetes is uncontrolled, serious medical condition can occur like: stroke, blindness, kidney failure, tooth and gum disease and pregnancy complications.

Importance of Blood Sugar Monitoring

Diabetes management will not be successful without the full cooperation of the patient. A person with diabetes should be aware of what contributes to his blood sugar's rise and fall. Many people with diabetes are encouraged to learn how to monitor their blood glucose as it gives them immediate feedback to facilitate in effective management of the condition. Therefore, regular checking of blood sugar can assist in making wise decisions about lifestyle changes and preference, and to adjust their medication as necessary.

Glucometers (Blood Glucose Monitor)

As mentioned, regular monitoring of blood glucose levels is critical in controlling diabetes. For many years, people with diabetes depended on blood glucose testing to monitor blood sugar levels. A Glucometer is a portable tool a person can use to monitor his blood glucose levels. In general, since several glucose meters are now available and each works differently, be sure to check the handbook or manual that comes will it. This will guide users on how to effectively obtain blood and measure it accurately. However, it is still best to seek medical advice before using such device.

How to Check blood Glucose Levels

1. Remember to wash your hands before the procedure to decrease the chance of contamination.

2. Use cotton pads to disinfect the area that you're going to prick. Most of the time, the fingertip is use to get a drop of blood. Other glucometers require you to use other areas of your body such as your forearm, thigh or the fleshy part of your hand. Consult with your doctor, what body area you will use with your glucometer.

3. To get a drop of blood, prick yourself with a sterile lancet.

4. Carefully place the drop of blood on the test strip.

5. Your glucometer's manual will guide you in the proper way of inserting the test strip into the glucose meter. So follow the instructions carefully.

6. The meter will give you a number for your blood sugar level.

7. Accurately monitor your findings.

Diabetes Prevention

If you want to live a normal lifestyle, follow your doctor's advice regarding diet and medication. Proper management of your diabetes today means avoiding other health related problems in the years to come. Collaborate with your health care team to devise the best care plan for you.

How To Improve Blood Sugar Levels Naturally - 3 Tips To Balance Your Blood Sugar Levels

As of 2007, over 23 million people suffer from diabetes and 1.6 million new cases are diagnosed every year. Up to 5.7 million of those people don't even know they have this devastating disease. Diabetes is a health situation where the cells in the body become insensitive to the action of insulin which results in high blood sugar levels.

High blood sugar levels are associated with health complications such as heart disease and stroke, blindness, kidney disease, and neuropathy. If you want to live a long healthy life, then getting control of this disease is paramount. If you are striving to have to depend less and less on insulin medication, then here are a few tips for managing your blood sugar levels naturally:

1. Follow a Low Glycemic Diet - The Glycemic diet focuses on consuming foods that have the least impact on blood sugar levels. Foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains are absorbed into the blood stream slowly and do not require an aggressive insulin response as foods that are higher end of the Glycemic index. There are several books on the market that discuss the Glycemic diet and offer recommendations as to the exact foods you should eat.

2. Exercise - Quite possibly, the single best thing you can do to help manage your sugar levels is to start exercising. Not only will you lose weight, which will help bring your diabetes under control, but exercise makes your cells more sensitive to the action of insulin. This means, your cells will begin to absorb the sugars in the blood stream more easily. Your pancreas won't have to stress itself out as much to produce insulin which can prevent it from wearing out and crashing altogether. Be sure to get in a combination of cardio and weight-bearing exercises for maximum effect.

3. Take Supplements - There are several supplements on the market that have been shown to help regulate blood sugar levels naturally. Cinnamon, chromium picolinate, and ginseng have all been shown to help lower glucose levels in patients diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. The advantage to taking supplements is that they generally produce little, if any, side effects.

Since every health situation is unique, before making any changes to your diet or ingesting any supplements, consult with your doctor to discuss how these things will impact your health. It is possible to manage your blood sugar levels naturally. Take the time to find the strategies that work for you.

How to Manage Your Blood Sugar Better With a Diabetes Diet Regime

With better control over one's dietary and lifestyle choices, one can successfully manage diabetes. Perhaps it's best to state at this point that these choices are not the easiest to live with or follow, but they do help control your blood sugar levels. The changes that will make a big difference are your dietary ones. Depending on what and how you have been eating so far, you may need a full nutritional overhaul so that your blood glucose is normalized. But managing diabetes is only one benefit; the other is you will get to lower and maintain a good body weight which is a plus.

So what makes up a healthy diabetic diet? Do you have to change your grocery shopping list completely? Do you need to give up meat? Hopefully, we can answer all these questions to your satisfaction. The reason for changing your diet is to have better control over your calorific needs. And this is usually where one starts.

You should understand your metabolism rate and roughly know how much calories your body needs to get through the day. Once you have established this, you can count how many calories you eat, so that most of what you eat is used up. The goal is to prevent glucose from staying in the blood.

How many times should you eat? It is recommended to eat five to six times a day on average. When you take three large meals, your glucose level will shoot up, then gradually decrease to a hypoglycemic state, and this is not good. To help manage the glucose level, you can try o snack in small quantity between breakfast, lunch and dinner. The snacks need to be kept healthy and light, since they are only meant to give you enough calories and glucose to get you through to your next meal.

The question on carbohydrates makes an entry at this point. How many servings should you have? Well, carbohydrates are good for you, diabetic or not, and your body uses them to get energy. Depending on your preference, you can opt for a high carbohydrate and fiber diet with an exercise routine or simply a low carbohydrate diet. These two work either ways, as long as you take complex carbohydrates that are rich in starch like potatoes, instead of simpler ones. If you can balance up your diet with other important foods such as fruits and vegetables, you should not have any major issue.

It is essential for a diabetic patient to increase the intake of fiber in his diet. Fiber is important as it moves things along in the digestive tract. Besides it reduces the speed at which glucose is absorbed into the body, and this is why it is so important. Your source of fiber will have to come from beans, leafy vegetables, brown rice, whole grains and not from any meat. It is important to consult a doctor or a dietitian to help in your diet formulation in order to get the desired results of controlling your blood sugar level.

Treat Blood Sugar Problems Successfully with Herbs

Are you feeling frustrated because of blood-sugar problems and all the symptoms that go with it? Surely, feeling weak all the time, gaining weight and going to the restroom frequently to urinate is already taking its toll on you. You must have browsed online to look for effective means on how to treat your condition, or have asked a couple of local health practitioners on how to manage your ailment - all to little or no avail.

We all know that keeping our blood-sugar levels where they should be is essential. If we don't several problems may happen. For instance, if your blood-sugar levels rise too high you will risk damaging your arteries which might eventually lead to stroke or heart ailment. On the contrary, if your blood-sugar levels fall too low, the energy supply to all your tissues is gravely affected, eventually impairing your brain.

Is there any way on how you can effectively manage your blood-sugar problems? Don't lose hope just yet. Ayurvedic medicine, which originated in India more than 5 centuries ago, is one of the world's most ancient recorded systems of natural and holistic health. It promotes a healthy balance between mind and body and a healthy lifestyle - and this fact alone has renewed people's interest as they take a more proactive approach to their personal health.

Through Ayurveda, blood-sugar problems can be treated successfully. Ayurvedic medicine utilizes authentic and special herbs that originate from India to restore and promote balance to your body. Below are some of the herbs used to help support the digestive and glandular system, focusing on the pancreas, liver and blood - sugar levels.

1. Gymnema sylvestre leaf

2. Pterocarpus marsupium gum

3. Momordica charantia fruit bark

4. Aegle marmelos leaf

5. Andrographis paniculata herb

6. Enicostmma littorale herb

7. Curcuma longa rhizome

8. Azadirachta indica leaf

9. Syzgium cumini seed

10. Picrorhiza kurroa root

11. Cyperus rotundus tuber

12. Trigonella foenumgraecum seed

To maintain good energy levels, our blood produces a certain degree of glucose to our body. Our blood's glucose level is mainly determined by pancreatic and liver functions. The herbs enumerated above are used to treat blood-sugar problems by nourishing the pancreas and liver and gives ample nutrients for optimal digestive and glandular functions. Even if you are not affected by this condition, these herbs will do wonders to maintain blood-sugar levels in the normal range.

Are Blood Sugar Levels Higher After High Fat Meals Than High Carb Meals?

Sometimes it seems that fat is worse than sugar for managing your blood sugar levels. The real problem, however, occurs when Type 2 diabetics eat meals that are high in both carbs and fat.

Type 2 diabetics have issues with insulin. This hormone transports sugar out of your bloodstream and into your cells, but it also transports fatty acids out of your bloodstream as well. And when there is a lot of sugar in your bloodstream and a lot of fat in your bloodstream as well, insulin will be used to store fat first and sugar later. That's why eating a meal that contains both a lot of fat and a lot of sugar (it's about the absolute amounts, not the percentages), will always raise your blood sugar levels.

So why not eat a big plate of bacon and eggs with no toast for breakfast, or maybe a steak seared in butter for lunch or dinner, just as long as you don't eat a lot of carbohydrate at the same time?

There are some diets that encourage you to do exactly this. The problem is this... all those fatty acids rushing into your bloodstream after they are digested don't require a lot of insulin, but they do have a profound effect on your circulation. For several hours after a high fat meal (again, it's not about the relative percentage of fat calories compared to the total calories in your meal, it's about the absolute amount of fat you actually eat), blood vessels all over your body constrict, and blood clotting factors in your bloodstream go up. These are all your blood vessels... the arteries that carry blood away from your heart, the capillaries which allows the exchange of water and chemicals between your blood and tissues, and veins which carry blood from your capillaries and back toward your heart. All these vessels are tightened.

The situation is even worse, however, when you combine fat and carbohydrate, as when you eat a double cheeseburger with bacon and a basket of French fries, or you have scrambled eggs, bacon, waffles, syrup, and a bowl of fruit. These meals don't just tighten your arteries, they are most definitely guaranteed to raise your blood sugar levels too.

But if you eat a modest amount of slow acting carbohydrate with a small, say 75 calorie amount of a healthy fat of plant origin, your body has the greatest opportunity to use carbs for energy and fats for anti-inflammatory hormones, rather than stuffing your belly fat with tremendous loads of free fatty acids.

And now I would like you to claim your Free E-Book when you click on Answers to Your Questions

You will then have access to information diabetics have requested over recent months.

Beverleigh Piepers RN... the Diabetes Detective. Let me help you... Beat The Belly Fat Blues
Beverleigh Piepers is the author of this article. This article can be used for reprint on your website provided all the links in the article are complete and active. Copyright (c) 2010 - All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beverleigh_H_Piepers

Blood Sugar Problems - Take the Best Approach

Do you have blood sugar problems and are looking for the safest, most effective way of treating it?

Ayurveda uses special herbal preparations to successfully treat blood sugar problems. In addition, it promotes a healthy lifestyle which includes proper nutrition, breathing exercises and yoga.

You might find it hard to believe that a couple of herbs can do wonders in helping you win the battle against your condition. But millions of people have now recovered from diabetes through safe, natural means! Below are some all-natural approaches used by Ayurveda to help combat diabetes as well as some natural herbs and compounds that aids in balancing your blood glucose level:

1. Gymnema Sylvestre - this herb has been used for more than 5 centuries to help regulate blood sugar. Ayurvedic health practitioners have relied heavily on the therapeutic benefits of the climbing leaves of this plant. Gymnema sylvestre is also referred to as 'gurmar,' which literally means 'killer of sugar.' Chewing gurmar leaves would interfere with a person's ability to taste sweetness. This only means that as the herb reduces the sweet taste in foods; your cravings for anything sweet may be greatly reduced too. This highly flexible herb also boosts insulin signaling and insulin receptor sensitivity.

2. Chromium - this is another ammunition nature has in fighting sugar. This mineral helps transport glucose from the bloodstream and moves it to the cells so it can produce needed energy. Chromium helps convert carbohydrates, fats and proteins into energy. It is also a vital component needed for healthy insulin function; as insulin won't do its job well without an ample supply of chromium. Although this mineral is present in many foods, recent survey shows that more than 90 percent of Americans have a chromium-deficient diet. More often than not, the culprit can be traced to packaged and commercially available foods. So it's very important that we make a resolve to eat real, natural and organic foods.

3. Banaba leaf extract - this has been used by people living in South Asia, the Philippines and India, taken as tea to aid in regulating blood sugar. The extract of a banaba leaf is considered very beneficial because it contains concentrated amounts of corosolic acid - an all-natural powerful compound that can be extracted from these leaves. The function of corosolic acid is very much similar to insulin: it transports sugar from your blood and moves it to your cells.

Blood sugar problems shouldn't be a cause for worry for someone who is living a healthy lifestyle with nutritious foods and ample exercise. If you haven't started living the healthy way, it's high time to begin now.