Unconventional Ideas that possibley help Diabetes

Studies in Denmark have shown that in Diabetics that the Probiotic's and Prebiotic's are imbalanced and different in those without Diabetes.  Also common is that the Micro flora is imbalanced in people who are obese as apposed to those that are thin. 

One of the things is that when you are having a more balanced and proper diet your balances in your intestinal tract will actually be much better therefore creating a more balanced blood glucose level.

As I was reading I understood that the over prescribing of antibiotics will kill off both good bacteria and bad bacteria that is inside of the Gastro Intestinal Tract.  This is also causing it harder for those with Diabetes and other Diseases to maintain health inside of their Intestines.  

In one of the articles I was reading they said,

Consider the fact that if you're eating conventionally-farmed meats, you're ingesting antibiotics with every bite, whether you know it, and approve of it, or not.

Source:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/03/02/diabetes-alert-your-gut-microflora-may-be-out-of-balance.aspx

After all, inside your gut is a living ecosystem, full of both good bacteria (probiotics) and bad bacteria that play a major role in your physical and mental health. So it's quite conceivable that a fundamental shift in your gut flora might make it easier to gain weight, and/or affect the delicate balance of leptin and insulin in your body.

Source:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/03/02/diabetes-alert-your-gut-microflora-may-be-out-of-balance.aspx


Knowing that we could make a difference if we understood the proper balance and ratio of the probiotics and prebiotics needed to assist in our insulin absorption then we ourselves would be able to help our own bodies to adjust the proper insulin proportions.

The results showed significant differences in intestinal populations of various bacterial groups between diabetics and non-diabetics. In particular, diabetics had fewer Firmicutes and more plentiful amounts of Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria, compared to non-diabetics.  

The problem with this is that most doctors do not prescribe this for their Diabetic Patients instead this has to be done by you or possibly your Naturopathic Doctor.  You might be scared to do this because you don't know exactly how much of what to take so you can balance that but there are solutions for that.  One way the article said was to stop consuming sugary foods.  Lower your grain intake and processed foods they said should help to build up the good bacteria to fight the bad bacteria and create a healthier gut

The article even goes further to say we should be eating foods within our nutritional type.  Wow, very interesting as I didn't even know I had a nutritional type except I was Diabetic and I needed to stay away from sugars and sugar products.

Here is a video Link that will help you to understand more about your nutritional type Watch it and be your own judge.  I am not promoting anything just bringing information to your attention.

This is only one of many ways that are unconventional in ways of treating Diabetes but if you are a person who tends to want to deal with your health on a more natural basis you may want to check out the information that Dr. Mercola has put out there on the Internet.  This is just one more piece of information that we can share and learn more about.  Anything we can do to make our Diabetes better then I say it is worth reading about. 

Don't stop taking your medicine make sure to discuss options with your doctor or health care professionals. 

Again if you are interested in being a guest blogger or would like to share something with us or have something you would like to ask about you can contact me at:  diabetic.day2013@Gmail.com or #DiabeticDay on twitter.

So whats the big fuss over Diabetics wearing shoes?

I am not one of those people who love the thought of wearing shoes all the time.  I am kind of down to earth and at heart a country girl.  I would rather be barefoot when I am home than anything else in this whole world.  That has all changed for me after being diagnosed with Diabetes.

Recently I have noticed these little skin spots on my feet that are causing me to wonder if I am not starting to have those foot issues that many of the Diabetics I know have had. I have been having little bits of skin tissue that is feeling much like a hang nail would on your fingers.  The thing is the other day in the middle of the night it kept catching on my blankets so I ripped it off without thinking maybe I should have cut it with my toenail clippers, anyway it started to hurt and so I noticed it looked a little red, I went to my medicine cabinet and I pulled out the peroxide, the tea tree oil and gave myself a good dose of both.  then I covered it with a breathable cloth bandage.  Lucky me It healed in just a couple of days, but the thought keeps crossing my mind that it could have been much worse for me.

As usual I began my research and began to gather information on Diabetic feet and the importance of the type of care they get.  I am sharing it with you and at the same time reminding you that there is so much information out there for us we just need to use it to care for ourselves better.

The problem for us as Diabetics is the nerve damage that is caused by having high blood glucose over a extended period of time.  The problem then becomes the fact that we often have less to no feeling in our feet.  If we were to cut ourselves or have some other injury, we might never ever know it because we would not be able to feel it.  This then is why we find it so important to do a self foot check ever day.

If we can not feel our sores or our injuries it could lead to infections that if not treated can cause us to get our feet and legs amputated.  Pressure sores often cause this issue, so that is why we need certain types of shoes to minimize those sore spots or pressure sores. It also helps us prevent injuries to our feet by wearing shoes. 

There are a few great websites and pages I am going to share with you regarding this subject and great plans to help us take care of our feet.

The site below is one of the best on educating us as Diabetics about our Disease and the Complications. 
Take Care of Your Feet for a Lifetime{National Diabetes Education Program}

This website is also good it is there with information that is from many different sources.
Your Guide to Diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2/The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse

With Diabetes it is important to know that certain types of shoes can create these pressure sores on us and also the materials that we have in our shoes is important.  We need shoes that breath, not plastic or rubber.  We need enough room that our toes can move around, we need shoes that are not pointed such as high heels which also puts much pressure on our toes.  Open toe shoes are dangerous because we leave are feet open for various injuries, sun burns etc.  If you do wear high heels make sure they are for short periods of time.

The best thing to do is talk to your doctor about the shoes and also look on line there are many shoe companies available to us even shoes like New Balance, and Dr. Comfort. Many more just type in Diabetic Shoes and hit your search button.

I am learning more and more each day as I blog and when things are happening to me.  I reach out so that I can also help others in our Diabetic Communities to stay informed and be as healthy as we can be.  Share all the information you have with others and take time to learn more about what Diabetes is.

If you have any questions or would like to be a guest blogger or even just want to connect with me contact me at:  diabetic.day2013@gmail.com or #DiabeticDay on twitter.

Here is a few really good food sources for natural help with controling your sugar

This beautiful little baby is called a Tart Cherry and studies that were done at the University of Michigan show that it has some great benefits for those of us with Diabetes.  They have what is called Anthocyanins, this is what gives them there beautiful red color.  Colorful is very good for our bodies as long as we know what is non-poisonous.  Eating about a cup and a half of Tart Cherries can boost your antioxidants for approximately 12 hours.  They suggest that eating fresh ones are even better than the frozen ones because they loose their nutritional value by up to 50% when they are frozen.  So, it is a good food to take into consideration when you are eating for your health.  Diabetic Friendly!

Oh these gorgeous little fiber filled beans.  As a Diabetic you know that they recommend us to eat these little beauties.  They are high in protein and have a bunch of antioxidants once again they have an increased amount of anthocyanin pigments.

 These dark beans also contain polyphenols, which prevent cholesterol from forming plaque and clogging blood vessels, and in turn decrease your risk for diabetes-related blood vessel inflammation and heart disease.
Source:  http://www.everydayhealth.com/type-2-diabetes-pictures/colorful-diabetes-fighting-foods.aspx#/slide-3

This beautiful little Black Berry is not really a berry at all instead its really and aggregate fruit.  This means that each little seeded fruit is attached to the core kind of like corn kernels on an ear.  The great thing about Black Berries is that they are full of great things that are great for Diabetics.  For one they are full of dietary fiber and we know that fiber is great for us Diabetics, they have polyunsaturated fats which really do the opposite of most fats in that they actually lower your bad cholesterol.  They help us to have a healthier heart.
Antioxidants are another great benefit of this berry and again the  anthocyanin pigments in the berry are high as well. 
Blackberries are rich in antioxidants. They have anthocyanins, which will work to prevent the effects of aging, cancer and neurological diseases. They also help to fight diabetes and bacterial infections. The ellagic acid in blackberries can help to reduce blood pressure. Blackberries contain rutin, which is a flavonoid that works to improve blood circulation. It also acts as an anti-inflammatory and can lower the risk of heart disease. The Gallic acid in blackberries is an anti-fungal and anti-viral antioxidant that is used to help treat psoriasis and hemorrhoids. Blackberries also contain p-coumaric acid which can lower the risk of stomach cancer. Vitamins A and C work together as antioxidants to help strengthen the immune system and fight free radicals.
Source:  http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/the-nutrition-of-blackberries.html

Absorbs Blood Sugar: The main trouble of diabetes is that foods that are broken down into sugar do not get absorbed into the body cells due to lack of insulin. According to a study conducted by University of Sydney, ginger helps the body's cells absorb sugar without the help of insulin. This is a revolutionary discovery that would help control diabetes without insulin injections. The gingerols present in ginger control diabetes or the high blood sugar levels of an individual by aiding the absorption of sugar into the muscles.
Read more at: http://www.boldsky.com/health/disorders-cure/2012/ginger-diabetes-benefits-030371.html

Researchers found that people who were overweight and had insulin resistance, a condition that usually precedes diabetes, improved their insulin sensitivity and decreased their risk of getting type 2 diabetes by eating blueberry smoothies for six weeks.
Source:  http://www.everydayhealth.com/type-2-diabetes-pictures/colorful-diabetes-fighting-foods.aspx#/slide-5

The team also discovered that the Beauregard variety of sweet potatoes - which makes up about 85 percent of the production in North Carolina - has essentially the same protein patterns as a commercial dietary supplement known as Caiapo, marketed to control blood glucose in diabetics. Developed by Japanese scientists, Caiapo is derived from the peel of white-skinned sweet potatoes, which have been consumed in Japan for many years as a remedy for anemia, hypertension and diabetes. 
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/magazine/winter07/diabetes.html

Testing shows that the levels of antioxidants in blue corn are even higher than those found in blueberries. Animal studies suggest that blue corn antioxidants help protect against obesity and diabetes.
Source:  http://www.everydayhealth.com/type-2-diabetes-pictures/colorful-diabetes-fighting-foods.aspx#/slide-7

There is so much more than we could ever imagine out there for us to learn about.  I think that as we learn about our food sources and the benefits that some of them have for us as Diabetics and Pre-Diabetics then we can learn more about control of our blood sugars.  Whats wrong with changing the color of our diets?  I think we may enjoy these foods just as much and maybe we can teach those out there about living a healthier life style with colorful foods. 

Let's keep this conversation going so many wonderful things to read and learn.  As we do this lets also share and talk and keep communication happening between us as Diabetics in a large community and share with those that care for us. 

If you are interested in being a guest blogger or have some information to share or an idea to share connect with me at diabetic.day2013@gmail.com or on g+ and twitter at #DiabeticDay.

Diabetic and sleep I am affected how about you.

Every night I get tired around 10:00pm and am in bed sleeping by about that time, but I don't stay asleep.  It doesn't seem to matter if I have had a snack before bed or if I have not.  The same thing occurs nightly.  I wake up and can not get to sleep.  It probably happens at least 4 or 5 times throughout the night.

I have been talking to my doctor about the problem of sleeplessness, and I have really been in what you might call a quandary of sorts.  I have been told that not sleeping well can be affecting my blood sugar and at the same time having high blood sugar could be causing my sleeping problems.  Hmm, what do I do?

So after thinking about it for a few days I decided the best thing to do was research it myself and find out why I am going through this and what is really happening to my body.  Here is the information I found and I hope it helps others to understand what is happening to them.

According to Mahowald, the body's reaction to sleep loss can resemble insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes. Insulin’s job is to help the body use glucose for energy. In insulin resistance, cells fail to use the hormone efficiently, resulting in high blood sugar. At night when we are supposed to be sleeping if our sugar is high most likely our kidneys are active and trying to get rid of the excess that is in our bodies making us urinate frequently.  This is one source of our sleeping issues.  On the other hand sleeping issues raise our blood sugars so what can we do about these things.
Source:  http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/diabetes-lack-of-sleep

“In general, people with diabetes have to be very careful about sleep because anything that throws off their routine can make them feel a lack of energy and fatigue,” says Zafarlotfi. “The more fatigued they feel, the more their motor is running, and the more likely they are to develop insulin deficiencies.
“Proper sleep is as important as diet for people with diabetes,” she says.
Source:  http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/diabetes-lack-of-sleep?page=2

In some of our cases we may even obtain a problem called sleep Apnea.  If you are Diabetic and overweight this is something that can cause some other severe issues besides just our Diabetes risks increase.  Those problems can be hand in hand with both our sleep Disorder (Apnea), and our Diabetes.

Sleep apnea can prevent a person from getting a good night sleep, which can worsen diabetes or perhaps increase the risk of developing diabetes. In sleep studies, you are monitored while you sleep for sleep disorders such sleep apnea.
Source:  http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/diabetes-lack-of-sleep?page=2

Sleep woes -- not getting enough sleep or poor quality of sleep -- can have serious consequences. "Not having enough good sleep is linked to the major health problems of our time: hypertension, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, weight gain, and dementia," Shives says.
Source:  http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/sleepy-all-the-time

There are a many good sources out there that have information on sleep issues and Diabetes.  There are also many articles out there on how you can get better sleep and ways you can manage the stresses that may cause sleep issues.  For us as Diabetics we must learn better ways of keeping our sugar under control.  We need to eat as good as we can and sleep as good as we can so we can stay as healthy as we can.

Its up to each one of us to get informed and share what we know with others who are Diabetic or caretakers of Diabetics.  If you have an idea for a blog or information to share or would like to be a guest blogger, contact me at diabetic.day2013@gmail.com.