How our Weight is affected by Diabetes

I was diagnosed at the age of 11 years with being borderline Diabetic.  I was always a chubby kid when I was growing up.  A little over weight for me at 5ft 5in.  I was told then I had to control my weight and my foods or I would become Diabetic in the future.  Unfortunate for me I had a mom who cooked very country foods and I guess because I was the last child at home she wanted me to feel not alone so much so she let me eat sweets much to often.  I don't think she realized the seriousness of what my pediatrician had told us. 
It was in the 70's.

As an adult living with Diabetes I now know that what I had done up to the time of being told I was diabetic was really only harming me.  I didn't listen to what doctors said to me either about losing weight, or I had been told that I had Celiac Disease, which causes a problem from any type of products with gluten in it. 
That was a key fact I should have listened to, but didn't.  I never really understood why I was always craving noodles, starchy foods.

The fact is many things can play a part on why a Diabetic is having weight Issues.  To understand
more about this I did some reading and researched the why's of Diabetes and Weight.

1.  Our body converts digestible Carbohydrates into Blood Glucose (Sugar)
2.  Our Blood Glucose can affect how much energy we have and how hungry we get and how
      energetic we  feel.
3.  This determines if we will store fat or if we will burn the fat.

Our pancreas creates a hormone called insulin that transports blood sugar into our body's cells where it is used for energy. When we eat refined grains that have had most of their fiber stripped away, sugar, or other carbohydrate-rich foods that are quickly processed into blood sugar, the pancreas goes into overtime to produce the insulin necessary for all this blood sugar to be used for energy. This insulin surge tells our body that plenty of energy is readily available and that it should stop burning fat and start storing it.
  However, the greater concern with the insulin surge is not that it tells our body to start storing fat. Whatever we eat and don't burn up eventually gets turned into fat anyway.
 Source:  http://www.caloriesperhour.com/tutorial_sugar.php

 There are things to watch for regarding Carbohydrates.  Here is a list of things and a great source for information regarding Carbohydrates.  

1.  Simple Carbohydrates, such as sugar, sucrose, fructose, lactose, glucose any of the ones ending in "ose".
2.  Hidden Sugars in Processed Foods, Peanut butter, applesauce, jelly, canned fruits, ketchup, soups,
     salad dressing....etc.
3.  Beverages also hold large amounts of sugars, so be careful to watch how much they have. 
     Try to stay on  the low end of the sugar count. 
4.  Fat Free Products often replace the lack of taste of being fat free with sugar.  Be aware of this fact
     and check your labels on packages.
5.  Cereal is another one that uses deceptive ways to change sugar content but still remain high in sugars.
     They do this by calories, carbohydrates, fat, fiber and other nutrients that are almost identical to
     the full-sugar cereals. Always Check labels on products and try to stay to more Raw grain products.
6.  Things that say No Sugar Added does not mean they don't contain natural sugars.  Most of your fruit    
      items will contain Fructose a natural form of sugar,
Source:  http://www.caloriesperhour.com/tutorial_sugar.php

I hope this has helped in understanding the breakdown of what creates our weight and why we have so much of an issue with trying to take it off.  It seems that our body is quite confused when we have this Diabetic Disease.  It doesn't know when to store fat and when not to thus weight becomes an issue for us.  The best way to fix this is to maintain a good Diabetic Diet and exercise program.  There are many good sources out there on the internet and in our communities for Diabetics.  Use your resources and if there isn't anything then start one.  I bet your community would love to have a free Diabetic exercise program. 

We as a community will win the battle over this disease with continued support and dialog among us.  If you have a story or a blog idea, even if you just have a question or want to chat contact me at :  diabetic.day2013@gmail.com.

Feet, Feet Beautiful Painful Cracking Ulcered Feet. Ouch!

If you are like me I have always loved to be barefoot and enjoy feeling things under my feet.  Now that I am Diabetic I can no longer enjoy the thrill of being barefoot. 

Diabetes does some interesting things to the body, but one of the worst things it does is it messes with the brain and the nerves that care for our feet.  The brain needs to be able to send messages and receive messages to and from the feet. 

Chronic Glucose levels can damage the Nervous System.  The nerves are what sends and receives the messages from the brain about pain.  The Nervous System receives messages from our environment and how the body is affected by it through our five senses. Source:  http://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/diabetes/how-diabetes-affects-the-feet.htm  The greatest problem then occurs when your feet as a Diabetic can not send the information about pain to your brain and the environmental information needed to detect problems with the feet, this is caused to over exposure of glucose to the Nervous System.

Things that may seem minor to most people such as scrapes, cuts, blisters, or cracking in the skin are not minor things to those of us with Diabetes.  A staggering 60% of all amuputations bellow the knee are from People with Diabetes. 

Along with Nervous System issues we also have Peripheral Vascular Disease for 1 out of 3 people with Diabetes over the age of 50.  This means narrowing and stiffeness of the arteries in the legs making a lack of oxygen and blood flow and nutrients to affected area's in the lower extremeties.  This makes it harder for a Diabetic person to be able to heal. This is also called Peripheral Artery Disease. 

This all leads to Diabetic Neuropathy or numbness in the feet and legs making it harder to tell if you have been injured or have any unusual cuts or skin problems in your feet and legs. 

How you should care for your feet being Diabetic:  Every day you should check your feet for any abnormalities, cracking between your toes and on your heel, bottom of your feet for cuts and blisters on your entire feet. 

Make sure your doctor checks your feet on a routine basis as well, if they dont then ask them to because it is part of your regular check up and the sooner you find an injury on your foot the faster you can have treatment for it.  Remember you run a risk of it becoming amputated if left untreated. 

1.  Take care of your Diabetes
2.  Check your feet Daily
3.  Make sure you get an annual foot examination by your physician
4.  Stay Active it gives a better chance for good circulation in your legs feet and for your heart.
5.  Trim your toe nails if you can or have a Foot Care Professional do it.
6.  Wear Shoes and Socks
7.  Protect your feet from Hot and Cold as they affect the blood vessels in your feet and your circulation.
8.  Keep blood flowing to your feet and legs by not crossing your legs, moving your feet and legs several
     times a day, and put your feet up if you can when sitting. 
9.  Make a routine to check your feet at the same time daily so you will get into a habbit of it.

After bathing or showering make sure your feet are dried off good especially in between the toes.  Make sure you moisturize them with skin care lotion to maintain a non dry skin to prevent cracking in the skin. 

Remembering it is up to each one of us to insure that we still are up and going, taking care of our feet is a priority for us as Diabetics.  Follow a daily routine of check our feet and staying active will help us to maintain better foot care.  There are shoes and socks for Diabetics that make foot care easier. 

We are together on this and as long as we stay in a community that supports each other and offers information for each other then we can stay healthier and improve our lives. 

If you have a story a comment or something you would like to share with me please contact me at diabetic.day2013@gmail.com.  I cant wait to hear from you.

Natural Helps and Diabetes

We all have heard of different types of things that are out there and supposed to help us with Diabetes instead of having to take our perscription meds.  Even though we have heard of things we dont really get the information we properly need to know if that is the direction we should go or try.

So let me start out by giving you some of the names of these Natural herbs and plants dealing with Diabetes.  North American Ginseng, Chromium, Magnesium, Cinnamon, Zinc, Aloe Vera Gel, Vanadium, Momordica Charantia, Nopal, Fenugreek, Gymnema.

1.  North American Ginseng:  Diabetes

Several human studies found that American ginseng lowered blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. The effect was seen both on fasting blood sugar and on postprandial (after eating) glucose levels. One study found that people with type 2 diabetes who took American ginseng before or together with a high sugar drink experienced less of an increase in blood glucose levels. However, more research is needed.
One study using mice found that the American ginseng berry was more effective at lowering blood sugar levels than the root.  Source: American ginseng | University of Maryland Medical Center http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/american-ginseng#ixzz2ZhP5Wojb 

2.  Chromium:   Diabetes

Researchers have studied the effects of chromium supplements for type 2 diabetes for many years. While some clinical studies have found no benefit, other clinical studies have reported that chromium supplements may reduce blood sugar levels as well as the amount of insulin people with diabetes need.
In one double-blind, placebo-controlled study, people with type 2 diabetes who took chromium picolinate had better HbA1c values -- used to measure long-term control of blood sugar levels -- than those who took placebo. The group taking chromium also had better fasting blood glucose levels, a measure of short-term control of blood sugar levels.
Another double-blind, placebo-controlled study looked at a combination of chromium and biotin. Half the people in the study took chromium picolinate and biotin, and the other half took placebo. Those who took chromium and biotin had better fasting glucose levels as well as HbA1c values.
One study found that women who have diabetes as a result of being pregnant improved their blood sugar control when they took chromium.
But not all studies agree, and if chromium does help reduce blood glucose, it’s not clear how big the benefit might be. More research is needed.  Source: Chromium | University of Maryland Medical Center http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/chromium#ixzz2ZhQHYmQ6

3.  Magnesium:  Magnesium and diabetesDiabetes is a disease resulting in insufficient production and/or inefficient use of insulin. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas. Insulin helps convert sugar and starches in food into energy to sustain life. There are two types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is most often diagnosed in children and adolescents, and results from the body's inability to make insulin. Type 2 diabetes, which is sometimes referred to as adult-onset diabetes, is the most common form of diabetes. It is usually seen in adults and is most often associated with an inability to use the insulin made by the pancreas. Obesity is a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. In recent years, rates of type 2 diabetes have increased along with the rising rates of obesity.  Source: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/

4.  Cinnemon:  Researchers have been investigating a number of powerful natural agents that can help you stabilize your blood sugar, and once again, cinnamon has proven itself as a viable contender in the fight against diabetes, as the study in Diabetic Medicine reveals.(1)  Source:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercola/cinnamon-diabetes-_b_839487.html

5.  Zinc:  According to Ayyalusamy Ramamoorthy, a professor of chemistry and of biophysics,  amylin,  a protein forms dense clumps that shut down insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, and disrupts the body’s ability to control  blood sugar levels. Zinc  may help prevent this disruption that amylin causes.  Source:  http://howtogetwellfaster.com/health-2/nutrition/does-zinc-help-type-2-diabetes

6.  Aloe Vera Gel: 
The first study was conducted by Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand. Thirty six human type 2 diabetics were treated with 2 tablespoons of 80% aloe vera juice. There was also a control group of 36 patients, who did not receive the trreatment. All 72 patients had similar blood glucose levels at the begininng of the study.
By the end of week two of the study, the aloe vera consuming group had lowered their fasting blood glucose by 17 percent. By the end of six weeks, this group had lowered their fasting blood glucose 57 percent (43 percent of the starting value).  Source:   http://www.diabeteswellbeing.com/aloe-vera-and-diabetes.html

7.  Vanadium: 
Vanadium is a mineral. It was named for the Norse goddess of beauty, Vanadis, because of its beautiful colors. Vanadium supplements are used as medicine.
Vanadium is used for treating diabetes, low blood sugar, high cholesterol, heart disease, tuberculosis, syphilis, a form of “tired blood” (anemia), and water retention (edema); for improving athletic performance in weight training; and for preventing cancer. 
Source:   http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-749-VANADIUM.aspx?activeIngredientId=749&activeIngredientName=VANADIUM
How does it work? There is some evidence that vanadium might act like insulin, or help to increase the effects of insulin.

8.  Momordica Charantia:  Three randomised controlled trials with up to three months duration and investigating 350 participants met the inclusion criteria. Risk of bias of these trials (only one study was published as a full peer-reviewed publication) was generally high. Two RCTs compared the effect of preparations from different parts of the momordica charantia plants and placebo on the glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus. There was no statistically significant difference compared to placebo. The effects of preparation from the leaves of the plant and glibenclamide were comparable in the third trial. No serious adverse effects were reported in all the trials. There were no documentations of death from any cause, morbidity, (health-related) quality of life and costs.  Source:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20166099

9.  Nopal:  Although research on nopal as a treatment for diabetes is somewhat contradictory, there is some evidence to suggest that the plant has a mild blood-sugar lowering effect. The raw plant contains complex carbohydrate and fiber, which may help to slow glucose digestion and absorption. Dried prickly pear capsules are popular both in Mexico and the United States, but while a study has shown that this supplement may help to lower cholesterol levels, there is not good evidence to support the use of nopal capsules for the treatment of diabetes Source:  http://diabetes.about.com/od/nutrition/a/Nopal.htm

10.  Fenugreek:  How does fenugreek work to help fight diabetes? One study reports that a substance called 4-hydroxyisoleucine, isolated from the seeds of the herb, has shown significant potential as an anti-diabetic agent because it suppressed progression of type 2 diabetes in mice by improving insulin sensitivity and uptake of glucose. Fenugreek contains fiber and pectin, which may help lower blood glucose.  Source:  http://www.emaxhealth.com/1275/fenugreek-type-2-diabetes

11.  Gymnema:  How does it work? Gymnema contains substances that decrease the absorption of sugar from the intestine. Gymnema may also increase the amount of insulin in the body and increase the growth of cells in the pancreas, which is the place in the body where insulin is made. 
Source:  http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-841-GYMNEMA.aspx?activeIngredientId=841&activeIngredientName=GYMNEMA

Here we have some of the most affective natural substances Plants and Herbs that can help with Diabetes.  Make sure you read up on it and discuss it with your doctor and always follow the best form of control for your Diabetes.  Consult with your physician before going out on a limb and trying to cut yourself off from medications you may be taking and also there could be interactions between the medications you take currently. 

Together as a community we can learn.  We can help each other with information and support.  If you or anyone you know is Diabetic or is a caretaker of a Diabetic and have something to share or just have information to share contact me at diabetic.day2013@gmail.com .