Why do so many struggle with Diabetes

I work in the building industry and also write another blog called Green Building Ideas. I am not writing this post to promote my other blog. I am writing to talk about the people I work with in this industry.

I find myself at luncheons, meetings or just around the work place running into other diabetics. I am always surprised at how I find out others are diabetic. Someone will offer me a treat and I will say no thank you I am diabetic. Almost always someone will say "oh don't worry about it I am diabetic too". I see people all the time eating cookies or some other sugary treat and the are diabetic.

I work hard at keeping my blood sugar inline and keeping my weight down. I have been very successful and I do not want to lose ground. But I also seem to get advice from these same people eating the treats at how it is not a big deal and don't worry about what you eat so much.

I have observed these same people since knowing they have diabetes and have found they seem to have more health issues than their coworkers. Now I have to assume that if they worked a little harder at taking care of their diabetes they may not have these issues.

As we go into this New Year and decide on the New Year resolutions, diabetic should put controlling their diabetes at the top.

Eating proper foods, exercising and getting the right nutrients should be every diabetic New Year's resolution. I know it will be mine!

Diabetic Holidays

Diabetics get frustrated during these holiday times. So many sweets and unhealthy treats around the house make it hard to keep that blood sugar in line. Thanksgiving has now passed and how did you do with all that food? Keeping the proper balance of diet during the holidays can be very hard. I try and stay with the nuts when I feel I need to have a treat like the rest of the family.

Keeping my diet inline during the holidays has to be one of the hardest things for me. All the candy was my favorite part of the holidays. My kids have a hard time buying me gifts because they used to just get me candy. Now they have a harder time getting me a gift. Having your family understand diabetes helps them to reduce the temptations. I even have neighbors that refrain from the candy giving because of my diabetes. I think this is great. Everyone needs to cut back on the amount of sugar that is consumed during the holidays. It all starts at Halloween.

Some of the treats that get made at our house are Chex mix bowls, trail mix and lots of fruit. This allows me to have a treat to grab but keeps the sugar down. I struggle more with my fat content now than I do with sugar.

I am trying to put together some recipes or ideas to help people with diabetes through the holidays. PLEASE post your input here so others may find them.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and may you have blessed Christmas!

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Diabetic Diet

The American Diabetes Associates is a great resources for different diabetic diets. Finding a diet that works for you is what is most important. Achieving long term success is key to controlling diabetes for the rest of your life.

My diabetic diet was designed personally by a hospital dietitian. It is not always easy but I have found it works and is something I can do for ever. It was a change in lifestyle but a change for the better.

I have been on my diabetic diet for over a year and have found it to be my way of eating for life. I have lost 65 pounds and keep it off. I do slip from time to time but I have kept my weight within 5 pound for about a year.

This is a very simple diet and does not take much measuring or reading once you have been doing it for a while. Here is the easy formula I use.

Keep your Carbohydrates under 200 each day.

Keep your fat intake under 5 grams each day.

Eat more from the green vegetable and lean meats.

Stay away from sugar and white flour. Eat more from whole grains.

I also keep my calorie count under 2100 per day.

These key points will keep you away from the foods that are bad for weight gain and diabetic. As you start studying calories, carb and fat grams you will find that vegetables are the key to hitting these numbers.

A great rule of thumb for an average meal would be like this: A portion of meat slightly larger than a deck of cards. A light yogurt or small portion of fruit. Then fill up on broccoli or a green salad with fat free dressing.

Snacking between meals is great some dried fruit or low fat granola bars.

One treat I do have a couple of times a week is a Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich. Only 140 calories and low in fat. They even taste good.

I hope this is some help to those looking for a better eating lifestyle or someone trying to control their diabetes.

Creating a great meal plan and watching how you eat and what you eat is the start of a successful diabetic life.

If you are counting carbs the best resource is the Atkins diet book.

Click Here for My Complete Diabetic Store

Exercising with Diabetes

I was diagnosed with diabetes 14 months ago. In the first 10 months I was so faithful at exercising every night. During the summer I started to slip and only get to it a few nights a week until I had stopped. I am just getting back on my exercise program.

Exercising with diabetes is so important and sometimes hard to keep doing. Here are a few top reasons for keeping with the exercise program.

• Exercising helps maintain your healthy weight.
• Exercising helps maintain your muscle mass which helps with the absorption of sugars.
• Exercising helps the blood circulation in the body. This is extremely important to help reduce the risks of loss of limbs.
• Exercising reduces the risk of heart disease which is more prevalent in people with diabetes.
• Exercising helps to keep blood sugar down and reduce the spike.

I have noticed the difference when I was exercising and when I am not. The biggest difference for me is my energy level. I tend to get fatigued easier and less energy. I have also gained a few pounds that I need to work off.

I know how important exercising is to maintain our healthy bodies and it is even more important for people with diabetes. I encourage everyone to keep a good consistent exercising program going. I will get back on my plan and you stay on yours.

(My plan is listed down the page to the left side)

Diabetic Help

Benifits of Olive Oil

When I was first Diagnosed with diabetes I went to a dietitian. She created a meal plan for me to follow. It consisted of a low fat and low carbohydrate diet. One point she did make was to use olive oil in as many foods as possible and to replace butter with olive oil. I asked why olive oil? it is very high in fat. I was then educated on the great benefits of olive oil.
Yes olive oil is rich in calories and high in fat, but it has mono saturated fatty acids and omega 3 fatty acids that act as natural cholesterol controlling agents. 70% of olive oil is made of mono saturated fatty acids and 9% with PUFA (Ploy Unsaturated Fatty Acids). The powerful oleic acid in olive oil has a lot of benefits. Oleic acid in olive oil makes your arterial walls more flexible and clears the fat deposition in the walls of the arteries. Medical reports revealed that oleic acid in olive oil has the special property to destroy the bad cholesterol (LDL) that causes heart attack and arteriosclerosis. We all know what LDL does to our arterial walls. This actually settles in your arterial walls which finally results in the formation of plague in your arteries. Your arteries may turn rigid because of this deposition and plague formation thus resulting in the deadliest heart disease-'arteriosclerosis'.
Olive oil has even more benefits such as the special ability to suppress the cancer causing gene. It not only shields you from the killer disease but also prevents you from the onset of diabetes. Abdominal fat is the main cause for diabetes. Olive rich Italian diet clears the excess fat from thighs and abdomen thereby giving a smart look. Olive oil is rich in vitamin E and F. these vitamins are prime requirement to stimulate hair growth, strengthen hair and repair breakage. Olive oil will also rejuvenates your skin and refresh your tissues making for a healthier looking skin. So with all of these benefits olive oil is a great choice to add to your every day diet.
I now use olive oil in almost all of my cooking, I sprinkle some on my whole wheat pasta and add it in my salad dressings. It has a very distinct taste that some people don't like but I have found that I like the flavor it adds. There are many different types so experiment with several to find which suits you the best.
Find more information about the benefits, recipes and other interesting facts on olive oil at Amazon. Here are some of the top books Amazon has to offer about olive oil.

Green Beauty Products

Great Cook Books For Diabetics

Here are some great cookbooks to help prepare some great diabetic meals.

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Amazon offers a great selection of diabetic books and other resourse items.

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Creating a great meal plan and watching how you eat and what you eat is the start of a successful diabetic life.

If you are counting carbs the best resourse is the Atkiens diet book.

Click Here for My Complete Diabetic Store

American Diabetes Association

The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight against the deadly consequences of diabetes and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. Founded in 1940, our mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit www.diabetes.org. Information from both these sources is available in English and Spanish. Find out what is happening in your area.

To fulfill this mission, the American Diabetes Association funds research, publishes scientific findings, provides information and other services to people with diabetes, their families, health professionals and the public. The Association is also actively involved in advocating for scientific research and for the rights of people with diabetes.

This was taken directly from the About page at Diabetes.org

This site has great information on diabetes and tips to help. Visit the message board and learn how others are managing their diabetes.

Take a look at yourself!

What is your lifestyle!

Changing your lifestyle may have great benifits

Nutritional supplements are in every home. There are miles of floor spaces devoted to nutritional supplements in retail stores. Health food stores are popping up in neighborhoods across the globe everyday. New multi level marketing companies form every year. Nutritional supplements, vitamins, diet products, energy supplements and alternative medicines have become a multi billion dollar industry.

Why has this become such a thriving industry?

Take a look at the people around you and what do you see? We are a society of people on the run and lack of time to keep ourselves healthy. Go to any elementary school and see how many students are over weight.

The average person gets up in the morning and rushes to eat something quick before they run out the door to start there busy day. Then a quick lunch from a fast food stop close to work or a microwave lunch in the company break room. The end the day is a large meal, before retiring in front of the television for the evening. Not counting the several soda pops or energy drinks, accompanied with some sort of candy.

After several years of this type of behavior we are all in search of the magic potion that can reverse the years of abuse. Over weight, out of shape, run down and looking for the youth we once had. We look to the shelves in the store for something to transform us and cure us from the elements that plague us.

Many times it is too late to reverse the effects of a poor diet and lack of exercise. But it is never too late to try and you may even thank yourself for making it happen.

Diabetes and heart disease can be the result of poor diet, over weight and lack of exercise. Dropping the weight, controlling your diabetes and adding exercise can reduce the later complications of diabetes a whopping 56%. Diabetes can not be cured but it can be controlled and the benefits are well worth it.



There are many nutritional supplements that say they can reverse the effects of diabetes. Many people look for the easy path to deal with this disease. Taking a few medications and a hand full of supplements is much easier than changing their life style. The multi billion dollar industry then thrives.

Nutritional supplements are a well needed product in out lives. They can help almost every person in some way. Getting the right balance of nutrients is very important. Many of the process foods we eat lack the proper nutrients that were once in them. There are thousands of different products on the market that can help but it is finding the proper balance of vitamins and minerals. Each of us may need different nutrients based on the foods we eat.

It is easy to get over whelmed with the information that is available on nutritional products that are available today. The American Diabetes Associates or a diabetic nutritionist is the best place to start if you are dealing with diabetes.
If you have diabetes and want to create this healthier life style don't forget the ultimate combination.

1. Get to your proper weight
2. Eat a proper diet that is suited for people with diabetes
3. Exercise every day
4. Get the proper nutrients that your body needs.

I am the person I described in the beginning of this article. My life style was very poor and now I have diabetes to help me live a better and healthier life style. My endocrinologist told me on my first visit that, if I followed this plan I would be healthier and fell better than I ever had. One year later I will agree. I have a disease to deal with the rest of my life but it is controllable with the proper combination.

I am a firm believer in nutritional supplements. A combination of supplements has made a big difference in managing my diabetes.

This comes from my other blog http://www.squidoo.com/Diabeticcombo

This post can also be found Brown Clee Care http://browncleecare.co.uk/what-is-your-diabetic-lifestyle

My Multi Vitamin Experiment

After being diagnosed with diabetes and a A1c number of 11.7 I was put on a high dose of Benicar, Janumet and Actos. I met with a diabetic nutritionalist and began a diet low in carbohydrates, low fat and no sugars. I ate a lot of vegetables and some fruit. I also ate from the nuts and grains keeping the fat content low. I was keeping my blood sugar readings in a range of 110-190. I exercised for 30 minutes a day along with my active work schedule. After 5 months my A1c was at 8.9 and my blood pressure was in line. But I was not satisfied with these results. I had done everything and more that the doctors wanted but still not good enough for me.

I began studying about antioxidants, omega 3 and many different foods. I had found that omega 3 would help the high blood pressure and high triglycerides. It would help with the blood circulation. I also found that the antioxidants would help with the spikes that are so common with different foods. This is where I decided to create my own experiment.

I began taking a diabetic multi vitamin from Nature Made. This seemed to keep my blood sugar reading lower. I also started taking a product called Kyani Sunrise, a powerful antioxidant. This helped even more with my blood sugar readings. But I was unsure which was helping the most. So I began my experiment.

I went off of all my different vitamins and cut my medications in half for 10 days. At the end of 10 days I picked a day and went for 5 hours without any food. I tested my blood sugar and it was at 92. I then ate a large poppy seed muffin. After two hours I check my blood sugar and got a reading of 223. I now this is not the proper way to control diabetes but this was my test.

I then went back on the diabetic multi vitamin for ten days. I keep my medications reduced to half. I then conducted the same poppy seed test. My blood sugar readings after two hours were 189. So the multi vitamin did help. I then added the Kyani Sunrise and Sunset to my diet and removed the multi vitamin. At ten days I did the poppy seed test. After two hours my blood sugar readings were 167. So the Kyani help more than the multi vitamin.

I then decided for one last test. I combined the multi vitamin and the Kyani products. Remember that I was still following my diet and exercising. After ten days I conducted the poppy seed test. Two hours after eating the muffin my reading was 141. This is what I was trying to achieve. This is the combination that seemed to work and I keep my medication reduced to half. I also never have had a problem with low blood sugar, so this was not a issue for me. These products may affect a person with low blood sugar differently.

I have been doing this combination for 3 months and had a full check up and blood test. My A1c is at 4.7 and my blood pressure is perfect. If I calculate the savings from reducing my medications in half I easily pay for all the multi vitamins and Kyani each month. I can eat more foods and not have the spikes I use to have.

I believe the combination of proper diet, exercise, Kyani and multi vitamins has contributed to my success in controlling my diabetes. I don’t know if this works for everyone but it sure works for me. I am healthier than I have ever been. I am more active and have more energy than before. I am please with my results and I hope to share these results with anyone that I can.

If you have any interest in learning more about my success please e-mail me stevefeller21@msn.com. I will send you my diet, exercise plan and what products I take.

My Diabetic Story

My story begins in January of 2007. I had set a New Years goal to weigh 190 pound. I had studied many topics around the Law of Attraction. I had my morning affirmations that I would weigh 190. I did this every day and tried to eat healthier.

My first signs began in June of 2007. I was having problems with my eye sight and problems with heartburn and stomach related problems. I ignored the signs and continued believing that I weighed 190 pounds. I then started dropping pound very rapidly. I was at one point losing 2 pounds a day. My first thought was great the Law of Attraction is working. When I hit 220 pounds I was getting very sick so I began eating more to try and help. I still continued to lose more. I began to seek medical attention at this point.

I was diagnosed with diabetes in September of 2007. Prior to January I weighed 265 pounds. I did not exercise or eat a very good diet. I worked a stressful job and ate on the run most of the time. I had lived this life style for many years. When I went into the doctor they started questioning if my family had diabetes. I had no one on my side with diabetes. They did a quick blood test and my life began to change.

My blood test maxed out there meter at 500. My A1c was determined to be 11.7. The acceptable number should be below 7. I was immediately put on three different medication. Benicar for my blood pressure, Janumet and Actos for the diabetes. I was put on a fairly high dose.

In the first of December I had my second blood test. My A1c was at 8.9 and my blood pressure was getting better. I had been reading books on different diets. I had been working with a diabetic nutritionist and exercising every day. I had done everything the doctor asked and worked at getting my numbers in line the best I could. I was discouraged by these results.

I began searching for alternative products that would help get my numbers in line when I began studying the benefits of antioxidants and omega 3. My wife’s cousin introduced us to a network marketing company called Kyani. I hate network marketing and never wanted to get involved. But when I started studying the products they had I was amazed to find that Kyani had exactly what I was looking for.

Kyani Sunrise is a powerful antioxidant made from wild Alaskan blueberries. This product is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. I quickly placed an order and began taking one ounce a day.

Kyani Sunset is a omega 3 made from Alaskan salmon with a powerful vitamin E. I also included this in my new diet. This product helps with the high blood pressure, high triglycerides and better circulation.

In my studies I found that I still was lacking some of the important vitamins and minerals a diabetic needs. I found a product manufactured by Nature Made called Diabetic Health Pack. I also included this in my regiment of products.

I continue to eat healthy, exercise and take my new vitamins and Kyani। I had my last blood test in April and wow what great results. My A1c was at 4.7 and my blood pressure is perfect. I don’t contribute this success to any one of these products or life style changes. I contribute this to the combination of all.

Contact me at stevefeller21@msn.com

For more information on Kyani click here

Diabetes Today

Almost every person knows someone or has a family member with diabetes. The diets of many increase the odds for this disease. The American Diabetes Association in there 2007 ADA statement estimates 17.5 million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes. Another 7 million Americans are undiagnosed. The ADA also estimates the yearly cost to be $174 billion. This is a staggering $11,744 per year in related costs to the individual with diabetes.

Diabetes can lead to severe complications. Blindness, heart disease, lower limb amputation and kidney damage are just a few of the major complications. The sad part of this disease is that more than have of the people in a pre-diabetes type II condition could correct their conditions with healthy diet and exercise. A healthy diet and exercise can also reduce the complication that may occur in people with diabetes. Creating a life around healthy foods and daily exercise is a must to reduce the risks associated with diabetes.

Eating a healthy diet is sometimes difficult with the types of foods that are offered in the American society. High fat high carbohydrates seem to be the quick and the cheap. Americans always seem to be in a hurry so this type of diet fits right in. The cost of eating healthy is sometimes a challenge for people with low or fixed incomes. Take a look at the cost of a salad compared to the high fat 99 cent menu at the standard fast food drive up. Any item that has low fat, low carb or healthy on the label seem to cost more than the regular item. But if everyone would look at the $11,744 per year cost associated with diabetes it may help justify the additional cost of a healthier diet.

Proper exercise has become commercialized and unreal expectations are trying to be achieved. Then finding time to follow the new exercise fads of the month is difficult. Again we are back to the fast paced life style many of us Americans live. Many believe that the club or gym is the only answer. But again we are dealing with time and money. For most with diabetes a long walk or light exercise at home may make all the difference that is needed.

Too many people don’t think that complications will happen to them. So they push the limits with foods, over weight, not enough exercise and not spending the money for medications. Then the life style sets back in and before they know it the complication start. At this point it may be too late. Many of the complications of diabetes may make it difficult to exercise or control their blood sugar level as before.

I am a diabetic with type II diabetes and I have found a life style change that is keeping my diabetes in check. I slip from time to time but I continue to create a life style and don’t look at it as a big issue. Prior to being diagnosed my weight had fluctuated over fifty pounds. I would lose it and then gain it back and then lose and then gain.

I set a New Year resolution one year to change my life style and get my health in control. I continually told myself I was going to weight 190 and live a healthy life style. By June I started to have eye sight problems and gastrointestinal problems. But I continually keep telling myself I was going to get healthy. In September I was diagnosed with diabetes. When I was in with my endocrinologist he told me that if I did everything he told me I would live a healthier and fit life more than I ever had. Bam like a ton of bricks! My affirmations came true.

A year later I am living a healthier and better life than I had. I have lost 65 pounds. I have reduced my medications to almost nothing. Diabetes forced me to live a healthier life.

If you want to learn how I have done this please e-mail me at stevefeller21@msn.com

For more information on Kyani please click here

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