Changing Diabetes

Today I was reading through my new Forbes magazine and came across an article called Conquering the Diabetes Epidemic. This article covers how drastic it is to get diabetes under control. Diabetes is a disease that can be avoided with proper health for most.

The article explains the high expense of health care for those with diabetes. An estimated $218 billion was spent in 2007 on diabetes medical care. According to the ADA, diabetes is the fifth deadliest disease in the U.S.

This article has some great information and a link to a new program to help with the epidemic. The National Changing Diabetes Program www.natioanldiabetesgoal.com

The article explains the high expense of health care for those with diabetes. An estimated $218 billion was spent in 2007 on diabetes medical care. According to the ADA, diabetes is the fifth deadliest disease in the U.S.

Key Things to Check to Control Diabetes

Here are some key areas that need checked to help control diabetes. Talk to your doctor and make sure you are getting complete checkups.

A1C
This blood test measures blood sugar control over the past 90 days. The closer your A1C is to that of people who do not have diabetes, the less chance you have of damage occurring to your heart, eyes , kidneys and blood vessels. This should be tested 4 times a year and the goal is to be less than 7 on the A1c scale.
Blood Pressure
High blood pressure (hypertension) can lead to heart attack, heart failure, stroke or kidney failure. Both the AHA and ADA recommend blood pressures less than 130/80. Check your blood pressure often and check with your doctor if it is higher than these numbers.
Foot Inspection
You should check your feet daily for redness, swelling, cracks or calluses. These signs could be warning signs to complications due to having diabetes. In addition, people with diabetes should have there feet inspected by a health care provider every year.
Dilated Retinal (eye) examination
People with diabetes should have a dilated retinal examination every year. Early detection and treatment of changes in your eye can help prevent blindness.
Fasting Lipid Profile
High levels of lipids (fat) in the blood can lead to heart problems. people with diabetes are at a higher risk for heart related problems and strokes. Lipid profile test should be done once a year. If diet and exercise can not control high fat in blood, medications may be needed.
Urinary Protein/Micro albumin
Measuring the urinary protein will you and your doctor information about the health of your kidneys and blood vessels. This should be done once a year.

These are measure and checks to see if your diabetes is being controlled and your body is working properly. Watching these areas of your health can reduce many of the complications that come from diabetes.

New Year Resolution

Well the first month of the new year has just passed and I am sure you have set some New Year resolutions. The most common goal that is set is losing weight or improving health. This show how out of control our eating habits really are. Diabetes is also a sign of uncontrolled eating habits.
My goal was not to change my eating habits because I have spent the last year learning how to do this. I do need to be more consistent with my exercise. But my goal was to create a more harmonic life. I began this journey by reading a great book by James Ray.

Get your copy today and start a more harmonic life

I first read the science of success and enjoyed it very much. But when Harmonic Wealth came out I read it several times. I did the course worksheets that came with the book. If you have ever heard James Ray speak, he always talks about how balance is bogus. After reading the book I totally agree. We can never find balance in our hectic lives but we can find harmony. Think about the circus clown spinning the plates on a stick. He can keep five going but he can not just balance five on individual sticks. You have to continually keep addressing the five key areas in your lives. Stop trying to balance them, step up and deal with them.

You might wonder why I put this in my diabetic blog. Because if you can't control your life you will never control your diabetes. Poor eating habits, lack of exercise and general overall health are key signs that you may have your life out whack.

Here is a quote from the book.
Thought Proceeds Actions
"If you don't clean up your thoughts, you will never change your actions.To understand why, try to have a thought without an image. Think about your neighbor without visualizing him or her. Think about your car without seeing it in your garage or drive way. Think about wanting to feel healthier without at least a fleeting image of what you would look like. Can you do it? It's not possible".

Diabetic control is a mindset. Eating proper foods, exercising and being consistent with nutrients and medication is a mindset. Our overall life is a mindset. Learn how you can create a more harmonic life and you may find it will help with your diabetic control.

Diabetes Daily

Do you have questions about diabetes? Forums are a great way to interact with other people with diabetes. Diabetes Daily is a great forum to ask question, find answers and just socialize with other diabetes sufferers. I just joined this forum a couple of days ago and have read some very good information. Forums like this are free and a great place to learn how others are dealing with their diabetic life. Join today from this link http://www.diabetesdaily.com/

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.