A typical diabetes diet menu consists of carb-controlled portions that are high in fiber and do not contribute to fluctuations in blood sugar. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you must control your sugar or face many of the complications of this disease, such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular or kidney problems.

If you are overweight, you have even more of a challenge. One area that is easy to control when planning your diabetes diet menu, is portion control. This overlooked, simple strategy can really help. You will be less hungry and feel more satisfied if you choose smaller portions of a variety of foods, rather than just eating one or two kinds.

Eating more, smaller meals throughout the day is also very important. You’ll control your blood sugar better by healthy snacking or ‘grazing’ rather than eating three large meals. Your blood sugar will ’spike’ less and you’ll feel better and lose weight too.

When creating your diabetes diet menu, eat foods that don’t contribute to glycemic fluctuations, eat smaller portions more often through your day. You’ll get the benefit of a more stable blood sugar, and you’ll see weight loss as a bonus benefit.

Disclaimer: This article is based on information freely available in the popular press and medical journals that deal with health. Nothing herein is intended to be or should be construed to be any sort of medical advice. For medical advice the reader should consult with his or her physician or other medical specialist.

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes type 2 then I know that you have heard all about your blood glucose and how important it is to keep it normal, but you need to know what is your target blood glucose level.

You should be given a target glucose number by your doctor. If you keep your blood sugar within the target range this will keep you healthy and prevent the complications from diabetes.

Target Blood Glucose before meals should be in the range of 70 to 130.

Target Blood Glucose one to two hours after meals should be less than 180.

Once you talk to your physician about your target blood sugar then keep a record of your blood levels to see how close you stay within the target range.

Once every three months your doctor will take a blood lab that is called A1C. This test will tell the doctor the average blood sugar that you have had over the past three months. This is a test that you do not want to make a high score on because the lower the better.

Average A1C of 6% = average blood glucose of 135, 7% = 170, 8% = 205, 9% = 240, 10% = 275, 11% = 310, and 12% = 345.

What is your goal for blood pressure? High blood pressure can cause damage to the kidneys, heart and blood vessels. Your physician should give you your target blood pressure. Usually 120/70 is about average. Take your medications and start a physical activity program if you have not already done so.

Watch your numbers, keep up with blood glucose and stay within the target range, and take your blood pressure as often as prescribed by your doctor. It will take planning to manage your diabetes and diet is a large part in keeping your glucose within the target range and losing weight.

There are those who have started a diabetic meal plan and lost 20 to 30 pounds and have actually been able to stop taking some of their medications.

You have been diagnosed with diabetes or someone in your family has been diagnosed with diabetes type 2 and you are wondering how is this going to change my life. Diabetes is a disease that cannot be ignored. It will take complete participation on your part to keep this disease within control.

Medications: must be taken every day exactly as your doctor has prescribed and if you have any questions please call your doctor. Do not skip your medications without notifying your doctor’s office.

Blood Glucose: check your blood glucose level every day. Keep a notebook of your daily blood levels.

Feet: check your feet every day for cuts, scrapes and even sores. Schedule a visit with a podiatrist so he can keep your feet in great shape.

Teeth: brush and floss your teeth every day.

Physical Activity: walk or do some physical activity for a minimum of 30 minutes every day.

Blood Pressure: If you have high blood pressure then it would be a good idea to keep a record of your blood pressure in your notebook.

Weight: weigh yourself every day to know if you are gaining weight.

Meal Plan: know everyday what you are going to eat and keep your allowed foods in your cupboards and keep out the forbidden foods to avoid temptations.

This disease will require planning, but people do it every day and it just becomes a habit. There have been those who have tried the diabetic meal plan and have lost 20 to 30 lbs.

There are many foot complications related to diabetes such as calluses, athlete’s foot, bunions and ulcers. There are many reasons why diabetes can harm the foot and one of the main concerns is decreased blood flow to the foot. This occurs due to damage to the blood vessels in people who have persistently high blood sugar over long periods of time. Another major concern is the damage to the nerves of the foot which decreases the sensation, which results in foot injuries going unnoticed. So how should people with diabetes car for their feet?

The cornerstone in the prevention of foot problems in diabetes is having persistent control of blood sugar and insuring that the blood glucose levels are kept within a normal range over a long period of time. Many studies have shown that controlling one’s blood sugar levels can effectively prevent or delay foot problems in people who have diabetes. There are several other important ways to effectively decrease the problems of the feet with diabetes.

1. Foot examination: Diabetic patients should learn how to properly examine their feet on a daily basis by checking for any swelling, redness or hidden cuts. They should also look under the nails. A mirror can be used or a family member can be asked to assist if the diabetic person is visually impaired. Consult with a physician if anything suspicious is found. Diabetic patients should have their feet routinely examined by their doctors at least one time per year.

2. Toe care: Toe nails should be cut with extreme care. The edges should be filed and not cut too short to avoid ingrown toe nails.

3. Do not walk barefooted and avoid the use of heating pads.

4. Choose socks carefully. Socks should be changed daily and should always be clean. Tight socks should not be worn as they can decrease blood circulation. It is best to wear socks at night if the feet become cold.

5. Shoes: Diabetic patients should wear low heeled shoes to decrease pressure on the toes and they should also wear shoes with a broad front so as to provide the toes with adequate space. It is a good idea to shake the shoes before wearing just in case there is a small stone or other object which may not be felt when wearing the shoes.

6. Washing and moisturizing: Lukewarm water should be used for washing the feet and the feet should be carefully dried afterward. Apply a moisturizing cream on all areas of the feet except for in between the toes, as this can cause a fungal infection.

7. Smoking: If the diabetic person smokes, it is highly advisable to quit smoking as it causes a decreased blood flow to the feet.

In women diabetes is mainly caused by obesity.?There are different signs of diabetes in women like feeling thirsty, tiredness, dry skin etc. Many women in United States of America suffer from this chronic ailment. Diabetes is more common in some colored races. Mostly African American and Hispanic women are affected by this chronic ailment.

Obesity is the problem which puts the body at an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. The excessive consumption of sugary drinks and junk food prepared in transfats cause the accumulation of fats in different body parts. These fats not only make the women look ugly but at the same time also invite lethal and chronic ailment. Normally the middle aged women are the victims. Ineffective insulin is the prime cause of increase in the blood sugar levels.

Waning signs of Diabetes in Women and Their Cure:? Some general signs of diabetes in women are tiredness, frequent urination, feeling thirsty and unexplained weight loss. If any of these symptom is seen, it is better to consult the doctor. Aging is also one of the reasons which make the insulin ineffective.?

Diabetes Cure Dieting: Dieting and exercising can help to cure this disease. The middle aged women who are more prone to the disease must completely avoid the excessive intake of sugar. The excessive consumption increases the level of glucose in the blood stream. Women must also avoid the food that contains high amount of fats. Red meat is also not good for the diabetic women. Women must also consume more leafy and green vegetables and fruits. They must also drink plenty of water to get rid of this chronic problem.?

Regular Exercise:?Regular exercise is the best thing one can do to cure this disease. Aerobic dances are the combination of aerobic exercises and include different forms of dances like salsa and jazz.?These aerobic dances help the women to stay away from diabetes. These aerobic exercises also enable the women to maintain the ideal weight thus enabling the body to control the inefficiency of insulin to a larger extent.

Individuals with Type 2 diabetes who have impaired cognitive function are at increased risk for cardiovascular (CV) events and death, report researchers in the journal Diabetologia.

The team also found that diabetic patients with severe cognitive dysfunction were twice as likely to experience severe hypoglycemia as those with normal cognitive function.

“Among older patients with diabetes, reduced survival has been reported in those with poor cognitive function,” say Sophia Zoungas (Monash University, Melbourne, Australia) and colleagues.

In this study, the authors quantified mortality and evaluated the CV risks associated with cognitive dysfunction in 11,140 Type 2 diabetics aged 55 years or older participating in the Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease: Preterax and Diamicron Modified Release Controlled Evaluation (ADVANCE) trial.

Cognitive function was assessed at baseline using the Mini-Mental State Examination. A score of 28??”30 indicated “normal” cognitive function (n=8689), a score of 24??”27 indicated “mild dysfunction” (n=2231), and a score of less than 24 indicated “severe dysfunction” (n=212).

Over a median follow-up period of 5 years, 1147 (10.3%) participants experienced a major CV event.

The researchers found that, compared with patients with normal cognitive function, those with mild or severe cognitive function had a significant 27% increased risk for major CV events, a 41% increased risk for CV death, and a 33% increased risk of all-cause death.

They also found that severe, but not mild, cognitive dysfunction increased the risk for severe hypoglycemia 2.10 fold compared with normal cognitive function.

“Our data show that cognitive dysfunction further increases the already greater risk of CV events and death… in patients with Type 2 diabetes,” conclude the authors.

“This is clinically relevant, as cognitive decline is common among patients with Type 2 diabetes and may influence management.”

MedWire (www.medwire-news.md) is an independent clinical news service provided by Current Medicine Group, a part of Springer Science+Business Media. © Current Medicine Group Ltd; 2009

Free abstract

Researchers report a low incidence of severe nocturnal hypoglycemia in patients with Type 1 diabetes treated with insulin glargine in combination with either regular human insulin or insulin lispro.

Long-acting insulin analogs such as insulin glargine may help reduce the high risk for nocturnal hypoglycemia associated with neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) insulin, a basal insulin commonly used by patients with Type 1 diabetes.

Paolo Brunetti (University of Perugia, Italy) and co-workers investigated the effects of combining regular human insulin or insulin lispro with insulin glargine on the incidence of severe nocturnal hypoglycemia.

They explain that regular human insulin has a longer duration of action compared with insulin lispro, and would therefore be expected to induce a higher risk for nocturnal hypoglycemia.

Patients with Type 1 diabetes using NPH insulin or insulin glargine were switched to, or continued on, insulin glargine for 8 weeks. The authors then randomly assigned 395 patients to insulin lispro or regular human insulin at each meal for 16 weeks; patients continued to receive insulin glargine at dinner time.

Seven-point self-monitored blood glucose profiles were taken. Hypoglycemia was assessed throughout the study and categorized according to blood glucose levels as mild (60-72 mg/dl), symptomatic (42??”59 mg/dl), or severe (less than 41 mg/dl).

As reported in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases, a low rate of severe nocturnal hypoglycemia was observed, with three (1.55%) patients in the regular human insulin group and two (1.11%) in the insulin lispro group experiencing the event. The primary endpoint of the study, non-inferiority of regular human insulin compared with insulin lispro, was therefore demonstrated.

There was also no difference in the incidence of overall hypoglycemia with 2.85 episodes per patient a month reported for both groups.

Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels were significantly reduced with both insulin glargine combinations with no significant difference between the groups. However, mean levels of fasting plasma glucose were slightly lower in the regular human insulin group than in the insulin lispro group at the end of the study.

The authors reported a trend for lower post-prandial blood glucose levels in the lispro group compared with the regular human insulin group, but the latter tended to have lower pre-prandial blood glucose levels compared with the lispro group, suggesting that meal time doses of both bolus insulins should be managed with care.

The authors acknowledge that further studies with larger sample sizes are necessary to verify their findings. But they conclude: “Insulin glargine in combination with a short-acting analog or regular human insulin is associated with a similar and low rate of nocturnal hypoglycemia and glycemic control.”

MedWire (www.medwire-news.md) is an independent clinical news service provided by Current Medicine Group, a part of Springer Science+Business Media. © Current Medicine Group Ltd; 2009

Free abstract

Well documented facts of how garlic helps the diabetic by improving blood sugar control, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and other vascular risk factors makes it an important part of the control of diabetes. It really is a wonder drug that is cheap and plentiful.

The best way to get the benefits of garlic is to use it liberally in your cooking. Getting the taste for garlic has more benefits then I can list in this article. Once you develop your eating habits around garlic, you will not cook without it.

If you would rather get the benefits of garlic in pill form, you will have to watch out to make sure you’re getting all the promised results. Manufacturers coat the prepared garlic in such a way that the tablet does not break down until it has passed through the stomach. This is called enteric coating.

There are a couple of things to look for when choosing a garlic product. It is important to make sure the tablet provides a sufficient level of allicin, important for control of blood sugar.

Next, if the quality of the enteric coating is not right, the allicin will not be liberated at the proper time in the small intestine. 75% of the tested brands of garlic tablets on the market released less than 10% of their label claim of allicin.

The studies showing a positive effect of garlic tablets are those that deliver a sufficient dosage of allicin.

There are two brands that use the USP method to ensure label claims for allicin potential. Garlicin {Nature’s Way} and Garlic Factors {Natural Factors}. I recommend one of these two brands if you want to see results.

Almost 30 percent of the US population has what is called pre-diabetes. If left unchecked, it will become type 2 diabetes in about ten years or less in most people. Even young people are now being found with pre-diabetes.

Why is this happening at such an alarming rate? Family history is the blame for some of it, but for the most part it is our easy lifestyle and high intake of sugar and processed food. Just fifty years ago our diet was mainly some meat, vegetables, and maybe some type of potatoes.

Just look at any photo of a street load of people taken in the forties or fifties and count the overweight people. Then walk down town and try to count them. You will have to count fast.

Proper nutrition and physical activity can do wonders for the pre-diabetic to prolong the onset of type 2 diabetes and even prevent it altogether. Just losing ten pounds and doing exercises daily cuts the chance of getting diabetes by fifty percent.

As far as a diet for the prevention of diabetes goes, mainly it should include lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Limit soft drinks, juice, and anything with white flour and sugar. Surprisingly ice cream isn’t that bad. It’s very important to never skip a meal.

Muscle burns calories, so some weight training should be combined with aerobics and stretching for a good workout several times a week. Staying active by getting out of the house for walks etc. are very important. Staying really active will burn fat and keep your outlook better both mentally and physically.

The control of blood sugar with diet is nothing new. We all know when we are eating wrong and we don’t need anyone to tell us so. Just like a smoker knows that they would be much better off if they quit, a bad eater knows what they shoudn’t eat to be healthier.

Diabetes without insulin is possible and should be the goal of every diabetic.. Getting motivated seems to be the hard part for most people. It’s not easy to stop eating junk food when everyone else is doing it and it’s always easier to get.

The risk factors of diabetes should be enough to motivate anyone. Who wants heart disease, blindness, loss of limbs or kidney damage. All of these risks can be avoided with proper diet therapy in managing diabetes.

Treatment of diabetic complications begins with a diabetic friendly diet, it’s never too late to get started. A more aggressive diet and treatment of diabetes should be started without delay.

A diabetic diet rich in low glycemic foods is a priority in the first step to diabetes without insulin. A list of low glycemic foods should be next to your cookbook and near your shopping list. It’s not hard to stick to healthy foods and you will feel the difference in just a few days.

Even if you already have diabetes, get with your doctor and find a good nutritionist to work out a plan for your battle with this devastating disease. You can be a winner.

Read all that you can about diabetes and that way you will understand why each step in its treatment is necessary for control of blood sugar. It’s always easier when you know why.

Good eating and take care.